The Tasting Group (Premium Wine Group): Choice Choices August 4, 2014

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting, Uncategorized and tagged with Bouquet Rose, Bridge Lane Chardonnay, Bridge Lane Merlot, Bridge Lane Rose, Bridge Lane Sparkling, Bridge Lane White Blend, Brooklyn Oenology Pinot Gris, Leo Family Red Blend, Lieb Cellars, Long Island, North Fork, Premium Wine Group, SUHRU Riesling, T'Jara Merlot, The Tasting Group, Upstate New York, wine tasting August 10, 2014

http://liebcellars.com

There are always changes out here in wine country. New wineries open, some close, others merge, and menus change with each new harvest. Lieb Cellars has made some alterations in their tasting room options. Their Oregon Road facility (see my entry from last August for a description of that tasting room) still has the full panoply of Lieb wines, while their Sound Avenue room has been re-named The Tasting Group and now offers two menus: Lieb’s Bridge Lane line (their less expensive offerings) or the “featured flight,” which features wines from a variety of labels which use the Premium Wine Group wine-making facilities behind the tasting room. Either flight includes some very good choices.

We opted to each get our own flight, sharing tastes as always, and I took the Bridge Lane option, which includes 5 tastes for $12 from the Bridge Lane menu. My husband took the featured flight, also 5 tastes, though with no options, for $14. We were accompanied by family members, with the three year old distraction and her two month old sister opting to spend their time outside at one of the picnic tables on the lawn, admiring the grapes and just generally running around. On Friday evenings Lieb has what they call “Firefly Fridays” out there, with music and glasses of wine on offer from 6-8 p.m.

One view of the tasting room

The room itself is a bit small and somewhat spare, with a tasting bar and a few small tables. Our server seemed quite knowledgeable and enthusiastic, and attempted to make a red wine convert out of another customer who kept insisting she only liked whites, though to no avail.

I’ll give you the Bridge Lane wines first, then the others.

1) Bridge Lane White Blend $20

20% chardonnay, 20%pinot blanc, 18% Riesling, 14% Viognier, 9% sauvignon blanc and 4% gewürztraminer combine to make this a pleasantly fruity yet light white, with nice citrus flavors. Classic summer wine.

2) Bridge Lane Sparkling $20

Very dry, somewhat mineral-y, and reminiscent of a Prosecco, this is a bit too seltzer-ish for me.

I liked the bubbly label.

3) Bridge Lane 2011 Chardonnay $14

Unoaked, our server notes, so a good choice for those who dislike the California style of heavily oaked chards. This is light and lemony and very buyable.

4) Bridge Lane Rosé 2013 $18

Since we were just recently at Croteaux, of course I have to compare this to their wines, and it’s fine, but not as good. A blend of cabernet franc, merlot, and gewürztraminer, this has typical strawberry aroma and is pleasantly dry, but could use more complexity.

5) Bridge Lane Merlot 2011 $16

Though this is called merlot, it is also 24% cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc, grapes which I think always improve a merlot. For the price this is a really good option, with lots of berry flavors though not much aroma. Very buyable, which we do.

Now for the Featured Flight.

1) Brooklyn Oenology 2013 Pinot Gris $20

Perhaps you were wondering where in Brooklyn grapes are grown? The grapes for this wine come from Upstate New York and are processed here in Mattituck. The wine is very, very dry, with lots of tart lemon flavors, so would be better with food than sipped on its own.

The SUHRU Riesling got some favorable comments.

2) SUHRU 2012 Dry Riesling $16

We’ve encountered SUHRU wines before, in The Tasting Room (now under different ownership as The Winemaker’s Studio) so we knew that they are made by Russell Hearn, Lieb’s winemaker, and his wife. As the name promises, this is a dry Riesling. It has a touch of that cat pee smell, but tastes fine, with good fruit—maybe gooseberry? Our relatives really like it.

3) Bouquet Rosé 2013 $16

“Not a lot of character,” offers our relative, and we agree, even though you’d think a blend of cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, and merlot would be more interesting. There’s a touch of that earthiness some North Fork merlots have in this dry rosé.

4) T’Jara 2010 Merlot $25

Where did the name T’Jara come from? Our server tells us that this is Russell Hearn’s premium label, only made in good years, and, since he is from Australia, he decided to name it for an Australian tribe. Aged in oak, this is a very good merlot, with plenty of berry tastes, dry but not too dry.

We liked Leo’s label–and wine.

5) Leo Family Red Blend $36

We liked this the best of the wines sampled today. A Bordeaux blend, this is a wine one could happily sip on its own or pair with pork chops. It’s a bit on the sweet and soft side, without a lot of tannins, made by the Clovis Point winemaker. It also has a really pretty lacy pattern on the label.

In addition to bottles, one can also buy some of the wines in a box! A box of White Blend or Red Blend is the equivalent of 4 bottles, we are told, costs $46, and can last three weeks after being opened. We opt instead for two bottles of the Bridge Lane merlot as an everyday table wine, our relative goes for the SUHRU Riesling, and one of our three tastings is complimentary.

Reasons to Visit: the chance to try a variety of wines from various winemakers, in addition to Lieb’s own Bridge Lane line; the Bridge Lane chardonnay and merlot; the Leo Family Red Blend (If I were here for a Firefly Friday, I would get a glass of this if it were on offer.); the SUHRU Riesling; a pleasant outdoor space for a glass and a picnic. We often see groups enjoying the Firefly Fridays, but have not had the chance to do so ourselves yet.

Outdoor area

Croteaux: Voyage to Provence July 27, 2014

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with 181, 181 sauvage, cabernet franc, Chloe, Croteaux, French Pomerol, Jolie, merlot 3, Merlot 314, North Fork, rose, wine tasting July 31, 2014

http://www.croteaux.com/

The entrance to the tasting garden.

Croteaux is our favorite place for relaxed outdoor summer sipping of rosés. The pretty garden is surrounded by flowering bushes and studded with Adirondack chairs and wooden picnic tables with comfortable wire chairs around them. The winery’s practice of limiting groups to eight and banning buses and limos ensures that the atmosphere stays calm and peaceful.

One of the surprisingly comfortable chairs.

We know they practice good conservation techniques, since we ran into Paul Croteaux at the Southold dump, recycling a load of empty bottles, though the bottles are so pretty it seems a shame to throw them out. Paula Croteaux presides over the tasting garden with charm and grace, and the service is always excellent. The wines are quite good, too. I thought I disliked rosés until I tried theirs, and on this trip my cousin underwent a similar conversion, as we convinced him and his wife and my brother and sister-in-law to accompany us to Croteaux (well, we were driving, so they didn’t have that much choice).

We all opted for the rosé tasting, six rosés for $15. We could also have had three sparkling rosés for the same price or a glass for $10-13, depending on variety. The first three wines on the list are each $19 a bottle, and the last three are $25, with 10% off if you buy a case. Buying a case means you are automatically a member of the case club, which gets you several benefits—not least of which is plenty of rosé, perfect for summer meals. After you order, the waitress brings you a round flower pot bottom with the first three wines, and then another with the next three, each round-bottomed glass sitting on a label so you know in which order to drink them. A request for water brought a bottle and fresh glasses.

One round

The Croteaux web site describes their wines as “dry, crisp, and fruit-filled,” and I agree.

1) 181 French Pomerol

Alas, this wine is already sold out, so you can taste it but not take it home, which is too bad as it is a lovely strawberry-scented light rosé, with notes of lemon and perhaps walnut at the end.

2) Merlot 314

Named for the clone of merlot that is used to make it, this is our favorite of their wines. Though it has less scent than the 181, it has more body and is fruitier, though still dry. We decide it would be perfect with lobster, a theory we prove later that night over lobsters my cousin buys at Braun’s. We buy a case and a half…

3) Merlot 3

Why 3? Because it is a blend of 181, 314, and 3. We taste more citrus in this lighter wine, and would pair it with goat cheese (a crock of which you can get at the winery, with slices of baguette). A bit too light, I think. “I wouldn’t kick it out of bed,” notes my brother, though he also characterizes it as a “crowd pleaser.”

We sip and chat.

4) 181 Sauvage

Fermented using wild yeasts, this is a wine that will vary year to year, and I liked last year’s version better. We smell lots of strawberry (“The technical term is schnozz,” jokes my husband), but the wine itself tastes a bit thin and unfinished. One person tastes melon, my cousin suggests celery, I offer minerality. It would be better paired with food. This is the first of the more expensive set of three.

5) Chloe

A blend of sauvignon blanc and cabernet franc, this wine is, one of us offers, “a white wine lover’s rosé.” I smell burnt pear and fresh cut grass. I’d like this with oysters, as the dryness and fruit would complement the salinity of the bivalves.

6) Jolie

This wine is also sold out. In fact, if you want some of Croteaux’s rosés I suggest you get over there quickly, as they typically are sold out by the end of the season. True to its name, this is a pretty wine, both in looks and taste, sweet at the beginning with a dry finish and a wonderful aroma of roses. Unlike Chloe, this is a wine I’d be happy sipping, maybe even in a spritzer on a hot day. My cousin, getting into the spirit of the day, suggests serving it with Velveeta. Maybe not.

Pretty bottles

Reasons to visit: a beautiful garden setting with a peaceful atmosphere; rosés that will change your mind about rosés; the 314, the Chloe, and the Jolie; oh, and I forgot to mention, they have a lovely boutique with interesting items my cousin’s wife wanted to explore.

This may not be true for roses, but it is for friends.

Flowers line the garden

The Winemaker Studio: Wine as Art? July 4, 2014

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with Anthony Nappa, Black Bird Reserve Merlot, cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, Frizzante, Greg Gove, North Fork, Provisions, Race Wines, Red Blend, Reminisce, sauvignon blanc, Spezia Gewurztraminer, The Winemaker Studio, wine tasting July 10, 2014

http://www.anthonynappawines.com/tws_home.html

Rainy Fourth of July!

The rain washed out our barbeque, but not our determination to do a wine tasting, so off we set in a tropical downpour to the welcoming environs of The Winemaker Studio. Odd name for a tasting room, you are probably thinking, especially since it occupies the premises previously called The Tasting Room, a more obvious name. However, as Anthony Nappa, the proprietor, discussed with us on a previous visit, the idea is to provide a space where a variety of winemakers can showcase their wares, and to also have the space function as an art gallery, with art for purchase on the walls.

Many of the winemakers carried here are also—or have been—winemakers for larger wineries, such as Raphael or Osprey’s Dominion, but felt they wanted to make wines their own way, under their own label. Like art, these are labors of love. As you can tell by the site’s URL, Anthony Nappa makes his own wines, and his selections dominate the tasting menu of fifteen wines, all available for $2 or $3 a taste. In addition to selling wine by the glass they also feature Greenport Harbor beer on tap and a number of local hard liquors—gin, vodka, whiskey—plus espresso and cappuccino and a menu of sandwiches crafted by Nappa’s wife, Sarah Evans Nappa, a chef who previously worked at the North Fork Table and Inn. They also run a small store attached to the tasting room called Provisions, which stocks a variety of both local and imported foods, including cheeses, pastas, and charcuterie. Like many places with their own food, they ask you not to bring your own snacks, but are happy to sell you cheeses, etc.

Some of the provisions at Provisions.

The room is small, simple, and rustic, with a wooden bar and small tables with folding chairs both inside and outside. Sometimes you find a dog or two around, but today they had been left home because the thunder was freaking them out. Our friends, animal lovers, were disappointed that the dogs were not in residence, but happy about the wines they tasted. Frequent North Fork visitors, they had not heard of The Winemaker Studio, but will now add it to their list. We each made a variety of choices from the menu, with each couple sharing one tasting, a good decision since the pour was quite generous. We were left on our own to decide the order of tastes. I’ve marked the Anthony Nappa wines with an AN at the end.

Tasting menu

1) 2013 Frizzante Sparkling $20

It had been a year since we were here, and there were quite a few new wines, including a sparkling wine made from riesling, pinot noir, and gewürztraminer, and not filtered, so it has an intriguing cloudy look. We smell and taste lots of minerality, plus unripe pineapple and some lemon. We envision drinking it on the deck with charcuterie, and our friend suggests using it in a cocktail with Limoncello and some raspberries. Sounds good! AN

Frizzante–note the cloudiness.

2) 2013 Reminisce $22

This is their sauvignon blanc, and it spends three days on the skins, giving it lots of complex flavors, including ripe grapefruit. Good! AN

3) 2013 Spezia Gewürztraminer $25

Spezia means spicy, a good name for this spicy dry gewürztraminer, with its pleasant honeysuckle aroma. Though it lacks depth (We prefer One Woman’s gewürztraminer.), it is a good wine. Pair it with stinky cheeses, they suggest. AN

It’s a fairly generous pour.

4) 2012 Dodici $35

So a year ago we had the 2010 Dieci, which this replaces (brush up on your Italian numbers to decipher the names). A blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, and cabernet franc, this Bordeaux type is another good wine. Mouthwatering fruit flavors. AN

5) 2012 Black Bird Reserve Merlot $40

Though we are told that this is a wine made only in good years, spending 18 months in the barrel, we are unimpressed. There’s a touch of that earth smell you sometimes get in North Fork merlots, some dark cherry taste, and not much else.

6) Red Blend by Greg Gove of Race Wines $22

This is another Bordeaux-type blend, of cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, and merlot. Again, just okay—and fairly oaky, too.

Our friends also tried and really like Nappa’s Anomaly, a white wine made from red grapes, which we have liked in the past, and they enjoyed as well. They bought a bottle of the Frizzante, perhaps to try that cocktail idea in the near future! Then we browsed a bit in Provisions, and, though we didn’t find anything we needed for that night, having shopped already, we did make mental notes of things we would buy.

Part of the Provisions menu

Reasons to visit: a chance to try a variety of wines not readily available elsewhere; the Frizzante, the Dodici, the Reminisce; the opportunity to shop at Provisions; art on the walls; the availability of other drinks and food for those who aren’t wine drinkers. We haven’t tried it, but they have Happy Hour from 5-7 every day, with 30% off on glasses of wine.

Not a great day for sitting outside…maybe next time!

The Old Field: In Touch with History June 28, 2014

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with Barrel Fermented, Blush de Noir, cabernet franc, Cacklin Rose, chardonnay, Commodore Perry, Long Island, merlot, North Fork, rooster tail, The Old Field, Winery June 30, 2014

http://www.theoldfield.com/

The Old Field is a great place for photos, with lots of scenic farm buildings.

Appropriately, The Old Field’s history matches its appealingly rustic look. It can trace its roots as a farm back to the mid-1600s, when the land was bought from the Native Americans, according to its web site, and that’s not its only connection to history, about which more later. We particularly enjoy coming here in the warm weather, when you can stand outside at the tasting bar or sit at a picnic table and enjoy the sight of ducks and chickens running around (the pair of ducks, by the way, are named Fred and Ethel, but I don’t know if their last name is Mertz), scenic old farm buildings, and the vineyards. One of the owners is usually on hand as well, if you want to get into a deep discussion of the wines. The overall vibe is relaxed and congenial, and we’ve often found ourselves conversing amiably with strangers as we sip.

The tasting bar, with its charmingly mismatched tablecloths.

The tasting menu offers three options: A tasting of whites, four for $6; reds, three for $5; or a mixed group, four for $6. They also offer wines by the glass—in which case you get an actual glass, rather than the somewhat unfortunate little plastic cup used for tastings—and the bottle, which we noted a group of picnickers enjoying. We decide to share a white and a red, so as to sample all their wares.

The only thing we don’t like here: the plastic cups.

1) 2012 Blush de Noir $18

Our youthful and enthusiastic server informs us that this is a new release, a very light pink rosé made from pinot noir grapes. It is so light that it looks like a white wine in the glass. The aroma is mineral, with a touch of cut grass. Very summery and pleasant, with only a little strawberry flavor, this is a nice summer drink I’d serve well iced. $1 of the purchase price of every bottle sold goes to support an animal shelter.

2) 2011 Chardonnay $20

Although this is primarily a steel-fermented chardonnay, a short time in oak gives it a bit of a vanilla aroma, along with what they describe as a “wet slate” smell. If you’ve ever walked around Manhattan while the doormen are hosing off the warm concrete in front of their buildings you know the smell. This is also a light wine, quite tart, with lots of lemon and grapefruit. It would pair nicely with a tarragon chicken salad.

3) 2012 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay $25

After six months in oak, this Chard has definite vanilla and burnt caramel aromas, and lots of pineapple taste, but is not too oaky. Good picnic wine.

4) 2011 Cacklin’ Rosé $18

If you wanted to show someone how different two rosés can be, you could give them a taste of this and of the Blush de Noir, and they’d get the point right away. Made from merlot grapes, with 24 hours on the skins, the Cacklin’ Rosé has a dark color and a distinctive smell that reminds me of cranberry juice. Though the taste is a tad sweet for me, it is good and would make a hit as an aperitif on the porch in the summer. I’d like it better if it had a little lemon or citrus taste. (If you’re wondering about the name, Google Neil Diamond.)

5) Rooster Tail $18

A blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc, this is their everyday pasta and pizza wine, and it is a good member of that club, dry, with some dark fruit tastes. Their ‘09 Cabernet Franc, by the way, has sold out.

6) 2008 Merlot $25

Not much aroma, berry and cinnamon tastes, fairly light for a red: we decide the Merlot is just okay.

7) 2007 Commodore Perry $40

Really? Commodore Perry? What’s that about? Wasn’t he the guy who opened up trade with Japan? And why is there a somewhat Japanese-looking sea under that ship on the label? Here’s the other link to history I mentioned earlier. Commodore Perry is indeed an ancestor of the family who owns the vineyard, and so they honor him by only naming their best vintages after him. ’07 was a great year, and this Merlot shows it, with lots of flavors of dark fruit and ripe figs plus good tannins. We buy a bottle, planning to cellar it. We are also entertained to learn that this wine is famous in Japan, due to the name, and that Japanese tourists get very excited when they come to Old Field and see it. In fact, one was so intrigued that he offered to design the label!

Reasons to visit: pleasant rustic setting, with picnic tables and roaming fowl; the 2012 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay; the Cacklin’ Rosé; the ’07 Commodore Perry; the chance to hear stories about the history of the farm (including one cold winter day when we heard all about the resident ghosts).

Mattebella Vineyards: It’s a Family Affair June 16, 2014

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, Christine Tobin, Famiglia, Isabella, Long Island, Mark Tobin, Matt, Mattebella, merlot, North Fork, Old World Blend, petit verdot, rose, Tobin June 18, 2014

http://www.mattebellavineyards.com/welcomemattebella/

The labels feature this charming picture of Matt and Isabella.

The warm greeting you get as you enter Mattebella Vineyards’ pretty patio is only one aspect of the family feeling this winery exudes, starting with the name. Matt and Isabella are the children of owners Christine and Mark Tobin, and you are likely to see the whole family helping out with tastings and other chores around the property. You’ll recognize the kids by their portraits on the bottles, though they have grown older since the pictures were drawn.

Regulars are greeted with a kiss by Chris, but even newcomers soon feel at home. On our visit, we overheard Mark giving excellent advice about places to eat and sights to see to a young couple on their first trip to the North Fork. She, by the way, was enjoying their home made organic lemonade, as she was in that interesting condition in which women are encouraged not to drink.

The patio has been improved in the two years since our last visit, with plenty of comfortable seating and a combination of sunny and shaded areas, including under a lovely pergola, with pleasant music playing in the background. The tasting menu is divided into a “Light” flight and a red flight, with tastes also available individually for about $2 for the lights and $4-5 for the reds, or by the glass or bottle. A Light Flight is $12 for 6 of their whites and rosés (4 chardonnays and 2 rosés), and a Red Flight is $18 for 5 reds. We opted to share one Red Flight plus two individual wines from the Lights. They also sell their attractive round-bottomed glasses for $3.50.

1) 2013 Rosé $19

If you like sweet rosés, this one is not for you, but if you appreciate a delicate and refreshing rosé with a citrus tang and plenty of minerality, then head to Mattebella forthwith. We decided it would go well with soft shell crab, a delicious sample of which we had had the night before at the North Fork Table and Inn, where we went to celebrate our anniversary.

The rose and the chardonnay.

2) 2010 Reserve Chardonnay $25

Our knowledgeable and efficient server explained that the term “reserve” actually has no established meaning, but at Mattebella it indicates a wine from one of their best years. This is a 50% oak barrel, 50% steel fermented chard, which means it should not be overly oaky, but we found it pretty oaky, with lots of vanilla and roasted pear aromas and tastes. For the price, it is quite good, with some nice complexity. It might go with a seafood in cream sauce dish.

3) Famiglia $21

No vintage here, this is a blend, trying for consistency across the years, and, said our server, is a “good pizza wine.” We agree. It is a pleasant, soft drink, not complex, but with nice fruit and none of the earthy flavor reds sometimes have out here. It’s a blend of merlot and cabernet franc, so sort of Bordeaux-ish. Oh, and we get a clean glass for the transition to the reds.

4) 08 Old World Blend $40

In this instance, Old World Blend means merlot, cabernet sauvignon, and cabernet franc—a Bordeaux. This, says our server, is the lightest of the OWBs, because there was a lot of rain at the end of the season. Along with our glass of wine we get a little snack (I remember Chris saying the last time that we were there that she felt wine should always go with food.) of a piece of baguette topped with fig jam and blue cheese. We like the snack better than the wine, which is just okay.

Snack

5) 2009 Old World Blend $35

This time the snack is bacon jam and Parmeggiano Reggiano on a baguette—very yummy—and so is the wine, our favorite of the day (and not just because it came with bacon jam, though maybe…). A blend of merlot, cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, and “the grape no one knows,” petit verdot, the wine has good tannins and lots of dark fruits, and is interestingly complex.

6) 2010 Old World Blend $43

Our server says this is his favorite of the reds, and talks about a certain “brininess,” which he feels expresses the Long Island terroir, its closeness to the sea. We get it—there is a hint of a sea salt taste. This would work well with a nice dinner, maybe of boeuf bourguignon. The tasting notes suggest this will age well.

7) 2007 Old World Blend $48

A blend of the same grapes as the 08, this is the wine that won a Wine Spectator 91 points. 07 was a particularly good—and warm—year on Long Island, and this one has lots of big bold fruity tastes, more like a Napa Valley red. We smell leather and spice, and maybe, strangely enough, a hint of cat pee. Since the Tobins have decided that this wine would go well with chocolate, we get a tiny square of homemade chocolate brownie. Lovely way to end our tasting!

The brownie went well with the red wine.

Reasons to Visit: Snacks!; pleasant outdoor space for sipping; warm welcoming family atmosphere; the 2013 Rosé, the Famiglia, the 09 and 07 Old World Blends; homemade lemonade for the non-drinkers in the group. We go home with two bottles of the Famiglia and one of the 09 OWB.

An old water tower adds charm to the scene.

A bit of the pergola

Shinn Estate Vineyards: For Earth Lovers April 26, 2014

Posted by nofowineaux in Summary Recommendations, Tasting and tagged with cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, Coalescence, Estate Merlot, First Fruit, Long Island, Malbec, North Fork, petit verdot, Pinot Blanc, Red Blend, riesling, sauvignon blanc, Semillon, Shinn Estate Vineyards, Veil Sherry, Wild Boar Doe, wine tasting May 2, 2014

http://shinnestatevineyards.com/

The Farmhouse at Shinn

Hidden away on Oregon Road, Shinn includes both a lovely rustic tasting room and their own inn, called the Farmhouse. Considering that the owners also own the restaurant Home in New York City, I’ll bet the food is good there! However, we had come for a tasting after our disappointing attempt to visit Vineyard 48. As we pulled into the parking lot we noticed a huge windmill, and I remembered that I read that they powered the winery using solar and wind power only. The outside area has been attractively redone, with rustic benches and natural stone walls, but it was too chilly to stay outside, so in we went, where we found a warm welcome, a happy crowd, and Panda, the resident black and white dog. Rocks anchor the menus to the bar, inspirational words painted on weathered wood line the walls, and a blackboard notes that they are now open until 8 on Fridays and Saturdays.

Windmill

Outdoor area

A tasting is $10 for any four wines, chosen from an interesting menu that includes six whites and five reds, plus Wickham’s pear cider, their own “sherry,” eau de vie, and grappa. We decide to share two tastings, three whites, four reds, and the “sherry.” (They also sell their own vinegar and granola, and have a small snack menu outside.) One of the servers gives us detailed information about each wine, while the other does not, but the menu gives some guidance.

Dog in residence

1) 2013 Coalescence $16

We have liked and bought this blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Riesling in the past, so we opted to start with it. Aromas of pear and fresh cut grass and tastes of baked pear and citrus, maybe lemon grass, with some tangerine at the end, was how we described this to each other. Though not for sipping, it would be okay with seafood in a cream sauce. However, we don’t like it as much as we did in the past, which shows the importance of tasting new vintages before you buy.

2) 2013 First Fruit $22

This is a lovely wine, a Sauvignon Blanc, with faint honeysuckle and orange aromas and lots of fruit, a bit petillant on the tongue. The initial sweetness of the taste could be off putting to some, but overall it is not too sweet, especially at the end. I could see sipping this on the porch if summer ever comes!

3) 2012 Pinot Blanc $35

An unfiltered barrel-aged (11 months) wine, you can see the cloudiness in the glass. They serve it at room temperature so you can savor the taste. Wow. Interesting. This has a very full mouth feel, almost as if you could chew it. I don’t know that I’d want it with food, but it would be fun to include it in a tasting and see what people thought of it. We smell pine or forest floor and taste some vanilla.

Clouds!

Water for cleansing your palate–or your glass!

4) Red Blend $16

One of the servers cleaned up the glass that was to be used for our red tasting, so our server rinses our glass with some of the bottle of water they give each group. As the name indicates, this is a blend, of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, and Petit Verdot. Though it was made using grapes from 2011 and 2012, it is not a vintage wine, and the menu describes it as “medium bodied.” I would agree: this is an ordinary wine, with lots of tannins, a bit on the thin and bitter side, with tastes of berries and sour apple.

5) 2010 Estate Merlot $26

This is a fairly typical Long Island Merlot, with a sweet berry aroma and taste. My husband says “baked sweet potatoes.” Maybe. Good.

6) 2010 Wild Boar Doe $32

Again, this is a blend of all five of their estate grown reds, with a pleasant aroma of fresh hay and berries and a delicious taste that is reminiscent of a French Bordeaux (no surprise, given the name!). This is a very appealing wine and would be good for a special occasion, with steak or lamb or pasta with a red sauce. 7) 2010 Cabernet Franc $38

A bit of a barnyard odor and tastes of berry but also some burnt toast with honey. It doesn’t bowl me over, but my husband likes it more than I do.

8) 2009 Veil “Sherry” $48 for a 375 ml bottle

Made from Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon late-harvest grapes, this is a sweet and herbal sherry-like drink with notes of honey and a bit of goldenrod scent. Pleasant, though we prefer Spanish sherries; it would make a nice before-dinner cocktail, maybe on ice or mixed with something else.

Some of the more exotic items on the tasting menu.

Reasons to visit: pleasant tasting room in the midst of scenic farm fields; the First Fruit, the Pinot Blanc, and the Wild Boar Doe; the chance to taste some other types of drinks like their sherry (we’ll have to return to try the eau de vie and the grappa!); the chance to support a vineyard that cares about the Earth as well as the earth. 9)

Vineyard 48: The Opposite of a Warm Welcome April 26, 2014

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting, Uncategorized and tagged with Vineyard 48 May 1, 2014

http://vineyard48wine.com/

It wasn’t just the weather that was damp and chilly on this April Saturday when we attempted to visit Vineyard 48. We had been there twice before, but the last time was in 2011, so it was time for a return visit. On our previous visits, we had liked and bought a couple of the wines, so, though the reputation of the winery has suffered a bit in recent years, we were ready for a tasting.

We pulled into the driveway and were directed by a parking attendant to pull around to the back. A second parking attendant was directing various limos and buses to park near the tasting room, but we were sent further along, down a long muddy path through the vineyard, to park amongst the rows of vines. Given the chilly drizzle, we were not delighted with our muddy trek, but we persevered to the entrance, where we were stopped outside by a polite young man who waved baggies of tokens in our faces and said, “It’s $10.00 for four tastes.”

He informed us that we could “pick up” our tastes in the tent behind him. “But we don’t want to be outside,” we said. “Oh, you can take your tastes inside,” he replied.

Unable to see inside, we realized that not only would we have to buy our tastings before we saw the menu and knew if we wanted to do one, we wouldn’t know if we had space to sit or stand to do the tasting until after we were committed. So we left.

Clearly, Vineyard 48 has decided to cater to the limo and bus crowd to the detriment of other visitors. A few other signs that this is so: a prominent sign before the entrance proclaiming “No Outside Alcoholic Beverages Allowed,” the many buses and limos in the lot near the building while other visitors are shunted to the back, and the often reiterated message on their web page that “Limos and Buses are always welcome at Vineyard 48!” They had briefly lost their liquor license due to complaints that they had become a party venue rather than a tasting room.

Reasons to visit: None that I can see.

Clovis Point Winery: A Touch of History 4/19/14

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with Barrel Fermented Chardonnay, cabernet franc, Clovis Point; North Fork, gewurztraminer, Long Island, merlot, petit verdot, rose, Stainless Chardonnay, Vintner's Select Merlot, wine tasting April 23, 2014

Party bus in the parking lot.

http://www.clovispointwines.com/

Clovis Point Winery touches history in two very different ways: it is named for a prehistoric type of arrow head that was used on Long Island, and the tasting room is in a converted 1920s potato barn. The former provides an attractive design for their bottles, and the latter a comfortably rustic space. There is a long tasting bar plus barrel-based tables with stools, and then an outside semi-sheltered porch and an area of outdoor tables, both of which seem to be filled with groups. Though a sign at the end of the driveway says “No Buses No Limos No Exceptions,” there are two party buses in the parking lot, so I assume the no’s apply only to those without reservations.

There was quite a crowd at the bar…

…but plenty of room on the porch.

The last time we were at Clovis Point was in November of 2012, so it was time for a return visit. That’s one great feature of reviewing wineries—every year they have new vintages, so you never run out of material! This time we opted for two tastings: the “Cold” menu, which includes two Chardonnays and a Rosé for $8, and the Red, which features four reds for $10. We could also have chosen the Premium, which we had last time (check my entry for November 17, 2012), and which also has four reds, their more expensive options, for $15. The pour, by the way, is officially one ounce according to the measured pourer, but our server was generous with us, as she saw us sharing tastes and carefully evaluating each one. They also offer a small menu of snacks—mainly cheeses and meats and hummus—but, according to what we heard the server say to a nearby group, they are also open to people bringing in their own, as long as it’s not a whole huge meal.

She was talking to a group which included wine club members there to pick up their shipment, and we saw a number of other wine clubbers doing the same. Surprisingly, one member of that group was chewing bubble gum throughout the tasting! Not sure what that was about, but personally I don’t recommend it.

1) 2013 Stainless Chardonnay $20

This continues to be an appealing wine, with 3% Gewürztraminer added to the Chardonnay for a bit of added complexity and depth. The aroma combines honey (I say) with some citric and grassy notes, and has a tart but nice flavor that reminds me of gooseberries, with some citric flavor. Very buyable, which we do.

2) 2012 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay $25

The menu would have us taste the Rosé next, but our server suggests that we might like to taste the two Chardonnays side by side. According to the tasting menu, this is made with 89% French oak fermented Chardonnay, 10% unoaked Chardonnay, and 1% Gewürztraminer, and it does provide an interesting contrast with the Stainless Chard. Butterscotch and nutmeg “on the nose,” as they say, and definitely butterscotch on the tongue, ending with a touch of welcome lemon, so that it has a mixture of sweet and sour. One could sip this if one liked oaked Chardonnays. What to eat with it? You’d need something assertive, like a well-flavored lobster or salmon dish.

The rose is a pretty color.

3) Rosé $20

Again, this is a bit of a blend, which seems to be the house style: 97% Cabernet Franc, 3% Merlot. My husband insists the aroma reminds him of wassail, that spiced warm red wine drink from Scandinavia. Maybe. The taste is pleasant, with typical Rosé strawberry flavor, tart, with a touch of sourness at the end. A white pizza—no red sauce—would complement it.

4) 2006 Merlot $18

76% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot are blended together to make an undistinguished typical Long Island Merlot. Despite the blend, it lacks depth, but would be okay to drink with a burger.

Generous pour!

5) 2012 Cabernet Franc $28.50

This wine is also on the premium list, and our server is very enthusiastic about it—as she is about all the wines, I have to say. She says this is a wine that “makes you want to have more.” And indeed, the smell is lovely—cedar, blackberries, a touch of earthiness—but the taste? Hmmm…not much to it, we say. I guess it would be easy to drink. The Cab Franc is blended with 4% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon.

6) 2007 Merlot $25

As we’ve heard frequently, 07 was a great year for North Fork grapes, and this one certainly proves that observation, as it is noticeably better than the 06. Our server notes that she’s bringing a bottle or two of this to a friend’s house tonight! We could bring this to a friend, too, though we’re not as happy with it as she is. There are other Long Island Merlots, like Lenz’s, for example, that we prefer. Nice fruit—cherries and blueberries.

Clovis Point on label…

…with explanation.

7) 2006 Vintner’s Select Merlot $30

Though this is a wine they “only make in good years,” we find it to be just pretty good—not a knockout. The server describes it as “smooth,” and my drinking companion notes “the barnyard has been tamed.” Spice and fruit aromas precede tastes of brambly fruit. The Merlot is blended with 15% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot.

Reasons to visit: Pleasant tasting room, often with live music (we just happened to leave before it started today); the Stainless Chardonnay.

Wine Clubbing: Pellegrini Vineyards March 29, 2014

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with "the angel's share", cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, North Fork, pellegrini, petit verdot, tasting, Vintner's Pride, Wine Club, wineries March 31, 2014

Chilly, rainy, dank, gray: We really want winter to end and spring to come! As we drive past the wineries, we note that despite the unpromising weather some have quite a few cars and limos—and even a bus or two—parked outside. Pellegrini, however, is very quiet, as we stop in to pick up our wine club shipment and taste the wines included in it.

We take our tasting of four reds to a table and sip and chat and listen to a lively group ask their server questions such as the difference between Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Asking questions of your server is a great way to increase your understanding of wines, as we’ve found.

If you want a more detailed description of the winery, check out my entry from September 7, 2013.

http://www.pellegrinivineyards.com/

1) 2007 Merlot $19.99

We start with the Merlot, which is included for no extra charge in every tasting, and is also a wine club selection. This is actually a bit of a blend; though it is 90% Merlot it also includes 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot. It is aged 18 months in French oak, and, like Pellegrini reds in general, is somewhat high in alcohol: 13.9%. The aroma combines cherries and pine and what is often described as “forest floor.” It is quite tannic, and my husband says his tongue feels like it needs to be brushed. My feeling is that it would be good with food, though not for sipping, and indeed our club shipment includes a recipe for Merlot Pot Roast with Horseradish Mashed Potatoes. Pasta would also do.

2) 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon $29.99

Another blend, despite the name, this one is 76% Cabernet Sauvignon and 24% Merlot, aged 19 months in French oak, with 13.6% alcohol. The aroma is lovely, a sweet berry smell with just a trace of that Long Island earthiness. Though not tannic, it is dry, with nice fruit, and definitely sippable. As it is also in our club box, I envision sipping it by the fire next fall—or maybe even today, given the weather!

3) 2010 Petit Verdot $49.99

Lovely dark color on this one, which is 98% Petit Verdot and 2% Merlot. Actually, many wines—so I have been told—are at least a small percentage Merlot. As they age in the cask, some of the wine evaporates (“the angel’s share”) and so many wine makers use Merlot to top them off. In any event, our tasting notes suggest decanting this one for at least an hour, which has not been done today—our server just opened the bottle—so the taste might be quite different than what we sense. We smell an earthy, almost mushroomy odor, but the wine itself is delicious. Though it lacks the depth of flavor a truly great wine, this would be a fine wine to serve with a gourmet dinner, like boeuf bourguignon. We plan to cellar this for a couple of years (assuming we remember and don’t grab it before then!).

4) 2010 Vintner’s Pride $49.99

This is, notes my tasting pal, a Right Bank Bordeaux—60% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Petit Verdot—aged 20 months in French oak. The aroma is not very fruity, with a touch of pine and maybe cinnamon, less earthy than the others. The wine is also not very fruity, though it is good, with some tannins, and, we decide, would also be better with food. A friend recently described a wine-tasting course she took, and commented how differently one wine could taste depending on which foods it was paired with. We agree!

Reasons to visit: Good reds; reasonably priced Merlot, which is almost always on sale for about $15 per bottle if you buy three; pleasant tasting room; ability to take your tray of tastes to a table; oyster cracker packets included with each tasting so you can clear your palate.

Waters Crest: A Small Gem February 1, 2014

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting, Uncategorized and tagged with "5" Red Blend, cabernet franc, Campania Rosso, chardonnay, Dry Riesling, Long Island, merlot, North Fork, Reserve Sauvignon Blanc, Southold, Waters Crest February 3, 2014

http://www.waterscrestwinery.com

“Has it been that long?!” exclaimed Jenny, when we admitted that we hadn’t been there since August of 2012. If you want a truly personal experience at a winery, Waters Crest is one of the places to go. Despite its unfortunate location—in a commercial strip on Sound Avenue and Cox Lane, just around the corner from the Southold Transfer Station (a.k.a. town dump, with its complex odors of rotting garbage and recycled paper)—the tasting room is quite cozy and the wines worth trying.

Jim Waters does not have his own vineyard, and so buys his grapes from North Fork vineyards, plus Riesling grapes from upstate, near Seneca Lake. However, according to his web site he “hand chooses” the grapes, and he is certainly very hands-on when it comes to making the wines. His general style seems to be to go for dry wines, which we tend to like.

The tasting menu lists seven wines, three whites and four reds, and you can taste all of them for $15. In addition, if you buy four bottles of wine your tasting is free. We opted to share a tasting, and noticed that the wines are served in Reidel glasses, a luxury touch that Jenny admitted made her a bit anxious when it came time to hand dry them. You can also buy a few wine-related gifts, including handsome cloth wine gift bags hand-made by Jenny’s mother. We also learned that we just missed a chance to visit with Jim’s father, who was hanging out in the tasting room during our last visit. As I said, it’s a personal experience!

Jenny packs the wines we bought.

1) 2012 Chardonnay $19.99

This is their steel-fermented Chard, with typical aromas of apple, pear, and grass. We taste a lot of lemon—perhaps too much lemon. Not a wine for sipping, though it might be better with food.

2) 2012 Reserve Sauvignon Blanc $29.99

After steel fermenting, this one spends two months in oak to mellow it a bit. We can sense a touch of that caramel, but it is not too oaky. This is also dry and rather light, with lots of green apple tastes. In a nice touch, Jenny rinses the glass with a drop of the new wine before pouring the taste.

3) 2012 Dry Riesling $24.99

Jenny agrees with us when we decide this is our favorite of the whites. The aroma is very flowery, with lots of honeysuckle, as is not uncommon with upstate fruit. However, it avoids the over-sweetness I often sense with upstate grapes, and has a pleasant minerality and citrus taste. It would be great with oysters! Time for a new glass as we switch to the reds.

4) “5” Red Blend $16.99

As soon as I see the label I exclaim that it reminds me of the famous painting by Charles Demuth of “The Great Number Five,” which was inspired by a poem by his friend William Carlos Williams. If you look at a reproduction of the painting, you’ll see references to Demuth’s pal Williams in it. Jenny confirms that the label was designed to evoke this painting, but the name was inspired by the idea that this is a “five days a week” wine, perfect for casual weeknight dinners. We agree, and enjoy the blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc, the very cherry aroma and the dry light taste. One could have this with anything from salmon steaks to burgers.

5) 2009 Merlot $34.99

Another typical Long Island Merlot, this has aromas of blackberry and eucalyptus and nice fruit taste, with a tart finish.

6) 2009 Campania Rosso $49.99

Jim Waters changes the blend on this wine from year to year, depending on which grapes he chooses. The ’08, which was listed on the tasting menu, was a classic Bordeaux blend, but this one is 78% Merlot and 22% Cabernet Franc. ’09 was a difficult year for red grapes. There’s a bit of a funky aroma, but the taste is good, with plenty of fruit, and we guess it will age fairly well and end up tasting better. Nice legs.

7) 2008 Cabernet Franc $39.99

The Cab Franc spends 20 months in French oak, and we can taste a bit of that woody flavor. I smell a bit of funkiness here, too, but also plenty of cherry. It’s a nice wine, though not worth the price, we decide, though Jenny suggests that this, too, would benefit from a couple of years of bottle aging. The reds are suffering in comparison to a very expensive French red we shared during the week with a friend, so we have to banish that wine from our memories in order to appreciate Long Island reds for themselves.

We decide to get two bottles of the Riesling and two of the “5” for everyday drinking, and then discover that the tasting is thus free. If we had only opted for three bottles, Jenny says she would have informed us of the deal!

Reasons to visit: an intimate, personal experience; the 2012 Dry Riesling and the “5” Red Blend; a free tasting if you buy four bottles.

NoFo Wineaux

Wine notes from Long Island's North Fork

Category Archives: Tasting