Pindar Vineyards: Greek Poetry January 25, 2014

http://www.pindar.net/

Pindar’s Field

Old Man Winter certainly has the North Fork in his grip. (Why old? Why man? I haven’t the foggiest.) All the farm stands, even Bayview and Briermere, are closed, and the fields are quiet under a coating of snow and ice. So we thought about the warmth of the Greek Isles and headed to Pindar, named for the Greek poet. While the room wasn’t overly warm—we kept our jackets on, though unzipped—the greeting certainly was. The tasting room is in a converted potato barn, featuring multiple rows of tasting bars and a beautiful stained glass window. When we entered we were surprised to see the room was empty, since there were plenty of cars in the lot, but our server informed us that there was a large group in another building for a barrel tasting, and the room was soon quite busy for a January afternoon. They have a selection of wine-related gift items and plenty of cheese and crackers for sale, which is fortunate since they don’t allow outside food.

This room is only one of the sites run by Dr. Damianos, the owner, and his family. They also own Duck Walk, which has a site on the South Fork as well, and his son Jason owns Jason’s Vineyard (which I reviewed back in June), plus they have a satellite tasting room in Port Jefferson for those who don’t care to trek to the North Fork. They also like to tout how eco-friendly they are, with a wind turbine for power, composting and recycling, and other green techniques.

Rows of tasting bars

As we sipped, we appreciated the quiet guitar and folk-ish singing of John Kroo in the background. Tastings consist of 5 tastes for $10, chosen from a menu with 15 choices, plus limited production wines available for $3 each. We opted to do five whites and five reds, sharing tastes of each. Our server, who was young and enthusiastic and clearly engaged in learning all he could about wine, carefully rinsed our glass between tastes and was able to answer most of our questions about the wines. We were happily surprised by how many of the wines we liked, since we had not been to Pindar in years because we remembered not liking many of the wines. There was still one we dumped, but more about that later.

1) Autumn Gold $10.99

Our server looked at the choices we circled on the tasting menu and then carefully coordinated our tasting so we went in the best order, starting with the lightest white. The tasting notes compare this to a Pinot Grigio, which I can see, as it is a dry white with lots of pineapple taste and a bit of funkiness. The funkiness is probably from the Seyval Blanc grape, an upstate grape, which is here blended with Chardonnay. Fine for an everyday white.

2) 2012 Sauvignon Blanc $18.99

The aroma is a combination of mineral and lemon, and the taste is also citrus-y. Also a light wine, this would be good with oysters, as in general we feel Sauvignon Blancs are. There’s plenty of acid here, and the tasting notes say lemon grass, which seems about right.

3) 2012 Sunflower Chardonnay $!8.99

Why sunflower, we ask? In the summer, the field next to the winery is filled with sunflowers, the sale of which goes to benefit the Make-a-Wish Foundation, we are told. I like the label. The wine? Okay. My husband says it reminds him or Werther’s Butterscotch Candy, so if you like a really oaky Chard, go for it. There is, however, a bit of acid which helps make this a sippable white, and I think lots of people would like it well chilled on a summer afternoon.

4) 2012 Peacock Chardonnay $12.99

Why peacock? Uh-oh, our usually well-informed server doesn’t know, but I bet he will as soon as he gets a chance to find out. Smells and tastes like a Granny Smith apple, with maybe a hint of banana. That makes it sound like fruit salad, but actually it is a pleasant white.

5) Winter White $10.99

This may be their most popular white, but our savvy server has already figured out that we won’t care for it. He says he recommends it to people who say, “I don’t really care for wine, so what should I try?” Sweet! Another Seyval Blanc/Chardonnay blend. We dump it after one sip each, and it was this taste that reminded us why we hadn’t been back in years.

6) Pythagoras $$14.99

Remember the Pythagorean theory? I do—sort of. At least, I remember being taught it. The label, which features an illustration of the theory, also calls this a “geometrical blend.” More conventionally, this is a classic Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Malbec. It has the classic black currant aroma but is softer than I expect, with some notes of oak and mineral. It would be an okay everyday wine, and is fairly dry, though surprisingly simple for a blend like this.

Note illustration on label!

7) 2010 Syrah $14.99

So 2010 is one of those great years for Long Island wines—and 2013 is forecast to be even better—so we are interested to taste these reds. Not that many places on the North Fork make a Syrah, and we quite like this one. The aroma is complicated, with some cedar notes and a mouth-puckering flavor of unripe plums that would be great with a fatty meat like lamb. Actually, we like it, and buy a couple of bottles.

8) 2010 Merlot $16.99

This is a good, typical Long Island Merlot, with tastes of tobacco and dark chocolate and plum, without the barnyard odor or flavor you sometimes get.

The ship on the label seems to be a reference to the Argonaut, Jason's ship, and a theme of Jason's tasting room.

The ship on the label seems to be a reference to the Argo, Jason’s ship, and a theme of Jason’s tasting room.

9) 2009 Pegasus Cabernet Sauvignon $$16.99

On the other hand, this wine does have some barnyard odor, plus allspice and prunes. The taste is better than the smell, and I will borrow my description of the taste from my granddaughter who guesses wine will taste wine-y (without ever having tasted it!). Why the flying horse? No idea, but the label is pretty.

10) 2010 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon $34.99

Extra! Noting our serious demeanor and knowledge of wine, our server adds a small taste of the Reserve Cab Sauv to our tasting, which turns out to be a smart move as we later buy a bottle to keep in the cellar. Excellent. Although the aroma reminds me of a red candy, the taste is complex, with lots of black cherry and plum, plus other notes. It would be great with a steak on the grill.

11) 2010 Cabernet Franc $34.99

Pine forest aroma and black berry taste make this a nice wine, though not worth the price. It has lots of fruit but is pleasantly dry.

Someone at Pindar clearly likes to collect corkscrews.

Reasons to visit: Large tasting room with plenty of space for big groups; the 2010 Syrah and the 2010 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon; the Sunflower Chardonnay if you like an oaky Chard; good prices for Long Island wines;attractive labels; they care about the environment.

Raphael: A Trip to Italy December 21, 2013

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, chardeaux, chardonnay, Estate Merlot, First Label Merlot, First Label Sauvignon Blanc, La Fontana, La Tavola, Long Island, Malbec, North Fork, petit verdot, Primo, Raphael, riesling December 23, 2013

http://www.raphaelwine.com/

Note the Italian flag, which flies to one side of the winery.

62 degrees on the first day of winter felt quite appropriate as we approached Raphael’s Italian-style tasting room, with its red tile roof and light stucco walls. The welcome inside, through the propped-open door, was as warm as the day. We hadn’t been to Raphael in a long time, partly because every time we went past we saw a sign that they were closed for an event, which is not surprising given the expansive size of the attractive tasting room, with its central bar and dramatic staircase. Indeed, as we were doing a tasting we noted a prospective bride and groom being given a tour of the place, and our server remarked that an additional room can hold up to 200 guests and that from spring through fall they are often closed for weddings.

We also had not been enthusiastic about the wines, but they seem to have improved over the past several years, and we liked some of them quite a bit. In addition, we could easily return and taste a completely different group of wines, as the list includes five whites, two rosés, six reds, and a dessert wine. We limited ourselves to seven tastes, about as many as we can handle, especially because the pour is quite generous. There is no set menu for a tasting. The server hands you a list of wines, and you pay for your choices by the taste, which vary from $2.00 to $4.00 each. Glasses of wine go for $7 to $15, with most around $8. Both servers were very knowledgeable and chatty, and we enjoyed the afternoon with them. Our server was also very accommodating. Since I felt the beginnings of a cold coming on, we didn’t want to share a glass, so he kindly provided a fresh glass for each taste.

After the tasting, we browsed a bit in their larger than usual gift shop, which has many wine-related items, including some that were quite nice.

The gift shop items included this oversized flask and glass.

1) 2012 Chardeaux $24

Yes, that is a made-up word, but Nofowineaux likes it! This blend of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc is a crisp and refreshing steel-fermented white, with aromas of citrus and mineral. We also taste lemon and mineral, plus some unripe pear. The server compares it to a Pinot Grigio. Maybe. In any event, it would go very nicely with a plate of local oysters.

2) 2011 First Label Sauvignon Blanc $26

Why “First Label”? Because it is made from fruit from some of their older vines. Though this, like the previous wine, is served too cold, once it warms up a bit we quite like it. We smell some kiwi in the complex bouquet, as well as citrus and herbs. The taste also includes some citrus and herbs, and is pleasantly complex, especially for a steel-fermented wine. “Not a simple sipper,” my husband observes, and adds that it would go well with a veal and peppers dish I sometimes make, or perhaps an array of Italian cheeses.

3) 2012 Riesling $28

I find it fascinating that Rieslings can taste so different from one vineyard to another, even when they are in close geographic proximity. Raphael’s Riesling has a complex aroma of flowers and minerals, and is dry, though with a bit of sweeter citrus at the finish, and one wouldn’t immediately peg it as a Riesling. We must be hungry, because I keep thinking about what foods to have with each wine, and I’m thinking about a simple pork chop dish with this one.

4) 2010 La Tavola $20

Now we move over to the reds, and opt to start with their basic table wine, which is a Bordeaux blend, though it is mostly—70%–Merlot. It also has 6% each of Malbec and Petit Verdot, and 4% each of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. There’s a bit of smoke in the aroma, but also lots of dark fruit. It smells really good! The taste is pleasant, but rather light for a Bordeaux, and this is, as the server noted, a good pizza and pasta wine. I’m thinking roast chicken on a picnic…told you I was hungry.

5) 2010 La Fontana $30

We decide to try this wine next, as our server points out that it will make an interesting comparison with La Tavola, since it usesmostly the same grapes, though in different proportions: 36% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Petit Verdot, and 10% Cabernet Franc. Very interesting, indeed. This one “could pass as a real Bordeaux,” my husband notes, sipping it appreciatively. When it is my turn to try, I note a lovely aroma with a trace of smoke and forest floor and taste delicious dark fruits. “Nice legs,” we note, and good tannins too, and we decide to buy a couple of bottles to cellar for a few years. (I ask our server if this is named for the elaborate fountain out front, and he nods yes.)

The La Fontana fountain.

6) 2010 Estate Merlot $22

Long Island Merlots do tend to have a bit of a barnyard smell, and so does this one, but not overly so. We also smell some tobacco and blackberry. The tasting notes say “thyme,” but my husband jokes he can’t smell time. This is fermented in a combination of oak and steel, and I would say it is a typical North Fork Merlot.

7) 2010 First Label Merlot $38

2010 was a great year for North Forth wines, and we can see that in all the 2010 wines we’ve tried, including this one. Aged 18 months in oak, this new release has mineral and dark fruit aromas, with no trace of barnyard, and has lots of fruit tastes. I bet this one would age well, too.

8) 2007 Primo Winemaker’s Edition

Yes, I said we’d do seven tastes, but, seeing our serious devotion to the tasting process, the servers give us a small taste of this special wine, as there is only a small amount left in the bottle anyway. Wow, read my notes, and wow again. This is a wine you can only get if you are a member of the wine club, and we are briefly tempted to join, but no, there are only so many clubs one can join!

Primo is primo

Reasons to visit: an attractive and roomy tasting room; a good gift shop; interesting wine choices, especially the Chardeaux and the La Fontana; you’re scouting locations for a large party or wedding; you like having lots of tasting options.

Decorated for the season

Dramatic chandelier over the central bar

Lenz Winery: Lots of Lovely Options December 7, 2013

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with cabernet sauvignon, Cuvee RD, Estate Selection Merlot, farmstands, gewurztraminer, Gold Label Chardonnay, Lenz Winery, Long Island, North Fork, Old Vines Cabernet, Old Vines Chardonnay, Old Vines Merlot, pinot grigio, Pinot Gris, White Label Chardonnay December 9, 2013

http://www.lenzwine.com/Home.htm

In the summer grape vines cover the facade.

It’s that time of year on the North Fork when most farmstands have closed, and those that are open feature Christmas trees and firewood, plus a few frost-touched Brussels sprout stalks and cauliflower heads. However, most of the wineries are still open, at least on the weekends, and there are still plenty of limos wandering the streets. When we saw five of them in the parking lot of Lenz we almost turned around, knowing their tasting room was on the small side, but I’m very glad we did not. The vibe inside was mellow rather than frenetic, and by the time we finished our leisurely and very enjoyable tasting we had the room to ourselves.

For some reason Lenz funnels arriving parties through a small wooden archway, but you can get to the vine-covered tasting room directly from the end of the parking lot as well. The room itself is rustic, with wooden beams like a barn, and tables around the perimeter offer a variety of wine-related gifts.

Some of the gift items.

They offer two tastings, the Estate Flight is of their wines which are produced every year, and is $10 for five generous tastes, and the Premium Flight is $14 for five of their wines produced “only in years our winemaker feels they are good enough.” We opt to share one of each, and our knowledgeable and enthusiastic server helps us alternate, suggesting which to taste first of each pair. She not only knows lots about each wine, she is clearly a fan of the vineyard, and talks about her visits to it before she actually became an employee. They will soon be releasing a Malbec—not, alas, in labeled bottles yet—and her positive review of it causes us to decide we will be sure to pick up a bottle once it is released.

Lenz is one of the older vineyards on the North Fork, and many of its better wines are labeled Old Vines. In general, their winemaker, Eric Fry, goes for a French style of winemaking, and the results are overall excellent. We only had one wine we didn’t care for. I’ve marked the Premium wines with an *.

1) 2008 Gewürztraminer $20

A few years ago we went to several wineries looking for the best Gewürztraminer for our Thanksgiving dinner, and settled on Lenz. It’s still a good choice. This is a dry Gewürztraminer, with floral and spice aromas—cardamom, says my husband, and I agree—and plenty of fruit. It was allowed to age in the bottle, our server points out, and is made in the Alsatian style.

2) *2010 Pinot Gris $25

This is, of course, the French version of Pinot Grigio, which is my go-to choice when I have to get a glass of house wine, but this is so much better than most Pinot Grigios! We scent aromas of mineral and lime, maybe clementine, and taste pear and apple. The wine is dry but not tart, with a creamy mouth feel. The server says the Pinot Gris tastes like wine while Pinot Grigio tastes like water! I’d be happy sipping this on its own, or with seafood.

3) *1999 Cuvee RD $60

The price tag is a bit steep, though this is a lovely sparkling wine, with that slightly green-olive scent I find in many Champagnes. If you like lots of bubbles, however, you’ll be disappointed, as the bubbles dissipate quickly, though it is a bit petillant on the tongue. Lots of layers of flavor to this dry wine.

4) 2010 White Label Chardonnay $15

Steel fermenting means this is a clean crisp chard, with a honey candy aroma and a citrus taste—maybe pink grapefruit? Very food friendly, we agree.

5) 2010 Gold Label Chardonnay $20

Though I often don’t care for oaked chards, this one is very well done. It spends ten months in French oak barrels, we are told, and we do smell the vanilla aroma of oak, plus some pumpkin spice smells. Taste? Baked apples and pears! This could be a lovely aperitif wine, or it would pair well with most chicken dishes, especially ones that combined chicken and fruit. Our server notes that this is one of their few California-style wines, but it is not overly oaked as some of those are.

6) *2010 Old Vines Chardonnay $30

In contrast to the previous chard, this one is in the Burgundian style, our server informs us, and is aged in neutral oak barrels. She does a great job, by the way, of giving us time to chat with each other while also being attentive to when we are ready for the next round. Though we agree the wine has good balance, my husband notes there are “no fireworks.” There’s also a bit of a chemical taste at the end, and we have a discussion with the server about what exactly we are sensing.

7) 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon $23

At this point everyone else has left, and the servers outnumber the customers, which does not faze us one bit. Though this wine has an attractive aroma of raisins and chocolate—Goobers, we exclaim—we find the wine itself thin and disappointing and actually dump the rest of the glass.

8) *2007 Old Vines Cabernet $40

What a contrast. We love this one! Aroma of dried cherries in brandy and a lovely dark color precede a taste of dried fruits and intense berries.

9) 2008 Estate Selection Merlot $24

This is much better than the average 20-something dollar Merlot, and indeed was made from wine that had been intended for a premium bottling, but then didn’t meet the winemaker’s exacting specifications. Lucky us. We smell coffee, chocolate, and a bit of a floral aroma, with none of that barnyard smell so common out here. Delicious taste, too, with plenty of dark fruit. Very buyable.

10) *2007 Old Vines Merlot $60

Old vines indeed, our server notes, as these grapes come from vines first planted in 1978—ancient history for Long Island wines! Lots of lovely aromas, cherries, layers of dark fruit, very mouth-filling. This could age for twenty years, our server informs us. I bet it could.

We buy several bottles as gifts and may come back to get more for ourselves when we deplete the cellar.

Reasons to visit: nine out of the ten wines are very drinkable, and quite a few are excellent; pleasant rustic barn-like setting; enthusiastic and well-informed servers; the Estate Selection Merlot and the Pinot Gris and the Gold Label Chardonnay and the Old Vines Cabernet and the Gewürztraminer and—you get the picture.

Pugliese: Limos Galore November 23, 2013

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with Bella Domenica, cabernet franc, chardonnay, Long Island, Merlot Reserve, North Fork wines, pinot grigio, Pugliese, riesling, Sangiovese, Sunset Meritage, wineries November 25, 2013

http://www.pugliesevineyards.com/

We thought we were safe. Random November Saturday, chilly weekend following a drizzly Friday, just a little after noon—surely Pugliese would be quiet! And indeed, when we arrived, there were only two limos in the parking lot, and several large parties clustered outside around the picnic tables. We had passed Pugliese many times during the summer and opted not to go, given the crowded look of the place. It’s not that we’re misanthropes; it’s just that we prefer to do our tastings in a calm, peaceful atmosphere. Actually, the grounds around the tasting room are quite pretty, with a scenic pond down in a hollow near the outside tables.

We scanned the menu: 4 tastes for $7.00, $8 for a glass, sangria (from a large vat at one end of the bar) $10 per glass, and beer on tap. Also they have a cheese tray for $13. There were many choices—four sparkling wines, four whites, seven reds, and five dessert wines. The sparkling wines seemed to be very popular with the groups of women, and we heard at least one young man become quite happy at the prospect of having a beer instead of wine. We decided to share eight different tastes, which our server agreed was a good choice, and she noted that the fourth white was quite sweet, and would probably not be to our taste. Good call. I also noted that they had many gift baskets on offer, including hand-painted wine glasses, t-shirts, and other small items, plus the inevitable bags of North Fork potato chips.

1) 2012 Pinot Grigio $17.99

In general, I like Pinot Grigios. This one was just okay, with a vegetable aroma, perhaps asparagus, and a dry, grassy taste. Not much finish. When I admire the pretty label, the server notes that another woman there designed them.

We admired the pretty bottles.

2) 2012 Chardonnay Gold $12.99

Though this is a steel-fermented Chard, it has a bit of a creamy taste, with nice fruit and a dry finish. I would say, especially given the price, it is quite buyable.

3) 2012 Riesling $13.99

The honeysuckle aroma is there, but faint. I wouldn’t actually have realized right away that this is a Riesling, but I did guess (correctly!) that it included grapes from upstate. Not sure how to describe that upstate flavor, but it is a bit sweet and…grape-juicy. Just okay.

4) Bella Domenica $9.99

We were going to skip this one, but our server—as she rinsed our glasses between each taste—recommended that we try it. People don’t choose it because of the price, but it’s actually a very nice wine, she said. And she was right. It is described as a red table wine, a Merlot/Cabernet blend, and is a perfectly acceptable everyday red. It would be fine with pasta, or as a picnic wine. A summery red, with a cherry aroma and nice berry taste, this is a simple wine (as are most of their wines. Nothing complex or layered here.) I was about to ask the story behind the name when several large parties suddenly arrived, changing the atmosphere from calm to loud and boisterous.

5) 2009 Sangiovese $16.99

We had to try this one, as they are the only vineyard on the North Fork to grow the Sangiovese—a.k.a. Chianti—grape. The color is a light red, and the taste is similarly light. Not much to it, my husband notes. Although it is also an acceptable everyday wine, you wouldn’t necessarily peg it as a Chianti, as it is less robust than you’d expect it to be.

The Sangiovese

6) 2009 Cabernet Franc $16.99

As with all their wines, we feel this one is also underflavored and relatively simple. We smell a bit of damp forest, maybe some red candy.

7) 2006 Sunset Meritage $24.99

Since we’ve been somewhat disappointed so far, we decide to skip to their pricier—though still reasonably priced for Long Island—reds, and move to their Bordeaux blend: Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon. Yay, finally, a wine with something to it! But not a lot. The color is nicely dark, the aroma is berries and fruit, and the taste is also of berries with a trace of oak, but compared to other Bordeaux we’ve had this has no depth or layers of flavor.

8) 2007 Merlot Reserve $29.99

No sulfites, boasts the tasting notes. Very dark color, black cherry flavor, no barnyard aromas; this wine may not be worth $30, but it is quite good.

They are having a sale, a case of Bella Domenica for only $75.99. We are in need of some everyday reds, so we get a case. No reduction in the tasting fee, by the way, and our server points us to a pile of cartons and suggests we help ourselves, after first checking to be sure the case we take actually has 12 bottles. By this time we are ready to leave, for the room has become quite noisy as more groups arrive. But as our server pointed out, without the groups we’d be the only ones there, so they do depend on the limo crowds. In addition, we discussed the fact that these young people may be developing a lifetime affection for wine, and could be customers for Pugliese in the future.

Lots of limos

Reasons to visit: you want to sit outside in a pretty setting; the reasonable prices for the wines; the Chardonnay, the Bella Domenica, the 07 Merlot Reserve; you like a boisterous party atmosphere.

Pretty pond

The Hidden Vineyard: Very Off the Beaten Path November 16, 2013

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, Calverton, chardonnay, merlot, North Fork, oak casks, pinot grigio, riesling, tasting room, The Hidden Vineyard, Winery November 18, 2013

http://thehiddenvineyard.com/

Imagine you are driving along a back road in Italy when you see a hand-lettered sign that says “Wine Tasting” (in Italian, of course). On a whim, you decide to follow the charmingly amateurish signs until you come to a dirt road off the country road. Daringly, you turn onto it, ascend a hill past rows of grape vines, and at the top you see a large house. Is this it, you wonder. Park and enter, and you will be greeted by two older gentlemen who seem quite at home in the kitchen/family room of the house, and who will soon make you feel equally at home.

Oh, wait, this isn’t Italy, it’s Calverton! You’re just off Exit 71 of the LIE, and you’ve followed the signs to The Hidden Vineyard. You’ve been greeted by Pete DiBernardi and George Mancuso, and the house is actually where Pete lives. But the feeling of being in Italy continues as they serve you wine directly from the oak casks and tell you their life stories. Friends since their boyhoods in Brooklyn, they both became widowers rather suddenly within a short time of each other. Pete had been building the house with his wife, and abruptly did not know what to do with it. Both loved to make wine in the style of their forebears—from Sicily and Sardinia—and so, somehow, they found themselves in the wine business.

They will tell you proudly that they use no sulfites or other additives in their wines, nor do they filter them. You get to drink each glass directly from the barrels, kept refrigerated at 55˚, and if you decide to buy a bottle they will fill the bottle from the tap, seal it, and make up a label just for you—with any message on it you like.

The taps from which your glass or bottle of wine will be filled.

Though it was a warm sunny November day, we stayed inside, but they were eager to tell us that in the summer they do tastings outside, and are happy to have people bring their own picnics and buy a couple of bottles. They’ve done quite a few parties, too, and point out their karaoke machine (happily not in use at the moment!).

They make six wines, all for $25 per bottle, and a tasting is $5 for three wines or $5 per glass. Note that they do not accept any credit cards. Cash only! We opt to share two tastings, first the whites, and then the reds. The pour is fairly generous.

1) Pinot Grigio

None of the wines seem to have vintages, though George assures us that they never serve a wine until they like it. All the wines, he says, spend at least a year in the barrels in the cellar of the house, which is also where they do their wine-making. This smells and tastes a bit like wildflower honey, though it is dry. I definitely taste the oak.

2) Chardonnay

Tasty and toasty, we decide about this wine. We smell the typical vanilla aroma of oaked chardonnays, with a bit of a cat pee smell. Pretty good. By the way, if you want to try their wines you’ll have to come to the tasting room, as they don’t produce enough to sell to stores or restaurants.

3) Riesling

You can tell that this is not filtered, as it is a bit cloudy. I think I smell wood shavings, but my husband thinks vegetables, maybe broccoli. This is not a sweet Riesling, and again I taste the oak. We get a fresh glass with each taste, which is a nice touch.

4) Cabernet Sauvignon

I like this wine the best so far, and in fact George does too, as he has poured himself a glass in order to join us. We smell the typical cherry/berry aroma of a Cab Sauv, and taste some pleasant fruit. This is a good wine for everyday, to go with pasta, etc. Like all the wines so far, it is not complex but perfectly pleasant.

5) Cabernet Franc

Nice deep ruby color for this wine, but the smell is a bit unpleasant, an almost chemical aroma. I’m not fond of the taste either, though it is somewhat grape-y, with a touch of sweetness at the end. No depth.

6) Merlot

This also has a dark color, but happily tastes better than the last one. This is a nice everyday Merlot, light and refreshing, and would be fine with a roast chicken picnic dinner.

We buy one Cabernet Sauvignon and one Merlot, and watch with interest as our bottles are filled from the taps, corked and sealed and labeled by the lovely young woman—a friend of the family, she says—who does “everything” that George and Pete don’t do. In the midst of our tasting another couple came in who had actually been there before, though Pete was proud to take credit for all visitors as a result of the signs he painted by hand. They do no other advertising.

One of the tables in the tasting room.

Reasons to visit: You are tired of the cookie-cutter aspect of other wineries, and want to go somewhere a bit different; you enjoy chatting with owners/winemakers; you feel that Calverton is far enough and don’t feel like venturing further onto the North Fork; you want to buy a couple of bottles as a gift with personalized labels on them; the Cabernet Sauvignon and the Merlot. But remember—cash only!

Sannino Bella Vita October 13, 2013

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with 2nd Bottle, Ackerly Ponds, Bianca White Merlot, cabernet franc, Chilly Day Chardonnay, merlot, North Fork, petit verdot, Prima Rossa, riesling, Sannino Bella Vita, Snow Rose of Merlot, Spotlight, Warm Spice Wine, wine October 15, 2013

http://www.sanninovineyard.com/

One view of the tasting room.

I told my husband he’d miss the Jets/Steelers game because we’d be out for the afternoon, but he was in luck—it was playing (with the sound off) on the flat screen TV in the Sannino Bella Vita/Ackerly Ponds tasting room. And that wasn’t the only way the good-humored staff was helpful. The three of us were going to share a tasting when one confessed he might be coming down with a cold. Could we split one taste by sharing it 2/3 in one glass and 1/3 in another? We could! Everyone was happy, including the honeymooning couple who were staying in the Bed and Breakfast associated with the winery, and enjoying their complimentary tasting and so were the drunken fruit flies.

Each time we’ve come, we’ve noticed improvements to the tasting room, and they now have more space than they did at first in their rustic barn. Bella Vita took over the site from Ackerly Ponds, which continues in the names of some of the wines. On the list, some of them are marked BV, which means they are Bella Vita’s own. There are two tasting options: eight wines for $15 or four wines for $8. Since there are eleven wines on the list, plus spice wine, we decide to go with one 8 and one 4. They also offer a cheese tray for $15, and request that people not bring in outside picnics. As we sipped and chatted, a guitarist with a James-Taylor-type sound began to play in one corner of the room.

2012 Riesling $17

Not surprisingly, since this is made with grapes from the Finger Lakes Region, this is a somewhat sweet wine, though not cloyingly so. There’s an aroma of spice and goldenrod honey. It would pair nicely with something spicy.

2. 2012 Chilly Day Chardonnay $18

Just like most steel-fermented chardonnays, this one has a green apple smell, with tasting notes of citrus. It is a bit sweeter than one would expect, and one of the well-informed servers tells us that they try to accommodate a variety of preferences, and many people prefer a sweeter wine.

3. 2012 BV Chardonnay $23

Only one month in oak make this an only slightly oaked chard, with some ripe pear tastes and the usual vanilla aroma. It is drier than the first two.

4. 2012 BV Bianca White Merlot $17

“What a lovely color,” I said, admiring the pale pale pink of this 100% merlot rosé, made from the first press of the grapes, having spent almost no time on the skins. “Tastes like strawberries,” notes our son. We agree it is a nicely complex, not too sweet wine, with good fruit flavors. Quite buyable.

5. 2012 BV Snow Rose of Merlot $15

And now a wine from the second press, with twelve hours on the skins. The color is so dark it almost looks like a red, with a bit of a funky aroma. “Garbage smell?” asks our son. Fortunately it tastes better than it smells, though its notes of over-ripe fig may not appeal to everyone,

6. 2010 Cabernet Franc $40

Now we move on to the reds. This one doesn’t have a lot of fruit flavor, and does have some of that earthy smell and taste one gets out here.

7. 2004 Ackerly Ponds Merlot $19.99

Very nice! Dry, with ripe purple plum tastes, this would be great with pasta and meatballs.

8. 2^nd Bottle Red $12

The name of this wine needs a bit of explaining, as there’s a philosophy behind it. So often a host wants to serve a good wine as a first round, but feels it is not necessary to serve as good (or expensive) a wine for the second round. Hence…2^nd Bottle. It is true that one thing the North Fork could use is more less-expensive reds for everyday drinking, and this does fill that ecological niche. A blend primarily of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, this is a fine table wine, though it would be overpowered by anything big, like a steak.

9. 2010 Merlot $35

Lots of “2s” here—22 months aging in oak, with juice from 23 year old vines. We like this one, too. Dry, with a bit of berry taste.

10. 2010 BV Prima Rossa $35

Another blend, this one is also aged 22 months, and includes Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot. We smell cinnamon, spice, cedar and find the taste lighter than one would expect from the smell, with some hints of licorice. It would go great with a Middle Eastern lamb dish.

11. 2010 BV Spotlight Petit Verdot $45

Another good red, and strong enough to stand up to a steak dinner, this is primarily Petit Verdot with about 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, and has tastes of berry and ripe cherries. In general, we’re liking the reds better than we did a year ago when we visited Bella Vita.

12. Warm Spice Wine

Cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, and allspice make this wine “smell like Christmas and taste like Thanksgiving,” according to out server. If you’ve ever had Swedish glögg you know what this tastes like. Throw in some cranberries and some cut up oranges and you have a nice party drink.

We buy some bottles of 2^nd Bottle and our son gets some White Merlot and 04 Merlot. Good choices

Reasons to visit: you want to get a step or two off the beaten path (limos or groups larger than 6 only by appointment); the White Merlot and the 04 Merlot, plus 2^nd Bottle if you’re looking for an everyday table wine; a warm friendly atmosphere.

Corey Creek September 15, 2013

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting, Uncategorized and tagged with bedell, cabernet franc, chardonnay, Corey Creek, First Crush Red, gewurztraminer, Malbec, merlot, NoFo, North Fork, sauvignon blanc, Sparkling Rose, syrah, Taste Rose, Taste White, viognier September 18, 2013

http://www.bedellcellars.com/cc_tastingroom.php

The tasting room sits on a rise overlooking the vineyard.

Bedell has, in effect, two tasting rooms, since all Corey Creek serves are Bedell wines, except for their own Gewürztraminer. Corey Creek’s room is somewhat more rustic looking than Bedell’s, and there are nice picnic tables on the pretty grounds. However, since we last tasted Bedell a year ago in August, it was time for a new tasting anyway. (That’s what makes this such a challenging project—just when you think you’ve tasted every winery, you realize that another year has begun and they have new vintages. As they say, it’s a tough job, but…)

We had the room to ourselves on a bright and sunny but slightly chilly September afternoon, except for some children whose parents were picnicking outside, and who came running in to use the rest room. The two servers were friendly and chatty and quite well-informed, and we spent a pleasant time with them.

Corey Creek offers two tastings, plus wines by the glass or bottle. The Estate tasting includes 5 wines for $12, and the Premium has 5 wines for $15. Somewhat disappointingly for those looking to try a variety of wines, several of the wines are the same on each list. However, our server had a good idea, and, since she had a bottle open anyway, gave us a taste of a different wine instead of one of the overlapping ones. I’ve marked the wines which were only on the Premium tasting with an * so you can decide whether you want to invest the extra $3 to try them or not. I would stick to the Estate tasting next time.

Corey Creek 2012 Gewürztraminer $40

Both tastings include this wine, Corey Creek’s only offering of its own wine, as I noted above. This has a bit of that cat pee smell Gewürztraminers sometimes have. The taste is quite bracing, with lots of lime and tangelo, and is rather acid at the end. Not a sweet Gewürztraminer! It is good, though I like One Woman’s version better.

Note the snazzy bottle on the right.

2. 2012 Bedell Chardonnay $30

This is, our server informs us, a blend of Chardonnay grapes from six separate plots, and is fermented half in oak and half in steel, so it avoids being either overly oaky or overly simple. This has some nice tropical fruit flavors and the usual vanilla scent of oaked chards, but is not very complex.

3. *2011 Taste White $35

I really like the label of this one, as it has an interesting image which reminds me of Marilyn Monroe. This is a blend of 40% Sauvignon Blanc, 32% Viognier, 22% Chardonnay, 5% Gewürztraminer and 1% Riesling, and I enjoy sipping it. It is nice and light, and would make a great summer aperitif, with some lemon-lime flavors that would complement seafood very nicely.

4. 2011 Taste Rosé $20

Again, both tastings get this wine, a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah. With that information, you would expect this to be a rather complex rosé, but in fact it is just okay, and once again does not measure up to the Croteaux rosés, our gold standard for the North Fork. It is, however, a perfectly fine rosé, with the typical strawberry aroma and tastes of papaya and peach.

5. Bedell Sparkling Rosé $45

You won’t find this on the menu, but noting our seriousness of demeanor and my careful note-taking, our server offers us this addition to our tasting. As she says, this would make a great aperitif, and, as my husband notes, you could easily quaff a lot of this “and then fall over.” It would be lovely with a strawberry floated in it, as it is relatively dry. This is a “tank fermented” sparkler, but they also make a Méthode Champenoise sparkling wine, using the facilities at Sparkling Point.

6. First Crush Red $20

Now we switch to reds. I’m thinking of picnics and roast chicken and a slightly chilled Beaujolais Nouveau as we discuss this wine. It is fairly mellow, soft, and not very assertive, and would be good with a simple dinner. Quite buyable.

7. 2012 Cabernet Franc $40

Both tastings include this, my favorite so far, with lots of layers of taste, including blackberry. Again, it is dry, but not too dry, and very pleasant to drink.

8. 2010 Merlot

Rather than give both of us the Cab Franc, the server cleverly gives my husband this Merlot instead so we can try a different wine. This is a fairly typical NoFo Merlot, with nice black cherry tastes and a short finish.

9. *2011 Malbec $50

Lighter than I expect for a Malbec, this has lovely tastes of boysenberry, with some hints of cocoa. Very good, though a bit pricey for how I would rate it.

A view inside the tasting room.

Reasons to visit: Quiet rustic tasting room (buses, etc., by appointment); Bedell wines plus their own, so a good place to come if Bedell is crowded; the First Crush Red and the Taste White.

We could have had our tasting on this pretty porch.

Sparkling Pointe August 25, 2013

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with Blanc de Blancs, Brut, caviar, Champagne, chardonnay, chocolate, Cuvee Carnaval, gewurztraminer, merlot, North Fork wine, Pinot Meunier, pinot noir, Seduction, Sparkling Pointe, sparkling wine August 27, 2013

http://www.sparklingpointe.com/

It seemed appropriate on a sparkling August day, after several hours watching the sun sparkling on the water, to check out Sparkling Pointe winery, where they specialize in sparkling wine. And a good choice it was. Using the Méthode Champenoise to make authentic champagne-style wines (which can’t actually be called champagne because only wines from the Champagne region of France can legally bear that title), they have taken Long Island grapes into the realm of luxury wines.

The bright and airy tasting room leads out to a spacious patio area, which they need, since they often get van and busloads of visitors, as we have noted as we have driven by. Just as Croteaux evokes France and Diliberto evokes Italy, Sparkling Pointe evokes Brazil, featuring Bossa Nova nights and paintings of Rio in its tasting room. According to a server on a previous visit, the owners happen to “love the culture” of Brazil. The winery also tries to promote an air of elegance, with crystal chandeliers on the ceiling and caviar on the fairly extensive snack menu. Once, when we came on Halloween, all the servers were in fancy dress, either tuxedos or ball gowns. The snack menu, which needs to be somewhat extensive since they have a note on the door politely informing guests that they no longer allow outside food, also includes charcuterie, various cheeses, olives, and more, as well as iced tea, Pellegrino, and something called Vita Coco Coconut Water from Brazil. We have goodies waiting at home, so we decide to just do two tastings, one for our son and another we will share, at $17 for four tastes in pretty champagne flutes. Although they have more than four wines, they decide on the menu of tastings each day. Oh, and you can add a chocolate pairing for an additional $10.

Our server knows his stuff, and seems quite enthusiastic, but he is also taking care of a couple of larger parties out on the patio and seems somewhat distracted, rushing back and forth. Fortunately, we are not in a hurry.

2009 Brut $29

This is their “signature” wine, a blend of 59% Chardonnay, 31% Pinot Noir, 5% Pinot Meunier, and 5% reserve wine. I want to ask the server what “reserve wine” means, though I assume it is wine left over from other years, but he has disappeared and I forget when he returns. We like the Brut better than on a past visit. It has a somewhat doughy smell, with some notes of not-ripe melon, or maybe pear. It is a light, dry champagne, with some residual sugar and a hint of grapefruit. While I wouldn’t want to drink it by itself, as in a toast, it would be a lovely aperitif wine with nuts or soft cheese.

2. 2008 Blanc de Blancs $42 (Magnum $93)

On the other hand, I would happily drink a toast with this wine. After a year on the lees, this 100% Chardonnay wine has a somewhat funky mineral aroma but is creamy to taste, and reminds me of a Granny Smith apple pie. Nicely dry, but with good fruit, I could also see this paired with some Crescent Farms duck breast. and my son agrees. It is better than most $20 champagnes one buys.

3. 2003 Brut Seduction $60

Another blend, this one is 51% Chardonnay and 49% Pinot Noir, and spent eight years on the lees, according to our server. One nicety—each taste is poured into a fresh glass. Here we smell dirt and mushrooms, but taste raspberry and lemon curd. One could definitely sip this on its own and be very happy. The tasting notes refer to its “organoleptic profile,” which occasions some hilarity in our little party. Look it up.

4. NV Cuvée Carnaval $27

Our server has poured our final taste before we finished the one before, and left, noting that he won’t be back, a fistful of glasses in one hand and a bottle in the other, so I miss whatever he said about this wine, as I was concentrating on the previous one and comparing notes with my son. This wine combines Merlot and Chardonnay, plus 4% Gewürztraminer, which probably accounts for some of its sweetness. We smell strawberry jam and taste mango and cherry. It wouldn’t be bad with a dessert like a flourless chocolate cake, and, for a sweet wine, has some nice minerality, so I like it better than I thought I would. If you didn’t have Chateau d’Yquem, my husband notes, you could substitute this. Well, maybe…

After we finish our last wine, we stand at the bar waiting to pay for our tastings, our server, as promised, having disappeared. A gentleman comes over and asks us if we are waiting to buy a bottle. No, we say, just waiting to pay for our tastings. He thanks us for our patience, and tells us the tastings are free! Nice gesture, which somewhat makes up for our harried server’s divided attentions.

Reasons to visit: you like champagne—um, I mean, sparkling wine; you want to see what a North Fork winery can do with sparkling wines; you want caviar with your champ…sparkling wine; the Blanc de Blancs (my favorite); Bossa Nova nights.

Lieb Cellars/Oregon Road August 9, 2013

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with Bridge Lane Chardonnay, Bridge Lane Merlot, Bridge Lane Merlot Blanc, cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, cox neck, Lieb Cellars, Malbec, Meritage, North Fork, north fork wineries, Oregon Road, Petit Syrah, petit verdot, Reserve Pinot Blanc, Right Coast Red, seashell wreath, Sound Influence Riesling, tomato bruschetta, wine club members August 13, 2013

http://liebcellars.com/

Tuscany? No, Oregon Road!

Suppose you like Lieb wines (as we do) and you decide to stop by their small tasting room on the corner of Cox Neck Road and Sound Avenue, only to find it…overrun sounds so judgmental, so let’s just say crowded…by the presence of a couple of limo groups. Never fear, you have a lovely alternative. Just go back onto Sound Avenue and continue a few blocks to Mill Road, turn left, then turn right onto Oregon Road and you will find yourself surrounded by farm houses and fields of sunflowers. You’ll pass Shinn Vineyards—also worth a stop, by the way—and eventually you’ll find Lieb’s second tasting room, carved out of a warehouse (sort of similar to the way their first tasting room shares quarters with the Premium Wine Group, which does the wine-making for quite a few of the North Fork wineries).

This tasting room does not accept limo or bus groups, so it is unlikely to be crowded. When we ask our server why the new room was opened, she gives just this reason, and notes that it is a nice place for their wine club members to come for a quiet tasting or glass of wine. They also have an efficient-looking little kitchen just off the room, where on the weekends they make snacks such as hummus, tomato bruschetta, oysters, and other non-cooked items (since they don’t have an oven on site). On this cloudy Friday, there is just one other group in the room, sitting around a table on the comfortable-looking modern wicker sofas. The room has a sophisticated, semi-industrial look, softened by a swag of cloth and a seashell wreath over the kitchen and a sea-view mural on one wall.

They offer six tasting options: five whites for $10, five reds for $10, a “summer fling” of six mixed types for $14, two sparkling wines for $7, a Reserve tasting of five for $12, and another summer tasting of four wines for $8. They also have a couple of Greenport Harbor beers on tap, in case your party includes a non-wine drinker. We decide to do a white flight and then a red flight, sharing as we go. The pour is fairly generous.

2011 Bridge Lane Merlot Blanc $12

But wait, you say, isn’t merlot a red grape? Yes, but if you don’t give it any time on the skins you get a white wine with some merlot characteristics. In this case, that involves some funkiness in the taste. We smell pine and mineral aromas, and the taste is sour, like grapefruit juice with some pineapple at the end. We wouldn’t want to sip this one, but it might go well with food that needs a strong white.

2. 2010 Reserve Pinot Blanc $18

Our well-informed server tells us that they are the only winery on the North Fork to make a Pinot Blanc, and so it is their signature wine. Again, this one is not for sipping, though it would have gone well with the lobster bisque I made from our leftover shells the other night. The aroma has a bit of the cat pee smell, and the wine itself is light and tart and citrusy, with a hint of sweetness at the end.

3. 2010 Bridge Lane Chardonnay $10

We like this steel-fermented chard very much, and the price is certainly right. Scents of cinnamon and mineral, with a bit of sweetness, lead to a classic steel chard with nice fruit, and not too much sweet.

4. 2009 Reserve Chardonnay $24

After eight months in oak, this is a lightly oaked chard, with some baked goods aroma. Very tasty, not too oaky, and again some sweetness at the end.

5. 2010 Sound Influence Riesling $24

Although this is an off-dry Riesling, we find the sweetness overwhelms the tastes of pineapple and tropical fruit and wildflower honey.

6. 2011 Bridge Lane Merlot $15

Now we switch to the reds, and we get a new glass, always a nice touch. Although we smell forest floor, the wine itself does not have any of that earthy dirt taste one sometimes gets. This would make a fine vin ordinaire, to have with pasta and such, as it has nice cherry flavors and just a little tannin. Buyable.

7, 2005 Reserve Merlot $22

18 months in French oak gives this wine an aroma of smoke and tomato. Hmmm…barbecue sauce? This is also a good pasta wine, and would stand up to a rich Bolognese sauce, as it has more tannins than the Bridge Lane Merlot. We taste cherry at the front of this relatively simple wine.

8. 2010 Right Coast Red $30

Here we have their classic Bordeaux blend: 58% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc, 8% Petit Verdot, and 4% Malbec. I’m assuming the name is a play on Right Bank Bordeaux! The aroma is almost meaty, it is so complex, and the wine itself is lovely, with lots of fruit. It would complement a rack of lamb very nicely, though the end taste is a bit sour.

9. 2008 Reserve Cabernet Franc $26

Our server describes this one as “nice and smooth,” as she also tells us it spent 15 months in French oak. We smell wet rock, and my husband says it smells like a typical Cabernet Franc, but “not to distraction.” Though not complex, this is a good red, with lots of fruit flavors.

10. 2005 Meritage $45

Another blend, this one has 75% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Malbec and Petit Syrah, and 3% Cabernet Franc. This is only the third time Lieb has made this wine, we are told, and they only made 300 cases of it. We are underwhelmed by its aroma of sticky candy and just okay taste.

They don’t offer any wine tchotchkes for sale. We do buy both the Bridge Lane Chardonnay and the Bridge Lane Merlot. No reduction of tasting price with purchase.

Reasons to visit: you like a quiet tasting room in a bucolic setting; many of their wines, including the reasonably priced Bridge Lane Chardonnay and the Bridge Lane Merlot, are quite good; you want to come on a weekend and check out their snacks (I guess we’ll have to return!).

One Woman Winery August 5, 2013

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with chardonnay, D'latte, Dessert Wine, gewurztraminer, Greenport, gruner veltliner, merlot, North Fork, One Woman Tribute, One Woman Winery, rose, sauvignon blanc August 8, 2013

http://www.onewomanwines.com/

Apparently, one woman is all it takes to make some terrific wines; at least, if that one woman is Claudia Purita, the woman behind One Woman Wines. As her daughter proudly told us on a previous visit, Ms. Purita tends the vines by hand, picks the grapes, and makes the wine. The results are a pleasure to drink. Oh, and she even picks and arranges the gorgeous bouquets of wildflowers that grace the tasting room.

Flowers in the tasting room

We came to the winery this time on a breezy sunny Monday afternoon, when, until two other parties arrived, we were the only people in the tiny tasting room and on the only slightly larger deck area, where we drank our wines. If you are in a party larger than six or in a limo, you’d better have a reservation! The pleasant young women behind the bar were cheery and helpful, and guided us as we decided on what to pick from the menu of nine wines. Tastings are $6 for two tastes, $8 for three, or $10 for four, plus there are three reserve wines one can try for $4 for one or $12 for all three. Since there were four adults, we decided to share two tastings of four choices each, plus some reserves, while the two-year-old distraction ran races on the lawn. Because we were going back and forth between two tastings, the wines might not be in the absolute perfect tasting order.

2011 One Woman Tribute $23

Created to mark Ms. Purita’s five-year anniversary as a winemaker, this is a blend of all their whites. As a result, it has an unsurprisingly complicated aroma with peach and minerality dominating followed by a delicious taste that combines apricots (my favorite fruit) with a long citrusy finish. Dry yet fruity, this is a wine one could happily sip by itself or pair with almost any food.

2. 2012 Sauvignon Blanc $25

Another goodie! This one has a spicy aroma and flavor, with lots of lemon. It would be great with oysters. Very buyable.

3. 2011 Grüner Veltliner $20

Hmmm…what’s that smell? Eucalyptus! This wine also has plenty of fruit, with a nice tartness that makes us think of gooseberries. This is good, but…

4. 2012 Grüner Veltliner $20

…the 2012 is even better. Despite a slightly musty aroma under the eucalyptus, this is delicious, with a surprisingly sweet ending and a bit of a bubbly feeling on the tongue. As this is the only Grüner on the North Fork, it is worth coming here just to taste it.

5. 2011 Gewürztraminer $23

We smell pineapple and mango, then find the taste surprisingly dry, though with lots of tropical fruit. This one is rather delicate, so you’d want to pair it with a dish that wouldn’t be overwhelmed by it. Maybe scallops?

6. 2012 Gewürztraminer $23

As the servers noted, the 2012s are more flavorful than the 2011s, and that holds true for both the Gewürztraminer and the Grüner. Aromas and tastes of pineapple, and also spice and honey make this our favorite of the day, and we buy some to take home, thinking of Peconic Bay scallops on the barbecue.

7. 2012 Chardonnay $20

This is our least favorite of the day, a half oaked, half steel fermented chard with some vanilla and pine sap aromas and some oak and tropical fruit flavors.

The deck

8. 2012 Rosé $19

We get the usual notes of strawberry, with perhaps, as they say, some pomegranate. This is a dry, merlot-based rosé, with some earthiness and funkiness, though ultimately it is refreshing.

9. 2008 Estate Reserve Merlot $48

Lots of aromas to this wine, including wet forest and cinnamon. We taste spice and dark fruit, and all agree that it is an excellent merlot with all sorts of interesting flavors. This is part of the Reserve tasting, as are the next two.

10. 2010 Estate Reserve Chardonnay $38

Again, not a favorite. It has that cat pee smell some wines seem to get, and is too oaky for our taste, with lots of butterscotch.

11. 2010 Dessert Wine $39

Smells like the Gewürztraminer. It is sweet, but not just sweet, with some nice structure.

If you are counting, you will realize we skipped one wine—the sparkling wine. Perhaps next time we’ll try that. Meanwhile we buy the Gewürztraminer and the Sauvignon Blanc, and as a result the tastings of the standard wines, but not the reserves, are free. We also almost bought some gelato on sale in the tasting room, before we remembered that we had a Briermere pie for dessert. Gelato? Not surprising when you know that her husband owns D’Latte in Greenport. Later that night we have Peconic Bay scallops, barbecued on skewers with plum tomatoes and zucchini, along with roasted new potatoes and corn and sautéed zucchini, and the Gewürztraminer goes perfectly with it all.

Reasons to visit: you would like to drink some excellent white wines; you like peace and quiet among the vines (though they do have some evening events which might be livelier); you want to try Grüner Veltliner on Long Island; you like a nice dry Gewürztraminer; the Sauvignon Blanc.

NoFo Wineaux

Wine notes from Long Island's North Fork

Category Archives: Tasting