Sannino Bella Vita: Small Place, Big List June 27, 2015

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with 2nd Bottle Red, Bianca Dolce, Bianca White Merlot, cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, Chilly Day Chardonnay, Crescent Farms duck, Croteaux, Greenport, Greenport Harbor Brewing Company, Long Island, merlot, North Fork, Prima Rossa, riesling, Sannino Bella Vita, sauvignon blanc, Spotlight Petit Verdot, Vines and Branches, wine tasting June 30, 2015

This used to be the Ackerly Pond Vineyard, and, though none of the wines are labeled Ackerly, the sign is still there.

http://www.sanninovineyard.com/

The sign outside Sannino Bella Vita says no groups of over six without a reservation, and that’s a good idea, because this small venue really can’t handle a big influx, as we saw when a group with a Groupon and another group there for Anthony Sannino’s wine tour arrived at the same time. However, the cheerful and hard-working tasting room staff did their best to compensate, and we were in no hurry anyway. Our youthful server was new to the winery, and actually learned a few facts from us, but she was so charming we didn’t mind at all.

Anthony Sannino off to give a tour.

This is a great spot if you hope to interact with an owner, as Anthony Sannino is usually on site. In addition, for a small winery they have an interesting range of choices, with a menu of eleven different wines to choose from for a tasting. Since their standard tasting is six wines for $18, we decided to share two tastings, thus getting to sample all the wines (except one that is off the menu). They generally set up all of your tastes on a tray, but with the influx of the groups they asked if we would mind getting our tastes one at a time, since they were worried they would run out of glasses! No problem. We also could have ordered a cheese and meat tray for $18.

One side of the room

We opted to sit on stools at the bar, but most other people sat outside on the side patio. The room has, according to one of the servers, “a certain rustic charm,” and we agree. There’s also a small selection of amusing wine-related gifts, and the Sanninos run a B and B next door to the winery. They are just down the street from Greenport Harbor Brewery’s Peconic location, where mass quantities of people were flocking for a barbeque cook off. We decided to give it a miss.

Some gift items

2014 Chilly Day Chardonnay $18

There’s an interesting vegetable aroma which we note in several other of their wines. Maybe asparagus? Also a touch of baked pear, even though this is a steel-fermented chard. The taste is a touch sweet for a steel chard, but ends with a tart lemony flavor. Nice, and quite buyable. We also note that the whites are served at a good temperature—not too cold.

2013 Off-Dry Riesling $17

“Bronze Medal in the FLI,” says the menu, which we later learn stands for Finger Lakes International. We’re somewhat iffy on rieslings, but this one is quite nice, with green plum aromas and tastes, plus a touch of citrus. It’s not too sweet, and would be a nice chilled summer sipper or an accompaniment to Thai food.

2014 Sauvignon Blanc $22

“I’d definitely have this with oysters,” I say. Lots of not-overly-ripe pineapple taste, tart, lemon at end, with a touch of cabbage in the aroma. Also worth buying, I think.

2014 Chardonnay $20

The menu says this is “fermented in steel and accented in oak,” and though at the moment there was no one to tell us exactly what this meant, we can figure it out, as this is an only lightly oaked chard. We smell honey and almond butter, but the taste is dry and crisp. If you find steel chards a bit too crisp and oaked chards too buttery, you’d probably like this one.

Pretty color

Bianca White Merlot $16

This is a rosé, of course, so, as always, we compare it to Croteaux. The color is a pretty dark pink, with sweet strawberry aromas with again a touch of that vegetable scent. It’s good, though sweeter than Croteaux’s 314, and with less going on.

2014 Bianca Dolce $15

Our server confidently informs us that this is their sweetest wine, and notes that “people come in just for it.” I get that. This has a lighter color than the Bianca, and is quite sweet, almost enough to be a dessert wine. However, it is light and not cloying. Might be nice over ice.

2^nd Bottle Red $20

Why 2^nd Bottle? Because this is a wine you serve second, because “nobody cares by the second bottle.” A non-vintage blend of varietals, this is a fine barbeque wine, with no depth and not a lot of fruit, but quite drinkable. Something in the aroma reminds me of a black olive tapenade, like the one we sampled earlier in the day at Vines and Branches in Greenport.

2012 Merlot $25

Another FLI Bronze Medal winner, this 100% merlot spends 22 months in French and Hungarian oak. We smell plums and a hint of smoke and taste cherry. Neither sweet nor dry, this is a passable merlot, though my husband says he “would not go out of my way for it.”

2012 Prima Rossa $34

50% cabernet sauvignon, 33% cabernet franc, 17% merlot, we inform our eager-to-learn server, means this is a Left Bank Bordeaux-type blend. It’s also quite good, with aromas of coffee, cigars, and grape juice and lots of dark fruit tastes. This one is also aged for 22 months in French and Hungarian oak.

2012 Cabernet Franc $34

Ooh, this wine won a Silver Medal in the FLI. The menu describes it as “elegant.” Well, there is something restrained about it. Quite dry, with a bit of a woody aroma, it would be okay with lamb, but we liked the Prima Rossa much better.

Our favorite of the reds

2012 Spotlight Petit Verdot $42

We opt to get two tastes of this one, to complete our twelve, and decide that was a good choice, as we like this the best of the reds. A blend of 85% petit verdot and 15% cabernet sauvignon, aged 22 months in French and Hungarian oak, this wine has lots of dark fruit aromas with just a touch of smoke, and tastes very good. Lots of fruit, maybe some jam—I could see this with the Crescent Farm duck breasts I served with a strawberry-rhubarb sauce last week. It certainly merited its Silver Medal in the FLI.

This serious-looking canine statue stands guard over the parking lot.

Reasons to visit: you like an intimate setting, with the chance to chat with an owner (if he’s not giving a tour—or you could sign up for the tour!); the Chilly Day Chardonnay, the Sauvignon Blanc, the Prima Rossa, the Spotlight Petit Verdot; a cute selection of gifts.

The vines are in full leaf now.

Clovis Point: Music and Wine 6/20/15

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with barrel chardonnay, cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, Clovis point arrowheads, Clovis Point Winery, gewurztraminer, Long Island, Malbec, Mattituck Strawberry Festival, North Fork, rose, Stainless Chardonnay, Vintner's Select Merlot, wine tasting June 24, 2015

http://www.clovispointwines.com/

A visit to a winery is a great way to brighten a rainy day.

We braved the crowds that had come to the North Fork for the Mattituck Strawberry Festival and the rain that had arrived that afternoon for an excursion to Clovis Point Wines. Now, if you Google Clovis point you will find yourself looking at arrowheads, and wondering what the connection is. In fact, Clovis point does refer to a type of arrowhead, examples of which have been found on the North Fork, hence the name.

The winery nods to the past of the area in another way, housing its tasting room in a converted potato barn, but the wines are thoroughly modern. The servers alternated between quite friendly and enthusiastic and rather pleasant but business-like. The bar area was fairly quiet because all the action was outside on the covered porch, where a country and western band was entertaining tables full of people sipping wine and eating snacks, some bought from the winery (a menu features cheeses, sausage, and other small snacks for about $10) and others brought in. (A sign permits outside food, but requests “no coolers.”) Once before we had come especially for a musical performance, which we had enjoyed. Clovis Point describes itself as a “boutique” winery, and a sign outside forbids all limos.

Pretty flowers line the pathway to the door.

The menu features five wines for $13 or the three whites for $7 and the two reds for $5. We opted to share one tasting of all five wines, not actually a bargain! Due to the tiny pour, we had to be quite judicious in our sharing. I found the small pour interesting in that the servers rinsed our glass with a bit of the wine we were about to taste each time, a nice touch but it seemed a shame to pour out almost as much as we tasted.

Through the window you can glimpse the porch where the music listeners are sitting.

2014 Stainless Chardonnay $21

Although it is called chardonnay, this is also 3% gewürztraminer, which we felt contributed a slightly funky note to what is otherwise a fairly typical clean, crisp, lemony steel chard. It was fine, but we felt would be better with food.

We’ve not yet tasted the wine.

Rosé $21

In general, we compare all rosés to Croteaux, and find them wanting, but we quite liked this one. It spends three days on the skins, and so has a deeper red and more intense flavor than many rosés. This is made from 97% cabernet franc and 3% merlot. The aroma is typically strawberry and watermelon, with a nice minerality. The taste also recalls strawberry, and is a touch on the sweet side, but the minerality makes the sweetness work.

2013 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay $27

After ten months in French oak, this wine smells like vanilla and Werther’s candies, but is happily not as sweet as the smell would indicate. A hint of lemon juice makes this a sippable wine, not as oaky as a California chard. My tasting pal opines that this is not a challenge to drink.

New glass for the reds

2013 Cabernet Franc $35

A blend of 94% cabernet franc, 3% cabernet sauvignon, and 3% merlot, this wine has a somewhat smoky, almost coffee aroma. The taste has some smokiness to it too, but not obnoxiously so. Though it is dry and brambly, we think it might do better with more age.

2010 Vintner’s Select Merlot $45

A Right Bank Bordeaux-style wine, this is a blend of 86% merlot, 7% cabernet sauvignon, 4.5 % cabernet franc, and 3% malbec, says the menu. If you can add, you’ll note that that adds up to 100.5—and actually, the menu lists the percentage of cab franc as 45%! Oops. I’m a liberal arts major, says our server as an excuse, and promises to fix the menu right away. Regardless, this is also a wine that may need more time, as we find it a bit on the thin side, with lots of tannins and some blackberry taste. It might do well with a cheese platter, however.

Reasons to visit: a nice place to listen to music; the rosé; the 2013 Barrel Chardonnay if you like oaked chards; pleasant quiet tasting room.

How cool to quote Horace!

Martha Clara, Lieb, and Pugliese: Group Think June 6, 2015

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting, Uncategorized and tagged with Bridge Lane, Bridge Lane Chardonnay, Bridge Lane Red Blend, Bridge Lane Rose, Bridge Lane White Blend, Bridge Lane White Merlot, cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, chardonnay, Estate Reserve Riesling, Estate Reserve Viognier, Gold Star Limo, Lieb, Malbec, Martha Clara, North Fork, Northern Solstice Blend, petit verdot, pinot grigio, Pugliese, Raffaello White Port, Sangiovese, sauvignon blanc, Semillon, Sunset Meritage, syrah, wine tasting June 12, 2015

Our limo at the first stop: Martha Clara.

When a group of Nofo Wineaux’s friends and colleagues decided that the best way to have a celebratory get-together was to rent a limo and do a wine tour, she could not refuse to go along—especially since they asked her for some winery recommendations.

So that is how I found myself seated in a Hummer stretch limo with 14 wonderful women, traveling the North Fork wine country. And I did enjoy myself! Along the way, I noticed that each winery had its own method of handling a crowd, I taught some of my friends how to smell wine (stick your nose into the glass and open your mouth as you inhale), and I heard some new ways to describe wine tastes and smells.

Our limo was rented from Gold Star Limo Company, and John, the driver, was courteous and efficient, dropping us off and picking us up on schedule. The company took care of the logistics of reserving each winery and getting us sandwich and salad lunches catered by Farm Country Kitchen. There were a few reasons why I think our tasting tour went well. For one, as a group we were there to relax and enjoy each other’s company, with the wine tour as a means to that end, plus a number of us were quite interested in tasting and discussing the wines. Another reason was our judicious (if I do say so myself) selection of venues, and the fact that we limited ourselves to three places, spaced out from noon to five p.m. And finally, the weather cooperated—warm enough to sit outside, yet not so hot that we were uncomfortable.

First stop: Martha Clara

The menu at Martha Clara

Our group organizer picked Martha Clara as a place she had been to and liked in the past, and it made a pleasant first stop (we got there about 12:15). A young woman with a clipboard greeted us, checked our reservation and, after a brief consultation with the driver, set us up around two sides of one of the long bars in the tasting room. She explained that they ran a tight schedule of groups, and requested that we take our places immediately. At each place were a glass and the tasting menu, featuring a flight of five wines. The servers assigned to us attentively filled our glasses as soon as they were emptied, and gave a brief spiel about each one. When I requested additional information, they were able to provide some. After we finished, we wandered outside to some picnic tables and shared a few snacks we had brought with us while some members of the group explored the pens of animals one can pet and feed. I think a few might have visited the extensive gift shop.

We gathered around the bar at Martha Clara.

2013 Northern Solstice Blend $17

This is a blend, as the title suggests, of four whites: semillon, viognier, chardonnay, and sauvignon blanc. I described the aroma as mineral. One of my friends, newly introduced to the art of smelling wine, compared it to the smell you get when you open a bottle of vitamins, which I thought was quite right. This is a dry, crisp, lean, steel-fermented white which we all found quite pleasant.

2012 Estate Reserve Riesling $26

My friend with the newly enlightened nose senses a touch of rotting fruit. I agree, but also add orange blossoms. We all sip, and I note some apricot tastes, and also a bit more sweetness than I prefer. Nice finish.

2012 Estate Reserve Viognier $29

We had been discussing why some people think they dislike chardonnay because all they have ever tried were oak-fermented California chards when this barrel-fermented (nine months) wine was served, giving me the chance to note how different it is compared to the steel fermented blend we started with. You can definitely smell vanilla and also spice—perhaps cardamom. You can also get that “woody” taste you get with some oaked whites.

2010 Syrah $24

I often like syrahs for their rich fruit flavors, but I find this one a bit dry and thin. I also smell some of that barnyard scent North Fork reds sometimes get (though more rarely lately). It is aged 16 months in French oak.

2012 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon $29

This red is also aged in oak, for 12 months, and I also am not enamored of it. It’s not bad, but could use more fruit, though it is nicely dry.

Second Stop: Lieb Bridge Lane

The entrance to Lieb, though we didn’t go inside.

Lieb actually has two tasting rooms, and we are at the one on Sound Avenue and Cox Neck Lane. I’m a bit surprised that we have come to this one, since the other is more spacious, but fortunately it is a beautiful day and we settle ourselves at several picnic tables adjoining some grape vines. The driver brings us the shopping bags filled with our lunches from Farm Country Kitchen and also offers us bottles of water from the limo. As we settle in with our choices—I got a grilled veggie sandwich with a small green salad on the side, and it was good—a lovely young lady from the tasting room comes around with glasses. Ah, we are to have the tasting as we eat our lunches. Nice—though I do note that food changes the taste of wine.

Our view as we sipped our wine and ate lunch.

What is also pleasant is that we have the place mostly to ourselves, and it is a relaxing venue to sit and chat and enjoy our lunches. Martha Clara had been quite noisy, making conversation difficult except with the person next to one.

All the wines are from the Bridge Lane label, so I will abbreviate it BL. Also, because I did not see a tasting menu, I can’t tell you what the cost of these wines is per bottle.

2013 BL White Merlot

As our server explains, this is a white wine made from a red wine grape, and it is totally clear, having spent no time on the skins. It has a nice mineral aroma and a pleasant fruitiness. It would compare favorably with Anthony Nappa’s Anomaly.

2013 BL White Blend

This blend included chardonnay, pinot blanc, riesling and viognier, and, like the blend we just had at Martha Clara, is steel fermented. Everyone agrees that we like this one very much, with its nice balance of sweet and dry and its mineral aroma and taste. It goes well with lunch!

2013 BL Chardonnay

For those who think they dislike chards, this is a good rebuttal: dry and tart, with lemon and grapefruit tastes and aromas. Steel fermented, of course.

2013 BL Rosé

After some discussion of how much rosés have improved in recent years, we try this blend of merlot and cabernet franc. Though I still maintain that Croteaux has the best rosés on the North Fork, this one is fine—slight strawberry aroma, very dry, but with no finish. I think it tastes a bit like unripe strawberries.

Wine and a picnic.

BL 2013 Red Blend

I explain to my friends that this is a Bordeaux blend: 70% merlot, 15% each malbec and cabernet sauvignon, 7% petit verdot. It is aged in neutral oak barrels, our server notes. I think it might improve with more age, since it has some nice tannins. Though it is not exciting, it is a very drinkable red.

Third and last stop: Pugliese

The pond at Pugliese

Everyone exclaims at the lovely scenery as we pull into Pugliese—the pond, the trees, the fountain. Charming. We troop into the tasting room, where we admire some artistic items, including pretty prints appropriate to our surroundings, such as sunflowers.

From the gift shop

Our fearless leader soon finds us and hands each of us a sheet of four tickets, which we can exchange for tastes, and tells us to adjourn to the outside bar located under a tent next to the pond, where a musician is setting up. As a result, we scatter, and form into small groups at the bar. The menu is quite daunting, offering 22 choices from sparkling wines to dessert wines, with reds, whites and rosés in between. At first the servers offer no guidance other than, “You can choose any four.” (We expand our options by sharing a couple of tastes, which is why you see six wines mentioned here.) However, we then luck into a rather youthful server who seems to know more, and enjoys giving us information about each wine. My good friend is a white wine drinker who would like to learn to like reds, so we decide, after one white, to focus on the reds. For each taste we get a fresh glass—I mean small plastic cup.

The rather lengthy menu at Pugliese.

2013 Pinot Grigio $17.99

This steel fermented pinot has not much aroma and a tart lemony taste, with no finish, which my friend insists on calling after taste. Which, after all, is what finish is! It would be better with food, I think.

Pugliese serves the wine is small plastic cups.

2010 Sangiovese $16.99

Our server boasts that they are the only winery on the North Fork to use this grape, which is the gape used in Chianti. As we sniff, we note aromas of tobacco and some fruit. Then we taste, and promptly dump. Well, this wine is not going to make a red wine drinker out of my friend! Bad.

2010 Sunset Meritage $29.99

Whew. This one is better! A blend of merlot, cabernet franc, and cabernet sauvignon, this has nice ripe fruit flavors and is just tannic enough to add interest.

One view of the tent and the pergola.

2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve $16.99

This would make a good, everyday table wine. It has lots of fruit and my friend likes it.

2012 Cabernet Franc $16.99

For a cab franc this is quite light, though it would be okay with lamb chops, as it has some tannins. It could use more fruit.

My last ticket.

2007 Raffaello White Port $17.99 for 375 ml.

As my final wine of the day, I decide to go for dessert, and try their white port. Yes, it is sweet, but I think appropriately so, with lots of sweet orange, tangelo, plum, and apple flavors. At 20% alcohol, you wouldn’t want to drink much of this, but it would be nice with a cheese and nut course.

And so I finish my foray into the world of the limos standing on the shore of Pugliese’s pond, admiring the koi, listening to music, talking to my friends, and sipping sweet wine. There are worse ways to spend a Saturday.

No fishing!

Suggestions for limo users: plan to go to just three wineries (maybe four at most, especially if you tend to dump part of each taste) and space them out over five hours so you can appreciate each one; try to go to at least one that doesn’t seem to specialize in big groups (like Lieb, which we thoroughly enjoyed); be sure to eat in between—or during—your tastes so you don’t get too drunk; take your time in each place to savor and discuss the wines; have fun.

Croteaux: Still the Best Rosé May 9, 2015

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with 181, 3, 314, Briermere, cabernet franc, case club, Chloe, Croteaux, Eight Hands Farm, Jolie, merlot, North Fork, Paul Croteaux, Paula, rose, Sauvage, sauvignon blanc, wine tasting May 12, 2015

http://www.croteaux.com/

If you only do one thing, it is best if you do that one thing well, and Croteaux does. All they make is rosé, and they make the best rosés on the North Fork. Paul and Paula Croteaux are likely to greet you as you walk through the small entry area and out into the lovely outdoor yard, where you are seated by a cheery hostess in one of the flowing tops they also sell in the charming boutique. Paul, slim and gray-haired, is often behind the bar, setting up tastings, while Paula, blonde and round-faced, operates the cash register and circulates throughout the yard to be sure all is going well. It is.

We have settled into comfortable Adirondack chairs, perused the menu, and decided we will each get a tasting of their six rosés (for $15). We could also have opted for three sparkling rosés for the same price. Their small menu of snacks is well chosen and homemade, but we’re planning an early dinner so we decide not to this time. The atmosphere is relaxed yet lively, with small groups clustered around the tables or in pairs of chairs (no limos or drop-offs allowed). A dog enters with his humans and is carefully vetted by Sergeant, the resident little pooch. At one point the hostess brings the visiting canine a doggie dish of water—and she’ll provide humans with bottles of water as well.

The three numbered rosé clones are each $19 per bottle, and the three named ones are $25, while the sparking rosés are $28 each. All vintages are the current year, as last year’s wines sold out!

Your entire tasting is delivered to your table.

Merlot 181

A sniff reveals aromas of flowers—honeysuckle—and fruit, possibly melon. The taste is quite tart, with even a bit of a tingle, and reminds me of pink grapefruit with a touch of minerality. At the end I get lemon. This, I say, would go well with goat cheese, like the one we picked up at Catapano this morning.

Merlot 314

In the past this has been our favorite, so we have our fingers crossed that it is as good this year. Yum! Happy taste buds. We smell strawberries and tangerines, taste apricot. Though the wine has lots of fruit, it is not sweet. “This would go with most everything,” opines my husband. We plan to buy a case.

Case Club benefits

Merlot 3

A blend of three clones—181, 314, and 3—this is also a good wine, though we still prefer the 314. It is a touch sweeter than the others, though still dry, with good fruit and also a fair amount of mineral taste and some saltiness. My tasting buddy says it is “not as bright” as the 314.

Sauvage

Now we’ve moved on to the slightly more expensive wines. Sauvage is also made from the 181 clone, but with wild yeast, which means the winemaker has given up a bit of control. The aroma reminds us of asparagus—which we also picked up this morning and plan to grill later—and the taste is quite different from the 181, though still quite good. It has more minerality and is quite light. We like it better than the 2014 Sauvage.

You can see that Chloe is so light that it looks like a white wine.

Chloe

This is “the white wine lover’s rosé,” suggest the tasting notes. Made from sauvignon blanc grapes that spend a short amount of time on the skins, this is so pale that it looks white. We smell lemon/lime and wet ferns. The taste is quite tart and lemony, which would make it a perfect foil for oysters (No, we’re not having any of those tonight!). It is a touch less crisp than the usual sauvignon blanc.

Jolie, on the other hand, is much darker than the other roses.

Jolie

So if Chloe is the white wine lover’s rosé, this is “the red wine lover’s rosé,” made from the cabernet franc grape in the Bordeaux style. Strawberry rhubarb pie aroma—just like the pie we got at Briermere this morning—and some strawberry taste, as well as a touch of espresso at the end and maybe red blackberries. Yet it is still tart, though fruitier than the others. Maybe it would go with the lamb steaks we bought at Eight Hands Farm today (new place—they sell pastured lamb, pork, and chicken, plus more).

They also have the prettiest bottles.

Reasons to visit: rosés that will make you fall in love with them, even if you thought you didn’t like rosés; a comfortable, pleasant outdoor tasting area; good snacks; the case club!—buy a case and you’re in the club, your first tasting is free, and you can get a free glass of wine every time you stop into the winery, plus discounts and other benefits.

Sergeant on guard!

Pretty setting for pretty wines.

McCall’s Winery: Vintage Matters 5/2/2015

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with 2012 Pinot Noir, Ben's Blend 2010, cabernet franc, Cabernet Franc Reserve, cabernet sauvignon, Cellar Master, chardonnay, Chardonnay Reserve, Cuvee Nicola Sauvignon Blanc, Estate Flight, Marjorie's Rose, McCall's winery, merlot, North Fork, Pinot Noir Hillside, Premium Flight, White Flight, wine tasting May 4, 2015

http://www.mccallwines.com/

The tasting barn

It was a beautiful spring day, so we opted to sit at a picnic table in the sunny yard outside McCall’s tasting barn (and it is a barn, with the horse stalls converted to seating areas) for our tasting. In the past, we had really liked their wines, especially the reds, so we opted to share two tastings, one of their whites and another of their Estate reds. We hadn’t been to McCall’s since the summer of 2013, and this visit confirmed what we’ve often thought—that you need to taste each vintage to know whether or not you like a particular wine. In this case, we were less impressed than we have been in the past.

One of the converted horse stalls used as a seating area

The tasting menu offers four options of combinations which let you taste their twelve wines. Each flight offers four two-ounce tastes: White Flight for $12, Cellar Master for $12, Premium for $14, and Estate for $16. As we sipped, we watched children run around picking dandelions and other groups snack on picnics they had brought with them. Our server was friendly and efficient, and if there were any questions she couldn’t answer she quickly found out the answers for us.

I was wondering why no one on the North Fork makes dandelion wine.

I’ll start with the White Flight.

2014 Marjorie’s Rosé $18

Okay, so a rosé is not exactly a white, but it’s not a bad way to start a white flight. This wine is named for the owner’s mother, and is a very light-colored wine. Instead of the expected aroma of strawberries, we smelled rising dough, more like a champagne. The taste was tart and lightly citrusy—“a summer wine,” noted our server. The end taste was more mineral than citrus, and fairly tart. “Like a sour candy,” noted my tasting buddy. Though it was not unpleasant, it was just okay.

2013 Chardonnay $18

“This is our steel-fermented chardonnay,” said our server, adding, “and another good summer wine.” Indeed, it is fairly light and citrusy, with again a doughy aroma. Had it undergone malo-lactic fermentation? She wasn’t sure. We guessed yes. She returned to tell us that indeed it had. We decided the taste reminded us of the key lime pie my husband had enjoyed the night before at A Lure. I’m not a fan of key lime pie.

2013 Sauvignon Blanc, Cuvée Nicola $24

McCall’s doesn’t grow sauvignon blanc grapes, so this wine is made from grapes from One Woman’s vineyard, and this was the first time McCall’s offered this wine. Good decision, as this is their best white. The aroma and taste both remind me of apricots—sort of like apricot fruit leather, with some spice and citrus notes at the end. It would be good with blue cheese or pasta in a white sauce. Sippable.

2013 Chardonnay Reserve $39

No surprises here—this is a typical North Fork oaked chardonnay (nine months in the barrel, we are told), with aromas of vanilla and oak and some fruit tastes as well as some vanilla. Of course, I say it would go with roast chicken.

Now we move on to the Estate Flight of reds. We are not brought fresh glasses, but we do appreciate that our server has opted to give us two glasses, dividing the taste between us rather than having us share one glass, as we generally do. I should also note that many of their bottles use twist off caps rather than corks.

2012 Pinot Noir $28

What a pretty color this wine has—a light red. We smell blueberries and wet forest ferns, with maybe a touch of barnyard. Alas, the color is the best aspect of the pinot, since the taste is rather sour and unappealing. What a disappointment, since my comments on the 2010 pinot noir include “mmmmm.”

The setting feels quite bucolic.

2012 Pinot Noir Hillside $39

Well, perhaps we’ll like this one better. It spends about 3-4 weeks longer on the vine and three months longer in the barrel. Okay, definitely better. Again a blueberry pie aroma (Which reminds us that tonight we’ll be having a blueberry crunch pie from Briermere.) with a touch of cocoa. The taste has more fruit and more subtlety, but no depth and a fair amount of tartness. Again, we’re not loving it. Also, the reds are all too cold, though that may not be anyone’s fault, as the tasting room is quite chilly.

Cabernet Franc Reserve 2012 $39

Nice aroma—plums, some oak—but with a touch of something metallic. This wine comes from 30-year-old vines, our server tells us proudly, from a vineyard originally planted by the Gristina family says our server (Does she mean Galluccio?), and though the property is now owned by Macari, McCall’s is using the grapes. Again, this wine is tarter than one would expect, without enough fruit to balance the dryness. And though our server enthuses that she really likes this one, we are not pleased with it, especially with the aftertaste.

2010 Ben’s Blend $54

Finally, a wine we can like. This is their Bordeaux blend (named for their previous winemaker, who died much too young), though the combination is quite different from the last time we sampled it. This one is 46% cabernet franc, 25% cabernet sauvignon, and 29% merlot, whereas the 07 Ben’s Blend was 60% merlot and also included some petit verdot. In any event, we scent aromas of dark fruit, such as purple plums, and taste pleasant fruit, though it is not tannic enough to stand up to a steak. It would be good with brie and pears.

Reasons to visit: the Cuvée Nicola Sauvignon Blanc, the 2010 Ben’s Blend; a pleasant relaxed setting where kids can run around and you can bring a picnic; the surprisingly elegant rest room (!). We’ll be back when it is time for a new vintage, hoping the wines are better then, since we really liked them in the past.

The tasting barn viewed through a taste.

Kontokosta Winery: Simply Good March 28, 2015

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with Anemometer Red, Anemometer White, Blum Merlot, cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, Dry Riesling, Estate Merlot, Greenport, Kontokosta Winery, Michael Kontokosta, North Fork, Orient Chardonnay, Ray Blum, Sargon Vineyard, sauvignon blanc, Vines and Branches, viognier, wine tasting March 30, 2015

http://kontokostawinery.com/

Kontakosta’s motto—“Sound Life. Sound Wine.”—is a nice play on words, since they are situated on a high bluff overlooking Long Island Sound and they also follow ecologically sensitive practices—such as generating their electricity through the use of a windmill. The wine is, in general, quite nice. We also speculated whether some of the briny, mineral tastes in the wines might come from their waterfront location.

One side of the tasting room

The tasting room is a beautifully spare space, all white and black, with large windows looking out over the vineyards. There’s a bar at one end and long tables for those who prefer to sit, plus an upper balcony. Our group of four opted for the bar, where we found very informative and engaging servers. The tasting menu offers two flights, one of five whites for $14 and another of five reds, also $14. We decided that each couple would do one of each, sharing as we went. We also shared a cheese tray, which consisted of a very generous and tasty block of Toussaint raw cow milk cheese and a sleeve of crackers for $12.

Looking up to the balcony

We started with the whites.

NV Anemometer White $16

This is their table white, made from sauvignon blanc grapes from various vintages. Our friend said it smelled like a lemon bar, which was quite accurate. We also detected some vegetable aromas and some minerality. The taste was also somewhat lemony and mineral, tart but not terribly crisp. We all agreed it would go well with oysters. (The name anemometer, by the way, refers to a device that measures wind speed, an indirect homage to their windmill.)

The Anemometer White

2013 Orient Chardonnay $22

Before we could ask, our server volunteered the information that it is called Orient because the grapes come from Sargon Vineyard, out in Orient. A steel-fermented chard, this has typical honeysuckle and orange aromas and some gooseberry flavor. My husband found it too mineral, with some wet rock flavors (whatever that tastes like), but the rest of us liked it.

2013 Sauvignon Blanc $25

“This is made in the Sancerre style,” volunteered our server, “And it won a gold medal!” We sniff and agree: pineapple and mango on the nose and in the mouth. Nice, though a bit sweet, but it goes well with the cheese.

We took home about a third of the cheese

2013 Viognier $25

“This is my favorite wine to go with that cheese,” enthuses our server, and we agree with her wholeheartedly. The aroma reminds me of these wonderful cantaloupe-type melons called Hand Melons we used to get upstate, and the wine also has some cantaloupe tastes.

2012 Viognier

Observing how serious we are about our tasting, our server pours us each an extra taste, of the 2012 Viognier, which is almost sold out, and which she says is her favorite of the whites. Interestingly, this has a sweeter aroma and taste than the 2013, though still lots of cantaloupe, with more floral notes. It’s a more challenging wine, observes my husband.

2013 Dry Riesling $22

This has only .06% sugar, we are told, which means it is most definitely a dry riesling. They used to have an off-dry riesling for those who come in and request “the sweetest white you have,” but they no longer make it. This is definitely a dry riesling, with a touch of that cat pee smell (an observation which causes some hilarity among our cat-owning friends) and a simple but pleasant taste. Delicate, notes our friend.

Anemometer Red Table Wine $16

Now we move on to the reds, for which we are given new glasses. This is a blend of 60% cabernet franc and 30% cabernet sauvignon, from various vintages. We discuss the varying implications of saying an inexpensive table wine vs. a cheap red, and decide this belongs in the former category—especially when we learn they are running a special of 50% off for a case of the red and the white Anemometers. Our noses detect a hint of ripe olives and “wet laundry,” says my husband, as well as some fruit. The wine itself is light but “very acceptable,” with lots of nice fruit flavor. We decide to get a case of eight reds and four whites.

2007 Blum Merlot $19

Ray Blum had a vineyard in Southold planted in merlot vines, which has since been bought by Sparkling Pointe, which tore out the merlot vines, so this is the last anyone will have of the Blum Merlot. It’s a fine, fairly typical North Fork merlot, with a touch of barnyard odor and black cherry taste. Very nice.

2010 Estate Merlot $34

Yum. Aged six months in French oak and six months in steel, this is a really good merlot, with lots of black cherry taste plus a touch of vanilla.

2012 Cabernet Sauvignon $29

This one is aged in Hungarian oak. What’s the difference? Hungarian oak is cheaper, gives a milder flavor, and is more tightly grained so there’s less evaporation (the “angel’s share”). This is also yum! Brambly aroma, lots of layers of flavor, including blackberry. This is one that could be saved for future drinking. “Or buy two,” suggests our server, “and drink one now and save the other for later.”

2012 Cabernet Franc $40

Silver Medal winner in the San Francisco Wine Challenge competition, we are told. Hmmm. This is a dry red, with aromas of pepper and nutmeg and mixed berry tastes. “It has no gravitas,” opines my tasting buddy.

The bar

Reasons to go: Beautiful tasting room overlooking the Sound, which you can walk to in good weather; knowledgeable servers; the Anemometer wines if you need to buy some decent table wines for everyday drinking; the Sauvignon Blanc, the Viognier, the Estate Merlot, the Cabernet Sauvignon. They also sell olive oil—not made locally! However, we are headed to Greenport to check out Vines and Branches’ new digs, so we decline to try the olive oil.

They have a small selection of gift items.

The room is reflected in the sign about their excellent sale.

Laurel Lake Vineyards: Cold Day, Cold Wine 11/22/14

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with cabernet franc, chardonnay estate reserve, Laurel Lake Vineyards, North Fork wine, Pinot Gris, pinot noir reserve, sauvignon blanc, syrah, Tanger Outlets, tasting November 24, 2014

http://www.llwines.com/

Some customers browsed the selection of wine-related gifts.

After braving the cold winds to do some pre-holiday shopping at Tanger Outlets, we were ready to sit down and taste some wines. Happily, Laurel Lake is well set up to accommodate those who prefer to sit rather than stand at their very attractive bar. You pay for your tasting in advance–$15 for three tastes—and get tickets which you then turn in before each glass. The menu offers choices among eight whites and eight reds, so we decided to do two tastings, three of each, sharing as we went. Since the pour is fairly generous, our plan worked well. We received two glasses, and kept the second glass for our reds.

As we sat, we noticed a few groups who had brought extensive snacks with them. One couple braved the heated outdoor porch, and others opted to stand at the bar. We also noticed a small selection of wine-related gift items, most with humorous messages. Overall it was a quiet day there, in contrast to a few weeks ago when we pulled into the parking lot and found no empty spaces because a convention of Corvettes had taken them all.

The bar where we could have stood.

2013 Pinot Gris $21.99

This, our first choice, like all the rest, was served much too cold, so we spent some time warming the glass before sampling. They need to raise the temp in their fridge! Once it warmed up, we smelled a vegetable aroma, almost like freshly cut grass and flowers. The taste was dry and tart, with a touch of sweetness at first, reminiscent of a slightly under-ripe pineapple. Though not a sipper, it would be fine with food. I’m thinking local scallops with pasta and herbs.

2013 Sauvignon Blanc $20.99

For this one, the tasting notes recommend having it with sushi, and I can see that, though I usually get sake with sushi. It has a woodsy and citrusy aroma and tastes of white grapefruit. Again, this is a dry white with plenty of acidity, and we liked it.

2012 Chardonnay Estate Reserve $22.99

We skip their un-oaked chard and are very happy with our choice to sample this one. It spends 10 months in French oak, the notes tell us (The problem with sitting is that we don’t get to chat with the servers.), giving it the characteristic vanilla scent of oaked chards. However, it is not too heavily oaked, with a lovely mellow almost creamy taste and a nice long vanilla finish. Very buyable, we decide—and we do.

We bought this one.

2010 Pinot Noir Reserve $29.99

Interestingly, this is stainless steel fermented and then aged in used French oak barrels for 12 months. My husband says the smell reminds him of a warm blanket on a cold day. I think he may just be tired after all that shopping and this is just wishful thinking, since I would describe the aroma as mainly blackberry. In any event, this is a light pleasant red, with cherry and plum flavors. The notes call it “rich and fleshy,” but we say “not so much.”

2010 Cabernet Franc $19.99

Nice aromas of pepper and cedar and maybe grape jam precede tastes that we decide are nice but not exciting, with some good fruit but not much finish.

The pour is fairly generous.

2011 Syrah $19.99

This is my favorite of the reds we try. It has lots of dark berry aromas and tastes of purple plums, with a bit of a vegetable taste on the finish—or maybe kumquat. The tannins cause a slight tingle on the tongue. If we needed reds, I would buy it.

You can see the large heated porch through the windows.

Reasons to visit: pleasant tasting room where you can bring a picnic; the 2012 Chardonnay Estate Reserve and the 2011 Syrah; most of the wines are reasonably priced (for the North Fork); lots of choices; a generous pour.

The building is quite attractive.

Paumanok Vineyards: Inspired by Walt… 11/2/14

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with Apollo Drive Petit Verdot, cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, merlot, North Fork, Paumanok Vineyard, Petulant Wino, riesling, Tuthills Lane, Walt Whitman, wine tasting November 7, 2014

https://www.paumanok.com/

Whitman, that is, who liked to use the Native American name for Long Island—Paumanok—in his poems. The Massoud family owns and runs the vineyard, with all three sons playing active roles, as we discovered when we chatted with our server, Salim Massoud, who agreed that he very much resembles a cartoon image of his father we noticed on the wall. The tasting room is pleasant and a comfortable size—not too big, not too small (they require large or limo parties to reserve in advance)—plus there is an outdoor deck. The last time we were here, just before Superstorm Sandy, we sat out on the deck and had oysters with a glass of wine, but this time it is too chilly. They also offer a menu of local cheeses (from Catapano and Mecox), charcuterie, and dishes from The Petulant Wino, and do not allow outside food or drinks.

View of the deck–the day was sunny but quite blustery.

The tasting menu offers a number of options: the Festival Flight of 4 wines for $6, two of which are sweet; the Paumanok Flight of 5 wines for $15; the Single Vineyard flight of 2 wines for $10, and the Sweets Flight of 3 sweet wines for $10. We decide we will each get a Paumanok flight, and then share a Single Vineyard flight. All their wines, by the way, come in screw top bottles, which some feel is the future of all wines.

As we carefully sniff and sip and I take notes, another couple at the tasting bar becomes interested. This is their first time at a tasting, and their server does a great job of gently introducing them to the mores of this rather ritualized activity. He asks carefully about their preferences, and customizes a tasting for them. We explain that smelling the wine adds another element of appreciation, and agree with their server that how wine tastes is both a subjective and an objective matter.

2012 Chardonnay $24

This is a slightly oaked chard, so we sniff and note butterscotch. Taste? Oak, melon, maybe kiwi, with tart citrus at the end. Not too buttery, and also not a sipper, but we could see having this with chicken fajitas or grilled tuna.

2013 Dry Riesling $22

When my husband asks if these grapes come from upstate, Salim proudly notes that all of their wines are made from their own grapes. We smell honeysuckle, and the wine is fairly dry, with some complexity. Layers of fruit and tart, I think, with some tastes of Seville oranges. Not long ago I made turkey Weiner Schnitzel, and I think this would have gone very well with that.

2012 Cabernet Franc $24

Because of the difficulties of the 2012 harvest, Salim notes, this has ended up being a very light cabernet franc. In fact, if he hadn’t told us this, we might not have guessed it was a cab franc at all. It has a strawberry aroma, like a rosé, no depth and little fruit. I suggest if one had a bottle of this on one’s hands one could make sangria.

2012 Cabernet Sauvignon $24

Although it is also a 2012, the cab sauv is much better, with slight berry aroma and ripe plum taste, dry, with nice tannins. I decide it would go well with Swedish meatballs, which I recently made for a party.

We liked the merlot.

2010 Merlot $28

Clearly the menu saved the best for last. This is a good example of a typical Long Island merlot, with a woodsy and cherry aroma and a cherry taste. No dirt!

Nice glasses, too.

2010 Merlot Tuthills Lane $75

Believe it or not, I think this smells like a bandaid. On the other hand, it tastes really good, with lots of cherry flavors, dry, but, despite what they describe as “voluminous tannins,” we don’t sense much in the way of tannins. The pour, by the way, is generous enough that we are happy to each get half of it in our glasses, so we can share this tasting. This time my husband had the cold…

2010 Petit Verdot Apollo Drive $75

This is the second of our Single Vineyard flight, and is also quite good. “This is aged 16 months in French oak,” notes Salim. Sniff. M&Ms? Maybe also nutmeg. Lots of dark berry tastes and nice tannins, dry, but with plenty of fruit tastes. We like this one, but not at $75 per bottle!

Part of the tasting room

Reasons to visit: the 2010 Petit Verdot Apollo Drive, the 2013 Dry Riesling, the nice menu of snacks, a pleasant setting, oysters on Saturdays during the summer, helpful servers if you are a newbie.

The vines in fall, when most of the grapes have been picked.

Macari Vineyards: Award Deserved? October 25, 2014

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with Bergen Road, cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay estate, Collina Chardonnay, Collina Merlot, Dos Aguas, Finger Lakes, Macari Vineyards, Malbec, Merlot Reserve, North Fork, petit verdot, riesling, rose, sauvignon blanc, Sette, wine tasting October 27, 2014

http://www.macariwines.com/

Macari had been named the “Winery of the Year” at the 2014 New York Wine & Food Classic, so we were curious to see why. According to the Classic website, the “award is presented to the winery with the best overall showing based on the level and number of awards in relation to entries.”

Macari has two tasting rooms, and on a previous try the one on Sound Avenue was too full to find a place at the tasting bar, so this time we tried the one on the Main Road. Since it was a beautiful October day and every winery we passed seemed to have a full parking lot, we thought we’d have to put off our visit until the winter, but we were pleasantly surprised—though as we left it seemed the crowds were arriving! Both tasting rooms are spacious and pleasant, with a nice selection of wine-related gifts and snack items. Our servers were kept busy, but were very efficient and observant, and we never had to wait more than a moment or two for our next taste. Also, as you will see, they noticed our seriousness about the wines and added a few extras, which turned out to be a great idea.

A view out the windows, with some of the gift items visible

The tasting menu features three options: a white flight of four wines for $8, a red flight of 4 wines for $15, and a Vintage flight of 5 wines for $20, with a combination of whites and reds. Since we noticed that three of the Vintage wines were included in the other two tastings, we decided to opt for one white and then one red, sharing as we went along.

The tasting bar was crowded, but the servers did a good job of taking care of everyone.

1. Sauvignon Blanc 2012 $23

As usual, the tasting started off with their lightest white, a lemony and tart sauvignon. The night before we had had an excellent Italian sauvignon, so we were making comparisons. The Macari had, we felt, too little fruit taste to balance the acidity. “Undistinguished,” said my husband, and I agreed. It might be better with food.

2. Chardonnay Estate 2011 $19

This is their 100% stainless steel chard, so no oakiness. We smell and taste ripe pear, though it doesn’t have tons of fruit taste. It’s a good chard, reasonably dry, and would go well with a Long Island clam chowder.

3. Collina Chardonnay $9.50

Noticing the price, we wonder whether this would be one to buy for everyday drinking. Nope. Though the aroma had pleasant notes of mineral and honeysuckle, the taste is actually bitter. It is fermented 25% in oak, and the rest in steel, but we taste none of the buttery or vanilla notes one would expect. We dump most of the taste!

4. Riesling 2011 $25 per carafe

The 2011 Riesling has not yet been bottled, so they’re serving from carafes. Made from Finger Lakes grapes, it has some of that upstate taste I find hard to describe. It smells like white grape juice! Taste is not overly sweet, with some mineral and gooseberry notes, though it is fairly monochromatic. My husband had recently been to a wine tasting of German and Long Island Rieslings, and felt this one did not measure up to the others he had had.

Our first “bonus” wine

5. Rosé 2013 $17

In the first indication that our seriousness has been observed, one server asks us if we like rosés, and then offers us a taste of theirs. A blend of cabernet franc, pinot noir, and merlot, it has the usual strawberry aroma and taste, with again a fair amount of minerality. There’s something flowery about it as well. Though not as good as Croteaux, it is a fine rosé.

6. Collina Merlot $9.50

New glass for the reds. Our server calls this a “pizza pasta burger” wine, which the price would surely indicate. “It’s not terrible,” says my tasting companion. Talk about damning with faint praise! But it is a very light red, with no depth or interest or finish. It’s just there. We were, however, intrigued by the aroma, which I characterized as a cherry-flavored cigar.

Sette. The size of the pour varied a bit.

7. Sette $19

This is their red blend, of 50/50 merlot and cabernet franc—not seven wines, as I thought based on the name. Sette actually refers to the town Settefrati, a small town south of Rome, which is the home town of the Macari family. Our server calls it their best seller, and I can see why. The aroma is of dark brambly fruits, and the wine itself is light but very drinkable, perhaps with “Sunday gravy.” By the way, it was served too cold, so we warmed the glass in our palms, which helped bring out the taste.

8. Cabernet Franc 2008 $35

I’ve heard people refer to a brininess as an expression of the Long Island terroir, but I never experienced it quite as forcefully as with the aroma of this wine. Sea air! Fortunately it does not taste salty, but rather of dark plums, and is our favorite so far. Some tannins, a touch of oak.

9. Dos Aguas 2008 $27

Here the name refers to the two waters of the North Fork—Peconic Bay and Long Island Sound. This is Macari’s Bordeaux blend, a mixture of 70% merlot, 17% cabernet sauvignon, 4% cabernet franc, 8% malbec, and the rest petit verdot. Yes, I’d like this with steak frites, please. It is our server’s favorite. Not particularly complex, but good and quite drinkable, with plenty of fruit and spice aromas and flavors.

A line-up of reds.

10. 2007 Merlot Reserve $36

So if you’re counting you realize that our tasting should be over, but after asking us what we thought of the Dos Aguas, our server decides we should try two more wines. This is certainly better than most merlots, and 2007 was a good year. We taste lots of dark fruits, and the aroma is delicious.

11. 2010 Bergen Road $46

This one beats the bunch, as my grandmother used to say with the birth of each grandchild. Another Bordeaux blend, or a Meritage, of 56% merlot, 26% cabernet sauvignon, 13% cabernet franc, 3% malbec, and 2% petit verdot, this one has aromas of Belgian dark chocolate and dark fruits. OMG I say when I taste it. Complex, with lots of tannins and yummy fruit. We buy a bottle to put in the cellar!

Reasons to visit: you want an all-purpose winery with space for a large group or the intimacy of a conversation at the bar; you need to pick up a wine-related gift or buy a snack; the 2010 Bergen Road; the 07 Merlot Reserve, the 08 Dos Aguas, the 08 Cabernet Franc; did I mention the 2010 Bergen Road…

The Main Road building

What a beautiful day. In Greenport, every restaurant’s outside tables were filled, and plenty of people opted for an outdoor tasting.

Southold Farm + Cellar: Something New

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with cabernet franc, Carey Meader, Cast Your Fate to the Wind, chardonnay, Damn the Torpedoes, Grace Under Pressure, La Belle Fille, Lambrusco, Malbec, merlot, North Fork, Peconic, petit verdot, pinot noir, Regan Meader, Rex Farr, Southold Farm + Cellar, tasting, The Devil's Advocate October 22, 2014

https://www.southoldfarmandcellar.com/

Regan Meader, owner and winemaker and tasting room server!

“I like to experiment,” enthused Regan Meader, the owner, with his wife Carey, of Southold Farm + Cellar, one of the newest wineries on the North Fork, and a very promising one. Mr. Meader went on to discuss the fun and the intellectual challenges inherent in wine making. He came to the North Fork a number of years ago knowing very little about wine making, and apprenticed himself to a couple of wine makers. He has learned his lessons well.

Southold Farm + Cellar is a bit off the beaten track, and so are its wines. When you turn in off the back road, you find a lovingly restored rustic tasting shed (open only on weekends) with a view across the field to the vines. The vines are still too young to make wine, so “The birds get to eat most of the grapes.” (Though his one year old daughter also gets some.) Until next year, he’s sourcing his grapes and wine from other vineyards on the North Fork, then developing his wines in his own way. He intends to be an organic farm and to use all natural fermentation.

The tasting room

The tasting menu, written on a blackboard, features four wines for $15, poured into very attractive glasses.

La Belle Fille $36

The tasting starts with a lovely sparkling wine with an interesting back story. Peconic Winery closed last year, but they still had some wine, including this one, which had not yet been disgorged. So Mr. Meader bought it and disgorged it “with no dosage.” Alas, he had no bottles available, or we would have bought one—or two. A delicious aroma like yeast bread baking presaged a toasty caramel taste we really enjoyed. Made from pinot noir grapes.

The Devil’s Advocate Chardonnay $26

Made from a musque clone from Mudd’s vineyard, this is not your average Long Island chardonnay. Though it spent some time in oak, there is only a trace of oak in the flavor. The aroma is lightly lemony, and because the wine is not filtered it is a bit cloudy, with an almost viscous texture. We also liked this wine, with its touch of lemon but also tropical fruit. As we were discussing what it would go well with, Mr. Meader suggested duck breast pastrami! He also, in the tasting notes, suggested one of my favorite cheeses, Humboldt Fog, a California goat cheese, as an accompaniment. Oh, and the name references those who would dismiss chardonnay.

Damn the Torpedoes $28

Okay, I had to know—who named these wines? Blushing faintly, Mr. Meader admitted he did. I told him he was a poet. This wine is described as an “ode to dry Lambrusco.” A blend of merlot, petit verdot, and pinot noir, this is a slightly frizzante light red. He recommends having it lightly chilled in the summer as an alternative to rosé. I have to say this was not my favorite of the afternoon, though many would probably enjoy its tart strawberry flavor.

Nice legs

Cast Your Fate to the Wind $32

Love those names. This is his 2013 cabernet franc and is made from certified organic grapes. He fermented whole clusters for less than seven months in extra large oak casks. Why large casks? You get some oak taste, but less than with regular casks. Sweet aroma. Super dark color. Delicious taste. Lots of dark fruit. No dirt taste! Yum.

Grace Under Pressure 2013

Yes, there were four wines in the tasting, but Mr. Meader adds in one more (which he also gave to a group of young women who were here before us). This is a wine that is not quite ready to drink, but he’s pretty excited about it and wants to share. He told us this blend of cabernet franc, malbec, and merlot was an “ode to Rex Farr,” whose organic farm in Calverton supplies the grapes. The aroma is brambly blackberry, but the taste is very closed in, with some nice tannins. Even as we were discussing the wine, the taste in the glass improved. Given time, it should be quite good.

Reasons to visit: you want to get off the beaten track and try something new; Mr. Meader and his enthusiasm for his wines; La Belle Fille, The Devil’s Advocate, Cast Your Fate to the Wind. We can’t wait to see what Regan Meader does next year when he gets to harvest his own grapes!

The attractively rustic tasting room

NoFo Wineaux

Wine notes from Long Island's North Fork

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