I love the barn-like aesthetic of so many of the vineyards on the North Fork.
We enjoyed our lunch at Jamesport Vineyards so much, we decided to head a little further down the road and do it again at Paumanok. We hadn’t been there since before the pandemic, so it was definitely time to go back. We were planning to sit outside on their pleasant wooden deck, but just as we got there the sun hid behind some clouds and a breeze made us shiver. Of course, shortly after we were settled inside the sun came back out—it was that kind of a if-you-don’t-like-the-weather-wait-five-minutes day—but we were happy with our table by the large windows.
That’s our waiter Rob out on the deck. The tables were pre-set with glassware and seasonal flora.
We were shown to our seat by a pleasant young woman, who also provided us with a bottle of chilled water. The tables were all already set, with sets of four glasses for tastings and larger glasses for the water, plus very attractive seasonal arrangements of gourds, etc. We perused the menus, one for wine and another for food, and decided to share a Winemaker Flight, of two whites and two reds for $22, and get the Cheese and Charcuterie Board for $35.
Our flight arrived about ten or fifteen minutes before our lunch, so we had plenty of time to sample all the wines before starting on the bountiful tray of food. That meant that we knew which wines we liked the best, and then had the chance to decide which went best with the snacks.
We found the pour generous enough that it was easy to share.
The board was ample, enough for at least four people, and we ended up taking home many crackers (including some very tasty gluten-free ones), half the little loaf of bread—which arrived warm, a nice touch—most of the olives and cornichons, some cheese, and a couple of slices of prosciutto and salami. We enjoyed the brie the most, as the other cheeses were…undistinguished, but overall we were happy with the food. Another time, I might think about ordering a la carte, though that might end by costing more. It is nice that they use compostable bamboo utensils and plates, though those knives and forks, unfortunately, don’t work very well. By the way, they don’t allow outside food, and dogs are only permitted during the week. I guess they figure it gets too busy on weekends to allow for dogs.
Lots of yummy stuff!
Our waiter, Rob, checked back with us at proper intervals, and shared his knowledge of and enthusiasm for the wines, which enhanced our experience.
2022 Chenin Blanc $32
“Multi-dimensional,” opined my tasting buddy, as we enjoyed our first sips. The aroma reminds me of white grape juice, and the flavor mixes sweet and tart, with notes of ripe pineapple. Very good, we decide, and move on to our next wine, leaving about half the glass to consume with our cheese and charcuterie.
The bar featured a nice award they won.
2021 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay $32
I was a bit concerned about this, as I often dislike oaked chardonnays, but Rob assures us that this is aged in neutral, or used, oak barrels for only six months, so it is not too oaky. He’s right, and we find this pleasantly smooth, “fruit forward,” according to my pal, who has been reading Wine Spectator. I think it has a taste that is a nice balance between steel and barrel fermented chards. It also goes the best with our lunch. I used to think that charcuterie, being meat, should be paired with reds, but now I prefer whites.
2020 Merlot $36
There are so many versions of merlot on the North Fork that there is surely one for every taste. This one has aromas of cherry and oak shavings, but does not have much fruit taste. I say it is rather light, and my husband says, “It’s kind of quiet,” which I think is apt.
The Massoud family photo, behind which you can see into the winemaking area.
2021 Cabernet Franc $36
We prefer the cab franc, which, though it is also light, with soft tannins, has more interesting fruit flavors and a longer finish. I think it also goes better with the cheese than the merlot. By the way, we felt the pour was more than adequate for sharing the flight.
Reasons to visit: pleasant deck and tasting room; good service; the chenin blanc, though all the wines were drinkable; a pricey but bountiful cheese and charcuterie board; dogs allowed during the week.
The grapes have been harvested. It was a day of alternating sun and clouds.
We were discussing the possibility of going to do a tasting while examining the refrigerator for lunch ideas, when it hit us—why not combine lunch and a tasting? A quick check of the Internet confirmed that Jamesport Vineyards offers their “wood fired” pizza on Thursdays, and in fact they have a Thursday special, of a Margherita pie and a bottle of any of their East End label wines for $45. So we slathered on some sun screen (not really needed, as the patio is amply shaded), put on our shoes, and headed out.
This was a perfect day for sitting outside, but I don’t know how many more of these we will have this year.
We were quickly greeted at the entrance and escorted to a table on the pretty patio, which looks out on beds of flowers, a lawn, and groupings of tables and chairs. A number of other couples must have had the same idea, because bottles or flights of wine and pizzas appeared on most tables. Glasses of ice water, a welcome amenity on this warm afternoon, were set on our table as we perused the menus.
The wine menu offered three tastings, one of all whites, one all reds, and a mixed flight, of four wines for $27, which we decided to order. There are 16 wines on the list, all available as a glass or a bottle. Then we turned the menu over to check out the food offerings, which are quite extensive, from snack-type items like olives and cheeses to real meals, including a lobster roll. But the main attraction is the pizzas, of which seven varieties are listed. We decided to get the “Larry,” for $26, which features house-made mozzarella and house-made hot Italian sausage, plus tomato sauce, onions, roasted red peppers, chili oil, and fresh oregano. It arrived at our table hot from the oven, appropriately singed at the edge, and delicious. It is worth going there for a glass of wine and a lunch pizza any time. The menu says one pie serves two, but we took home enough to reheat (in the oven, please, not the microwave) for dinner. One downer: the plastic knife is totally inadequate to cut the pizza (I know, I do the NYC fold to eat mine, but my tasting buddy prefers to knife and fork his.).
The pizza is divided into six slices, and we found one each to be enough for lunch.
Another note: no children allowed on the weekends, and no dogs except service dogs at any time.
Our waitress brought out the bottles and poured a generous amount for each taste, giving a brief spiel to describe each wine. As we sipped and munched, we discussed what an asset wineries like this are to the North Fork.
2022 Estate Albariño $38
I am generally fond of albariños, and often order one when getting wine by the glass in restaurants. I wish more North Fork wineries used this grape. They tend to be crisp, with nice fruit tastes of pineapple and guava, with some notes of lemon, and this one is no exception. The waitress says she smells banana, which we debate after she leaves. Maybe a very ripe banana? Very good. I’d buy a bottle, but I think I can get it for less at Vintage, our local liquor store.
2019 Estate Riesling $35
Happily, this is not a sweet riesling, as I tend not to like sweet wines (except for dessert). It has very little aroma, and is dry, with lots of minerality. It is not at all fruity, but I find it has an edge to it I don’t care for. I let my husband drink most of it.
The “East End” wines have screw caps, which I have to admit I am coming to prefer.
2022 East End Rosé $38
On the other hand, I like this rosé better than he does. It is crisp and dry, with a touch of fizz. It’s not very fruity, but goes well with the pizza. It is definitely a food wine, not a sipper.
2020 Estate Cabernet Franc $36
“What I smell,” says my seasonally allergy afflicted pal, “smells good.” I agree, and note aromas of cherry and other dark fruits plus tobacco. The taste, however, is a little disappointing, as it is a very light red, with no depth. But it goes the best with the pizza, and is certainly pleasant to drink. “Not bad,” opines my fellow taster.
No surprise, no one wanted to sit inside on this beautiful day.
Reasons to visit: beautiful outdoor setting, with lawn and flower gardens; menu of real foods, particularly the pizzas; the albariño and the rosé; excellent service; laid-back vibe (at least on a weekday).
You can see into the wine-making area from the tasting room.
It had been hot all day, but by 5 o’clock it had cooled off enough to sit outside, which we were glad to notice, since that had been our plan. With our friends the winery aficionados, we headed to Meadowlark for pizza night. The last time we had been to that property, many years ago, it had belonged to a different winery. Then Macari took it over, at first running it as simply a second location for tastings, but now they had rebranded it as a somewhat different type of winery. The emphasis here is on a few wines not available at Macari, as their website says, “limited wines, and innovative winemaking techniques available only at the Meadowlark property.” In addition, they promote the property as an ideal place for weddings and other events, with two renovated barn-like buildings and extensive beautifully landscaped lawns and gardens. It is only open to the public Friday afternoons, Saturdays, and Sundays.
Have rolling pizza oven, will bake!The comfortable table where we settled in for our evening.
We pulled into the parking lot and strolled up a slight rise to where a pizza oven roared, and then checked out one building, where an oyster bar offered freshly shucked oysters, and then the wine bar, before settling at a table on the deck outside the wine bar. Music from speakers in the shrubbery included a few Grateful Dead songs. Inside the wine bar, we acquired four glasses of wine from the limited menu of seven, deciding on two glasses of malbec, one of cabernet franc, and one of a grüner veltliner pet-nat (No flights on Friday nights.).
Then we ambled over to the pizza oven, operated by pizza makers from The Rolling Gold, a shop with a “brick and mortar” site in Huntington. There were five pies on offer, and we decided on one Margherita ($18) and one White ($20). They gave us a buzzer, and only a few sips of wine later the buzzer went off.
The pizzas were tasty, the Margherita with a fresh-tasting red sauce and fresh mozzarella, the white with plenty of garlic and melty stracciatella cheese, the crust appropriately slightly charred. We thought there’d be leftovers, but we only took home one slice. We had the patio to ourselves, though there were plenty of couples and small groups scattered over the lawns, and we sat and chatted until it began to get dark.
Yummy pies.However, we would have liked it if plates were included, instead of just napkins.
Only a few notes on the wines:
Grüner Veltliner Pét-Nat 2022 $35
I’ve never seen a grüner veltliner made into a sparkling wine, so that’s something new to me. I didn’t get to taste it, but one friend quite enjoyed it. Meadowlark’s tasting notes describe it as “fresh” and “lively.”
Though it had cooled off enough to make sitting outside pleasant, it was still quite humid, as you can see by the condensation on this glass.
2020 Malbec $50
Our friend and I both chose this as a good red to go with a pizza, and it was. Dry and pleasant, with more tannins than fruit, it was a very nice wine, though not a $50 bottle. We discussed value versus price for a while, since, we agreed, it is perfectly possible to enjoy wines that are not all that expensive, though great wines are something special.
Cabernet Franc “Life Force” 2020 $30
“Life Force” is the way Macari characterizes the wines they make using a concrete “egg” for aging. Their Life Force Sauvignon Blanc is one of my favorites of their wines. This red is rather light, with tastes of red fruit and herbs. It also went well with the pizza, and my husband was happy with this choice.
Those are oysters in the “boat.”
Reasons to visit: excellent pizzas; relaxed, laid-back vibe on a Friday night; beautiful grounds; dogs allowed; some interesting wines to try. I may go back some time on a Saturday or Sunday so I can try a flight, which they serve in test tubes (!).
The staff was busy prepping these “test tubes” for Saturday’s wine tastings.
Why do I title this “A Family Affair”? Two reasons: I went there with a number of family members, and the winery is very emphatically family owned. Perry, who greeted us cheerfully at the sign-in desk, and her mother are the winemakers and owners. In addition, this is a good place to come with a family, as there is room for children to roam about the lawn and they can buy a little container of mealworms to feed the chickens. In fact, Perry started our visit by warning us that someone had left the door to the chicken coop open, and they were wandering the lawn, just in case any member of our party had chicken-phobia (Well, she didn’t quite put it that way.) Sounds more like a feature than a cause for a warning, I replied.
This visit to Old Field, while still having that laid-back vibe, felt somewhat different. First of all, there were many more people there than I have seen in the past, though that could be due to it being Saturday of Labor Day weekend. Then, instead of moseying over to the deck and sitting at a calico-tableclothed table, we ordered at the sign-in desk and were directed to find a table on the lawn, and told our flights would be brought to us. We picked up two bags of popcorn for the little ones and a small container of meal worms ($1 each) for the chickens. By the way, they still allow visitors to bring their own picnics, just requesting that one clean up after oneself.
After a very short wait, during which the youngsters in our group, accompanied by their mother, walked over to the icehouse and the little pond, our flights were set down on the table. The tasting menu offered four options: four whites, four reds ($20), the everyday mixed flight of five wines ($24), or the special occasion mixed flight of five wines ($30). We decided that each couple would share one of the mixed flights, so that in all we tasted ten wines. The flights were served on a tray, in compostable plastic cups, with glasses for each of us, which made sharing easy and hygienic. As we sipped and chatted, a curious chicken stopped by our table to check if we had any snacks, but we were not planning to share our popcorn, and the children had already fed the mealworms to some other fowl.
At the end of your tasting, you walk back past the sign-in desk, where you can pay and also get any bottles to take home.
One view of the capacious lawn. We are headed to the blue table, with its comfortable chairs.
The following notes are in more or less the order in which I tasted the wines, so you might want to refer to the menu to see which wine was in which flight.
Our two flights, with the glasses for each individual.
Sparkling Brut $50
Good, but not $50 good was the group assessment of this very nice, dry, yeasty sparkling wine, which started off the special occasion mixed flight.
2021 Cracklin’ Rosé $23
Made from 100% merlot, this is an unusual rosé, with not much fruit and a slightly funky undertone, with some cherry taste. This was the first wine in the everyday mixed flight.
Though these cups look like plastic, they are actually corn-based and can be composted.
2018 Steel and Oak Chardonnay $26
This is made from a combination of steel-aged and oak fermented chardonnay. The leftovers? joked my husband. For a combined wine, this is surprisingly simple, noted one guest. It is pleasant, but a bit oakier than I like. It has some citrus taste but also a bit of that I chewed on my pencil flavor.
This is the one we brought home.
2022 Winsome White $18
A blend of 50% chardonnay, 35% sauvignon blanc, and 15% grüner veltliner, this very winsome white has a touch of effervescence and some lovely peach flavor. We like it so much that we buy two bottles at checkout.
2022 White Pinot Noir $25
Another winner. Our guests like this the best of their tasting, and find it delicious, with tastes of pears and honey and some depth. We discuss how one makes white wine with red wine grapes with the children, who understand that if you take off the skins right away, you get white wine.
2020 Steel Chardonnay $22
Not my favorite of the day, as it has a somewhat metallic taste and some earthiness. It is light and dry.
2019 Commodore Perry Merlot $40
What’s Commodore Perry’s name doing on a North Fork wine? The famous seafarer, who opened up Japan to Western trade, is an ancestor of the owners of the winery, and this 100% merlot is named in his honor. Aged in French oak, it is quite tannic, with tastes of black cherry and tobacco. I could see aging it.
2021 Dashing Duck $22
A light red, we all agree, which would go well with roast chicken. Then we get into a discussion of the “red-feathered” chickens raised by 8 Hands Farm, as opposed to the “rouge” chickens our guests get in a Queens green market. “In Jackson Heights, we say ‘rouge,’” jokes a guest, in a mock-haughty accent. In any event, this wine has a lovely aroma and tastes of cherry and cranberry, with “some brio,” notes a guest.
2020 Maritime $35
“Oh, that is chewy,” says the same guest, reading the notes while sipping this Bordeaux blend of 33% merlot, 33% cabernet franc, 20% malbec, and 14% petit verdot. Very tasty, with blackberry and other dark fruit flavors.
Is this chicken annoyed because we won’t share our snack or because we’re drinking Rooster Tail?
2020 Rooster Tail $25
We have in the past bought this wine by the case, and we actually have a bottle in our wine cellar at the moment, brought to us by a dinner guest. A blend of 67% merlot and 33% cabernet franc, this is a good everyday pizza and pasta red, with some cherry and spice tastes.
Reasons to visit: the bucolic, laid-back vibe; chickens!; you can bring a picnic and children (but not dogs, I think the chickens would object); we liked almost all the wines, but particularly the Winsome White, the White Pinot Noir, the Commodore Perry merlot, the Maritime, and the Rooster Tail; it is close to Greenport’s restaurants and shops.
What a winning combination–prize winning wine and prize-winning jam.
I’ve learned so much over the years of going to wineries, from the differences between steel-fermented chardonnay and barrel-fermented chardonnay to how varied wines made from the same grape on the same terroir can taste. I’ve also learned a lot from my visits to Coffee Pot Cellars—about wine, yes, but also about all sorts of other topics, from bees to butterflies. Why? Because Laura Klahr, who owns Coffee Pot with her husband, Adam Suprenant, is always happy to share her latest enthusiasms with visitors. Her cheery, chatty personality is part of what makes a visit to this tiny winery fun.
Laura and Anna, with half of the monarch image painted on the wall behind them. Visitors are welcome to pose as butterflies.
On this visit, we learned about Sphinx moths, the part moths play in pollination, and about how certain caterpillars fluoresce under black light. This fall, said Laura, I want to put black lights in the broom closet and have a rave with caterpillars. We also admired the “snail art” hanging on the wall, art produced by snails crawling over paper. Though she no longer raises bees and makes honey, she does make jam, which has won prizes, as have the wines. The 2015 merlot won best merlot in New York State. We tried the 2016, and it wouldn’t surprise me if it won awards, too.
The name Coffee Pot comes from the North Fork lighthouse, which is shaped like a coffee pot.
Now that Adam has retired from being the winemaker at Osprey’s Dominion, he has more time to devote to Coffee Pot, and they now have seven wines, all of which one can taste for $21. As we sipped, we also chatted about her new dog, Anna, a black pug who has, not replaced, but fills the role, of Beasley, also a black pug, who gave his name to a red blend. Anna is featured on their Facebook page, in a very cute little video, wearing a tutu.
On a technical note, they source their grapes from Mccullough’s vineyard, and use the facilities at Lenz for fermentation.
2020 Sauvignon Blanc $23.99
Fermented in steel for six months, this is exactly what you want a sauvignon blanc to be—light, lemony, with some nice fruit tastes and a lovely floral aroma.
Chardonnay $17.99
You might notice the lack of a vintage year. That is because this white is a blend of the 2016 barrel-fermented chard and the 2022 steel fermented. I’m not a fan of barrel-fermented chards, especially if they are very oaky and buttery. This is not, though it still has some of that woody taste I don’t care for. However, the wine is quite drinkable, and is a good compromise between the two styles of chard, with some nice lemon and pear notes.
2022 Rosé $17.99
While we were at Coffee Pot, a couple came in and bought two bottles of this rosé, plus several jars of jam. I can see why, as this is a lovely example of rosé, with strawberry and cherry tastes and aromas. It’s made from a combination of merlot and cabernet sauvignon grapes. We buy a bottle to take home.
2016 Merlot $17.99
Buy a bottle of merlot, help save a monarch butterfly. How? For every bottle of merlot bought, Blossom Meadow farm plants a milkweed plant, essential nutrition for monarch caterpillars. In addition, this is a very good merlot, with the typical North Fork cherry taste and aroma. It has some tannins, and could probably even age a bit, but we buy two bottles for current consumption.
There’s Beasley, standing on the lighthouse.
2017 Beasley’s Blend $23.99
Gone, but not forgotten, Beasley will continue to give his name to this Bordeaux-style blend, of 52% cabernet franc, 40% merlot, and 8% petit verdot. Anna can’t give her name to a wine yet, Laura explained, because she is not old enough to drink! This iteration is a new release, with enough tannins that I think it could age quite a few years yet. There’s a touch of funky forest floor in the aroma, which also has lots of dark fruit notes. It also has some delicious brambly dark fruit tastes.
2019 Cabernet Franc $29.99
Here’s where I learned something about wine. Adam, says Laura, asserts that every wine tells a story, with a beginning, a middle, and an end. He felt this cab franc had a rather “flabby” middle, so he added 12% merlot to give it more structure. I’d say he built a fine structure, as this is a red strong enough to stand up to a steak. Yummy tastes of blackberries, and more.
Half of the room, with snail art on the wall. The stools are not very comfortable.
2017 Meritage $28.99
Another delicious red! This one is 70% merlot, 20% petit verdot, and 10% cabernet sauvignon, with a distinct cherry aroma from the merlot, but more complex tastes from the other two grapes. Mouth-watering, my husband and I agree.
Reasons to visit: intimate tasting room where you can talk with Laura and/or Adam (Laura told us that Monday is usually Adam’s day) and meet little Anna; all seven of their wines, but especially the rosé, the merlot, and the cabernet franc; the possibility of learning something new from Laura. One note: the bar stools are still not comfortable, though they do have tables on the front porch and out back with better seating.
One can sit in the yard, but then one wouldn’t get to chat with Laura.
Many (many!) years ago, while traveling in Europe, we rendezvoused for several days in Paris with dear friends. Recently, they came north from Florida to escape the summer heat, and we were delighted they included a trip to the North Fork in their itinerary. To honor those memories of France, we made salade niçoise for lunch, and then took them to the most French of the North Fork wineries, Croteaux. Croteaux only makes rosés, and makes them in the dry Provençal style.
This view makes the garden look empty, but behind me it was full.
Happily, the weather cooperated, and it was pleasantly warm and sunny, because you want to sit in the lovely garden when you go there. We followed a path from the parking area to an entrance in a barn, where we were promptly greeted and escorted to a table where we were given a nice cold bottle of water and some cups. As we looked around, we noted that the garden was fairly crowded though they have added additional tables in an extended area. Soft music set a relaxing mood.
You can scan the QR code or we can give you a printed-out menu, we were informed. We opted for the printout. Puzzlingly, the printed menu lists the prices of the wines as $39 and $37, while they in fact are $29 and $27. They should probably fix that.
Croteaux only has table service—no standing at a bar. They also offer a nice menu of real food, and we saw several very good-looking lobster slider rolls sail past our table enroute to lunchers. I can definitely see coming here for a chilled glass of rosé and a lobster roll.
This tub filled with water bottles is typical of the slightly funky aesthetic of the garden.
After some discussion, we decided that each couple would share one tasting—which proved to be more than enough, since, as much as we all liked the wines, we left over quite a bit. One tasting of their six still wines is $28. One could also opt for a tasting of their three sparklers for $26. In past years we have belonged to their case club, which is their version of a wine club. Buy a case (which one should do early in the season), and you’re in.
If you are familiar with rosé, you can skip this paragraph… Rosé is usually made from red wine grapes, and how long they sit with the skins on determines how dark the rosé is. Rarely, it is made with white grapes, which then also sit with the skins on. Some people think rosé is some sort of blend of red and white—which it actually could be, but not in the sense of here’s some red wine, let’s mix it with white until it is a pale pink.
Our tasting in progress…you are told the order in which to try them, but then we kept going back and forth.
2022 Chloe Sauvignon Blanc $29
As you can tell by the name, this is made from white wine grapes. This is a rosé for white wine drinkers, with a sweet aroma of honeysuckle and peach. The taste is also of peaches and other stone fruit, but it is a dry wine. Delicious, we all agree.
2022 Merlot 181 $29
Of the six wines we tasted, this is our least favorite. It is more austere, less fruity, than the others, and really needs to be paired with food, like seafood in a rich cream sauce.
2022 Merlot 3 $29
I smell orange blossoms and minerals, and we joke about licking rocks from the beach. Lots of strawberry and orange tastes, with a long finish, make this rosé a real contrast to the 181.
2022 Merlot Sauvage $29
I explain to our friends that “sauvage” refers to the use of wild yeast, and one friend, a music aficionado, says the word “sauvage” reminds him of a line from the Benjamin Britton ballet, “Les Illuminations,” “J’ai seul la clef de cette parade sauvage.” The line is from a poem by Rimbaud. Thus illuminated, we sip the wine, and are quite pleased. Comments include “mouth-watering,” “a lot of taste,” and “peaches again.” It also has a very pleasing minerality. We each buy a bottle.
There are helpful tasting notes undeneath each glass.
2022 Merlot 314 $27
I swear, this smells like orange juice. Yummy. It is fruity, and would pair well with charcuterie.
2022 Jolie Cabernet Franc $27
They saved the best for last, we decide, as we enjoy this flavorful sipper, with notes of strawberry shortcake and spice. We also each buy a bottle of this one, as well.
The pretty bottles make nice gifts.When it is time to pay, you go through the doorway in the background, where there is a little retail store.Checks are charmingly delivered attached to shells.
Reasons to visit: the lovely, relaxed garden setting; dogs are allowed; you like rosés; all the wines we tasted, but especially the Sauvage and the Jolie; nice menu of snacks.
Some of the items for sale in the retail store.Cans of wine are becoming increasingly popular.
Our flight in progress. Note that every tasting comes with a little bag of oyster crackers, useful for clearing the palate between tastes.
In New Orleans, “lagniappe” refers to a little something extra, which this blog post is. I don’t usually do two blogs in such quick succession, but it was time to pick up our wine club shipment at Pellegrini, and we decided to do a quick tasting. I didn’t even bring my notebook! But as we sipped, I started to take a few sketchy notes, and before I knew it, I had decided to do a short blog post.
On this Tuesday afternoon, we had the tasting room to ourselves. We were greeted cheerily by Ryan, who was delighted to serve us. After acquiring our shipment, we circled on the tasting menu the three wines we were already buying, plus a few others that seemed of interest. When Ryan saw that I had circled the gewürztraminer, he suggested that I add a new wine, the BBQ white, which includes gewürztraminer grapes, thinking that we would like it. He was not wrong.
So here are a few notes on the wines we sampled. If you want to know more about the tasting room, check out my past posts on Pellegrini!
We went home with three boxes like this: our wine club selections, the roses, and North Fork Project merlot (Three bottles for $36).
2021 Rosé $24.99
I wanted a bottle of rosé to bring to a party, so I knew I wanted to try this. Plus, it’s on sale! A blend of 80% cabernet sauvignon and 20% Merlot 181 (the number refers to the merlot clone they used), this is a many-faceted rosé, and is quite tasty. We buy some for ourselves and some to give away.
2020 Gewürztraminer $24.99
I wanted to try this because it is also on sale, and we love One Woman’s gewürztraminer. This is nice, but I don’t like it as much as hers, though it is fruity and delicious. It just seems a bit one-note-ish.
2022 East End Select BBQ White $26.99
As much as I like a bargain, I also like to buy what I like, and we both like this one. It is 46% gewürztraminer and 54% stainless steel chardonnay, a winning combination. Ryan’s suggestion that we try this pans out, as we buy a bottle. Yummy, with the sweetness of the gewürztraminer tamed by the citrus of the chardonnay.
Steakhouse Red $21.99
This is their basic table red, and indeed it is a good hamburger/pasta red, light but with nice tannins and a bit of a funky aroma. “It has an edge,” says my tasting pal.
2017 Cabernet Franc $32.99
A blend of 95% cabernet franc plus 5% merlot, aged 18 months in French oak, this is a somewhat light but very pleasant red.
2015 Regalo $49.99
Regalo means gift, and this is a gifted wine, a Bordeaux-style blend of 50% petit verdot, 30% cabernet sauvignon, 15% merlot, and 5% cabernet franc. So good. Complex, with lots of varied fruit flavors. We put our wine club bottle in the cellar to age.
Reasons to visit: join the wine club! We joined for reds only, and have never regretted it. We liked all the wines we tried, but especially the BBQ White and the Regalo.
The confluence of our anniversary and Father’s Day on a sunny afternoon made us decide to brave the weekend crowds and do a wine tasting. And the crowds were definitely here, as the time of year approaches when one plans carefully for left turns. There’s a traffic light on Cox Lane, for example. Many of the wineries we passed had full parking lots, with cars parked on the grass in some cases, but Sherwood House was not crowded.
The building is unassuming, and easy to miss.We were greeted promptly and given our choice of tables.
We hadn’t been to Sherwood House since 2018, when it featured a somewhat complex menu of two different owners, so we were curious to see what had changed since we’d last been there. Not a lot externally, it turned out, but quite a lot in terms of the wines. The tasting room is still in a house, with a rather discreet sign on Main Road (I missed it and had to turn around!), adjacent to the William Ris Gallery. The pleasant garden area out front was occupied by a large table of bachelorettes, who were having a good time, so we asked if we could sit elsewhere. The lovely hostess escorted us to the back deck, which we had to ourselves. As we walked through the inside, we remembered sitting on the comfy couches in front of the fireplace on a winter visit. The overall esthetic is modernized rustic farmhouse.
Cozy setting for winter tastings.
The tasting menu lists one flight, of six wines for $35, but the server informed us that the final red, the Sherwood Manor, is no longer available, as they are phasing it out. It will be replaced by a merlot, which is not yet bottled. Five wines for $30 sounded fine to us, and we sipped the cool water we were served as we waited for our flight to be prepped. We also ordered North Fork potato chips and a dip, for $16 (a bit steep, though the dip, a blend of spinach, Greek yogurt, and lemon, with a touch of garlic, was very good).
Our snack of a very good dip and a bag of chips.
The flight came in cute little bottles, which we shared out into attractive large glasses. After we finished, we ordered a glass of the Blanc de Blancs as we sat and finished our dip (the rest of the chips came home with us), and the server brought us clean glasses so we could share.
The flight.
2020 Estate Blanc de Blancs $60
We were glad to start with a bubbly, as it gave us a chance to toast our dual holiday. This is a rather classic sparkling wine, with a yeasty aroma, dry, with the taste one expects from a chardonnay-based wine, of citrus, plus a bit of a funky olive-y note. The cost, however, did give us pause.
This is my half of the full glass of bubbly we ordered after the flight. Not a lot of bubbles…
2020 Brut Rosé $55
Another sparkling wine, this one a very light pink, made from merlot, pinot noir, and “a splash” of chardonnay. It has not much aroma, and nice bubbles, but the taste is very light, so light as to be almost non-existent. As my tasting buddy quipped, “I can’t even remember what it tasted like now.”
2019 Oregon Road Chardonnay $37
Why Oregon Road? Because that is where their vineyard is, and they do some of their winemaking at Lenz. This is their steel-fermented chard, and it is a pretty classic North Fork chardonnay, with aromas of honeysuckle and lemon, and a nice dry taste of lemon and fruit. It would go well with scallops. On the other hand, you can get a liter bottle of North Fork Project chardonnay for $13 (sometimes as little as $10 if you buy three at the winery).
The back deck was a pleasant place to spend an afternoon.
2019 Estate Chardonnay $50
“Not objectionable,” says my husband. Talk about damning with faint praise…this is their oaked chardonnay, and it is not too heavily oaked, though it does have tastes of vanilla and is somewhat creamy. It smells sweet, with some touches of forest floor. I generally prefer steel-fermented chards, but I don’t mind drinking this one—though again, the price seems a bit much.
This is my half of the red wine.
2019 Estate Cabernet Franc $60
The aroma is of cherries and other berries and tobacco, which seemed promising. However, the wine is rather light and nondescript, though quite drinkable. At a lower price it would be fine.
Before or after your tasting you can tour the gallery.
Reasons to visit: pleasant setting, with a pretty garden out front, a rustic porch out back, and comfy couches in front of a fireplace for winter visits; the Estate Blanc de Blancs, though overpriced, is quite good; a usual menu of snacks, with a very good dip; they use bamboo plates, which are recyclable. Note: they do not seem to have a web page, but you can find them on Facebook.
We had done our civic duty and voted in the Board of Education election, and found ourselves at 3:30 in the afternoon with nothing to do, so we took ourselves to Clovis Point. As we sat on the shaded deck, looking out at the sunlit vines and listening to some soft classic rock, I commented to my tasting buddy that this was a very civilized way to spend an afternoon. The chairs are comfortable, and the flowers on each table are a nice touch. We also appreciated the way our tasting was served to us—in a series of little carafes, with each of us getting our own glass. We had told our cheerful and attentive server that we’d be sharing one tasting, since it consisted of seven wines for $30. And indeed, it was plenty, and we left feeling no pain, but also perfectly compos mentis.
Only one other table was occupied, by a small group speaking French, who seemed to be enjoying themselves very much. We took our time with our tastes, discussing the wines and munching on North Fork Potato Chips ($6 for a large bag). Our server also supplied us with a plate and napkins, so we could dole out each serving.
One more note on civilization—the name “Clovis point” refers to a projectile point originally used during the Ice Age, 12,000-13,000 years ago, a mark of very early civilization! Now you know what the meaning is of the symbol of the winery, which is found on their bottles.
2021 Sauvignon Blanc $29
Our tasting started, as many local ones do, with the sauvignon blanc, a light, easy-to-drink white. It has a pleasant, flowery aroma, and a bit of a funky taste, plus definite minerality. “There’s not a lot to it,” opined my husband, and I replied that it would go well with oysters.
We really liked this way of serving a shared tasting, as it is more hygienic than sipping from the same glass. Quite civilized.
2021 Chardonnay $25
This is their steel-fermented chard, another light white, with a touch of petrichor in the aroma. It has some lemon tastes, and actually complements the potato chips very well, which leads me to think that it would go well with charcuterie. My tasting buddy notes that the taste is a bit floral at the end.
2021 Black Label Chardonnay $28
Some people like oaked chards, and some don’t, so this combo—80% steel and 20% barrel aged—might please everyone. At least, it pleases me! It smells similar to the previous chard, but the taste is different—smoother, juicier. Mouth-watering, we decide, and buyable, though we don’t get a bottle this time.
2021 Rosé $22.50
Interestingly, though this is 95% cabernet franc and only 5% chardonnay, the aroma reminds me of the chardonnays. It has some typical strawberry flavor, and though my husband says he is “neither up nor down” on it, I think it is a nice summer sipper. This is another light wine, and I could see pairing it with a Catapano goat cheese and some crackers.
2020 Merlot $29
Merlots are very common on the North Fork, and often very similar, with a taste and aroma of cherries. This one is no exception, with also some notes of spice and pencil shavings (What, you never chewed on a pencil when you were a kid?).
2019 Cabernet Franc $45
Oh my. That’s quite a price jump, but, on the other hand, this is quite a wine. The tasting notes suggest mocha and coffee, and I add complex and interesting, with a brambly aroma. I could see pairing this with a nice steak dinner.
2016 Artifact $45
Though I caution my husband that this is a port, he complains that it is too sweet. Well, but for a port it is not too sweet. It is aged 44 months in neutral oak. I think it smells a bit like licorice (I, unlike many people, like black licorice.) and berries. Yes, I could see lingering after dinner over a glass of this, cracking walnuts and pretending to be in an English novel. The name, by the way, is a nod to the Clovis point concept.
Lees left in the glass after drinking the port.
Reasons to visit: pleasant outdoor area; music on the weekends; they have a menu of snacks but also allow outside food, as long as you don’t bring a cooler; the Black Label Chardonnay and the Cabernet Franc, plus the Artifact if you want a not very sweet port.
The day was gray and chilly, but we had a good time anyway.
Pindar is proud of being one of the early vineyards on the North Fork, with their vines planted over 40 years ago. I came by this bit of knowledge on a free tour and tasting at Pindar, part of an effort by a number of vineyards to attract locals to come and taste their wines. Friends of ours had noted this program and invited us to join them at Pindar, whose perks seemed the best (other places offered such bargains to locals as ten percent off bottles or two for one). Good move! We had a good time, learned a lot, and got to taste some wines we then bought and took home.
Nancy is showing us a gewurztraminer vine, one of the original ones planted at Pindar. The roots can go very deep.
Nancy, our tour guide, started us off by the vines, and then took us through all the steps of making wine, from the crush pad to the stainless steel tanks to the French oak barrels to the warehouse, and then back to the tasting room where we got to try five wines.
“Viticulture is farming for masochists,” she informed us, as she explained the work involved in pruning the vines, which she characterized as “an art and a science,” and the perils faced by grape growers. There are migrating birds who will peck at the grapes, so they look fine but then shrivel into nothing; there are hurricanes on Long Island, whose arrival coincides with harvest season; and there is the lack of crop insurance, because how can you insure for their current value vines that have been growing for over 40 years. In addition, you have to wait four years after you plant those vines before you can expect to harvest the grapes. The issue of birds has been taken care of, through an ingenious system of nets, which you can see in many vineyards, which remain furled up below the vines and are then raised when the grapes ripen. As to the other issues…not much one can do about them!
Despite these problems, Pindar has 325 acres of vines, resulting in 60 to 70,000 cases of wine every year. At first, Dr. Dan Damianos, the visionary who started Pindar (named, like one of his sons, for the classic Greek poet, in homage to their Greek heritage), planted gewürztraminer grapes, judging that the climate and soil would work well for this varietal. Now they grow twenty-four varietals, and they list twenty-nine different wines on their tasting menu, which includes a number of blends.
The bottling machine, which is about to be replaced by an even better one.
They bottle these wines with their own bottling line, which can do 3,000 a day. Not every winery has their own bottling facility, with many using Premium Wine Group for this. Nancy gave a brief lecture on the issue of corks vs. screw caps, with corks reading as “better” wines, and screw caps okay for more casual, cheaper wines. Screw caps work just fine, though corks have the advantage of being biodegradable.
I never knew why the vats have this dimpled jacket.
We then walked into a huge room filled with vast stainless steel vats, where Nancy explained something I’d always wondered about. The vats are partially encases in a dimpled steel jacket. It is a glycol jacket, containing polyglycol, used to help regulate the temperature in the vats, and the dimples keep the polyglycol from settling to the bottom. Too hot or too cold, and the wine is ruined. They use a windmill to provide about 60% of the energy needed in the warehouse and wine “cellar”—not a cellar, because…polyglycol. We also learned about another hazard of viticulture—carbon dioxide. As the juice ferments into wine, carbon dioxide rises to the top of the tanks, where the solid matter must be pushed down into the liquid. Catwalks provide access to the tops of the tanks, and open doors help dissipate the CO2.
Part of the filtration system.
She showed us their filtration system, and we learned, by the way, that Guinness Stout used isinglass, obtained from the bladders of sturgeon, to filter their brew. I like Guinness, but I also like caviar!
She also took us outside to see the crush pad, where a machine crushes the grapes. Because Pindar is so big, a lot of the work is done by machines.
The crush pad.
The huge space where red wine ages in French oak barrels smelled enticingly like a forest or lumberyard. We found out that there are different tastes imparted to wines by French and American oak, with some adding notes of vanilla and others cinnamon, etc. Pindar now uses only French oak, buying 300 barrels a year, and has phased out their American oak barrels, which they sometimes sell to breweries or to people who want to use them in their gardens. We also learn about the “angel’s share,” the wine which evaporates from the barrels, meaning they need to be constantly watched and topped up, so that too much oxygen doesn’t turn the wine into vinegar. The angels must reserve a special place in heaven for wine makers!
Despite the bung stopper, some evaporation is unavoidable.
Finally, our last stop before the tasting room, we saw the warehouse where cases of wine are stacked high. Nancy held up a four-pack of cans of Winter White, and explained that Dr. Dan, noting the American taste for soda and other sweet drinks, decided to make some sweeter wines, like Winter White, which is the most popular white on Long Island. More recently, the decision was made to offer it in cans; again, to attract those who might otherwise opt for soda or beer.
Cans of Winter White, ready to go.
Now it was time to taste the fruits of their labor! The group of about thirty locals lined up around the bar, where glasses stood ready. Here are my tasting notes:
Nice sized pour.
2020 Dr. Dan’s Selection White Blend $24.99
Our first taste is a blend of, this vintage, of 53% viognier, plus pinot grigio, sauvignon blanc, and riesling. The percentages may vary year to year. This is a very drinkable white, with aromas of pineapple and citrus, and tropical fruit flavors like guava and pineapple.
2021 Dr. Dan’s Selection Gewürztraminer $24.99
We are quite interested to taste this, after learning the history of the vines, and we quite like it. In fact, we and our friends each buy a bottle to take home. It is not too sweet, which can happen with gewürztraminers, with an aroma of peaches and tastes that include tangerine and apricot. “Yummy,” we and our friends agree.
At the tasting, I turned over my menu to see the events list.
2019 Mythology $42.99
A Bordeaux blend called Meritage, this includes malbec, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, petit verdot, and cabernet franc. Delicious. Lots of dark fruit taste and enough tannins that one could probably age it.
2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve $34.99
Nancy, who is still informing us about the wines, explains that cabernet sauvignon used to be harder to grow on Long Island, since it needs a longer growing season to mature. However, with climate change, the growing season on Long Island has gotten longer. I guess that’s an upside to global warming! This is another very good red, with tastes of blackberry and other fruits, and an aroma of cedar and tobacco.
Pindar Damianos chatting with a guest.
2015 Cabernet Port $28.99 for 750 ml, $16.99 for 375 ml
I’m not sure if this was in the original tasting or if it was included after our friend shared his enthusiasm for the port with Nancy and with Pindar Damianos, who was hanging around and talking to the guests. He discovered that Pindar makes award-winning port in an old issue of a wine magazine shortly after moving to the North Fork, and was happily buying and drinking it. I can see why. This is a dessert wine—in English novels, they are always sipping it after dinner while they crack walnuts and chat—but it is not too sweet, with an appealing depth of flavor. It is made 100% from cabernet franc. We each buy a bottle to take home.
Cases filled with awards Pindar wines have won.
Reasons to visit: roomy tasting room with two outside areas; a wide variety of wines for every taste, from sweet to dry, and price, from $14.99 (Winter White and others) to $42.99; all the wines we tasted—White Blend, Gewürztraminer, Mythology, and Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve—plus the port; our friends had also tasted the Gamay Noir before we went on the tour, and bought a bottle of that light red to take home; they have a refrigerated case full of cheeses, etc., to consume there; they have a variety of special events.
NoFo Wineaux 