Osprey’s Dominion April 6, 2013

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, Flight Edelzwicker, gewurztraminer, Meritage, merlot, North Fork, Osprey's Dominion, Richmond Creek Merlot, sauvignon blanc, Unwooded April 8, 2013

http://www.ospreysdominion.com/

http://ospreysdominion.olhblogspace.com

Having a bachelorette party? Then this may just be the perfect spot for you. We saw at least five during our tasting at Osprey’s Dominion, and our server noted, “I need a drink. I just served three bachelorette parties in a row.” The first part of the long curving bar in the large, airy tasting room is reserved for limo parties, and they get a “special” menu with four tastes, with choices winnowed to two in each category. One group we noted had a rather extensive cheese and cracker platter, but we weren’t sure if they were served it or brought it. A guitar player in one corner varied his somewhat folksy play list to accommodate one group of women who danced in front of him.

On the other hand, we liked many of the wines, and our server had his spiel on each wine well memorized, with useful notes on each, and was happy to make suggestions as to choices and the order in which to drink them. However, another server who took over for him when yet another group of gigglers demanded his attention just poured, with hardly any commentary. We felt somewhat abandoned at that point.

A quick look at the gift items revealed a small assortment of not very creative choices, except for one neat idea: they will let you order a personalized label for some of their wines, though you have to order at least a case.

The menu for those not from a limo offers two options (aside, of course, from buying a whole glass): $8.00 for any five from the menu, or $5 for three choices. A blackboard outside also offered a special of $20 for two tastings and a serving of sausage, cheese and crackers. The “serving” consisted of a small sleeve of Ritz-type crackers, and a pre-packaged box with slices of mild pepperoni and fairly flavorless processed cheese. Not worth it, but we were hungry after a shopping trip to Greenport and a quick stop at our marina to look at our slip for the coming summer (where we spotted two ospreys on their nest, which may have subconsciously influenced our choice of winery). As we frequently do, we ordered different wines so we could taste ten of their offerings, and so tried many of their wines (their website says they have 23, but not all are on the tasting menu). We did not try their sparkling wine, their port, or their spiced wine (served warm).

2011 Sauvignon Blanc $15

Our server notes that this is a good place to start, as it is a fairly neutral wine. The aroma is somewhat flowery, and we note tastes of green apple and lemon. Good, and would be nice with oysters or lobster.

2. 2010 Unwooded Chardonnay $15

“This one is more like a pinot gris than a typical chardonnay,” says our server, and we can see his point. Like other steel-fermented chards it has a mineral aroma and tastes of citrus, especially lime. The first taste on your tongue is a bit sweet, but it quickly turns tart.

3. 2010 Gewürztraminer $20

“This one just jumps out of the glass at you,” said our server, who will soon be moving to North Carolina to take a teaching job. This is certainly a Gewürztraminer that does its own thing, and does not taste like a standard wine from this grape. The aroma combines fermented pear juice and some cat pee (or like the smell of water that flowers have stood in for too long), but is not unpleasant. The flavor is both sweet and somewhat nutty, with a tart finish.

4. 2010 “Flight” Edelzwicker $24

It was interesting to taste this German-style wine next to the Gewürztraminer, since it has some of that grape, as well as Pinot Gris and Riesling in it. We really liked it, and it is an unusual wine for Long Island, which is always fun. The aroma is somewhat mineral, with a slight trace of cat pee, and it tastes like ripe green plums with some sweetness and complexity. It is certainly buyable, though we don’t opt to do so.

5. 2007 Merlot $20

Now we switch to reds, and our server rinses our glasses once again. A lovely aroma of berry and ripe plum, with none of the dirt that one often finds in Long Island merlots meets our noses, followed by good fruit flavors of ripe cherry with hints of chocolate. This is a prize winner, and we agree, and are especially interested to see that it is on sale, for $39 for three bottles, so we plan to buy it. (The last time we were here, a couple of years ago, there was no charge for the tasting when we bought several bottles of wine. Not so this time.)

6. Richmond Creek Merlot $14

It’s so fascinating to find that two wines from the same grape and the same vineyard can be so different. As much as we like the 07 Merlot, that’s how much we dislike this thin, sour, very dry wine. It has no finish, which is fortunate, and I’d hate to have that taste linger on my palate.

7. 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon $20

This one’s just okay, with mineral aroma and a whiff of earth, not much fruit and few tannins.

8. 2008 Cabernet Franc $20

2008 was a very rainy year, and the cab franc suffers accordingly. Though we smell leather and plums, the wine itself is thin, with only a little fruit and not much finish.

9. 2007 Meritage $24

Somewhat of a Bordeaux blend, the Meritage has 67% Merlot, 17% Carmenere, 10% Petit Verdot, and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon. We like its aromas of dark cocoa and fruit, and it tastes good, too, with all the ripe fruit flavors lacking in the previous two wines. Our substitute server has to consult a notebook to give us the varietal breakdown.

10. 2007 Reserve Merlot $35

Really good! Lots of ripe berry aroma and plenty of fruit with no dirt make this a better than average Merlot—and they’ve priced it accordingly.

Reasons to visit: Good for a large group, and very accommodating to bachelorette parties; they encourage picnickers in the summer to buy a bottle of wine and use the outside terrace while listening to music; the Flight Edelzwicker (called flight because the owner is also a pilot) and the 07 Merlot; good prices for most of their wines. But this is not the place if you like individual attention and a quiet atmosphere!

Castello di Borghese March 16, 2013

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting, Uncategorized and tagged with cabaret songs, cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, Castello di Borghese, chardonnay, estate, Meritage, merlot, North Fork, pinot noir, reserve, sauvignon blanc March 18, 2013

http://www.castellodiborghese.com/

“March winds do blow/And we shall have snow…” Yes, indeed we shall. As flurries swirled around us, we drove along Route 48, trying to decide on a winery to visit. First we went past Vineyard 48, but the presence of no less than eight buses in the parking lot dissuaded us (but if you want a party, that might be the place for you) and so we headed on down the road to Castello di Borghese, Long Island’s oldest vineyard. It was originally started by the Hargraves, who then sold it to Prince Marco and Princess Ann Marie Borghese (hence the name castello=castle) in 1999.

The pleasant tasting room has two main areas, a nicely set up bar and gift shop area and a larger room with tables and chairs, where Marguerite Volonts was singing beautifully and playing guitar. When she segued from songs like “Autumn in New York” to some French cabaret songs we could imagine we were in Paris. The tasting menu offers two basic options, as well as separate tastings of their more pricey offerings, such as Meritage. You can taste four of their Estate wines for $9.00 or five of their Reserve wines for $12.00, so we opt for one of each. However, as Nancy our server notes our careful swirling and sipping and note-taking, she begins to suspect something, and when Ann Marie Borghese comes out from the back room she asks point blank if I am a blogger. They’re onto me! So we get some additional tastes, but I note that two other groups who also evince seriousness about wine are also given some extras. Borghese also offers an $18 cheese plate.

The following notes are in the order in which we tasted the wines, with the Estate wines marked with a *. Oh, and they were sold out of the Riesling which we wanted to taste.

*2011 Estate Chardonnay $18

This is a fairly typical steel-fermented chardonnay, with aromas of vegetable, mineral, and pine sap. Though not for sipping, it is nicely tart, with notes of green apple and lemon, and would be a good summer wine, maybe with a rich seafood dish.

2. 2011 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay $26

Typical aromas of vanilla and oak greet our noses, but the wine itself is much less buttery than most oaked chards, is a bit too lemony for our taste, and the finish is weak.

3. *2011 Sauvignon Blanc $24

They are quite proud of their Sauvignon Blanc, which has won some competitions, and (having already ascertained that I am a blogger) they give us both tastes of this. I have to admit that it does not knock my socks off (and, as my husband notes, it is hard to knock my socks off), which seems to disappoint them, though it is a pleasant wine. There’s not much aroma, primarily of some minerality, but it tastes better than it smells, though it is very light. I could see having this with oysters (which would probably improve how much I like it), which would highlight the flavors of lemon and herb (thyme?).

The Borgheses are justifiable proud of their reds, and they give two reasons for why they are so good. One is that the vines are older than most others on the North Fork, and the other is that Cutchogue has a very favorable micro-climate, with more sunny days than anywhere else in New York State, giving the grapes more time and warmth in which to ripen. They are expecting great things of the 2012 vintage, since it was the warmest year yet, with a very warm spring followed by a hot summer and a harvest that came just before Hurricane Sandy.

4. *2008 Pinot Noir Estate $30

As we hold the glass up to the light, we comment on the pretty light ruby color of the wine. The aroma has some earthiness as well as sticky berry scents. Though there is not much tannin, the taste is very good, with a balance of sweet and dry and not-quite-ripe Bing cherry tastes. Nice long finish, too.

5. 2008 Pinot Noir Barrel Fermented $48

“The oldest Pinot Noir grapes on Long Island,” we are informed. Aroma? Cedar? Terroir? Pencil shavings! Fortunately, it tastes of berries, not pencil shavings, with nicely balanced tannins and a tart finish. Very good indeed.

6. *2007 Merlot Estate $25

The color of this is slightly darker than the Pinot, but also very attractive. A strong aroma of berries precedes tastes of sweet berry, cedar, and just a touch of tobacco, with a long fruity finish. Excellent, and very buyable, which we do.

7. 2007 Merlot Reserve $30

We love doing side by side tastings of two wines made from the same grape in the same year, but given different treatments. Interestingly, we like the Estate better than the more expensive Reserve, though this is also a very good wine. We again scent cedar and taste lots of fruit, and less sweetness than the Estate Merlot, so perhaps more balanced. The difference in treatment is that the Estate is aged for 13 months and the Reserve for 18, both in oak barrels.

8. *2010 Cabernet Franc Estate $27

Nice legs! No, we’re not being sexist, we’re just commenting on the way the wine forms “legs”—drips, essentially, along the sides of the glass when we swirl it. Aromas of plums and spice herald tastes of dark ripe cherry and spice, and the tannins promise room to grow. Nancy also points out that this has won awards, and would be a good wine to cellar. We agree, and buy two bottles of this as well.

9. 2007 Cabernet Franc Reserve $44

Again, it’s interesting to taste two similar wines side by side. This Cab Franc has more fruit aroma than the other, with some notes of toast and earth but lots of delicious fruit. We taste blackberry, and they say mulberry (which we might agree with if we remembered what mulberry tasted like), and nicely balanced tannins. I’d love to have this with venison or some other lean game, maybe bison from North Quarter Buffalo Farm!

10. *2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate $29

Okay, so if you’re counting you realize that our tasting should be done, but we never turn down extras (and we almost never spit, either). We smell pine tar and fruit, and then taste a dry red with a surprising hint of citrus at the end. We’re not liking this until Nancy offers us drinks of water to refresh our palates, at which point we find it tastes much better. This would be great with pizza or Italian pasta dishes.

11. 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve $44

Lovely aromas with lots of fruit, maybe currants, and not much earthy terroir, this is a good wine, but we’re not sure it is worth the price, since we’re not sure how well it would age. Again, we seem to prefer the Estate version.

12. Meritage $60

I have wandered off to peruse the few gift items, assuming our tasting is over, when I am called back for one last bonus tasting, the Bordeaux-style Meritage. This is a blend, 50% Cabernet Franc, 25% Merlot, and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, and it would certainly give a French Bordeaux a run for its money (especially given its great legs). Beautiful color and nice legs, an aroma of mineral and spice, and a really delicious taste of berry and spice make this a wine I’d happily drink any time, though the price would limit when! If you go, definitely taste it, as it is worth the extra fee.

Reasons to go: pleasant room with well-informed and generous servers and the chance to chat with an owner; the red wines, many of which are better than the average Long Island reds (not so much the whites, though maybe the Riesling would have been an exception); avoidance of busloads; a pleasant room in which to sit and listen to music if they are offering that (check their web site).

Comtesse Thérèse February 17, 2013

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with Aquebogue, blanc de noir, cabernet sauvignon, Canadian Oak, chardonnay, Comtesse Therese, Hungarian oak, merlot, NoFo, rose, Russian oak, sauvignon blanc February 22, 2013

http://www.comtessetherese.com/index.html

It was what Winnie-the –Pooh calls a “blustery day” (This is what happens when you hang out with a 21-month-old.), and we thought we’d check out the Jazz on the Vine program at Jamesport Vineyard. When we couldn’t find a place to park, we left and headed a little way down the road to Comtesse Thérèse, a combination bistro and winery. We had only been there in the summer, when the tasting room is a charmingly disheveled back patio, with cast iron furniture and a view of the herb garden (and of the chef as he steps out of the kitchen to pick some herbs), so we weren’t sure what to expect. The wind blew us around the front and through the door of the restored old house, where we quickly found ourselves in a cozy bar with a friendly and accommodating bartender. Fortunately, since we had promised our granddaughter music, there was quiet jazz playing in the background. The four of us settled into a corner of the bar and looked over the menu. The option of 4 tastes for $8 sounded good, and the bartender intelligently figured out how to give us tastes of 8 wines—four and four—so we could sample a wider selection. Although we didn’t stay for a meal, we have eaten there in the past and been very pleased with its French bistro-style food and emphasis on local produce.

2011 Chardonnay $13

The bartender starts us all off with their steel-fermented chardonnay, which is on sale. An aroma of fresh-cut grass heralds a taste of steel and green apple, with some honey notes. It is surprisingly mellow for an all-steel chard, and a bit unctuous, according to our son-in-law. Very buyable, which we both accomplish.

Russian Oak Chardonnay 2009 $22

Ooh, nice legs, we say. This chard spends 4 months in oak, and we do detect an oaky aroma. The flavor is light, with some notes of Meyer lemon—or maybe lemon dots!

2011 Sauvignon Blanc $28

I think I smell a trace of something metallic as well as the more typical honeysuckle. Nicely dry and a bit grassy, all we need now is a dozen local oysters!

2011 Rosé $22

Well, Croteaux remains the standard of excellence for NoFo rosés. This one has a nice raspberry aroma, but has not much character and is somewhat monochromatic. Well chilled on a hot day it might be fine, and the finish is nice.

2011 Blanc de Noir $24

We like this rosé better, with its apricot aroma and edge of citrus flavor, though it is a bit sweet for our taste.

2008 Hungarian Oak Merlot $24

My notes for this wine are somewhat obscured by a 21-month-old’s “decoration,” but then I gave her a page from my notebook and another pen so she could take notes just like grandma. Although this wine doesn’t have much aroma, it has a pleasant cherry flavor with some earthiness at first and tannins at the end.

2007 Aquebogue Estate Merlot $25 (for the 08)

Noticing our serious approach to the tasting, the bartender gives us the 07 Merlot rather than the 08 because, he says, it is better. We do like it. It has nice fruit with some acidity to add interest.

2006 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon $30

This one is a favorite with our daughter and son-in-law, who buy a bottle. It has aromas and tastes of black fruits, like plums. It would be good with lamb, because it has enough acidity to cut the fat.

2007 Canadian Oak Cabernet Sauvignon $32

And we prefer this one, and buy a bottle! This is somewhat heavier than the Estate Cab Sauv, with more complexity and cherry flavors as well. It would pair well with steak. The bartender informs us that they are the only winery in the area to use Canadian oak.

Before she opened her own tasting room, we met “Comtesse Thérèse”—actually Tree Dilworth, an attractive young woman—at The Tasting Room, now The Winemaker’s Studio. We had a delightful conversation with her, and were impressed with her passion for wine, but no, she is not actually a “Comtesse”!

Reasons to visit: Cozy attractive bar area in the winter, charming garden in the summer; 2011 Chardonnay,2011 Sauvignon Blanc, 06 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, 07 Canadian Oak Cabernet Sauvignon; you can go on after the tasting to have a meal in the pretty, intimate bistro. Oh, and if you want to take notes, they have lots of feather pens.

Clovis Point Vineyard November 17, 2012

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with Archaeology, cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, Clovis Point Vineyard, merlot, North Fork, rose November 19, 2012

http://www.clovispointwines.com/

Just like my last entry, this one also has a link to Long Island history. However, instead of going back to the 19th century, this one goes back about 10,000 years, to when the people who lived on Long Island hunted woolly mammoths with stone tools, like the clovis point used by this winery as its name and symbol.

On a brisk but beautiful November day we continued our recovery from hurricane Sandy with a visit to this winery. When we pulled into the parking lot, we were at first a bit concerned by the presence of two large buses and a limo, but when we entered the attractive converted barn serving as a tasting room we were relieved to note that one large party was out on the lawn and another in the awninged side veranda, and there was room at the tasting bar. A band called the Earthtones was playing folk rock, a bit too loudly for our taste, but the music was pleasant, and we also enjoyed looking at the paintings of local scenes on the walls (all for sale, some at very reasonable prices). They also have cheese trays and chocolate pairings available for about $10.

There are three tasting menu options, plus of course wines by the glass and bottle, which we saw several groups doing. You can have the “Cold” tasting, three whites and one rose for $8; the Reds, four reds for $10; or the Premium, also all reds, for $14. We opted for one Cold and one Premium, planning to share as usual.

1. 2010 Chardonnay $18

According to our well-informed server, all their whites tend to the light and bright side. This steel-fermented chard is light, with a lemon aroma, and a taste that reminds us of lemon candy. A bit too sweet for us, but if you like your chards on the sweet side you might like this one. It contains 1.3% Gewurtzraminer, which might account for some of the sweetness.

2. 2011 Chardonnay $18

However, this chard also has 1% Gewurtz, and yet is quite different. The aroma is somewhat like chamomile tea, and though it is also steel-fermented it is quite mellow, with some notes of honey, and nice legs. Buyable! This would be a pleasant sipping wine, and the server points out that it won a gold medal. We discuss how interesting it is that essentially the same grapes can have such different tastes.

3. 2008 Barrel Chardonnay $25

So this is their oaked chard, having spent 10 months in oak barrels. It has a somewhat off-putting smell of rotten wood, though the taste is fine. As it sits in my mouth, I taste vanilla, oak, and burnt pear. Though not unpleasant, I don’t particularly care for it. As we discuss it, the server gives us a taste of the 2009 Barrel Chardonnay for comparison. What a difference! We like this one much better, with tastes of butterscotch and refreshing citrus. This also spent 10 months in oak.

4. Clovis Point Rose $20

Made from cabernet franc grapes which spent three days on the skins, this is a pleasant rose with tastes and aromas of watermelon and strawberry, and would make a nice summer sipping wine. I could see having it well iced with a few strawberries in it.

Now we move on to the Premium tasting, for which we get a clean glass, always a nice touch. We also notice that those who buy a few bottles of wine get an attractive cloth bag to carry them in. (And if you buy three bottles, the tasting is free.)

5. 2008 Cabernet Franc $27.50

Our server characterizes this as “European style,” and notes that it won a silver medal. The aroma is “forest,” we decide, some fruit, some oak, a bit of smoke. The taste is good, with dark cherry fruit and also a bit of smoke and oak. This, we decide, is buyable.

6. 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon $27.50

Though primarily cab sauv, this wine also has 2% merlot and 2% cab franc, and 07 was only the second year they made it. This is also a good and buyable wine, with an aroma of cedar and berries and tastes of red plum. The tannins are soft, and it is easy to drink. I think I’d like it with duck, but not in any kind of complex sauce.

7. 2007 Vintner Select Merlot $35

Again a blend, the merlot is 85% merlot, 6.5% cab sauv, 2.5% syrah, and 1% petit verdot. This one also won a medal, this time double gold, we are told, and that it is called “select” rather than “reserve” because they are saving the term “reserve” for really exceptional wines. An aroma of smoke and coffee preceeds a somewhat odd but pleasant flavor I think tastes like lychee fruit.

8. 2007 Archaeology $60

How did this blend of merlot, cab sauv, cab franc, petit verdot and syrah get this name? They had a contest, with the wine club members voting on the anonymously contributed names. As it happened, this was the name the owner submitted…The aroma has some of that earthy terroir, and also black fruits. The wine is fairly dry, with nice fruit and is good, but not worth the $60. However, if you join the wine club it is only $40, and at that price would be worthwhile!

Reasons to visit: Pleasant tasting room with cheese trays available; good 2011 Chardonnay and 09 Barrel Chardonnay; also some good reds; art for sale; well-informed servers; nice rustic view from the veranda.

Sherwood House September 29, 2012

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with Bouquet Rose, chardonnay, Garden of Eve, Merliance, merlot, Oregon Road Merlot, Sherwood House October 2, 2012

Two of our tastes.

http://www.sherwoodhousevineyards.com/

It was a chilly rainy September Saturday, but the agritainment business was in full swing. We passed up the Harbes Pumpkin Fest and stopped in at the Garden of Eve Garlic Fest (disappointing–no pickled garlic, only one booth making garlic braids, and lots of booths selling the same jewelry we saw at the Maritime Festival) before ending our outing at Sherwood House Winery, on the main road. They have a little tasting shack in Mattituck, on Oregon Road, in the midst of their vineyard, but now they also have a very nice though small tasting room on Main Road in Jamesport. They share their space with a shop called Material Objects, which sells various interestingly quirky household items. Inside the room, there was a lovely fire in the fireplace, very welcome on this damp afternoon, and a group of people sitting around it in comfortable chairs, enjoying a tasting. We stood at the bar, where we chatted a bit with wine club members doing a tasting and pick-up and other people. A musician in the corner played quietly.

The tasting choices are the $8 Estate Flight of four wines, the $10 Premium Flight, also of four wines, or the $14 Owner’s Flight, of four of their highest quality wines. We opted to share one Estate and one Premium. A couple next to us got the Owner’s Flight, which began with a champagne-style sparkling wine, and the information from the well-informed and alert server that their winemaker is from the Champagne region of France. Hmmm…maybe next time…

In the notes that follow, the even-numbered notes are from the Premium tasting, and the odd-numbered ones from the Estate one.

1. 2011 Unoaked Chardonnay $18

Their only all-steel fermented chard, this pleasant wine has a lemony aroma and a nice, light, clean taste with a creamy finish. It would make a lovely summer sipper, out on the deck, perhaps. Good, and buyable.

2. 09 Chardonnay $30

In contrast, this chard spent several months in oak, and has the usual, though faint, aroma of vanilla and wood. We taste unripe pear, with some grapefruit, but an unpleasantly sweet finish that we don’t care for.

3. 2011 Bouquet Rose $18

Screwtop! The server informs us that this is not their own wine, but is made from their grapes by another wine maker, and is in the tasting because they have sold out of their own rose. Made from cabernet franc grapes, this reminds us of cherry Kool-Aid! Dumpable. Light and sweet, if that’s what you like.

4. 05 Merlot $34

This one is good with chocolate, says the server, and we agree (Though we would like to have the chance to try it WITH chocolate, none is on offer…). The aroma is dark cherry, with some oak, and the taste is moderately dry, with a faint hint of the earthy terroir, but otherwise nicely fruity. This merlot spends 18 months in oak, and is a lovely wine, and would be good with pork chops or turkey (starting to think about Thanksgiving).

5. 04 Oregon Road Merlot $16

This is our favorite of the day, and we buy two bottles to have with barbequed ribs tonight. Not a lot of aroma, but lovely fruit tastes with a slight hint of smoke. 13 months in oak, we are told.

6. 06 Merlot $25

This one spends 18 months in oak, and is also very good. The aroma is of black raspberry, and though it is dry there is plenty of plum and raspberry flavor, with a bit of oak and a slight touch of smoke.

7. 04 Merlot $20

The 04 also spent 18 months in oak, and it is interesting that Sherwood House tends to hold onto their reds for several years before release. Again, aromas of berry and oak, with some sweetness and a light taste. Pleasant, but not exciting, and while we would not refuse to drink it we have no inclination to buy it.

8. 08 Merliance $40

Merliance is a blend–what Lewis Carroll would call a “portmanteau word”–of Merlot and alliance, and is made from grapes grown by Castello Borghese, Clovis Point, McCall’s, Pellegrini, Sherwood House and Wolffer Estates, each of which contributes two barrels of wine to the mixture. Though not worth the price, it is a nice wine, with a flowery aroma and nice legs. The proceeds from the sale of this wine benefit various events and research sponsored by the alliance.

Reasons to visit: Really nice reds, a cozy tasting room with a fireplace for cold days, the chance to browse an interesting household goods store. Buyable: Unoaked Chardonnay and Oregon Road Merlot and 05 Merlot.

Sannino Bella Vita September 22, 2012

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with Ackerley Ponds, chardonnay, merlot, North Fork, riesling, Sannino Bella Vita, spiced wine September 27, 2012

This is our first side-by-side pairing, of two chardonnays.

http://sanninovineyard.com/

After a good two-hour bike ride and before a visit to Greenport to see the Maritime Festival and the Peconic Plein-Air art exhibit, we stop at Sannino Bella Vita winery, formerly Ackerly Pond, on Peconic Lane. This is a small winery on a side street, so, though there are plenty of people here, it is not the madhouse some of the bigger wineries on the main road can be, especially in the fall. Live music is quietly provided by a flautist and a guitar player, and one of the guests outside on the little patio is swaying to the music.

Mr. Sannino is also a contractor, as well as a wine-maker, and he bought out Ackerly Ponds and combined their wines with his own, so you can taste both styles side by side if you like.

The full tasting, which includes all 9 wines, is $15. You can also opt for a half tasting for $8 or a premium tasting of three special wines for $8. We go for one full tasting, which we will share. (There’s also a pitcher of sangria on offer, for $3 per glass, and a cheese tray for $15.) The servers use a spout, so the pour is a carefully calibrated one ounce.

1) 06 Ackerley Pond Riesling $18.99

This is a very tart riesling, with tastes of lime and green apple and a thin mouth feel. This would probably be better with food, and actually might be fun to cook with, like with a fish in a wine and cream sauce dish. Tasting it blind, one would probably not guess it was a riesling.

Our lovely server asks if we would like to taste the next two chardonnays side by side, as one is an Ackerly Pond (AP) and the other a Bella Vita (BV). We say yes, and she fetches a second glass, and we note that the glasses are etched with the name of each vineyard, so we can keep track of which is which. Nice touch.

2) 09Bella Vita Chardonnay $20

Steel fermented and light, this chard has lots of citrus flavor, but is just okay.

3) 06 AP Chardonnay $14.99

In contrast, the AP chard spent several months in oak, and the vanilla flavor of oak is there, but not very strongly, as well as citrus, but not a lot of depth. There’s also a faintly metallic aroma.

Here comes another pairing!

4) 2011 BV Merlot Bianca $20

This is a white wine made from the merlot grape, as the name suggests, given no contact with the skins. Interesting tang. The aroma is of slightly over-ripe fruit, though not in an unpleasant way, and the taste reminds us of an unripe peach.

5) 2010 BV Snow Merlot $15

Basically a rose, this is a light, not complex, but pleasantly interesting wine, with side of the tongue sweetness and some strawberry flavor.

And a third pairing…

6) 04 AP Merlot $19.99

This is our favorite so far, a dry red with a lovely chocolate aroma, and lots of plum and berry taste, with a faint mintiness and none of that earthy terroir of the North Fork.

7) 2010 BV Merlot $30

Aged for a year in oak, this wine has a faint red candy aroma and nice plum flavors. Again, no dirt! This is also good, but a bit pricey for the quality.

8) 06 AP Cabernet Sauvignon $27.99

We detect an aroma of oak. Another fairly un-complex wine, with a thin mouth feel.

9) 2010 BV Spiced Wine $13

Served warm! We decide this spiced wine, made with cabernet sauvignon and other wines and flavored with cinnamon and similar spices, would be very nice on a cold winter’s night, especially if one were in a hot tub. It reminds us of the Swedish drink Glogg (Imagine an umlaut over the o.). The server notes that it would also be good if one added orange slices and cranberries to the glass. Yes, it would.

Though we don’t buy any bottles, if we did need more red we’d buy the 04 AP Merlot.

Reasons to visit: Intimate setting, ability to meet the owner (who has been there each of the three times we’ve visited), the ability to make interesting comparisons between two different styles of wine-making. They also run a wine club in which one can make one’s own wine from their grapes.

One Woman Winery September 2, 2012

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with Biere, chardonnay, gewurztraminer, gruner veltliner, merlot, One Woman Wines, sauvignon blanc September 4, 2012

The Gruner Veltliner!

http://www.onewomanwines.com/

On the way home from a boat ride with our son and two of his friends, we stop at One Woman Wines and Vineyard for a tasting. The tiny tasting shack seems crowded at first, but the three lovely young women behind the counter–including Claudia Purita’s (the one woman behind One Woman) daughter Gabrielle–soon sort everyone out, and we all embark on tastings. There are seven wines on the list, and one can have two for $6, three for $8, or four for $10. We decide to share a three and a four, and thus taste all seven. Our son and his friends each opt for tastings of four. The pour is generous, and we all are feeling good after boating and swimming and enjoying this last summer weekend. As we sip and ponder, we also enjoy the lovely wildflower arrangements in the shack–also by Claudia! Several parties have taken their tastings to the outside tables, and a small group seems to be having their own impromptu jam session. We decide to start with a comparative tasting of their three chardonnays.

1) 08 Chardonnay $20

This is a pleasant chardonnay, with flavors of pear and vanilla, with a nice fruity aroma and a long finish. Definitely buyable.

2) 07 Chardonnay $20

Surprisingly, this has that barnyard aroma we usually find in Long Island merlots. Fortunately, it tastes better than it smells,with lots of vanilla and some sweetness. Nice legs.

3) 08 Estate Reserve Chardonnay $40

This spends 8 months in French oak, and has an orange blossom aroma with again plenty of vanilla and a taste somewhat like caramel candy.Though it is mellow, my husband feels it is too oaked for him, though I like it.

Now we move on to the rest of their wines.

4) 2010 Gewurztraminer $20

Lovely honeysuckle/floral aroma and flowery/sweet taste make this a nice sipping wine, though not to my taste particularly.

5) 2010 Sauvignon Blanc $ $24

Their tasting notes say flavors of lemon grass and green apple, and I have to agree. Though they say it is a Sancerre style, we’re not so sure. However, we do agree that it is a very good wine that would pair well with local oysters.

6) 2010 Gruner Veltliner $26

Wow–the star of the day! I don’t know if any other wineries are trying this grape, but it is certainly rare. It is light and tart, but with plenty of fruit flavors, mostly grapefruit. Crisp. Good. We all buy bottles of it! Nice bonus–on this day, there is a special offer of a free tasting if one pays cash for a bottle of wine, which we do. We also knew we’d like the gruner since we had tried it at Biere, Claudia’s husband’s restaurant in Greenport, which in its current iteration features Belgian-style fare including excellent mussels and frites, a delicious cheese tray, and interesting beers on tap.

7) 08 Merlot $28

This is One Woman’s only red, and it is a good standard L.I. merlot, with blackberry flavors and aromas, but not in the same league as her whites, which are really good.

As we get ready to leave, Gabrielle says they are about to release two new wines, and we promise to be back.

Reasons to visit: Pretty rustic location a bit off the beaten track; nice whites, especially the Gruner Veltliner.

Lenz Winery 8/25/12

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, gewurztraminer, Lenz, merlot, NoFo, Old Vines, Winery August 30, 2012

The first round at Lenz

http://www.lenzwine.com/

After a 28-mile morning bike ride, we are ready for some refreshment, and so we head to the Lenz Winery, on the main road, one of a row of wineries. They have an attractive barn-like tasting room, as well as some outside tables, and they sell some of the art that is on their walls as well as a small selection of wine-related tchatchkas. A chalk board suggests one ask about their cheese tray, but we don’t. There are two tasting menus, the Estate wines, 6 for $10, and the Premium wines, 5 for $14. Being good at sharing, we order one of each, and our well-informed and bright server asks if we would like him to coordinate them so we can taste the wines in groups. We do!

The first round consists of three wines, the 2010 Blanc de Noir ($15), the 2006 Cuvee ($30) and the 2008 Gewurztraminer ($20).

1) The Blanc de Noir is a rose, with a sweet beginning and a tart finish, and a taste of green tomatoes. It would work with oysters.

2) Champagne! The 06 Cuvee is a methode champagnoise sparking wine that is quite good. They use pinot noir grapes. Although the aroma reminds us of cut grass that has been left in a pile for too long, the flavor is dry and good, with notes of green apple. This wine, the server tells us, is aged for 6 months.

3) In the past we have liked their gewurz, but this one does not thrill us. Neither here nor there, is one comment. Some sweetness, some spice, a bit of ginger.

The second grouping lets us compare three chardonnays. I love this type of tasting, since it is always so fascinating to see how the same grape can be so different depending on how it is treated.

4) 08 White Label Chardonnay $12

This mostly steel fermented chard has a honeysuckle aroma, and though it is a bit sweet is is nicely balanced and not too citrusy. Very buyable!

5) Gold Label Chardonnay $20

This is an oak-aged chard, and has the expected vanilla/caramel notes with a roast pear aroma. It starts tart and ends a bit acidic. Though it has a bit too much flavor for simple foods, it might be really good with a seafood in cream sauce dish.

6) Old Vines Chardonnay $25

“Old vines” because the vines are 25 years old, this variety is “only made when we have good grapes,” we are told. This is in the tradition of a white Burgundy, with flavors of spice, pears, and some vanilla. Excellent!

Now we move on to the reds, with a grouping of two cabernet sauvignons and a merlot/cab sauv blend, again facilitating fascinating comparisons.

7) 08 Cabernet Sauvignon $23

The aroma reminds us of one of our favorite NoFo treats: Briermere blackberry pie! Soft, simple, and uncomplicated, this would make a pleasant sipping wine. Good!

8) 08 Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot (plus other grapes) blend $17

Another right bank Bordeaux. We feel this could use more time to age, as it is very soft and dry, with no aroma. Not bad for an everyday Bordeaux, however.

9) 2002 Old Vines Cabernet Sauvignon $40

Yum! The server tells us this wine has had 10 years in the bottle to “calm down,” an interesting way to put it. He also says it could sit another 10-15 years, but we doubt that. We go on to have a discussion of the cabernet sauvignon grape, which, he says, has thicker skins than other grapes, and so needs more time to ripen, meaning that it is also more subject to the vagaries of weather and thus more difficult to work with. They’ve done a good job with this one, which has lots of fruit, an interestingly complicated aroma, but not much tannin. Though expensive, this could be worth the price.

The last grouping pairs two merlots.

10) 07 Estate Select Merlot $23

How can a wine smell like coconut suntan lotion? I don’t know, but this one does! Though it is dry, we taste lots of fruit and sense plenty of tannins. We like this one, and buy two bottles, one for a friend and one for us.

11) 02 Old Vines Merlot $55

We sense some of the earthy terroir aroma of the Long Island merlot, but only a little. Again, this is dry, with tastes of black cherry and chocolate. Though good, we don’t think it is worth the price.

Reasons to visit: some good reds, especially the Old Vines Cab and the Estate Select Merlot; the chance to do some comparative tastings across grape types; the Old Vines Chard.

Waters Crest 8/11/12

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with cabernet franc, campagnia rosso, chardonnay, Due Sorelle, merlot, North Fork, rose, Waters Crest, wineaux August 13, 2012

http://www.waterscrestwinery.com/

Waters Crest has probably the worst-located winery on the North Fork, in a strip mall around the corner from the Southold town dump, which is too bad, because their wines are generally quite good. The tasting room is small but pleasant, with a selection of gift items including some cute t-shirts and a cheese tray for $9.99. Jim Waters makes all his own wines, but buys his grapes from local growers, not having his own vineyard. He started as a home winemaker, and, as we’ve learned from talking to other winemakers, that’s often the first step to becoming a professional wine-maker. (The server, Jenny, also tells another couple how Jim was a volunteer at Ground Zero, and after that decided to follow his dream.) We bonded with Jim and his wife on our first visit, when we discovered they had looked at and contemplated buying the house we eventually bought in Mattituck!

The tasting menu now includes all seven of their wines, for $15, or you can buy individual tastes of whites for $2 each or reds for $3 each. We opt to share one tasting.

1) 2011 Rose $24.99

This is a simple and refreshing rose, with a fresh strawberry aroma and taste, fairly tart.

2) 2011 Chardonnay $18.99

Although it is steel fermented, it has some interesting notes of vanilla and caramel which makes us wonder if it spent any time in oak, though Jenny says no. It has a pleasantly lemony finish.

3) 2010 Reserve Chardonnay $25.99

Delicious. A somewhat smoky, mineral aroma makes us wonder how this will taste, but the wine has a nice balance of fruit and is not too oaky. Jenny says it spent 10 months in new French oak barrels.

4) 2008 Merlot $39.99

We get new glasses for the reds, always a nice touch. This is a lovely soft Merlot, with a berry aroma and dark plum flavor, without too much of the North Fork dirt flavor. Not much in the way of tannins.

5) Due Sorelle $34.99

Two sisters–named for the Waters’ daughters Michelle and Lauren–combines two wines, Merlot and Cabernet Franc to good effect, with lots of yummy pepper and fruit flavors including cherry. Mild and mellow, this is dry despite the good fruit flavors.

6) 2008 Campagnia Rosso $49.99

This is a right bank Bordeaux blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot. The aroma is somewhat funky and off-putting (earthworm?) though the taste is better than the aroma. However, it is not our favorite of the wines.

7) 2007 Cabernet Franc Grand Vin $39.99

Though the aroma of this is also somewhat earthy, the flavor is excellent, lots of ripe fruit with some mineral on the finish. We buy a bottle!

Reasons to visit: some nice wines, especially the 07 Cab Franc Grand Vin and 10 Reserve Chard; intimate setting, with the frequent chance to chat with the owner.

Bedell Cellars 8/7/12

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting, Uncategorized and tagged with bedell, cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, first crush, gallery, merlot, musee, North Fork, petit verdot, rose, syrah, viognier, wineaux August 9, 2012

http://www.bedellcellars.com/

If someone ever gives an award to a winery for attention to design, Bedell should get it. From the pretty flower-surrounded parking lot to the attractive type-face of their signs to the arty labels on their wines, it is clear that someone is paying attention to appearance, and doing it very well. The tasting room is well-designed, and the outside veranda lovely. Even the servers wear a “uniform”–checked shirts with the Bedell logo. Happily, the wines are equally well-designed! We are here on a warm late summer afternoon with our daughter, son-in-law, and a now 14-month-old distraction, so not all of my notes are as comprehensive as they could be. However, many of the technical details of their wines are readily available on their web page.

There are two tasting options (as well as the usual ability to buy wines by the glass or the bottle): The Estate tasting includes 5 wines from their lower priced line for $10, while the Premium tasting gives you 5 tastes of their higher priced wines for $15. We opt for one flight per couple, with one pair trying the premium and the other the estate so we can taste all ten wines. The pour is small, but since we are there at the end of the day (4:30), a couple of times we get the benefit of a little extra to empty a bottle! The servers are very knowledgeable and pleasant, and we also enjoy chatting with another young couple with a baby in tow, and our granddaughter enjoys meeting the calm and very friendly golden lab who is allowed into the room just to say hello.

Estate Tasting:

1) 2010 First Crush White $18

This is a mostly steel-fermented blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling that is light and tart and refreshing. The aroma is of mineral and chalk, and the fruit is subtle but there, with a pleasant dryness.

2) 2011 Chardonnay $25

The server explains that this wine spends some time in neutral oak barrels (in other words, in barrels that have already been used for previous fermentations, and so have lost much of their oaky taste) in order to give the wine a better texture, and indeed, it does have a pleasant mouth feel. The tasting notes also point out that beach stones are used in the casks, which we learn help to keep the cask full. How much, if anything, they do for the flavor is debatable. The flavor is pleasantly citrusy.

3) 2011 Taste Rose $18

This is a light, fairly nondescript blend of Merlot, Cab Franc and Cab Sauv. Can’t compete with Croteaux’s roses.

4) 2010 First Crush Red $18

This is a Beaujolais Nouveau style of light red, and would be nice slightly chilled with a roast chicken. The aroma has some of that North Fork earthiness, but it tastes better than it smells.

5) 2009 Merlot $20

Nice berry aroma, and a typical Long Island Merlot, though without the earth flavor that is sometimes too prevalent.

Premium Tasting

1) 2011 Sparkling Rose $35

This is NOT a champagne-style sparkling wine, but rather one made by injecting CO2 into the tanks. It is a refreshing blend of Cab Sauv, Cab Franc, and Merlot, but tastes a bit too much like a pink soda to me.

2) 2011 Viognier $35

Winner! This is a delicious white with lots of citrus and pleasing amount of complexity, despite a somewhat funky aroma. Since I have no earlier notes on this wine, my guess is it is a new one for Bedell.

3) 2010 Gallery $40

The Viognier grape also appears in this blend, which adds Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc to the mix. The aroma reminds me of lemon candy, and the taste has a sweetness of ripe fruit to it, but it is a pleasant wine.

4) 2010 Taste Red $35

Yum. The server notes that this was aged for 12 months, and is a Bordeaux-style blend of Merlot, Syrah, Petit Verdot, Cab Franc, and Malbec. The aroma is intensely berry berry, and the taste is lovely, with lots of fruit but dry. Good tannins.

5) Musee $75 (!)

This rather pricey wine is also a Bordeaux blend, with an aroma of coffee and plum. It spends 14 months in a combination of oak and old oak, and is a blend of Merlot, Cab Sauv, and Petit Verdot. Though it is a good wine, with some complexity and good fruit flavor and a nice finish, we feel it is not worth the price.

Our son-in-law buys the First Crush Red, a good choice, we all agree.

Reasons to visit: beautiful room and attractive labels; good though expensive wines; First Crush Red.

NoFo Wineaux

Wine notes from Long Island's North Fork

Tag Archives: chardonnay