Tag Archives: merlot

Pellegrini: Post Tumbleweed Tuesday

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September 12, 2025

The Pellegrini tasting room is certainly quiet. Except for a few locals picking up their quarterly shipments, we had it to ourselves. By the way, note the very comfortable chairs!

“Tumbleweed Tuesday” refers to the day after Labor Day, when, supposedly, the tourists leave the East End and locals can once again plan their chores without worrying about being unable to make a left turn.  When my mother lived in Sag Harbor, she was invited to a beach party on such a Tuesday, where a tourist was burned in effigy, signaling her acceptance as a full-time resident. As far as I know, there is no such custom on the North Fork.  Anyway, though the crowds have certainly decreased, fall is still a busy time out here, what with all sorts of festivals (I’m looking at you Harbes…), apple and pumpkin picking, corn mazes, and winery events.  I make sure to stay close to home on Columbus Day weekend!

However, it was certainly quiet in the Pellegrini Winery tasting room on this beautiful September afternoon.  We had gone there to pick up our wine club shipment, but when we arrived the place was empty, though the door was propped open.  Hmmm…But after a moment, Tammy came in, apologizing.  She had been serving some people who were sitting outside.  We quickly collected our three bottles, and then picked out a tasting featuring all three, so we could see if we wanted to order more of any of them.

Our quarterly selection.

Tammy brought the tray of tastings to our table, with two little bags of oyster crackers.  The standard tasting is four pours for $20, your choice out of the fifteen wines on the form.  The glasses are carefully perched atop each choice.  As we sipped, we listened to some Italian-ish music, which reminded us of one of our favorite movies, Big Night.  It’s a brilliant film about an Italian restaurant which is struggling to survive in1950s New Jersey while staying true to their authentic cuisine.  I love the scene where the chef is outraged that a couple insist on getting a “side” of spaghetti with their risotto.

Our flight.
  • 2023 REJOYCE                 $26.99

This is a blend, named for one of the owners, of 52% chardonnay and 48% sauvignon blanc.  I’ve liked it in the past, but I’m not crazy about this iteration.  It has a lovely aroma of baked pears and citrus, but the taste is a bit too what my mother-in-law would have described as “sharp.”  Maybe too acid?  It would, however, work well with seafood in a cream sauce, on top of pasta.  (That music is getting me to think about food!)

Some information about wine club membership.
  •  Steakhouse Red            $22.99

Wineries often have undated blends, which means they are free to mix various vintages and types as needed for the taste they want.  This is a blend of 72% cabernet sauvignon and 28% merlot, and is meant to be a casual pasta or hamburger wine. Or steak, I suppose, though I’d want a wine with more depth to stand up to a big steak.  This has a pleasant aroma of tobacco and berries, but is quite light.  Nice, but not exciting.

  •  2018 Merlot      $32.99

We opted to get “reds only” in our shipments—we could have opted for a mix or whites only—because we generally feel Pellegrini has some of the better reds on the North Fork.  We really like the North Fork Project Merlot, made by Pellegrini, one of the best wine bargains on the East End, with three one liter bottles for $36.  We like that better than this, pricier, merlot, which is 2% cabernet sauvignon and which my tasting buddy describes as “Meh.”  Not bad, but just okay.  I could see it with roast chicken.  It is dry, with some hints of cherry.   

  • 2020 Vinter’s Pride Encore         $49.99

When I tell my husband they want fifty dollars for this wine, he says, “They won’t get $50 from me!”  I refrain from pointing out that they already more or less have, since it is in our shipment, but I have hope.  I plan to put it in the cellar, hoping it will improve with age.  This is another blend, 60% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot, and 10% petit verdot.   It has a slightly funky aroma, with some blackberry and cedar, and the taste is good, of dark fruits and figs, though again, not exciting.  Dry, dark fruits, and enough depth to complement Pasta Bolognese, or, as they suggest, a rib-eye steak (I once got great rib-eye steaks at 8 Hands.).  Ooh.  Time to go home for supper!

Reasons for going:  quiet tasting room, with some outside tables as well; the reds in general, though we were underwhelmed today; you can bring your own snacks, in case you want more than a little bag of oyster crackers; the North Fork Project wines, which feature merlot, chardonnay, and rosé, three big bottles for $30 or 36, a definite bargain.

A box of North Fork Project wine.

Rose Hill Vineyards and Inn: Celebratory Weekend       July 6, 2025

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The logo reminds me of Gertrude Stein’s poem, “Rose is a rose is a rose.”

It had been a busy weekend. Aside from it being the Fourth of July, a family member was celebrating one of those “big” birthdays, and we had a large gathering at our home on Saturday, so on Sunday, the actual birthday, we wanted to go somewhere close to home and quiet.  We also had a few other requirements to meet the needs of our guests: dog friendly, okay for children, good wines, roomy enough to seat eight, and somewhere they hadn’t been before.  Rose Hill fit perfectly, plus, being somewhat off the main wine route, we knew it would be quiet, even on this July 4th weekend.  Our guests had been to the location when it was Shinn, but not since the new owners and the renovation.  So off we went to Oregon Road (so-named, according to one local, because it was so remote “it might as well be in Oregon”).

In addition to the patio, they have seating out on the lawn.

We were greeted by a very friendly young man, who quickly assessed our group and showed us to a table on the shady patio, where we felt quite comfortable despite the warm day.  One member of our group, who had spent some years on the West Coast, opined that the patio had a “California vibe,” with its natural wood, flowers, and relaxed feel.  There is also a gift shop, inside a building where one pays one’s tab.  Two young shoppers assessed the offerings as “cute but pricey.”

Some of the gift shop offerings, plus a view of the patio.

The youngsters were supplied with their own bottle of fizzy pink lemonade ($15), which they quite enjoyed, and we ordered roasted spiced nuts (not spicy) and olives for the table, medium-sized bowls for $12 each. Meanwhile, we perused the menu (accessed through a QR code on the table) for the tasting options.   

In addition to the sparkling water, free carafes of cool tap water are supplied.

Rose Hill (named for a street the owners had lived on) offers three flights: Summer, Classic, and Red, each featuring five wines for $30.  My husband and I decided to share the Summer flight, one guest also chose that one, and another decided on the Classic Flight (a third couple had already been to a couple of tastings, so they opted to share a glass of the Brut Rosé and a bottle of Saratoga sparkling water).

This is a screen shot, so it is a bit blurry!

Cat, our charming and efficient waitress, brought out the flights, pointed out the tasting notes below each glass, and we began.  Of course, as happens when we do a tasting with friends, there was a lot of conversation not related to wines, so my comments might be a bit brief.  I’ll go through our selections first.

  • 2024 Palmilla   $34

First and best!  This is a blend, primarily of chardonnay, plus albariño, gewürztraminer, and a little semillon, which I only know because someone (an owner?) stopped by our table, so I was able to ask.  Anyway, we all like it, noting an aroma of pineapple and other tropical fruits, and a flavor of pineapple and mango, plus some citrus.   

  • 2024 Concrete Blonde                $48

I happen to know that the name refers to aging in a concrete “egg,” rather that wood or steel, which tends to give wines more depth.  In this case, the sauvignon blanc is very light, with a faint aroma of earth or clay, and some herbal flavors.  My tasting buddy likes it better than I do.

The Summer Flight: one always tastes from left to right.
  • 2024 Riesling                   $28

“Off dry” means the wine is not dry, but happily this wine, though a bit sweet, is not too sweet to sip, though I think I would prefer it paired with a nice plate of Pad Thai.  Good.

  • 2024 Grüner      $28

Though One Woman’s Grüner is one of my favorite North Fork wines, this tastes quite different.  The assessment at the table is “A lot of people would not like this wine, but we do!”  It is interesting, very herbal, with an aroma that combines spice with a touch of menthol, almost medicinal.  It would pair well with a cheese tray, like the one I assembled for our party, with some of Love Lane Cheese Store’s delicious offerings, including their truffled brie, Cambazola blue, Mimolette, a smoky Gouda, and Catapano’s cranberry flavored goat cheese.

  • 2024 Rose Hill Rosé      $34

This is a just okay rosé, made from merlot, dry, with the expected strawberry aromas and flavor.  A nice dish of pasta with shrimp would pair well with it.

Now to the Classic Flight, of which I had small sips.

The Classic Flight.
  • 2022 Brut Rosé                       $48       

This is mildly bubbly, with some nice yeasty aromas and a bit of a bready taste.  Pleasant.  It is primarily chardonnay, with some pinot noir, which gives it the pink tinge.

  • 2024 Coalescence                 $28

Shinn had a wine they called Coalescence, which I really liked.  This one was judged “forgettable” by my table mates, though I thought it was okay.  It’s a blend of sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, riesling, semillon, and pinot blanc.

  • 2023 Chardonnay                  $34

There are a LOT of chardonnays on the North Fork, and I would choose some of those over this one, which is assessed as “meh.”

  • 2023 Mojo                 $34

This is a very light red, an unoaked cabernet franc, with tastes of pomegranate and berries and a touch of earthiness.  Nice.

  • 2022 Wild Boar Doe              $52

Say the name out loud, and you will realize that this is a Bordeaux-style blend (merlot, cabernet sauvignon, petit verdot, and malbec).  It is also our other favorite of the day, which one guest describes as “juicy and delicious,” and another as “a star.”  Lots of dark fruit taste, with some notes of spice and figs.  Yum.

Our “well-behaved” dog, who was allowed on the patio–and attracted several pats, as well as the attention of a couple of other dogs who passed by.

Reasons to visit:  pleasant setting off the beaten track; dogs allowed on the patio, though not inside; standard menu of snacks; the Palmilla and the Wild Boar Doe, in particular, though we also liked the Grüner; they have an inn, in case you want to stay the night.

Paumanok Winery: The Perks of Being a Local

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http://www.paumanok.com

June 6, 2025

We entered here, and then were shown to the deck.

Yes, there are many perks to being a local on the North Fork: the plethora of farm stands spring through fall; the closeness to the seashore; the friendly neighbors; sightings of deer, turkeys, egrets, bunnies, and even groundhogs; and more, but one of my favorites is being able to pop out to a winery whenever one wants.  And this past week we discovered a good reason to head out to a tasting, because many of the wineries were offering special deals for “Locals Week,” from free tastings to a free glass of wine.  So the question was, where to go?  Mother Nature solved one part of the conundrum for us, by giving us a beautiful, warm, sunny day (We went from having the heat on to turning on the A/C almost overnight.), meaning sitting outside was a good idea.  Then I decided we needed to go somewhere that served lunch, and Paumanok seemed perfect.

So off we went.  We walked into the tasting room, where Lily greeted us enthusiastically and quickly showed us to a table on the wooden deck overlooking the vineyard.  There were a few other couples enjoying the day, the wine, and lunch, and we were happy to join them.  A slight breeze made the temperature perfect.  We told our server we were getting the “Locals” tasting, and she set us up with three tastes each in little carafes, with a round-bottomed glass into which to pour each wine: a white, a rosé, and a red.  She also gave us a bottle of chilled water and a water glass, welcome on this warm afternoon.

We sat at the table just outside the doors.

What would we like for lunch?  We contemplated the charcuterie platter, which came with a baguette, or individual cheeses, or hummus, but then were attracted to the sandwiches.  My tasting buddy chose the “Figgy Piggy”—prosciutto, melted brie, sliced apples, and fig jam—while I opted for “The Goat”—Old Chatham goat cheese, roasted red peppers, olive tapenade (which turned out to be sliced olives, but still good), and balsamic glaze, served with a little pile of cornichons and a bag of North Fork Potato Chips ($24 each).  Both sandwiches were delicious, but if we come again we would probably just order one sandwich, since we both took home half of ours.  They are big!

The Goat.
The Figgy Piggy

We took our time, sipping the wines and discussing which one went best with each sandwich, enjoying the afternoon.  We were feeling so mellow that we took home two bottles each of all three wines!  Lily asked if we wanted to join the wine club, but after careful consideration we decided that we belonged to enough wine clubs already.

  •  2023 Festival Chardonnay        $24

Happily for me, this is a steel-fermented chard, with some interesting characteristics.  It smells piney, and even tastes a bit like pine, plus the usual citrus taste one expects.  I also felt it smelled a bit like lemon candy, with a touch of funk.  Not your ordinary North Fork chard.  My husband dubbed it “likeable.”  I also felt it went well with both sandwiches.  I used to automatically pair cheeses and meats with reds, but I have come to feel that charcuterie and soft cheeses go best with whites or rosés. 

The wines. The rosé has a particularly pretty label.
  • 2024 Dry Rosé                 $28

Lily was eager to tell us about this rosé, since it was new to the tasting menu and she was quite enthusiastic about it.  With good cause.  It is a delicious blend of 52% merlot, plus cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, and pinot noir.  Though it has some of the expected strawberry aroma and taste, I also taste cranberries or raspberries and maybe some tart apple, like Winesap. It goes particularly well with the potato chips!  She also tells us about the history of the Massoud family, how they started in Lebanon, where it was illegal to buy wine, but not to ferment it oneself.  After making their own wine for a few years, they decided to emigrate to the United States, and settled on the North Fork in 1983 to found their winery.  They now also own Palmer, and continue to live on the Paumanok property.

The flight. This is a nice set-up if one wants to share a tasting.
  • 2022 Festival Red          $24

This is, according to Lily, lighter than their other reds, and she described it as a “barbeque” wine.  It is certainly priced for casual drinking.  This is a 50/50 blend of merlot and cabernet sauvignon (although the web site describes it as a different blend), with some tobacco and cherry aromas, not much tannins, and very easy to drink.  “Smooth,” opines my buddy.

Reasons to visit:  comfortable deck overlooking the vines; we liked all three wines we tried; a nice menu of snacks and substantial sandwiches; dogs allowed during the week. 

Pellegrini: ‘Tis the Season

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December 12, 2024

If you’d never been to Pellegrini, you might think those flying cherubs were part of the Christmas decorations, like the stockings hung from the rafters and the poinsettias on the tables, but they are always there.  We know this because we belong to the Pellegrini wine club, and so find ourselves visiting the tasting room with some regularity—like the couple we saw at a nearby table, who had come, like us, to pick up their winter shipment, and were quietly enjoying a glass of wine.

We had a dual mission on this visit—to pick up our wines (we belong to the “red only” group), and order cases of wine to send as gifts.  In order to select which wines to send, we picked out a tasting of six wines, and sat ourselves down to share the tasting (we could have gotten two, but sharing one is fine by us) and make some decisions.  As usual, the tasting came with a little bag of oyster crackers, useful for clearing the palate between sips.

To order a tasting, simply circle your choices on this sheet. The wines will then come on a tray atop the chosen types.
  • 2022 Sauvignon Blanc                 $26.99

I figured we’d like this, since we have in the past—though that’s not always true—and we did.  The aroma is floral, and the wine has pleasant notes of mineral and fruit—maybe apricot?  It would go well with oysters or other seafood, but nothing too hearty.  Yes, into the cases.

Our tasting. It’s a fairly generous pour.
  • 2023 ReJoyce                   $26.99

Named for one of the owners, this is a blend of 52% chardonnay and 48% sauvignon blanc.  The aroma clearly echoes the floral note of the 100% sauvignon blanc, plus some fruit.  We decide the word for this one is “yummy,” as the minerality if the sb is tempered by the fruit of the chardonnay.  One could sip it as an aperitif, or with charcuterie. 

The deer head is always there, but not with the Santa cap!
  • 2023 Rosé          $24.99

Though rosé is often seen as a summer wine, I see no reason not to drink it all year long.  This one is made from 100% cabernet sauvignon grapes, and has typical aromas and flavor of strawberries.  It is dry, but not austere, with also some pink grapefruit taste.  I could see drinking this with Chinese take-out. “Nice,” opines my tasting buddy.

  • 2017 Merlot       $32.99

Although this is a bit of a blend, it is mostly merlot—85%, plus 10% cabernet sauvignon and 5% petit verdot.  Merlot is a very popular grape on the North Fork, and this is a fairly straightforward example of the genre, with tastes and aromas of cherries.  It is rather light, with no depth.  We decide we prefer the North Fork Project merlot, a wine also made by Pellegrini, which comes in a large bottle, one liter as opposed to the usual 750 ml.  We’ll put that in the cases instead.

  • Steakhouse Red             $22.99

Another blend, this is 72% cabernet sauvignon and 28% merlot.  We smell dark fruits, including cherry, and a bit of tobacco aroma from the oak it was aged in.  It is good and dry, and would be nice with pasta or pizza.

  • 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon          $24.99

Like the merlot, this is also a blend, though this time almost all cabernet sauvignon:  94%, plus 4% merlot 181 (the number indicates the clone) and 2% cabernet franc.  This is a wine I might put aside for a couple of years to age, as I think it would improve over time.  It has that brambly blackberry taste of cabernet sauvignon.  It is dry, and definitely needs to go with food.  We finish off the crackers…

Though the vines are bare, I think they have their own wintery beauty.

Reasons to visit:  low-key tasting room, with no limo or bus crowds; consistently good wines, with some of the better reds on the North Fork; you can bring your own snacks, which is becoming a rarity.  By the way, the letter that came with our winter pick-up commented that the warm, dry fall meant that this has the potential to be a stellar year for North Fork wines. “Grape vines originated in the desert, and can handle drought conditions quite well…we had an unbelievable combination of ripening, high sugars, and balancing acidity…the 2024 reds and whites have the potential to be reserve quality.”

Our quarterly shipment.

Osprey’s Dominion: It’s a Party!

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October 5, 2024

One view of the expansive lawn, with the musicians in the distance.

Where do you go when your guests would like to do a tasting, but the party includes a six-year-old and a three-year-old?  Fortunately, the weather was warm and sunny, which increased our options, because being outside is best with little ones.  We thought about Old Field, but we’d been there last summer, and this family loves music.  Aha.  Osprey’s Dominion offers a large outside area, plus they usually have music on the weekend, they let you bring your own snacks, and we like their wines (which, the six-year-old observed, was probably the most important part—smart little kid!).

So off we went on this busy four-day weekend, passing winery after winery that looked crowded.  Osprey’s was no exception, but we pulled around to the back parking area where we were directed by a genial traffic guy to join a line of cars parked on the grass.  The scene before us looked like a party, with many tables filled with happy people, eating snacks they’d brought and listening to the music of a small band (just two people, but they sounded like more).  Dogs and children abounded and bounded.  Could we find a table in the shade?  We did!  Leaving most of the group to hold the table, two of us ventured forth.  At the gazebo in the middle of the lawn they offered wine by the glass or bottle, so we continued on inside, where it was much more sedate.  The busy servers handed us a menu, and soon were ready to help.

Tastings consist of four samples for $18, chosen from their extensive lists.  There are eight whites, plus one rosé, and ten reds.  We decided to do two tastings, shared, with four whites and four reds, which we marked on sheets sporting four circles, just the right size for a little plastic cup of wine.  We requested two extra cups, and carefully carried the tray back to our table, where the little ones had discovered the bag of potato chips and the fruit we’d brought.  (If I’d thought carefully, I would have brought more snacks, though Osprey does offer a little menu of snacks one can buy.) 

We doled out equal shares of each sample—just enough for a couple of sips each—and as we sat and chatted the little ones ran around and danced to the music.

Inside, it was much calmer.
  • 2023 Fumé Blanc           $24

In case you’re wondering, fumé blanc is sauvignon blanc that has been aged in oak.  This one has an aroma of pineapple and tastes of grapefruit.  It is good and tart.

  • 2022 Unwooded Chardonnay                  $22

This ended up being our favorite white of the day, a pleasant chard with aromas of pear and a slight funkiness.  It tastes crisp, with slight fruitiness, and is, according to one guest, a “perfect chicken wine.”

One bit of the large circular bar.
  •  2021 Gewürztraminer        $25

Lovely aroma of honeysuckle and spice made this a wine we let the six-year-old smell—not taste!—as we discussed how you are never supposed to say a wine smells or tastes like grapes.  Well, sometimes they do!  One guest compared the taste to prickly pear.  I say apple-y and pineapple-y.

  • 2021 Riesling    $25

“This would be a good lunch wine,” opined one guest, to which the other wondered when she had last had wine with lunch.  It has a floral aroma, maybe roses, plus a woodsy cedar smell.  The taste is mild, a bit sweet, though this is a dry riesling.

Our two flights. Note that they will place the wines in the order in which you list them, so be careful to list them in a good order for tasting, from lightest to strongest.
  • 2017 Cabernet Franc    $27

Now we move on to the reds, after a couple of palate-cleansing potato chips.  We don’t detect much aroma, though there is a trace of cinnamon and cigar, maybe herbs.  I taste red plums.  This was a great year for plums in the farm stands, though the season was too short for me.  I did get to make one plum tart.

  • 2015 Meritage “Flight”  $35

Delicious aroma of cherries, and, said one of us, “smells grape-y.”  We decided it was “promising,” but needs to age some more, since it is very tannic.  This is a Bordeaux blend.

  • 2016 Carmenere             $25

According to the wine list, Osprey is the only winery to grow this grape on Long Island.  Too bad, because it makes a nice wine.  We smell cut grass and crushed ferns, and note a cherry licorice taste, plus blackberry and a hint of pepper.  I think it would be a good burger wine, and one guest suggests a hearty beef stew.  Yep, that would work.

  • 2019 Malbec     $27

Another favorite, this has aromas of plums and spice and is dry yet has plenty of fruit.  Pork braciole, suggests a guest. Why not!

Reasons to visit: plenty of good wines at reasonable prices, but especially the Unwooded Chardonnay and the Malbec; the Richmond Creek line is particularly well priced; dogs allowed; outside snacks allowed; casual party atmosphere outside, with music on many weekends; good place if you have children in your group (even inside, where the room is large enough for them).

Raphael Winery: On a Rainy Day

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September 27, 2024

I love how the building looks like it flew over from Tuscany.

We had had a lovely run of warm, sunny days, which, I have been told, is weather vineyard managers like as harvest season begins.  However, this Thursday dawned cloudy, with drizzles forecast for the day, so we needed to think carefully about where to bring our visitors.  No sitting outside, which meant several wineries we had been thinking of were not possible.  Then we remembered that one visitor has Italian roots, and the other French, so we decided to take them first to Raphael, which looks like it was plucked out of Tuscany and dropped on Main Road, and then to Bistro Demarchelier in Greenport. Both choices worked out well!

The back bar.

At Raphael we were greeted by a sign telling us to check in at the “back bar,” which we did, and were told we could choose any table.  We decided on one next to the windows that look out onto the vineyard.  Quickly, a server brought us bottles of Poland Spring water and menus.  As our guests admired the view and the large room (Did they have events here?  Oh yes, I always check their website if I want to come here, to be sure they are not closed for a wedding or other party.), we looked over the menu, which offers six different flights.   Flights include all white, all chardonnay, all red, mixed, mixed premium, and premium red.  After some discussion, we decided to both get the mixed premium, of four wines for $35, so we could sample various types of wine and compare notes. 

Did we want any food?  There’s a fairly substantial list of options, from pizzas to sliders, but we had just had lunch (Taking advantage of the fall bounty at the farm stands, I had served a Caprese salad and melon with prosciutto, among other items.), so we declined.  Instead, the server brought us a little plate of water crackers, a nice touch, with our flights.  I forgot to take a picture of the flight, but there was plenty of wine to share.  

As we drank, we discussed the price of the wine, and why wine aged in oak costs more.  I mentioned the “angel’s share,” the idea that the wine which evaporates through the pores of the oak goes to the angels, and our friend said that’s why he wants to go to heaven—to share the angel’s share.  It would be nice if there was a special place reserved in heaven for winemakers and wine drinkers. 

  • 2020 First Label Sauvignon Blanc          $40

Aged in oak, this sauvignon blanc reminded our friend of a white Bordeaux.  It is mellow, not overly oaky, with an aroma of grass and crushed fern.  I think someone who normally found sauvignon blancs too citrusy or “sharp,” as a friend used to say, would like it.  It would go with sole meuniere, opined our friend.

We cleared our palates with these water crackers.
  • 2021 First Label Chardonnay    $50

Oaky? Yes indeed, not my favorite type of chardonnay.  It has an aroma of vanillin and lots of butterscotch taste.  One friend, who doesn’t like many wines, likes this one.  It’s okay, as well as oaky, jokes the other.  Maybe it would go well with charcuterie, but it’s not a wine I would choose to buy.

Oops, I forgot to take a picture until we were almost done!
  • 2019 La Fontana            $45

Named for the lovely fountain out in front of the tasting room, this is a blend of 33% merlot, 25% petit verdot, 17% cabernet sauvignon, 16% cabernet franc, and 9% malbec.  The wine is also lovely, with aromas of plums and berries and a pleasantly fruity taste, though light on tannins, the type of red one could pair with roast chicken.  We like it.

In nice weather, this veranda is a pleasant place to sit. Not today!
  • 2019 Primo        $86

Whew, that’s pricy for out here!  Another blend, this is 60% merlot, 20% petit verdot, 15% malbec, and 5% cabernet franc.  The oak aging is evident in the aroma, which has that tobacco/cigarette aroma one often gets.  I think it also smells a bit like green olives.  It has some depth, with dark fruit tastes, and tannins that make me think it could be better a bit more aged. 

Pretty room.

Reasons to visit:  attractive large space, with a pretty veranda in back; pleasant service, including free bottles of water and a plate of crackers; the First Label Sauvignon Blanc and La Fontana; they have a classy gift shop; more substantial menu of food items than many other places.  It’s also nice to visit during the holiday season, when it is even more decorated than it usually is. Oh, and in case you’re wondering, no Ninja Turtles here!

Suhru and Lieb: A Successful Blend

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September 13, 2024

The merger is so new, they don’t have a permanent sign yet.

It has been a beautiful week, so when our friends the winery aficionados texted us and asked if we would like to do a tasting, we quickly said yes.  We were delighted to hear we’d be going to Lieb, since we hadn’t been there since February 2020, and we were curious to see if anything had changed since Russell Hearn et al bought the winery recently.  Hearn has been the winemaker for Lieb since 1993, and he also had his own label, Suhru, with an intimate tasting room on Main Road.  Now the two labels are combined into one location, on bucolic Oregon Road, right across the street from Oregon Road Organics.

View of Oregon Road Organics. I’ll have to check it out some day.

At the moment, the tasting menu has four options.  One is just for Lieb Estate wines, another for just Suhru label wines, and two others that mix and match the two.  In addition, our very knowledgeable and chatty server, Nate, told us we could sub any particular wine in or out of a list. Our friend is a member of the Lieb wine club, and was entitled to two free tastings, so we deferred to him.  He decided to get the Lieb Estate flight, and we decided it would be fun to follow suit, so we could compare opinions.  You get five tastes for $30 (if you’re not in the wine club!).

Nate informed us that in the future they will be editing these lists, to remove redundancies, and will probably use the Suhru label for some experimentation.

I always appreciate it when they serve a bottle of water.

After deciding on our flights, we turned our attention to the food menu, since it was lunch time.  They have a well-curated list of cheeses and “accoutrements,” so we chose the 4 ounce serving of Beemster cheese, a well-aged Gouda from the Netherlands ($16), the smoked trout ($18), and Marcona almonds ($6).  The food came out tastefully arranged on trays:  a generous serving of cheese, plenty of crackers, a fillet of pink smoked trout, plus a scattering of dried apricots.  Nate also brought us a bottle of nice cold water to share.

As we sipped and munched, we admired the beautiful setting, the warm day, and the pleasant patio where we sat and chatted.  One topic was whether or not it made sense to grow pinot noir grapes on Long Island, since apparently they don’t do as well as other varietals.  That means wine made here from them may be more expensive than it’s worth, which led to a discussion of the issue of price and value.  I was thinking about merlot, one of the most prevalent grapes on the North Fork, local wine from which can be priced anywhere from about $11 to $75, or more.  What makes one cost more than the other, and is it worth the difference? 

The flight, with plenty of wine for sharing.
  •  2021 Sparkling Pinot Blanc       $58

It always feels very festive to start with a sparkler, so we clinked glasses and sipped.  Nice aroma of ripe peaches, lots of fizzy small bubbles, good fruit flavors and not sweet.  One friend commented that it was “good for celebratory occasions.” Good beginning!

  •  2022 Pinot Blanc           $26

The aroma of this one is similar to the previous wine, but the taste is very light.  I think it would be overwhelmed by any strongly flavored food. 

The interior looks similar, but I remember some comfy couches the last time we were there.
  • 2021 Cabernet Franc                   $35

We got into a discussion of the various types of oak used for wine barrels—American, French, Hungarian—and I found it interesting to learn that each one has different characteristics, which influences how the wine aged in it tastes.  So much to learn about wine-making!  In any event, this is a “smooth” easy-to-drink red, with not much tannins.  Not much fruit, either.

  • 2020 Merlot       $30

Despite what the movie “Sideways” opined, I like merlots, and this one is a fairly typical North Forker, with cherry aroma and flavor, and some light tannins.  Very nice.

  • 2020  Meritage                 $50

“Meritage” means this is a Bordeaux blend, and it is my favorite of the day.  Lots of dark plum and mixed berry flavor, some tannins.  Yummy.

Our extras!

Extra!  We decide, since there are still some munchies, and the day is so fine, to get a bottle of something else, and take home whatever we don’t finish.  Nate brings us three little samples and an extra cup, so we can decide.  We try the Suhru cabernet franc, the Lieb cab franc, and a syrah (which may be the Suhru shiraz, which is the same grape by a different name).  The syrah is just okay—not enough depth for me.  But, surprisingly, since our friend and I often have different tastes in wine, we both like the Suhru cab franc, which has a hint of green pepper at the end.  We decide that the most important question when choosing a wine is, “Do I like this?”  We like it.

Reasons to visit:  location off the beaten track, with no limos or buses allowed; beautiful bucolic setting, with a comfy patio and pleasant tasting room; the sparking pinot blanc, the Meritage, and the Suhru cabernet franc; nice selection of cheeses and nibbles.

That’s quite an array of options.

Bridge Lane: Sunshine and Rainbows

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , ,

August 30, 2024

Though Bridge Lane is close to where we live, we hadn’t been there since 2021, so when a nice afternoon with no plans presented itself, we decided to head there.  It’s been a frustrating summer for weather, sometimes too hot, other times too cold, and surprisingly rainy.  I’ve turned off my automatic sprinkling system several times, figuring why pay for water (and deplete the aquifer), when Mother Nature is being so generous.  But this Labor Day weekend afternoon was sunny and warm, without being too warm, so off we went.

The tasting room is on the corner of Sound Avenue and Cox Neck Road, but is screened from the traffic with vegetation and walls, making the outside rainbow-striped tables feel sheltered.  We were the only ones there for a while, until a large family arrived, bearing children and picnic food.  They apologized for invading “our” space! 

On this quiet afternoon we entered the small tasting room and ordered a single tasting to be shared, and the pleasant young women behind the bar quickly filled six glasses (for $18, up only three dollars since three years ago) on a tray, and handed it to us to bring outside ourselves.  One interesting feature here is that five of the six, excepting only the pinot noir, were filled from taps, not bottles.  Which reminds me to mention that wine here can be ordered by the glass, can, bottle, box, or, believe it or not, keg, which gives me a whole new image of a kegger (rosé for a bachelorette party?).  Last time we were here, our guests bought a couple of boxes to take home, and seemed happy with their purchase. 

Unlike in the past, they now offer snacks for sale, a “sweet board” and a “salty board,” both featuring an array of snacks for $28, plus the ubiquitous bags of North Fork potato chips (great chips, by the way).  They still allow outside food, and pups are welcome at the outside tables if kept leashed. By the way, right across Cox Neck is a little shopping center, featuring a deli and a gourmet take-out food shop, and perhaps some day, if it ever opens, a pizza place.  (Check the hours for Wendy’s Deli and Ali Katz, since neither is open every day.)

Note that there are a couple of non-alcoholic beverages for the designated driver, etc.

Having just had lunch, we skipped the snacks and carried our tray of tastes outside, to sit at one of the rainbow-striped picnic tables, nicely shaded by an umbrella, and began our tasting. Music of the “Margaritaville” genre played softly in the background. 

Each glass sat atop a brief description of the wine inside it.  All the wines are $20 per bottle.

  •  White Merlot

But, you may object, isn’t merlot a red wine grape?  Yes, indeed it is, but if you don’t let the juice ferment with the skin, you can get white or rosé, depending on how much contact with the skin it has.  This was actually our favorite of the day, a light, pleasant white, with an aroma of citrus and honeysuckle.  I think it tastes like pink grapefruit; a bit acidic but also smooth, says my tasting buddy.  Now if only we had a dozen oysters…

  • Sauvignon Blanc

Another simple wine, with a funky aroma of crushed ferns (trust me on this, I have a whole garden bed full of ferns), neither sweet nor very dry.  I taste pear and lime, though the tasting notes suggest melon.  I’ve recently been enjoying the ripe melons from the farm stand, and this does not taste like any of them.

  • Chardonnay

“I’ve had better,” notes my fellow taster, and I agree.  This is a very light and simple chard, with maybe some Granny Smith apple taste.  Almost no aroma.

The rose on a pink stripe.
  • Rosé

The little label under the glass says, “Notes of guava and peach blossom.”  I’ve never eaten a peach blossom, but I have had guavas.  Maybe an underripe guava?  This is another very light and easy to drink wine.

  • Red Blend

There’s no information as to which wines are in this blend, but I’m pretty sure, given the aroma and taste of cherry, that there’s plenty of merlot in there.  It is dry, with some tannins.  I say I taste plums, but my buddy says, “Plums would be pushing it.”

And a caterpillar on a green stripe!
  • Pinot Noir

This wine has a bit more to it, with tastes of blackberry and pomegranate, quite tannic and dry.  They say strawberry, which I do not taste.  For the price, this is not bad, and if I were to sit here with a slice of pizza (c’mon, pizzeria, open up), this is the wine I’d get.

We did not explore, but there are some games in the background.

Reasons to visit:  low-key pleasant setting; dogs, children, and outside snacks allowed; very reasonable prices; the white merlot and the pinot noir; wines available by the keg(!), or other more conventional containers.

All done! Just the right amount of wine for the two of us.

Main & Mill House: Old House, New Look

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

http://www.mainandmillhouse.com

August 5, 2024

The view from the parking lot.

As we drove past the corner of Main Street and Mill Lane, we noticed a fair amount of construction, plus new vineyards all along Mill, and now we know why.  The owners of Rose Hill and Croteaux are expanding their wine empire with new vines and a new production facility to supply their new tasting room, which is in the 1870-era house that used to be the home of Sherwood House Winery.  Though the layout of the main room is similar to what it had been, with couches flanking a fireplace and a bar along one wall, the look is very different, thanks to Lumber & Salt.  If you have been to other projects of theirs, like the Terra Vite tasting room, you won’t be surprised to learn that the design features re-used architectural elements from other places. 

The fireplace and couches are still in the same spots, but they look quite different.
Past the carafe of water (welcome on this hot day), you can see the new bar.

The outside areas, both front and back, have also been redone, with attractive seating and well-placed umbrellas and sun shades.  However, on this quiet Monday, it was too hot to sit outside, so we opted to sit in a comfortable corner of the tasting room. When we were done we thought about browsing the William Ris Gallery, which is adjacent to the winery, but decided we were ready to head home.

The front seating area.
The back deck.

Our server, Margot, greeted us cheerfully and noted we could sit wherever we chose.  She also pointed out the QR code on the table, which led us to the menu.  They have two tastings, $30 each, of five wines, labeled “Main” and “Mill.”  I could see that some of the wines in each were also available at Croteaux or Rose Hill, so I chose Main, which seemed to have more wines that were new to me, since we had recently been to Rose Hill, and we’ve often been to Croteaux, though not so far this summer. 

They also have a rather eclectic menu of snacks, from $5 for a bag of North Fork potato chips to $90 for “Gourmet Tater Poppers & Caviar,” “crispy tots with Osetra caviar & crème fraiche.”  Really? More practically, they also list several non-alcoholic drinks, including a Shirley Temple.

Another seating area.

The tastes, a fairly generous pour, came in a round tray, with labels under each little glass explaining the wine on top of it.  As we sat and sipped and chatted, Margot made sure to check on us just the right number of times, and answer any questions we had.  Overall, my tasting buddy said he was “not excited” by the offerings.  Nothing was bad, but also nothing made us sit up and take notice. On the other hand, they are new, so we’ll be interested to see how the wines develop over the years.

  1.  2023 Daisy        $38

Our first wine is made from grapes from the new vineyards on Mill Lane, and was actually our favorite of the day.  It is made from sauvignon blanc grapes, and is light, with tastes of citrus and peach, slightly tingly on the tongue.  Surprisingly complex. It would be great with oysters. 

  • 2023 Palmilla   $34

In June we had this wine at Rose Hill, and liked it.  It is a blend of gewürztraminer, albariño, chardonnay, and pinot grigio.  Though it has very little aroma, it has plenty of tropical fruit and orange tastes, and has enough interest to be served as an aperitif wine, perhaps with an array of charcuterie.

The rose.
  • 2022 Merlot 181             $34

The number 181 refers to the clone of merlot used in this Croteaux rosé.  This is a fairly typical rosé, with a faint strawberry aroma and taste, plus some citrus.  Dry.

  • 2022 Rumor      $38

This red, made from cabernet franc, is so light that I wondered if it had been steel fermented, but Margot informed us that it had indeed been oaked, but only briefly.  It has a slight fruit aroma, perhaps of cherry, and a taste of pomegranates.

  • 2021 XXI             $34

No surprise, if you can read Roman numerals, the name of the wine refers to the year it was harvested.  This is a Bordeaux blend, of cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, petit verdot, and malbec, with an aroma of mixed fruits, but not much flavor.  However, it was a bit cold when served, and as it sat it got better, with dark fruit and berry tastes. 

Reasons to visit:  small elegant winery, with ample outside seating and a cozy vibe in the winter; it’s new; you want tater tots with caviar 😊; Daisy and Palmilla.

This is a rather elaborate sculpture/fountain. Not sure if it belongs to the tasting room or the gallery.

Rose Hill Vineyards: Change Can Be Good

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

June 9, 2024

Home

When Rose Hill was Shinn, I liked the somewhat hippie-ish vibe it had, a bit off the beaten path, on Oregon Road (allegedly so named because it was so far away it might as well have been in Oregon—really, it’s not that far).  However, the changes have been improvements, with a lovely shaded patio for outside tastings, plus a much larger indoor room for cold or rainy days.  There’s now a large area of lawn set up with tables as well. 

Roses for Rose Hill

When you enter the parking area from Oregon Road, you will see four parking spots reserved for the overnight guests of the Inn, plus a pebbled lot for everyone else.  The parking used to be around the back, but no more, though that is where you’ll find the entrance to the tasting room.  We were cheerfully greeted by one of several pleasant young women who circulated around the patio, and told we could choose whichever table we liked.  We picked a table for the four of us that was well shaded, and settled down to read the menu, which one acquires via a QR code embedded in the table top. 

The menu offers three different flights:  the Estate Flight, of five varied wines for $30, the Summer Flight, of five whites and a rosé for $30, and a Red Flight of five reds, also $30.  We decided we would get the Estate and Summer flights, as there was no overlap, and requested extra glasses so we could share the generous tastes.  We also ordered a sparkling pink lemonade for our designated driver, which he said was quite good. 

We assumed this is an outside bar, which can be used in the summer if it gets crowded.

Since it was lunchtime, we also perused the menu of “Light Bites,” and settled on the Mediterranean Board, for $32, thinking if it was not enough food we might order something else.  However, as it happened, the serving of three dips—a hummus, a goat cheese and sweet red pepper puree, and a yogurt somewhat like a tzatziki—with toasted pita triangles and some breadsticks, plus black and green olives, was plenty, especially since we asked for and got some additional pita triangles when, as so often happens, we ran out of dippers before dips.  We liked all three very much.

Somehow I forgot to take a photo of the dips, but here are our extra bread sticks!

Our attentive waitress brought us a large bottle of chilled water with compostable plastic cups, and happily answered all the questions we had, though she had to ask someone else to tell us why the winery is called Rose Hill.  Apparently, the owners used to live on a street called Rose Hill. 

Our table.

Since I tried all the wines, the following list includes all ten, with the wines from the Estate Flight first, except for the last two, when we tried the Merlot after the Rosé.  At the end, we decided we’d like to try one more wine, while we finished off the last of our dips, and the waitress recommended the 2020 Cadence, a lovely red we found tasty and very drinkable, though not worth $45.  The menu also offers a port and a brandy.

The Estate Flight
  •  2022 Brut Rosé              $48

This sparkling wine, made using the méthode champenoise, has a lovely aroma of toast and red berries, with some berry and lemon taste.  Very nice.

The Summer Flight, and very light and summery it was.
  • 2022 First Fruit                $28

A steel-fermented sauvignon blanc, this is a very light white, with an interesting aroma of almond extract.  We could see having this with—believe it or not—ice cubes in it, on a very hot day, as it is refreshing but not very flavorful.

  • 2023 Concrete Blonde                $48

Why concrete?  I was able to answer this question, as I have learned that, in addition to steel and wood, wine can be fermented in a concrete “egg,” which I find adds some depth and interest to whites without the oakiness I dislike.  We all like this one, which had just a touch of sweetness and much more body than the other sauvignon blanc.  My friend pronounces this “versatile,” and we agree that you could pair it with cheeses, fruits, seafood, or chicken.  Very nice to drink on its own, as well.

Beneath each glass are tasting notes.
  • 2023 Palmilla   $34

I forgot to ask about the name, but this is a blend of albariño, gewürztraminer, sauvignon blanc, sémillon, and chardonnay.  It smells like oranges, and tastes like various tropical fruits.  We like it.

Water! Very welcome on this warm day.
  • 2022 Albariňo                  $65

My friend and I, who often agree about all sorts of things, agree about albariño as well—it is a wine we often order when, for example, we are in a wine bar and want to get a glass of something.  What I like about albariño is that it is never too sweet, and usually has some pleasant citrus tastes without being too tart.  This is fairly classic, though over-priced.

  •  Rose Hill Rosé $30

Most rosés around here taste and smell like strawberries, which this one does, too, with a slightly woodsy aroma as well.  Pleasant.

  • 2023 Riesling    $28

There’s a reason why I never order a riesling unless I’ve tasted it, since they are often too sweet for me, and this one, though it is described as “off dry,” is a perfect example of why that is a wise policy.  “Horrible,” says my pal.  “Smells like candy,” I note.  Yes, it is sweet.

  • 2022 Merlot 3 Rosé                      $30

The menu notes that this is a Croteaux rosé, and I remember that the same people who bought Shinn also bought Croteaux, which only makes rosés.  This is an extremely light rosé, almost white, very dry, with not much flavor.

  • 2020 Estate Merlot        $34

Though this has the usual cherry aroma of North Fork merlots, the flavor is very light and dry, with almost no fruit, “more like a pinot noir,” opines my friend.  Just okay.

The merlot.
The glass of Cadence we ordered to sip as we finished our dips. It is a blend of merlot and petit verdot.

Reasons to visit:  lovely patio; excellent service; good snacks; the Concrete Blonde (no blond jokes!), the Palmilla, the Albariňo, and the Cadence.

I peeked into the inside room, just to see what it was like. Looks nice.