Main & Mill House: Old House, New Look

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with Albarino, cabernet franc, Cabernet Sauvingnon, chardonnay, Daisy, gewurztraminer, Main & Mill House, Malbec, merlot, Merlot 181, North Fork, Palmilla, petit verdot, rose, Ruumor, sauvignon blanc, Sherwood House, snacks available, wine tasting, XXI August 7, 2024

http://www.mainandmillhouse.com

August 5, 2024

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.*

Croteaux Vineyards: Ooh La La

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with cabernet franc, Chloe, croteaux vineyard, dogs allowed, Jolie, lobster roll, menu of snacks, merlot, Merlot 181, merlot 3, Merlot 314, Merlot Sauvage, North Fork, rose, sauvignon blanc, wine tasting July 22, 2023

July 20, 2013

Many (many!) years ago, while traveling in Europe, we rendezvoused for several days in Paris with dear friends. Recently, they came north from Florida to escape the summer heat, and we were delighted they included a trip to the North Fork in their itinerary. To honor those memories of France, we made salade niçoise for lunch, and then took them to the most French of the North Fork wineries, Croteaux. Croteaux only makes rosés, and makes them in the dry Provençal style.

*This view makes the garden look empty, but behind me it was full.*

Happily, the weather cooperated, and it was pleasantly warm and sunny, because you want to sit in the lovely garden when you go there. We followed a path from the parking area to an entrance in a barn, where we were promptly greeted and escorted to a table where we were given a nice cold bottle of water and some cups. As we looked around, we noted that the garden was fairly crowded though they have added additional tables in an extended area. Soft music set a relaxing mood.

You can scan the QR code or we can give you a printed-out menu, we were informed. We opted for the printout. Puzzlingly, the printed menu lists the prices of the wines as $39 and $37, while they in fact are $29 and $27. They should probably fix that.

Croteaux only has table service—no standing at a bar. They also offer a nice menu of real food, and we saw several very good-looking lobster slider rolls sail past our table enroute to lunchers. I can definitely see coming here for a chilled glass of rosé and a lobster roll.

*This tub filled with water bottles is typical of the slightly funky aesthetic of the garden.*

After some discussion, we decided that each couple would share one tasting—which proved to be more than enough, since, as much as we all liked the wines, we left over quite a bit. One tasting of their six still wines is $28. One could also opt for a tasting of their three sparklers for $26. In past years we have belonged to their case club, which is their version of a wine club. Buy a case (which one should do early in the season), and you’re in.

If you are familiar with rosé, you can skip this paragraph… Rosé is usually made from red wine grapes, and how long they sit with the skins on determines how dark the rosé is. Rarely, it is made with white grapes, which then also sit with the skins on. Some people think rosé is some sort of blend of red and white—which it actually could be, but not in the sense of here’s some red wine, let’s mix it with white until it is a pale pink.

*Our tasting in progress…you are told the order in which to try them, but then we kept going back and forth.*

2022 Chloe Sauvignon Blanc $29

As you can tell by the name, this is made from white wine grapes. This is a rosé for white wine drinkers, with a sweet aroma of honeysuckle and peach. The taste is also of peaches and other stone fruit, but it is a dry wine. Delicious, we all agree.

2022 Merlot 181 $29

Of the six wines we tasted, this is our least favorite. It is more austere, less fruity, than the others, and really needs to be paired with food, like seafood in a rich cream sauce.

2022 Merlot 3 $29

I smell orange blossoms and minerals, and we joke about licking rocks from the beach. Lots of strawberry and orange tastes, with a long finish, make this rosé a real contrast to the 181.

2022 Merlot Sauvage $29

I explain to our friends that “sauvage” refers to the use of wild yeast, and one friend, a music aficionado, says the word “sauvage” reminds him of a line from the Benjamin Britton ballet, “Les Illuminations,” “J’ai seul la clef de cette parade sauvage.” The line is from a poem by Rimbaud. Thus illuminated, we sip the wine, and are quite pleased. Comments include “mouth-watering,” “a lot of taste,” and “peaches again.” It also has a very pleasing minerality. We each buy a bottle.

*There are helpful tasting notes undeneath each glass.*

2022 Merlot 314 $27

I swear, this smells like orange juice. Yummy. It is fruity, and would pair well with charcuterie.

2022 Jolie Cabernet Franc $27

They saved the best for last, we decide, as we enjoy this flavorful sipper, with notes of strawberry shortcake and spice. We also each buy a bottle of this one, as well.

*When it is time to pay, you go through the doorway in the background, where there is a little retail store.*

*Checks are charmingly delivered attached to shells.*

Reasons to visit: the lovely, relaxed garden setting; dogs are allowed; you like rosés; all the wines we tasted, but especially the Sauvage and the Jolie; nice menu of snacks.

*Some of the items for sale in the retail store.*

*Cans of wine are becoming increasingly popular.*

Croteaux: Back to the Garden

Posted by nofowineaux in Uncategorized and tagged with channing daughters, Chloe, Croteaux, dogs, Greenport, Merlot 181, Merlot 3.Jolie, Merlot 314, Merlot Sauvage, North Fork, rose, snacks, wine tasting June 26, 2021

June 24, 2021

Friends often ask me which wineries they should go to. My answer always is, it depends on what you like, but if they want to sit outside in a pretty setting and feel relaxed, Croteaux is my go-to recommendation. Since I recommend it so frequently, I felt I needed to visit it early on in my renewed project to visit all the wineries! As my husband likes to say, it’s a tough job, but someone has to do it. Well, I am happy to report that Croteaux continues to be a good choice for the above reasons. (I was concerned because the winery has new ownership.)

It was another beautiful June day, and we started by running an errand in Greenport and walking around town. As they did last summer, the town has partially blocked off Front Street so that restaurants and stores can expand their seating and displays. Lots of outdoor tables and minimal traffic make eating outside here an attractive prospect. We will be back!

Front Street in Greenport is now lined with outdoor tables.

The next decision was where to go for a tasting. According to their website, we did not need a reservation for Croteaux, so off we went. They have slightly revamped their entry and exit procedures, so you enter directly from the parking lot via the opening in a barn building, where a pleasant young woman walked us to a table. She brought with her a bottle of water and two glasses, a nice touch. We sipped the water as we waited a short time for our waitress—it is all table service. When you leave and it’s time to pay, you go through a little vestibule which used to be both the exit and entrance, and would get quite crowded, but now was easy to navigate. Checks are handed out tied to clam or oyster shells, a smart move, since this keeps them from blowing away.

The tasting menu, accessed via a QR code on the table, offered two choices—in addition to individual glasses. You can try all six of their still rosés for $25, or their three sparkling rosés for $20. They only make rosés, by the way. We opted to share the still wines, plus a basket of sliced baguette and a soft Boursin-like cheese for $12, since it was lunch time. They have a nice little menu of snacks, including some more substantial offerings like lobster roll sliders for $22 for two servings. (The still wines are $35-$39 per bottle, and sparklers $45-$49.)

Our tastes arrived, three glasses each in two pottery saucers, with the varieties listed beneath the glasses, and we were instructed to taste counterclockwise from a particular spot—or not, depending on what we liked to do! But I would recommend going in that order, from lightest to strongest, since otherwise a light wine might be overshadowed by a more forceful cousin. As we sipped and munched, enjoying both our drinks and our snack, we watched the antics of two little dogs which a couple at a nearby table had brought with them.

Chloe

This is their lightest wine, barely tinged with pink, and is described on the menu as a “white wine drinker’s rosé,” which I can see. It smells like honeysuckle, and has nice tropical fruit flavors.

Merlot 3

The name of this and a couple of other wines refers to the clone of merlot used to make them. This has a flowery aroma that is quite pleasant, and is also tasty. Like all their rosés, it is dry, in the French style. I was trying to decide what I tasted when my tasting buddy suggested mandarin oranges. Exactly.

Merlot 181

Unlike the previous two, this wine has barely any aroma. It is light and refreshing, a good sipper for a warm day, with a slight strawberry taste and lots of minerality.

Merlot Sauvage

If you know French, you may wonder what could be wild about a wine. The answer is, the yeast. Instead of using the known quantity of a yeast they have bought, winemakers will sometimes use the indigenous yeast which is found on all grapes, giving them less control over the final product but often delicious results. Channing Daughters makes a wine they call L’Enfant Sauvage, which uses wild yeast. This one has a woodsy aroma, a light pink color, and a definite taste of watermelon (which reminded me of a recent taste I had of watermelon infused with a Negroni). Mouth-watering.

Merlot 314

Not sure why, but the menu labels this “bistro-style.” This is my husband’s least favorite of the day, though it is certainly drinkable. It has hints of lemon/lime and tangerine.

Jolie

Pretty is an apt name for this deep pink wine, with lots of strawberry aroma and taste. It has more depth than the other rosés, with touches of minerals and herbs, and reminded me of strawberries macerated with white wine. The menu calls it a “red wine lover’s rosé.”

Reasons to visit: lovely garden setting; pleasant laid-back vibe (the speakers were playing reggae-inflected and soft rock music while we were there); lots of easy-to-drink rosés; nice menu of snacks; I especially liked the Chloe, the Sauvage, and the Jolie; dogs!

Croteaux Vineyards: Easy to Drink Rosés June 9, 2017

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with artichoke tapenade, case club, Chloe Sauvignon Blanc, Chloe Sparkle, Croteaux Vinyards, Cuvee Sparkle, Jolie Cabernet Franc, Jolie Sparkle, Merlot 181, merlot 3, Merlot 341, North Fork, oysters, rose, Sauvage 181, wine tasting June 11, 2017

http://www.croteaux.com/

The very first time we went to Croteaux we fell in love with the beautiful garden and its comfortable seats and the refreshing, easy to drink rosé wines. In fact, we liked them so much that we bought a case, and then discovered we had joined their “case club.” Now it’s our favorite wine club as well, and we start every summer season by buying a case. In addition to the reduction in price that is pretty standard at any winery for buying a case, you can also come to the winery and have a free tasting. Then, several times a year, they invite you to special events. The most recent one included oysters and glasses of rosé, with apparently no limit on either. Oh my.

The view from our table out to the vineyard.

However, I don’t recommend going to Croteaux unless the weather is right for sitting outside, since their inside accommodations are not nearly as nice as the outside ones. Fortunately, June finally brought us a beautiful sunny day, with a slight breeze making the weather perfect for visiting the garden. We decided to sample all their wares, and so had a tasting of their six still rosés, for $15, and their three sparkling rosés, also $15. Feeling the need for a little snack, we ordered the artichoke tapenade with croutons (French bread toasted and brushed with garlic, herbs, and olive oil) for $10. In the past, we’ve had their goat cheese basket and the roasted nuts, both of which are good. The artichoke tapenade was quite nice, a combination of artichoke, olives, lemon, and herbs. The baskets all came garnished with a sprig of mint “from the owners’ garden. The mint went crazy so they decided to add it to all the baskets,” explained our lovely server. (They have a sign saying no outside food.) One other note—they allow dogs on the leash, and every time we’ve come we’ve seen at least one or two canine visitors.

Today’s pooch is in the background of this photo. Note the nice comfy Adirondack chairs.

Merlot 181 Rosé $19

The particular clone of merlot is what gives this wine and the next two their names. This is, as you would expect for the first taste, their lightest rosé, almost white in color, with a slight mineral aroma and a tart citrusy taste and a slightly sweet finish. “You could drink a lot of this and never notice—until you fell over,” opined my tasting pal. When we came for the oysters this was one of the wines we had, and it went very well with them.

Our first three tastes. Note the differences in color!

Merlot 314 Rosé $19

Our favorite this year—we bought a case of it—this one has more character than the 181, with a slight chemical aroma and a tart taste that combines strawberries and citrus. My husband adds that he tastes a bit of pear, too. It would work well to sip on its own, nicely chilled, and would also go well with lots of different foods.

Merlot 3 $19

A blend of 181, 314, and 3, this one reminds us more of a white wine than a rosé, with lots of tart citrusy tastes. Sort of like a sauvignon blanc, but without the pineapple tastes that wine often has. The color is a pretty pink, and the smell has a bit of something funky as well as minerality.

The second three of the still wines. A coaster under each glass identifies the wine.

Sauvage 181 Rosé $24

“Sauvage” is French for wild, as this wine is made with wild yeasts, which means it can vary quite a bit from year to year. This year is a winner. More interesting than your average rosé, this is mouth-watering (which I insist means it has some tannins), with a taste that combines fruit salad and lime and an aroma of pineapple and guava. If we had decided to get the newest item on their menu—mini lobster rolls from American Beech—I would have gotten a glass of this to go with it. Well, the summer is just getting started. We may have to come back…

Chloe Sauvignon Blanc Rosé $24

The menu describes this as a “white wine lover’s rosé,” and I can see why. Made with sauvignon blanc plus a little cabernet franc (“for color”), this is another yummy wine, with aromas of pine forest and citrus plus peach tastes. Delicate, it would be fine to sip on its own, or paired with a light white fish like sole.

Jolie Cabernet Franc Rosé $24

Described as a French Bordeaux, “for red wine lovers,” this is my least favorite of the day. It’s the sweetest of the rosés, though there is some minerality to balance the sweetness, with a red candy aroma. We get the tapenade as we’re still sampling this, and I like it better with food.

Tapenade.

Cuvée Sparkle $29

Now we move on to the sparkling wines, which come in tall slim glasses, held in a metal carrier. I would put all three of them in the “fun” wine category, as they are not overly expensive for sparkling wines and are all easy to drink. The first is a blend of their three merlot clones and smells like them, of minerals with a bit of strawberry. Tart and refreshing and very bubbly, this is a sparkler I would choose, though my husband notes that not everyone would like it. If you are looking for a sweet rosé sparkler, this would not be for you.

The bubblies. We had already tried the first one before I remembered to snap a photo.

Chloe Sparkle $29

Like the still Chloe, this is made from sauvignon blanc and cabernet franc grapes, and is quite different from the Cuvée. The aroma has, in addition to the expected smells, something vegetal about it, maybe a cruciferous veggie. The taste is more complex than the Cuvée, a touch sweeter, and would go perfectly with a tray of charcuterie.

Jolie means pretty, and indeed this is a pretty color.

Jolie Sparkle $29

Pretty color! More like what people expect from a rosé sparkler, this is the sweetest wine of the day, so you should not be surprised to hear that I didn’t care for it. However, my tasting partner thinks “people would like it.” The aroma combines red candy, strawberry, and a funky forest smell. I compare the taste to watermelon.

Reasons to visit: the garden!!!; the only winery that only makes rosés; the best rosés on the North Fork, especially the 314, the Sauvage 181, and the Chloe Sparkle; prices; good snacks; the garden, the garden, the garden.

Roses and then rosés .

Croteaux: Still Our Favorite Garden August 26, 2016

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with cabernet franc, Chloe, Croteaux Vinyards, Jolie, Merlot 181, merlot 3, Merlot 314, North Fork wine tasting, Old Mill Inn, Sauvage, sauvignon blanc September 1, 2016

http://www.croteaux.com/

It’s a hot Friday afternoon, but in Croteaux’s shady garden it is just pleasantly warm. We settle into the pair of Adirondack chairs the hostess indicated, and peruse the simple menu. We have plenty of time to do so, since service is a bit overwhelmed by what is clearly a larger-than-expected crowd in the garden, but when our waitress appears we order two tastings of all six of their still rosés for $15 each, plus a basket of delicious herbed goat cheese and fresh baguette slices for $10. They have a few other snack items as well, which is good since they don’t allow outside food. We could have ordered a tasting of three of their sparkling rosés, also $15. The first three on the list are $20 per bottle and the last three are $25.

In case you hadn’t noticed, all they make is rosé. The name also hints at the style of rosé, which is lean and flinty and dry, in the manner of French rosés. All their wines are steel fermented and made to be drunk young. We just finished the last of the case we bought last year, and we are here to decide whether or not to get a case this year. As you will see, vintage clearly matters, as we found some of the wines quite different from last year. Another difference—they used to have a rather extensive boutique with clothes, jewelry, etc., but that is no longer so.

This old barn used to house a boutique.

Merlot 181 (Pomerol)

“181” refers to the clone of merlot used for making this, the lightest of their rosés. The aroma has a hint of strawberry, and also flowers and, believe it or not, asphalt. No, really. There is a distinct chemical smell. The wine itself is dry, mineral-y, and salty, with not a lot of fruit. It is very refreshing, with a long finish of the mineral and salt flavor, but not our favorite.

All our tastes at once!

This one is so light it looks like a white wine.

Merlot 314 (St. Emilion)

Sniff. “Auto repair shop,” opines my tasting buddy. I counter with one of my favorite aromas, though not one usually associated with wine: “hardware store.” For the last few years 314 has been our favorite rosé on the North Fork and we’ve bought cases of it. Not this year. It’s not bad, despite that aroma, but it is very tart and subdued, with very little fruit. Some might even say sour.

The map of France across from the cash register reminds everyone of the inspiration for these wines.

Merlot 3

This is a blend of three clones: 181, 314, and 3. More fruit “on the nose,” as wine people like to say, though it always conjures for me an image of someone balancing a glass of wine on his or her nose. It would be a mistake to limit your use of this wine to a balancing act, as it is quite nice. Still there are notes of mineral and salt, but not overwhelmingly so, with nice strawberry flavor. “More interesting than the usual rosé,” says my husband. I agree that it has layers of flavor, and we both agree that we’ll get a case of this.

Just barely pink

Sauvage (Merlot 181)

“Sauvage” means wild, or savage, and this wine is made with wild yeasts. We like it better than the other 181. Though it has a touch of that chemical smell, it is much fruitier and sweeter than the other wines, with just a touch of minerality. Red candy, I say. It would pair well with spicy food, like Thai duck salad.

Chloe (Sauvignon Blanc with Cabernet Franc skins)

The menu describes this as a “white wine lover’s rosé,” and indeed it is more like a sauvignon blanc than like a rosé. It has a sweet pine smell, like a Christmas tree, and tastes a bit like pine as well. Quite dry, it would pair well with oysters, which gives us an idea. When Happy Hour comes we will head to the Old Mill Inn for their dollar oysters and $3 glasses of wine.

One of the better-kept secrets of the North Fork is the Old Mill Happy Hour, every day during the week. But if you want to go, better hurry. They close down for the winter.

Jolie (Cabernet Franc)

Bright pink, this looks more like what one expects a rosé to look like than the other types. The aroma is somewhat vegetal, maybe like a salad, but also with some fruit. The wine is still dry, but with a fuller flavor. A “red wine lover’s rosé,” they call it. There’s a touch of Meyer lemon on the finish. I like it, but my tasting companion does not. I think you could sip this by itself, though of course it would be fine with roast chicken (as are many wines).

Jolie lives up to its name in appearance–it is quite pretty.

Reasons to visit: all rosé all the time; a very pleasant garden setting where you can relax and sip at your leisure; better-than-average snacks; prettiest bottles on the North Fork; they allow dogs; the Merlot 3 and the Jolie.

This pooch waited patiently for its owners to finish.

They’ve created a wall of bottles with their very attractive bottles. The empty ones, of course.

NoFo Wineaux

Wine notes from Long Island's North Fork

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