Pindar Vineyards: Special Day for Locals

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with cabernet franc, Cabernet Port, cabernet sauvignon, Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, Dan Damianos, Dr. Dan's White Blend, Dr.Dan's Signature Cabernet Sauvginon, Gamay Noir, gewurztraminer, Malbec, merlot, Mythology, North Fork, petit verdot, Pindar Vineyards, pinot grigio, riesling, sauvignon blanc, viognier, wine tasting April 2, 2023

March 31, 2023

*The day was gray and chilly, but we had a good time anyway.*

Pindar is proud of being one of the early vineyards on the North Fork, with their vines planted over 40 years ago. I came by this bit of knowledge on a free tour and tasting at Pindar, part of an effort by a number of vineyards to attract locals to come and taste their wines. Friends of ours had noted this program and invited us to join them at Pindar, whose perks seemed the best (other places offered such bargains to locals as ten percent off bottles or two for one). Good move! We had a good time, learned a lot, and got to taste some wines we then bought and took home.

*Nancy is showing us a gewurztraminer vine, one of the original ones planted at Pindar. The roots can go very deep.*

Nancy, our tour guide, started us off by the vines, and then took us through all the steps of making wine, from the crush pad to the stainless steel tanks to the French oak barrels to the warehouse, and then back to the tasting room where we got to try five wines.

“Viticulture is farming for masochists,” she informed us, as she explained the work involved in pruning the vines, which she characterized as “an art and a science,” and the perils faced by grape growers. There are migrating birds who will peck at the grapes, so they look fine but then shrivel into nothing; there are hurricanes on Long Island, whose arrival coincides with harvest season; and there is the lack of crop insurance, because how can you insure for their current value vines that have been growing for over 40 years. In addition, you have to wait four years after you plant those vines before you can expect to harvest the grapes. The issue of birds has been taken care of, through an ingenious system of nets, which you can see in many vineyards, which remain furled up below the vines and are then raised when the grapes ripen. As to the other issues…not much one can do about them!

Despite these problems, Pindar has 325 acres of vines, resulting in 60 to 70,000 cases of wine every year. At first, Dr. Dan Damianos, the visionary who started Pindar (named, like one of his sons, for the classic Greek poet, in homage to their Greek heritage), planted gewürztraminer grapes, judging that the climate and soil would work well for this varietal. Now they grow twenty-four varietals, and they list twenty-nine different wines on their tasting menu, which includes a number of blends.

*The bottling machine, which is about to be replaced by an even better one.*

They bottle these wines with their own bottling line, which can do 3,000 a day. Not every winery has their own bottling facility, with many using Premium Wine Group for this. Nancy gave a brief lecture on the issue of corks vs. screw caps, with corks reading as “better” wines, and screw caps okay for more casual, cheaper wines. Screw caps work just fine, though corks have the advantage of being biodegradable.

*I never knew why the vats have this dimpled jacket.*

We then walked into a huge room filled with vast stainless steel vats, where Nancy explained something I’d always wondered about. The vats are partially encases in a dimpled steel jacket. It is a glycol jacket, containing polyglycol, used to help regulate the temperature in the vats, and the dimples keep the polyglycol from settling to the bottom. Too hot or too cold, and the wine is ruined. They use a windmill to provide about 60% of the energy needed in the warehouse and wine “cellar”—not a cellar, because…polyglycol. We also learned about another hazard of viticulture—carbon dioxide. As the juice ferments into wine, carbon dioxide rises to the top of the tanks, where the solid matter must be pushed down into the liquid. Catwalks provide access to the tops of the tanks, and open doors help dissipate the CO2.

She showed us their filtration system, and we learned, by the way, that Guinness Stout used isinglass, obtained from the bladders of sturgeon, to filter their brew. I like Guinness, but I also like caviar!

She also took us outside to see the crush pad, where a machine crushes the grapes. Because Pindar is so big, a lot of the work is done by machines.

The huge space where red wine ages in French oak barrels smelled enticingly like a forest or lumberyard. We found out that there are different tastes imparted to wines by French and American oak, with some adding notes of vanilla and others cinnamon, etc. Pindar now uses only French oak, buying 300 barrels a year, and has phased out their American oak barrels, which they sometimes sell to breweries or to people who want to use them in their gardens. We also learn about the “angel’s share,” the wine which evaporates from the barrels, meaning they need to be constantly watched and topped up, so that too much oxygen doesn’t turn the wine into vinegar. The angels must reserve a special place in heaven for wine makers!

*Despite the bung stopper, some evaporation is unavoidable.*

Finally, our last stop before the tasting room, we saw the warehouse where cases of wine are stacked high. Nancy held up a four-pack of cans of Winter White, and explained that Dr. Dan, noting the American taste for soda and other sweet drinks, decided to make some sweeter wines, like Winter White, which is the most popular white on Long Island. More recently, the decision was made to offer it in cans; again, to attract those who might otherwise opt for soda or beer.

Now it was time to taste the fruits of their labor! The group of about thirty locals lined up around the bar, where glasses stood ready. Here are my tasting notes:

2020 Dr. Dan’s Selection White Blend $24.99

Our first taste is a blend of, this vintage, of 53% viognier, plus pinot grigio, sauvignon blanc, and riesling. The percentages may vary year to year. This is a very drinkable white, with aromas of pineapple and citrus, and tropical fruit flavors like guava and pineapple.

2021 Dr. Dan’s Selection Gewürztraminer $24.99

We are quite interested to taste this, after learning the history of the vines, and we quite like it. In fact, we and our friends each buy a bottle to take home. It is not too sweet, which can happen with gewürztraminers, with an aroma of peaches and tastes that include tangerine and apricot. “Yummy,” we and our friends agree.

*At the tasting, I turned over my menu to see the events list.*

2019 Mythology $42.99

A Bordeaux blend called Meritage, this includes malbec, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, petit verdot, and cabernet franc. Delicious. Lots of dark fruit taste and enough tannins that one could probably age it.

2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve $34.99

Nancy, who is still informing us about the wines, explains that cabernet sauvignon used to be harder to grow on Long Island, since it needs a longer growing season to mature. However, with climate change, the growing season on Long Island has gotten longer. I guess that’s an upside to global warming! This is another very good red, with tastes of blackberry and other fruits, and an aroma of cedar and tobacco.

*Pindar Damianos chatting with a guest.*

2015 Cabernet Port $28.99 for 750 ml, $16.99 for 375 ml

I’m not sure if this was in the original tasting or if it was included after our friend shared his enthusiasm for the port with Nancy and with Pindar Damianos, who was hanging around and talking to the guests. He discovered that Pindar makes award-winning port in an old issue of a wine magazine shortly after moving to the North Fork, and was happily buying and drinking it. I can see why. This is a dessert wine—in English novels, they are always sipping it after dinner while they crack walnuts and chat—but it is not too sweet, with an appealing depth of flavor. It is made 100% from cabernet franc. We each buy a bottle to take home.

*Cases filled with awards Pindar wines have won.*

Reasons to visit: roomy tasting room with two outside areas; a wide variety of wines for every taste, from sweet to dry, and price, from $14.99 (Winter White and others) to $42.99; all the wines we tasted—White Blend, Gewürztraminer, Mythology, and Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve—plus the port; our friends had also tasted the Gamay Noir before we went on the tour, and bought a bottle of that light red to take home; they have a refrigerated case full of cheeses, etc., to consume there; they have a variety of special events.

Pindar Vineyards: Special Day for Locals

March 31, 2023

She also took us outside to see the crush pad, where a machine crushes the grapes. Because Pindar is so big, a lot of the work is done by machines.

Now it was time to taste the fruits of their labor! The group of about thirty locals lined up around the bar, where glasses stood ready. Here are my tasting notes:

2020 Dr. Dan’s Selection White Blend $24.99

2021 Dr. Dan’s Selection Gewürztraminer $24.99

2019 Mythology $42.99

2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve $34.99

2015 Cabernet Port $28.99 for 750 ml, $16.99 for 375 ml

Raphael: Pretend You’re in Italy

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with cabernet franc, Estate Merlot, Malbec, merlot, no dogs allowed, North Fork, pinot grigio, Raphael, riesling, rose, Rose of Pinot NOir, sauvignon blanc, snacks available, wine tasting July 17, 2022

July 15, 2022

Looking like a villa in Tuscany, the Raphael tasting room sits on the Main Road in Peconic. A covered veranda in the back looks out onto the grape vines, and the warm weather this week made it really feel like Italy. We drove in past the miniature villa gateposts, around the Italianate fountain, and parked in the lot. Through heavy wooden doors that would not be out of place on a palazzo we went, entering a huge space where a disembodied voice said, “Welcome!”

The voice soon materialized into a young woman, who cheerily asked us if we wanted to sit inside or outside. Noting that there was plenty of room to be socially distant from other tasters, we opted to sit inside at a table facing outside, where she left us with a couple of menus.

As we perused the menus, she returned with two bottles of Poland Spring water. I no longer buy bottled water, but these would be convenient for the future. It was lunch time, and on a previous visit we’d had very good flatbread pizzas. However, they no longer have them (or at least, not during the week), and the menu features a selection of cheeses, crackers, hummus, etc., all a la carte (so if you want crackers with your cheese, you need to order them). We also noticed that every tasting comes with a “snack.” “What is that?” we asked. “Sort of a grown-ups Lunchables,” she replied. Ah. We decided to add a serving of hummus ($8) and tortilla chips ($10), most of which we ended up taking home, as the chips were a huge bag and the humus a 10-ounce container (very good, by the way). The snack was indeed quite mini, consisting of about four crackers and as many slices of bland cheese, plus some slices of spicy sausage. However, it did remind us of how in Italy one is often served some sort of snack with a glass of wine, like a dish of olives, or like the time in Bologna when there were three of us sharing a bottle of wine, and the waiter brought a plate of cheeses and sausages (no charge).

Meanwhile, we were debating over which flight to get, as they have six different options. We could see by looking at other tables that the serving per taste is quite generous, but we wanted to try a panoply of wines, so we decided to just plan not to finish each glass, and get a flight of four whites for $25 and four reds for $25. Both flights were brought to our table on labeled strips of paper. Our waitress launched into her little scripted speech about each wine, enlivened by her personal preferences, with which we agreed. For example, we had a little chat about riesling, which she noted she sometimes dislikes as too sweet, but felt the current iteration of Raphael’s riesling is one she likes. I was a bit concerned when she described a couple of the reds as “summer reds,” and when I tasted them I saw why.

As we sat and sipped and munched and looked out at the vines, my tasting buddy said that Raphael gets an A+ for service and setting. As to the wines…

2021 Rosé of Pinot Noir $30

Our server explained that this is a “true” rosé, made from red wine grapes treated like white grapes. It is a pretty color, and had a pleasantly fruity aroma. We liked the taste, too, with notes of citrus and black cherry, not too sweet, not too dry. A good summer sipper.

In an effort to counteract the blandness of the cheese and the spiciness of the sausage, I combined them.

2021 Sauvignon Blanc $30

All their whites are fermented in steel, which sometimes leaves a slightly metallic aroma, which this has. It is a touch petillant, crisp and light. A little fruity. Nice.

2021 Pinot Grigio $30

In France, they call this grape pinot gris. We like this wine the best so far, with a taste of baked pears. Not much aroma. Good for sipping or with food, like roast chicken, or even pork chops.

2021 Riesling $30

Many rieslings have a smell described as “cat pee,” which, having had a cat in the past, I can say this one has, though faintly. There is some sweetness here, but there is also a bit of a funkiness which takes the edge off the sweetness. Pleasant. Though my husband finds it too sweet for him, I think it would be fine with something spicy, like Thai food.

2019 Cabernet Franc $36

This is one of the wines she described as “summery,” and I think I know why. It is soft and fresh and easy to drink, with slight tannins, a berry aroma, and tastes of ripe dark fruits.

2019 Pinot Noir $50

“Not a very exciting red,” opines my drinking pal, and I agree. It’s not bad, just kind of mellow and soft. When I tell him the price, he says, “We’re not getting it!” He also thinks that people may not, in general, want strong reds, which would account for the popularity of a wine like this.

*If you plan to go, check their website, and the winery is sometimes closed for private parties.*

2019 Estate Merlot $30

As our waitress noted, we are in the middle of merlot country here, as that grape is “happy” on the North Fork. This is a fairly typical North Fork merlot, with nice cherry flavor, but ultimately meh.

2020 Estate Malbec $36

This is my favorite of the reds, with a beautiful dark color, yummy fruit aroma, and dark fruit tastes—though again, no tannins. “It’s not oomphy,” says my husband, and I agree.

Reasons to visit: beautiful building and veranda, with vineyard views; attentive service; generous pour for the flights; the whites more than the reds, though all the wines were drinkable; the Rosé of Pinot Noir, the Pinot Grigio, the Malbec; nice place to come with a couple of friends.

*There’s a fairly extensive gift shop, which may be another reason to visit.*

Duck Walk: Time to Par-tee

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with Absenthe, Aphrodite, Beer, cabernet sauvignon, dogs allowed, Duck Walk, gewurztraminer, merlot, North Fork, outside food allowed, pinot grigio, Pinot Meunier, pinot noir, riesling, sauvignon blanc, windmill red, wine tasting March 28, 2022

March 26, 2022

This time the only complicating factor—we thought—was the well-behaved pooch our visitors brought with them. So we carefully planned to go to Jason’s Winery for a tasting, even though we knew Jamesport was holding a St. Patrick’s Day Parade that Saturday. Looking at a map of the parade route, we thought we could get to Jason’s. A couple of detours later, we got there—only to discover that it was the site of an after-parade party, with the grounds packed with cars. Plan B. We parked on a side road and called a couple of other tasting rooms. No dogs; no dogs; okay for a dog, but there’s one here now, said the lovely woman at McCall’s, and the room is small. We popped our heads in anyway, and were barked at. Never mind. Then I remembered that Duck Walk is owned by the same family that owns Jason’s and Pindar—the family of Dr. “Dan” Damianos—and is also “pet friendly.”

*Dr. “Dan” Damianos overlooks the tasting room.*

Though the rain had commenced to fall heavily, we decided to head to Duck Walk as our last possibility, as the afternoon was slipping away. In we went, to be greeted by a wall of sound. Though the live entertainment consisted of one man with a guitar, his amp and mic must have been set on the loudest settings, and the room is cavernous, so it was so noisy we could barely hear the woman at the cash register inside the door. The noise was abetted by perhaps five or six bachelorette parties, easily identifiable by the woman in the midst of each wearing a white veil, including one group whose theme was “disco,” and who were dressed in sparkling outfits. Should we stay? We decided to stay.

*The bride-to-be is easily identifiable.*

*By the time we left, the sun was out. That’s March–if you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes.*

The visiting pooch was a big hit with the bachelorettes, who had a great time petting him and receiving doggie kisses in exchange. We also noted that Duck Walk allows outside food, and one party was happily consuming picnic lunches, most likely provided by the limo company. Some bags of pretzels and popcorn are for sale, plus bottles of water.

We paid for two tastings, at $13 for four tastes, and received a little slip of paper to present at the bar. You can also pay directly at the bar, as we observed. However, considering how hard the two—later three—servers were working, I’m glad we didn’t give them that additional task. After seating ourselves at a picnic table as far as possible from the music—which would have been fine at a lower decibel level—we headed to the bar and perused a menu. There we were confronted with twenty-three possibilities on a complicated list which has the categories “white wine varietal,” “white blends and rosé,” “red blends,” “red wines varietal,” and “dessert & sparkling wines.” Whew. One guest prefers her wines on the sweet side, so she consulted with Matt, a superlative server, who kindly marked the sweeter wines—eight in all—on her menu. Also on offer, they make Absenthe, the “traditional distilled spirit with wormwood,” for $5 per taste. At the bar, I noted a couple of taps for Greenport Harbor beers. As I went to get one of my tastes, a couple walked up to the bar and the young man told his companion, “I want a beer,” so I hope they were happy with what they found.

*Not sure what the plastic cups are for. Our tastes, of about an ounce and a half, came in nice glasses.*

We opted to get up and get each taste, since there was no way to carry all four to our table and we didn’t want to stand at the bar. Matt did a great job of remembering me each time I came back, and helping me keep track of what we had had. I’m not sure how he did it, with the crowd around the bar.

I’ll list the wines in the order in which I tasted them, indicating which were in our guests’ tasting with an *.

2020 Reisling* $21.95

Reislings can vary in their level of sweetness, which is why I rarely buy one I haven’t tasted, and this one is definitely on the side of sweeter. Our guest compared the taste to “sucking on a lollipop.” I smell honeysuckle; she tastes peach and butterscotch.

2020 Sauvignon Blanc $21.95

This is a light, dry sauv, with lots of citrus. I say lemon/lime, and my tasting buddy says more on the lime-y side.

Windmill Red * $18.95

Yuk. This smells like dirt—and not the somewhat pleasant petrichor smell—and tastes worse. It has no depth and an unpleasant taste. None of us wants to drink it, so I return the glass to the bar, where Matt very kindly replaces it with a red he hopes we’ll like better, for no extra charge.

2020 Pinot Grigio $21.95

Finally, a wine we like. This has a pleasantly peachy flavor, with lemon at the end.

2019 Pinot Meunier * $26.95

Matt gave us this as a replacement, probably thinking of my friend’s penchant for sweet wines. “Shades of Manischevitz,” is the comment. Yes, I agree, this tastes very like grape juice.

2018 Merlot $21.95

We have a brief discussion of merlot, and how it is so popular on the North Fork. This is a fairly typical merlot, with some nice cherry flavor and good mouthfeel. Nothing special, but drinkable.

2020 Cabernet Sauvignon * $21.95

“Not as good as the merlot,” is our consensus, “but okay.” It is dry, with a hint of tannins, and some dark fruit flavor.

2019 Pinot Noir $38.95

I get a pleasant bramble aroma and taste, with very soft tannins. I can see how someone who is put off by big reds would find this pleasant. Just okay.

2020 Aphrodite * $21.95

Save this for last, counsels Matt. Right. It is, after all, a dessert wine, and comes in a slim, pretty 375 ml. bottle featuring a picture of the goddess of love. But we don’t love it. It’s too sweet even for my sweet-loving guest. It tastes like a sugary fruit salad, though I guess if you paired it with foie gras or walnuts it would be tolerable. The menu suggests pouring this gewürztraminer wine over vanilla ice cream. Yes, it is that sweet.

Reasons to visit: you need a place that welcomes dogs and/or outside food; you are with a group of bachelorettes; the pinot grigio and the merlot; you like sweet wine.

Suhru Wines: Shelter from the Storm

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with About Food, All for One, Bordeaux blend, Braun's, Bridge Lane, cabernet franc, Cutchogue, Ember, Lieb Cellars, Malbec, menu of snacks, North Fork, NV Brut, petit verdot, pinot grigio, Russell Hearn, Shiraz, Southold, SuHru, teroldego, wine tasting February 21, 2022

February 19, 2022

*There’s a convenient parking lot out back.*

It was the type of day when, as they say, if you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes. In the morning, with some guests, we explored the Southold Winter Festival, and it was sunny though cold and windy. We admired the ice sculptures being chiseled out of blocks of ice, stopped in to a couple of our favorite shops, and headed home to warm up and have a snack. Then we ventured out again in the afternoon, as the sunny day turned cloudy, and snowflakes flew past us, to have a tasting at Suhru in Cutchogue. By the time we emerged, the storm was over and it was sunny again. (And then later another snow squall moved through!)

*There wasn’t much to the first Southold Winter Festival, but the ice sculptor was cool.*

We were all glad we had ventured out, because we thoroughly enjoyed our tasting experience at Suhru’s small but well laid out tasting room, which we had to ourselves most of the afternoon. The young man in charge of the room was attentive, engaging, and well-informed about the wines, bringing us water and making sure we had all that we needed.

Suhru is a winery without a vineyard, as the winemaker, Russell Hearn (who is also the winemaker for Leib and Bridge Lane), buys his grapes each year based on whose crop he favors. For example, he makes wine from teroldego grapes, which were planted by Southold Farm + Cellar, who sadly had to move to Texas. At the moment, Russell offers ten wines for tasting, with four different flight options: February Favorites, four wines for $17; Whites and Rosé, four for $14; Red Wines, four for $21, and Choose Your Own, any four for $19. You can also ask for individual tastes, glasses, or a bottle. Our friends went with the red flight, while my husband and I decided to choose our own adventure.

I hadn’t been here since 2018, so I didn’t know they now have a nice lttle menu of snacks, mostly cheese and charcuterie, but also a few other items. Our friends decided to have the Marcona almonds, which turned out to be a miniscule serving for $2, so we added a bag of North Fork potato chips.

Our selections arrived in a cute round tray, with each wine resting on its labeled spot, and we proceeded to taste clockwise. I’ll detail my tasting first, then the two wines they had that differed from mine.

NV Brut $29

I’ve decided to try sparkling wines everywhere they are offered—last week I tasted two at Pindar—and so far, so good. In fact, very good. We like this dry, tasty sparkler, made in the méthode champenoise, so much that our friends add a taste to their flight after we all finish. It has that lovely yeasty aroma of good bubbly, with tiny bubbles, and tastes of pear and maybe a touch of citrus. Mouth-watering. It’s a blend of chardonnay and pinot noir, according to our helpful server.

2020 Pinot Grigio $19

Although we are told that this is their “signature wine,” I am not enamored of it. On the other hand, my tasting buddy really likes it. As they say, there are no wrong answers in wine (well, there are, but, as they say in French, “Chacun à son gout.”) I get lemon and green apple tastes, but also something like cardboard. It is light and dry.

2020 Teroldego $30

Teroldego is a Northern Italian grape, not often grown on Long Island, so I ask our server where the grapes came from, which is how I learn the vines were planted by the owners of Southold Farm + Cellar. I was sorry to see that winery close, because they made some lovely wines, were very nice people, and had the most creative wine names I ever saw, but they had some sort of difficulties with local regulations and eventually closed up shop and moved to Texas, where they now have a winery. In any event, I’m glad the grapes are being used, because this is a delicious wine. It has a beautiful aroma of roses, and tastes of red raspberry and other berries. It is a somewhat light red which would go well with charcuterie, and could even be slightly chilled to accompany seared tuna. Last week I bought some fresh tuna steaks at Braun’s and my friend and I seared them with a pan sauce of capers, lemon, and garlic, and this would have gone well with that.

2019 Shiraz $25

When our daughter got married, we had a little wine tasting to decide which wines to serve. We already had the white picked out—Channing Daughter’s Scuttlehole Chardonnay—but we needed a red to go with lamb. This shiraz would definitely have been a contender. It is a bit peppery—apparently some people compare the taste to Dr. Pepper! –which would cut the fat of the lamb nicely. Good red fruit tastes plus something deeper.

2019 Cabernet Franc $30

“This tastes lighter than I expected,” opines our friend, who nonetheless finds the wine, which is in her tasting, not mine, quite pleasant. It has some teroldego mixed in, we are told. Good berry tastes. Our friends got up to peruse the display of bottles, and were charmed to realize that they have actually tasted wine from this winery, as one with the T’Jara label is carried in their local wine shop in Queens. In fact, according to a map on the wall, Suhru ships to many of the states.

2019 Ember $25

Our friends like this so much, that I add a taste of it after I finish my flight. This is Suhru’s Bordeaux blend, a merlot-heavy mixture including cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, petit verdot, and malbec. It is so drinkable that I resent sharing it with my tasting buddy. Kidding. Or maybe not. It is complex and balanced, with aromas of fruits, including cherry, and lots of interesting fruit tastes. The name? They had a little competition in the family, and apparently one cousin felt ember was a good name, as it evoked the long-lasting warmth of a fire. I can see that. I buy two bottles to take home.

Reasons to visit: intimate tasting room where you can sometimes interact with the owners; all the wines are good, but especially the Brut, the Teroldego, the Shiraz, and the Ember; they have a nice little menu of snacks, but don’t bother with the Marcona almonds, unless you think $2 for about ten nuts is a good price; there is a backyard patio seating area for warm weather; if you’re planning a picnic, note that they offer several of their wines in cans.

*This is a fascinating shop in the Feather Hill shopping center in Southold.*

*Another favorite shop is About Food, where you never know what you will find.*

Pugliese Vineyards: Memories of Italy

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with Blanc de Blanc, blanc de noir, cabernet franc, dogs allowed outside, Merlot Reserve, North Fork, pinot grigio, Pugliese Vineyards, Sangiovese, snacks available, Sunset Meritage, Veronica's Rose, wine tasting December 17, 2021

December 15, 2021

http://www.pugliesevineyards.com

As we drove up to Pugliese Vineyards, we admired the vine-wrapped pergola, and reminisced about a trip to the Puglia region of Italy. While there, we stayed in a Masseria, actually a lovely resort located on a farm, and ate delicious fresh food and drank some good wines. Unfortunately, only two of the wines we tried here lived up to our memories.

The tasting room was empty on this warm December Wednesday, except for two members of the Pugliese family who were busy preparing gift baskets with their signature hand-painted wine glasses and bottles of wine. We were immediately ushered into another space, where many little metal tables that seem to have escaped from someone’s garden were set up. “We’re offering table service now,” we were informed, as we were handed several menus. One was for the wines currently on offer for tastings, another gave the prices of the bottles with some information on each wine, and the third was for foods on offer. Since we had just had lunch, we were not interested in cheese and crackers, so we just perused the wine list.

A tasting consists of any four wines from their list for $20, but since there were 23 wines on the list, we decided to order two tastings, so we could sample more of their offerings. The tastes came in little plastic cups, and I’m not sure if it was because of the vessel, or because the wines were all too cold, or if they are just like that, but most of the wines had little or no aroma. The pour was generous enough that we only emptied two of the glasses. Our server wrote the name of each wine on the cups with black marker, which was fortunate, as you will see.

Pugliese is one of the vineyards that does a brisk business with limos in the summer, when their pretty grounds are generally teeming with crowds. They also offer a roster of live music performances. On the back of the price list we noted some deals, especially an offer of any six wines (excepting ports and sparklers) for $69. Good deal, about which more later.

*Our tastes came in these little plastic cups. It may be just me, but I think wine tastes better in glass.*

2012 Blanc de Noir $25.99

This sparkling wine provided an auspicious start to our tasting. Made from pinot noir grapes, it has a slight pink tinge, and a tasty, toasty, taste of pears. Very nice.

2015 Blanc de Blanc $25.99

Tooth-achingly cold, this wine seems to have hardly any taste, though when we circle back to it, we get green apple. It is crisp and refreshing, but a more or less generic sparkling wine.

2016 Pinot Grigio $17.99

I generally like pinot grigios, or their French cousin, pinot gris, but not this one. It has an unpleasant metallic tinge to it. My drinking buddy says it tastes like it came straight from the tap—the water tap.

2017 Veronica’s Rosé $17.99

Like many rosés, this has a light pink color, and a slight taste of strawberry. Unfortunately, it also has a slightly unpleasant metallic edge.

2014 Sangiovese $16.99

We move on to the reds, and find this one drinkable, a decent pizza wine, though it is rather light. My husband opines, paraphrasing Gertrude Stein, that there is “no there there.”

2015 Merlot Reserve $16.99

Perhaps they have made use of a “flavor extractor,” we joke, since this is an extremely light merlot, lacking most of the deep cherry flavor one usually gets with North Fork merlots. As my tasting pal notes, you can’t tell the players without a score card—or in other words, there’s not enough taste to tell what they are.

2019 Cabernet Franc $16.99

Whew. This one is more to our liking, a pleasantly dry red with some hints of spice and berry. It would be fine with food, though we are not much interested in sipping it on its own.

2015 Sunset Meritage $34.99

Finally! Another wine we like. A blend of merlot, cabernet sauvignon, and cabernet franc, it is a very drinkable red, smooth, with pleasant berry flavors. But is it worth $35 a bottle (I hate that whole 99 cents thing.)? Our server makes an appearance, and I ask her if this is included in the 6/$69 offer. Yes, it is. Okay then. We will take six of these! We save about $140. And have a perfectly acceptable wine for everyday drinking. When we order it, our server makes some comment about the holidays coming, and I laugh and say, we drink wine every day!

Hand painted glasses and a bottle of wine, all ready to give as gifts.

Reasons to visit: pretty outdoor area for the warm weather, though you are also liable to encounter a crowd; the Blanc de Noir and the Sunset Meritage; some good deals on buying six or twelve bottles; they allow dogs outside; you can buy as a gift a wrapped set of two hand-painted glasses and a bottle of wine; they also sell very attractive large photographs of the North Fork.

Large artistic photographs of the North Fork are available for purchase.

Suhru: A Warm Welcome November 16, 2019

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with Coffee Pot Cellars, Dry Riesling, Jamesport Manor, methode champenoise, North Fork, NVBrut, pinot grigio, Russell Hearn, sauvignon blanc, Shiraz, snacks from Touch of Venice, SuHru, Suhru Ember, Susan Hearn, T'Jara Cabernet Franc, T'Jara Merlot, Touch of Venice November 18, 2019

https://www.suhruwines.com/

Another tasting room housed in a former house, Suhru similarly has a warm family vibe.

Like our last tasting, at Coffee Pot Cellars, Suhru is located in what was formerly a house and has a similarly welcome, family vibe. Susan Hearn is behind the bar, and is quick to explain, as she hospitably offers glasses of water, that the name of the winery is composed of her name, her husband Russell’s name, and the initial of their last name.

Ask Susan and she will explain exactly how they came to add the H to the name.

The last time we were there happened to coincide with their grand opening, and featured a spread of cheese and charcuterie from Touch of Venice, just across the street. No such luck today, but Susan offered that we could order snacks from Touch of Venice and they would be delivered within fifteen minutes. Though the options looked good, we were not hungry, but I do wonder why more of the wineries don’t have similar arrangements, especially the ones that are close to restaurants. A number of them do feature snacks catered by local restaurants, which they keep on the premises.

The “Shared Plates” come from Touch of Venice, and will be delivered in about 15 minutes.

On this sunny but cold November Saturday, there was a steady trickle of guests in the tasting room, including a large group when we arrived, and then a few couples, all of whom seemed very happy to have found Suhru. The room is small but nicely set up, with a bar at which one can stand, comfy couch seating areas, and tables featuring bottles of water and glasses. We decided we’d like to sit, so Susan brought our flights to the table for us, and gave us a thorough run-down of each wine.

There are three flight choices: Fall Favorites, of four wines for $14; White Wine of four whites for $12; and Red Wine, of four reds for $15. One could also choose from the entire panoply of offerings of Suhru and T’Jara wines (The T’Jara label is owned with another couple and honors Russell’s Australian roots.) and put together a tasting, or get a glass or a bottle. We also noticed that if one bought a bottle of the wine of the month—the Shiraz—one of the tastings would be free.

Russell is one of the founders of Premium Wine Group, a facility at the corner of Cox Neck Lane and Sound Avenue, where a number of the smaller wineries make their wines, taking advantage of state-of-the-art facilities, which they would otherwise not be able to afford. For example, Susan pointed out, they use screw caps on all their wines, and without the expensive machine at Premium they would have to use corks.

1. Non-vintage Brut $29
They did not have their sparkling wine ready for the opening last year, as it takes two years to make, so we were happy to have a chance to taste it today. Made from 85% chardonnay and 15% pinot noir, using the méthode champenoise, this is a creditable sparkler, with tiny bubbles and a delicious taste of fruit and mineral. Susan said it smells like roasted pears and toasted brioche, and we agreed—though we probably would have just said toast! Nicely dry and crisp.
2. 2018 Pinot Grigio $18
The aroma is a bit funky and foresty, but pleasant. The wine itself is quite delicate, with what the menu describes as tastes of Granny Smith apple, bosc pear, and lemon peel. Susan laughs as she says this, and admits that most people are happy to just say apple and pear. I think one needs to drink this with food, but something light, like a flounder fillet, rather than something heavy, which would overwhelm the wine.

Susan in motion behind the bar.

3. 2018 Sauvignon Blanc $19
My tasting buddy and I agree we like this better than many North Fork sauvignon blancs, the second most popular local grape, after chardonnay. The menu prose is a bit over-the-top, describing “aromas of passionfruit jumping out of the glass.” We chuckle at the image of aromas jumping, but quite enjoy the wine, which has the lemon one expects but more fruit than many. It would certainly be good with oysters.
4. 2018 Dry Riesling $18
I’m somewhat wary of this, since I’ve had so-called “dry” rieslings that were anything but. However, this is a really good one, with deep enough flavor to stand up to big tastes, like a lobster fra diavolo, and tastes of stone fruit and citrus. It could also make a nice sipper on its own, though my husband notes if you opened it to have with one meal it might not go with the next day’s dinner. I guess you’d just have to finish the bottle. Susan suggests that it is a good Thanksgiving wine, and I tell her that this year we’ll probably be drinking sake with our turkey, since our theme is Japanese food. But we decide to get a bottle anyway. By the way, they source all their other grapes on the North Fork, but the riesling is from the Finger Lakes.

5. 2014 Shiraz $23
Because Russell is Australian, they call this wine shiraz, rather than syrah, which is the same grape. He is particularly happy to make this wine, because the terroir of the North Fork reminds him of Western Australia, with its cool maritime setting. They aim to make all their wines food-friendly, and we can see that. This is a medium-bodied red, not a big fruity syrah-style wine. It smells to me like purple plums, and has some fruit tastes. It is the kind of red, like a Beaujolais, that could go with roast chicken or pizza. She says it would also be good for Thanksgiving. We decide to get a bottle, and not just because one of our tastings will be free.
6. 2017 T’Jara Cabernet Franc $25
This and the next two reds are aged in Hungarian oak, while the Shiraz is aged in American oak. I suppose some day, with enough education, I could tell the difference…Anyway, cab franc has become the second most popular grape on the North Fork, after merlot, and though at first it was primarily used in blends, it is now often featured on its own. The aroma is lovely, with notes of nutmeg and minerals as well as dark fruits. It tastes good, too, like purple plums. Again, not a big red, but one with enough acidity that it could go with something like the yummy short ribs and mashed potatoes I had at Jamesport Manor during Restaurant Week.

One side of the tasting room.

7. 2015 T’Jara Merlot $25
Cherry taste and aroma, as typical of merlots around here, but not very fruity. Minerality. Not bad, just not exciting.
8. 2013 Suhru Ember $20
Why Ember, I ask? Susan explains that they just called this “red,” and their wine club members objected that it was too good a wine to have such a meh name, so they had a contest to name it, and ember won. She feels like it captures the warmth of sitting around a fire and sipping this Bordeaux blend. It is 49% merlot, 25% cabernet sauvignon, 18% cabernet franc, and 4% each petit verdot and malbec, though they may vary the proportions from year to year, depending on the qualities of each grape’s juice. Again, we get a slightly funky, forest floor aroma, plus tobacco. She says it has a long finish, but we don’t find that. I taste blackberries. We think this either needs more or less time to age—not sure which!

This little patio abuts the rather large parking lot, and there is a back entrance to the winery off to the side.

Reasons to visit: pleasant intimate setting, where you can talk to the owner and learn about the winemaking; you can take your tastes to a table, all at once on a carefully labeled tray in nice round-bottomed glasses; snacks from Touch of Venice, a restaurant whose food we like; a cute little outdoor patio area for warm weather; we liked almost all the wines, but especially the shiraz, the sauvignon blanc, and the dry riesling.

Del Vino Vineyards: First Stop? October 25, 2019

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with Alto, artichoke formaggio, Bobina, cabernet, chardonnay, cheese and charcuterie board, Del Vino Vineyards, Grande, no outside food, North Fork, Northport, pinot grigio, sauvignon blanc, Super Tuscan, Suprema, Ultimo, Ventola, wine tasting October 27, 2019

https://www.delvinovineyards.com/

My friend’s friend described Del Vino as “pretentious.”

Del Vino, in Northport, bills itself as the “first vineyard on the North Fork wine trail.” That statement involves a rather loose interpretation of North Fork, since it is almost an hour away from any next stop. However, it turned out to be a pleasant place for my friend and me to share some snacks and a tasting, especially since it was such a mild afternoon that we were able to sit out on the patio.

The vineyard and tasting room are located on a hilly street in a very nice residential area, so I can see why the local residents had reservations about a business selling alcohol in their neighborhood. I have been curious about the place since I first read about their struggles to get the necessary permits. I wonder whether the surroundings influenced the style of the tasting room, which my friend told me a friend of hers had labeled “pretentious.” Well, it is somewhat glitzier than many of the more rustic rooms on the North Fork, but the service was perfectly friendly and efficient.

The tasting room is dominated by this large bar.

When we entered, we saw a rather shiny tiled bar surrounded by bar stools and tables. At that moment, around 12:30, it was mostly empty, but by the time we left, around 2 (We had a lot to talk about!), it was rather full, as was the patio. A hostess immediately greeted us and offered us the option of sitting outside, which we took.

The patio overlooks their vineyard, where they grow the white wine grapes, and is adjacent to the building where they make all their wines. The red wine grapes are imported from California.

As we perused the menu, we were a little baffled to see there was no price listed for a tasting, but our waitress assured us that we could do a tasting, and that a white tasting consisted of the first three whites on the menu, and a red the first three reds. Figuring backwards from my credit card receipt (subtracting what the snacks cost), each tasting was about $14. Though we liked the wines, we agreed they were all a bit pricey, and so didn’t buy any of them.

For lunch, we decided to share a cheese and charcuterie platter, which cost $28 for a bountiful selection of hard cheeses and slices of sausages and prosciutto, plus nice little extras like almonds, olives, fig jam, and pickled peppers; and then added Artichoke Formaggio, which was a delicious warm dish of a whole cooked artichoke under a blanket of melted cheese.

Would I take the time to travel there if I were doing a North Fork tasting trip? Nope, but I would go there if I was in the neighborhood for something else.

Alto $35

The wines all have names, rather than being labeled by their varietal, but our waitress could shed no light on the reasons behind the names. This is their chardonnay, which is described on the menu as “lightly oaked.” I was glad it was lightly, since I tend not to like heavily oaked chards. This has a fruity flowery aroma, and tastes distinctly of pineapple.

Ventola $43

We liked this the best of the three whites, and agreed it would be a good oyster accompaniment. It has a delicate aroma, with some notes of minerals, and tastes very like a typical North Fork sauvignon blanc, with some dry lemon flavor. It is a bit petillant on the tongue.

Bobina $39

My friend and I agreed that pinot grigio is a wine we both often get when confronted with a list of “by the glass” wines, as it is a fairly dependable grape. This is a light, dry version, with some citrus taste. My friend’s assessment was that it “doesn’t bite but it’s not like drinking fruit juice.”

The cheese and charcuterie board was more than enough food for the two of us.

Suprema $39

The menu describes this as their “red blend,” but gives no further details as to what is blended. I wouldn’t be surprised if the blend included a fair amount of merlot, as it has that typical merlot cherry smell and taste. It is dry, with some tannins, and would make a good pizza or pasta wine.

Ultimo $43

I really would like to know why this name! In any event, once again the menu vaguely describes this as a “cabernet blend,” with no further details. It is our favorite of the reds, with some interesting layers of flavor of dark fruits plus chocolate. The wine has some tobacco and chocolate aromas as well as fruit.

Grande $47

The winery calls this a “Super Tuscan.” I guess that means it is another blend. When I say that it has a funky aroma, my friend, who has a way with words, elaborates: “a combination of old socks and grandpa’s breath.” Fortunately, it doesn’t taste like that! However, we are less than impressed by the taste, which is rather light, with not much fruit or depth. My friend says, “It doesn’t hit any notes, it just hums—off key.”

Reasons to visit: you are in the Northport/Huntington area and are in the mood for a wine tasting; you want to go to a winery but there’s too much traffic on the LIE, so you decide to bail out at exit 53; the Ventola and the Ultimo, though we liked all the wines except the Grande; the Artichoke Formaggio.

Channing Daughters: Just Some New Releases August 27 2019

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with Blaufrankish, cabernet sauvignon, channing daughters, dornfelder, ferry, MashashimuetPark, muscat ottonel, Petillant Naturel, Pinot Bianco, pinot grigio, Sag Harbor, sauvignon blanc, South Fork, Sylvanus, Vermouth, wine tasting September 7, 2019

https://www.channingdaughters.com/

The last time we went to Channing, it was with the intent to resign our wine club membership. We were persuaded to stay in the club when we learned we could switch from home delivery to pick-up at the winery, and go whenever we had time, even if it meant getting several selections at once.

We only had one installment to pick up, but we had decided to take some guests on the ferries from Greenport to Sag Harbor, and make a day of it. The ferries are not cheap, so it would not be cost-effective to go that route every time we needed to pick up wine (since we can drive around, through Riverhead), but on the other hand there was no way we were going to brave the traffic on Route 27 in the summer. Been there, sat there.

On the ferry!

The ferries were fun for our visitors, especially two little ones who were excited to get out of their car seats and stand in the car while it floated across Peconic Bay. We also enjoyed strolling through Sag Harbor, visiting old favorites like the Wharf Shop and Blooming Shells. After a picnic lunch at the beautifully re-done Mashashimuet Park playground, we headed to Channing, intending to just pick up our shipment. But we hadn’t reckoned with the blandishments of the hospitable tasting room servers, who suggested that we “just try the new releases.”

The small members of the party admired Walter Channing’s huge wood sculptures and read their books while we did a quick tasting.

My notes are skimpy, because we hadn’t intended to do a tasting, plus, as the designated driver I only took a sip of each wine. But I think you can get a sense of what we love about Channing: the great variety of their wines and their brave spirit of experimentation.

1. 2018 Sauvignon Blanc $23

With its lovely lemon grass flavor, this is a perfect oyster go-with.

This has a slight pink tinge, and is best served icy cold.

2. 2018 Rosato Petillant Naturel Cabernet Sauvignon $28

Delicious! A fizzy, fruity, yeasty, dry sparkler, we agreed we could drink this as a toast or an aperitif or with food. Charcuterie, perhaps?

3. 2018 Sylvanus Petillant Naturel $28

A blend of 50% pinot grigio, 40% muscat-ottonel, and 10% pinot bianco, this is a great illustration of the Channing experimentalism. It has a nice aroma of pineapple, but I did not particularly like it.

The Blau has a lovely dark color.

4. 2016 Blaufrankish $28

Another unusual blend, this is 75% blaufrankish and 25% dornfelder. It is dry, with tastes of blackberry and other dark fruits. Channing suggest you can age this 6-8 years. By the way, it is great fun to read the descriptions of their wines on their web site, which goes into intricate detail on the wines.

5. Vermouths $28 (most of them)

I didn’t taste the vermouths, but those who did said they would be great to drink on ice or in a cocktail.

Reasons to visit: still the greatest variety of wines anyone makes on the East End; best winery on the South Fork (though Wölffer is also quite good, it is a much more formal setting); vermouths, petillant naturels (they make ten in all, though not all are available at all times); beautiful sculptures made by Walter Channing.

Channing Daughters: SoFo, So Good September 14, 2018

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with cabernet franc, channing daughters, chardonnay, Croteaux, dornfelder, gewurztraminer, L'Enfant Sauvage, lagrein, Mattebella, Meditazione, merlot, muscat, no dogs allowed, One Woman, pellegrini, Petillant Natural Rosato, pinot grigio, pinot noir, Rosato di Sculpture Garden, Rosso Fresco, sauvignon blanc, Sherwood House, South Fork, syrah, teroldego, Tocai Friulano, VerVino Vermouth, Vino Bianco, wine tasting September 16, 2018

https://www.channingdaughters.com/

Friends often ask me, “What’s your favorite winery?” I have various answers—rosés at Croteaux, whites at One Woman, reds at Pellegrini, Mattebella for sitting outside, Sherwood for the fireplace in the winter, etc.—but really, Channing Daughters is my favorite. Unfortunately, it is on the South Fork, so we don’t get there as often as we like. However, we had an errand that could only be done in Southampton, so off we went. The errand finished, we took a walk around Sag Harbor, got a bite of lunch at the Golden Pear (really good sandwich), and headed to Channing Daughters.

This line-up of bottles shows just some of the wines Channing Daughters makes.

So why do we like this winery so much? It is the most creative, interesting winery on Long Island, growing about two dozen different grapes and mixing and matching them in unusual ways. And we like almost all their wines. That’s why we joined their wine club, despite the inconvenience of having to be home to sign for the UPS delivery.

Part of the outside area.

The tasting room is small, with a bar along one side and a few barrels on which to rest your tastes, plus some outside tables in the summer. They carry a small selection of wine-related gifts, and offer some plain crackers as palate cleansers. However, we’ve never been there without having interesting conversations with both the people at the bar and the servers, who are very well versed in the wines and eager to share what they know. For really complete analyses of the wines, check out their web site.

A tasting consists of six wines for $18, and though the wines in the tasting are listed on a chalkboard, we overheard the servers customize tastings for people based on what they like or don’t like. As wine club members, we could have tasted any wines, but I wanted to taste the two wines which had just come in our shipment. So we did the standard tasting plus those two. Although we each could have had our own tasting, we decided to share in the interests of sobriety.

The upside down tree is their logo, and references one of Walter Channing”s skills, which is carving.

2015 Vino Bianco $20

A blend of 36% Pinot Grigio, 26% Sauvignon Blanc, 15% Tocai Friulano and 23% Chardonnay, this is a basic good white wine. Dry and refreshing, it has, observed my husband, “lots of taste.” Citrus, flowers, spice, fruit—I agree. They age some of the wine in steel, some in old oak, some in new oak, then blend it all together. As I said, they are creative! We buy two bottles, and think about having some the next time we buy oysters.

2016 Rosato di Sculpture Garden $25

This is one of the rosés they make. A number of years ago, they had seven, the result of late heavy rains which made them reluctant to use the red wine grapes for reds, as the flavor would be too diluted. So instead they made rosé. Good move. The rosés were so popular, they now make a bunch every year. This one is a field blend, of 91% merlot, 6% teroldego, and 3% blaufrankisch. Really nice. The aroma is somewhat earthy and minerally, and it has the strawberry taste you expect plus a really nice minerality and maybe some nutmeg. Good.

Orange wine!

2014 Meditazione $40

Pronouncing the name with Italian verve, our server explained all about orange wine. This is a white wine made using the red wine method of fermenting the juice with the skins, hence the orange color. A blend of 36% Pinot Grigio, 21% Muscat Ottonel, 14% Chardonnay, 13% Tocai Friulano, 7% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Pinot Bianco and 4% Gewurztraminer, this is not an easy wine to drink on its own. We have it with a couple of crackers, which improves the experience. It smells like baked oranges and tastes like apples and spices. They suggest pairing it with game birds or sausages, and that makes sense to me.

2017 Rosso Fresco $22

Fresh red? Yes, because this is a light, bright red, more along the lines of a Beaujolais. I could see serving on the deck with hot dogs. It’s another blend, of 76% Merlot, 11% Syrah, 8% Blaufrankisch, 4% Cabernet Franc, 1% Teroldego, and is barely aged. They even suggest serving it slightly chilled. It would make a great summer red.

2017 Petillant Naturel Rosato $28

I usually eschew sparkling pink wines. Fortunately, I did not skip this one. Wow, is it good! Mouthwatering, bubbly, dry, with some strawberry aroma and flavor, this wines makes a good case for never dismissing any type of wine before you taste the iteration in front of you. The servers were going into great detail on the methods used to create this wine, which included freezing the tank at one point and fermenting it in the bottle. Just another Channing Daughter original.

VerVino Vermouth (500 ml) $28

Yes, the tasting ends with one of the vermouths they make. This is a somewhat sweet one, and would make a fine aperitif or dessert wine. There’s a somewhat chemical aroma—maybe petroleum? —but fortunately the vermouth doesn’t taste like gasoline. I get sweet apples, pears, and other fruit flavors. Vermouth is made by adding various herbs and other ingredients to wine, and at Channing they vary them by season. This one includes such fall produce as apples, Asian pears, pumpkin, butternut squash, calendula, sage, borage etc.

The “wild child” name references the use of wild yeast.

2015 L’Enfant Sauvage $38

This is one of the wines in our current shipment, so I added it to the tasting. A chardonnay made with wild yeasts, this wine has varied over the years. Sometimes it’s my favorite, and other times…not so much. This iteration is yummy. Although it spends fifteen months in French oak, it doesn’t have that buttery taste I dislike in oaked chards. I do detect a bit of that woody flavor, which reminds me of when I was a kid and I would sometimes bite my pencils, but I also get lime and baked pear. You could have it with very assertive dishes, like spicy Chinese food, or even as an aperitif. We buy a bottle to add to the one we already have, aging in our cellar.

2016 Dornfelder

I wonder if this is a wine which would improve with age, since of all the wines we tried today this is my least favorite. But they do suggest aging it in the bottle, so we will see. A blend of 85% dornfelder and 15% pinot noir, it has red fruit aromas and flavors, but is not a really deep big red.

Lots of choices!

Reasons to visit: some of the best and most creative wines on Long Island; the Vino Bianco, the Rosato, the Petillant Naturel Rosato, L’Enfant Sauvage, and more; there’s always something new to try; one of the few wineries on the South Fork, so well worth a visit if you find yourself in Sag Harbor.

Mr. Channing’s sculptures decorate the tasting room and the grounds.

NoFo Wineaux

Wine notes from Long Island's North Fork

Tag Archives: pinot grigio

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Channing Daughters: SoFo, So Good September 14, 2018