Mattebella Vineyards: Sunny Sunday in October

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with Blanc de Blanc, cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, cheese and charcuterie, Famiglia Red, Mattebella Vineyards, merlot, no dogs allowed, no outside food, North Fork, Old World Blend, petit verdot, reserve chardonnay, rose, wine tasting October 5, 2021

October 3, 2021

“It’s such a beautiful day,” my tasting buddy said. “Can you think of a winery with a nice outside seating area?” I certainly could, so off we went to Mattebella. Because it was a Sunday, I did not want to go to any of the bigger wineries, and indeed, as we drove past Pugliese, Osprey, and others we noted their full parking lots and signs promoting “Live Music.” However, Mattebella was quiet, with a few groups here and there, scattered around their patio and grounds.

They really don’t have much in the way of inside space, but their patio is very comfortable, with cushy couches and chairs, and pretty, with plantings of hydrangeas and roses. My husband said,” They get an A for atmosphere.” The server motioned us over, as we paused at the entrance, and told us we could choose our seats. We immediately walked over to a nice couch and wicker coffee table set-up, and settled down to look at the menus she handed us. Okay, here’s one for cheese and charcuterie boards, one for wine-based cocktails, and another for glass and bottle service, but where’s one for a tasting?

When the waitress returns, we ask, and she informs us that if you want a tasting on the weekend, you have to reserve it in advance, though during the week it’s not a problem. Is it possible to get a tasting anyway, we asked, gesturing to the almost empty grounds. Well, okay. And she brought us a tasting menu. The menu makes the most of the few varietals they grow, with multiple chardonnays and blends. You can get a white flight, a red flight, a sparkling flight, a rosé flight, a reserve chardonnay flight, a Library flight (of “special wines from our cellar”), or a Vintner Select Flight (of “our winemaker’s favorite wines”). We opt for the latter, which is pretty comprehensive, as it includes a sparkling wine, a rosé, two whites and four reds, for $45. That’s a pretty steep price for a tasting, but it does feature eight wines, and the pour is generous enough that sharing is no problem.

I’m not sure why a tasting on the weekend is such a big deal, since they give you all your wines at once (except for the sparkler, which comes separately). One more note—they used to allow dogs, but they say they are no longer permitted to.

The sparkling wine comes in this nice glass.

2013 Blanc de Blancs $70

The méthode champenoise is very labor intensive, and takes years from harvest to completion, so sparkling wines made this way tend to be more expensive, and this one is no exception. And it is quite delicious, with aromas of freshly baked bread and tastes of crisp green apple and bread. However, is it a $70 bottle of wine? I don’t think so.

2017 Steel Chardonnay $29

Sometimes steel chards have a piney aroma, like an evergreen forest, and this one does, with tastes of mild citrus and green apple. It is very light, and “not memorable,” according to my tasting companion.

2013 Reserve Chardonnay $50

As you know if you read my blog, I am not a fan of oaked chardonnays, but this one is only 40% oak-aged, so not bad. My husband likes it, and says it would be a good sipping wine. This also has a slight woodsy aroma, with some nice fruit tastes and just a touch of butterscotch.

No actual dogs allowed, but they do have these somewhat ugly statues of dogs.

2020 Rosé $28

Light, dry…too light and dry. I like rosés to have some fruit taste, and this has no aroma and almost no taste.

Famiglia Red $35

The lack of a vintage year indicates that this is a blend of various years, as they like to keep the taste of this wine consistent every time. A blend of merlot and cabernet franc, this is a good wine to have with food, like lamb chops, as it has some tannins. It has the slight cherry aroma from the merlot grapes, and a pleasant, though uncomplicated, taste of fruit and olives.

2011 Old World Blend $65

Our waitress proudly points out that this wine and the next were highly rated by Robert Parker, earning scores of 90 and 93. As I look at the list of grapes used in this blend—merlot, cabernet franc, petit verdot, cabernet sauvignon—it is clear the “old world” is Bordeaux. My husband takes a sip and says, “This is certainly not bad.” Again, it has that cherry aroma, plus some tobacco and leather. It is tasty, I offer, as I sense plums and perhaps a touch of chocolate.

2013 Old World Blend $91

This is a slightly different blend, with merlot, cabernet franc, and petit verdot. My husband notes that it would “stand up to steak,” with good tannins and blackberry flavor. But when I tell him how much they charge for a bottle, he says, “They’re drinking too much wine.” That is a problem with small vineyards like this—they have no economies of scale, especially because they are farming sustainably and using machines as little as possible.

2015 Old World Blend $78

Using the same four grapes as the 2011, this is somehow much better, and my favorite of the day. Yummy. The aroma is of cherries and brambles, and the taste includes blackberry and unsweetened chocolate. It even has “legs,” which indicate possibly more tannins and alcohol than the other blends. If I came here to have a cheese and charcuterie tray and a glass of wine, this is the one I would get.

I always think it’s nice when they bring me water.

Reasons to visit: beautiful outdoor patio with comfy seating; relaxed, laid-back vibe; the Blanc de Blancs, the Reserve Chardonnay, and the 2015 Old World Blend; menu of cheeses and charcuterie with lots of options; creative wine-based cocktails. Reasons not to visit: high prices, and the rest room is a rather yucky port-a-pottie.

Osprey’s Dominion: Taking Flight(s) December 22, 2018

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with Bordeaux, cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, Carmenere, Fume Blanc, gewurztraminer, Malbec, Meritage Flight, merlot, North Fork, Osprey's Dominion, Patty's Berries and Bunches, petit verdot, pinot noir, reserve chardonnay, Reserve Petit Verdot, Reserve Pinot Gris, Richmond Creek Red Blend, sauvignon blanc, vintage, wine tasting December 24, 2018

Osprey’s Dominion: Taking Flight(s) December 22, 2018

Don’t let the blue sky deceive you…it was cold!

https://ospreysdominion.com/

You really need to have two flights to begin to sample the breadth of Osprey’s Dominion’s list of wines, so…we did. I valiantly offered to drink more of each taste than my husband, the designated driver. A flight of five tastes is $12, so we did one with five whites and another of five reds, but we could go back and do another two tastings of all different wines, if you include the “Reserve Collection.”

On this pre-Christmas Saturday of frantic last-minute shopping (we did a few errands in Riverhead and were happy we did them early, as we saw the traffic quickly increasing), the expansive tasting room at Osprey’s was an oasis of calm. We had useful attention from our server, who quickly noted our likes and helped us tailor our tasting accordingly, avoiding their sweeter wines.

Gift items

Interesting way to use corks

This is called “North Fork Skyline”!

What’s nice about Osprey is it has something for everyone, from the lower priced Richmond Creek wines to the expensive Reserves, from the sweet Regina Maris Chardonnay to the minerally Sauvignon Blanc. They also carry a nice selection of wine-related gifts. The one area I would fault them on is in the snack category. After our morning of erranding I was ready for a snack, but the “cheese tray” on offer for $10 was a cellophane-wrapped very small package of a few slices of Boar’s Head salami and cheese, plus a little baggie of crackers. No thanks.

That Boar’s Head “cheese tray” was quite inadequate.

Nice sized pour

2016 Sauvignon Blanc $19

Both the aroma and the taste of this sauvignon blanc are complex and interesting, and somewhat different than the usual North Fork s.b. We sniff and get something funky, something vegetal—maybe cabbage? The taste has lots of minerality and salt, plus pink grapefruit. Good. The tasting menu says “refreshing acidity.” I would agree. My husband says it is “not shy.” Some day it might be fun to line up a bunch of different sauvignon blancs and see how they differ.

2014 Fumé Blanc $19

Well, here’s one way they can differ. This wine uses the same grape, but aged in 15% new French oak, on the lies for a while, for a somewhat smoky taste. The aroma is again a bit funky, but also smells like ripe melon. It has a richer mouth feel than the first wine and a nice long finish. Lots of good acidity. We like this one, too.

2017 Reserve Pinot Gris $24

Our server steers us to this one, instead of our original plan of just going in order on the list of whites, since we had said we did not care for sweet wines. The aroma of this one lets me trot out my new vocabulary word: petrichor. That’s the “scent of rain on dry ground,” which is also the smell you get when you walk past apartment buildings in New York in the summer after the doorman has been hosing down the sidewalk, or the smell of this wine. It tastes like tangerines and pineapple, plus again some minerality, and is another winner.

2014 Reserve Chardonnay $22

Although our server says this is the least sweet and least oaky of the oaked chardonnays, it’s not my favorite of the wines so far. 100% barrel fermented, the aroma is of something floral plus pencil shavings. My tasting buddy identifies a “theme” in the wines, which we decide is a combination of minerality and acidity. Those qualities help balance the sweetness of this chard. I could see having it with Chinese food.

2013 Gewürztraminer $19

As is typical of this grape, we get lots of floral smells, like honeysuckle, plus spice. “It smells like a garden,” says my husband. Though we prefer the gewürztraminer at One Woman, this is nice, with some gingery notes as well as fruit. A touch sweet.

Richmond Creek Red Blend $14

Now we get a fresh glass for the reds. This is a left bank Bordeaux blend of 42% cabernet sauvignon, 11% pinot noir, 26% cabernet franc, and 23% merlot. As I sniff, I’m reminded of a gift I once got of a box of chocolate covered cherries. Add to that a touch of tobacco and you have the aroma of this mellow, smooth, and very drinkable red. It tastes remarkably like those chocolate covered cherries, too. Really good for the money, and we’ve often bought it at Vintage, our local liquor store.

2013 Meritage “Flight” $30

I love this kind of juxtaposition. Here’s another Bordeaux-style blend, this time of merlot, cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, and petit verdot. At twice the price of the Richmond Creek blend, is it worth it? Well, maybe. It is definitely better in that it is more complex, with aromas and flavors of prunes, fruit, raspberries, and tobacco, with tannins that indicate you could probably cellar it for a few years. I wouldn’t buy it for every night drinking, but maybe for a special occasion. The word “flight,” by the way, refers to the owner, who is a pilot.

2014 Carménère $30

According to the tasting notes, Osprey is the first winery on Long Island to plant the Carménère grape, another grape used in Bordeaux wines. We like this wine, too. We smell pencil shavings again, like the smell you get from a pencil sharpener, and taste purple plums and spice, perhaps nutmeg. It has “lots of taste,” we agree. I think this is another wine that could age.

2014 Malbec $30

In Cahors, we are told by the tasting notes, malbec is blended with merlot and tannat grapes, as is the case here as well. The notes also recommend serving this with a grilled steak, and I can see that. The aroma reminds me of picking blueberries and blackberries at Patty’s Berries and Bunches in August, an activity I heartily recommend for small children. I had fun doing that, too. This wine is also enjoyable, juicy and yummy.

2013 Reserve Petit Verdot $30

The server and I agree that we like petit verdot. This one is very good, with aromas of nutmeg and other spices, and a long finish. It tastes like blackberry jam with seeds, and is very tannic. If I were adding wine to my cellar for aging, I would get this one.

The tasting room is quite roomy.

This is a secondary bar.

Reasons to visit: something for everyone, with a wide variety of wines at various price points and tastes; large attractive tasting room, where they often have music and other events; most of the wines, especially the Sauvignon Blanc, the Reserve Pinot Gris, the Richmond Creek Red Blend, the Meritage “Flight,” the Carménère, the Malbec, and the Reserve Petit Verdot. However, don’t rely on them for snacks.

Note the windmill, an increasingly frequent sight on the North Fork.

Mattebella Vineyards: Beautiful Setting, Lovely Wines October 3, 2018

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, dogs allowed, Dry Sparkling Rose, Famiglia Chardonnay, Famiglia Red, Mattebella Vineyards, merlot, no outside food, North Fork, Old World Blend, petit verdot, reserve chardonnay, riesling, rose, steel chardonnay, White Sparkling, wine tasting October 7, 2018

Mattebella Vineyards: Beautiful Setting, Lovely Wines October 3, 2018

http://mattebella.com/main

Heading to the tasting garden from the parking area…

Most of the time, my husband and I are the only ones doing a tasting for my blog. However, we love to take visitors with us to wineries. Aside from the pleasure of their company, it is fun to compare notes on each wine and discuss what it tastes and smells like and what we would serve it with. We also try to think of wineries our guests would like.

We like to support places that care about the environment.

My brother and sister-in-law like to bring their dog with them, so a dog-friendly place was the first requirement. Then, I thought about how they care about conservation, organic and local foods, and the environment, so I wanted to bring them to a winery that farmed sustainably. I also wanted a place with wines we like. Finally, it was a rare lovely day, so we could sit outside, with a pretty garden setting a plus. And thus we chose Mattebella, which turned out to be perfect on all counts.

Comfy seating in the gazebo.

As we settled ourselves on comfy cushioned seats inside a gazebo, a friendly server came over with menus and an offer of water for the dog. We were off to a good start.

The menu offers five different flights, including an interesting one of all chardonnays, but we decided each couple would share a Vintner’s Select Flight, $30 for eight wines. Our server put a tray full of glasses down in front of us, with each wine labeled, and poured the five whites, promising to return with the reds when we were ready. She returned shortly with a small piece of slate on which perched two pieces of toasted baguette with a slice of brie on each, to go with the wine. They used to give several different snacks with the wine, but now it is just the one. Still, that’s nicer than the dry crackers which a few wineries offer.

The first round of tastes.

2015 Steel Chardonnay $21

The aroma is of minerals and green apples, and the taste is very lemony. Our server suggests we compare it with a sauvignon blanc, and I see why. It is the type of light, citrusy wine which goes great with oysters. It could also be drunk as an aperitif, a “sipper on the patio,” we decide.

Free snack!

2014 Famiglia Chardonnay $22

“Why Famiglia?” we ask. We don’t really get a clear explanation, but it has something to do with the winemaker being Italian and the word for family. In any event, this is an oaked chard, with an aroma of wood and green apple. Words that come up as we discuss the taste: honeydew, butterscotch, lemony at end. At this point we take a nibble of the brie and decide this is a wine that needs to go with food. “Pleasant but not fascinating,” someone says.

2013 Founder’s Reserve Chardonnay $38

My sister-in-law likes this one better than I do, but it’s fine. The aroma combines basement smells with a chemical I identify as turpentine or gasoline. Fortunately, it doesn’t taste the way it smells. The taste is complex, with a touch of sweetness. I get some grapefruit and pear tastes. They say it could age, and I see that.

Our friendly dog visitor.

The indoor area is in that small building.

2014 Riesling $22

I find riesling somewhat problematical. In general, I don’t buy one unless I know how it tastes, since they seem to vary widely. Some rieslings are too sweet, but some I really like. This one, from a vineyard in Jamesport, is not sweet, but I don’t care for it. It has a somewhat piney taste, which my brother compares to the bark on a tree. He’s not fond of it, but my sister-in-law likes it, which proves what people often say, that wine likes and dislikes are very personal.

2017 Rosé $21

This is a nice summer sipper, light and lemony, with some strawberry taste and aroma. 90% merlot and 10% cabernet franc.

Famiglia Red $24

There is no vintage on this wine, since it is a blend they try to keep consistent from year to year, so if you order it in a restaurant or buy a bottle you will know what to expect. This particular blend is mostly merlot, with some cabernet franc. Our server characterizes it as “a good wine to bring to a friend’s house.” The aroma combines plums, cherry pits, and leather handbags. Fruity, soft, and very drinkable, this is a serviceable food wine, good with pizza and pasta. Someone says this is what should be called a “ten-minute wine,” a wine you just drink, rather than discuss.

2011 Old World Blend $50

That’s quite a price jump, and we are wondering whether the wine is worth it. Sniff. Rotting banana and dried fruit compote. Sip. Good! Lots of complex fruit flavors with light tannins, we taste raisins and prunes. It would go well with lamb roasted with rosemary. The wine is a Bordeaux blend of merlot, cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, and petit verdot. If you care about such things, you might like to know that Robert Parker gave it 90 points.

The drawing on the labels is of the owners’ children, Matt and ‘Bella.

2013 Old World Blend $65

OMG. Really good, in other words. This is another blend, of merlot, cabernet franc, and petit verdot, aged in French oak. It has lots of tannins, with aromas of leather and dark fruits. It is not as fruity as the 2011, but we decide it is more elegant. It has enough power to stand up to steak.

Look how dark that Old World Blend is!

As we discuss our overall impressions of the wines, which we characterize as smooth, soft, and drinkable, my sister-in-law is perusing the menu. She notices that we have not tried any of their sparkling wines, so we ask the server which one we should try. She brings us two.

2017 White Sparkling Wine $24

Our server says we should think of this as similar to a prosecco. It’s not bad, but too sweet for us.

2017 Dry Sparkling Rosé $28

We prefer this one, which is refreshingly dry, with light fruit tastes. This is another one to sip on the back deck.

Reasons to visit: pretty outdoor setting, but the indoor area is quite small; comfy seating; lots of nice wines, especially the Steel Chardonnay, the Famiglia Red, and the 2013 Old World Blend; dogs are allowed; no outside food, but they do have various crostini on offer, plus they bring you one for free; they farm sustainably.

We were tempted to taste the grapes, but the netting discouraged us as well as the birds.

Waters Crest: New Digs November 19, 2016

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting, Uncategorized and tagged with "5" Red Blend, Cabernet Franc Grand Vin, Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Vin, Dry Riesling, Dry Rose, Eight Hands Farm, Malbec, Merlot Grand Vin, North Fork, reserve chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, Sunny Side Up Bed and Breakfast, Waters Crest, Wayside Market, wine tasting November 21, 2016

http://www.waterscrest.com/

The new home of Waters Crest looks quite homey.

What a difference a year makes! Last fall we visited Waters Crest’s tiny tasting room in a drab strip of shops around the corner from the Southold town dump and had the room to ourselves; this fall we encountered a limo full of 20-somethings on their way into a cozy cottage on the Main Road that had been transformed into a comfortable bar and groupings of tables and chairs. Over near the windows, a group was celebrating one person’s birthday, cake and all. Next to us at the bar we got into a conversation with two men who turned out to also be bloggers and a very friendly young woman who owns a nearby bed and breakfast (the Sunny Side Up Bed and Breakfast, closed now for the season, but check them out next June), who is also quite knowledgeable about local wine and food.

There were several sets of comfy chairs.

The advantage of being the only ones in the tasting room last year was that we had the exclusive attention of Adam, the very well-informed server who gave us all sorts of information about the wines. This time, we again encountered Adam, and had occasion to admire his ability to multi-task as he handled the crowd (with the help of Mrs. Waters and her daughter), and, after things calmed down a bit, again talked with us seriously about the wines, about which he is clearly passionate. And he has much to be proud about, as we liked all the wines, some more than others. Jim Waters doesn’t have his own vineyard, but produces his wines from grapes he buys from various growers, such as Jamesport. Clearly, he chooses well.

The tasting menu offers eight different wines—four whites and four reds—all of which you can sample for $20, a bargain. Or you can pick only a few, at $4 per taste. Since I have a cold, and we wanted to try all eight, we decided the way to share a tasting was to get two glasses and have my husband pour half the taste into my glass. Once Adam realized what we were doing, he very courteously shared out each tasting between the two glasses, and we certainly had plenty to drink.

2015 Dry Rosé $24.99

According to the menu, the rosé is made from a blend of merlot, cabernet sauvignon and sauvignon blanc using the “saignée” method, in which the juice is taken from red grapes at an early stage, when it is still light in color, and can then be mixed with white grape juice. We note a faint aroma of unripe strawberries and then sip. If I was blindfolded, opines my tasting pal, I would think this was a sauvignon blanc. I see what he means, because this is quite dry with a bit of a citrus edge, but also some strawberry flavor like a rosé. It would certainly pair well with oysters.

2015 Dry Riesling $24.99

This is just the type of riesling we like—dry, crisp, and mineral. I think it smells like honey, and my husband adds leather. The taste reminds me of a nice crisp pear, and I think it would be perfect with lobster bisque.

2014 Reserve Chardonnay $23.99

If you are ambivalent about whether you like your chards oaked or unoaked you might like this one. The wine is fermented in steel, then spends three months in used French oak, so it gets just a hint of the vanilla the oak imparts. This particular wine is already sold out (except for what they keep for the tasting room) and I can see why. The little bit of oak smooths out the edges of the wine, which is dry with green apple tastes and some minerality and really nice acidity. Lemongrass “on the nose,” as they say.

Not drunk, just trying a different angle!

2015 Sauvignon Blanc $24.99

Adam explains that this is actually an orange wine, which means that though it is a white it has a faint orange tone from the grape skins. If you’re expecting an Australian-style sauvignon blanc you’ll be disappointed, but if you come with an open mind you’ll probably be happy. It has a bit of a butterscotch taste and aroma, and would complement a plate of charcuterie beautifully.

2014 “5” Red Blend $29.99

As we transition to the reds, Adam rinses both our glasses with a bit of the red, a good idea. This bottle has my favorite label, a version of the famous Charles Demuth painting of the “Great Number Five” which was inspired by a poem by William Carlos Williams (check out the painting for “secret” clues to their friendship). It is almost all merlot, with 11% cabernet sauvignon and 4% malbec. We enjoy it, but my husband adds, “This wine lacks gravitas.” Yes, it is a rather light red, with some aromas and tastes of plum jam. Good for casual drinking, maybe with roast chicken.

2013 Merlot “Grand Vin” $59.99

This is one of a number of Waters Crest’s wines with high ratings from Wine Enthusiast. Personally, as a retired teacher, I am not into assigning grades, but if you find that helpful, there it is. Adam suggests that this wine, though it has been aged 22 months in new French oak, would benefit from further aging. There are plenty of tannins, so I think he had a point. Both the aroma and the taste have notes of spice, and if you drank it now I would pair it with lamb chops. I recommend you check out the meats from Eight Hands Farm—all pasture raised and quite delicious.

We liked the ceiling lights, like mini-barrels.

2013 Cabernet Franc “Grand Vin” $59.99

You could age this one for ten years, suggests Adam, but if you bought it you probably would drink it sooner than that. It is quite delicious, and our new friend-with-the-bed-and-breakfast’s favorite of the wines. After aging 22 months in new French oak, it has lots of dark fruit tastes, plenty of tannins, plus notes of chocolate, leather, raspberries, and spices. It could stand up to a steak, maybe from Wayside Market.

2013 Cabernet Sauvignon “Grand Vin” $59.99

We discuss the season of 2013, which was a long hot one, leading to lots of ripeness in the reds. This one smells to me like chocolate bark with almonds and berries, and the taste is more blackberry than chocolate. Though Adam says again this could be aged 15 or more years, we find it quite smooth, almost velvety. This one spent 23 months in American oak before being bottled.

One part of the bar area.

Reasons to visit: pleasant new tasting room conveniently located across the street from Wickham’s Fruit Farm stand and Touch of Venice (where, if you bring a bottle of Waters Crest wine, they waive the corkage fee);they have a roomy parking lot in the back; the Dry Riesling, Reserve Chard, and Sauvignon Blanc among the whites; the Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon “Grand Vins”; Adam if he’s serving in the tasting room; the pleasant back yard (in the warmer weather).

We might have to come back on a Friday and get a glass of cabernet.

Or in the summer, to experience the back yard.

Waters Crest: A Learning Experience October 18, 2015

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, Campania Rosso, channing daughters, Charles Demuth, Dry Riesling, Jim Waters, L'Enfant Sauvage, Long Island, Merlot Grand Vin, North Fork, petit verdot, Pinot Blanc, Red Blend, reserve chardonnay, Roanoke, sauvignon blanc, The Wild, Waters Crest Winery, William Carlos Williams, wine tasting October 23, 2015

http://www.waterscrestwinery.com/

One view of the cozy tasting room

“This was a great year for whites, but probably not for reds,” opined our enthusiastic and knowledgeable server, Adam, at Waters Crest winery, one of the semi-hidden gems of the North Fork. I love to listen to people talk about something they are passionate about, and Adam certainly fit that description. Though he is working for Waters Crest at the moment, he hopes someday to have his own winery, and meanwhile the good part about working for a small place like this is “you get to do everything.” The good part for those of us who are curious about various aspects of wine making is that the servers here have always been able to do a great job of answering our questions.

Though you can see the wine-making facility through a window in the tasting room, you may wonder where the vines are. Jim Waters buys his grapes from local North Fork vineyards, then makes the wines himself. When we first arrived we had the room to ourselves, but then a couple of small groups came in, all clearly regular customers who knew exactly what they wanted, including which cheese from the small refrigerator to get and which pizza they wanted heated up.

The tasting room is hidden in a strip of stores off Sound Avenue, with the entrance on Cox Lane, just to make finding it even harder, but they hope to soon have a spot on the Main Road, which will be great. We have been a fan of this tiny place ever since our first visit, as the wines tend to be both tasty and interesting. The room is small, but newly furnished with comfortable leather stools and chairs. The tasting menu offers all seven of their wines for $15, and so we opted to share a tasting.

2014 Sauvignon Blanc $25.99

“We treat this more like a Sancerre,” noted Adam, using cold fermentation and no oak. The aroma is quite floral, with notes of pineapple and lemon, which also describes the taste. As is often the case with this grape, it would be perfect with local oysters.

Two of the whites

2013 Pinot Blanc $24.99

What is “indigenous yeast” and how does it work? If you want to know, ask Adam! Most winemakers will treat their grapes with SO2 when they come in from the field in order to kill off the naturally occurring yeasts so that they can then introduce the yeasts they have bought, thus controlling the effect of the yeast. With this pinot blanc (and also, as we discussed, Channing Daughters’ L’Enfant Sauvage and Roanoke’s The Wild!) the natural yeasts were allowed to stay on, which also meant that fermentation took longer. The wine was fermented mostly in steel, with just a touch of oak. The result? Lovely. Aromas of green apple and minerals, with a touch of funkiness preceded a taste of tart green apple and pear salad, with some nice minerality.

2013 Dry Riesling $24.99

Dry? Bone dry! This wine is made with grapes from upstate, from Gold Seal Vineyards, but it is not at all sweet. .025 residual sugar, says Adam. Interesting flavor, with notes of citrus and stone and a touch of funkiness. Unlike most rieslings, which I would choose to have with spicy food, this would go better with duck, sausage, or, suggests Adam, knockwurst. Good call.

2013 Reserve Chardonnay $23.99

After a time of steel fermentation, this gets six months in new French oak, so it is not too buttery. You do get some typical butterscotch flavors, along with lemon and other citrus. Good, a not untypical chard.

2012 Red Blend $19.99

The mixture of 50% merlot and 50% cabernet franc is blended in the bottle after being independently fermented. This has my favorite label, inspired by the famous painting by Charles Demuth which was inspired by his friend William Carlos Williams’s poem “The great number 5.” The aroma is typically cherry, like a merlot, and so is the taste. It is fairly dry, and the tasting notes suggest some rhubarb in the flavor. In any event, it is a good barbeque wine, and would be great with burgers.

The lineup so far, with the Charles Demuth-inspired label on the far right.

2008 Cabernet Franc $39.99

“Now you can see how our wines age,” notes Adam. “The tannins have fallen off.” This has a very distinct taste, combining black pepper, tobacco, and smoke with the fruit flavors, and is balanced and mellow. I start to say roast chicken, and then we agree it would be great with lamb. The 08 is almost all gone, as they found a few cases forgotten in the warehouse!

2010 Merlot Grand Vin $59.99

After three days on the skins (which is fairly long) the wine spends two years in new French oak. It was worth waiting for! 2010 was a great year for reds on the North Fork, and this one, which garnered 90 points in Wine Spectator, is excellent, with lots of tannins, black cherry , and a delicious aroma. It could stand up to a good steak.

Nice color

2010 and 2007 Campania Rosso $56 for the ‘07

If you’re counting, you know we should be done, but as a reward for our intense interest in the wines, Adam gives us small tastes of two Bordeaux blends from two different years just to show what else they can do. These are Right Bank blends of mostly merlot, plus cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, and petit verdot. Though the only difference in the wines is how long they have aged and the year of harvest, they are quite different. The 2010 is dark red, while the ’07 is more of a garnet color. The ’10 is really good, with tannins which finally make sense to me of the term “chewy tannins” and lots of layers of flavors. The ’07 is almost over the hill, with asparagus in the aroma and a lack of depth. Though it is not bad, I would definitely choose the ’10, and drink it soon!

Our bonus tastes. It pays to be serious about your tasting!

Reasons to visit: a chance to talk to knowledgeable servers (one time it was Jim Waters himself) and learn all about the wines; the Pinot Blanc, the Red Blend, the Cabernet Franc, the Merlot Grand Vin, the 2010 Campania Rosso; no crowds on a busy weekend (though this may change once they move to a more public spot).

One Woman Winery: Big on Dry Whites September 6, 2015

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with gewurztraminer, gruner veltliner, merlot, North Fork, One Woman Winery, reserve chardonnay, Reserve Gruner Veltliner, Reserve Merlot, rose, sauvignon blanc, Tribute, wine tasting September 11, 2015

http://www.onewomanwines.com/

“Don’t you have any sweet wines?” the couple next to us in the tiny tasting shed asked, then left, disappointed. Too bad for them, since if they had stayed they could have tasted some of the most interesting whites on the North Fork. Actually, One Woman has had a dessert wine in the past, but they are all sold out. Meanwhile we enjoyed our tasting, overseen by the same young man who waited on us last year, who not only remembered us, but remembered that we had bought some of the Grüner Veltliner! Very impressive, both his memory and the wine.

One Woman is the labor of love of one woman, Claudia Purita, and it shows in the quality of the wines, all made from estate-grown grapes and bottled themselves. The menu offers a choice of any two tastes for $6, three for $8, or four for $10, plus $4 each for the reserve wines. As we hesitate over which to choose, our server suggests we could share one tasting of all the wines for $20, so we decide to do that. Good choice.

This shot encompasses most of the tasting room.

The tasting room is tiny, augmented in warm weather by outdoor picnic tables and an outside bar area served through a rear window, so this is not a place to go with a group. In fact, if you come with more than six people without a reservation they may turn you away. We noticed some sandwiches for sale, as well as D’Latte gelato (made by Ms. Purita’s husband, and excellent), but not much else. The focus here is on the wine.

The gelato freezer

2014 One Woman Rosé $22

As usual, we compare this rosé with Croteaux’s, and find it compares favorably, though perhaps it is less complex than their 314. We smell roses and strawberries, taste red grapefruit and a touch of lemon at the end, with perhaps a hint of strawberry. Nicely dry.

2014 One Woman Sauvignon Blanc $25

Stainless steel fermented, this has an aroma of tangelos, with some sweet fruity tastes yet a dry, lemony finish. It would be perfect with oysters or clams, like the steamed clams with sausage I had the other night at Pepi’s.

2014 One Woman Tribute $23

What’s the story behind the name? Originally this blend of equal amounts of all their white grapes—sauvignon blanc, gewürztraminer, chardonnay, and grüner veltliner—was produced to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the winery, and also as a tribute to Ms. Purita’s father, Domenico, who had inspired her to work on the land. Then it was so popular they decided to add it to the regular line-up. We inhale all sorts of aromas—gooseberry, Chuckles lemon candy, and more—and the taste is equally interesting and complex, with plenty of fruit but also dry. I could see this with some grilled bluefish fillets.

Our two favorite wines!

2014 One Woman Grüner Veltliner $22

Though there is a rumor that another winery may be planning to offer a grüner, at the moment One Woman is the only place on the North Fork to grow this delicious grape. Our server comments that one might compare it with a viognier. We loved it last year, and still do. Aromas of fresh hay, warm and grassy, then a taste of crisp tart melon, with perhaps some lime at the end. I could see sipping this on the porch, with some Catapano goat cheese or all by itself.

2014 One Woman Gewürztraminer $25

What a different aroma this one has from the other whites, we comment: pine, forest floor, lavender. The taste is complex, with notes of lychee plus some nice minerality, the sweet fruit balanced by the minerality. We like it, but we could see how some people might not, and our server confirms that this is a wine one either “loves or hates.” It would be great with Indian or Thai food, suggests our server, and we agree.

2013 One Woman Chardonnay $25

This “crowd pleaser” is fermented partly in steel and partly in new French oak, so it is not too oaky. With its aromas of butterscotch and vanilla it is a typical lightly oaked chard.

2012 One Woman Reserve Grüner Veltliner $32

So interesting to see what happens when two different grapes get a similar treatment. Since this was also aged in French oak, you do get the butterscotch-vanilla scent, but the taste is different, with lots of citrus and mineral as well as the more melon-y tastes. Really good. This one is not usually in the tasting, we are told, but has been opened specially for Labor Day. Lucky us.

2011 One Woman Reserve Chardonnay $35

Buttered popcorn may or may not be a “wine word,” but that’s what we think of when we smell this one. Although it spends 18 months in French oak, it is not too oaky, with complex tastes of citrus and butterscotch. The aroma is a touch funky and sweet, but the taste is just delicious. “It should get a prize,” opines my husband.

Assessing the merlot

2012 One Woman Merlot $28

This is a fairly typical North Fork merlot, with spice and mineral aromas and plum tastes. We note again that the barnyard odor so many of the reds used to have is no longer around. I wonder why.

2008 One Woman Reserve Merlot $48

Though this merlot could not compete with a great red, it is quite good, and smells really nice, with some scents of chocolate. “It’s at its peak right now,” opines our server. He may be right.

Reasons to visit: Cute little tasting shed; a bit off the beaten path, though it has gotten more popular in the last couple of years; all the whites, but especially the grüner veltliner and the gewürztraminer, of which we bought a bottle each; D’Latte gelato (which you can also get in Greenport).

The flower or twig decorations change every time we come.

A view of the tasting shed

Mattebella Vineyards: Science Experiment! August 9, 2015

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with 181 clone, bacon jam, brownies, cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, Croteaux, double cream brie, Famiglia, Famiglia Red, fig jam, gorgonzola, grana, lemonade, Mattebella Vineyards, merlot, Mr. Tobin, Mrs. Tobin, North Fork, Old World Blend, petit verdot, Pomerol, Premium Wine Group, reserve chardonnay, rose, Sparkling Rose, syrah, wine tasting August 12, 2015

The small tasting cottage

http://www.mattebellavineyards.com/

“So first you’re going to try the 2009 chardonnay and the 2013 steel chardonnay,” our charming server explains, pointing out the ways in which they compare. She also sets down in front of us two pieces of baguette topped with double cream brie, about which more later. Mattebella gives you the opportunity to make side by side comparisons of their wines, and in the process you can learn some interesting aspects of wine making, which I’ll tell you along with my discussion of each wine. We started to compare our experience with doing a fun science experiment.

What amazing hydrangeas!

Another attractive feature of the winery is their beautiful outdoor patio setting, with a variety of comfortable seating surrounded by lush hydrangea and rose bushes. The tasting “cottage” itself is quite small, so this is a place we reserve for beautiful days when we can sit outside and relax while being served. Others clearly think so, too, for though the patio was very quiet when we arrived, several groups walked in shortly after we did and all seemed to be enjoying the experience, including one group of young people who entered into a lively discussion with Mr. Tobin, the owner (with his wife, who was also there) of the winery. It is quite a family place, as evidenced by the active participation of the owners in the tasting room, the name of the vineyard—named for their two children—and the name of most of their wines: Famiglia, Italian for family.

Mr. Tobin entertaining a group.

Service is warm and personal, and the wine tasting includes some small tastes of food, since they believe that food affects how wines taste. The menu has two main options: the Light Flight is $17 for 6 whites and 2 rosés, or the Red Flight, $19 for five reds. (Note—they do not accept American Express, though they take other cards.) You can also order individual tastes for $2-$6, glasses of any of the wines, or a glass of their wine cocktail or sangria for $14. Non-drinkers can order their house-made lemonade or water. We decide to share one of each flight, so we can try all the wines. Though there are a lot of tastes on the menu, our server tells us that it is a one ounce pour, so we figure we can handle it!

Light Flight

2009 Chardonnay $21

We thought the server might have been a little confused when she set two glasses down on the table, but she soon explained that she was serving two wines side by side so we could compare them. The 09 is an oaked chard from a cold season, she noted, which made it fairly “crisp and sharp” and an interesting foil for the 2013 steel-fermented chardonnay. She also set down a pretty pottery plate with two pieces of baguette topped with double cream brie. She recommended that we experiment by tasting each wine, then taking a bite of the cheese, and then sipping the wine again to see how having it with the creamy cheese changed the effect of the wine. Okay! The ’09 has a perfume-y aroma of pear and citrus, with, says my husband, “a fair amount going on.” Once we take a bite of the cheese, we note more vanilla and baked pear tastes, as well as a surprising amount of citrus for an oaked chard. On to the ’13.

Double cream brie on baguette. Yum.

2013 Steel Chardonnay $21

The aroma is faintly grassy, the taste good, with some fruit but fairly dry, maybe a touch of bitter orange. We don’t see as much change with this one after the bite of cheese as the other, but it is a good complement to the cheese. Usually I think of red wine with cheese, but with a soft rich cheese I will now consider whites as well.

2010 Chardonnay $21

Now we are asked to consider another pairing of the same grape, treated similarly (both lightly oaked, this one 20% oak and 80% steel fermented), but from very different years. 2010 is generally considered to have been a very good year on the North Fork, with warm dry weather which led to great ripening of the grapes. No surprise, this is a lovely rich chard, with great depth of flavor, the aroma grassy, fruity, and sweet. If we needed a white at the moment, we’d buy it.

2011 Chardonnay $21

In contrast, 2011 was a very rainy year, and so the grapes contain a lot of water. Wow—this wine is waterier! Although it is only 5% oaked, the taste has lots of oak in it, perhaps because there’s not as much chard taste to counteract it. We smell the expected woodsy vanilla aroma, and the taste is quite light, almost evanescent. Our server characterizes this as a sipping wine. I think if you put an ice cube in it on a hot day you could almost forget you were drinking wine.

Famiglia 2012 $21

Now we get to try two wines from the same vintage year, same grape, but treated differently. This is fun, we tell each other. 2012 was another good year. The Famiglia is 20% oaked, with aromas of vanilla, baked pear, and butterscotch. It is lighter than one might expect of an oaked chard (so for those of you who say “I don’t like chardonnay,” you need to try a bunch of differently treated chards), with some sweetness at first taste which then dissipates. Fine, but we like the 2010 better.

Reserve 2012 $28

This chardonnay has been 38% aged in French oak, and we have no trouble telling which is which just on appearance, since this wine has a darker gold color than the other. Mmm…smells good and tastes good, too. Lots of oak and fruit tastes, mouth-watering, “softer and sweeter,” opines my drinking pal. Very easy to drink. It would be good with spaghetti and fresh clam sauce or sautéed scallops, though you wouldn’t want it with anything too creamy.

2014 Rosé $20

Mrs. Tobin stops by to say hello and give us a bit of background on the rosé. It is 90% merlot and 10% cabernet franc and chardonnay, she tells us; the merlot is a Pomerol, the 181 clone also used by Croteaux. The grapes are picked when they are still “crunchy.” We smell and taste strawberry, green apple, and a touch of lime. Very light.

The “fun, party” sparkling rose.

2014 Sparkling Rosé $27

We get a new glass for the sparkling rosé, a tall slim one. This is a fun wine, Mrs. T. tells us, not at all serious, and the syrah grape juice accidentally spent too long on the skins, hence its dark pink color. Lots of over-ripe strawberry smells and tastes, almost soda-pop-y, this is much too easy to drink. I decide to dub it the bachelorette party wine, and indeed I observe the young woman at the next table order a full glass of it, while her companion opts for a glass of sangria.

Red Flight

Famiglia Red $23

In 2012 we bought the Famiglia Red for $15, and last year it was $21, but prices do tend to rise, even on the non-vintage wines, though this is still a bargain compared to their other reds. This is a good everyday wine, and goes with pizza and pasta, as our server tells us. It spends a year in French oak, and then is put into steel to stop the aging. (By the way, Mattebella is one of the vineyards that uses the facilities at Premium Wine Group to produce their wines.) We smell leather and fruit, taste some cherry.

2008 Old World Blend $44

With this wine a small plate arrives with pairs of treats—fig jam and gorgonzola on baguette, bacon jam and grana cheese on baguette, and little bits of brownie—which we are advised to pair with our next wines. These are all Bordeaux blends, with varying percentages of the grapes. The ‘08 is 86% merlot, 7% cabernet franc, and 7% cabernet sauvignon (The petit verdot didn’t ripen in time, we hear.) We smell dark fruits, though the wine is on the light side. The taste improves after a bite of the yummy fig jam and gorgonzola, a combo I will definitely try at home.

More yummy snacks!

2009 Old World Blend $41

Since I asked about the percentages on the last wine, our intelligent server makes sure to tell me these: 93% merlot, 3% cabernet franc, 3% petit verdot, 1% cabernet sauvignon. Remember, this was a cold, rainy year. The wine is fairly tannic, with aromas of earth and minty candy, not very complex. Having it with a bite of bacon jam and grana cheese does help. Then again, what wouldn’t be helped by bacon jam!?

2010 Old World Blend $48

If you come here for a tasting, you will definitely understand the difference a year makes. We tend to forget that winemaking is farming, dependent on earth and weather, but this progression of vintages makes that clear. If their “biodynamic” farming methods are as effective in the fields as they are on the huge hydrangeas we are admiring, they must work amazingly well. The blend here is 88% merlot, 8% cabernet franc, 3% cabernet sauvignon, and 1% petit verdot, and we are also advised that this could be cellared for 4-5 years. We smell dark fruits, taste lots of cherry, a touch of chocolate, good tannins, though not a lot of complexity. It is good with the brownie!

2007 Old World Blend $63

84% merlot, 12% cabernet franc, 2% cabernet sauvignon, 2% petit verdot. Of course, they saved the best for last—and also the costliest. The aroma is delicious and so is the taste, with a “nice mouth feel,” says my pal. It is very good, but we have had the privilege of tasting world-class Bordeaux, which this is not—on the other hand, it doesn’t cost as much as they do, either!

The herb garden near the tasting patio.

Reasons to visit: a beautiful outdoor setting with friendly table service; the fun of experimenting with tasting wine with and without food (and where else is food included in your tasting?); the fun of comparing vintages and methods of winemaking; a chance to learn about the influence of weather on grape crops and hence on the wines; the 2010 chardonnay; the 2012 Reserve Chardonnay; the 2014 Sparkling Rosé for a fun party drink; the Famiglia Red; the 2010 Old World Blend.

If you look carefully at this picture of the grape vines, you’ll notice that they don’t use herbicides.

Palmer Vineyards: Cozy Spot for a Blustery Day 3/14/15

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with Albarino, Aromatico, Barrel Fermented Pinot Blanc, cabernet sauvignon, Crazy Fork, gewurztraminer, Mattituck, North Fork, Palmer Vineyards, reserve chardonnay, riesling, sauvignon blanc, wine tasting March 16, 2015

A rainy chilly March day made the cozy booths at Palmer a good destination.

http://www.palmervineyards.com/

Since it was pi day, we stopped at Briermere (finally re-opened after their winter closing—yay!) for a strawberry rhubarb pie before heading to Palmer’s cozy tasting room. It was a blustery, rainy day, so Palmer’s pub-like setting and intimate booths felt just right. (There’s also an outdoor roofed patio area for warm weather.) At the bar, we perused the menu, which was divided into four separate tasting groups, each featuring four wines—the Reserve, for $20, the Aromatic for $16, the Spring Flight or the Red Flight. After carefully considering our options, we decided to share a Reserve and an Aromatic, and headed over to a booth while the genial server set up our trays of tastes. The pour is quite generous—we could have shared one flight and been perfectly satisfied.

As pleasant as he was, the server could have given us more guidance on the tastings, especially on which wine to taste in which order, since we planned to combine the two tastings. However, we figured it out on our own, and I think made the right decisions. The tasting room also features the presence of two cats, a tabby and a grey, and, like all cats, they made a beeline for my husband, who is, much to his chagrin, quite allergic to them. A bit of discouragement worked, fortunately, and they stopped trying to jump up onto the booth beside him! Maybe they hoped we had opted for the $13 cheese tray.

The Reserve wines are marked with an *.

The pour is quite generous.

*Albariῆo $24.99

We were excited to start with the Albariῆo, since as far as we know Palmer is the only vineyard on Long Island to feature this grape, and the wine has lately been my go-to choice when it’s on a list of house whites by the glass. Though the wine was too cold (a common problem), we were able to sense aromas of green apple, honeysuckle, and lemon. The taste was dry, almost flinty, with notes of lemon and celery. While not good for sipping, we felt it would go great with spaghetti with seafood in a white wine garlic sauce (which we had had the night before at Crazy Fork, an excellent though very informal restaurant in Mattituck) or maybe (keeping to a Spanish theme) a Manchego cheese. We decided it was very buyable, but when we bought a bottle we were somewhat annoyed to notice that it was only 500 ml, instead of the usual 750. (Palmer’s web site also doesn’t offer this information, so be forewarned if you want to buy some.)

The small bottle of the Albarino.

*Barrel Fermented Pinot Blanc $23.99

Of course, since it was oak fermented, we smelled vanilla and Werther’s candy (butterscotch!). You can sense the oak when you taste it, too, as well as some ripe pineapple with a touch of sweetness at the end. Though there are also some sour undertones, this is a white one could sip. I also thought it might be nice with a blanquette de veau.

2012 Aromatico $24.99

We decided to switch over to the Aromatics before going on the oaked chardonnay, which was a good decision, since the delicate taste of the Aromatico might have suffered by following it. After sniffing and tasting, we looked at each other and cried, “Tangerines!?” This wine tastes and smells more like tangerines than any other I have ever tried. When I walked over to the bar to ask the server which grapes were involved, he had to call into a back room to ask. A blend of malvese and muscat, was the answer. He added that it would be great chilled on a summer day, and we agreed. Good for sipping, it might also be nice with a chicken tagine (I think we were hungry.).

The bar area

2014 Sauvignon Blanc $23.99

We’ve had lots of North Fork sauvignon blancs, but if you blindfolded us we would not have pegged this as one of them. Most are very light and crisp, but this has more depth, and almost an umami flavor, plus some citrus. I felt the aroma was somewhat musty, though not unpleasant. This might be nice with sushi or Japanese noodle soup.

*2010 Reserve Chardonnay $22.99

This oaked chard would give a California chard a run for its money, said my husband. Though I’m not fond of oaky chards, this was pretty good, with some nice apricot flavors, though it was too oaky to sip. There’s an interesting hint of brininess at the end. To cut the butteriness (If that’s not a word, it should be.), I’d have it with spicy food, like Hunan Chinese dishes.

Another view of the room

2013 Riesling $23.99

As the server had noted, this is not a dry riesling. I smell mineral, cucumbers, and perfume, taste white grape juice and Golden Delicious apples. Though it’s not complex, I find it pleasant—considering I’m not a fan of sweet wines. There are other rieslings I’d prefer.

2013 Gewürztraminer $23.99

Okay, so don’t spend time smelling this one, or you might never get to the taste, which is quite nice. The smell, however…rotting meat? Durian fruit? But it tastes like ripe peaches, and though it is, again, too sweet for us, I could see enjoying sipping this in mid-summer. There’s a total disconnect between the smell and the taste, my husband observes.

*2012 Cabernet Sauvignon $29.99

We saved our lone red for last. Aromas of brambles, toast with jelly, and a taste that is dry, but too like sour cherries for our liking. Not a wine we’d want in our cellar, we decide. Perhaps they are wise to offer so many whites, though we don’t know if their other reds are better.

Note the small sign that says “tour.” You can do a self-guided tour of the wine-making process in the front building.

Reasons to visit: cozy pub-like setting; the cats (or not because of the cats, whom the web site informs us are named Apollo and Angela); the Albariῆo, the Aromatico; the sweeter wines if you like sweet wines; lots of interesting whites.

Apollo the cat out for a stroll.

The booths remind me of an English pub.

Osprey’s Dominion: Reasonable Wines, Reasonable Prices 2/7/15

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with Carmenere, Fume Blanc, gewurztraminer, Long Island, Malbec, Meritage Flight, North Fork, Osprey's Dominion, pinot noir, Regina Maris Chardonnay, reserve chardonnay, Richmond Creek Red Blend, sparkling wine, White Flight Edzelwicker, wine tasting February 9, 2015

http://ospreysdominion.com/tasting-room/

The snow was piled high but the roads were clear.

The last time we were at Osprey’s, in April of 2013, we felt somewhat neglected, as our server abandoned us to cater to a group of women who came in midway through our tasting. This time we had the room almost to ourselves, but again we were not impressed with the service. Our server briefly outlined the menu choices, but then offered no suggestions how to choose amongst the many offerings and only minimal (unless we asked questions, no more than what was on the menu) information on each wine. That’s too bad, as the winery has some interesting wines at quite reasonable—for Long Island—prices.

Osprey’s tasting room is quite large, and is well set up to accommodate crowds, though on this cold February day we shared it with a couple unpacking a picnic lunch at one table and only a few others at the bar. The musician—an accomplished singer and guitarist, playing James Taylor and Eagles standards—felt quite lonely until, just as we were leaving, a party of about a dozen women arrived. You can also find a good selection of wine-related gifts.

The musician is way down at the far end of the room.

Plenty of gift options

In a nod to Valentine’s Day, one of the three menus offered a chocolate pairing of four wines and chocolates for $18. Another let you try four of their high-end reds for $15, while the main menu let you choose any five wines for $8. We chose the latter option, but our work was not done. The two-sided list includes 12 whites and nine reds, plus a few dessert wines and a sparkling wine. After a long discussion—which our server left us alone to have—we decided to do five whites and five reds, sharing each taste as we went. Oh, and they also have Greenport Harbor ale on tap.

2012 Fumé Blanc $18

Why Fumé, we ask our server about this wine made from sauvignon blanc grapes. Oh, she says, because being in oak gives it a bit of a smoky taste. We sniff, and agree on an asparagus smell. The wine itself is interesting, dry, but with fruit I categorize as gooseberry (to confirm, the next time I see gooseberries at Briermere I’ll buy them so we can discuss the taste) and some complexity. We like it, and agree that it is quite sippable.

The Regina Maris label features a picture of the Regina Maris.

Regina Maris Chardonnay $13

Why Regina Maris, we ask. It’s a famous ship in Greenport, she says. The bottle calls it a “special commemorative” wine, but we don’t know why. This is a 50% oak and 50% steel-fermented chard, with a nice ripe pineapple aroma. The taste is a bit disappointing, somewhat evanescent with front of the mouth sweetness and not much else.

2012 Reserve Chardonnay $20

We decide to try another chard as a comparison, and choose the reserve. Too much oak for our taste, we agree, though the wine is so cold perhaps some subtlety is lost. The aroma is nice—nutmeg and bitter orange, some vanilla. I taste something pineapple at the end. Just okay.

2011 Gewürztraminer $15

If you’re looking for a wine to have with next Thanksgiving’s turkey, this would be a good choice. We smell ginger, sweet orange blossoms, and a not-unpleasant touch of wet fern. There’s some vegetable taste, and it is nicely dry.

The Edzelwicker

2011 “White Flight” Edzelwicker $15

I’m intrigued by this one, a blend of 87% pinot gris, 8% gewürztraminer, and 5% riesling. Why the name? It’s from Alsace, we are told, and means noble blend. The aroma is interesting, too—bread dough, peach, hard candy. The taste is not quite as exciting, but it is good, dry, but with good fruit tastes. I think it would go really well with brie, even though I usually like red wines with cheeses.

Richmond Creek Red Blend $12

Now we move on to the reds, and we are given a clean glass. Where is Richmond Creek? Right across the street, she says. This is a Left Bank Bordeaux blend, 47% cabernet sauvignon, 11% pinot noir, 20% cabernet franc, and 23% merlot. We’re looking for an inexpensive wine for everyday drinking, which is why we decided to taste this one. We smell plum, eucalyptus, and forest floor. The wine tastes okay, with some sweetness, though overall it is a bit flat. It wouldn’t stand up to highly seasoned food.

The Meritage is quite dark in color.

2007 Meritage “Flight” $24

Another blend, this time it’s of 67% merlot, 25% carmenere, and 8% cabernet franc. We love its dark color and fruity aroma. The taste is pleasant, mostly cherry, and less complex than one would expect, with some tannins.

2012 Pinot Noir $40

Cheracol cough syrup I exclaim when I sniff this wine, to which I add, also cinnamon. Swirl. Legs. Cherry flavor. Very nice, though perhaps not $40 nice. People would like it, opines my husband.

The label of the Carmenere explains the grape.

2011 Carmenere $35

Wow, we really like this. If we were looking for more reds for the wine cellar, we’d get this one. Aromas of spice, cedar and fennel precede tastes of ripe dark fruits—sweet purple plums, perhaps—plus some tannins. The grape has an interesting history, as it was apparently a lost and forgotten French variety that was rediscovered growing in Chile. Osprey is the only winery on Long Island to grow carmenere, another server tells us, when I tell him it’s my favorite of the day.

2010 Malbec $24 (two for $40, a January special)

2010 was a good year on the North Fork, so we have high expectations for this wine, and we are not disappointed. The grape is from the Cahors region of France, we are told. Argentinian wines often use malbec grapes, but this wine is softer than I remember Argentinian malbecs to be. My husband insists that it smells like Craisins. Could be. I taste dried fruit and spice and I really like it. At $20 a bottle, it’s a good buy, so we get two bottles. (Just before we tasted this one, a bowl of crackers arrived on the bar.)

They’ll make custom labels for you.

Reasons to visit: reasonably good wines for reasonable prices; some interesting varietals and blends you won’t find elsewhere on the North Fork; the Fumé Blanc, the Gewürztraminer, the Edzelwicker, the Carmenere, the Malbec; you may bring a picnic (something many wineries don’t allow); good selection of gifts; a nice large room for a group.

Palmer’s Winery March 24, 2012

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, North Fork, Palmer, Pinot Blanc, reserve chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, Select Reserve October 26, 2012

If you like the atmosphere of a British pub, you’ll like the look of Palmer’s tasting room. We went there on an early spring afternoon, after stopping at Bayview for fresh local spinach and horseradish root, before I started this blog, so this is a catch-up entry. The cozy room has comfortable booths and signs on the walls advertising British products, stand-up tables, and more outside room for the summer. The tasting room is towards the back of the property, as the front building houses their cellar and production facility, of which you can take a self-guided tour.

The tasting menu offers six different flights of three wines each, for $8-$10. They also sell a cheese and cracker tray and bags of North Fork potato chips for $3. We opt for the Winemaker’s Reserve white and red tastings, planning as usual to share, and the server brings our glasses to a booth. Generous pour!

1) Pinot Blanc 2010 $19.99

This is a very nice white, aged on the lees. It has a spicy aroma, with some hints of cinnamon or allspice. We sense some peach taste, some minerality, and some acidity, with a back of the mouth sweetness. Overall, this is a dry crisp wine and would pair well with oysters.

2) Sauvignon Blanc 2010 $19.99

Calling Dr. Brown! The aroma reminds us of celery soda or seeds. Less acid than the Pinot, we taste a fruit salad of apple and grapefruit. This somewhat interesting wine has a front taste that is a bit acid, and end that is flat and apple-y, and is, we decide, a food wine, not a sipping wine.

3) Reserve Chardonnay $18.99

Aged in French oak, this is a fairly typical Long Island Chard, with aromas of vanilla and toast. We taste ripe peach as it opens up, with a citrus after taste. I’d like this with lobster or a chicken dish.

4) 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon $24.99

This simple red has a blackberry bramble aroma and berry taste, a bit on the sweet side, though the aftertaste is dry. Nice.

5) 2008 Cabernet Franc $28.99

Nice sipping wine, we judge, with aromas of blueberry and other berries and a pleasant but unassertive taste. A bit sweet for us, with not much in the way of finish.

6) Select Reserve $28.99

Bordeaux, here we come. This is a classic Bordeaux blend of Cab Franc, Cab Sauv, and Merlot, though the taste is not quite as good as a “real” Bordeaux. The aroma is of berries, with some minerality, and the flavor reminds us of stewed prunes (which I happen to like). Maybe given time?

None of the wines are bad, though we don’t choose to buy any. If I did, I’d probably get the Pinot Blanc.

Reasons to visit: Comfortable tasting room, if you get a booth. Pleasant pub-like decor. Generous pour, and we liked all the wines, though we loved none of them.

NoFo Wineaux

Wine notes from Long Island's North Fork

Tag Archives: reserve chardonnay

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Palmer’s Winery March 24, 2012