Roanoke Vineyards: Satellite Spot July 26, 2015

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with "Round Trip, Bond, Brio, Brooklyn Oenology, cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, Malvese, Marco Tulio, merlot, muscat canelli, North Fork, Pearl River oysters, petit verdot, Roanoke Vineyards, rose, sauvignon blanc, South Fork, The Wild, Vines and Branches, viognier, wine bar, wine tasting, Wolffer Estate July 30, 2015

http://www.roanokevineyards.net/

Roanoke’s main tasting room and vineyard are located on the western edge of the North Fork, but their satellite spot, which they call their “wine bar,” is in the heart of wine country, on Love Lane in Mattituck. As I found out, their main room will close this winter to all except wine club members, so you might as well plan to go to their Love Lane place—especially since Love Lane itself is worth a visit for the Village Cheese Shop, Lombardi’s Italian market, and Love Lane Kitchen restaurant, among others.

One view of the tasting room

The wine bar is a small room, but it is well laid out, with a bar along one side and comfy chairs around tables, as well as a small piazza out the back, overlooking the Love Lane parking lot. We happened by on a Sunday afternoon, when local Pearl River oysters were on offer, so we decided to partake of some after our tasting ($20 for a dozen). In addition to their own wines, they also carry bottles by Wölffer Estate (on the South Fork) and Brooklyn Oenology. In fact, the last time we were there they were doing a side-by-side tasting with Brooklyn Oenology, which we quite enjoyed. They also carry their own verjus, a non-alcoholic drink people sometimes use in salad dressing or cooking.

We didn’t get to try this Wolffer Estate wine, but we really liked the bottle.

Their menu offers three options, the “Round Trip,” featuring a white, a rosé, and two reds for $12; Whites, four whites for $12; or Reds, four reds for $14. We opted for one each of the white and the red, so we could try all their wines. The pour is fairly generous. Our server was enthusiastic and friendly, fairly well-informed. In addition, she did a very nice job gift-wrapping a pretty bottle of a Wölffer wine for another customer.

The server helping another couple choose some wines to bring as gifts.

2014 Sauvignon Blanc $19

This is a bit tarter than the usual North Fork sauvignon blanc, with a bit of a woodsy aroma and some tastes of kumquat and lemon. My husband immediately plans to have this when he gets his oysters, but I’m not sure I like this. I think I like the Jamesport sauvignon better.

2014 Rosé $19

The server informs another couple at the bar that this is their top seller, at least this summer, and I can see why. It is a very light rosé, a blend of 75% merlot and 25% “wild” chardonnay (about which more in a moment), with an initial “rush of sweetness,” according to my tasting buddy. I taste not fully ripe cantaloupe, which is in my mind because that’s what we got at a farm stand this week. Good, but we still prefer Croteaux.

2014 The Wild! $20

What is wild here is the yeast, meaning that the wine is fermented using only naturally occurring yeasts, a process I find fascinating, since the winemaker gives up a bit of control over the process by doing this. I quite like this one, though the aroma is a touch musty, with maybe a hint of pencil shavings. The taste is a little sweet, with some honey and citrus, but not too sweet. I decide I’ll have this with my oysters, even though the sauvignon is actually a better fit.

I really liked their label designs.

2014 Brio $24

Since brio means vivacity or verve, I’m interested to see whether this wine has these qualities. It is a blend of 66% chardonnay, 14%viognier, 8% malvese, and 20% muscat canelli, according to the menu. That doesn’t quite compute, according to my math-challenged mind, but the result is interesting. The aroma is complex, with a touch of toffee, a bit of funk, plus more. “Lots going on,” says my husband, who doesn’t particularly like the wine. I disagree. I taste apricot and gooseberry, and like it. I also like that the whites are not served too cold.

Nice size pour

2012 Merlot $24

Now we switch to reds, and get a fresh glass. According to the menu, this merlot is “blousy,” and after some hilarity with clothing puns, we decide we have no idea what that means in terms of this wine. The wine spends 20 months in French oak. Aroma has a touch of barnyard, but also cherry, and the taste is the typical cherry taste of North Fork merlots, with a bit of tannin at the end.

Another view of the room, featuring bags of Vines and Branches’ very popular truffle popcorn.

2012 Marco Tulio $24

I figure there must be a story behind this name, and indeed there is. The wine is named for the owner’s father, who recently passed away at the age of 99. “He drank wine every day!” our server informs us. Sounds like quite an endorsement for wine drinking. This is a wine one could easily drink every day, with an aroma of cherry and dark fruit and a light delicate taste. It is a blend of 59% merlot, 39% cabernet franc, and 9% petit verdot, and spends 14 months in French oak.

2012 Cabernet Franc $34

Although this is labeled cab franc, the menu informs us that this too is a blend, of 79% cab franc, 20% merlot, and 1% petit verdot. There’s some cherry in the aroma, thanks to the merlot, but also plums and spices, perhaps allspice. This is very good, and I could see drinking it with boeuf bourguignon—soft, with lots of fruit and a bit of woodiness.

Another cool label design

2013 Bond $20

One more blend—63% cabernet franc, 22% cabernet sauvignon, 9% petit verdot, and 6% merlot—and the fact that it is a blend and the choice of the name are both appropriate. They called it “Bond” to commemorate their opening on Love Lane, as a thank you to the other local merchants and how welcoming and friendly they were. We actually saw that friendliness in action when we ordered the oysters. The owner of Pearl River asked my husband if he wanted lemon, and then offered a squeeze of “Realemon,” which my husband declined. Before we had a chance to eat any, he reappeared with some lemons which Lombardi’s had given him and which he quickly sliced for us. How nice. And so were the oysters—oh, and so is Bond! I really liked it, though our server opined that it would be even better in a year or two. The aroma is quite fruity and the taste has a good balance of fruit and tartness.

Pearl River oysters for sale on Love Lane

Reasons to visit: a convenient location on Love Lane—you can buy a bottle and then stop in to the cheese shop and put together a picnic (I recommend Bond to go with your cheese.); The Wild!, Brio, Marco Tulio, Cabernet Franc, and Bond; oysters on Sunday afternoons; you can buy bottles of Wölffer Estate and Brooklyn Oenology wines as well.

Our oysters, waiting for the lemon to arrive. I had The Wild!, but I have to admit that my husband’s choice of the Sauvignon Blanc was a better match.

Stroll Love Lane in Mattituck and you can visit some cute shops for gifts, food, cheese, and wine.

Coffee Pot Cellars: How to Grade Wine July 12, 2015

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with Adam Suprenant, Beasley's Blend, Blossom Meadow, chardonnay, Coffee Pot Cellars, gewurztraminer, Laura Klahre, Meritage, merlot, North Fork wine tasting, Pipes Cove oysters, sauvignon blanc July 15, 2015

http://www.coffeepotcellars.com/

The cozy building that houses Coffee Pot Cellars–where they do not sell coffee.

“So, the way to grade a wine is this: you bring the bottle to a party. At the end of the night you look to see—if the bottle is empty, it was good. But if it is still half or three quarters full…” All of us gathered at the bar of the Coffee Pot Cellars tasting room chuckled at Adam Suprenant’s joke, one of a number of humorous comments with which he entertained the small group. No joke, however—if you bring one of his bottles of wine to a party, don’t expect to take home any leftover wine!

Adam Suprenant in action

Since he first opened three years ago, Adam has expanded his list from four wines to six, all made from grapes which he sources locally (since he doesn’t have his own vineyard). The winemaker for Osprey’s Dominion, he notes that they pay him to make their wines, and then he pays them to use their facilities to make his wines. Making his own wines gives him a chance to express his own taste and creativity, and he does very well. We liked all six.

The small, cheerful yellow tasting room is in a small building on the Main Road, and consists of a bar and some stools, plus shelves featuring wine-related items but also many honey products from the bee-keeping business Blossom Meadow run by his wife, Laura Klahre, who is also a very likeable presence behind the bar. On one wall you can see a beehive behind glass, and Laura will happily explain to you what exactly is going on in it. She is also in the process of creating a “Wineosaur,” a wire sculpture on the front lawn which she is creating using corks. Some day she hopes to attach it to some skateboards and join a local parade.

Laura Klahre explains the “Wineosaur.”

Adam also points out the music series, named “The Buzz,” which they are running this year featuring local singer/songwriters performing their own music, rather than the covers they have to sing at other wineries. The series runs Saturday nights from 7-10, and you can check out their web site for details. (http://www.coffeepotcellars.com/ )

Tasting options include one for $2.50, four for $8, or all six for $10. A glass is $8. We decide we will each get our own tasting.

2012 Sauvignon Blanc $17.99

This is a fairly typical sauvignon blanc, steel-fermented, with lots of citrus flavor. I also feel as though I smell some honey or honeysuckle. It would go great with some Pipes Cove oysters. Apropos of grades, we are informed this scored an 89 in Wine Advocate. We like it.

2012 Chardonnay $15.99

This is the chardonnay he didn’t plan to make, which ended up being a prizewinner. The 2012 is almost sold out, and the 2013 will be released this week. Adam apologizes that they are not yet serving it, because he thinks it is a terrific wine. The 2012 is not so bad! Because he uses ten-year-old oak barrels, it is not heavily oaked at all, with only a slight butterscotch aroma and taste. We taste LOTS of ripe pineapple, and though there is some sweetness it is not at all cloying. Good.

2013 Gewürztraminer $21.99

Gewürztraminer can be too sweet or not sweet enough, but this one is just right. It is fairly refined, with aromas of honeysuckle and lychee and tangerine, reminding me of dessert in a Chinese restaurant. Yet it is also dry. Also good.

Beasley standing guard

Beasley’s Blend $14.99

Now we move to the reds, and Adam rinses our glasses with a quick swirl of the red wine. Who is Beasley? Their black pug, a photo of whom recently graced the pages of Wine Press, a local wine magazine. And why is the wine named for him? Laura and Adam joked that Beasley often joins them for dinner, and this is the type of wine he likes. The label features a drawing of him standing on a deck of the Coffee Pot Lighthouse, and Adam says that he stands watch there, so if you go by on the ferry to New London, listen for his bark. Anyway…Beasley has good taste. This blend of 63% merlot, 19% cabernet franc, 12% cabernet sauvignon, and 6 % petit verdot is better than your usual everyday red blend, especially given the price. We scent lots of berry and spice aromas, with a touch of woods. It is soft and easy to drink, with plenty of berry taste as well. A good wine to bring to that party…

2009 Merlot $17.99

Adam notes that he sources all the merlot grapes for this wine from McCullough’s vineyard, so that it can express the terroir. We smell smoke and cherry, and taste cherry. This is nice and dry, and would complement pasta really well.

2010 Meritage $25.99

A blend of 59% merlot, 23% petit verdot, 14% cabernet franc, and 4% cabernet sauvignon, this wine also got a high grade—a 90—from Wine Advocate. And, Adam adds, he feels it is yet 3-5 years from its peak, so this may be a good wine to store in the cellar for a while. We like this one, too, as it is dry with good dark fruit tastes, but my notes are a bit sketchy because at this point we were the only people left in the room and Adam revealed that he likes my blog. Outed! Nice to know I have a reader aside from my nearest and dearest.

We decide to buy a bottle of the Beasley’s Blend because we are always looking for everyday reds—we eat a lot of pasta—and a bottle of the 2013 Chardonnay so we can try it. We have it with some spicy stir-fried chicken and eggplant I make, and it is delicious. Quite different from the 2012, though it also has a slight butterscotch aroma and flavor, this is much more balanced, with less of a pineapple taste and a touch more citrus—maybe Meyer lemon? I think I’d really like it with some grilled salmon.

Don’t worry, the bees are behind glass.

Bees!

Reasons to visit: Adam and Laura, still wine-country’s cutest couple; all of the wines, but especially the Sauvignon Blanc, the 2013 Chardonnay, the Beasley’s Blend and the Meritage; honey and honey-related items, including beeswax candles in all shapes and sizes; a nice small room where you can really talk to the owner/wine-maker and learn about wine (and bees–which got me wondering, should they try their hand at making mead?).

The “Wineosaur”!

Sannino Bella Vita: Small Place, Big List June 27, 2015

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with 2nd Bottle Red, Bianca Dolce, Bianca White Merlot, cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, Chilly Day Chardonnay, Crescent Farms duck, Croteaux, Greenport, Greenport Harbor Brewing Company, Long Island, merlot, North Fork, Prima Rossa, riesling, Sannino Bella Vita, sauvignon blanc, Spotlight Petit Verdot, Vines and Branches, wine tasting June 30, 2015

This used to be the Ackerly Pond Vineyard, and, though none of the wines are labeled Ackerly, the sign is still there.

http://www.sanninovineyard.com/

The sign outside Sannino Bella Vita says no groups of over six without a reservation, and that’s a good idea, because this small venue really can’t handle a big influx, as we saw when a group with a Groupon and another group there for Anthony Sannino’s wine tour arrived at the same time. However, the cheerful and hard-working tasting room staff did their best to compensate, and we were in no hurry anyway. Our youthful server was new to the winery, and actually learned a few facts from us, but she was so charming we didn’t mind at all.

Anthony Sannino off to give a tour.

This is a great spot if you hope to interact with an owner, as Anthony Sannino is usually on site. In addition, for a small winery they have an interesting range of choices, with a menu of eleven different wines to choose from for a tasting. Since their standard tasting is six wines for $18, we decided to share two tastings, thus getting to sample all the wines (except one that is off the menu). They generally set up all of your tastes on a tray, but with the influx of the groups they asked if we would mind getting our tastes one at a time, since they were worried they would run out of glasses! No problem. We also could have ordered a cheese and meat tray for $18.

One side of the room

We opted to sit on stools at the bar, but most other people sat outside on the side patio. The room has, according to one of the servers, “a certain rustic charm,” and we agree. There’s also a small selection of amusing wine-related gifts, and the Sanninos run a B and B next door to the winery. They are just down the street from Greenport Harbor Brewery’s Peconic location, where mass quantities of people were flocking for a barbeque cook off. We decided to give it a miss.

Some gift items

2014 Chilly Day Chardonnay $18

There’s an interesting vegetable aroma which we note in several other of their wines. Maybe asparagus? Also a touch of baked pear, even though this is a steel-fermented chard. The taste is a touch sweet for a steel chard, but ends with a tart lemony flavor. Nice, and quite buyable. We also note that the whites are served at a good temperature—not too cold.

2013 Off-Dry Riesling $17

“Bronze Medal in the FLI,” says the menu, which we later learn stands for Finger Lakes International. We’re somewhat iffy on rieslings, but this one is quite nice, with green plum aromas and tastes, plus a touch of citrus. It’s not too sweet, and would be a nice chilled summer sipper or an accompaniment to Thai food.

2014 Sauvignon Blanc $22

“I’d definitely have this with oysters,” I say. Lots of not-overly-ripe pineapple taste, tart, lemon at end, with a touch of cabbage in the aroma. Also worth buying, I think.

2014 Chardonnay $20

The menu says this is “fermented in steel and accented in oak,” and though at the moment there was no one to tell us exactly what this meant, we can figure it out, as this is an only lightly oaked chard. We smell honey and almond butter, but the taste is dry and crisp. If you find steel chards a bit too crisp and oaked chards too buttery, you’d probably like this one.

Pretty color

Bianca White Merlot $16

This is a rosé, of course, so, as always, we compare it to Croteaux. The color is a pretty dark pink, with sweet strawberry aromas with again a touch of that vegetable scent. It’s good, though sweeter than Croteaux’s 314, and with less going on.

2014 Bianca Dolce $15

Our server confidently informs us that this is their sweetest wine, and notes that “people come in just for it.” I get that. This has a lighter color than the Bianca, and is quite sweet, almost enough to be a dessert wine. However, it is light and not cloying. Might be nice over ice.

2^nd Bottle Red $20

Why 2^nd Bottle? Because this is a wine you serve second, because “nobody cares by the second bottle.” A non-vintage blend of varietals, this is a fine barbeque wine, with no depth and not a lot of fruit, but quite drinkable. Something in the aroma reminds me of a black olive tapenade, like the one we sampled earlier in the day at Vines and Branches in Greenport.

2012 Merlot $25

Another FLI Bronze Medal winner, this 100% merlot spends 22 months in French and Hungarian oak. We smell plums and a hint of smoke and taste cherry. Neither sweet nor dry, this is a passable merlot, though my husband says he “would not go out of my way for it.”

2012 Prima Rossa $34

50% cabernet sauvignon, 33% cabernet franc, 17% merlot, we inform our eager-to-learn server, means this is a Left Bank Bordeaux-type blend. It’s also quite good, with aromas of coffee, cigars, and grape juice and lots of dark fruit tastes. This one is also aged for 22 months in French and Hungarian oak.

2012 Cabernet Franc $34

Ooh, this wine won a Silver Medal in the FLI. The menu describes it as “elegant.” Well, there is something restrained about it. Quite dry, with a bit of a woody aroma, it would be okay with lamb, but we liked the Prima Rossa much better.

Our favorite of the reds

2012 Spotlight Petit Verdot $42

We opt to get two tastes of this one, to complete our twelve, and decide that was a good choice, as we like this the best of the reds. A blend of 85% petit verdot and 15% cabernet sauvignon, aged 22 months in French and Hungarian oak, this wine has lots of dark fruit aromas with just a touch of smoke, and tastes very good. Lots of fruit, maybe some jam—I could see this with the Crescent Farm duck breasts I served with a strawberry-rhubarb sauce last week. It certainly merited its Silver Medal in the FLI.

This serious-looking canine statue stands guard over the parking lot.

Reasons to visit: you like an intimate setting, with the chance to chat with an owner (if he’s not giving a tour—or you could sign up for the tour!); the Chilly Day Chardonnay, the Sauvignon Blanc, the Prima Rossa, the Spotlight Petit Verdot; a cute selection of gifts.

The vines are in full leaf now.

Martha Clara, Lieb, and Pugliese: Group Think June 6, 2015

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting, Uncategorized and tagged with Bridge Lane, Bridge Lane Chardonnay, Bridge Lane Red Blend, Bridge Lane Rose, Bridge Lane White Blend, Bridge Lane White Merlot, cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, chardonnay, Estate Reserve Riesling, Estate Reserve Viognier, Gold Star Limo, Lieb, Malbec, Martha Clara, North Fork, Northern Solstice Blend, petit verdot, pinot grigio, Pugliese, Raffaello White Port, Sangiovese, sauvignon blanc, Semillon, Sunset Meritage, syrah, wine tasting June 12, 2015

Our limo at the first stop: Martha Clara.

When a group of Nofo Wineaux’s friends and colleagues decided that the best way to have a celebratory get-together was to rent a limo and do a wine tour, she could not refuse to go along—especially since they asked her for some winery recommendations.

So that is how I found myself seated in a Hummer stretch limo with 14 wonderful women, traveling the North Fork wine country. And I did enjoy myself! Along the way, I noticed that each winery had its own method of handling a crowd, I taught some of my friends how to smell wine (stick your nose into the glass and open your mouth as you inhale), and I heard some new ways to describe wine tastes and smells.

Our limo was rented from Gold Star Limo Company, and John, the driver, was courteous and efficient, dropping us off and picking us up on schedule. The company took care of the logistics of reserving each winery and getting us sandwich and salad lunches catered by Farm Country Kitchen. There were a few reasons why I think our tasting tour went well. For one, as a group we were there to relax and enjoy each other’s company, with the wine tour as a means to that end, plus a number of us were quite interested in tasting and discussing the wines. Another reason was our judicious (if I do say so myself) selection of venues, and the fact that we limited ourselves to three places, spaced out from noon to five p.m. And finally, the weather cooperated—warm enough to sit outside, yet not so hot that we were uncomfortable.

First stop: Martha Clara

The menu at Martha Clara

Our group organizer picked Martha Clara as a place she had been to and liked in the past, and it made a pleasant first stop (we got there about 12:15). A young woman with a clipboard greeted us, checked our reservation and, after a brief consultation with the driver, set us up around two sides of one of the long bars in the tasting room. She explained that they ran a tight schedule of groups, and requested that we take our places immediately. At each place were a glass and the tasting menu, featuring a flight of five wines. The servers assigned to us attentively filled our glasses as soon as they were emptied, and gave a brief spiel about each one. When I requested additional information, they were able to provide some. After we finished, we wandered outside to some picnic tables and shared a few snacks we had brought with us while some members of the group explored the pens of animals one can pet and feed. I think a few might have visited the extensive gift shop.

We gathered around the bar at Martha Clara.

2013 Northern Solstice Blend $17

This is a blend, as the title suggests, of four whites: semillon, viognier, chardonnay, and sauvignon blanc. I described the aroma as mineral. One of my friends, newly introduced to the art of smelling wine, compared it to the smell you get when you open a bottle of vitamins, which I thought was quite right. This is a dry, crisp, lean, steel-fermented white which we all found quite pleasant.

2012 Estate Reserve Riesling $26

My friend with the newly enlightened nose senses a touch of rotting fruit. I agree, but also add orange blossoms. We all sip, and I note some apricot tastes, and also a bit more sweetness than I prefer. Nice finish.

2012 Estate Reserve Viognier $29

We had been discussing why some people think they dislike chardonnay because all they have ever tried were oak-fermented California chards when this barrel-fermented (nine months) wine was served, giving me the chance to note how different it is compared to the steel fermented blend we started with. You can definitely smell vanilla and also spice—perhaps cardamom. You can also get that “woody” taste you get with some oaked whites.

2010 Syrah $24

I often like syrahs for their rich fruit flavors, but I find this one a bit dry and thin. I also smell some of that barnyard scent North Fork reds sometimes get (though more rarely lately). It is aged 16 months in French oak.

2012 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon $29

This red is also aged in oak, for 12 months, and I also am not enamored of it. It’s not bad, but could use more fruit, though it is nicely dry.

Second Stop: Lieb Bridge Lane

The entrance to Lieb, though we didn’t go inside.

Lieb actually has two tasting rooms, and we are at the one on Sound Avenue and Cox Neck Lane. I’m a bit surprised that we have come to this one, since the other is more spacious, but fortunately it is a beautiful day and we settle ourselves at several picnic tables adjoining some grape vines. The driver brings us the shopping bags filled with our lunches from Farm Country Kitchen and also offers us bottles of water from the limo. As we settle in with our choices—I got a grilled veggie sandwich with a small green salad on the side, and it was good—a lovely young lady from the tasting room comes around with glasses. Ah, we are to have the tasting as we eat our lunches. Nice—though I do note that food changes the taste of wine.

Our view as we sipped our wine and ate lunch.

What is also pleasant is that we have the place mostly to ourselves, and it is a relaxing venue to sit and chat and enjoy our lunches. Martha Clara had been quite noisy, making conversation difficult except with the person next to one.

All the wines are from the Bridge Lane label, so I will abbreviate it BL. Also, because I did not see a tasting menu, I can’t tell you what the cost of these wines is per bottle.

2013 BL White Merlot

As our server explains, this is a white wine made from a red wine grape, and it is totally clear, having spent no time on the skins. It has a nice mineral aroma and a pleasant fruitiness. It would compare favorably with Anthony Nappa’s Anomaly.

2013 BL White Blend

This blend included chardonnay, pinot blanc, riesling and viognier, and, like the blend we just had at Martha Clara, is steel fermented. Everyone agrees that we like this one very much, with its nice balance of sweet and dry and its mineral aroma and taste. It goes well with lunch!

2013 BL Chardonnay

For those who think they dislike chards, this is a good rebuttal: dry and tart, with lemon and grapefruit tastes and aromas. Steel fermented, of course.

2013 BL Rosé

After some discussion of how much rosés have improved in recent years, we try this blend of merlot and cabernet franc. Though I still maintain that Croteaux has the best rosés on the North Fork, this one is fine—slight strawberry aroma, very dry, but with no finish. I think it tastes a bit like unripe strawberries.

Wine and a picnic.

BL 2013 Red Blend

I explain to my friends that this is a Bordeaux blend: 70% merlot, 15% each malbec and cabernet sauvignon, 7% petit verdot. It is aged in neutral oak barrels, our server notes. I think it might improve with more age, since it has some nice tannins. Though it is not exciting, it is a very drinkable red.

Third and last stop: Pugliese

The pond at Pugliese

Everyone exclaims at the lovely scenery as we pull into Pugliese—the pond, the trees, the fountain. Charming. We troop into the tasting room, where we admire some artistic items, including pretty prints appropriate to our surroundings, such as sunflowers.

From the gift shop

Our fearless leader soon finds us and hands each of us a sheet of four tickets, which we can exchange for tastes, and tells us to adjourn to the outside bar located under a tent next to the pond, where a musician is setting up. As a result, we scatter, and form into small groups at the bar. The menu is quite daunting, offering 22 choices from sparkling wines to dessert wines, with reds, whites and rosés in between. At first the servers offer no guidance other than, “You can choose any four.” (We expand our options by sharing a couple of tastes, which is why you see six wines mentioned here.) However, we then luck into a rather youthful server who seems to know more, and enjoys giving us information about each wine. My good friend is a white wine drinker who would like to learn to like reds, so we decide, after one white, to focus on the reds. For each taste we get a fresh glass—I mean small plastic cup.

The rather lengthy menu at Pugliese.

2013 Pinot Grigio $17.99

This steel fermented pinot has not much aroma and a tart lemony taste, with no finish, which my friend insists on calling after taste. Which, after all, is what finish is! It would be better with food, I think.

Pugliese serves the wine is small plastic cups.

2010 Sangiovese $16.99

Our server boasts that they are the only winery on the North Fork to use this grape, which is the gape used in Chianti. As we sniff, we note aromas of tobacco and some fruit. Then we taste, and promptly dump. Well, this wine is not going to make a red wine drinker out of my friend! Bad.

2010 Sunset Meritage $29.99

Whew. This one is better! A blend of merlot, cabernet franc, and cabernet sauvignon, this has nice ripe fruit flavors and is just tannic enough to add interest.

One view of the tent and the pergola.

2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve $16.99

This would make a good, everyday table wine. It has lots of fruit and my friend likes it.

2012 Cabernet Franc $16.99

For a cab franc this is quite light, though it would be okay with lamb chops, as it has some tannins. It could use more fruit.

My last ticket.

2007 Raffaello White Port $17.99 for 375 ml.

As my final wine of the day, I decide to go for dessert, and try their white port. Yes, it is sweet, but I think appropriately so, with lots of sweet orange, tangelo, plum, and apple flavors. At 20% alcohol, you wouldn’t want to drink much of this, but it would be nice with a cheese and nut course.

And so I finish my foray into the world of the limos standing on the shore of Pugliese’s pond, admiring the koi, listening to music, talking to my friends, and sipping sweet wine. There are worse ways to spend a Saturday.

No fishing!

Suggestions for limo users: plan to go to just three wineries (maybe four at most, especially if you tend to dump part of each taste) and space them out over five hours so you can appreciate each one; try to go to at least one that doesn’t seem to specialize in big groups (like Lieb, which we thoroughly enjoyed); be sure to eat in between—or during—your tastes so you don’t get too drunk; take your time in each place to savor and discuss the wines; have fun.

Croteaux: Still the Best Rosé May 9, 2015

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with 181, 3, 314, Briermere, cabernet franc, case club, Chloe, Croteaux, Eight Hands Farm, Jolie, merlot, North Fork, Paul Croteaux, Paula, rose, Sauvage, sauvignon blanc, wine tasting May 12, 2015

http://www.croteaux.com/

If you only do one thing, it is best if you do that one thing well, and Croteaux does. All they make is rosé, and they make the best rosés on the North Fork. Paul and Paula Croteaux are likely to greet you as you walk through the small entry area and out into the lovely outdoor yard, where you are seated by a cheery hostess in one of the flowing tops they also sell in the charming boutique. Paul, slim and gray-haired, is often behind the bar, setting up tastings, while Paula, blonde and round-faced, operates the cash register and circulates throughout the yard to be sure all is going well. It is.

We have settled into comfortable Adirondack chairs, perused the menu, and decided we will each get a tasting of their six rosés (for $15). We could also have opted for three sparkling rosés for the same price. Their small menu of snacks is well chosen and homemade, but we’re planning an early dinner so we decide not to this time. The atmosphere is relaxed yet lively, with small groups clustered around the tables or in pairs of chairs (no limos or drop-offs allowed). A dog enters with his humans and is carefully vetted by Sergeant, the resident little pooch. At one point the hostess brings the visiting canine a doggie dish of water—and she’ll provide humans with bottles of water as well.

The three numbered rosé clones are each $19 per bottle, and the three named ones are $25, while the sparking rosés are $28 each. All vintages are the current year, as last year’s wines sold out!

Your entire tasting is delivered to your table.

Merlot 181

A sniff reveals aromas of flowers—honeysuckle—and fruit, possibly melon. The taste is quite tart, with even a bit of a tingle, and reminds me of pink grapefruit with a touch of minerality. At the end I get lemon. This, I say, would go well with goat cheese, like the one we picked up at Catapano this morning.

Merlot 314

In the past this has been our favorite, so we have our fingers crossed that it is as good this year. Yum! Happy taste buds. We smell strawberries and tangerines, taste apricot. Though the wine has lots of fruit, it is not sweet. “This would go with most everything,” opines my husband. We plan to buy a case.

Case Club benefits

Merlot 3

A blend of three clones—181, 314, and 3—this is also a good wine, though we still prefer the 314. It is a touch sweeter than the others, though still dry, with good fruit and also a fair amount of mineral taste and some saltiness. My tasting buddy says it is “not as bright” as the 314.

Sauvage

Now we’ve moved on to the slightly more expensive wines. Sauvage is also made from the 181 clone, but with wild yeast, which means the winemaker has given up a bit of control. The aroma reminds us of asparagus—which we also picked up this morning and plan to grill later—and the taste is quite different from the 181, though still quite good. It has more minerality and is quite light. We like it better than the 2014 Sauvage.

You can see that Chloe is so light that it looks like a white wine.

Chloe

This is “the white wine lover’s rosé,” suggest the tasting notes. Made from sauvignon blanc grapes that spend a short amount of time on the skins, this is so pale that it looks white. We smell lemon/lime and wet ferns. The taste is quite tart and lemony, which would make it a perfect foil for oysters (No, we’re not having any of those tonight!). It is a touch less crisp than the usual sauvignon blanc.

Jolie, on the other hand, is much darker than the other roses.

Jolie

So if Chloe is the white wine lover’s rosé, this is “the red wine lover’s rosé,” made from the cabernet franc grape in the Bordeaux style. Strawberry rhubarb pie aroma—just like the pie we got at Briermere this morning—and some strawberry taste, as well as a touch of espresso at the end and maybe red blackberries. Yet it is still tart, though fruitier than the others. Maybe it would go with the lamb steaks we bought at Eight Hands Farm today (new place—they sell pastured lamb, pork, and chicken, plus more).

They also have the prettiest bottles.

Reasons to visit: rosés that will make you fall in love with them, even if you thought you didn’t like rosés; a comfortable, pleasant outdoor tasting area; good snacks; the case club!—buy a case and you’re in the club, your first tasting is free, and you can get a free glass of wine every time you stop into the winery, plus discounts and other benefits.

Sergeant on guard!

Pretty setting for pretty wines.

Kontokosta Winery: Simply Good March 28, 2015

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with Anemometer Red, Anemometer White, Blum Merlot, cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, Dry Riesling, Estate Merlot, Greenport, Kontokosta Winery, Michael Kontokosta, North Fork, Orient Chardonnay, Ray Blum, Sargon Vineyard, sauvignon blanc, Vines and Branches, viognier, wine tasting March 30, 2015

http://kontokostawinery.com/

Kontakosta’s motto—“Sound Life. Sound Wine.”—is a nice play on words, since they are situated on a high bluff overlooking Long Island Sound and they also follow ecologically sensitive practices—such as generating their electricity through the use of a windmill. The wine is, in general, quite nice. We also speculated whether some of the briny, mineral tastes in the wines might come from their waterfront location.

One side of the tasting room

The tasting room is a beautifully spare space, all white and black, with large windows looking out over the vineyards. There’s a bar at one end and long tables for those who prefer to sit, plus an upper balcony. Our group of four opted for the bar, where we found very informative and engaging servers. The tasting menu offers two flights, one of five whites for $14 and another of five reds, also $14. We decided that each couple would do one of each, sharing as we went. We also shared a cheese tray, which consisted of a very generous and tasty block of Toussaint raw cow milk cheese and a sleeve of crackers for $12.

Looking up to the balcony

We started with the whites.

NV Anemometer White $16

This is their table white, made from sauvignon blanc grapes from various vintages. Our friend said it smelled like a lemon bar, which was quite accurate. We also detected some vegetable aromas and some minerality. The taste was also somewhat lemony and mineral, tart but not terribly crisp. We all agreed it would go well with oysters. (The name anemometer, by the way, refers to a device that measures wind speed, an indirect homage to their windmill.)

The Anemometer White

2013 Orient Chardonnay $22

Before we could ask, our server volunteered the information that it is called Orient because the grapes come from Sargon Vineyard, out in Orient. A steel-fermented chard, this has typical honeysuckle and orange aromas and some gooseberry flavor. My husband found it too mineral, with some wet rock flavors (whatever that tastes like), but the rest of us liked it.

2013 Sauvignon Blanc $25

“This is made in the Sancerre style,” volunteered our server, “And it won a gold medal!” We sniff and agree: pineapple and mango on the nose and in the mouth. Nice, though a bit sweet, but it goes well with the cheese.

We took home about a third of the cheese

2013 Viognier $25

“This is my favorite wine to go with that cheese,” enthuses our server, and we agree with her wholeheartedly. The aroma reminds me of these wonderful cantaloupe-type melons called Hand Melons we used to get upstate, and the wine also has some cantaloupe tastes.

2012 Viognier

Observing how serious we are about our tasting, our server pours us each an extra taste, of the 2012 Viognier, which is almost sold out, and which she says is her favorite of the whites. Interestingly, this has a sweeter aroma and taste than the 2013, though still lots of cantaloupe, with more floral notes. It’s a more challenging wine, observes my husband.

2013 Dry Riesling $22

This has only .06% sugar, we are told, which means it is most definitely a dry riesling. They used to have an off-dry riesling for those who come in and request “the sweetest white you have,” but they no longer make it. This is definitely a dry riesling, with a touch of that cat pee smell (an observation which causes some hilarity among our cat-owning friends) and a simple but pleasant taste. Delicate, notes our friend.

Anemometer Red Table Wine $16

Now we move on to the reds, for which we are given new glasses. This is a blend of 60% cabernet franc and 30% cabernet sauvignon, from various vintages. We discuss the varying implications of saying an inexpensive table wine vs. a cheap red, and decide this belongs in the former category—especially when we learn they are running a special of 50% off for a case of the red and the white Anemometers. Our noses detect a hint of ripe olives and “wet laundry,” says my husband, as well as some fruit. The wine itself is light but “very acceptable,” with lots of nice fruit flavor. We decide to get a case of eight reds and four whites.

2007 Blum Merlot $19

Ray Blum had a vineyard in Southold planted in merlot vines, which has since been bought by Sparkling Pointe, which tore out the merlot vines, so this is the last anyone will have of the Blum Merlot. It’s a fine, fairly typical North Fork merlot, with a touch of barnyard odor and black cherry taste. Very nice.

2010 Estate Merlot $34

Yum. Aged six months in French oak and six months in steel, this is a really good merlot, with lots of black cherry taste plus a touch of vanilla.

2012 Cabernet Sauvignon $29

This one is aged in Hungarian oak. What’s the difference? Hungarian oak is cheaper, gives a milder flavor, and is more tightly grained so there’s less evaporation (the “angel’s share”). This is also yum! Brambly aroma, lots of layers of flavor, including blackberry. This is one that could be saved for future drinking. “Or buy two,” suggests our server, “and drink one now and save the other for later.”

2012 Cabernet Franc $40

Silver Medal winner in the San Francisco Wine Challenge competition, we are told. Hmmm. This is a dry red, with aromas of pepper and nutmeg and mixed berry tastes. “It has no gravitas,” opines my tasting buddy.

The bar

Reasons to go: Beautiful tasting room overlooking the Sound, which you can walk to in good weather; knowledgeable servers; the Anemometer wines if you need to buy some decent table wines for everyday drinking; the Sauvignon Blanc, the Viognier, the Estate Merlot, the Cabernet Sauvignon. They also sell olive oil—not made locally! However, we are headed to Greenport to check out Vines and Branches’ new digs, so we decline to try the olive oil.

They have a small selection of gift items.

The room is reflected in the sign about their excellent sale.

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.

Castello di Borghese: Wines that Go Great with Food February 21, 2015

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with Allegra, Bianco di Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc Reserve, Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, Castello di Borghese, chardonnay, Founder's Field Sauvignon Blanc, North Fork, pinot noir, sauvignon blanc, White Meritage February 23, 2015

http://www.castellodiborghese.com/

The last time we were here, two years ago, we had a great conversation with Ann Marie Borghese, the owner, with her husband, of this excellent winery. Since then, alas, they both have died. However, their three children—Allegra, Fernando, and Giovanni—have committed to keeping the vineyard going. We were wondering what the tasting room experience would be like under the new regime, and were happy to find the same careful, well-informed, personal, and cheerful service as before. Whew. The wines were also pretty good!

The tasting room is divided into two areas, one with the bar and a few gift items, and the other with tables and chairs, an art gallery, and a small stage. Alas, Marguerite Volans, a frequent musical performer, was not there.

The stage for performers.

Our enthusiastic and well-versed server explained the menu choices to us. For $10 you can choose any four wines from the Estate wines side of the menu, and for $15 you can choose any five wines from either the Estate side or the Reserve side. Since if we each tried five wines we would be able to cover most of their choices, we decided to go with that option, which would also let us taste some similar wines side by side. We opted to skip the rosé, since we are such Croteaux fans, and a few others. In addition to the menu items, we were also offered the opportunity to taste some newly bottled examples of the 2013 vintage. I’ll mark the wines from the Reserve menu and the new vintages with an *.

Walking into the bar area.

2013 Chardonnay $18

The steel-fermented chard got our tasting off to a good start. We got lots of pineapple smells, as well as a bit of grapefruit. Typical of a steel chard, this is crisp and fairly tart, with nice citrus flavors. Kumquat, says my husband, and I agree, kumquat with the skin on. Good with scallops, suggests our server.

*2012 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay $26

I don’t always like oaked chards, but this one only spent six months in oak, so it is still fairly delicate, with butterscotch aromas and some wheat toast flavors as well as fruit. 2012 was a great year on the North Fork, with a dry September that allowed grapes to really ripen. It was also interesting to taste these two very different wines made from the same grape.

2013 Sauvignon Blanc $24

Yum, another good white. This wine is also steel-fermented, with an aroma that reminds me of white grape juice. How odd, a wine that smells like grapes…This is also dry, with citrus taste dominated by grapefruit, and I could be very happy pairing it with some local oysters.

*2013 Founders Field Sauvignon Blanc $24

How interesting. Still some of that grape juice smell, with a bit of butterscotch from its two months in oak, but the taste is quite different, almost funky, with a bit of a metallic tang. “Austere,” says my husband. I think it needs to be drunk with food, I counter, and our server agrees. Maybe seafood in a cream sauce, like a New England clam chowder, would be a good idea.

*2013 Bianco di Pinot Noir $50

I always like to try something new, so I suggest we try two whites which sound interesting. This one is made from pinot noir grapes, which are usually used to make red wines. In this case, they took the skins off in order to make a white wine. Hmmm…it smells really nice. Chocolate, suggests my tasting pal, and I have to agree. But it smells better than it tastes, tart, with a very short finish, and not complex. It’s good with cheese and crackers, we are told, and I can see that.

*2012 White Meritage $60

Usually, Meritage means a red blend, so I’m intrigued. This is a mixture of sauvignon blanc and chardonnay, and in contrast to the previous wine has more and better taste than aroma. It smells somewhat like acetone (phenols, says my scientific companion) but has some good citrus and grapefruit tastes.

2012 Pinot Noir $30

Now we switch to reds, and get new glasses, always a nice touch. Pinot noir is the Burgundy grape, lighter than Bordeaux, and so it is. The menu says “soft tannins,” but I don’t sense any. I smell raspberry and a woodsy aroma and taste lightly fruity berries. I could see this slightly chilled on a summer picnic with roast chicken. Speaking of chilled, we were pleased that none of the wines were served too cold, which often happens, and which makes it harder to really taste the wines.

*2013 Pinot Noir Reserve $55

This is one of the new releases, and we are interested to see how it compares with the 2012 Pinot. Again, we get a woodsy and raspberry aroma, with some additional fruit smells. We like this one much better (though maybe not $25 better). It has lots of cherry flavor, not much in the way of tannins, and is also a fairly light red. We are told that pinot noir is a “heartbreak grape,” as it can be finicky and doesn’t always deliver on its promise. We are also told that the snow is actually good for the vines, as it acts as almost a blanket for the dormant vines.

*2013 Cabernet Franc Reserve $44

This is also a new release, and we are advised to try it before the cab sauv. The aroma is again a bit funky, but with lots of red fruit to it. We like it, but again think it would benefit by being served with food. It is dry, with some nice fruit tastes, and would complement a barbeque very nicely. I envision digging our Weber out from the snow bank it currently inhabits. Not gonna happen!

Some of the gift items for sale

*2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve $44

I think this wine demonstrates the risk of serving a newly bottled wine, as we feel it would benefit from more time. It’s closed, says my husband, who has been reading wine magazines for years. It has some good tannins and dark fruit—black cherry in particular—tastes. We think it might be good in a few years, and if we had room in the cellar might have given it a chance. Time to drink some more reds from the cellar!

The lovely Allegra

2010 Allegra $36

If you’re counting, you realize that we should be at the end of our tasting, but our server, noticing our seriousness and my note-taking, asks if we want to try anything else. Well, I ask, is there anything we should try? Okay, she says, you have to try our dessert wine, made from chardonnay grapes. A new, smaller glass appears, and we get a taste. Very delicious! Aromas of honeysuckle and freshly cut grass, tastes of honey and apricot, but not too sweet, not at all cloying, we agree, and we buy a bottle. Then, all the way home, we discuss what to have it with. I think if we did a dessert course of Catapano goat cheese and local peaches it would go beautifully. Or if we had an appetizer course of paté…It was named, by the way, for Allegra Borghese, on the occasion of her 16^th birthday. She must be a lovely person!

Reasons to visit: you want to try an all-around good winery that is not inundated with buses; you’re curious about the oldest vineyard (it was originally Hargreaves) on the North Fork; some interesting choices; the 2013 steel Chardonnay, the 2012 Barrel Chardonnay, the 2013 Cabernet Franc Reserve, the 2010 Allegra; servers who really know the wines.

The vines enjoy their blanket of snow.

Diliberto Winery: Intimate and Friendly, Plus Pizza 12/13/14

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with cabernet sauvignon, Cantina, chardonnay, Diliberto Winery, Long Island, Maryann Diliberto, merlot, North Fork, Sal Diliberto, sauvignon blanc, Tre, wine tasting December 15, 2014

http://www.dilibertowinery.com/

The entrance to the tasting room

The strains of Italian opera waft out into the cold December air as we open the door to Diliberto Winery. A trompe l’oeil street scene of an Italian village greets our eyes as we are warmly welcomed to the small tasting room (expanded in summer by a wrap-around patio). We had been here fairly frequently in the past, but even though it’s now been over a year, Sal Diliberto remembers us and stops by our table to chat. He’s been sitting at another table with a couple of friends who have been eating one of his thin-crust pizzas for lunch. A man who loves cooking and good food as much as he loves making wine, Sal Diliberto is fun to talk to. We share stories of eating in Italy.

Christmas decorations, and bags of home made Italian food to prepare at home

At our table, we contemplate the menu of tastings. There are two choices: The Regular Tasting, of four wines for $12 or the Premium Tasting, of three wines for $15. There is also a menu of pizzas ($17 each), cheese trays, or olives. (No outside food is allowed—and no children, either. When Sal and Maryann’s grandchildren run in for a moment, they are affectionately but quickly shooed out.) We opt to do one tasting of each, alternating as we go. I’ll indicate the Premium wines with a *.

2009 Chardonnay $26

We like the aroma—of sugar cookies and cinnamon—better than the taste, which has quite a lot of acidity and lemon flavor. Although we don’t find it appealing, it might be better with food.

*2003 Sauvignon Blanc $29

On the other hand, we like this, the only other white on the menus, very much. The wine appears a bit hazy in the glass, so I’m not sure whether or not it has been filtered. We get layers of flavor—the oak it was aged in, but also traces of sweetness. Gooseberry pie flavored with vanilla, I say, at which my husband challenges me to say when I ever had a gooseberry. No really, I did, once. It would be lovely with salmon, or with somewhat spicy chicken. We buy two bottles and get a bit of a discount, since we had done the tastings.

Art on the label–at first, I thought they were looking at cell phones!

*2013 Cantina $27

This is a new release, a 50/50 blend of merlot and cabernet franc. We scent spice and berries, with some earthiness, though not that barnyard flavor. It is a good pasta or pizza wine.

2012 Merlot $27

Aroma of cherry and a taste of not really ripe cherry make this just an average Long Island merlot.

2010 Cabernet Sauvignon $29

Up to now we’ve been served our wines in pairs—with a fresh glass each time, always a nice touch—but this time we opt to just take one, since our next two tastes will be the two vintages of Tre. We like the cab sauv, though it lacks depth. It has lots of fruit smells, and tastes of plums that are not quite ripe. I could see this with lamb chops, hot from the grill.

The pour is fairly generous.

2012 Tre $34

Here is their Bordeaux blend, a Right Bank style, because it is primarily merlot. It is 65% merlot, 20% cabernet sauvignon, and 15% cabernet franc. A sniff reveals aromas of wood and fruit, perhaps pine and berries. Though there aren’t many layers of taste it is very nice, with some tannins.

*2013 Tre $37

This blends the same wines in the same proportions as the 2012, but what a difference! It is clearly our favorite of the day, with yummy fruit and a beautiful balance of flavors. It is not at all tannic, so I’m not sure how long it would last, but at the moment it is delicious.

The piano is used for live music–which sometimes includes Sal, a true Renaissance man, singing opera.

Reasons to Visit: the best-looking tasting room, especially if, like us, you love Italy; the 03 Sauvignon Blanc and the 2013 Tre; the warmth and friendliness of Sal and Maryann; Sal’s pizza (we didn’t have it this time, but we’ve sampled it in the past). Oh, and they have a little apartment they rent for $250 per night.

Squint and you can pretend you’re sitting in a piazza in Italy.

Laurel Lake Vineyards: Cold Day, Cold Wine 11/22/14

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with cabernet franc, chardonnay estate reserve, Laurel Lake Vineyards, North Fork wine, Pinot Gris, pinot noir reserve, sauvignon blanc, syrah, Tanger Outlets, tasting November 24, 2014

http://www.llwines.com/

Some customers browsed the selection of wine-related gifts.

After braving the cold winds to do some pre-holiday shopping at Tanger Outlets, we were ready to sit down and taste some wines. Happily, Laurel Lake is well set up to accommodate those who prefer to sit rather than stand at their very attractive bar. You pay for your tasting in advance–$15 for three tastes—and get tickets which you then turn in before each glass. The menu offers choices among eight whites and eight reds, so we decided to do two tastings, three of each, sharing as we went. Since the pour is fairly generous, our plan worked well. We received two glasses, and kept the second glass for our reds.

As we sat, we noticed a few groups who had brought extensive snacks with them. One couple braved the heated outdoor porch, and others opted to stand at the bar. We also noticed a small selection of wine-related gift items, most with humorous messages. Overall it was a quiet day there, in contrast to a few weeks ago when we pulled into the parking lot and found no empty spaces because a convention of Corvettes had taken them all.

The bar where we could have stood.

2013 Pinot Gris $21.99

This, our first choice, like all the rest, was served much too cold, so we spent some time warming the glass before sampling. They need to raise the temp in their fridge! Once it warmed up, we smelled a vegetable aroma, almost like freshly cut grass and flowers. The taste was dry and tart, with a touch of sweetness at first, reminiscent of a slightly under-ripe pineapple. Though not a sipper, it would be fine with food. I’m thinking local scallops with pasta and herbs.

2013 Sauvignon Blanc $20.99

For this one, the tasting notes recommend having it with sushi, and I can see that, though I usually get sake with sushi. It has a woodsy and citrusy aroma and tastes of white grapefruit. Again, this is a dry white with plenty of acidity, and we liked it.

2012 Chardonnay Estate Reserve $22.99

We skip their un-oaked chard and are very happy with our choice to sample this one. It spends 10 months in French oak, the notes tell us (The problem with sitting is that we don’t get to chat with the servers.), giving it the characteristic vanilla scent of oaked chards. However, it is not too heavily oaked, with a lovely mellow almost creamy taste and a nice long vanilla finish. Very buyable, we decide—and we do.

We bought this one.

2010 Pinot Noir Reserve $29.99

Interestingly, this is stainless steel fermented and then aged in used French oak barrels for 12 months. My husband says the smell reminds him of a warm blanket on a cold day. I think he may just be tired after all that shopping and this is just wishful thinking, since I would describe the aroma as mainly blackberry. In any event, this is a light pleasant red, with cherry and plum flavors. The notes call it “rich and fleshy,” but we say “not so much.”

2010 Cabernet Franc $19.99

Nice aromas of pepper and cedar and maybe grape jam precede tastes that we decide are nice but not exciting, with some good fruit but not much finish.

The pour is fairly generous.

2011 Syrah $19.99

This is my favorite of the reds we try. It has lots of dark berry aromas and tastes of purple plums, with a bit of a vegetable taste on the finish—or maybe kumquat. The tannins cause a slight tingle on the tongue. If we needed reds, I would buy it.

You can see the large heated porch through the windows.

Reasons to visit: pleasant tasting room where you can bring a picnic; the 2012 Chardonnay Estate Reserve and the 2011 Syrah; most of the wines are reasonably priced (for the North Fork); lots of choices; a generous pour.

The building is quite attractive.

NoFo Wineaux

Wine notes from Long Island's North Fork

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