Premium Wine Group A. K.A. Bridge Lane A.K.A. Lieb Cellars August 5, 2015

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with Blanc de Blanc, Bridge Lane, chardonnay, Croteaux, Lieb Cellars, North Fork, Oregon Road, Pinot Blanc, Premium Wine Group, Red Blend, Reserve Cabernet Franc, Reserve Merlot, rose, Rumor Mill Cider, Russell Hearn, SuHru, White Blend, white merlot, wine tasting August 10, 2015

No, this winery has not entered the witness protection program or committed a crime; rather they have diversified their offerings to include both the lower priced options from Bridge Lane and their slightly higher end wines bearing the Lieb name. Premium Wine Group—which appears prominently on the sign outside the tasting room—designates the facility attached to it where various wine makers on the North Fork come to use the production facilities, rather than make the rather hefty investment in their own.

At the far end of the building you can see the entrance to the wine-making facility.

What’s unique about the Bridge Lane wines is that they are offered for sale by the bottle, the box, or the keg, giving a whole new dimension to the term “kegger.” A keg holds the equivalent of 26 bottles and, according to our server, is particularly popular for weddings and other large parties. Just to give you a sense of relative costs, a bottle of Bridge Lane Chardonnay is $15, while a box is $40 and a keg is $240. In the tasting room the Bridge Lane wines are poured from the tap, like beer, rather than the bottle. You might think that this all indicates a lesser quality of wine, but we would be perfectly happy to drink most of them. Busy Russell Hearn, who also has his own small label SuHru, is the winemaker for all the wines.

One view of the tasting room

The tasting room is small, set up like a lounge (or, as a certain four year old—non-drinking—visitor opined, “like a living room” ) with a bar on one side and banquettes around the walls. We were there late on a week day, and had the space mostly to ourselves. There are also picnic tables and comfortable Adirondack-style chairs outside. The menu offers five Bridge Lane wines for $12 or five “featured” wines (Lieb label) for $12. We opted for one tasting of each, so we could sample all of them. Packages of crisp skinny bread sticks are on the bar for palate cleansing, and the four-year-old quite approved of them.

I list the tastes here in the order we had them, with the Featured selections second, marked with an *.

2013 Bridge Lane White Merlot $16

White merlots have become more popular on the North Fork lately, and this one reminds us a bit of Anthony Nappa’s Anomaly, though it is lighter. It is tart and citrusy, a good summer quaff.

*NV Rumor Mill Hard Cider $9

Yes, that’s $9 per bottle! And you could serve this to wine lovers who would be quite happy to drink it. It is made, as our server informed us, “from ten different varieties of apples,” all grown on the North Fork. It does not taste particularly like a cider, and is tart, crisp and light, with a slight trace of bubbles.

2013 Bridge Lane Chardonnay $15

A steel-fermented chard, this has the fairly typical veggie aroma, and tastes citrusy and grassy and tart.

They can’t call it champagne…

*2010 Lieb Cellars Blanc de Blanc $30

Made from pinot blanc grapes in the Méthode Champenoise, this is their entry in the sparkling wine category. I smell a bit of yeasty bread, taste some green olive taste. It is very dry, and pretty good, though I’d probably get a Cava or Prosecco rather than spend $30 for this level of sparkle.

2013 Bridge Lane White Blend $16

A mixture of 29% chardonnay, 26% pinot blanc, 16% riesling, 14% viognier, 9% sauvignon blanc, and 4% gewürztraminer—everything except the kitchen sink, observes my husband—this is a quite pleasant drink, with a good balance of sweet and tart. When I came here with a group, this one was very popular. The aroma has a bit of the forest floor funk, but the taste is not at all funky.

*2014 Lieb Pinot Blanc $22

Our server proudly informs us that Lieb has the largest planting of pinot blanc in the United States, which they started in 1983. In any event, this is a delicious wine, with some baked pear aromas and flowery, pineapple-y tastes.

The rose sure looks pretty.

2013 Bridge Lane Rosé $18

They make their rosé from a blend of cabernet franc and merlot, and we smell the typical strawberry aroma, taste some fruit. Not complex, no finish, still no competition for Croteaux, but certainly drinkable.

*2013 Reserve Merlot $24

This is also very drinkable, a dry soft, very cherry merlot. It spends 10 months in Hungarian oak, which, our server notes, is milder than French oak. No tannins.

The pour for the Bridge Lane wines is fairly generous.

2013 Bridge Lane Red Blend $16

For $16, this is quite a good everyday red, which I could see enjoying with spaghetti and meatballs any night of the week. It is a Bordeaux-style blend of 46% merlot, 37% cabernet sauvignon, 12% petit verdot, and 5% malbec, with a touch of earth and forest floor as well as dark fruit aromas and good fruit tastes, not sweet. We notice that if one buys three bottles of any wine one tasting is free, and decide three bottles of the Red Blend would be a worthwhile investment. Unfortunately, the red is served a bit too cold, perhaps a result of the tap system.

*2013 Lieb Reserve Cabernet Franc $40

By the way, calling a wine “reserve” means whatever the winery wants it to mean, but usually means they think this is a particularly good wine. They would be correct with this one, which we would buy for our cellar if we had room at the moment. Lots of dark fruit, interesting tannins, it’s a delicious dry red that could stand up to steak.

Reasons to visit: you can buy a keg of wine, how cool is that?; wine on tap; a pleasant calm tasting room (or go to their Oregon Road room if you want to get further off the beaten track); almost all the wines, but for fun the Rumor Mill Cider; more seriously the Reserve Cabernet Franc; for an inexpensive everyday red, the Red Blend or white, the White Blend.

Here you can see the taps from which they dispense the Bridge Lane wines.

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.

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.

Clovis Point: Music and Wine 6/20/15

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with barrel chardonnay, cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, Clovis point arrowheads, Clovis Point Winery, gewurztraminer, Long Island, Malbec, Mattituck Strawberry Festival, North Fork, rose, Stainless Chardonnay, Vintner's Select Merlot, wine tasting June 24, 2015

http://www.clovispointwines.com/

A visit to a winery is a great way to brighten a rainy day.

We braved the crowds that had come to the North Fork for the Mattituck Strawberry Festival and the rain that had arrived that afternoon for an excursion to Clovis Point Wines. Now, if you Google Clovis point you will find yourself looking at arrowheads, and wondering what the connection is. In fact, Clovis point does refer to a type of arrowhead, examples of which have been found on the North Fork, hence the name.

The winery nods to the past of the area in another way, housing its tasting room in a converted potato barn, but the wines are thoroughly modern. The servers alternated between quite friendly and enthusiastic and rather pleasant but business-like. The bar area was fairly quiet because all the action was outside on the covered porch, where a country and western band was entertaining tables full of people sipping wine and eating snacks, some bought from the winery (a menu features cheeses, sausage, and other small snacks for about $10) and others brought in. (A sign permits outside food, but requests “no coolers.”) Once before we had come especially for a musical performance, which we had enjoyed. Clovis Point describes itself as a “boutique” winery, and a sign outside forbids all limos.

Pretty flowers line the pathway to the door.

The menu features five wines for $13 or the three whites for $7 and the two reds for $5. We opted to share one tasting of all five wines, not actually a bargain! Due to the tiny pour, we had to be quite judicious in our sharing. I found the small pour interesting in that the servers rinsed our glass with a bit of the wine we were about to taste each time, a nice touch but it seemed a shame to pour out almost as much as we tasted.

Through the window you can glimpse the porch where the music listeners are sitting.

2014 Stainless Chardonnay $21

Although it is called chardonnay, this is also 3% gewürztraminer, which we felt contributed a slightly funky note to what is otherwise a fairly typical clean, crisp, lemony steel chard. It was fine, but we felt would be better with food.

We’ve not yet tasted the wine.

Rosé $21

In general, we compare all rosés to Croteaux, and find them wanting, but we quite liked this one. It spends three days on the skins, and so has a deeper red and more intense flavor than many rosés. This is made from 97% cabernet franc and 3% merlot. The aroma is typically strawberry and watermelon, with a nice minerality. The taste also recalls strawberry, and is a touch on the sweet side, but the minerality makes the sweetness work.

2013 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay $27

After ten months in French oak, this wine smells like vanilla and Werther’s candies, but is happily not as sweet as the smell would indicate. A hint of lemon juice makes this a sippable wine, not as oaky as a California chard. My tasting pal opines that this is not a challenge to drink.

New glass for the reds

2013 Cabernet Franc $35

A blend of 94% cabernet franc, 3% cabernet sauvignon, and 3% merlot, this wine has a somewhat smoky, almost coffee aroma. The taste has some smokiness to it too, but not obnoxiously so. Though it is dry and brambly, we think it might do better with more age.

2010 Vintner’s Select Merlot $45

A Right Bank Bordeaux-style wine, this is a blend of 86% merlot, 7% cabernet sauvignon, 4.5 % cabernet franc, and 3% malbec, says the menu. If you can add, you’ll note that that adds up to 100.5—and actually, the menu lists the percentage of cab franc as 45%! Oops. I’m a liberal arts major, says our server as an excuse, and promises to fix the menu right away. Regardless, this is also a wine that may need more time, as we find it a bit on the thin side, with lots of tannins and some blackberry taste. It might do well with a cheese platter, however.

Reasons to visit: a nice place to listen to music; the rosé; the 2013 Barrel Chardonnay if you like oaked chards; pleasant quiet tasting room.

How cool to quote Horace!

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.

The Winemaker Studio: Studying Wine May 16, 2015

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with Anomaly, Anthony Nappa, Blackbird, Bordo, Coffee Pot Cellars, Dodici, Frizzante, Influence Wines, Leo Family, North Fork, One Woman, paninis, Race Wines, Russell Hearn, SuHru Pinot Grigio, SuHru Sauvignon Blanc, T'Jara Cabernet Franc, T'Jara Merlot, T'Jara Reserve Merlot, The Winemaker Studio, wine tasting May 20, 2015

http://www.anthonynappawines.com/tws_home.html

Proving once again that regular visits to all wineries are essential, we noted several changes at Anthony Nappa’s Winemaker Studio since our last visit there in July. For example, the emphasis has gone from looking at the wines of many winemakers to a focus on Nappa’s own wines, although others are available, including for purchase. Today, the choice is between a set menu of five wines for $10 by Russell Hearn, under his SuHru and T’Jara labels, or any of fourteen wines by Nappa at $2 per taste. After some serious discussion, we decide to share two tastings, one of the Hearn wines and the other of five wines from Nappa’s list. We also could have had a beer from Greenport Brewing Company or hard cider or espresso.

Note the Greenport Harbor Brewing Company tap.

The building is over 100 years old, which contributes to the cozy feeling of the place, and is divided into two halves, with one half the tasting room with a bar and some little tables and chairs, and the other half a store called Provisions, which offers both a selection of groceries and a menu of sandwiches and snacks. While we were there we saw one party enjoying some paninis—which smelled delicious—with their wine. We could also have bought wines by the bottle from Leo Family, Race Wines, Coffee Pot Cellars (which now has their own place), and Influence Wines.

You can see Provisions through the window.

Some of the snack choices

Our server, by the way, was quite pleasant and very knowledgeable, and we overheard her giving a pair of North Fork novices some good advice as to which wineries they would and would not like. Based on their preferences, we suggested their next stop should be One Woman Winery. I’ll list the wines as we drank them, with the Anthony Nappa wines second.

One view of the room

SuHru Pinot Grigio $17

Nice way to start a tasting. This is a bright, citrusy white with a slightly funky, mineral aroma. Though somewhat too dry to be a sipper, it would go great with oysters.

2013 Frizzante $20

As you may have guessed from the name, this is a sparkling wine, made in the Méthode Champenoise from pinot noir, riesling, and gewürztraminer. Because it is unfiltered, it is somewhat cloudy. Given the grapes it is made from, I thought it might be sweet, but, though it has a touch of sweetness, it is dry, with aromas of pear and orange flower. Our server compares it to a Prosecco, and says she likes it with sushi. I think it would be great with some charcuterie! And given the price, one could drink this without waiting for an occasion.

2013 SuHru Sauvignon Blanc $19

As I’m sniffing and thinking, hmmm…toast, lemon peel, minerals, my husband says, “This is very like a Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc, and so anyone who liked that would like this.” I’ll have to do some research to verify that, but meanwhile I taste lemon and gooseberries.

2013 Anomaly $19

The Anomaly is Nappa’s signature wine, a white made from red pinot noir grapes, and it is quite nice, though we liked it better the first time we had it. The aroma is a tad funky, with some minerality and a smell like raw yeast dough. It is fairly crisp, and we taste sour cherries.

2010 T’Jara Cabernet Franc $30

New glasses for the reds. Aged in oak, this has aromas of asparagus, coffee beans, and cherry juice, with tastes of spice and dark fruit. It’s quite good, and we like the finish, and think it would pair well with veal Milanese. Since Russell Hearn used to be the winemaker for Pellegrini, and we like their reds, it’s logical that we would like the reds he makes under his own label.

2014 Bordo $20

I kind of expected this to be a Bordeaux, based on the name, but it is made from steel-fermented cabernet franc. Our server describes it as a “rustic Italian” wine, and says, among other flavors, that it has tastes of calamata olives. We agree, and also think we taste dark plums and raisins, plus maybe some black cherry. Although there’s lots of fruit tastes, it is relatively simple, in that there aren’t layers of flavor. In any event, it would go great with pizza or pasta!

We really liked the clean, simple, modern style of Nappa’s labels.

2010 T’Jara Merlot $25

Just as my husband noted that the barnyard odors we used to sense frequently in North Fork wines are mostly gone, and I reminded him that it was merlots that featured it, we sniff this and find just a touch of barnyard. Otherwise, lots of berry aromas and sour plum tastes in this somewhat tannic red. Not at all soft, it would go well with pasta with a rich meat sauce.

2012 “dodici” $35

Named for the vintage year, this is a blend of 67% merlot, 28% cabernet franc, and 5% cabernet sauvignon, aged in French oak for 18 months. A Right Bank Bordeaux, says my drinking pal. Aroma: Captain Black tobacco, chocolate, red fruits. Taste: cherry, dry yet soft, with some tannins. Compared with how it tasted a year ago, we decide it has aged well so far, though it could be overwhelmed by a big steak dinner.

I love doing side by side comparisons.

2007 T’Jara Reserve Merlot $35

Also aged in French oak, this is, despite the name, a bit of a blend: 89% merlot, 5% cabernet franc, 2% malbec, 2% cabernet sauvignon. “Unripe peach pit,” opines my pal, as he sniffs. Really? Okay, maybe. Also currants, perhaps. We taste and agree on dried fruits and unsweetened cocoa. In a head to head with dodici, we choose the T’Jara.

2012 Blackbird $40

Why Blackbird? Because merlot is the French word for blackbird, says the server. Well, close, it is “merle,” and this is Nappa’s Reserve Merlot. Red cherry taste, quite tannic, not much aroma: we think it would be better with food, but are not thrilled with this wine. Not bad, mind you, but not worth the price.

One corner of the room. The furniture is cute, but could be more comfy.

Reasons to visit: the chance to taste and buy wines from more than one winemaker; some offbeat choices like the Frizzante and the Anomaly; the lovely food from Provisions; a relaxed atmosphere; the Suhru Sauvignon Blanc, the Bordo, the T’Jara Reserve Merlot, the Dodici; freshly made espresso or cappuccino for those who have had enough wine.

Jamesport Vineyards: Summer time! May 10, 2015

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with Dry Riesling, East End Chardonnay, East End Cinq Blanc, East End Cinq Red, flatbreads, Jamesport Vineyards, Jubilant, Mattituck Cabernet Franc, Melange de Trois, MTK Syrah, North Fork, oysters, Reserve Sauvignon Blanc, Sidor, wine tasting May 13, 2015

http://www.jamesportwines.com/

The entrance to Jamesport Vineyards

Jamesport Vineyards is a great place to go in the summer because they have a huge back yard area. When we were there on Mother’s Day a bunch of kids had started an impromptu baseball game (with a plastic bat), a singer-guitarist played folkie/pop songs, and groups lingered at the picnic tables scattered on the grounds. However, since their tasting policy is “one taste at a time,” it is best to go there when you plan to order a glass of wine—I suggest the Reserve Sauvignon Blanc or the Cinq Blanc—and a plate of oysters, rather than go for a tasting if you want to hang out outside. (They start serving oysters soon, when they also fire up the outdoor oven to make flatbreads.)

One view of the spacious back yard

We did both—a tasting inside at the bar, then a glass each to sip as we relaxed outside. Since our son was with us, we decided to share two tastings, which are $15 for five tastes, chosen from their menu of wines. We coordinated our choices, so you’ll get to read about ten of their wines. There were a few we didn’t get to sample, such as their rosé, which, after being at Croteaux the day before, we decided not to try.

You can peek at some of the wine-making equipment from the tasting room.

East End Chardonnay $16.95

90% steel fermented, 10% oak, means that this is a somewhat crisp chardonnay, though it is a tad sweet for us. The aroma is of citrus and roasted pear.

If you order certain wines, you support aquaculture on the East End.

East End Cinq Blanc $16.95

Cinq means five, and this is a blend of five grapes: chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, riesling, gewürztraminer, and pinot blanc. The aroma is interesting, as is the taste. We smell a bit of a funky, wet forest smell, and taste kiwi and key lime. We like this wine, and pronounce it “piquant.”

2012 Dry Riesling $25.95

Our son was thinking of trying their other riesling, but we persuaded him to try the dry one, as the other is described as sweet. Then when we smelled it we thought we’d be sorry, since the aroma is quite funky and musty. However, it tastes better than it smells, though the taste carries a bit of that funkiness. Mostly it is dry and crisp, with lots of lemon and a touch of wet rock. (Okay, so I’ve never tasted a wet rock, but if you go outside in Manhattan and take a good whiff of the air after a doorman has rinsed the hot sidewalk on a hot summer day, then imagine what that would taste like, you’ll get what I mean.)

2013 Reserve Sauvignon Blanc $27.95

Nice. Flowery honeysuckle aroma and a nice mouth feel with a fair amount of fruit, especially barely ripe cantaloupe, make this a good one. You can sense a bit of oakiness.

East End Cinq Red $16.95

As we switch to reds, we get new glasses, a nice touch. Cinq again refers to five grapes, in this case cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, merlot, pinot noir, and petit syrah. The aroma is quite sweet, like red candy but with a touch of tobacco smokiness. I say it is tart, while my two companions insist on saying sour. Okay, so how about with a rich lasagna made with hot sausage? That would work, they agree.

2010 Mattituck Cabernet Franc $30

“Mattituck” refers to their vineyard in that town, and we think it must be a good one. The wine smells delicious—chocolate, tobacco, and ripe plum—and tastes pretty good too, though it is quite tannic. Think about how a strong cup of tea without milk makes your tongue feel…

2010 Mélange de Trois $34.95

Ha-ha, we get it, like a ménage à trois only with three wines. 41% cabernet sauvignon, 23% cabernet franc, and 31% merlot is the combo here. Funky aroma again, lots of blackberry tastes, pretty tannic: we like it! It would pair well with lamb or beef stew.

2010 MTK Syrah $30

I tend to like syrahs, and this is no exception. Lovely smells of black cherry and spice, tastes of red cherry, cocoa, and a touch of tobacco. I could see this with a nice pork roast. Oh, and MTK is the abbreviation for Mattituck.

The tasting room is fine, but we wanted to be outside.

2007 Jubilant Reserve $34.95

A Bordeaux blend, this wine has 68% cabernet franc, 18% merlot, 14% cabernet sauvignon, 2.5% syrah, and 2.5% petit verdot—and a fruity aroma. However, it is surprisingly light, and would not stand up to a big steak. However, I like it, and compare the taste to dried cranberries, which at first surprises my companions and then they nod their heads in agreement.

2007 “SIDOR” Syrah Reserve $34.95

We manage to get the very busy server to stop for a moment and explain the name of this wine; “It’s for the name of the farmer who owns the land,” she says, before hurrying off to fill the next glass. Although it is called syrah, this is actually a blend of 62% syrah, 18% cabernet sauvignon, 9% cabernet franc, 9% merlot, and 2% petit verdot. The smell is…not good. Musty basement, I opine, and they agree. The taste is dry, of cherries, but also a tad funky. Our son likes it but wouldn’t particularly buy it.

That yard is calling.

After the tasting we each get a glass—the Cinq Blanc for our son (plus he buys a bottle to take home), and the Mélange de Trois for us—and sit outside to savor the beautiful weather, the laid-back scene, the wine, the music, and the company of each other.

Bud break has happened!

Reasons to visit: the lovely back yard area where you can bring a picnic or buy oysters or flatbreads or other snacks; the Cinq Blanc, the Reserve Sauvignon Blanc, the Mattituck Cabernet Franc, the Mélange de Trois, the MTK Syrah, the Jubilant Reserve.

Another view of Jamesport’s expansive yard.

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.

McCall’s Winery: Vintage Matters 5/2/2015

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with 2012 Pinot Noir, Ben's Blend 2010, cabernet franc, Cabernet Franc Reserve, cabernet sauvignon, Cellar Master, chardonnay, Chardonnay Reserve, Cuvee Nicola Sauvignon Blanc, Estate Flight, Marjorie's Rose, McCall's winery, merlot, North Fork, Pinot Noir Hillside, Premium Flight, White Flight, wine tasting May 4, 2015

http://www.mccallwines.com/

The tasting barn

It was a beautiful spring day, so we opted to sit at a picnic table in the sunny yard outside McCall’s tasting barn (and it is a barn, with the horse stalls converted to seating areas) for our tasting. In the past, we had really liked their wines, especially the reds, so we opted to share two tastings, one of their whites and another of their Estate reds. We hadn’t been to McCall’s since the summer of 2013, and this visit confirmed what we’ve often thought—that you need to taste each vintage to know whether or not you like a particular wine. In this case, we were less impressed than we have been in the past.

One of the converted horse stalls used as a seating area

The tasting menu offers four options of combinations which let you taste their twelve wines. Each flight offers four two-ounce tastes: White Flight for $12, Cellar Master for $12, Premium for $14, and Estate for $16. As we sipped, we watched children run around picking dandelions and other groups snack on picnics they had brought with them. Our server was friendly and efficient, and if there were any questions she couldn’t answer she quickly found out the answers for us.

I was wondering why no one on the North Fork makes dandelion wine.

I’ll start with the White Flight.

2014 Marjorie’s Rosé $18

Okay, so a rosé is not exactly a white, but it’s not a bad way to start a white flight. This wine is named for the owner’s mother, and is a very light-colored wine. Instead of the expected aroma of strawberries, we smelled rising dough, more like a champagne. The taste was tart and lightly citrusy—“a summer wine,” noted our server. The end taste was more mineral than citrus, and fairly tart. “Like a sour candy,” noted my tasting buddy. Though it was not unpleasant, it was just okay.

2013 Chardonnay $18

“This is our steel-fermented chardonnay,” said our server, adding, “and another good summer wine.” Indeed, it is fairly light and citrusy, with again a doughy aroma. Had it undergone malo-lactic fermentation? She wasn’t sure. We guessed yes. She returned to tell us that indeed it had. We decided the taste reminded us of the key lime pie my husband had enjoyed the night before at A Lure. I’m not a fan of key lime pie.

2013 Sauvignon Blanc, Cuvée Nicola $24

McCall’s doesn’t grow sauvignon blanc grapes, so this wine is made from grapes from One Woman’s vineyard, and this was the first time McCall’s offered this wine. Good decision, as this is their best white. The aroma and taste both remind me of apricots—sort of like apricot fruit leather, with some spice and citrus notes at the end. It would be good with blue cheese or pasta in a white sauce. Sippable.

2013 Chardonnay Reserve $39

No surprises here—this is a typical North Fork oaked chardonnay (nine months in the barrel, we are told), with aromas of vanilla and oak and some fruit tastes as well as some vanilla. Of course, I say it would go with roast chicken.

Now we move on to the Estate Flight of reds. We are not brought fresh glasses, but we do appreciate that our server has opted to give us two glasses, dividing the taste between us rather than having us share one glass, as we generally do. I should also note that many of their bottles use twist off caps rather than corks.

2012 Pinot Noir $28

What a pretty color this wine has—a light red. We smell blueberries and wet forest ferns, with maybe a touch of barnyard. Alas, the color is the best aspect of the pinot, since the taste is rather sour and unappealing. What a disappointment, since my comments on the 2010 pinot noir include “mmmmm.”

The setting feels quite bucolic.

2012 Pinot Noir Hillside $39

Well, perhaps we’ll like this one better. It spends about 3-4 weeks longer on the vine and three months longer in the barrel. Okay, definitely better. Again a blueberry pie aroma (Which reminds us that tonight we’ll be having a blueberry crunch pie from Briermere.) with a touch of cocoa. The taste has more fruit and more subtlety, but no depth and a fair amount of tartness. Again, we’re not loving it. Also, the reds are all too cold, though that may not be anyone’s fault, as the tasting room is quite chilly.

Cabernet Franc Reserve 2012 $39

Nice aroma—plums, some oak—but with a touch of something metallic. This wine comes from 30-year-old vines, our server tells us proudly, from a vineyard originally planted by the Gristina family says our server (Does she mean Galluccio?), and though the property is now owned by Macari, McCall’s is using the grapes. Again, this wine is tarter than one would expect, without enough fruit to balance the dryness. And though our server enthuses that she really likes this one, we are not pleased with it, especially with the aftertaste.

2010 Ben’s Blend $54

Finally, a wine we can like. This is their Bordeaux blend (named for their previous winemaker, who died much too young), though the combination is quite different from the last time we sampled it. This one is 46% cabernet franc, 25% cabernet sauvignon, and 29% merlot, whereas the 07 Ben’s Blend was 60% merlot and also included some petit verdot. In any event, we scent aromas of dark fruit, such as purple plums, and taste pleasant fruit, though it is not tannic enough to stand up to a steak. It would be good with brie and pears.

Reasons to visit: the Cuvée Nicola Sauvignon Blanc, the 2010 Ben’s Blend; a pleasant relaxed setting where kids can run around and you can bring a picnic; the surprisingly elegant rest room (!). We’ll be back when it is time for a new vintage, hoping the wines are better then, since we really liked them in the past.

The tasting barn viewed through a taste.

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.

NoFo Wineaux

Wine notes from Long Island's North Fork

Tag Archives: wine tasting