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

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

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

http://www.palmervineyards.com/

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

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

The Reserve wines are marked with an *.

The pour is quite generous.

*Albariῆo $24.99

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

The small bottle of the Albarino.

*Barrel Fermented Pinot Blanc $23.99

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

2012 Aromatico $24.99

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

The bar area

2014 Sauvignon Blanc $23.99

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

*2010 Reserve Chardonnay $22.99

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

Another view of the room

2013 Riesling $23.99

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

2013 Gewürztraminer $23.99

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

*2012 Cabernet Sauvignon $29.99

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

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

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

Apollo the cat out for a stroll.

The booths remind me of an English pub.

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

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

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

The snow was piled high but the roads were clear.

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

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

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

Plenty of gift options

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

2012 Fumé Blanc $18

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

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

Regina Maris Chardonnay $13

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

2012 Reserve Chardonnay $20

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

2011 Gewürztraminer $15

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

The Edzelwicker

2011 “White Flight” Edzelwicker $15

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

Richmond Creek Red Blend $12

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

The Meritage is quite dark in color.

2007 Meritage “Flight” $24

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

2012 Pinot Noir $40

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

The label of the Carmenere explains the grape.

2011 Carmenere $35

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

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

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

They’ll make custom labels for you.

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

Lenz Winery: Solid Place, Slushy Day January 24, 2015

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with Cuvee, Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, gewurztraminer, Gold Label Chardonnay, Lenz Winery, merlot, North Fork, Old Vines Cabernet Sauvignon, Old Vines Merlot, Tete-a-Tete, White Label Chardonnay, wine tasting January 26, 2015

http://www.lenzwine.com/Home.htm

Despite the slushy roads, people still come to the wineries.

Lenz has some of the oldest vines on Long Island, having planted its first ones in 1978, and they are quite proud of the fact that all of their wines are made from their own grapes. The attractively rustic tasting room (open every day all year long) is not very big, though it is augmented by an outdoor seating area in the summer, and their selection of wine-related gifts tends to be somewhat less hokey than others. In addition, a winery dog made a brief appearance—always a plus in my book. Both of the servers we talked with were smart, attentive, and knowledgeable, with an evident passion for the wines.

Low beams are marked with this warning. Can one watch one’s head without a mirror, wondered my husband.

Despite the slushy streets and cold rain, we shared the room with a small group of women who had arrived in a limo and a few other couples and small groups.

The tasting menu offers two main options, the Estate menu of 5 wines for $12 and the Premium list of 5 wines for $15. You can also put together an all white or an all red tasting, plus there are a few additional wines—dessert, sparkling, and Late Harvest wines—not included in the tastings. We opted to do one of each menu, sharing tastes as we went, and our server quickly caught on to what we were doing and carefully arranged the samples, pointing out which of the two or three tastes to begin with. I mark the Premium selections with an *.

*2010 Old Vines Gewürztraminer $30

This, our server tells us, in an Alsatian style Gewürz, so it is dry and refreshing. Indeed, it is quite dry, with lots of pineapple and mineral tastes. Hmmm, maybe a bit too dry, and a bit harsh on the finish.

When we commented on the cute label for the Tete-a-Tete we learned that it was designed by a former winery worker, who also still comes in and does the blackboards.

2011 Tete-à-Tete $25

Since they only make the Gewürztraminer in years when they are particularly happy with the grapes, they decided to use the Gewürztraminer grapes in a blend in 2011, so this wine is 50% Gewürztraminer and 50% Pinot Gris. Good decision! We really like this one. The aroma is rather mineral, but when we taste it we definitely get the pineapple of the Gewürztraminer and then some earthiness, maybe mushroom? I could see enjoying this with a creamy clam chowder.

Sparkling.

*2010 Cuvee $40

100% pinot noir grapes were fermented using the Champagne method, we are told. Sniff. “Apple pie!” exclaims my husband, perhaps, I think, suffering from Briermere pie withdrawal (they are closed for the season). But he’s right. Not only does it smell all warm and toasty and apple-y, it also has a definite apple taste. This is a relatively simple sparkling wine, but quite pleasant.

2011 White Label Chardonnay $15

We are now about to have one of my favorite tasting experiences—tasting two very different wines made from the same grape. The White Label Chard is steel fermented, yielding a light, crisp, flinty, very drinkable wine, perfect for summer sipping. The aroma is of baked pear. Very buyable, which we do.

Chardonnays going head to head

*2012 Gold Label Chardonnay $20

After ten months in oak, the wine definitely has the typical vanilla and freshly baked bread aroma of an oaked chard, but it is not too oaky. The finish is both tart and sweet, and my husband tries to convince me that it reminds him of Reese’s Pieces. I was with him on the apple pie, but not on this!

2011 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon $25

The reds all seem to note that they are unfiltered and unfined. We’re doing another head to head comparison, this time of cab sauvs. This one has a delicious woodsy and berry aroma, and a taste of ripe plums. It is good, but simple, with no tannins. “It lacks gravitas,” opines my tasting companion. I could see it with barbequed sausages.

*2007 Old Vines Cabernet Sauvnignon $40

You can age this wine for ten years, enthuses our server. We’re not so sure, as it also doesn’t seem to have much in the way of tannins. However, it is a lovely wine, with a delicious aroma and good fruit tastes—raspberries, plums. Though it is primarily cab sauv, it also is blended with merlot, malbec, and cabernet franc.

Not one, not two, but three merlots!

2011 Merlot $20

This is a perfectly fine table wine, we agree. We smell spice and cherry, with none of the earthy smell some North Fork merlots can have. The taste is also of cherry. The tasting notes suggest having it with roast turkey, and I think duck would also work well.

2010 Merlot $28

We have in front of us a line-up of three merlots. What fun! This one is a bit of a blend, and though it is 80-90% merlot it also has some cabernet franc, malbec, and petit verdot. We do smell a touch of earthiness, but also lots of cherry. The wine itself is very dense, tannic, and dry. Despite the blend, the taste is rather simple with a flat finish, but overall we like it.

*2007 Old Vines Merlot $60

Now this one you can age for 20 years, we are told. We should live so long, as my grandmother used to say. You can definitely smell the wood from the oak it was aged in, and also another smell my husband compares to rubber bands. Perhaps. The taste is terrific, with dark fruit flavors and lots of interesting layers, though again not much in the way of tannins. For the price I would probably try to find a Bordeaux—from France.

A view of the tasting bar

Reasons to visit: pleasant tasting room with good selection of gift items; very knowledgeable and attentive staff; the Tete-à-Tete, the White Label Chardonnay, the 2007 Old Vines Merlot.

Not a good day for sitting outside…

Martha Clara: Something for Everyone January 3, 2015

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with Barrique Flight, cabernet sauvignon, Estate Reserve Chardonnay, Estate Reserve Merlot, Long Island, Martha Clara, merlot, North Fork, Northville Red, pinot noir, Reserve Flight, riesling, syrah, wine tasting January 5, 2015

http://www.marthaclaravineyards.com/

Winery entrance

The tasting menu offers four different flights, as well as sangria and wines by the taste or glass; the adjoining huge performance space features an array of lunch and snack items as well as live music; the gift shop carries all sorts of wine-related gifts, the outside area includes farm animals one can feed: Yes, there seems to be something for everyone here. There are even a few quite nice wines. It’s no wonder the front parking lot at Martha Clara is so often full, with overflow crowds for special events sent to lots further back. What will happen to the winery if the Entenmann family is able to sell it, no one seems to know, but according to our server it is a profitable business. So it you have a spare 25 million hanging around…

Lots of holiday lights

We walked into the tasting room on a chilly drizzly day to be greeted by a multitude of holiday lights and decorations. We came with friends who are wine club members, so our tastings were free, but if you’re not they are still reasonable. The Barrique flight, all reds, gives you five tastes for $13, and so does the Aromatic Flight. The Off Dry (Sweet) is just $12 for your five tastes, and the Reserve, of their more expensive wines, is $15 for five. We opted for the Barrique and the Reserve. The pour is fairly generous. Our server gave us a minimum of information about each wine, but when asked did have more to offer. I will give you the Reserve Flight information first, then the Barrique.

Reserve Flight

2010 Estate Reserve Riesling $45

The server described it as semi-dry, but we found it rather sweet. The aroma is nice—floral and apricot—but then the taste is rather simple, without any complexity or layers, and mostly just sweet. It might be okay as an aperitif at a party. I wondered why they start their flight with such a sweet wine.

Two of the wines we tasted

2012 Estate Reserve Chardonnay $26.99

My friend compared the taste of the chard to crème bruleé, as it features vanilla flavors—it is oak fermented—and a pleasant mouth feel. There’s even a bit of citrus at the end—perhaps lime. Quite nice.

Cabernet Sauvignon $25.99

The Cab Sauv is a blend of the 2010 and 2011 vintages, and is included in both tastings, so I’ll just write about it once. It is, our server noted, the wine of the month. It’s not bad, with tastes of red plum or dried prune and some minerality, but overall, not exciting. My husband theorized that perhaps the winemaker is too tame, not making each wine distinct and different. There’s some sweetness and almost no tannins.

The unanimous favorite of the day

2010 Northville Red $23.99

Winner of the day! The Northville Red is their Bordeaux blend—78% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, 6% Petit Verdot, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 3% Malbec—and is also included in both flights. We all agree this is our favorite, and quite buyable. It smells a bit like forest floor, just a touch funky, but the taste is quite delicious, with lots of dark fruit. It would be yummy with lamb chops, for example.

2012 Estate Reserve Merlot $32.99

Unlike all the other wines today, this one has a cork. Our server explains, giving several good reasons, why Martha Clara is changing to all screw tops—ecologically better, wine keeps better, less spoilage, etc. We smell some of that barnyard terroir Long Island merlots can have, and maybe wet forest floor. The taste includes black cherries and some tannin, but my husband theorizes that perhaps the wine is not quite ready to be poured. “It’s not fair to the poor wine,” he says. Maybe given more time…?

Barrique Flight

2011 Pinot Noir $29.99

We admire the pretty garnet color of the pinot, scents of cherry and oak—maybe a touch too much oak. This is a pleasant wine, a bit light and thin, but would be okay with roast chicken or for sipping.

2011 Merlot $22.99

This is a new release, our server tells us. We are not excited. We smell oak and mineral, not much fruit, and the wine itself seems to have no body or depth. It is dry, and could definitely use more fruit.

Cabernet Sauvignon (see above)
2010 Syrah $23.99

I often like syrahs, and this one is no exception. I smell pepper and black cherry, and taste lots of dark fruits. This wine is easy to drink, either just to sip or with food, and the price makes it quite buyable as well.

2010 Northville Red (see above)

This is the room where you find live entertainment and food for sale.

Reasons to visit: you’re with a group and everyone wants something different; you need entertainment for yourself or some children; you need to pick up a wine-related gift; you want a spot of lunch with your wine; the 2010 Northville Red, the 2010 Syrah, the 2012 Estate Reserve Chardonnay.

Dogs are allowed, as long as they are leashed.

Plenty of gift items are available.

100 bottles of wine on the wall, 100 bottles of wine…

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.

Paumanok Vineyards: Inspired by Walt… 11/2/14

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with Apollo Drive Petit Verdot, cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, merlot, North Fork, Paumanok Vineyard, Petulant Wino, riesling, Tuthills Lane, Walt Whitman, wine tasting November 7, 2014

https://www.paumanok.com/

Whitman, that is, who liked to use the Native American name for Long Island—Paumanok—in his poems. The Massoud family owns and runs the vineyard, with all three sons playing active roles, as we discovered when we chatted with our server, Salim Massoud, who agreed that he very much resembles a cartoon image of his father we noticed on the wall. The tasting room is pleasant and a comfortable size—not too big, not too small (they require large or limo parties to reserve in advance)—plus there is an outdoor deck. The last time we were here, just before Superstorm Sandy, we sat out on the deck and had oysters with a glass of wine, but this time it is too chilly. They also offer a menu of local cheeses (from Catapano and Mecox), charcuterie, and dishes from The Petulant Wino, and do not allow outside food or drinks.

View of the deck–the day was sunny but quite blustery.

The tasting menu offers a number of options: the Festival Flight of 4 wines for $6, two of which are sweet; the Paumanok Flight of 5 wines for $15; the Single Vineyard flight of 2 wines for $10, and the Sweets Flight of 3 sweet wines for $10. We decide we will each get a Paumanok flight, and then share a Single Vineyard flight. All their wines, by the way, come in screw top bottles, which some feel is the future of all wines.

As we carefully sniff and sip and I take notes, another couple at the tasting bar becomes interested. This is their first time at a tasting, and their server does a great job of gently introducing them to the mores of this rather ritualized activity. He asks carefully about their preferences, and customizes a tasting for them. We explain that smelling the wine adds another element of appreciation, and agree with their server that how wine tastes is both a subjective and an objective matter.

2012 Chardonnay $24

This is a slightly oaked chard, so we sniff and note butterscotch. Taste? Oak, melon, maybe kiwi, with tart citrus at the end. Not too buttery, and also not a sipper, but we could see having this with chicken fajitas or grilled tuna.

2013 Dry Riesling $22

When my husband asks if these grapes come from upstate, Salim proudly notes that all of their wines are made from their own grapes. We smell honeysuckle, and the wine is fairly dry, with some complexity. Layers of fruit and tart, I think, with some tastes of Seville oranges. Not long ago I made turkey Weiner Schnitzel, and I think this would have gone very well with that.

2012 Cabernet Franc $24

Because of the difficulties of the 2012 harvest, Salim notes, this has ended up being a very light cabernet franc. In fact, if he hadn’t told us this, we might not have guessed it was a cab franc at all. It has a strawberry aroma, like a rosé, no depth and little fruit. I suggest if one had a bottle of this on one’s hands one could make sangria.

2012 Cabernet Sauvignon $24

Although it is also a 2012, the cab sauv is much better, with slight berry aroma and ripe plum taste, dry, with nice tannins. I decide it would go well with Swedish meatballs, which I recently made for a party.

We liked the merlot.

2010 Merlot $28

Clearly the menu saved the best for last. This is a good example of a typical Long Island merlot, with a woodsy and cherry aroma and a cherry taste. No dirt!

Nice glasses, too.

2010 Merlot Tuthills Lane $75

Believe it or not, I think this smells like a bandaid. On the other hand, it tastes really good, with lots of cherry flavors, dry, but, despite what they describe as “voluminous tannins,” we don’t sense much in the way of tannins. The pour, by the way, is generous enough that we are happy to each get half of it in our glasses, so we can share this tasting. This time my husband had the cold…

2010 Petit Verdot Apollo Drive $75

This is the second of our Single Vineyard flight, and is also quite good. “This is aged 16 months in French oak,” notes Salim. Sniff. M&Ms? Maybe also nutmeg. Lots of dark berry tastes and nice tannins, dry, but with plenty of fruit tastes. We like this one, but not at $75 per bottle!

Part of the tasting room

Reasons to visit: the 2010 Petit Verdot Apollo Drive, the 2013 Dry Riesling, the nice menu of snacks, a pleasant setting, oysters on Saturdays during the summer, helpful servers if you are a newbie.

The vines in fall, when most of the grapes have been picked.

Macari Vineyards: Award Deserved? October 25, 2014

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with Bergen Road, cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay estate, Collina Chardonnay, Collina Merlot, Dos Aguas, Finger Lakes, Macari Vineyards, Malbec, Merlot Reserve, North Fork, petit verdot, riesling, rose, sauvignon blanc, Sette, wine tasting October 27, 2014

http://www.macariwines.com/

Macari had been named the “Winery of the Year” at the 2014 New York Wine & Food Classic, so we were curious to see why. According to the Classic website, the “award is presented to the winery with the best overall showing based on the level and number of awards in relation to entries.”

Macari has two tasting rooms, and on a previous try the one on Sound Avenue was too full to find a place at the tasting bar, so this time we tried the one on the Main Road. Since it was a beautiful October day and every winery we passed seemed to have a full parking lot, we thought we’d have to put off our visit until the winter, but we were pleasantly surprised—though as we left it seemed the crowds were arriving! Both tasting rooms are spacious and pleasant, with a nice selection of wine-related gifts and snack items. Our servers were kept busy, but were very efficient and observant, and we never had to wait more than a moment or two for our next taste. Also, as you will see, they noticed our seriousness about the wines and added a few extras, which turned out to be a great idea.

A view out the windows, with some of the gift items visible

The tasting menu features three options: a white flight of four wines for $8, a red flight of 4 wines for $15, and a Vintage flight of 5 wines for $20, with a combination of whites and reds. Since we noticed that three of the Vintage wines were included in the other two tastings, we decided to opt for one white and then one red, sharing as we went along.

The tasting bar was crowded, but the servers did a good job of taking care of everyone.

1. Sauvignon Blanc 2012 $23

As usual, the tasting started off with their lightest white, a lemony and tart sauvignon. The night before we had had an excellent Italian sauvignon, so we were making comparisons. The Macari had, we felt, too little fruit taste to balance the acidity. “Undistinguished,” said my husband, and I agreed. It might be better with food.

2. Chardonnay Estate 2011 $19

This is their 100% stainless steel chard, so no oakiness. We smell and taste ripe pear, though it doesn’t have tons of fruit taste. It’s a good chard, reasonably dry, and would go well with a Long Island clam chowder.

3. Collina Chardonnay $9.50

Noticing the price, we wonder whether this would be one to buy for everyday drinking. Nope. Though the aroma had pleasant notes of mineral and honeysuckle, the taste is actually bitter. It is fermented 25% in oak, and the rest in steel, but we taste none of the buttery or vanilla notes one would expect. We dump most of the taste!

4. Riesling 2011 $25 per carafe

The 2011 Riesling has not yet been bottled, so they’re serving from carafes. Made from Finger Lakes grapes, it has some of that upstate taste I find hard to describe. It smells like white grape juice! Taste is not overly sweet, with some mineral and gooseberry notes, though it is fairly monochromatic. My husband had recently been to a wine tasting of German and Long Island Rieslings, and felt this one did not measure up to the others he had had.

Our first “bonus” wine

5. Rosé 2013 $17

In the first indication that our seriousness has been observed, one server asks us if we like rosés, and then offers us a taste of theirs. A blend of cabernet franc, pinot noir, and merlot, it has the usual strawberry aroma and taste, with again a fair amount of minerality. There’s something flowery about it as well. Though not as good as Croteaux, it is a fine rosé.

6. Collina Merlot $9.50

New glass for the reds. Our server calls this a “pizza pasta burger” wine, which the price would surely indicate. “It’s not terrible,” says my tasting companion. Talk about damning with faint praise! But it is a very light red, with no depth or interest or finish. It’s just there. We were, however, intrigued by the aroma, which I characterized as a cherry-flavored cigar.

Sette. The size of the pour varied a bit.

7. Sette $19

This is their red blend, of 50/50 merlot and cabernet franc—not seven wines, as I thought based on the name. Sette actually refers to the town Settefrati, a small town south of Rome, which is the home town of the Macari family. Our server calls it their best seller, and I can see why. The aroma is of dark brambly fruits, and the wine itself is light but very drinkable, perhaps with “Sunday gravy.” By the way, it was served too cold, so we warmed the glass in our palms, which helped bring out the taste.

8. Cabernet Franc 2008 $35

I’ve heard people refer to a brininess as an expression of the Long Island terroir, but I never experienced it quite as forcefully as with the aroma of this wine. Sea air! Fortunately it does not taste salty, but rather of dark plums, and is our favorite so far. Some tannins, a touch of oak.

9. Dos Aguas 2008 $27

Here the name refers to the two waters of the North Fork—Peconic Bay and Long Island Sound. This is Macari’s Bordeaux blend, a mixture of 70% merlot, 17% cabernet sauvignon, 4% cabernet franc, 8% malbec, and the rest petit verdot. Yes, I’d like this with steak frites, please. It is our server’s favorite. Not particularly complex, but good and quite drinkable, with plenty of fruit and spice aromas and flavors.

A line-up of reds.

10. 2007 Merlot Reserve $36

So if you’re counting you realize that our tasting should be over, but after asking us what we thought of the Dos Aguas, our server decides we should try two more wines. This is certainly better than most merlots, and 2007 was a good year. We taste lots of dark fruits, and the aroma is delicious.

11. 2010 Bergen Road $46

This one beats the bunch, as my grandmother used to say with the birth of each grandchild. Another Bordeaux blend, or a Meritage, of 56% merlot, 26% cabernet sauvignon, 13% cabernet franc, 3% malbec, and 2% petit verdot, this one has aromas of Belgian dark chocolate and dark fruits. OMG I say when I taste it. Complex, with lots of tannins and yummy fruit. We buy a bottle to put in the cellar!

Reasons to visit: you want an all-purpose winery with space for a large group or the intimacy of a conversation at the bar; you need to pick up a wine-related gift or buy a snack; the 2010 Bergen Road; the 07 Merlot Reserve, the 08 Dos Aguas, the 08 Cabernet Franc; did I mention the 2010 Bergen Road…

The Main Road building

What a beautiful day. In Greenport, every restaurant’s outside tables were filled, and plenty of people opted for an outdoor tasting.

Sherwood House: Just a Touch Funky September 20, 2014

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with 2008 Merlot, Jamesport, Mattituck, merlot, North Fork, Oregon Road, Oregon Road Chardonnay, Sherwood House, wine tasting, XO Brandy September 22, 2014

http://www.sherwoodhousevineyards.com/

The 1860s farmhouse that houses Sherwood House’s tasting room

Located on the Main Road in Jamesport in an 1860s farmhouse, Sherwood House’s tasting room has a homey, slightly funky atmosphere, enhanced by the fireplace in the main room, the outdoor deck areas, and the adjacent Material Objects shop which features antique and found objects of all sorts. They also have an outdoor tasting area in their vineyard in Mattituck, which may or may not be open. As we pulled into the parking lot we noticed an exciting sign: raw bar. Oh goody! We have become enamored of the local Peconic Bay oysters.

The main room is homey and cozy, with soft couches in front of the fireplace (which actually has a fire in the winter), bunches of flowers, and a wooden bar along one side. You can also opt to go outside, either to a back deck or to a front seating area with picnic tables. On this Saturday afternoon the room also contains a singer/guitar player, strumming folk-ish songs. As we stand at the bar we see a huge party bus pull into the parking lot, but they are clearly headed for the tasting barn out back, where we went last winter for a very enjoyable music performance.

Fireplace seating area

The tasting menu offers three flights: Estate, four tastes for $10; Premium, four for $12; or Top Reds, four for $15. They also offer a taste of their brandy, $10 for a one-ounce pour. There is some overlap amongst the offerings, so they don’t actually have 12 wines. They also offer a cheese platter for $20, and wines by the glass for $6-12.

We decide to share a tasting of the Premium flight, and then decide whether to get another tasting or go for a glass of wine to have with a plate of oysters.

2012 Oregon Road Chardonnay $18

Oregon Road is the pretty back road on which their vineyard is located, where you can also find Shinn and Lieb’s tasting rooms. This is their steel fermented chard, a pleasant but rather soft and not-crisp quaff, with tastes of sweet ripe pineapple and an aroma of sweet orange.

2011 Chardonnay $30

Of course this smells like vanilla and ripe pear, as it is an oaked chard, with tastes of tangerine on the front, then butterscotch and vanilla. It is surprisingly tart for an oaked chard, though it is mellow enough to make it a pleasant sipping wine. We quite like it.

2007 Merlot $26

Since 07 was a very good year on the North Fork, we have high hopes for this merlot, but our server warns us not to get our hopes up too high. “The 07 is at the end of its development,” he notes, “and the 08 has more growth potential.” Sniff. Earth, tobacco, and something organic. Taste. Some dark fruit, tobacco, dry but not tannic, and not much of a finish. I would say, if you have a bottle of this, drink it now.

2008 Merlot $34

Much better! The tasting menu notes this scored an 87 in Wine Enthusiast Magazine, and we can see why. “The aroma just jumped out at me,” says my husband. Not sure what he means, but it smells delicious. No earth, lots of fruit, and then we taste dark fruit and chocolate. Actually, that wouldn’t be a bad pairing—this wine and some dark chocolate, maybe with a bit of raspberry in the chocolate. This is our favorite of the day, and if we come here during the winter for a concert, I would get a glass of this.

Oysters!

However, we are headed for the oysters. Though we feel it wouldn’t be the best pairing, we opt for glasses of the 2011 Chardonnay, though I would prefer a sauvignon blanc to go with oysters. The oysters are delicious, sweet and briny and full of liquid, fresh from Peconic Bay, to the west of Robins Island, as we are told. We spend a pleasant half hour sitting outside, enjoying our wine and bivalves and listening to the music from inside, which we appreciate much more now that it is not quite so loud.

Front porch and oyster bar

Reasons to visit: a very pleasant tasting room; an intimate setting that also can accommodate groups; the chance to browse the collection at Material Objects; the 2011 Chardonnay and the 2008 Merlot.

Back deck

Pellegrini Vineyards: One of Our Favorites September 6, 2013

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with gewurztraminer, Medley White, merlot, North Fork, oyster crackers, Pellegrini Vineyards, petit verdot, rose, Steakhouse Red, Vintner's Pride Encore, wine tasting September 8, 2014

http://www.pellegrinivineyards.com/

Going with a group? Have kids in tow? Want to sit quietly at a table and ponder your tasting? Like whites? Like reds? Pellegrini is good for all these conditions! On this visit we saw a large bachelorette party enjoying their tasting in the tented courtyard, a couple—he wearing a t-shirt that said Brooklyn—at a table under the pergola, and a family with kids who ran around on the lawn, among others.

A view to the courtyard and pergola

Their tasting menu offers several different options, including a flight they bring to your table of three two-ounce pours of wines of your choice from a menu of 12, plus a complimentary one-ounce taste of their merlot, for $12, or a tasting of their Vintner’s Pride wines for $14. Tastings include a packet of oyster crackers to clear the palate. When you get your tray of tastes, sample them from left to right and top to bottom, as they are arranged on a labeled placemat. If you’re not sure in which order to taste (order matters, as a delicate wine will be lost if you taste it after a more forceful one), ask your server. They also offer a cheese plate or a chocolate and wine pairing, but they don’t seem to mind if you bring your own snacks. All wines are made from grapes grown on their estate. We belong to their wine club, so our tastings are free. We got two tastings, one of their whites and the other of the reds, and shared.

East End Select Rosé $14.99

This is a steel-fermented blend of merlot, cabernet sauvignon, and cabernet franc with a pleasantly herbal—rosemary?—aroma. We decided we would like it as an accompaniment to fish, as it is nice and dry with lemony tastes, but it is not a sipper. If you want some, go now, as it is on an end-of-season sale of three bottles for $33 (we bought three). Not as good as Croteaux 314, however.

The tray of whites and rose, plus the merlot.

2013 Gewürztraminer $19.99

We’ve been on a bit of a gewürzt kick lately, for no real reason, so we can compare this to others of its ilk. We find it a bit too sweet for us, though the finish is rather tart. Still, it’s a pleasant wine, with aromas of honeysuckle and tangerine, and would make a nice aperitif.

2013 Medley White $21.99

A blend (hence the name Medley) of 60% chardonnay and 40% sauvignon blanc, steel-fermented, this wine has mineral and lemon aromas and a refreshing taste—not too tart, not too sweet, with tastes of gooseberry and citrus and mineral. “Hmmm,” I say, “I think this would pair well with tuna-noodle casserole. I’m not kidding!”

2007 Merlot $19.99

Merlot is their signature wine, and they make a lot of it. The 07 is actually a bit of a blend; though it is 90% merlot it also includes 6% cabernet sauvignon, 3% cabernet franc, and 2% petit verdot, giving it some complexity. This is an easy wine to drink, soft, with tasty blackberry notes.

The tray of reds.

Steakhouse Red $16.99

I think I’d rather have this with lamb chops than with steak, but that’s just me. A 50/50 blend of merlot and cabernet sauvignon, this has a bit of that forest smell that merlots sometimes have, and is quite dry, with some tannins. This and the other reds are all aged in oak.

2010 Petit Verdot $49.99

Yum. “Good from start to finish,” says my husband, and I agree. The color is very dark, and we sense lots of ripe fruit aromas and tastes. This one I would have with a good steak, for sure.

It was very humid outside, so we opted to stay inside in the air conditioning.

2010 Vintner’s Pride Encore $49.99

A Bordeaux blend—60% merlot, 25% cabernet sauvignon, 15% petit verdot—one would expect this wine to be better than the previous one, but it is not. We smell spice and dark tea leaves, but are underwhelmed by the taste. For the price, it is disappointing. “It never opens up,” says my husband. Maybe if it sat in the glass longer? But it is the last of our tastes, so it has been there for a while. Oh, well.

One part of the tasting room.

Reasons to visit: you’re with a group; you’re not with a group; you have kids in tow who need room to run; you like reds; you like whites; the 2013 Medley White; the 2013 Gewürztraminer; the 2010 Petit Verdot; the Steakhouse Red.

Beautiful grapes.

One Woman Wines and Vineyards: A One-Woman Show? August 31, 2014

Posted by nofowineaux in Tasting and tagged with Claudia Purita, D'latte, Dessert Wine, gewurztraminer, gruner veltliner, merlot, North Fork, One Woman Wines and Vineyards, wine tasting September 2, 2014

http://www.onewomanwines.com/

Busses actually means kisses, but my guess is they’re referring to the vehicles.

It seems One Woman has been discovered. Last year we basically had the place to ourselves, but this year it was fairly full, including hipsters in straw fedoras stepping up to the bar in the tiny tasting barn. Yet the youthful servers managed everyone with aplomb, including our server, a young man who kept careful track of where we were and managed to share observations on each wine while also taking care of several other groups. (For comments on the one woman whose winery this is, see my entry from last August.)

One Woman has expanded its list of offerings, but they still have the only Grüner Veltliner around, and that alone is worth the trip. Large signs outside warn that buses (spelled busses, which actually means kisses!) and limos are verboten, as well as groups of more than six. They really don’t have the facilities for large groups, but if you are a small group this is a good place to taste some lovely wines. The menu offers two tastes for $6, three for $8, or four for $10, out of a list of eight wines. You can also sample the Reserve wines, a menu of four for $14 (or one for $4). What does Reserve mean? Here it means the grapes have spent about another two weeks on the vines for a fuller flavor and that the grapes have also been hand-picked one by one with a tweezer-like implement by Claudia Purita (the One Woman) herself. We decided to share four from the regular menu plus the four Reserves.

Part of the outside area.

2013 Grüner Veltliner $20

“I’ll start you off with the 2013,” says our server, “since it is the lightest of your choices.” And he is right. We scent a bit of honeysuckle, taste some roast pear. Tart and light. Though this is purely steel fermented, we could swear we taste oak. Our server chuckles and says that is common.

2012 Grüner Veltliner $20

What a difference a year makes! I love this one! Our server calls it “a white for red wine lovers,” and I can see why. It is deep and full of flavor, with some toasted caramel notes. Again, hard to believe this is all steel fermented. This is also a great pairing to show people why the year and how the wines were handled matters.

2012 Gewürztraminer $23

Very floral aromas, including some lavender, introduce a rather tart gewurzt. 0% residual sugar, notes our server, who also suggests this would pair well with Thai food. My husband compares it to sour apple candy, and I get it.

2013 Gewürztraminer $23

“Claudia says this is the most typical Gewürztraminer she’s ever made,” says our server. “It has 3% residual sugar.” It is certainly sweeter than the 2012, with an aroma of thyme honey and lavender and some gooseberry tastes. A bit too sweet for us, though not unpleasantly so.

2011 Estate Reserve Chardonnay $32

Very oaky, which is not surprising given that it is completely oak-fermented. We smell vanilla and those scented pine cones you can sometimes buy in the fall. We taste a touch of citrus, but then the oak takes over. If you like a California-style oaky chardonnay, this is for you.

The pour is about average in size.

2010 Estate Reserve Merlot $48

Our first red of the tasting, the merlot is nice but not all that interesting. A bit of forest scent, blackberry tastes, fairly soft, and the end is a bit too oaky and tart.

Dessert wine

2008 Estate Reserve Merlot $48

The smell reminds me of a cabin on a lake—that slightly damp smell of exposed wood. This has more to it than the ’10, with nice legs. The server describes the scent as smoked paprika, but I don’t get that.

Estate Reserve Dessert Wine $39

Okay, so it’s not as good as Chateau D’Yquem, but it’s pretty nice. I would drink this with paté de foie gras any day! Or even a chocolate mousse. It is quite delicious, made with late harvest Gewürztraminer grapes.

We decide to buy two bottles of the 2012 Grüner Veltliner. Because at the crucial moment of the end of our tasting our server was distracted, and took a little while to get back to us, he doesn’t charge us for the tastings, a nice courtesy.

Reasons to Visit: Long Island’s first, and possibly still only, Grüner Veltliner; tasting some nice wines in a peacefully bucolic setting; the Gewürztraminers; the dessert wine; oh, and you can buy D’Latte gelato from a little freezer case.

We’ve been told in the past that Claudia Purita even arranges the flowers.

NoFo Wineaux

Wine notes from Long Island's North Fork

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