Undertaking Wine

Entries categorized as ‘Cabernet Franc’

Shinn Estate Vineyards 2007 Cabernet Franc

February 10, 2010 · 4 Comments

Benchmark = a standard by which something can be measured or judged.

Anomaly = deviation from the normal or common order or form or rule.

I’ll let you decide what to consider this 2007 Cabernet Franc from Shinn Estate Vineyards ($39).  Go and taste it now, it’s in the tasting room.  Then go buy some because this wine has the legs to last a long time in the cellar.

But before you taste this, here is my impression of this, beautiful, wonderful, outstanding wine.

I know this wine well.  I have tasted this wine twice before I wrote this post.  The first time I opened it, it was to enjoy and not take notes.  The second time I did this in a professional manner, decanting over the course of a few days.  I tasted this about a year ago at the annual Shinn-Dig’s where Shinn Estate Vineyards offers their wines at future events for larger than normal discounts.  You get the opportunity to taste through the future releases alongside a wonderful winter stew prepared by chef and co-owner David Paige while munching on local cheese, bread, greens and some very tasty olives and nuts.  While we are enjoying the future wine of Shinn Estate Vineyards, Barbara Shinn, David and winemaker Anthony Nappa walk around and answer questions about the vintage, the food and about their vineyard as they explain their farming practices.

I remember the taste of this wine then and knew it was going to be something special.

I also knew this wine, because it has been all over the blogosphere and TwitterVille for months.  Wine Bloggers who attended TastCamp 2009 had a barrel sample and this may have been the most memorable tasting at the weekend long event.

Melissa and I also tasted this wine on our anniversary weekend at the Shinn Farmhouse after a vineyard walk and some 2008 barrel tastings with David.

Every time I read about this and every time I tasted this, I came away with the same feeling.  This was something special.  But I also came away saying, “where is the fresh greenness of this wine?”

On the nose I was getting big, big berry notes; some raspberry, blackberry and come currant along with black cherry and some wonderful plum.  I was picking up some mint and a little eucalyptus and some exotic spice like cardamom and some coriander.  There was an earthy quality that was reminiscent of a fresh open bag of topsoil.  There was a little fresh bay leaf in there too. 

The taste was unfolding with each sip along the way.  The juicy fruit that was on the nose was up front on the palate, but behind the fruit was some wonderful spice and crushed black pepper.  The bay leaf was more present on the palate.  The tannins were big and chewy.  But oddly, because of the high alcohol content, compared to other releases, I found this wine to be in balance.  The alcohol level of over 14% was not overwhelming the flavors and it did round out this wine to make it just about perfect.

The finish was long with some tobacco leaf, roasted coffee, chocolate and exotic spice.

I decanted this wine for my formal tasting for 10 hours.  I also tasted this over the course of 3 days.  By day two the wine seemed to be more in balance, the alcohol seemed more reserved, the fruit elements of the wine were bursting all over and the acidity and tannins were helping bring this wine together.

Recently, Thomas Matthews of Wine Spectator gave this wine an 88 score.  While at first I found this stunning, I have grown to understand the grade.  When I think of Cabernet Franc, I tend to think of green vegetal notes that appear in the wine.  This is one element that I really like in a Cabernet franc and why I put Cabernet franc as my favorite varietal.  Those vegetal green notes, like tomato leaf, fresh basil, bell pepper or roasted jalapeño pepper are missing from this 2007 Cabernet Franc from Shinn Estate Vineyards.  While I had hope that this would have received a higher point, because it is a wonderful wine, I now understand the score.  If Mr. Matthews judged this wine, knowing it was a Cabernet Franc, and found the green vegetal notes missing, than I understand the score.  Had there been some tomato leaf or a little roasted pepper, would this have received a 90 or better?  We will never know.  I would however love to try the only Cabernet franc to ever score a 90 from Long Island, Schneider Vineyards 1995 Cabernet Franc, just to see the difference.

The vegetal notes were not present, more than likely, because of the 2007 growing season that Long Island was given by Mother Nature.  It was a long, dry and hot season.  The fruit ripened and there was very little fruit loss.  Could this wine have ripened too much?  I doubt it.  Is this how it Cabernet Franc is supposed to be?  Not necessary.  Could this be the perfect, quintessential Cabernet Franc?  If so then in that case, it is a benchmark.  But I will call this Cabernet franc an anomaly, because this grape in the year 2007 has deviated from the norm in Cabernet Franc, unless the 2008 vintage turns out the same as the 2007.  (I will let you know how the 2008 Cabernet Franc and other reds and whites from 2009 are when I attend the Shinn-Dig on February 27.  There is also another one on March 6th that may have some seats left).

I will be honest, when I first tasted this, I had a hard time considering this a Cabernet Franc.  Yes the cherry and the spice notes were there that you normally see in a Cabernet Franc, but I was missing some tomato leaf.  In my mind, as a Franc Fanatic, I was looking deep for the vegetal notes, and could not find any.  Some would consider, mint, eucalyptus and bay leaf as being the green notes.  I never considered them as being green.  But they are in fact green, just not the green I have come to find in Cabernet Franc.  I have moved pass the fact that this lacks greenness.  I have accepted this wine as one of the best wines I have ever tasted.  This is a wine that Franc Fanatics will fall deeply in love with, just as I have.

I urge you; don’t miss out on this Cabernet Franc.  It is awesome and worth every penny.  The price tag may be a bit high, but it is no higher than the 2006 vintage, and this is way better than the 2006 vintage.

This is a wine that will last a lifetime and will be great to revisit in years to come.  I am going to make sure I have plenty of this wine for the distant future.  In fact, when my son or daughter is born this July, I plan on saving one bottle until he or she  turn 21, let them know about the 2007 vintage on Long Island, let them know that this was released the year they were born, and hopefully there will be other benchmarks we can taste that night as well.  So mark your calendar for the Benchmark Tastings on the night of July 21, 2031

Categories: 2007 · Cabernet Franc · Long Island · Shinn Estate Vieyard

Scarola Vineyards 2007 Cabernet Franc

January 25, 2010 · Leave a Comment

This is not my first post about Scarola Vineyards, I visited Frank Scarola a while back and I bought a case from him.  It was a mixed case, of some of his best stuff.  This was one of them that he included.

This is also not my first post on the 2007 vintage on Long Island, and it won’t be the last.  A bunch of the 2007’s have been released and there are still alot more to come.  This is, in my book, one of the better Cabernet Franc’s from that banner year of 2007.

On the nose I was picking up some cherry, raspberry, green herbs, toasty cedar and some fresh turned earth.  There was also a subtle aroma of fresh tomato leaf, something I love in a Cabernet Franc, and at this time of the year, it reminds me of summer.

The taste was even better; blackberry, raspberry, currant and cherry were the fruit up front.  There was also some rosemary and fresh green herbal notes.  I was also picking up some bell pepper, another element of Cabernet Franc that I find enjoyable.  There was some spice and subtle vanilla notes at the end.

The finfish was long and enjoyable.

This Cabernet Franc is true to the varietal.  It has the perfect balance of tannins acidity and fruit to make this a wine that will last for a while in your cellar.  There is just the subtle notes of vegetal that make me happy and make me consider this a true Long Island Cabernet Franc.

Frank does not have a tasting room…yet.  But you can pickup his wine via Scarola Vineyards web page.  I am not sure of the retail of this wine, I don’t remember because I bought this over the summer.  It has not been released yet and I don’t know when it will.  But when it does, it will not be around for long.

I highly recommend you pick up this Cabernet Franc from Scarola Vineyards.

Sláinte!

Categories: 2007 · Cabernet Franc · Long Island · Scarola Vineyards

Macari Vineyards Sette Short Sip

January 19, 2010 · Leave a Comment

Macari Vineyards, located on both Sound Avenue and Route 25.  The Sound Avenue location is in Mattituck and the Route 25 is located in Cutchogue.  Macari was established as a vineyard back in 1995, by the Macari family.  The location in Mattituck has been in the Macari family for well over 50 years.  Macari Vineyards is set on 500 acres land which covers the area from Sound Avenue all the way to Long Island Sound.  180 acres are dedicated to grapes.  There are fields on the property that are dedicated to compost, farmland, home to many animals including cows, ducks, goats and Sicilian donkeys.

According to their website, ”Macari is on the cutting edge of viticulture and is dedicated to a more natural approach to winemaking. Joseph Macari, Jr. is recognized as a pioneer in the movement towards organic and sustainable farming on Long Island, employing principles of biodynamic farming since the vineyard’s first plantings. Extensive soil preparation, rich composts, careful cover cropping and a consideration to wildlife and terrain makes Macari’s 180 planted acres stand out from the rest. Taking into account the health of the environment as a whole, and moving away from the harmful effects of pesticides to a more natural and meticulous caretaking of the soil and plants, ultimately yields premium wines.”

The bottle that I picked up in my local wine shop was $14.99.  A very nice value.  This is a non vintage bottle, meaning that there is no designated year that the grapes in the bottle come from.  But it is a blend of 50% Merlot and 50% Cabernet Franc.  Two of the best from Long Island.

On the nose I was picking up some cherry, raspberry, plum and some dried herbs.

The taste was a little red currant and cherry.  There was also some roasted coffee bean and some element of ocean water and beach rocks. 

On the finish I was picking up some fresh mint leaves and some cedar and tobacco, just a little at the end. 

In conclusion, I would pick this bottle up at the tasting room.  It does retail there for about $17.  This wine could become a table wine at any dinner party.  It may just fine a place in my cellar for those easy drinking wine nights.

Categories: Blended Wine · Cabernet Franc · Long Island · Macari Vineyards · Merlot · Notes · Short Sip · Table Wine · Wine Store

A One Night Stand With Finger Lakes Cabernet Franc

January 18, 2010 · 6 Comments

The other day, I was invited to join Lenn Thompson from the New York Cork Report, Henry Powderly II, from a work in Progress and Garry Madden, Genaral Manager of Lieb Family Cellars for a Twitter Taste Live event that focused on wines of the Finger Lake Region of New York. The kickoff wine was my favorite varietal, Cabernet Franc. We were joined via twitter with bloggers and wine geeks from Boston to the Finger Lakes, to Florida to California and back again to Long Island.

Thanks Passionate Foodie for the Picture

The event began promptly at 8PM with our host Lenn Thompson at Lieb Family Cellars. He promptly poured us our first wine of the night, Fox Run Vineyards 2007 Cabernet Franc/Lemberger. There was a bit more of the Lemberger in the bottle than the Franc, but none the less there was some Franc Qualities there. On the nose I was picking up a lot of Cherry and Cola. It was giving way to some great fruity berry aromas. There was some Raspberry and Black berry and blueberry in the glass. I could have dove right into this glass. The taste on the other hand was a bit of an issue. It was laden with puckering acidity. IT was overwhelming the wine, and made it difficult to pick up much, other than some very tart cherry. This was my first experience with Lemberger of any kind and due to the bouquet of this wine; I would love to try it alone as the varietal. As the time move on, the longer in the glass the acid was diminishing. I was getting the craving for a black & blue rib eye while tasting this wine. On the final sips I was picking up some plum, violets and strong blackberry notes. Later that night, while revisiting the wines, I was picking up some black pepper spice notes.

We then moved onto Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards 2007 Cabernet Franc. On the nose I was picking up some dried fruit. Some prune notes along with this intriguing and enticing barnyard note. It was quite funky. There may have been some old cheese rind in there as well. As I swirled the wine in my glass, the funk was at the back of the glass, faint yet distinct. The funk did leave the glass after awhile, and was enjoying the dried prune and dark fruit notes on the nose. There was a spicy note to the wine, that at first I had a hard time putting my finger on.  After some banter back and forth, between clove and other spice, it was pointed out by another tweeter, cardamom.  And I agreed.  But clove was still the common feeling in the tasting room.  At the end of the night when we retasted it, Henry got it right with clove, but really put it together when he said there was some sweet clove in there, reminiscent of a clove cigarette at the end.  There was and at the end, it was nice.

We then moved onto the Rooster Hill Vineyards 2007 Cabernet Franc.   This was very smoky.  There was some bacon, some berries, cherry and some fresh green mint.  There was a subtle note of eucalyptus at the end, but I kept returning to the smoky bacon.  I did not mind it, because it was not to overpowering, it did diminish over time.  On the palate, I was picking up some more of the bacon, with a hint of black tea.  It was enjoyable, but too much smoke was my problem with the wine, but I was impressed to this point with the quality of wine from the Finger Lake Region.

Then, my whole world changed, I made my reservations for TasteCamp 2010 right after I put my nose into the glass with Red Newt Wine Cellars 2007 “Sawmill Creek” Cabernet Franc, in it.  This Franc was fantastic!  Now, I may have wanted to dive into the Fox Run wine, but this I could have done laps in the glass.  Some fellow tweeters were nice enough to offer to throw me a life preserver.  One blogger, Richard over at The Passionate Foodie states that it, “brings back memories of Shinn (Estate Vineyards) Cabernet Franc (2007).”  I whole hardly agreed.  There were elements of eucalyptus, and fresh turned earth, some black cherry and raspberry and blackberries.  There was some exotic spice in the glass.  The taste was even better.  All of the fruit was up front with a wonderful exotic spice.  The wine was in perfect balance and harmony.   I could drink this for hours among friends or some duck breast for dinner would be perfect.  This wine was the best of the night in my opinion.  It had everything you look for in a Cabernet Franc, and then some.

The winning wine that night was, Red Newt Wine Cellars 2007 “Sawmill Creek” Cabernet Franc.  It was also the most expensive of the night at $39.00.  The runner up was Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards 2007 Cabernet Franc, which is retailing at $22.00 probably would offer you the best value, while offering you decent quality.  Fox Run Vineyards 2007 Cabernet Franc/Lemberger took the bronze medal, despite the fact that this was more Lemberger than Cabernet Franc in the bottle.  It is not released yet and the 2006 vintage is selling for $15.  This could be my new everyday table wine though.  And last on the list was the Rooster Hill Vineyards 2007 Cabernet Franc.  This too is not released yet, but, will sell for about $20.00.  It was a nice wine, I just could not get past the smoky bacon.

Henry, Gary, Lenn and I finished off the night at Lieb Family Cellars with a tasting of Bridge Land 2006 Cabernet Franc and a sampling of the recently released 2007 Syrah, named after Garry’s late winery dog Syrah, where 20% of the proceeds of this wine will be donated to The Animal Medical Center in New York City.

But I really enjoyed this night was a sparkling wine from Lieb, their 2005 Blanc de Blanc sparkling wine.  It goes for $35.00 and as I sat that night, I could drink this everyday.  So it goes to show you I truly do have Champagne Taste on a beer budget.

Many thanks to Finger Lakes Wine Country for getting these great Cabernet Franc’s out to us.  To Lenn Thompson for moderating this Twitter Taste Live Event, to Gary at Lieb Family Cellars for allowing us to stand around and use the tasting room for the night. And a big thanks to those who participated across the country, hopefully on the next one there will be more of us and more of you on Twitter Taste Live, rumor has it that the wines will be available for purchase…Keep your eyes glued to this blog for more information.

Oh, and yes, I promise not to leave Long Island too often.

Categories: Cabernet Franc · Finger Lake Region · Twitter Taste Live

Twitter Taste Live Event

January 13, 2010 · Leave a Comment

logo Twitter Taste Live.  What the heck is that?  Well if you know anything about twitter and you know anything about wine, then you should know about Twitter Taste Live.

Here is a little information about Taste Live:

TasteLive! is the worlds premiere online wine and beer tasting community. Our platform leverages the increasingly powerful social media tools of Twitter, Facebook, Posterous and other services to create a community that brings together consumers, bloggers, press, suppliers, brewers and winemakers across the world together to share in their favorite beverage. TasteLive! is a direct link between consumers and winemakers, no filter, no middle man. Never before have consumers had the ability to directly interact with the producers making the wine and beer no matter where they are in the world.

With the introduction of custom winery pages, Wineries, suppliers and trade groups will now have the ability to fully customize their online wine tasting activities and interact with their fans directly through their own TasteLive page. Never before have users had so many options to interact and taste wine with their favorite estates!

 

Ok so now what?  Well follow this little graph, again from the TTL people:

thetastingAfter you have done that graph thing above, then you can take part in this or any event here:

Taking part in a TasteLive event is simple. Begin simply by logging into TasteLive.com or creating a new account using your Facebook or Twitter account. From their surf to the Wineries directory or the event calendar to see what your favorite estates are up to. From there, get some "tweeps" together for an informal evening of tasting, grab a laptop and go to the Tastelive.com and enjoy!

 

Ok, so here is the information about tonight’s Taste Live Finger Lakes Cabernet Franc with Lenn Thompson.  Please be sure to go to http://tastelive.com/fingerlakewinecountry at 8PM when the fun begins. 6e05fb9

 "I’m exited to announce today that I’ll be co-hosting a live Twitter tasting of four cabernet franc-based Finger Lakes wines as a part of TasteLive. My co-hosts are the folks from Finger Lakes Wine Country (FLWC), who have definitely embraced new and social media more than any other New York wine organization.

FLWC launched a TasteLive page a month or so ago, and this will be the first event to really kick off the page. There will be many more, so stay tuned for more announcements.

For this edition, we’ll be tasting these four wines:

Fox Run Vineyards 2007 Cabernet Franc/Lemberger

Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards 2007 Cabernet Franc

Red Newt Wine Cellars 2007 “Sawmill Creek” Cabernet Franc

Rooster Hill Vineyards 2007 Cabernet Franc

Too often, people dismiss red wines from the Finger Lakes, but I think participants are in for some surprises with these wines, even though I’ve only tasted two of the four myself.

We’ll kick off the tasting at 8:00 p.m. ET, and we hope that you’ll join us on Twitter and on the Finger Lakes Wine Country TasteLive Site."

~Lenn Thompson

If you are on twitter feel free to follow the action.  If you are not, then please go here and sign up.

Our host, Lenn Thompson, from the New York Cork Report is our host.  It will be held at Lieb Family Cellars.  I will be joined by Henry Powderly of Work in Progress. 

Once you sign on to twitter you can follow us by searching for the hash tag #flxwine.

I am looking forward to this event mainly because it will be my introduction to Finger Lakes Cabernet Franc.  I have only had one, and it was enjoyable.  These wines are all Cabernet Franc from the 2007 Vintage which was very similar to the unprecedented 2007 vintage we had here on Long Island.  It will be fun to compare as there will be a Long Island 2007 Cabernet Franc review here next week.

So, I hope that some of you will follow, and if you are lucky enough to have a bottle or two of these, then follow along.  And if you don’t have one to open, don’t worry, just open something else and enjoy.  When there are future events that I will be participating in and the wine is available for purchase, I will keep you posted with that information as it is available.

Categories: Cabernet Franc · Finger Lake Region · Twitter Taste Live

A visit to Roanoke Vineyards

January 2, 2010 · Leave a Comment

Have you ever gone past a place along your normal trip to wherever you may be going, and pass the same landmark time and time again, take a look over at it and continue on down the road?

Have you ever been so close to something that you have never visited because it is just there and you will get to it sooner or later?

Have you ever read reviews and notes about a place that is on your radar but neglected checking on the place yourself?

Well I have and I am ashamed to say that I have not tasted Roanoke Vineyards wines since they opened back in 2004.  I spent many summers out in Baiting Hollow as a kid not too far from the tasting room.  Living in Rocky point, I am a mere 13 miles to the tasting room.  And sadly on all of my trips out east, I always travel past Roanoke Vineyards….usually zipping right by.

Well this will not happen anymore.  Thanks to a wonderful 2005 Merlot and a fantastic tasting room personality.

My visit started with a tweet, on twitter to Adam Ehmer, Roanoke vineyards tasting room guru.  It went something like this…

 

First a little history about Roanoke Vineyards, it is owned by Richard Pisacano and his wife Soraya.  Richard has been tending to vines on Long Island since the late 1977.  He is from Huntington, so he is a true Long Islander.  He has been the vineyard manager at Wölffer Estates since 1997.  He has been working closely with Roman Roth, the winemaker at Wölffer Estates.  Richard purchased his first vineyard in 1984 and began planting his own grapes.  He started to sell them to local wineries and also made a small lot of his own wine he produced.  He also produced a small amount of wine that local restaurants could buy and sell as their own brand in their restaurants. It was in 1997 when Richard joined Roman Roth at Wölffer Estates. He has been working closely with Roman Roth, the winemaker at Wölffer Estates ever since.

In 2004 Roanoke Vineyards’ Tasting Room opened on Sound Avenue in Riverhead.  The 10 acre property was designated with 7 acres which are dedicated to Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot.

This is from Roanoke Vineyards website; it explains the direction and the type of wine they make at the vineyard:

At Roanoke, our goal is to make the highest quality, limited-production, hand-crafted, ultra-premium artisanal wines possible. We want our wines to express both the singular characteristics of our unique appellation (subtlety, refinement, elegance, culinary companionability), and the long-standing and legendary characteristics of the great wine traditions we admire (balance, harmony, smooth muscularity, earthiness, rusticity).

So on to the tastings; I agreed to meet Adam at 11am on that Monday and as it would be, we both pulled into the Roanoke Vineyards at the same time.  It took a little time to get into the tasting room since Adam had to jiggle the lock to get us in, but it was worth the wait.

It was nice to walk into a tasting room and be the only person there, Adam was able to give me some information and tell me about what Roanoke is all about and then I was able to taste what Roanoke is all about.

First up Adam started me with some of Roanoke 2008 Chardonnay.  Now, you must be thinking, “Didn’t you say that Roanoke only grows Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot?”  Well yes I did, but this Chardonnay comes from a planting of grapes that Richard planted just down the road on Sound Avenue back in 1983.  It retails in the tasting room for $18.00.

I tried this Chardonnay 2 ways.  Just off chill at about 55 degrees and also at chill at about 48 degrees.  And there was a big difference.  I have never had this done to me in a tasting room and it may not happen often, but if you have the chance try it.  It is quite interesting and fun.  You may not even realize you are tasting the same wine!

On the nose, at 55 I was getting some apple and some fresh cut grass.  There was also a toasty note that came from the small percentage that is in barrel ferment, most is all stainless steel.  I tasted some buttery notes along with some apple.  It had a small amount of acidity, and was in great balance.

On the flip side, the one at 48 degrees was amazing.  I almost thought I was drinking a Sauvignon Blanc.  There was the interesting citrus and tropical note on the nose.  The taste was even better; there was this zinging acidity that was really cleaned my palate.  I was also picking up some citrus zest.

We then went on to taste Wolffer Estate Pearle.  The advantage that you have by visiting Roanoke Vineyards is the opportunity to taste, on occasion some of Wolffer Estate wines and some of Roman Roth’s own, Grapes of Roth.  I was really digging this Chardonnay from Wolffer.  It had great balance and wonderful aromatics.  It was lush and toasty with just the right amount of fruit to balance this wine and make it one of my favorite Chardonnay.

I then tasted Roanoke vineyards 2008 De Rosa Rose.  This is an off dry rose that is a blend of 55% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Chardonnay.  Most rose’s that I have tried; the first fruit I pick up is strawberry.  This was a little different; I was picking up raspberry and a hint of peach.  There was this cool minerality about it that I just really enjoyed.  It brought me back to the summer.  Very nice and enjoyable and at $16, this is a great value.

Through the tasting Adam keep me entertained, helped customers find the right vineyard, offered suggestions and helped wine club members with their shipments and purchases.  We chatted for a bit about where we were from, what we are doing and where we are going.  Adam is a personality that fits so well in a tasting room.

Next up was Roanoke Vineyards 2007 Marco Tulio.  This is named after Soraya father, released on father’s day 2009 and it is the first release of the much talked about 2007 vintage.  It is a blend of  52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Cabernet Franc, 9% Merlot.  A perfect blend of all of the fruit that is grown at Roanoke vineyards.  On the nose I was picking up some wonderful cherry and raspberry notes with some earthy fresh green herbal notes.  The taste was quite different.  I was picking up some Blackberry and plum flavors with a wonderful rocky minerality.  The best way to describe this wine…It smelled like Cabernet Franc, but tasted like Cabernet Sauvignon.  Retailing at $24, it could become my new go to cellar wine for that special occasion.

Next up is my favorite berry, Cabernet Franc.  This is Roanoke Vineyards 2007 Cabernet Franc release.  A 2007 Gabby’s is in the works and that should be a killer.  But this 2007 was bursting with alot of wonderful franc fantasticness.  On the nose there was alot of Cherry and raspberry and plum.  I was picking up some bell pepper and some fresh-cut green herb.  There was a touch of vanilla in the glass as well.  I could not keep my nose out of the glass.  When I taste this it was thirst quenching and mouth-watering all at the same time, if that makes any sense at all.  All of the elements that I was picking up in the glass, I was getting on my palate, with a kiss of chocolate at the end.  It had a nice long finish that ended with a little fresh ground peppercorn.  There was some great acidity and nice tannins that really the fruit shine through.  It was well balanced.  This is a wine and it kinda was like a teenager just passing their road test.  It would do well to decant this and I am sure that it will hold up a few days in.  I will let you know, because I picked up a bottle of this to try it out and see what happens.  It is retailing in the tasting room for $34.

Next on the list was Roanoke Vineyards 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon.  I am not a big Cabernet Sauvignon fan, and it could be because I don’t drink enough of it and is not my first choice.  But this is one that I enjoyed very much; I could not get my nose out of the glass.  ON the nose I was picking up some wonderful dark berries and some current.  It was a little woody with a sweet vanilla aroma.  There was some smokiness to it too.  The taste was even more intoxicating; big fruit, some chocolate covered cherry notes, grilled plum, blackberry and some boysenberries.  There was a little bit of a rosemary note to it that I liked along with an earthy minerality that was reminiscent of slate. This is in the tasting room at $40.00.

If you think that Adam ended with this, your wrong, he happened to pull out the big one for me, well maybe not for me, but he just happened to have one lone bottle on hand.  Roanoke Vineyards 2005 Merlot.  It was retailing for $45.00  It is sold out and it is too bad.   And if you happen to have one, hold on to it.  It will be worth it.  This Merlot receive 89 score from Wine Spectator, and this was the notes from the blind tasting: “The Roanoke Vineyards 2005 Merlot certainly testifies to the quality of the vintage, as well as to the talent of the team that produced it”

Adam poured this for me as we took a walk to look at the dormant vines.  On the nose I was picking up some wonderful red berry.  A touch of licorice was also in the glass.  It was soft and luscious.  The palate opened up with some wonderful blue berry and raspberry notes.  There were soft supple tannins that rounded this wine out.  This was awesome.

As Adam and I walked the vines and he showed me Gabby’s block and the other blocks, I continued to find new exciting elements in this wine.  There was alot happening.  He told me about the events that happen at Roanoke and what plans are in store for Roanoke, but my nose kept going back to the glass.  It was truly one of my favorite Merlot’s.  I am very sad to see it sold out, but I will always remember this tasting.

My tasting was just about over, and about ready to head on home.  I picked up a bottle of the 2007 Cabernet Franc and thanked Adam for his hospitality.  I had wished I had the opportunity to meet Richard and thank him for the fine wine he is producing.  But I am sure that time will come.

As I said farewell to Adam, I told him that I’ll tweet ya later, (something folks on tweeter say when they say goodbye).  I also have learned my lesson.  Don’t take things for granted.  All this time I missed on stopping by Roanoke, I missed out on some of Gabby’s 2006 Cabernet Franc and some 2005 Merlot.  This is something that I will make sure never happens again.

A few weeks later, Adam tweeted that gift boxes were being prepared with Gabby’s 2006 Cabernet Franc.  I told him to hold one, and I would be out soon.  That was Saturday, just after Christmas.  I gave myself a Christmas gift that I will not use for a while.  And when I do, you will find it here.

Categories: Cabernet Franc · Cabernet Sauvigon · Long Island · Merlot · Red Wine · Roanoke Vineyards · Rose · Winery Visit

Schneider Vineyards “Le Breton” 2007 Cabernet Franc

November 24, 2009 · 3 Comments

Last week I reviewed Schneider Vineyards 2005 Cabernet Franc Petit Verdot.  It was for Wine Blogging Wednesday and I kept it as close to the project as possible.  I did not go into a little of the background of Schneider Vineyard, I hope to share as much information about Schneider Vineyard as I can find here.

Schneider Vineyard is a small producer owned and operated by Bruce and Christiane Schneider.  They don’t have a tasting room, but their wines are rather tasty.  Their main focus is on Cabernet Franc, they are attempting to produce world-class, boutique style Cabernet Franc.  The Schneider’s began making wine on Long Island back in 1994.  You can find Schneider Vineyard wines in numerous hotels and restaurants across the island and in the city.  You can also find Schneider Vineyards in the “Tasting Room” out in Peconic on Peconic Lane.

This wine is their 2007 Cabernet Franc, “Le Breton”.  2007 is going to wind up being one of the best growing years on Long Island.  It was ideal for the fruit on the vines to set, grow, ripen and tasty.  There has not been a season like 2007, and who knows when you will see another like it. So when you see any red wine from long island, and it happens to be the 2007 vintage, you really cannot go wrong.  You will find various wines from various wineries with outstanding red wines.  This wine will be one of them.  

On the nose, there is a large amount of red berries.  I was picking up some raspberry and juicy cranberry.  There was a wonderful aroma of new leather.  I was also picking up some Tobacco, now when I say tobacco, I am not talking smoke.  I am talking about the smell of a humidor or the smell of a fresh rolled cigar.  I was getting the both of those aromas.  There was also this very cool earthy freshly turned dirt aroma.  It may not sound appealing to some, but it reminds me of the spring time.  I was also picking up the slightest aroma of fresh hay and straw.

The taste of this wine was even better.  At first it was on the spicy side.  It was overwhelming at first, but I knew that this wine needed some time in the glass to really open up on the palate.  I let it sit there for a while and eventually I came back and there were explosions in my mouth all over the place.

I was getting some Blackberries and raspberries with this subtle hint of boysenberries.  There was a menthol flavor that was moving in the direction of peppermint note.  There was a smoky element what was really cool.  I was also getting the slightest dusting of chipotle pepper powder.

The finish was long and spicy.  I was getting a minerality element that I could not put my finger on.

I re-tasted this wine the following day and another day later.  The fruit in this Cabernet Franc was really coming through and the other not fruit flavors were disappearing.

I really loved this wine.  I picked it up in my local wine shop for about $20.  And it was well worth it.  I would recommend you try this wine.  It is a great example of what Cabernet Franc is all about and how well it can be done here on Long Island.

I would pick this up again and I will be on the lookout for more wine from Schneider Vineyard…you should too.

Categories: Cabernet Franc · Long Island · Notes · Wine Store

Find your Muse – Wine Blogging Wednesday #63

November 18, 2009 · 2 Comments

This is only my 3rd Wine Blogging Wednesday and to say that I found this edition a breeze; that would be a lie.  To say that this edition was a challenging; well that would also be a lie.

The wine I chose was an easy one.  I have seen it in my local store for a while and was waiting for the right post.  This would be that post.  The writing of it in the style that the host Rob Bralow had asked us to write might seem as a challenge at first, but because of the wine, this post was effortless.

Rob Bralow, of Wine Post was asked by Wine Blogging Wednesday founder, Lenn Thompson, of The New York Cork Report.  Lenn asked Rob to host and this is what Rob came up with, taken directly from his blog:

For the next Wine Blogger Wednesday, I present a simple challenge with the following guidelines:

  • Choose a wine they you know well and have enjoyed many times, but perhaps have not had the time or the motivation to write about OR a wine you have seen in your wine shop that you have been meaning to try.
  • Time how long you enjoy the wine. Round numbers are more than acceptable but exact numbers get extra points.
  • Take twice that amount of time to write your blog post. Use the time to find out something you might not have known about the wine and to edit your writing. A wise man once told me that there is no good writing, only good rewriting.
  • NO SAMPLES! Too often the wines written about are out of convenience rather than genuine interest. Make this one of the wines that you decided to purchase.
  • Last but not least, give your writing some flare. Use a style that will challenge you. Be creative and enjoy writing for the sake of the words. Be picky about which words you use. Think about the rhythm and the rhyme. Poetic phrase will be rewarded.

So without further delay, here is what I pen,

 before I put my head down to lay:

On this day I muscled up enough courage.

There was this bottle, of which I had some knowledge.

I have noticed her a few times before,

But never thought she was worth the offer

 

My weekly visits to my favorite cellar,

She was always there lying softly on her side,

I could not think she would be worth some forty two dollar.

 

So, on this Wednesday, wine blogging Wednesday at that,

she would not hide.

Like the attractive woman at the bar,

I always admired from afar,

I had inkling what she was all about,

But honestly, there was little doubt.

 

I picked her up and walked on out.

I dreamed on my way home of what she would be on my snout.

What I have here is a beautiful creation,

Two of my favorites in this nation,

Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot,

Something about these, two I do know.

 

From Schneider Vineyards this 2005 Vintage comes

On this North Fork of Long Island where my focus is from.

Upon the open, my eyes were wide,

There was nothing in my glass that could hide.

On the nose there were some wonderful red fruits

Raspberry and Bing cherry were in cahoots!

While there was a wonderful mix of Earth

It was showing some nice green like from a tomato leaf

Basil leaf and fresh herbal mix as well that made it worth.

As it sits longer in the glass the Black pepper and Spice,

Were all but to nice.

 

There was this wonderful leather aroma,

That blended well with tobacco leaf.

But in the end there was so much going on

That I almost forgot about the floral note.

 

Finally my mouth was calling,

I almost felt as if it were bawling.

This wine had my knees buckling,

And saying, “Wow this is something”

 

I tasted this wonderful flavor cascade,

There was Boysenberry and blackberry

Some wonderful juicy plum

This wine was no ho hum!

 

The flavors continued with some excellent chewy tannins

Along with some tobacco, slate and pencil shavings.

 

My one night stand with the bottle of my dreams

Was more than I could have wanted.

My only hope is that I wake up

With a little extra in the bottle for tomorrow.

The wine-cup is the little silver well,
Where truth, if truth there be, doth dwell.
William Shakespeare, English poet and writer, (1564-1616)

 

Categories: Blended Wine · Cabernet Franc · Long Island · Wine Blogging Wednesday

Pindar 2007 Cabernet Franc

November 11, 2009 · 3 Comments

When you think of Pindar, you may think of some sweet wines, a White Zinfandel type.  Or you may think of their Winter White, since it their number one selling wine.  And you know what, that’s fine.  As long as folks are drinking Long Island wine.

Those wines are not my speed, but in my early days of wine drinking…a long time ago, I had my share of White Zinfandel.  But as all things go, we progress and expand our palate.  We try new things and eventually we find a wine we enjoy and always look to buy or have on hand. Which is exactly what happened to me and where my palate is today.

Pindar 2007 Cabernet FrancA perfect example of where my palate is this 2007 Cabernet Franc from Pindar Vineyards.  Let me first tell you that this has not been released yet, and I am not sure when it will be, nor am I sure of the price of this.  But when it is released be sure to taste it and you may want to add this to your cellar collection.

When I visited with Pindar and Les, they both knew from reading by blog that I was a huge fan of Cabernet Franc.  If you recall we tasted through some of the 2008 in barrel and some 2006 in bottle.  Then the wanted me to taste their 2007.

A little reminder, 2007 was an unusually warm and dry year for this cool weather region of Long Island.  The fruit ripened much earlier and the amount of quality grapes that vineyards saw and achieved was unheard of.  This 2007 vintage may be the best yet recorded for wineries and vineyards of Long Island.

You can taste all of the goodness this 2007 Cabernet Franc has to offer.  There are big juicy berries right up front on the nose.  I was getting loads of blackberries and raspberries.  There were elements of chocolate and fresh roasted coffee beans.  There was the wonderful earthy note that filled the glass and at the end, there was the wonderful herbal, minty note.  This was a wine that once you put your nose in the glass, it was very difficult to take it out.

The taste was even better.  The same fruit notes that were there on the nose carried over onto my palate.  There was also this juicy cherry flavor that was coming through.  There were some elements of dried herbs and spice.  There was some minerality there that reminded me of the smell of wet slate.  There was a slight toasty note that finished off with a hint of vanilla.

I really loved this wine.  IT had alot happening and all of it came together.  The tannins were mild and the acidity level was just right.  This Cabernet Franc was well balanced and delicious.

I drank this wine by itself; I did not pair food with it.  I had it in the tasting room at Pindar and again later that day.  This wine was only getting better as the day went on and even into the next day.

If you pick up this wine, and I highly recommend that you do, keep it in your cellar for a while.  But if you do give in to temptation, then make sure that you open this for a few hours before you quickly consume this wine with friends.

Categories: Cabernet Franc · Long Island · Pindar · Red Wine · Winery Visit

Raphael 2006 Cabernet Franc Short Sip

October 14, 2009 · Leave a Comment

Raphael 2006 Cab FrancThis wine is Raphael Vineyards 2006 Cabernet Franc.  This, however, was not one of the wine’s I tasted with Richard Olsen-Harbich, and to be honest, I can see why.  I picked up this bottle at my local wine shop when i knew I was going to do a comparison of Cabernet Franc.  It was a good value at $15.95, but I was disappointed in this wine.

Let me preface by saying again that the 2006 growing season was a tough one on Long Island.  So we need to take this into consideration, that this has more to do with the season than anything else.

On the nose I was getting lots of leather, some clove, some plum and cranberries.  It took a while but I started to get some herbs, a whole mix of them, but they were not fresh.

The initial taste was very hot on the tongue.  It was spicy and had some black pepper elements that I did not care for.  On the herbal side, I was picking up some mint and a little bay leaf.  I was not getting any fruit.

This had a long peppery finish with some subtle dried herbal tones.

I had a hard time getting into this wine, was not a fan of it.  I even let it sit in my glass for a while to see if it would change, same result.  I also tried it the next day, again, same results.  I totally see why Rich did not offer this wine to me when I was out for a visit.

Categories: Cabernet Franc · Long Island · Notes · Raphael · Short Sip

Pellegrini Vineyards 2004 Cabernet Franc Short Sip

October 7, 2009 · Leave a Comment

Pellegrini Vineyards 2004 Cabernet FrancI found this bottle at a wine shop on my way home from work one day and was eager to try it considering I had recently tried a few other Cabernet Franc’s from other vineyards from the 2004 vintage.

Pellegrini Vineyards 2004 Cabernet Franc did not disappoint.  And this was probably my favorite of the small Cabernet Franc tastings I did from the 2004 vintage.

On the nose I was getting lots of berries, some blackberries, strawberry, blueberries and raspberries.  I was also getting a little black cherry and a touch of currant.  There was a nice earthy tone, some tobacco and a pleasant cedar aroma in the bouquet.

The initial taste was hot.  It needed a little time to get some air into the glass.  So a few swirl’s later.  I tasted some wonderful plum and black berries.  It had a wonderful exotic spice element to it, some coriander and white pepper.

The finish was smooth, with some dried herb and white pepper tastes.  There was also a very nice floral, maybe a touch of violet at the end.

This wine I would highly recommends you go and pick up.  If you see it in your local shop, grab a bottle or two.  It retailed for $19.95, and at that price, this is a great value.  It has alot of berries going on here, not too much green, but just loaded with ripe berries.

I drank this by itself and it was wonderful.  But I could totally see this with duck breast.  Because of the large amount of berries, I would try a reduction sauce for a nice grilled rib eye.  Is your stomach growling, because mine is?

Categories: Cabernet Franc · Long Island · Notes · Short Sip · Wine Store

Raphael Vineyards 2004 Cabernet Franc Short Sip

October 6, 2009 · Leave a Comment

Raphael 2004 Cabernet FrancThis wine was given to me by Richard Olsen-Harbich, Raphael’s winemaker.  I tasted this with Rich in the tasting room, but he was gracious enough to allow me to take this home and enjoy it some more with my wife and more importantly, take notes.

Raphael 2004 Cabernet Fran is 100% Cabernet Franc and it was fermented in stainless steel tanks at 75 degrees.  It was hand harvested.  The 2004 growing season was a typical season for Long Island.  This Cabernet Franc was made in the liking of Rich to the tradition of the Loire Valley.

On the nose, I was getting alot of cherry and Currents.  With just a kiss of plum.  As the wine started to open up, I was picking up a wonderful floral aroma, maybe a touch of violet.

On the palate there was a wonderful earthy tone.  I was picking up some tart berries, like raspberry and cherry.  There were some subtle spices and a minerality that was really very nice.

This was a well balanced wine that showed great acidity and soft tannins

The finish was moderate with some green pepper popping up at the end.

I enjoyed this wine alot.  My wife enjoyed this even more.  She loved the fact that there was no oak and she could taste the red berries.

This retailed for $18.00 in the tasting room a while ago, but is currently no longer available for purchase.  If you can find it, pick it up and enjoy it now.

Categories: Cabernet Franc · Long Island · Notes · Raphael · Short Sip · Winery Visit

Borghese 2004 Cabernet Franc Short Sip

October 5, 2009 · Leave a Comment

Borghese 2004 Cabernet FrancFrom Castello di Borghese, comes this 2004 Cabernet Franc.  In all the years that I have live on Long Island since 1998, I have never visited this vineyard.  I can tell you that these vines are some of the oldest on Long Island.  Castello di Borghese was founded in 1999 after Marco and Ann Marie Borghese purchased Hargrave Vineyard, which was the first vineyard on Long Island 1973…when I wrote that, I was shocked…the year I was born, the first vines of Long Island were too.

Anyway back to the wine; on the nose I was getting some dark fruit, a little Blackberry and some plum.  There was this wonderful earthy tone that I was really enjoying.  There were some subtle green elements, like a little bell pepper and some fresh snapped string beans.  Then at the end, I was picking up this slightly sweet aroma of vanilla.  Really digging the bouquet on this wine.

As I tasted, I was picking up some blackberry and some raspberries, some vanilla was showing through, but no too much.  The tannins were soft and there was moderate amount of acidity that brought the wine full circle.

This was a smooth finish, that lasted for a while.  There were some woody tones, with some herbal elements.  There was a creamy well rounded finish, which made me keep taking sip after sip.

I would have to say that the vanilla aspect was the surprise.  I was not expecting it and maybe it should not be there.  This could be a case where a winemaker is trying to make Cabernet Franc into something it is not.  But by the end of the bottle, it worked.

If found this wine very enjoyable.  I had it with a grilled flank steak.  Went very well.  The next time I venture out east, I will have to stop in for a visit.

Categories: Cabernet Franc · Long Island · Notes · Short Sip

Raphael 2007 Cabernet Franc

September 28, 2009 · Leave a Comment

I was finally getting to an appointment that I was suppose to visit in August, but as we all know too well,  the summer sometimes get the best of us.

I was finally able to set a date with Melissa Martin, Director of sales and Marketing at Raphael Vineyards and their Winemaker Richard Olsen-Harbich for some tastings and a tour of one of the premier wineries on Long Island.  I was very excited about the visit, more on the visit at a later date, more on the wine.

Raphael 2007 Cab FrancThis is a wine I was eager to try for a number of reason, first it was from Raphael and second was how it was aged.  Upon research, I found that it was aged in 100% stainless steel.  I really had to stop and think about this.  I was concerned about the longevity of this wine and how it would cellar.

First a little history about aging wine in stainless steel.  Most of your white wine and rose wine is aged in stainless steel.  It is aged at a low temperature for a short time, a year maybe and allowed to ferment and grow.  Some wines like Chardonnay is aged in oak barrels, this brings out some butter and toast flavors.  Red wine is aged in oak to bring out some of the earthy woodsy flavors and aromas you find in your merlots, smooth out tannins and make it a well balanced wine.  When you age something in stainless steel it tends not to have a shelf life, it is drinkable now, you only have a short period before the flavors, and aromas vanish.

Another factor that had me scratching my head was the fact that some winemakers might use stainless on a lesser grape or maybe the quality is not where it should be.  The oak barrels that the vineyards purchase are expensive and if the fruit is not up to their liking and standards why waste money in fermenting it in oak.  That being said, you have heard me mention the banner year Long Island had for wine, the red fruit was at its top of the game, these are wines that will last a decade or longer in the cellar.  So I could not wait to ask Rich Olsen-Harbich, why would you do such a thing like this to such a beautiful grape?

Back to the wine, on the nose, I was getting some big bright Cherry and raspberry aromas along with blackberries and a touch of cranberry.  This was a major fruit forward wine.

The taste was where the fireworks were.  I was getting a wonderful earthy, mineral flavor that was so intriguing; it was a little like water running over slate.  I was getting some dried herbs and spices.  There was a touch of currant and cranberry there on the palate.  I was not getting too much of that fresh green I like in my cabernet franc.

Now, the next day and the day after I tasted this wine again in the comfort of my home with my wife.  In addition, everyday this just kept getting better and better.  I was finally starting to get that fresh green on the end of the taste.  It was a very nice and unusual Parsley flavor.  I was also getting a little fresh string bean.  This wine was truly blowing me away.  The front of the wine was still very fruit forward.  Showing more raspberry and blackberries tones.  There was just a hint of floral on the nose too.

Now, back to the stainless steel discussion.  Because this was aged in stainless steel, this was a very fruit forward wine.  I was not picking up any woody, cedar, and oak notes that you would typically see if it were aged in oak.  According to Rich, this is a wine that should be done this way, when possible.  This method is typical of Chinon in the Loire Valley.  Stainless steel fermentation was done in separate stainless steel vats at 60 and 80 degrees and blended later on to bring a little complexity.  This allows the grape and nothing but the grape to be the focal point of Cabernet Franc.  By fermenting it in oak, some if not all of the green elements that are so familiar of Cabernet Franc are lost.

I am in total agreement with Rich, here.  He has converted me.  Moreover, if you are unsure if you are a Cabernet Franc fan, this is a wine you can check out to see for yourself.  It is approachable and affordable.  It retails at Raphael for $15.99.  The next time you see this, pick it up.  If you can, decant this wine for about an hour before you serve this wine.  You will love this wine and you will soon become a Franc Fanatic.

Categories: Cabernet Franc · Long Island · Notes · Raphael · Winery Visit

Shinn Estate Vineyards 2006 Cabernet Franc

September 21, 2009 · 6 Comments

Shinn Cab Franc 2006The first tasting in this “Franc’ly I Give a Damn” week is from Shinn Estate Vineyards.  This is their 2006 Cabernet Franc.  This year was not the greatest on Long Island for red wine.  It was rather cool and damp, from what I have been told (I was not paying attention to things then).  However I do not think the weather was a factor with this bottle.   This wine is taken from three selections of Cabernet Franc and aged for 16 months in small French oak barrels.  There were less than 100 cases produced.

On the nose I was getting some cherry, and a touch of prune.  There were some subtle spices here, a little cardamom, some dried herbs and a slightest touch of violet, and it took a while for that to show.

The taste was really nice and there was a lot going on.  I was getting some cherry, blackberries, tobacco leaf, some earthy tones, some mineral, maybe slate.  There were some cedar notes and I was getting a nice herbal note at the back of the wine.

There was some nice acidity to the wine and it had soft tannins.  It was a full body wine that had a nice peppery finish that lasted for a while.  I was also starting to pick up some of the very nice green elements that are popular for the Cabernet Franc wine.  There was a touch of fresh basil that was coming through after the peppery finish.

I would recommend this wine for you to pick up.  I did have this wine alone, but I have had this with roasted chicken, a rib eye steak, pork and duck.  My favorite is with pizza.  The only drawback is the price, for $39, though it is justified, it may be too pricey for pizza.  However, if you can ever attend their Shinn-Dig Future events, then pick this up at a very good price.

To sum it up, this is how I like my Cabernet franc.  I prefer it to be a bit green on the back end of the wine.  Not right up front.  I love the floral and fruit aromatics of this wine along with the subtle earthiness.  Shinn Estate Vineyards 2006 Cabernet Franc is my go to Cabernet Franc.

Categories: Cabernet Franc · Long Island

Cabernet Franc Week Preview

September 20, 2009 · 2 Comments

This week on undertakingwine.com, I have decided to profile one of, if not my favorite grapes.  Cabernet Franc.

cabernet-francCabernet Franc is one of the major varietals in the world.  It is used when blending the Bordeaux style wine along with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.  But here on Long Island and around the globe you are starting to see this grape on its own.  Which it should be.

The grape can be traced back as far at the 17th century when it is believe to have been planted in the Loire Valley of France.  It is also believed, according to DNA testing, to be one of the parents of the Cabernet Sauvignon grape, the other parent being Sauvignon Blanc.

Some of the typical aromas of the grape, when made into wine are, Raspberry, cherry, plum, strawberry, tobacco, cassis, violets, and green bell pepper.  There also have been notes of dried herbs, minerals, and earthy tones.  This is a light to medium body wine and is lighter in color.  It is a wine that pairs with such foods as wild game, tomato sauces, Ham, pork and veil.  It is also very nice with cheese and pizza.  I personally love it with roasted chicken and pizza.  But I also enjoy this wine all by itself.

I will taste Cabernet Franc from Long Island this week.  Covering the vintages from 2004, 2006 and 2007.  They will be from various vineyards and wineries.  There might even be some teases about a few 2008’s that I have tried from the barrel.

At the end of the week I will tell you my picks from the vintages that I featured…so stay tuned all week.

This will be a fun week for me; I hope that you enjoy this as much as I do.

Let’s raise our glasses to Cabernet Franc…CHEERS!

Categories: Cabernet Franc · Long Island

Winery Visit at Waters Crest Winery

September 16, 2009 · 3 Comments

For those of you who are home cellar winemakers thinking of making it big, then I have met your idol.

Jim Waters is the proprietor and winemaker at Waters Crest Winery.  He has been doing this for many years.  He went from award-winning home winemaker to the big time.  It was not until the tragic events of 9/11 that Jim, along with his wife, decided to make winemaking, their lifelong hobby into something.  Jim always loved making wine and was content with his little hobby.  However, being at Ground Zero, Jim is volunteer firefighter, changed everything.

Waters CrestWaters Crest Winery is like no other winery on Long Island.  It is located in a storefront of a strip mall along route 48 in Cutchogue.  Yes, when you pull in, you will not see acre upon acre of Merlot or Cabernet Franc or Chardonnay.  There is no grand tour of the many blocks of grapes that Jim grows.  What Waters Crest Winery may lack in its physical appearance, it certainly does not lack anywhere else.  What you do see at Waters Crest is some of the most beautiful crafted wine that is given the utmost attention by one man, Mr. Jim Waters.

Waters Crest is the only Long Island winery of its kind.  Jim makes his own wine, but you may be wondering where does he get it from?  Jim visits all of his grapes.  He inspects and oversees the growing of all the grapes that goes into Waters Crest Wine.  Jim may buy a block or two of chardonnay from one vineyard, and another from another vineyard.  He only takes the best of the best from a certain cluster of vineyards.  Because he is able to do this, he is able to select what he feels is the best grapes that will make the best wine of vintage that year.  Jim has complete control of what he puts into his wine.  If he feels that a certain varietal is not doing well then he will not use it.  Jim makes sure that whatever wine bears his name is the best of the best.

When I first arrived at Waters Crest, I was greeted by Jennie who works in the tasting room.  Jennie had a great personality and really makes you feel welcome.  As you look around the tasting room there are many eye-catching items for sale.  Form cookbooks to wine gadgets to crackers and spreads and various clothing items.  However, the main reason you go there is for the wine.

I was very nervous going on my first winery visit as a blogger.  I did go on some winery tours while in Virginia, but they were more for my pleasure, I did not announce who I was.  I went to them for my enjoyment.  The visit to Waters Crest was for my blog and for me to report to my readers.  I was going to be meeting with the winemaker and owner.  Moreover, I was also very nervous about spitting, something you should do when tasting wine.  I had a hard time with spitting.

So back to my arrival.  Jennie kept me company and my glass full until Jim returned to the winery.  I was first offered Waters Crest 2008 Rose ($17.95).  This rose is a new release.  It is a blend of 40% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Franc and 25% Chardonnay.  It is made in the saignee method, allowing the skins of the grapes to be in contact for about 3 hours with the crushed berries before taking the juice and starting the fermentation in the same manner as white wine.  This also gives the Rose its color.  I was getting a lot of strawberry on the nose and a little cantaloupe.  The strawberry carried over on the taste.  There was a lot of acid, which made this rose very dry.  I found this to be crisp and refreshing.

I then had 2008 Chardonnay ($17.99).  This too was a new release.  This is steel fermented and did not touch any oak, which in my opinion is the way Chardonnay should be done.  This was very fragrant; I was getting lots of lemon, citrus and green aromas on the nose of this one.  The taste was even better.  There was a creamy buttery texture to this wine.  I was getting some nice vanilla at the end.  The acidity level was perfect; it balanced out the wine and made this very enjoyable.  It was a clean and crisp wine that was very refreshing.

The next wine I had was the 2007 Reserve Chardonnay ($24.99).  This wine is aged in new French Oak Barrels for 6 months.  There is Malolactic fermentation that takes place with this wine.  Malolactic fermentation is a process in winemaking where tart-tasting malic acid, naturally present in grape must, is converted to softer-tasting lactic acid.  I was getting a subtle toasty aroma on the nose.  I was not getting any fruit, but once I tasted, wow.  I really liked this Chardonnay.  There was a nice creamy like texture.  I was getting lots of citrus and some honeydew and a little vanilla.  There was some acidity that helped balance out this wine.  Now, I said in the review of the 2008 Chardonnay review that I like my chardonnay to be fermented outside of steel.  However, if more vineyards tried this method, I would not mind.  I liked this Chardonnay allot, and in fact, think it is one of the better Chards I have had.  After this, I knew I was going to enjoy this visit.

tastingroomJim then poured me 2008 Campania Bianco.  This was not released at the time of the tasting, but would be released very soon.  This wine is a blend of 78% Chardonnay, 15% Sauvignon Blanc and 7% Riesling.  I liked this wine a lot.  You could taste all the elements of the different grapes.  Allot of citrus, some buttery creamy notes.  I was getting some green grass and fresh herbal notes.  But what was surprising to me was the fact that I was getting a lot of Riesling considering the fact that there was only 7%.  The taste had some nice mineral tones and was loaded with citrus.  It had a nice clean dry finish.

I then tasted a new release, Waters Crest 2008 Sauvignon Blanc ($19.99).  This is their first Sauvignon Blanc and let me tell you, what a way to make a first impression.  This was tangy.  Lots of grapefruit.  The taste was very crisp with loads of citrus.  There is a nice amount of acidity that finishes clean.  I was getting some minerality in the finish.  Man, this was a good wine.

I now tasted my first red wine, Waters Crest 2006 Merlot ($21.99).  I am going to save my review of this wine for a full feature on my blog at a later date…but it was VERY good.

Next, I had some of their 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon ($39.99).  The first thing I noticed about this was the color.  It was deep red.  Very attractive in the glass.  After a swirl, there was a lot going on.  I was getting some earthy herbal aroma.  I was getting some coffee and coca.  There were some dark berries in the background.  Taste was bold.  I was getting big tannins, but not too big.  I was getting some black cherry flavor and a little coffee.  There were some earthy notes, a little tobacco and maybe some dried herbs.  It had a spicy finish that had me craving a piece of chocolate.  I liked this wine allot.

I then tried my favorite varietal, Cabernet Franc.  This was a 2006 Cabernet Franc Private Reserve ($34.99). Again, check back later for a full review of this wine.  Again, another winner.

Jim then took me to the cellar room, which is located just behind the tasting room.  There is a big window where you can see where the magic happens.  This is where he makes his wines, stores his wine in barrels and blends and bottles his wines.  He explained to me his method of moving the barrels and how he stores them.  He showed me how his stainless steel tanks and how he is very careful to only use the grapes and the grapes alone when making his wine.  It is very important to make sure no stems make it into the fermentation.  He gave me an explanation on how he bleeds off wine to make his Rose wine.  Jim also talked about his membership to the Barrel Club where members actually buy a French Oak Barrel and receive tastings and shipments for the life of the barrel.  When the barrel is no longer useable, about 3 years later, the barrel is yours with your name engraved on the top of the barrel.

Jim then offered me to taste two wines directly from the barrel.  They were both 2008 vintages.  The first was the 2008 Cabernet Franc.  I was getting a lot of berries and some black cherry.  It was extremely fragrant and aromatic.  It was tannic, but it had a nice balance of acid that allowed the fruit to show.  There was an extremely nice green herb flavor that was showing at the end.  The finish was not to dry, it was just right.  I like this and look forward to see how this shows in a few years when it is released.

We then tasted the 2008 Merlot from the barrel.  I was not getting too much fruit.  This was earthy and spicy.  There was just a touch of currants.  It was very tannic, but not in a bad way.  I think this needed some more time to develop.

BarrelJim and I then went back to the counter and he offered me some, in my opinion, liquid gold.  No, it is not oil.  It is a red from the 2007 vintage on Long Island.  I have said before and will say it again.  The 2007 vintage from most, if not all vineyards on Long Island, will be the best ever.  I have had some 2007’s that have been released and some that have not.  This is one that has not been released.

Jim popped the cork on a 2007 Cabernet Franc.  (Are you giddy, because I am).  On the nose, there were big bright dark and red berries.  It was juicy.  There were some herbal notes that were just what I look for in a Cabernet Franc.  The taste was unreal.  There were subtle oaky flavors, but the fruits were big, bold, and bright.  I was picking up some flavors of black cherry as well.  This was not a spicy wine at all.  It was soft.  It was delicious, it was a perfect wine.  Keep in mind, this was not decanted or open for long.  In addition, it was in the bottle for only a few weeks.  It was not closed, it was very fresh.  I really wanted more of this wine, but I, like the rest of the world until sometime next year.

Last but not least, I had their Late Harvest Night Watch 2007 ($44.99).  Once again, I am going to make you wait…check back to my blog soon.

In summary, Waters Crest Winery has some well-crafted wines.  Jim has produced award-winning wines year after year and some have done very well and rated high in various wine reviews.  The ones you cannot miss are the following, 2007 reserve Chardonnay, 2006 Merlot, 2006 Cabernet Franc Private Reserve and the Late Harvest 2007 Night Watch.  Make sure you add this to your list of wineries to visit the next time you are in Cutchogue.  What Waters Crest does not have in ambience, views, and tours, but Jim Waters makes up in his careful and dedicated attention to the wines he produces.  You will not be disappointed.  Trust me.  This is now on my list of stops because Waters Crest makes some of the best wines on Long Island.

Categories: Cabernet Franc · Desert Wine · Long Island · Merlot · Waters Crest Winery · Winery Visit