Sherwood House 2007 Chardonnay

Posted on February 8, 2010 by Michael Gorton, Jr.

It seems on Long Island that there is an emphasis on Merlot and to a growing extent Cabernet Franc.  But probably the most widely grown and versatile grown grape on Long Island is Chardonnay, in my opinion.  You will find it in sparkling wine, fermented in an oak barrel, in stainless steel tank fermentation and in a desert wine format.

While I like chardonnay, I also dislike chardonnay;   I am constantly flip-flopping with with this varietal.  One week I like barrel fermented; the following week I like it stainless steel fermented; or a nice simple blend of the two.  Or I go to the other extreme and wonder why I even like this grape.

Then I open up this bottle of Sherwood House 2007 Chardonnay.  And I have a little of an A-Ha moment.  Not in the “Take on Me” sense, but in an A-HA kind of way.  But I did take this on and I enjoyed it.

On the nose I was picking up some Lemon, citrus, grapefruit and some rope pear.  There was some aroma of fresh-cut grass and maybe a little straw.  The nose was very “clean”, not much happening, just the typical aroma of your average chardonnay.

Then the taste.  The first thing that I recognize is the razor-sharp acidity, which cleanses the palate.  There unfolds layer upon layer of flavor.  From Lemon zest to citrus lime, to a hint of pineapple and tropical juice.  There is a wonderful river rock, slate minerality that works well with the mouth coating sensation of a chardonnay.

It had a medium finish with a hint of peppery spice at the end.

This was a chardonnay that gave you the buttery mouth feeling without the butter.  It was palate cleansing and would have been a great apéritif.

This could have been an excellent summer quencher, but I had this in the winter.  It made me warm and toasty this cold night and wanting another bottle.

Posted in 2007, Chardonnay, Long Island, Sherwood House | 5 Comments

Medolla Vineayrds 2003 Merlot

Posted on February 3, 2010 by Michael Gorton, Jr.

EDIT: After this post, John Medolla from Medolla vineyard was in touch with me.  He wanted to let me know that their website is back on-line after a technical glitch.  Please go to Medolla Vineyard to find out a little bit more about them.

This month, in the New York Cork Club shipment, arrived a bottle of Medolla Vineyards 2003 Merlot.  I have never heard of them, and never tasted their wines.  So this was very exciting.  Not to mention that is was a few years old and released last year.

Then, I was excited to see that this part of Palate Press, the online wine magazine’s own, “Wine for Haiti“.  Vineyards around the country donated cases of wine or special releases of their wine for auction.  The proceeds of the auction would be sent to aid the people of Haiti.  There are alot of great offers, some cases at half price!  So I figured that since I just got a bottle of this, I would taste it and let you know whether you should put a bid on this case.  I just did, but let me share my tasting notes so that you may consider bidding on this wine.

Upon opening, you could smell that this was going to be a fun wine.

On the nose I was picking up this wonderful funk.  It was earthy with a slight touch of barnyard, in a very good way.  There were elements of dried cherry and black cherry with notes of toffee and oak.

The taste of the win e was even more interesting.  There was some oak up front, but it dive give way to some cherry, tobacco and some fresh espresso.

The tannins were chewy and left a very dry finish.  Added to the finish was a soft and subtle vanilla note at the end of the finish.

I could not find too much information about Medolla Vineyards, as it seems that their website is no longer running.  But you can buy their wines at The Tasting Room in Peconic or from a here.

Medolla Vineyards is a small producer, maybe the smallest on Long Island.  They only produce 500 cases of wine a year, just about 20 barrels’ worth.  They hand harvest the grapes and press the wine and age it at Lenz Winery in Peconic.  They only produce Merlot.  The Medolla’s  first vintage was in 2002 and this is their second release. They pay homage to John’s grandmother who came over to America from Italy in 1913, so continued the tradition in Brooklyn.  Today, the Medolla family carries the torch and makes a wonderful wine that stays true to Long Island and true to the Medolla family tradition.

Or even better, you can bid on a case and help support the people of Haiti and get some excellent everyday drinking wine from a small producer on Long Island.

This wine is a fantastic value.  At $15 a bottle, it truly is a great everyday drinking Merlot.  I had mine with some bleu cheese and some goat cheese on some crusty French bread with some turkey soup.  It went perfectly.

Now go place a bid!

Posted in 2003, Long Island, Medolla Vineyards, Merlot | 2 Comments

Lenz 2001 Gewürztraminer

Posted on February 1, 2010 by Michael Gorton, Jr.

I have stated this before, Gewürztraminer is probably my favorite white grape varietal.  If we, my wife and I,  had more of this around, we would probably have Gewürztraminer at least once a week.

This Gewürztraminer is from Lenz Vineyards.  I have not been to Lenz in quiet some time, but I have added them to my list of visits in the near future.

On the nose I was getting lychee, pineapple and some candied apricot.  There was a sweetness on the nose that resembled honey.  There was some subtle floral notes but nothing overbearing or to powerful.  It had a beautiful bouquet.

The taste was a bit of a challenge at first.  It was very hot upon opening and tasting.   At first it was very overwhelming, too much to get over.  I was not picking up anything on the palate, except for some spice.  I wanted to give it some time.

So glad I did, because it gave way to one of the best tasting Gewürztraminer I have had in a very long while.  There was flavors of some fresh white peach, clove, cinnamon along with tropical zest.  There was some candied ginger note  that was very nice.

This was a lush wine with a has a slight syrupy mouth feel.  It was soft and creamy.

This wine was well balanced that had a very long finish with some soft vanilla flavors at the end.

A real pleasurable ride for your palate.

I highly recommend this wine, and if you are new to Gewürztraminer, give this a try, I picked it up in my wine shop for $19.

Posted in Gewürztraminer, Lenz Winery, Long Island | Leave a comment

Making My Own Bordeaux Blend

Posted on January 28, 2010 by Michael Gorton, Jr.

On Saturday, my Mom, Dad and I took a trip out to wine country. My parents live in Glendale, Queens and with all of our busy schedules we don’t get to hang out too much and spend the day together. This past Saturday was a perfect day and a beautiful one at that out on Long Island. When I knew they were visiting, I knew exactly where to take them. Pindar Vineyards. Whoa, some of you may say. Yes, Pindar; The largest producing vineyard on Long Island, the vineyard that is famous for its winter white and autumn gold. But let me tell you, they will soon be attracting people for some of these well-crafted, beautiful upper tier wines. Look out people; in case you forgot about Pindar Vineyards, they have some great stuff going on there.

Mythology: from Pindar.net

This past weekend they had a De-Mystifying Mythology. For those of you who are not aware of what Mythology is, it is Pindar’s top Bordeaux blend. It is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec. The exact amount of this blend is up to the winemaker. This Mythology is not bottled every year, they only save it for special, optimal growing seasons where the fruit ripens and the juice is just perfect.

So for this rare occasion and maybe the first time ever, we had to opportunity to tour the Pindar warehouse, storage facility, barrel room and tank room. This was open to the public as long as you purchased a ticket or was a member of Pindar’s Wine Club.

Les Howard, Pindar’s winemaker, he gave us, about 35 people in total a behind the scene look at what he does and how he comes up with this formula for making the ideal Bordeaux blend.

A little information about a Bordeaux wine.  It is from the Bordeaux region in France and is a red wine.  It is a blended wine of any combination of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec.  I does not have to include all, but those are the only ones permitted to go into a true Bordeaux wine.  Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon is usually the main grape in the vintage.  The components can change from year to year.

Les first had us taste all the components that make up the Mythology, alone from the barrel.

The first offering was the 2008 Merlot: Bright and fruity on then nose. There were elements of cherry, raspberry, and some blueberry. There was a very nice menthol eucalyptus note that was on the palate. There was a lot of acidity on the palate as well, but this was a young wine, only in the barrel about a year.

Next up was the 2008 Cabernet Franc: Black Cherry and smoky bacon on the nose. Very nice structure with racing acidity. It was not too green, only picking up a little mint.

Les giving an explination about Mythology

When we had the 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon: First thought was Pucker. Very Tannic and a lot of acidity. But once you got past that, I was getting a lot of dried cherry, some cherry cordial. There was some earthiness to it with some black pepper and dried bay leaf.

We then tasted the 2008 Malbec: This had the best nose of the day. Dark Berries and plum filled the glass along with dried cranberries and raisin. It was juicy and delicious. Probably the best balanced wine of the lot. The tannins were soft and the acidity was in balance to bring out the best of this berry. This goes to show you that Malbec can be done as a single varietal on Long Island, because in my opinion, this malbec was almost drinkable now.

Then we taste some 2008 Petite Verdot: This wine was the harshest and the toughest to get down, it had the most tannins and the most acidity. There were some green elements along with the faintest amount of dark fruit, but the color is what is used for this grape. Not as dark as most years, but this is where the color is enhanced in the Mythology.

Next up, we taste some blends that Les put together each with Merlot, Cabernet Franc or Cabernet Sauvignon being the main varietal. Les is trying to show us that these blends would be far superior to any of the previous varietal’s we just tasted. H was right!

The first blend was Blend #1: This was a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, 10% Malbec and 5% Petit Verdot. IT was very fruity, with a great amount of ripe berries. Tobacco and earthy with dried herbs. It was acidic, but remembers this is young and this blend spent no time in oak for aging, only the varietal were aged in oak.

The next blend, Blend #2: was a blend of 50% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc, 10% Malbec and 5% Petit Verdot. Loads of berries on the nose, blue berry and raspberry. This was more acidic but less tannic than the previous blend. It was tasty and had a very nice finish of some vanilla and caramel. My parents like this one and the other around us like this one.

The next Blend #3: was a blend of 50% cabernet franc, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% merlot, 10% Malbec, and 5% Petit Verdot. This was tart cherry and raspberry on the nose. It had a bit of minerality on the nose. This was very acidic, but had soft tannins. It had a clean and short finish and there were notes of cedar at the end.

Getting ready to blend

Now the fun part came…we had the opportunity to make our own Mythology blend. With beaker in hand, calculator, and 375l bottle, we broke off with another couple. The husband and wife team came up with the blend, I did the measuring while my dad was figuring out the correct calculation. We came up with a blend of 50% merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc, 5% Malbec and 5% Petit Verdot. When we were finished, we poured it all into the 375l bottle and poured each of us a glass. And to no one’s surprise, it was perfect. Cherry up front with some raspberry and dried cranberries, soft supple tannins with a perfect amount of acidity. There was an earthy minerality that was present along with some fresh herbs and some dried herbs as well. We offered Les a try and he did like it, I think he was surprised that it was a merlot based considering I am a Franc Head. But none the less he said in so many words…”now imagine this blended wine aging longer in barrels?”  I can, and  I wish I could make it happen!

Checking the blending

The only change to our numbers would have been to add more Malbec by 10% and less Merlot by 10%, becasue I felt the Malbec was more rounded…or maybe add 5% more Cabernet Franc and 5% more Malbec and take away 10% Merlot, because I loved the ripe cherry of the Franc and the balance of the Malbec…or maybe…this could go on forever! And ass I talked this over with my parents;about the different blends that could really make this a sold wine, my mom said in so many words…”I see a second career, son.”

I hope Pindar does this again and I hope that other wineries consider this. Getting the public information about the behind the scenes work of a vineyard is my job, but when people can actually put their hands on a project like this, I feel it builds a greater appreciation of the wine and people identify with it better.  We all know how to cook something, but how many of us really know what goes into that bottle we enjoy so much.

Now, if only I could get my hands on a barrel and some juice…

Posted in Long Island | 6 Comments

Roanoke Vineyards 203 Blend One Short Sip

Posted on January 27, 2010 by Michael Gorton, Jr.

On Monday here on Long Island, it was rainy and windy; A perfect day off.  My day off consisted of doing laundry.

Around 11:30 I noticed a Tweet from Roanoke Vineyards about them having a bottle of their 2003 Blend One open and it went something like this: “the wind is blowing 27 knots with heavy gusts, but for anyone willing to brave the tempest, I’ve an open bottle of Blend One 2003!”  How could I resist!

The ride to Roanoke Vineyards was the craziest 13 miles I have driven in sometime.  I hardly needed gas as the wind carried me all the way there.

I really had no clue what Blend One was, but knowing that it is sold out and that that Adam was in the tasting room and that I had nothing but laundry to do, I needed to have some “me” time and head out to Roanoke Vineyards.

This was the first of Roanoke Vineyards Blend One. When it was released it was sold for $30.00. It is a blend of 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 22% Cabernet Franc.

On the nose I was getting loads of dark berries and some plum. It smelled like a blueberry or blackberry tart. There were some exotic spice notes as well. It was earthy with a hint of ocean water.

The taste was more of the same with some baking spices reminiscent of clove and cinnamon. There was some coriander and cardamom as well. There was a molasses like taste too. There was some fruit, but it was hidden beneath the complex spices.

This was one of my best days off, I hope Adam does something like this every other Monday, because I am sure he will see me.

Posted in 2003, Blended Wine, Long Island, Roanoke Vineyards | 2 Comments

Scarola Vineyards 2007 Cabernet Franc

Posted on January 25, 2010 by Michael Gorton, Jr.

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!

Posted in 2007, Cabernet Franc, Long Island, Scarola Vineyards | Leave a comment

Pindar Vineyards Cuvee Rare Wine Blogging Wednesday # 65 “Snow Day!”

Posted on January 20, 2010 by Michael Gorton, Jr.

Snowing in Champagne Flute

With the Holiday Season come and gone, (Christmas ws 25 days ago!) it seems that I tend to drink more bubbly this time of year.  Weather it be in Mimosa or in a Kir Royal or just alone to toast the new year or the blessings of things to come.

I had this sparkling wine, Pindar Vineyards Cuvee Rare,  twice this holiday season. First on Christmas Day Brunch at my in-laws then again I opened another bottle for New Year’s Eve.  And this is one I will have again, if I can get my hands on some.

I have decided to include this tasting, though I did not taste this tonight, I did have this on Christmas Day and on Long Island there was snow on the ground due to a blizzard that dropped nearly 18 inches in my back yard in Rocky Point.

Here is what Michelle at Wine-Girl.net had to say about this Wine Blogging Wednesday “Snow Day”: 

This month, even if you’re in warm sunny Florida or Los Angeles, I want you to look out your window and imagine Snow. Snowmen, snow balls, igloos, snow trucks, snow … cold, cold snow. Then I want you to imagine what that makes you want to drink. Do you want to curl up in front of your fireplace with a port? Maybe you want to pull out a cabernet sauvignon or a big juicy zin and then put on your snowsuit. Are you a glutton for punishment and you’re pulling out a chilled riesling before heading out to build a snowman? Are you inspired by vintners who are braving frigid temperatures to make icewine?

Ok, so this Sparkling Wine did not make me think of snow,well maybe a little.  Doesn’t it look like it is snowing in the champagne flute when you pour sparkling wine.  Ok, Ok…call be crazy, but this sparkling wine did bring me back Christmas, and the warmth and fun that it brings to kids young and old.  Not to mention the snow that was on the ground.  So please forgive me.  But I can tell you that if I had another bottle of this, I may have just opened it for this night.

Before I give you my notes on this wine, I want to explain to you a little about sparkling wine, which is commonly called Champagne.  Champagne is champagne only in the Champagne region of France.  Every place else it is a sparkling wine.  So Champagne in Champagne France is sparkling wine, they can call it Champagne, because that is where it originated.  IF the sparkling wine is done in the same process as it is in Champagne, France, then it can be called méthode Champenoise.  To het a detailed explanation on the process of Sparkling wine production, visit Wikipedia.

This Sparkling Wine from Pindar Vineyards is made from 100% Pinot Meunier grapes, the traditional grape used in Champagne and it is made in the méthode Champenoise way.

On the nose, I was picking up some wonderful bread notes.  I love the smell of yeasty breads on sparkling wine.  There was some apple and a touch of pear and a little spice like gingerbread, very subtle and enjoyable.

The taste was awesome.  It was dry and palate cleansing with hints of Pear, Citrus and Granny Smith Apple.  Some of the spice from the nose was there, but it was subtle. 

The finish was moderate, but I had a hard time testing to see how long it was lasting because I kept taking sips.

This sparkling wine is a wine that would go perfect with brunch and desert.  It is also a great value to at under $20.00. 

This is a sparkling wine that I really would not consider toasting, just for the sake of toasting.  But offer this up at your next dinner party to gets that first arrive.  It will really get the party going in the right direction.

As of today, it looks like this is sold out.  Very sad.  But if you happen to find it in your local wine shop, I highly recommend you pick some up.  When I picked up the bottle for New Years, it was retailing for $19.95. It went perfectly with our Christmas Brunch.

Cheers to Lenn Thompson for starting this project 65 months ago and to Michelle at Wine-Girl.net for hosting and giving us kids another “Snow Day”

Posted in Long Island, Pindar, Sparkling Wine, Wine Blogging Wednesday | Leave a comment

Macari Vineyards Sette Short Sip

Posted on January 19, 2010 by Michael Gorton, Jr.

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.

Posted in Blended Wine, Cabernet Franc, Long Island, Macari Vineyards, Merlot, Notes, Short Sip, Table Wine, Wine Store | 1 Comment

A One Night Stand With Finger Lakes Cabernet Franc

Posted on January 18, 2010 by Michael Gorton, Jr.

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.

Posted in Cabernet Franc, Finger Lake Region, Twitter Taste Live | 6 Comments

“I don’t believe what I just saw”

Posted on January 17, 2010 by Michael Gorton, Jr.

nfl_new_york_jets_1 Thank you so much, the late great Jack Buck for that line.  I had to use it tonight night when my NY Jets bet the San Diego Chargers. 

I had all the faith in the world that the Jets would win, but being a Jets fan, there is usually heart break at the end of most games and seasons.

But not this one. 

Coach Rex Ryan said, “if we get into the playoffs, lookout!”  I cannot believe it.

When we drafted Sanchez, I had my doubts, he only played 16 College games.  But he is no rookie anymore, he now has 18 pro games under his belt.

No matter what happens I could not be happier, but next Sunday we play in the AFC championship game.  Did I really just write that!?!?

So next week, I will be watching the game with my Curtis Martin #28 jersey on, preparing for another nail biter of a post season game against the Colts of Indianapolis.

J…E…T…S!    JETS! JETS JETS!

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Twitter Taste Live Event

Posted on January 13, 2010 by Michael Gorton, Jr.

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.

Posted in Cabernet Franc, Finger Lake Region, Twitter Taste Live | Leave a comment

Osprey’s Dominion 2008 Riesling Short Sip

Posted on January 6, 2010 by Michael Gorton, Jr.

This bottle I picked up at my local wine shop when I was in the mood for some Riesling.  It retailed for $11.95. 

Osprey’s Dominion is located in Peconic on Main Road or as I like to call it Route 25.  I have not visited the tasting room in quite some time, hopefully this will change soon.

There is not too much information about Osprey Dominion on their website that explains the history of the vineyard.  I hope to visit them and give you more information about them. 

On the nose I was not picking up much of anything too noticable.  It was not welcoming and it was taking me a while to coax anything out of it.  As the wine came up to room temperature.  As it did, there was some spice and some Granny Smith Apple.

The taste was a bit off-balance.  It was a bit to mouth drying.  It reminded me of a bubbly, in the way champagne can clean the plate.  It was quite dry.  I was also getting some strange aftertaste that I could just not get my hands on.

I cannot recommend this wine to anyone.  It was just not right.  It’s too bad, because I really was in the mood for some Riesling.

This bad experience with this wine will not sour my thoughts on Osprey’s Dominion.  I do plan on visiting them and when I do I will be sure to let you all know.

Posted in Long Island, Osprey's Dominion, Riesling, Short Sip, Wine Store | 2 Comments

A visit to Roanoke Vineyards

Posted on January 2, 2010 by Michael Gorton, Jr.

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.

Posted in Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvigon, Long Island, Merlot, Red Wine, Roanoke Vineyards, Rose, Winery Visit | 4 Comments

Raphael Vineayrds 2008 Sauvignon Blanc Grand Cru

Posted on December 30, 2009 by Michael Gorton, Jr.

This wine was given to me when I visited Raphael back in the summer, and it took me this long to open the bottle.  Richard Olsen-Harbich gave this to me on my way out.  I have been meaning to open this for a while, but just could not find the right time.  So I just decided to open this one day for the hell of it and drink it by itself.  Glad I did.

Grand Cru is a French term mainly described as a location of great growth.  This location at Raphael Vineyards is a small lot of younger vines.  They also have a first label bottling of this, the first label is from older vines, vines from the beginning of Raphael.

On the nose I was getting some pear, grapefruit and citrus.  There were some elements of ocean rocks and a touch of honeydew melon at the end.

The taste is where I was digging this wine; I was picking up some fresh lemon and fresh summer herbs.  It had a little fresh-cut grass element that was very enjoyable.  It reminded me of the summer on this cold wintery night.  I was also picking up some of that melon that I was picking up on the nose.

Now for the best part, there was some awesomely good acidity with this wine.  There was a zinging almost bubbly like sensation on my tongue.  It was quenching my thirst and clearing my palate.

I was envisioning some seared scallops and some fettuccini alfredo.  I guess I will have to pick up another one of these bottles for $16.95 the next time I am at Raphael and make the dishes I just mentioned.

If you find this in your local wine shop, pick it up.  When you need to bring something to your holiday party, don’t grab a bottle of Barefoot Pinot Grigio, grab a bottle of this Sauvignon Blanc, you will be invited back next year.

Posted in Long Island | 2 Comments

Wine Blogging Wednesday #64 “Viognier & Chrsitmas Cards””

Posted on December 23, 2009 by Michael Gorton, Jr.

When this Wine Blogging Wednesday was announced by Jeff “El Jefe” Stai from Twisted Oaks Winery, I was excited.  Here is what our mission was:

This month’s theme naturally involves the holidays, but as you might expect there is a little twist to it! This time, it’s all about the other holidays:

Pick any winter holiday or observance EXCEPT Hanukkah, Christmas Day, Kwanzaa, or New Years Day or Eve, and choose a wine to celebrate it! For purposes of this WBW, the holiday date chosen must be between December 7, 2009 and January 7, 2010. You may also pair a food with your chosen holiday and wine, but that is optional.

You can pick a special observance that already has meaning to you,

I was all set to go….then…my heart sank…Dates between December 7th and January 7th.  As the famous Charlie Brown would say “UGH!!!”

The holiday I was set to pick was St. Nicholas day.  Which is celebrated on DECEMBER 6th! Off by one friggin day!

As a child my brothers and I loved St. Nick day.  We would wake up in the morning and find a stocking hung from our bead post.  It was always filled with oranges or apples, pencils, candy, small toys, books, money, lotto tickets….you get the picture.  For my brothers and I, this was the start of the Christmas season.  St. Nick day was a day of happiness before we got ourselves ready for school.

Here is a little history about the holiday:

The tradition of Saint Nicholas Day, usually on 6 December, is a festival for children in many countries in Europe related to surviving legends of the saint, and particularly his reputation as a bringer of gifts.

While feasts of Saint Nicholas are not observed nationally, cities with strong German influences like Milwaukee, Cincinnati, Cleveland, and St. Louis celebrate St. Nick’s Day on a scale similar to the German custom.  On 5 December, the Eve of St. Nicholas Day, each child puts one empty shoe outside their bedroom door or on a staircase before they go to sleep. Some put it outside on a porch. The following morning of 6 December, the children awake to find that St. Nick has filled their footwear with candy and small presents (if the children have been good) or coal (if not). Gifts often include chocolate gold coins to represent the gold St. Nick gave to the poor and a piece of fruit, often an orange or apple. For these children, the relationship between St. Nick and Santa Claus is not clearly defined, although St. Nick is usually explained to be a helper of Santa. The tradition of St. Nick’s Day is firmly established in the Milwaukee, Cincinnati, Cleveland and St. Louis communities, with parents often continuing to observe the day with their adult children. Widespread adoption of observing the tradition has spread among the German, Polish, Belgian and Dutch communities throughout Iowa and Wisconsin, and is carried out through modern times. *(Taken from Wikipedia)

My parents, especially on my mother’s side have German in them, where this tradition may have started.  My parents always told me that St. Nick was Santa’s helper, just as it states above.  To this day, my parents still send me and my wife something…usually lotto tickets.  This year we won $25.00!  This is a tradition I plan on continuing with our own children.

So I decided to pick another holiday that falls in the category, described by El Jefe.  I chose the Epiphany, Three Kings day, or Little Christmas.  This holiday is a holiday that is very important in Latin American and Spanish speaking countries, but is also celebrated across the world.  This is the last day of the 12 days of Christmas.  You all know the song…”On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me….”.  The twelfth day is the day of the Epiphany.  The day the Three Kings came to give gifts to the Magi.  It’s official holiday is January 6th.

Doing research on this holiday, I also came to find out that this is celebrated throughout Ireland.  There is alot of Irish in me, and this was a holiday I did not know the Irish celebrate.  January 6th was also the official Christmas day in the Roman calendar; we now follow the Gregorian calendar, where Christmas is celebrate on December 25th.

As a child, our family never did much on this day, but it was important to my brothers and me that we put the three kings into the manger scene in my parents’ front window.

This has now been my official day that Christmas Cards must be received.  So on this Wine Blogging Wednesday, I present you the wine I am drinking while finishing my Christmas Cards…Pindar Vineyards 2008 Viogner.  This retailed for $24.95 in the tasting room and I am sad to say it is sold out.  I wish I had picked up more of this.  It truly was a fantastic wine.  If you ever see it, grab it…and let me know where you saw it.

First a little history and Pronunciation: Viognier is pronounced like this “vee-yohn-yay” If you say it wrong…don’t worry, and it’s ok to be corrected.  I still goof and get corrected all the time.  Viognier is a very difficult grape to grow and there are very few who can grow this on Long Island.  But when grown correctly and handled correctly, you have a beautiful fruit forward, highly floral aromatic white wine.  This wine is so good; it could become my favorite white varietal.

The most interesting tid bit I found on line about this varietal was how I possibly got its name.  From the roman translation, via Gehennae, when translated, it means “road to hell”.  Is it that difficult?

My Notes:

On the nose I was getting alot of Apple and Pear with a touch of melon.  There was a floral element that I could not put my finger on.  I was also getting this aroma of yeast and nutmeg.  Very beautiful nose.  I could sniff this wine for days.

The taste was even better.  It had some of the apple and pear elements, but with a hint of creaminess.  I was also picking up a little apricot and a soft baking spice.  It was velvety and lush with a long finish that kept escalating.

I enjoyed this wine alone, without food.  And it was beautiful.  This wine was perfect for writing out Christmas cards.  With 20 something inches of snow of the ground, this wine brought be back to the summer.  Great memories of fun in the sun on the North Fork.  It did help clean the palate after licking 50 something envelops! (I’m kidding)

This Christmas, I wish for three things;

  1. More People celebrate St. Nicholas Day
  2. More People give January 6 more love & Christmas Cards
  3. More Viognier from Long Island

Before I go, I must thank Jeff “El Jefe” Stai from Twisted Oak Winery for hosting and running with the idea.  I thank Lenn Thompson from the New York Cork Report for coming up with Wine Blogging Wednesday 64 months ago.  And to Pindar and Less at Pindar Vineyards for introducing me to Viognier and this bottle of goodness!

“Merry Christmas To All And To All A Good Night!”

Posted in Long Island, Notes, Pindar, Wine Blogging Wednesday | 1 Comment

What to get that wine lover…at the last minute

Posted on December 23, 2009 by Michael Gorton, Jr.

Are you still running around trying to get a few last minuet gifts?   Not sure, what size Uncle Jack is, forgot what color AUnt Suzie hates,  or you just don’t know what to get your brother.  Well, this  gift is one you can buy right at home and it will really make someone smile.

I am a member of the New York Cork Club.  In fact it is the only wine club I am a member of.  And in all honesty it is the best wine club going.  Here is the excerpt from Lenn Thompson, of New York Cork Report Publisher and editor and founder:

Have you ever found yourself reading about a magnificent Long Island Merlot or a racy Finger Lakes Riesling and thought to yourself “Man, I wish I could get my hands on that wine, but I can’t get New York wines here in (insert your home town/city/state here).”?

The New York Cork Club, a joint venture between this blog and BacchusWineOnline.com is making New York wines more accessible to people around the country.

Every month, I’ll hand select two bottles of New York wine and Bacchus will send them to you if you’re members of our unique New York wine club. Monthly wine costs are between $30-$60 (depending on the individual selections) plus shipping. There is also a quarterly shipping option.

There are other wine clubs out there — even some focusing on wines from Long Island or the Finger Lakes, but this is truly unlike any other New York wine club. Instead of a faceless wine shop picking the wines (often the ones that they make the most money one) Bacchus has given me full control over the wines every month. You’ll also get to taste wines from all over New York State, not just a single winery or region.

And, because of my connections in the New York wine industry, I’ve been able to get wines that no one else can get. We’ve included several wines that are only available in winery tasting rooms. We’ve also been able to get our hands on wines long before they are released to the public.

How do I pick the wines? It’s pretty simple. I taste a lot of New York wines for my blog and various other writing outlets. I pick the ones that I enjoy and drink the most. I don’t make any money from the club. I’m just sharing the wines that I’m excited about with you. Sometimes they are flagship wines from some of New York’s best wineries, but I also find the under-the-radar gems that most people don’t even know about. There are new wineries popping up every day. I find those wineries and, if they are worthy, get my hands on them for you.

To see some of the wines we’ve had in previous months, check out the New York Cork Club category page.

Interesting in signing up? You can do so on the Bacchus website.

I really cannot take any credit for this post, it is all from Lenn Thompson.  But Lenn has started something really unique.  Each month I have received shipments from the NYCC from wineries on Long Island and the Finger Lakes and in  the future other regions of this great state we live in, and I have not been disappointed.  Some of the wine I have just enjoyed with out takeing notes (something I don’t do often anymore).  Some wines have found their way onto my blog like this one here, Ramato from Channing Daughters.

I am a proud member of the NYCC and you should be too.  Thanks Lenn for this great club.  I hope a few more join the club…you will not be disappointed.

Posted in Long Island | Leave a comment