Pindar Vineyards — Looking Ahead To The Future

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

Pindar Vineyards, Long Island’s largest and highest volume producer is without a winemaker.  Les Howard, who grew up working in Pindar Vineyards right out of Mattituck High School is leaving to take the same position with Raphael Vineyards.

Here is what Pindar Vineyards has released in regards to Les Howard leaving Pindar Vineyards for Raphael and where Pindar Vineyards is going.

Please join me in congratulating Winemaker Les Howard as he begins his new role as Winemaker at Raphael Winery.

After working for Pindar Vineyards for the second time throughout his career, he has decided to further his breadth of experience by working at a smaller winery, where he will focus on a different market. Les has worked at many Long Island wineries, including not only Pindar Vineyards but Osprey’s Dominion, Wolffer Estate Vineyards, Bedell Cellars, Jamesport Vineyards, and now Raphael Vineyards. It was a mutual decision that at this time our paths go in different directions as we continue to expand our product base and explore additional new markets. Our family’s commitment to making quality wines is unparalleled, and our customers are the best out there.
The winery experience at Pindar Vineyards has reached a new and exciting level. Jason Damianos will continue his role as the Executive Winemaker. Our California based team is making its way across the country and will be fully in place by August. As our market share continues to grow, we will be expanding our wine making staff and creating a unique experience for all of our customers. We are very excited about our family’s future, and we thank you for your support for over 30 years.
The Damianos Family (Dr. Dan, Barbara, Alexander, Shari, Jason, Alethea, Ken, Eurydice, and Pindar & Nicole + 4)

Another shocking turn of events on the east end.  Just as a few weeks ago, we all wondered where Raphael would turn.  Well, now we wonder where Pindar Vineyards will turn.  After a phone conversation with Pindar Damianos, I am eagerly excited to see where they will turn.  The first thought is to bring new blood into the Long Island Wine Industry.  Pindar hopes to have someone in place by August.  Just in time for the start of harvest, which may turn out to be one of the best yet.

In the meanwhile, Les is still at Pindar, finishing up some bottling of the 2009 wines, clearing up space for what will be a very interesting harvest for the 2010 year.  While the Damianos family is happy for Les, they are sad at the same time.  Remember, he started his winemaking career at Pindar.   Most thought Les had come full circle, returning home.  It is a mutual and amicable departure, though a bit melancholy.

Change is good, I have said it before, and I still believe it.  Les will be fine and Pindar will be fine.  I never thought Les would leave Pindar, just I thought Rich would never leave Raphael.  I only hope the best for all involved.   I cannot wait for the exciting future for Pindar Vineyards.

Posted in News, Pindar | Leave a comment

Long Island Food and Wine Festival — Kickoff Is At 7:00 PM TONIGHT!

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

LIWF_640x800 Well, after months of planning and weeks of preparation and days of getting things in order – the First Annual Long Island Food and Wine Festival — “Eat.  Drink.  Local”,  kicks off with a VIP reception at Roanoke Vineyards at 7:00 PM tonight.  There will be over 40 different local wines being poured with food prepared by Tom Schaudel of A Mano Osteria & Wine Bar.

If you did not get you tickets to this event, it is a shame.  You really missed out on a great opportunity.  But all is not lost.  You can still buy tickets for the Grand Tasting at Mitchell Park in Greenport on Sunday at 2PM.  The ticket price at the door will be $50 per person.  I STRONGLY urge you to go to this event – there will be over 50 wineries and restaurants offering their bounty that day.  Sadly, I will not be at the event on Sunday.  I am working.

If you can’t make it on Sunday, there is also events and activities at almost every vineyard.  You can check out the full schedule here.

However, I will be at the VIP Kick Off.  I will have my webcam and my camera hoping to get some of the action.  I am also hoping to sit down – if there is time – with some of the participants and wineries that will be at the VIP kick off.  I will also be live tweeting from the event.  I am not sure what hash tag (#____) I will be using, but I will up date this post as soon as I know.  You can follow along with me tonight.  I will have some posts next week about the VIP kickoff

If you are going tonight, make sure you stop by and say hello.  But most importantly, make sure you take the time and enjoy the wonderful food and wine that Long Island’s North Fork has to offer.

Posted in Event, Long Island, Wine | Leave a comment

Shinn Estate Vineyards 2009 Rosé

Posted on June 23, 2010 by Michael Gorton, Jr.

CIMG0932 This is not your father’s rosé.  This is not your everyday sipping rosé.  This is a rosé that cries out for food, how every good wine — rosé or not — should be had. 

Shinn Estate Vineyards 2009 Rosé ($15) is one of the darkest colored rose out there.  The color is intriguing and inviting.  It is a beautiful strawberry/cranberry color — one may think that one put ice in a glass of red wine and left it out to melt. 

Shinn Estate Vineyards has experimented with extensive skin contact with their red wines over the last few years – it is no surprise that they would do the same with rosé.  And each year it gets darker and darker – not to mention better and better, not sure if that is proper grammar. 

The grape varieties that go into this rosé are picked separately from the other varieties that go into their red wines at the vineyard.  Merlot is the main variety here, grapes are pressed and left with skin contact for about 24 hours.  Some vineyards will only allow for about 12 hours while some maybe even less.  But at Shinn Estate Vineyards, everyone gets a good night sleep before the juice is fermented. 

On the nose there are aromas of fresh strawberry, raspberry and blueberry with dried herbs and earthy and salinity notes.  As the wine warms in the glass there is a slight aroma of watermelon. 

Upon tasting, you pick up some lees – flavor of the skin.  This also gives the wine some tannins — something you find in red wines, and happily you find in this rosé.  The watermelon note I was picking up on the nose carried over on to the palate along with the raspberry.  There was a distinct fresh oregano flavor going on. 

CIMG0928

Notice the color

 

This rosé packs a punch.  It is bone dry with big flavors and aromas.  The acidity is excellent and palate cleansing.  Because of the tannins, this rosé is meant for food.  It may be a challenge for most to drink this wine all by itself.  If you want, pack a lunch picnic of crusty bread, cured meats, olives and cheese.  I also thought roasted or grilled chicken would be perfect too. 

This rosé may not be what everyone is looking for in a Long Island rosé, it may be to big for some.  But, if you like a big hearty red, but find the summer to warm to drink them, then pick up a bottle of this rosé from Shinn Estate Vineyards.  You will not be disappointed.

Posted in 2009, Notes, Rose, Shinn Estate Vieyard | 2 Comments

“Eat, Drink, Local” — The First Annual Wine & Food Festival — Just 5 Days Away!

Posted on June 21, 2010 by Michael Gorton, Jr.

LIWF_680x800px Make sure you have nothing to do this weekend.  Kicking off on Friday, June 25th at Roanoke Vineyards and continuing throughout the North Fork at various wineries and culminating on Sunday June 27th in Greenport.  You really do not want to miss ANY of this.

“The Long Island Wine & Food Festival will celebrate a world class wine region! A premier travel destination on the East End of Long Island, the North Fork delivers remarkable cuisine, boutique wineries, craft beer, and quaint accommodations. Festival guests have the opportunity to learn about local flavors, tastes, sights and smells of Long Island’s wine country.”

“Meet local and celebrity chefs. Enjoy local wines and fare. Experience the rural character of Long Island’s North Fork.”

It all starts on Friday, June 25th at 7 PM at Roanoke Vineyards in Riverhead.  This is a special “VIP” event where media and invitees will gather to meet with winemakers and chefs from the local vineyards and restaurants to celebrate the weekend ahead.  There are some tickets available for this VIP event, an event you don’t want to miss.  The Tickets go for $125 per person, however, this ticket also gets you into the Grand Tasting on June 27th in Greenport.  More on that later.  You can buy your tickets for the VIP kickoff here.

On Saturday June 26th over a dozen vineyards will be doing special wine and food pairings and entertainment.  Some vineyards will be offering cooking demonstrations and some will be offering tastings directly from the barrel.  There is alot going on across the North Fork, so please check the Event Schedule Page for the most up to date information.

Then on Sunday, June 27th at 2PM in Mitchell Park in Greenport, the Grand Tasting will complete the weekend long event.  Over 50 local wineries and restaurants will be participating in this event.  You will be able to sample local wine and taste the local food that goes best with wine while taking in the Maritime look and feel of Greenport.   Tickets are available to purchase on the website.  The tickets go for $50 per person or $90 for a couple.  There is also designated driver tickets for those who are being responsible (which everyone should be); you can taste the food, but not the wine.  Those tickets are $25 per person.

If my description above did not sell you on attending this weekend event, than maybe these two quotes will help you:

“Our region  is now recognized  as a destination  for fine wine and great  local food ,” said  Steve Bate, Executive Director of  the Long Island  Wine Council. “This First annual Long Island Wine & Food Festival gives wine enthusiasts and food lovers a unique opportunity to sample both over the course of a very special weekend program.”

“My restaurant  has an  extensive list  of  Long Island  wines,” said Chef Tom Schaudel of A Mano Osteria & Wine Bar and author of Playing with Fire: Wining & Dining on the Gold Coast, “and  this event allows me to demonstrate how well they can be paired with our menu.”

So, make Long Island your destination for the “Eat, Drink, Local” event on the weekend of June 25 – 27th.  Stay in a local hotel or Bead & Breakfast and enjoy the best destination for wine and food.

For all the information about the event, please visit  the Food and Wine Festival’s Website.  Or you can e-mail them here info@longislandwineandfoodfestival.com.

I hope to see some of you there!

Posted in Event, Food, Long Island, Wine | Leave a comment

Jamesport Vineyards 2000 Cabernet Franc

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

It’s not everyday you have the chance taste 10-year-old wine.  It’s not everyday you have the chance to taste 10-year-old wine with winemakers, vineyard owners, fishermen, tasting room people, restaurant folk and wine enthusiasts.  It’s not every day you get to listen to them talk about past vintages, like hurricane Gloria or the 2000 vintage.  However — I could do this everyday.

This week, I was invited by Anthony Nappa (winemaker at Shinn Estate Vineyards) and Sarah Evans (Sous Chef at Luce & Hawkins) to their house in Southold for a Calm Roast and BBQ.  I was not sure that I could make it — with work and it being on a Wednesday, I did however go and I was glad I went. 

The food was awesome and there was a local striped bass that was caught by a local fisherman that morning.  I now know where to turn when I need fresh fish.

There was also a nicely arranged vertical tasting of Shinn Estate Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Nine Barrels Merlot and Cabernet Franc from 2005, 2006 and 2007.  That alone could have been the highlight.

Then, Ron Goerler, from Jamesport Vineyards popped a cork on this bottle, Jamesport Vineyards 2000 Cabernet Franc.  This is the oldest Cabernet Franc I have tasted to date.  And it was a winner.  Drinking young, I would have guessed it was a 2005.

On the nose there was some juicy black cherry and currant.  There was an earthiness to the wine with a hint of leather and spice.  There was some dried herb and a little eucalyptus too.

When I tasted it, there was some more earthy elements with a hint of dried herbs and spicy peppercorns.  The cherry carried over on the taste and was more pronounced on the palate than on the nose. 

There was great acidity and beautiful velvety tannins that rounded out the wine.  Well balanced and well made and still carrying strong.  A bunch of us tasted this with some grilled clams and it really opened up the flavor spectrum.   I could not resist the clams and the Franc.

Another highlight of the night was just the opportunity to relax and have a good time with people who are passionate about wine and Long Island’s bounty.  Chatting the night away about wine, food and good times.  Something I was looking forward to and maybe prefer to do when tasting wine with good people — relax and enjoy the wine and listen to the conversation.

Thanks Anthony and Sarah for hosting a great mid-week get together!  Thanks Ron for bringing this to the BBQ and allowing us the opportunity to taste this well made and still alive wine.

Sláinte!

Posted in 2000, Cabernet Franc, Jamesport Vineyards, Long Island | 2 Comments

Lieb Family Cellars 2007 Pinot Blanc

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

IMG00367-20100531-1527 You don’t see Pinot Blanc too much on Long Island.  The only vineyards that release a varietal of this variety is Palmer Vineyards and Lieb Family Cellars.  I know that Shinn Estate Vineyards is doing something with their first from 2009, but I am not sure what it will be just yet.

I used this bottle of Lieb Family Cellars 2007 Pinot Blanc ($20) for exploration and for an experiment with my mother-in-law.  I am on a crusade to convert her from drinking Pinot Grigio.  It is like fingernails on a chalk board every time we go out to dinner.  “I’ll have a glass of Pinot Grigio” or when I am pouring wine, “Does it taste like Pinot Grigio”.  UGH!  I am trying and I have been somewhat successful.  And to my surprise, she liked this bottle of wine alot.

On the nose I was getting some pear and melon with a hint of orange.  There was some floral notes with a hint of vanilla and toasted almond.

The taste had a note of grass and river rocks.  There was a bit more of the pear and vanilla on the finish with a hint of grapefruit.

I did enjoy this bottle.  I had it with some light apps and some grilled chicken sausage.  It went very well with both.  The highlight of this bottle was when my mother-in-law gave it her stamp of approval.

I recommend you give it a try as well, it is a good alternative for your summer sipping.

Sláinte!

Posted in 2007, Lieb Cellars, Pinot Blanc, White Wine | Leave a comment

Anthony Nappa Wine 2009 Riesling “Luminous”

Posted on June 14, 2010 by Michael Gorton, Jr.

Anthony Nappa — the winemaker and blending genius behind Shinn Estate Vineyards wine.  Anthony plays close attention to detail when blending wine to make some of my favorite wines from Shinn Estate Vineyards.  The one’s that come to mind are Wild Boar Doe and their “reserve” merlot, Nine Barrels.

Anthony Nappa Wines is Anthony’s solo side project.  Last year Anthony released his first Pinot Noir, Nemesis and a white Pinot Noir called Anomaly.  You can still get the 2007 Nemesis at Shinn Estate Vineyards and the 2009 Anomaly is also available.  The 2008 version was excellent and sold out almost immediately.  Anthony knows what he is doing.

So now Anthony is trying his hand at Riesling.  Anthony Nappa Wines 2009 Luminous ($18) is released and available to tasting and purchase in Shinn Estate Vineyards tasting room.  You can taste and buy all of his wine at Shinn Estate Vineyards.

Shinn Estate Vineyards does not grow Riesling. The Riesling that was used in this was purchased from the Finger Lakes of New York on the eastern shore of Seneca Lake from a grower.  Anthony gives the Finger Lakes full recognition, where the grapes were harvested and pressed — he used the Finger Lakes AVA, he could have simply used the New York State AVA.   The juice however, was fermented here on Long Island.

I asked Anthony about the process of how this wine was made since the grapes were grown off site.  Anthony told me via e-mail, that most of the time he uses wild fermentation processes, but for this Riesling he decided to use a yeast that would “eat” up the Malic Acid to lower the over all acidity of the wine and leave the residual sugar alone.  The residual sugar of the wine was low according the Anthony, but the acidity was very high.

Did it work — “I do believe conceptually it helped balance it a bit by removing some acid at the same time as converting sugar to alcohol.”

This yeast strain is also prone to getting stuck.  Which was fine for Anthony, he was going to stop fermentation anyway to keep the natural sugar in the wine.  “Natural sugar is also very important in my opinion for having true balance in the wine, I just can be difficult to stop and at the right timing.”

On the nose, I was picking up Granny Smith Apple and some Peach along with a tropical note and some wet rock minerality

Upon tasting, it was clean, bright and electric (a term used by some Finger Lakes Wine makers used to describe Riesling).  Great tropical lemon/lime zest with just the slightest hint of tangerine.

Ice cold, this wine is the perfect wine for your summer picnic and had a wonderful tropical feel to it with wonderful zippy acidity.

In my opinion, this wine is well-balanced, delicious and refreshing.

Anthony shed some light with me on his approach to Riesling in the e-mail.  I did include it here in the post because I think it helps you understand the process of making Riesling.  Here is what Anthony says: “The hardest part with Riesling is balancing so much acid with the residual sugar, if you go to far you have way too much acidity, or if you have too much residual it’s just sweet. Balancing the sugar and acid is the key to Riesling and not worrying about if it is dry, sweet, off dry, semi-sweet, based only on the RS to define the wine. The perception of acidity or sweetness on the palate is based on the relationship between the two. That is why I did not “define” the wine but merely put Riesling on the label as well as the Alcohol, pH, TA, and RS so the consumer can define it themselves or just enjoy the wine.”

“Just enjoy the wine.” — that’s what I did.  And you will too.

Sláinte!

Posted in 2009, Anthony Nappa Wines, Finger Lake Region, Long Island, Tasting | 1 Comment

Pugliese Vineyards 2007 Cabernet Franc Short Sip

Posted on June 11, 2010 by Michael Gorton, Jr.

IMG00283-20100418-1726 Pugliese Vineyards in Cutchogue, is one of Long Island’s oldest vineyards.  It is family owned and operated.  It was established in 1980.  Known by many for making some wonderful Sparkling Wine and their hand painted bottles.  I have to admit I have not been to the tasting room in years, but their Blanc de Blanc is always a favorite.

I picked up this, Pugliese Vineyards 2007 Cabernet Franc ($15) at a wine shop not to far from work.  The wine shop had alot of releases from Pugliese Vineyards.  But this caught my eye.  First it was Cabernet Franc and secondly it was from the great 2007 vintage.

On the nose I was picking up loads of cherry and dried cranberry.  There was a dried herbal note like dried basil.  It was woody and smoky with some peppery spice.

The taste brought more cherry flavors with some tobacco and earth.  There was also some cedar notes that seemed to take control of the wine.  The tannins were strong and chalky and had a moderate earthy finish.

Sláinte!

Posted in 2007, Cabernet Franc, Pugliese Vineyards, Short Sip, Wine Store | Leave a comment

Martha Clara Vineyards 2008 Riesling

Posted on June 10, 2010 by Michael Gorton, Jr.

Petrol — Rubber Tires — Kerosene — smells good in a bottle of  Riesling.  In my opinion.

I tasted this Martha Clara Vineyards 2008 Riesling ($18) with Martha Clara Vineyards winemaker, Juan  Micielli-Martinez when I was out for a visit.

My notes were short then, but Juan and I had a conversation about Riesling and more specifically about this Riesling.  There was this subtle yet noticeable aroma of petrol.

This aroma, petrol, or a rubber tire or even kerosene aroma, as some people call it differently, but it all is generally the same, is found in older, aged Riesling.  This is something that is sought after by wine geeks and enthusiasts and connoisseurs around the world.  Some may say that this petrol aroma is a sign that the Riesling will age well in early wines, or it has aged well in older wines.  It could be considered that a Riesling with Petrol is a well made wine.

Here is a quick, funny story about Riesling and rubber tires.  One time, at my parents house, there was a bottle of Cheatu St. Michele 1994 Riesling in their basement.  I  grabbed it and chilled it.  I could not wait to try it and see what was going on with it.  After a while when I pulled the cork and took a sniff in my glass, it stunk of rubber tires.  I thought it was bad — no good — that the wine was gone.  So I poured it down the drain.  Shortly after that, in a twitter conversation I soon learned my lesson.  That that aroma was supposed to be there.  That is a sign of a well aged wine.  I learned my lesson.

Juan gave me a bottle of this wine to explore further on my own and here is what I found:

On the nose I was getting some citrus, melon and tea leaves.  Some steel and saline like qualities.  There was some apple and pear with the slightest hint of petrol

When I tasted it, I was really digging it.  There was more notes of apple, melon and a little pineapple.  Pear, and grapefruit rounded out the mouth with a little splash of orange zest and pith.

This wine was hitting all the right buttons and was in my wheel house.  I was getting a bit of a green herbal or tea leaf note on the extended finish.

I have to tell you, if you have a few of these bottles around, hold on to them, they will age well according to Juan.  I am no expert on that, but I trust him and everything that I have learned about Riesling to this day points that in time this Riesling will be smelling like petro or rubber tires and that, my friends is a very good thing.

Note: This is sold out and is no longer available in the tasting room.

Posted in 2008, Martha Clara, Riesling, Tasting | Leave a comment

A Change On The North Fork

Posted on June 9, 2010 by Michael Gorton, Jr.

I sat in my car staring at my Blackberry in shock.   I refreshed my Blackberry just to be sure my eyes were not playing tricks on me.  The tweet from Howard Goldberg of the New York Times looked like this:

download

I had just finished up an appointment with Adam Suprenant, winemaker at Osprey’s Dominion and I could not believe it.  I left Osprey’s and  started to head to a golf outing in Riverhead and drove along Route 25.  I was driving past Raphael Vineyards and thought to myself, it’s never going to be the same.  Then I went past Bedell Cellars, which is only about a mile west and said to myself, it’s never going to be the same.

My thoughts and emotions were really racing.  At one minute I felt as if I had lost a friend.  Then in the next instant, I felt this excitement of waiting for a party to start.  The only thing I knew for sure was that the 2010 harvest at these to vineyards was not going to be the same.

from Bedell Cellars

I have known Rich Olsen-Harbich for just under a year.  The first time I met him was my first ever winery visit on Long Island for Undertaking Wine.  He was warm, inviting, enthusiastic and honest.  I was hooked right away and wished to spend more time with him.  We tasted alot of wine that day and I rediscovered Raphael Wines, thanks to Rich.

I had met Rich another time, in the fall, harvesting Cabernet Franc with fellow blogger and wine enthusiast, Lenn Thompson’s Francdevours project.  Again, good times and yearning for the chance to spend more time with Rich.

Then Rich got on the grid with Twitter.  It was great to follow him and have conversations with him via Twitter that covered all aspects of grapes to being a parent and raising kids and sports.  Finding out he and I are Jets fan’s was a highlight.  However, learning he is a Mets fan really put a bad taste in my mouth.   His articles and news snippets that he reads and would post on twitter to share with others where great.  I learned alot from reading them and yet again I yearned for more time with this man.

From Raphael Vineyards

During the month of April, Long Island Wine Country was Barrel Month and vineyards were inviting folks to taste wine from the barrel.  I did this for the blog, but when I found out Rich was doing it with a group at Raphael, I had to go; But go for myself.  Just to enjoy the experience and be me a wine enthusiast, not some wine blogger.  So Melissa — my wife, and I, went off to taste with a group of about 10.

Rich guided the group through the vineyard and into the barrel cellar.  Melissa and I went that day and for me it was a day I will always remember.  Rich was so engaging and excited to be sharing wine with us and everyone there, some of who have never tasted wine from a barrel before.  To see Rich, jump from barrel to barrel pulling sample after sample; it was like watching Rich trying to piece a puzzle together from across the room.  The folks that were there that day left happy and educated thanks to Rich.  He was offering Malbec samples, showing the difference between french and american oak barrels and offered us some funky Merlot that blew my socks off, and the smile on his face when I fell to my knees over that Merlot was priceless.  It was great to see what the 2009 vintage has in store for Raphael.  But it was rewarding to see a few Franc converts that day.

After the tasting, Rich chatted with Melissa and myself about our soon to be baby.  It is a few minuets that made me feel like I was talking to an old friend or close family member.  The advice he offered and support was very helpful.  Little did I know that would be the last time we would be in the cellar at Raphael with Rich.

From Bedell Cellars

You see, I have always thought of Raphael as Rich’s place.  A master with Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc and Rose.  Now Rich has a new place; Bedell Cellars.  Can he Master the Musse? — Bedell’s signature wine.  Rich has scored 90 in Wine Spectator with some of Raphael’s wine and Musse has scored a 90 as well, can they be eclipsed.  I cannot wait to see what Rich will do with Bedell.  Rich’s fingerpints are all over Raphael and those fingerprints are going to be hard to remove.  14 years in one cellar is a long time and alot has been accomplished there.  But more awaits.

I also cannot wait to see what Raphael will do as well.  They are aggressively moving the wine on tap system and they have released some new blends, like La Tavola.  Rich has laid some great foundation at Raphael, as he has done across this island.  The Naturale line offers a glimpse into the future of Long Island Wine.  Will they continue without Rich; I hope so.

Rich has agreed to help in the transition and his leaving Raphael is amicable.  He has said that there are things to be finished in the cellar there.  Rich has some great wines in the barrel at Raphael and from the tasting, his last will be memorable.

My very first thought at the golf outing was not about Rich, or Raphael or about Bedell.  But about Merliance.  The cooperative effort by members to produce the best Merlot this region can.  Raphael is a member, Rich is a founding member and Bedell currently is not a member.  I tweeted with Rich while up in TasteCamp about Merliance, I hope Merliance only gets better.

I also thought of Kelly Urbanik, former winemaker at Bedell.  While I never met her, I know that she left California to come here and be one of a few female winemakers here on Long Island.  While at Bedell, she did make some very nice wines, but her contract was up and it was not renewed.  Kelly has the experience and the knowledge to land on her feet and she will.  I wish Kelly Godspeed in her next adventure.

Finally I thought of the opening at Raphael Vineyards.  It may be hard to fill the shoes that Rich left, but I am sure Raphael will find that person.  Does Raphael go local or look to europe.  Do they go young or look for an experienced winemaker.  The opening at Raphael is kind of like when Joe Torre left the Yankees.  The majority thought it would Don Mattingly taking over the Yankees.  In the end, Joe Girardi would be the manager — that worked out well for the Yankees.  This will work out for Raphael just the same.  I do wish I was a winemaker because I would have sent in my application.

So, a new chapter is about to be written by two esteemed vineyards.  Raphael, where Rich was at from the start, starts a new.  And Bedell, one of the oldest, gets and original, and one of the best, if not THE best Long Island has.   Rich brings 30 plus years of experience to Bedell and he might know Long Island vines better than anyone else.  After all, Rich did write the three American Viticultural Areas or AVA’s for Long Island.

Change is good.  While I always preach that, I was taken aback by the news and still trying to digest it.  I wish nothing but the best for Rich and Bedell and I wish nothing but the best for Raphael.  Congratulations to Rich on a job well done at Raphael and to the new adventure you will bring us on at Bedell.

Bedell and Raphael will never be the same — and believe it or not,  that is a good thing.

Posted in Bedell, Long Island, News, Raphael, Wine | Leave a comment

Macari Vineyards 2007 Dos Aguas

Posted on June 7, 2010 by Michael Gorton, Jr.

It’s good to do inventory in your wine cellar.  You may find something you forgot about or you may find something that you did not know you had.  Well, this is a little of both.

I received this bottle as a member of the New York Cork Club.  You have heard me talk about it before, so there is no need to explain it – visit the website if you want more information, but again, if you love New York wine or want to explore New York wine on a monthly basis, this it the club for you.

Macari Vineyards 2007 Dos Aguas ($27) is a blend of 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Malbec.  The name, Dos Aguas represents the two major bodies of water that surround the North Fork of Long Island.  These two bodies of water contribute to our maritime climate and are factors as to why Long Island is such a prime location to grow grapes.  In the vineyard, the hot days are cooled off by the breeze that come from both major bodies of water.

So when I found this bottle, I needed to open it, it had been down there for a while.  My wife and I have visited Macari Vineyards in the past.  Early in our Long Island exploration days, we were fan’s of the Collina 48 line and I have become a fan of their Sette wine as well.  We did have a few bad experiences in the past there, but this bottle, will bring us back to the tasting room sooner than later.

On the nose I was getting a lot of concentrated fruit.  Loads of cooked blackberry, raspberry and blueberry.  There was some dried mint along with an earthy, smoky note that I really like.  There was also a bit of plum hidden there too.

When I tasted this wine, I was picking up some dark fruit, plum and blackberry along with some nice soft tannins with a tobacco leaf and spice finish.

I know that Macari Vineyards produces some very good wines and this is one of them.  Juicy and flavorful – a real joy for your mouth.  I had this bottle with some grilled flank steak.

After enjoying some of their blends, I really want to get into some of their single varietals…Soon!

Sláinte!

Posted in 2007, Blended Wine, Macari Vineyards, Red Wine | Leave a comment

Tasting Wine With: Robin Epperson, Assistant Winemaker, Martha Clara Vineyards

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

Note: This is something new I am going to try here on Undertaking Wine; bringing you the people behind the wine.  We all know what is in the wine and we all know what the wine is like, but how many of you know the people behind the wine.  Well with this new feature, I hope to bring you closer to the people behind the bottle of wine you and I enjoy.

I first met Robin Epperson, about a year ago.  She was working at Shinn Estate Vineyards.  I was getting some wine for Melissa’s birthday party and I wanted to have a full lineup from the place we got married.  I remember walking in and there was no customers in Shinn’s tasting room.  I told Robin what I was doing and we decided to taste some wine together.  Mind you, this was before I had any indication that I was going to be writing a blog or talking about my wine hobby to more than just my family. 

Robin’s palate was impeccable.  Robin explained bottle shocked to me and what it does to a wine.  We talked about bottle shock because just 3-4 month before, I tasted the same wine from the tank and it now tasted different.  Robin’s description of Shinn Estate Vineyards Rose, that was released at the time, was spot on; White Peach and blueberry with strawberry.  She made me buy a half case with that description.  We chatted for a while about my wedding and she said, in so many words, ‘oh, you are the hurricane couple’.  Off I went with a case of wine and a little note from Barbara and David (that she wrote), wishing Melissa a happy birthday.   We became “friends” on FaceBook but I never saw her again.

Fast forward 9 months and I happen to read on the New York Cork Report.

Local Robin Epperson Hired as New Assistant Winemaker at Martha Clara
Martha Clara Vineyards has a new assistant winemaker — Robin Epperson.

So that’s where she is…but where did she go and where has she been.  Here is the Robin Epperson everyone doesent’ know; She is a wine geek and drives a forklift and she is proud of it.

Robin was born in Florida, but would venture up here for summers.  One summer, while still a baby, her family stayed.  She graduated from Mattituck High School in 1999 and went to college at the University of Mary Washington, in Fredericksburg, VA.  She graduated from there with a bachelors of science in biology with a minor in chemistry.

When Robin graduated, she returned to Long Island and got right into the wine scene.  She was walked into Ppremium Wine Group and was hired by Premium Wine Group in Mattituck as their Lab Director.  Premium Wine Group is a custom crush facility.  They help out the vineyards that don’t have the ability or space to house wine pressing and tank storage.  While at Premium, she had the opportunity to meet alot of the Long Island wine insiders and also had the opportunity to travel the world and explore wine around the globe.  Russ Hearn, one of the partners in Premium Wine Group, encouraged Robin to travel during the off season at Premium, which she did.  She has made vintages around the world.

Robin traveled the world to make wine and to taste wine.  Robin has been to Australia as a cellar hand and lab technician at Curly Flat Winery and Bay of Fires Winery/Hardy Wine Company and most recently at Kilchurn Wines in Victoria, Australia.  Her travels also brought her to Framingham Winery in New Zealand where she was a lab assistant.  She also spent time in Paso Robles as much as a few months ago, learing the trade and the process of bio-dynamic farming and wine making.  

She loves Tetris, but not the classic arcade Tetris, it’s something she calls Forklift Tetris. While at Bay of Fires Winery, she secured a Fork Truck Operators License.  So when you see a forklift driving around Martha Clara, it’s Robin.

And now she is back home on Long Island working with Juan, who she met 7 years ago when she was at Premium Wine Group and Juan was at Pellegrini Vineyards.  Juan would bring over samples and Robin would process them.  Flash forward 7 years and Juan is her boss. As Robin says, “Between Juan’s experience here on Long Island and my experience everywhere else we make a solid team and have lots of wine geek conversations.”  I was apart of such wine geek conversations over the weekend and enjoyed them.  They may have gone over my head a little, but the more I hangout with geeks like Juan and Robin, I am bound to learn a thing or two.

I asked Robin for a little background and I really like this item she sent me via e-mail: 

 “I spent the last 7 years traveling, mostly to make and taste wine. I don’t plan on writing any books on how I found love or the meaning of life while in the great big wine world. I actually had to leave love behind to explore the wine world. Thankfully, I found a guy who could tolerate (or perhaps enjoyed) my long absences, long being 2-4 months a clip. Most of the time it was lonely, I made a lot of random friends at tasting rooms, random bars, on top of volcanoes.”

Well, there are no volcanoes here and the man who waited for her is a lucky guy, they are getting married this summer.  Long Island is also lucky to have  one of their own back.  Robin is someone to watch and I cannot wait to taste some of her wines she makes under Juan’s guidance at Martha Clara.  Long Island Wine Country just got a bit better, in my opinion.  Say hello to Robin the next time you are at Martha Clara.

If you want to get to know Robin better and find out her latest escapades in the cellar, or the next time she is playing Forklift Tetris, she is on twitter.  You can follow her, and I strongly urge you do, at http://twitter.com/robinepp . There will be a few more items from Robin, including a little Q & A with her in the next few days.

Posted in Long Island, Martha Clara, Tasting Wine With, Winemaker | 1 Comment

Roanoke Vineyards 2009 De Rosa Rosé

Posted on May 26, 2010 by Michael Gorton, Jr.

This is the sixth edition of Roanoke Vineyards De Rosa Rosé.  And according the vineyard, this is the best to date.  While I did find this more enjoyable than the 2008, I honestly can’t say if that statement is true.  I have only be visiting Roanoke Vineyards for the better part of a year.  But this is one of my favorite rosé’s of the year.

Roanoke Vineyards 2009 DeRosa Rosé ($16) is a blend of 51% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 17% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Chardonnay.  It is stainless steel fermented and it did not go through no malolactic fermentation.  There is a little of Gabby’s Cabernet Franc in there.

Up front, on the nose, I was getting some classic Rosé notes, strawberry, raspberry and some citrus.  There was also a hint of melon, maybe a little honeydew or watermelon.  I was also picking up a bit of a lees note — a little grape skin – but it was deep in the glass.  Maybe that was thanks to Gabby’s grapes

There was great acidity and it had a dry finish.  The mouth feel was a medium body. And I was getting a little bit of a fizzyness on the palate, it could be because it was just recently bottled.  There was a nice strawberry and mineral finish.

I really liked this wine.  I had this at the end of a day of tasting and farm stand shopping on the east end.  I stopped in to say hello to Adam and for a glass of rosé before I went home.  While at the tasting room, I chatted with some ladies from Connecticut.  We talked about baseball and the Long Island growing season.  We talked about how Long Island is the best place for grapes and how vineyards make some excellent wines.  Each of them wound up having a second tasting and going home with some Pearle Chardonnay and Roanoke Cabernet Franc among other wines.  I think it was Adam’s deft ability to handle the tasting room as opposed to my talking baseball.

Posted in 2009, Roanoke Vineyards, Rose | 1 Comment

Pindar Vineyards 2008 Riesling

Posted on May 23, 2010 by Michael Gorton, Jr.

Hey Long Island remember me! 🙂 

Sorry to have been off the Island recently with posts about the Finger Lakes and my adventures at TasteCamp.  Just doing my job as a wine enthusiast!

Upon my return, I found this bottle in my cellar while trying to fit wine onto my wine rack.  Pindar and Les had given me this bottle as a sample before it was released.  So, as if I did not have enough Riesling up in the Finger Lakes, I decided to open this current release from Pindar Vineyards

Pindar Vineyards 2008 Riesling ($17) is extremely aromatic in the glass.  Notes of peach and apricot fill the glass with some floral notes too.  There is a bit of candied pineapple and honey between the layers.  With the subtle note of orange and a bit of baking spice.

The taste brough more candied and dried fruit like mango, apricot and peach with a subtle note of fresh pear and apple.  There was a decent showing of rocky minerality. 

This is a semi-dry wine that leaves a viscus honey like coating on the palate at the end.  There is a good amount of acidity to the wine.  The finish is long and enjoyable.  It was drinking like a late harvest wine. 

While it may have had a bit too much residual sugar in the wine for my liking, it did have a good acid backbone.  I enjoyed this with some grilled chicken sausage and pasta.  But I also had this alone and I could see this after a meal.  Nevertheless is was good to be back home.

Posted in Long Island, Pindar, Riesling | 1 Comment

Wine Blogging Wednesday #69: “Animal Cruelty” the Monastrell Grape

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

Please note, no animal was injured in this post 🙂

Wine Blogging Wednesday brings us a topic by Richard Auffrey of The Passionate Foodie.  The topic this month is what he calls “Animal Cruelty”.  The grape that coincides with animal cruelty is the Mourvedre grape or the Monastrell Grape.  It is also known as Estrangle-Chen translated, the “dog strangler.

I recently had the privilege to spend time with Richard and his wife Juanita at TasteCamp.  You can read about escapades with in this blog.

I have never had this wine or this grape.  I always go local for Wine Blogging Wednesday, but this one does not allow me to.  The Monastrell grape originates from Spain, but it has been found to grow around the world.  Here in the United States you can find it in Paso Robles area of California.

From my research about this grape and wine, it is a big wine with big tannins.  But it also is known to be very fruit forward and very aromatic.  I was very excited to try this because it forced me off Long Island and made me search for something and explore the wines from some place other than Long Island.

So here we go.  I went to my local shop, The Old Wine Cellar, where I have gotten to know the people there.  They know I like Cabernet Franc so when I walked in, he said to me, “I got a new Cab Franc for you”.  But I told him I was looking for the Monastrell Grape.  He had two, one he had at his wedding and another that he recommended.  They are both from the Jumilla region in Spain.  One is fermented in stainless steel from young vines the other is from old vines aged in oak.  Both are from the same vintage.

The first one is from Wrongo Dongo in Jumilla Spain.  It is the 2007 Wrongo Dongo.  It says nothing on the bottle that it is the Monastrell grape, which was a disappointment.  I had to rely on the wine shop for the information.

Here are my notes:  Red ruby in color in the glass.  Immediate nose of spice and dark berry fruit.  Some smoky notes and some grilled plum.  There was a blackberry, raspberry and blueberry aroma that blended with a black pepper spice note.  The taste was bigger ripe fruit with an almost jammy tinge.  I was picking up some leather and spice.  The tannins were big and chewy, but I was getting a good amount of acid on the tongue.  The tannins did not last long and thanks to the acidity, I was craving another sip.  As time went on, I was picking up some earthy notes with a hint of peppered meat, like a peppered sausage.  On the finish, I was getting a dried oregano note. 

This Wrongo Dongo is meant to drink young.  The tannins seemed to disappear by the end of the night, and it had a synthetic cork.  So if you have it, drink it.  I had mine with a grandma pie from the local pizzeria and a splash of Tabasco.  I had a very happy evening.

The next day I tried Juan Gil Vineyards, also in  Jumilla, Spain, also from 2007.  It is 100% Monastrell.  Here is the information from their website about this wine:

We selected the Monastrell grapes for this wine from 40-year old parcels in our estate vineyards. Here shallow, chalky soils on a bed of limestone and rock, combined with an arid climate, produce the low yields (1,8 ton per acre) required for wine of this complexity. After harvesting, the deep purple grapes are whole-cluster macerated “sur lie” for 25 days, and then pressed and aged for 12 months in French oak barrels.

Just reading the label made me want to pop the cork on this one.  I made a grilled rib eye steak with mushrooms and Asparagus Risotto.  And I was not disappointed.

On the nose I was picking up some Blueberry and Blackberry notes that  were wrapped about a black pepper spice.  There was some leather and earthiness.  There was some grippy chalky tannins that lifted off and presented  some wonderful exotic spice and coca powder.  The fruit seemed more concentrated as the night went on.  Great acidity and went very well with my dinner.

I happen to like the Juan Gil Monastrell over the Wrongo Dongo.    The Juan Gil was a beautiful wine that packed a huge punch.  I did not feel strangled by it in any way.  It was priced at the wine shop for $11.95 and it was a great deal for a big wine.  The Wrongo Dongo was not bad either, it was listed at $9.95.  Honestly, both were great wine.

The best way for me to describe these wines to you is simply this.  Cabernet Sauvignon meets Pinot Noir.  That is the first thought that came into my head while tasting both wines. 

This Wine Blogging Wednesday has introduced me to a grape that I am very excited about.  The next time I see it and we are out with friends and having steak, this is the wine I will look for.  It will impress you as much as it impressed me.

I want to thank Richard for hosting this month’s edition of Wine Blogging Wednesday and I want to thank Lenn Thompson of the New York Cork Report who started this little thing 69 months ago.

Oh and by the way, Neville did grimace and drop his ears and walk away with his tail between his legs when I popped the cork on these two bottles. 😉

Posted in Wine Blogging Wednesday | 4 Comments

TasteCamp East 2010: Grand Tasting Day One Part Three

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

Note: This is the last of my reviews for the opening day of TasteCamp and the tastings of Keuka Lake wineries.  The following two vineyards were the last two that I tasted.  Remember there were about 10 vineyards pouring for us that day and we only had about 2 hours to visit all of them.  Needless to say, I could not taste all of them.

Imagine Moore, located in the Naples Valley Region of the Finger Lakes Wine Country is a small winery that has something going on.  Tim Moore, who was there pouring that day, along with his wife Diane strive to make the vines talk.  They work with small family farms around the Finger Lakes and strive to produce fruit forward, vineyard driven wines.  They are a small producer – only about 2,500 cases.   Imagine Moore had some of the best looking bottles there.  Here is what stood out to me:

2009 Sauvignon Blanc (unreleased) Tim brought this to the event with out a label on the bottle.  It was a tank sample of their soon to be released wine.  I am glad he brought this for us to try.  It was the only Sauvignon Blanc I tasted that day and it was very refreshing and thirst quenching.  Bright, clean tropical notes dominated the glass.  It was an eye-opening nose; it truly awakened my senses.  On the palate I was picking up more of the tropical notes along with some melon and apple.  It was a bright and clean taste with great acidity and vibrant flavors.  I really wanted a second pour of this and I should have had this with my lunch.

The next wine from Imaging Moore was their 2008 Pinot Gris Peace.  When I saw the bottle and the word Pinot Gris, I thought to my self, no one else brought a Pinot Gris, lets see what this is like.  What I tasted was no where near what I thought it would be.  I was expecting a clean crisp traditional Pinto Gris.  But what I got was a soft lush wine that really grabbed my attention.  It was made with extended surlie contact and it is 100% Pinto Grigio.  I was getting Melon and pear with some toasty almond and some pineapple.  It was creamy and viscous.  It had a little oaked chardonnay element at first, that creamy buttery feel, but then it came on as an “orange wine”, thanks to extended skin contact.  Yes this was a geeky wine.  A real winner in my book and definitely one of the wines of the weekend for me.

The next time I visit the Finger Lakes, I will make it a point to visit Imagine Moore.  You should to.

My day at the grand tasting ended with the host winery, Heron Hill Vineyards pouring some of there current releases and a little something from their library.  First off, I have to say that Heron Hill Winery has a breathtaking view of Keuka Lake.  What a great place to kick off TasteCamp.  Heron Hill has been around for about 30 years and it’s owner John Ingle is a very engaging man.  His Blue Heron Cafe, which is part of the winery in Hammondsport, provided us the lunch to go along with our grand tasting.  On thing to point out, Heron Hill Winery is in the process of going green and trying the sustainable farming practices.  Something that was nice to see.

Here are some of the nice wines that I tasted from Heron Hill: Ingle Vineyards 2002 Riesling.  It is a library wine that was re-released.  It is labeled Johannesburg Riesling.  On the nose I was getting some white flower with some orange zest.  There was a nice aroma of petrol, something you find in a well made and aged Riesling.  There was crisp clean acidity that was bright after all these years.  The finish showed a bit of lemon zest.  This wine was a highlight of the day, not only by me but in conversations with other bloggers.

Two other wines they showcased was the 2006 Ingle Vineyards Pinot Noir and the 2007 Pinot Noir Reserve. Both Pinot Noir were excellent in my opinion and both very different, and both winners.  The 2007 Pinot was showing big cherry flavors with a subtle earthy note.  More juicy cherry and a touch of chocolate finished the palate with a bit of a dried herbal note at the end.  The 2006 Pinot may have been my favorite.  More earthy and dark cherry flavors with a subtle element of barnyard funk.  Great acidity and light body.  You could not go wrong with either of them.  Both of these kicked off my intrigue and admiration for Finger Lakes Pinot.

 I ended the tasting with perhaps may be the best late harvest desert wine I have had in a very long time.  The 2006 Late Harvest Ingle Vineyard Riesling Reserve.  Candied fruit dominated the nose.  Elements of sugared apricot and peach with some dried pineapple and mango.  The taste brought a wonderful citrus note up front followed by the dried fruit element I was getting on the nose.  Zinging acidity and well-balanced.  This wine was rocking.  A perfect way to end the first round of day one.

Special thanks to Heron Hill Winery, John and his staff.  Also to Morgan and the Finger Lakes Wine Country.  Both were able to assist in the lunch for us TasteCampers.  And a big Thanks to the Vineyards who came and poured for us on day one.  And TasteCamp would not have happened with out the work of Lenn and Evan.  Thank You!

Posted in Finger Lake Region, TasteCamp | 4 Comments