New York Cork Report

Pinot Noir in New York: It Takes Location, Expression and Passion

3 Pinot Noirs and 1 Merlot: The New York Cork Report 2009 Red Wines of the Year

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief
Photos by Morgan Dawson Photography

Is pinot noir the next great red for upstate New York?

Given how difficult pinot noir is to work with in the vineyard -- especially in cool-climate regions like New York -- as well as in the cellar, it may seem a silly, easy-to-answer question. But the New York Cork Report Wines of the Year tasting back in January resulted in pinot noir winning three out of four regional flights.

Merlot taking the Long Island flight wasn't a surprise, but I think we were all surprised that pinot noir won the other three. Where was cabernet franc, a grape that shows well consistently across all regions?

The fact that these pinot noirs won in head-to-head flights against grapes like cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon and red blends speaks even more highly to their quality. These heavier "bigger" wines tend to stand out in tastings such as these.

That didn't and doesn't matter though. Pinot noir won the day. Not only can pinot noir be done in New York state, it can be done very very well. But it's not easy.

But just what does it take to make top-flight pinot in New York? As I spoke and emailed with winemakers and winery owners, three key themes themes emerged.

Location Leads

Almost every person I spoke to highlighted vineyard location as one of the most important factors in pinot success. You can't just plant pinot anywhere and expect great things. It's too tender and too fickle.

But, it's not just about location. What you do in the best locations matters just as much.

Morten Hallgren, winemaker and co-owner of Ravines Wine Cellars puts it this way "The challenges with pinot noir in the Finger Lakes or elsewhere can be found almost entirely in the vineyard. (You need) suitable, well-drained sites, good clones and rootstock, severe pruning — closer to one cluster per shoot than two — an impeccable spray program to get sufficient hang time and to bring in pinot noir free of Botrytis, hand picking only, careful fruit handling — no crushing or must pumps — extract early but don't over-extract, separate seeds from skins at press time, and restrained use of good French oak."

He makes it sound easy, doesn't he? Okay, maybe not. But we already knew that going in.

On Long Island, veteran winemaker Rich Olsen-Harbich of Raphael thinks that Long Island's late summer and early fall temperatures might be too warm for pinot noir, which does better when it ripens very slowly, a sentiment echoed by Hallgren, "It really does not handle heat and drought stress very well. "

Olsen-Harbich adds however, "That being said, I do believe that there are good sites on Long Island for pinot noir. I think the potential is huge but it needs to be planted on the absolute best sites."

And much like Hallgren, Olsen-Harbich is quick to point out that success with the grape takes more than just a good site. "It takes a tremendous amount of dedication to the variety and its needs. If you want it to perform like other varieties you'll be disappointed. I'm not going to say you need high-density plantings as I'm not convinced that this is as important a factor as many people make it out to be. What is important is that the proper trellising system be designed for the specific area the vines are growing in. That will take time to figure out. But extreme crop control, good exposure and vine balance, intense selection at harvest and careful cellar handling are very important in my view."

Long Island winemakers are still trying to figure out exactly how to succeed with pinot. Osprey's Dominion Vineyards' winemaker Adam Suprenant — who makes one of my favorite local pinots, by the way — says that "Pinot noir is the holy grail of Long Island red winemaking. So many, including myself, over the past dozen years, have gone on the quest but have ended up failing to make decent red wine out of pinot noir." He also points to reduced crop loads, noting "1.5 - 1.75 tons per acre" as the sweet spot.

Jamesport Vineyards planted its pinot noir vineyard on the North Fork in 1984, so it has some of the most mature pinot noir vines in the state. But owner Ron Goerler doesn't focus on tonnage as much as some others I spoke with, instead pointing to shoot positioning, the timing of leaf removal "and having people in the winery who want to make really good pinot noir." With regard to tonnage, he told me "We believe that it takes the same amount of energy for one ton as it does for three tons."

Let the Grapes Express Themselves

Most any emerging wine region — New York and its sub-regions included — struggles at some point to make its own wines rather than ones that are "like" another region's. On Long Island, you used to hear marketers scream "We're like Bordeaux" even though it was never true and never will be. Similarly, some Finger Lakes producers compare their Rieslings to the Mosel or Alsace — classic Riesling regions to be sure, but nothing like the wines from along the lakes.

The most successful New York pinot doesn’t try to be carbon copies of the world's two dominant pinot styles: Burgundy and California.

Hallgren doesn't try to emulate either, though he thinks the best Finger Lakes pinots share characteristics with Burgundy. He approaches his wines "With a respect of the (variety's) character. This means not being obsessed with color, alcohol level or blindly imitating styles or practices found in very different regions."

But what happens when people come into the Ravines tasting room expecting plush, California-style pinot?

"When I hear the question 'Should you really grow pinot noir in the Finger Lakes?' my answer is 'Should you really grow it anywhere else in North America?' As long as classic Burgundy pinot noir remains the reference wine, there is absolutely no doubt that the Finger Lakes is the best home for pinot noir. If you want to produce alcoholic, jammy wine that resembles syrah or cabernet, then the answer would be different."

A regional style — on the New York state or AVA level — has yet to emerge. And, in the Finger Lakes at least, the pinot noir clones planted are partly to blame for inconsistent quality and they lack of a signature style.

"The difference in clonal selection is probably one of the more dramatic differences on color and density (amongst Finger Lakes pinot)," according to Tom Higgins, co-owner and winemaker at Heart & Hands Wine Company, a pinot-focused winery on Cayuga Lake. "Back in the 1980s and early 1990s growers in the Finger Lakes really didn’t care much about the clones — they just wanted to make pinot noir as part of their winery portfolio. Fortunately, in the late 1990s and into the new decade, Finger Lakes growers began planting/re-planting some of their Pinot blocks with the Dijon clones for that desired weight in the glass."

Pinot Takes Passion

Most of the pinot lovers I know are absolutely fanatical about it, but Higgins thinks that for many, it goes well beyond that. "To pursue pinot, you have to be nuts."

I'd of course hesitate to call Higgins or anyone else making pinot nuts, but in a region famous for its aromatic whites, Heart & Hands is clearly clearing its own path, or as Higgins himself puts it "I don't think anyone else has stuck themselves out so much in this way in the Finger Lakes, going against the wine-for-all model."

Clearly, Higgins is just the type of person who should be making pinot noir in the Finger Lakes. I think Hallgren would agree. He told me that "Wineries in the Finger Lakes should not consider making pinot noir unless they are willing to show a full commitment from vineyard to the winemaking to even selling it as a cool-climate style of red wine, which is not so easy these days."

Location. Expression. Passion. Those are the three keys to making good — or even great — pinot noir in New York State. And while what each means may vary from person to person, there's no arguing that New York wineries are making increasingly good pinot noir as they identify the best sites and fine tune practices both in the vineyard and in the winery.

It's a good time to be a pinot noir lover in New York.

Lieb Family Cellars 2007 Bridge Lane Cabernet Franc

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief

Many wineries have second labels -- wines that tend to be branded differently, employ less oak in their making and cost less -- but with its "Bridge Lane" line Lieb Family Cellars has done it better than most.

The wines -- a chardonnay, merlot, cabernet franc and sparkling wine -- are consistently good and offer great value in a local market filled with over-priced wines.

Cabernet franc is one of the newer additions to the line with this Lieb Family Cellars 2007 Bridge Lane Cabernet Franc ($18) representing only the second release. The first was a NV blend that I reviewed a few years ago and drank quite a bit of.

This 2007 shows blackberry and cherry aromas with some toasty oak, vanilla and sweet herbs. On day two a subtle mushroomy note emerged, which was nice.

Medium bodied with medium-light tannins and food-friendly acidity that suupports blackberry and red cherry flavors with a bit of dried oregano and asparagus (in a good way). There's too much oak peeking through on the medium-length finish, which was disappointing.

You can do much worse in the under-$20 category on Long Island, but I think I prefer the previous NV release.

Producer: Lieb Family Cellars
AVA: North Fork of Long Island
ABV: 13%
Productoin: 300 cases
Price: $18
Rating:  (2.5 out of 5 | Average-to-Very Good)

(Ratings Guide)

News and Notes (March 8, 2010)

A couple bits of news from the world of New York wine this week:

Hudson Valley

New Wine Trail Spans NY and MA
In establishing The Hudson-Berkshire Beverage Trail Carlo DeVito, owner of Hudson-Chatham Winery, has created a unique trail that brings together wine, cider, beer and spirits -- as well as two states.

Tucked between the Hudson River and the Berkshires, the Trail extends from southeast of Albany down to Germantown, New York, and out to Richmond, Massachusetts in the Berkshires.

The trail's founding members are Brookview Station Winery(NY), Chatham Brewing (NY), Furnace Brook Winery (MA), Harvest Spirits (NY), Tousey Winery (NY) and Les Trois Emme Winery (MA).  

The trail will kick off on April 10 with a special event "Pasta & Sauce." For more information, visit the group's events page.

Finger Lakes

Rochester's Wine Sense to Change Hands
Some in the Finger Lakes wine industry have been fretting over news that a popular Rochester wine shop is closing. It's a wine shop that supports New York wines, and the rumors are not exactly true -- but Wine Sense on Park Avenue is changing hands.

Owner Kristin Vanden Brul, who has been featured on the New York Cork Report for her open mind to wines from across the state, is selling the business. When reached this afternoon, employees explained that a young couple will be taking over.

We'll soon find out if they show the same interest in New York wines.

Heron Hill Winery 2007 Old Vines Riesling

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief

Vintage variation is a fact of life in any cool-climate region, including the Finger Lakes. And now that I've tasted several vintages of Finger Lakes riesling, it never ceases to fascinate me how apparent those variations are in these wines.

Riesling is a direct window into the vintage.

I tasted this Heron Hill Winery 2007 Old Vines Riesling ($25) not long after tasting a set of 2008s from the region and the differences were almost jarring.

This wine's nose still had significant citrus character, but it was overlaid with ripe, almost overripe, peach aromas with lemon balm and subtle petrol notes.

Broad and dry but lacking a bit of focus, the palate filled the mouth with peach jam flavors with lemongrass and citrus zest on the mid-palate and a distinct slate note on the finish.

I wouldn't call this wine out of balance, but a bit more acidity certainly would have brought focus and enlivened it a bit.

Producer: Heron Hill Winery
AVA: Finger Lakes
ABV: 13%
RS: .8%
TA: 6.3 g/l
Brix: 22.2
Price: $25*
Rating:  (2.5 out of 5 | Average-to-Very Good)

(*Ratings Guide)

What We Drank (March 8, 2010)

Just like every other week, there's a great deal of diversity in what our editors and contributors are drinking. We're geeks. That's what we do.

Evan Dawson: Paolo Bea 2007 Santa Chiara, Montefalco (Umbria, Italy)

Equal parts Grachetto, Garganega, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Malvasia

If you truly value character and you like a wine that's unique, here you go.

It smells like a Lopez de Heredia, but with a science experiment edge added in. You've got the baked peach, caramel, almond paste... and then a fascinating layer of sun-dried tomato bread.

It's like the professor stepped out of the lab and the students tossed everything into the beaker, with psychedelic-ly wonderful results.

It pours a copper color and brings a motor oil viscosity. The flavors rush forth in unpredictable fashion. Assigning points would be absurd wrapped in ridiculous. But it's wonderful and stimulating, and I'll be buying more.

Lenn Thompson: Gérard Mugneret 2007 Bourgogne Passetoutgrains (Burgundy, France)

With busy schedules -- as well as 3 kids and 50 miles between us -- my buddy Dan (a frequent commenter here on the site) don't get to taste (okay, drink) together as much as we might like. So, we have turned to exchanging bottles from our cellars to enjoy on our own.

I'm not sure if he even realized how much of a gamay geek I am when he gave me this bottle, but I really enjoyed it.

I actually didn't know there was gamay in it going in. My limited Burgundy experience tells me that red equal pinot noir. But, from the first sniff and sip, I knew there was gamay in there. So I emailed Dan asking. Turns out it's two-thirds gamay and one-third pinot noir.

It's three-thirds delicious.

Crunch red cherry and cranberry character layered with dried fall leaves, subtly funky earthiness and a minearlly, pencil-lead vein all this right in my my wheelhouse. Great acidity and balance too.

Turns out that very little of this style gets imported to the U.S. but I will be seeking some out.

Andy Freedman: Southampton Publick House Bier de Mars (New York)

I made it over to the Pony Bar last Tuesday for Southampton Publick House’s launch party for the release of their Spring seasonal draft, Biere de Mars. 

Southampton’s Brewmaster Phil Markowski was at the event and spoke about his interpretation of this little-known specialty beer from northern France. He said his version is different from others in that it’s a bit cleaner and crisper, has a small amount of spice to it and is stronger than average (to the tune of 6.5% ABV). It’s made with large amounts of French wheat as well as Baltic barley. It’s also cool-fermented and aged, which Markowski says helps give it a lager-like quality. 

My draft Biere de Mars at the event poured a clear orange with a small white head. I got aromas of spices and floral hops and flavors of pear and honeysuckle. It’s quite light in the palate, very drinkable and not too sweet. Would never have guessed it’s 6.5% ABV. 

In addition to draft, Biere de Mars is available in six-packs and in a special variety 12-pack (three Double White, three Altbier, three Indian Pale Ale and three Biere de Mars). Quite a significant production increase considering previous batches of this brew have been limited to 250 750ml bottles or less. 

Also, be on the lookout for more NYC bars serving Southampton’s beers on tap in the next few months. Markowski said a big distribution push into NYC bars is in the works.

Bryan Calandrelli: Chateau Monbrison Marguax 2005 (Bordeaux, France)
 
I don’t often have a chance to taste good Bordeaux wines for several reasons. For one I usually stay away from anything over $25 for myself, unless I’m in a tasting room. Secondly, I’m not schooled in French wines in any way so I generally have to purchase based on recommendations or shelf talkers. Finally, I tend to buy local or look for lesser-known regions that may be doing exciting things at a fraction of the cost of Bordeaux.
 
That being said, in a blind tasting last week, I choose this Chateau Monbrison Marguax 2005 as my favorite among several Bordeaux-style blends from across the globe. This wine stood out among the Saint Emilion, Washington State, California and even the two buck Chuck in this blind tasting.
 
Ripe red fruit with gentle yet undeniable tannins, this wine was as smooth as it gets while still being dry and rustic. Clean from start to finish, this wine just tasted like it came from a serious producer and Old World region.

The $50 price tag does keep it out of my reach though but I’m glad I got to at least taste it once, especially in the context of the other wines present.

Julia Burke: Peter Falke Wines 2008 Blanc de Noir (South Africa)

This WWD comes to you live from Stellenbosch: thanks to the time difference, I can get home from a 14-hour day of crushing merlot, take a shower, whip up some guacamole made with local avocados, and open a bottle with my friends for this post, which I'm writing as I drink.

Due to the 47-degree day we enjoyed (for you English System folks, that's 116.5 degrees Fahrenheit) I selected a cold bottle of one of my favorite roses of late: a 100% cab sauv Blanc de Noir from Peter Falke, just down the street. (For an expanded account of the very trippy tasting experience that is Peter Falke, see my latest post on stellenbauchery.typepad.com)

With rich notes of honey-molasses and toast to complement spicy lychee and raspberry, it's delicious and refreshing with my lime corn chips and salsa, and a great wine for a super-hot evening when a red would be overkill.

Without the acidity overload that often bogs down Stellenbosch whites (thanks to the bags of tartaric acid that may or may not line the walls of that "PRIVATE" room) this is a well balanced wine suited to an Indian summer evening snack-fest.

Now if you'll excuse me, my roommates and I have a bottle to finish.

Tom Mansell: Genesee Bock (New York)

When someone told me that Genny Bock was being released in a classic, retro can, my question was "Does it have a goat on it?"

The answer, of course, is yes.  What's a bock without a goat on the label?

Anyway, the retro can is pretty cool and sure to impress your hipster friends.

This spring seasonal beer is sweet, malty and a little spicy, but doesn't have too much else going for it. It goes down very light with a short finish, but who cares? At least it brings a little personality to the $7-for-a-12-pack area of the cooler.

Missing the New York State of Mind in South Africa

By Julia Burke, Niagara Correspondent

I think I’m the only person I know who actually enjoys visiting wineries alone. To me, there’s nothing better than taking off in my car with no agenda, stopping wherever I want, chatting with the employees and making new friends. Sure, tasting with friends is fun. But aside from a few fellow wine geeks with whom I’ll drop everything for a wine tasting jaunt, I genuinely prefer going solo.

Part of it is the fact that I’ve been writing for a long time and I’m used to doing interviews and research solo. Furthermore, I genuinely enjoy going on adventures by myself. But I’ve also had some incredible experiences tasting alone: it’s often easier to get into a conversation with the winemaker, I can spend as much time as I want on each wine, and I’ve often been lucky enough to get goodies like barrel samples and personal tours.

I’ll never forget the time I showed up at Heart & Hands Wine Company on Cayuga Lake on a day when they weren’t even open: Tom Higgins dropped everything to give me a personalized tasting, some barrel samples, and over an hour of fascinating wine talk. Even if the wine hadn’t been delicious (it was) I would’ve left the winery with a good impression.

In fact, I’ve never once been made to feel awkward or out of place because I’m a single taster. I didn’t realize this might be a New York thing until I came to South Africa.

Since my roommates and I usually don’t have the same days off work, I typically find myself going wine tasting alone here in Stellenbosch. With an incredible wealth of fantastic wine farms within a few minutes of my house, I’m not about to skip a chance to go tasting just because I don’t have a buddy. But a visit to Guardian Peak Wines over the weekend confirmed my suspicion that people around here just don’t know what to make of a single woman out by herself for a day of wine tasting.

I walked into the not-so-crowded tasting room, approached the bar and asked for a tasting. “For how many?” smiled the perky server behind the counter. “Just one – I’ll just stand at the bar,” I said cheerfully. Her face fell. “Just you? Ok…you can go have a seat on that couch and someone will be with you shortly.”

It’s common in South African tasting rooms for guests to sit down at a table or outside while the server brings each wine over. This feels pretty awkward if you’re a single taster, so I always opt for the bar, but at the server’s insistence I grabbed a chair.

When after fifteen minutes I still didn’t even have a glass, I went back to the bar. “I’ll just stand here,” I said, “so it’s easier for you.” My server, a rather unfriendly young man who was constantly looking over my shoulder at his other customers, insisted I go and sit down – apparently the bar was not an option. When I finally did get my wines, he seemed to be rushing through each wine description, hurrying away before I could ask any questions. I noted with smug satisfaction that of the six wines I tasted two were flawed (possibly brett spoilage) and one was overly wooded, and I left.

Normally my tasting room experiences aren’t nearly that frustrating, but almost everywhere I’ve been the employees have seemed shocked, confused or even sympathetic about the fact that I’m tasting by myself. Once the novelty of my single status wears off I normally get good service, and I have a great time chatting with the other tasters. But the great conversations about wine that I’ve had with winemakers and owners in New York wineries just don’t happen in the South African tasting rooms I’ve visited – servers generally have a basic familiarity with each wine but neither the interest in nor the ability to discuss the why: why was the wine oaked for as long as it was? Why did this farm choose to plant the grapes it did? Losing this crucial aspect of tasting makes the solo endeavor less enriching.

Why the difference in attitudes? Most of the wine farms in Stellenbosch are larger and more established than many of my favorite New York wineries, so it’s perhaps unrealistic to expect the winemakers to be hanging out ready to answer questions. Service in general is minimalistic – many of the servers are young students who aren’t expected to be intimately familiar with each wine. Plus, for as long as I’ve been here I have never once seen another single taster in a tasting room, so I think it throws servers for a loop. Above is a photo of the one person I’ve seen in a Stellenbosch tasting room alone: the guitarist at Ernie Els.

There’s a cultural issue, too. South Africa has one of the world’s highest crime rates, so you simply don’t often see people, especially women, going out alone. Due to lingering patriarchal attitudes, women don’t do many things alone, period – I’ve been asked why I don’t have a boyfriend more times than I can count. “We’ll have to get you one now-now!” is the standard response, the word duplication indicating an unmistakable level of urgency. I’ve often been told that I shouldn’t be “wandering about” alone, and the idea that I’d actually choose to go off wine tasting by myself is just plain unsettling.

Whatever the reason for the difference in attitude, I’ve found that traveling often teaches you just as much about where you come from as where you’re visiting. Though I’m having a wonderful time drinking the amazing wines of Stellenbosch, I have come to appreciate the down-to-earth New York tasting room atmosphere and New York winery employees’ friendly, open-minded attitude toward single tasters. Just like guests with small children, disabled guests, and guests with dietary restrictions, single tasters need to be accommodated and treated with respect – after all, they might be wine bloggers!

Hunt Country Vineyards 2008 Dry Riesling

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief

Regardless of region, it's smart stick with the top echelon of wineries in lesser vintages. Top producers are going to make good wines regardless of vintage. At least most of the time.

But, in years like 2008 for Finger Lakes riesling, buying wine is far easier. Up and down the price ladder, there are solid (or better) wines from a far wider group of producers.

This Hunt Country Vineyards 2008 Dry Riesling ($14) is a good example of that bounty.

Green apple, lime and grapefruit pith are backed by a faint fennel seed note on the moderately aromatic nose.

Those green apples continue on the zesty, slightly tart palate with grapefruit and grapefruit pith in the background. Very dry, there is a little bit of the classic Finger Lakes slate character too.

Bright and flavorful up front, the flavors drop off just a bit too quickly, but it deftly avoids the "acid water" tendency of some dry rieslings.

Producer: Hunt Country Vineyards
AVA: Finger Lakes
ABV: 13%
RS: .7%
TA: 7.7 g/l
pH: 3.1
Production: 272 cases
Price: $14*
Rating:  (2.5 out of 5 | Average-to-Very Good)

(*Ratings Guide)

Three Sisters Project Prepares for April Launch

By Evan Dawson, Finger Lakes Editor

Full disclosure: Lenn and I were approached in the planning stages about how this project might work.We offered some basic feedback but removed ourselves from the process. 

An ambitious new collaboration will launch in April, and it unites New York State's three largest wine producing regions. The Three Sisters Project will link "sister wineries" from Long Island, the Hudson Valley, and the Finger Lakes.

Each sister winery will sell one another's wine in the tasting room and will seek to educate customers about the unique qualities of the individual regions.

“Interest in local foods and wine have never been hotter. We think this is a great opportunity," said Carlo DeVito, co-owner of Hudson-Chatham Winery in the Hudson Valley. "This has been a great way to work with our sister wineries, share information, try new styles, introduce new wines into our tasting rooms, and get the word out on New York state wine.” 

For the inaugural Three Sisters Project, there are two separate sets of sister wineries. Participating wineries include:

• Lieb Family Cellars and Macari Vineyards from Long Island
• Benmarl Winery and Hudson-Chatham Winery from the Hudson Valley
• Fox Run Vineyards and Anthony Road Wine Company from the Finger Lakes

The participating wineries are still finalizing the list of wines to be poured at each location. 

“The major thing with New York wines is building awareness,” said Matthew Spaccarelli, owner of Benmarl Winery. “The quality and consistency is already in place. This program is a great way to showcase what the wineries throughout New York are producing.” 

DeVito has said that if the project is successful, it's possible it will be repeated in the fall and in future years.

But what will it mean to be "successful"? If participating wineries can sell one another's wines with regularity while providing new information for consumers about other New York regions, that will qualify. 

The theme fits the larger ethos that has become so pervasive in New York winemaking, which is the value of collaboration. In April we'll find out what kind of impact it can have on consumers.

Book Update: The 90,000-Word Journey

 
Evan chatting with one of his book's subjects, Red Newt's Dave Whiting

By Evan Dawson, Finger Lakes Editor
Photos by Morgan Dawson Photography

It still needs a title, but the hardest part is now over.

My posts for the Cork Report have been a bit less frequent than I'd prefer over the past month, and I wanted to explain why that is. I've been in the final stages of writing a book and it has monopolized my time. My publisher set a manuscript deadline of March 15.

I'll submit it several days before that date. 

On Saturday I wrote the final words. This week I'm making final edits. Soon I'll be liberated, able to concentrate more time on the Cork Report, and we have big plans.

For those who are not aware of the book, it's not exactly a wine book. I wrote the book to tell the story of Finger Lakes winemakers who have come from around the world -- and around the state, and country -- to make a life here. Why the Finger Lakes? Why not Germany, or Tuscany, or Provence, or Australia, or Napa? What events in their lives pushed them in this direction? How have they overcome tragedy and adversity? 

Most importantly, how do their stories weave together to foreshadow the future of this wine region?

The cynical take on blogs and non-mainstream wine writing is that no one takes time to research anymore; no one travels and interviews and listens. No one investigates. I've tried to blow up those notions, and it's taken almost two years to create this book. Countless people have allowed me inside their homes and invited me to witness watershed moments in their lives. I am grateful. 

This will not be a wine guide. I would love to tell the story of every person in this fascinating industry, but of course that's not possible. Instead, I looked for common themes and compelling backgrounds.

In the months to come we'll attempt not to deluge our readers with book news. However, we're going to have fun with it. Pre-ordering will commence later this year, with a tentative release set for roughly one year from now. The publisher, the great folks at Sterling, will carve it up in editing -- probably reduce me to tears while I beg futilely, "Don't cut that!" -- and they'll decide on a title and cover art. 

We've already shot video for a book trailer. Yes, we're going to create a trailer for the book much like you would see for a movie. Check out the photo of Fred and Maressa Merwarth of Hermann J. Wiemer, taken by my wife on the day we shot part of the trailer. 

We'll also be creating a book website that will offer all kinds of details. 

This isn't an acknowledgements page, so I'll stop now, but thanks for your patience and thanks to Lenn and the NYCR staff for their support with the book.

Oh, and there's still time: Do you like the proposed title? Current iteration is "The Fingerprints of Wine: Journeys With the World's Next Great Winemakers." Thoughts?

Growing Up Gewürztraminer: Varietal Character and Ripeness

Just-harvested Gewurztraminer at Keuka Springs Vineyard on Keuka Lake

By Tom Mansell, Science Editor

I recently reviewed Sheldrake Point's 2008 Gewürztraminer for my own site, and as I looked over the technical notes, I noticed that winemaker Dave Breeden added acid to the wine. I was curious about that, given the fact that many wines inthe Finger Lakes are supported by their natural acidity. The concept of adding acid in a cool-climate region like this was a bit strange to me.

And, the alcohol content on this wine was listed at 13.6%, pretty high for whites in the region. Of course, I have seen Alsatian Gewürztraminers come in at 16% ABV. I wondered why the Gewürz that was going into these wines had such low acid and high alcohol (and, in turn, why it is harvested at such high Brix).

Defining ripeness

"Generally speaking, for Gewürz, acid and pH and really even Brix play no role for me in harvest decisions," says Breeden. For him, the most important parameter for ripeness in Gewürztraminer is the development of that classic lychee/rose varietal character. In the case of their 2008, the pH at harvest was 3.7 and Brix was 23.2, both somewhat high for the region and vintage for the average cultivar. The pH in the final bottling was 3.53.

The issue of pH came up again when I talked to Eric Fry, winemaker at the Lenz Winery, a producer of very good Long Island Gewürztraminer (reviewed here). 

"I'm a pH winemaker," he said in his characteristic blunt-yet-endearing tone. None of his wines go out the door with a pH above 3.59.  The primary reason for this is microbial stability. In the case of Gewürz, acid additions can contribute to balance as well, but the focus is on producing wines able to age, and pH plays an important role in that stability.

So why leave the grapes to hang so long? Fry says "If you want good varietal character, you have to wait for it."  Again, it seems like varietal character for Gewürz develops late in the game. If the flavor is right when the grapes are tasted, then it's time to harvest.

The harvest decisions of Breeden and Fry (i.e., waiting until varietal character develops in grapes by taste) are somewhat uniquely justifiable for Gewürztraminer. In many cases, varietal aromas in wine comes about when it is synthesized and/or released via fermentation (think about the difference between the aroma of must and the aroma of wine).  In the case of Muscat and Gewürztraminer, though, the aroma compounds that define the varietal character are present in the grapes themselves. Such aromas are known as primary aromas.  Another example is Concord, where the wine tastes like the grapes.

A rose is a rose...?

In 1999, researchers at Cornell determined that the signature aroma of lychee/rose in Gewürztraminer comes from a compound called cis-rose oxide (diagram at right). Unsurprisingly, this molecule is also found in rose petals. It is a product of reactions with monoterpenes (generally, floral aromas) like geraniol and citronellol.  The late development of rose/lychee might be attributed to terpene concentrations. Perhaps before cis-rose oxide can develop, the terpene precursors need to build up in the berry.

This hypothesis is supported in the literature. In a landmark paper, Wilson and colleagues noted that after véraison, levels of free and bound terpenes continue to build long after the fruit has reached maturity based on sugar and acid levels alone. After prolonged hang time, those levels began to decrease (likely due to degradation). This phase of terpene decrease could be the optimal ripening point for Gewürztraminer as well, since monoterpenes are the building blocks of cis-rose oxide.

Balancing the unique characteristics of Gewürztraminer

David Whiting of Red Newt Cellars produces two high-end single-vineyard Gewürztraminers (reviewed here and here). "Gewürz has a more complex balance than most white wines... [It] incorporates balances of sugar/acid/alcohol/phenolics. This four-way balance can be quite complex and sometimes counter-intuitive."

Many producers, including Whiting, apply some skin contact (the source of said phenolics) to add complexity and bitterness to the wines. Extended skin contact calls for increased microbial stability (again, pH plays a role). Whiting's grapes are also brought in at high Brix (23.5-25) and acid adjustments are often necessary.

As I mentioned on Monday, over the weekend I got the chance to taste Gewürz selected from around the world, and while I found the South African offering interesting, the clear winner for me was the Albert Mann 2007 from Alsace, which was well-balanced with pure Gewürz characteristics.  Albert Mann routinely clocks in at or above 13.5% ABV. 

Interestingly, Finger Lakes Distilling has recently released a Gewürztraminer grappa full of awesome Gewürz aromas. The grapes for the grappa were harvested around 23.5 Brix.

In regions like the Finger Lakes, Gewürz lives in the shadow of riesling, and it can often be polarizing. Development of its varietal character takes time, and many winemakers wait for it in spite of (or ignoring) Brix and acidity measurements.

Another important take-home message here is that while Brix and acidity are parameters that can help gauge the ripeness of fruit, individual cultivars can have idiosyncrasies that numbers alone can't account for.

As a final thought, my research into Gewürztraminer has caused me to wonder if there are regions where development of cis-rose oxide and Brix/TA coincide better. Can this be considered analogous to warmer regions where phenolic maturity lags behind sugar and acid numbers? Perhaps there is a climate, somewhere, where all the conditions are right for Gewürztraminer aromas and flavors to come into balance at the same time. 

For now, though, I'll enjoy the Gewürz that's being made in New York by winemakers who understand and are willing to tackle the unique challenges its ripening profile and winemaking presents.

---

Further reading:

Ong and Acree, “Similarities in the Aroma Chemistry of Gewürztraminer Variety Wines and Lychee (Litchi chinesis Sonn.) Fruit“, J. Ag. Food Chem., 1999.

Wilson et al., "Changes in free and glycosidically bound monoterpenes in developing muscat grapes", J. Ag. Food. Chem., 1984.

Luan et al., "Metabolism of geraniol in grape berry mesocarp of Vitis vinifera L. cv. Scheurebe: demonstration of stereoselective reduction, E/Z-isomerization, oxidation and glycosylation", Phytochemistry, 2005.

No umlauts were harmed in the writing of this article.

Roanoke Vineyards 2006 Gabby's Cabernet Franc

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief

During the winter of 2006, Rich Pisacano, veteran grape grower and co-owner of Roanoke Vineyards, had a disagreement with his father Gabby, also a long-time grape grower. The source of the dispute? Employing a more manually intensive, hands-on approach in the vineyard.

"At the time, he (Gabby) was not entirely convinced that such differences in the process could have such a profound effect on the finished wine. He suggested taking a portion of the vineyard to do exactly what an extreme protocol asked of him to see what would happen," Rich told me in an email.

That was when "Gabby's Rows" became official.

If you've been to Roanoke Vineyards, you've seen Gabby's Rows. They are the 12 eastern-most rows right behind the tasting room, just off the patio. And there's a good chance that you saw Gabby tending those vines.

He's out there a lot. He has to be -- the protocol is much more intensive and time-consuming than what is done in the rest of the vineyard.

And Gabby is the only one allowed in the block. So if it's going to be done, he's going to do it.

Throughout the growing season, he thinned the canopy and dropped fruit multiple times. When anything had to be done in the vineyard, it was done immediately -- by Gabby -- not a day or two before or after they needed to be to accommodate vineyard crew schedules. 

Yields were intentionally reduced. Grapes that "looked perfect but did not taste intense" were dropped to the ground. At harvest, Gabby's Rows yieleded 2 tons/acre rather than the nearly 3 tons/acre for the rest of the cabernet franc.

Those two tons per acre also hung in the vineyard longer than the norm. The extra hang time, plus lower yields, led to 23.2 brix versus 22.6 for the non-Gabby franc (which I reviewed back in May.)

This was intense, hands-on viticulture. "The time and effort Gabby spent in those 12 rows would be cost prohibitive for us to repeat in the rest of the vineyard," Rich said, adding "I always believed that fine wine needs to be made with the absence of imperfect fruit and without varying levels of ripeness. The fruit that went into Gabby’s Cabernet Franc was simply absent of imperfection," he said.

After tasting this wine, it's hard to argue that the hard work Gabby put in wasn't worth it. 

The Gabby's 2006 is a standout for its finesse and elegant intensity.

The nose is spicy and complex, showing layers of sweet black cherry and blackberry with subtle but distinct earthiness, high-toned floral notes, a bit of chocolate and a sweet mint-menthol note.

Pretty and silky on the medium-bodied palate, plum and red cherry lead the flavor parade followed closely by earthy fall leaves, sage, basil, mint and beautiful layers of spice. The finish is long and that subtle chocolate note shows up right towards the end.

The tannins are ripe and mature, bringing structure without astringency. A charming, resplendent wine with a story to match.

The 2006 is sold out, but the plan is to released the 2007 Gabby's Cabernet Franc on September 25, when Gabby himself will turn 80.

Grape(s): 92% cab franc, 8% merlot
Producer: Roanoke Vineyards
AVA: North Fork of Long Island
ABV: 13.2%
Price: $38* (Sold out)
Rating: (4 out of 5 | Delicious, Distinctive )

(*Ratings Guide)

Wine on Tap: Local Restaurant, Wineries Go Beyond Bag-in-Box

Verace, a newly opened Italian restaurant in Islip, NY with three local wines on tap.

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief
Photos courtesy of Verace

 I think we've all been there -- in a restaurant that may or may not pay much attention to its wine list and may or may not pay even less attention to their by-the-glass selection -- more or less offering whatever is already open, and over-charging you for it.

You order a glass anyway, knowing that you're playing by-the-glass roulette. Before you even take a sip, you can pinpoint how long the bottle has been open -- somewhere between a week and a year. Oxidized, cooked or both.

Now imagine a different world  completely, one where every glass of wine is fresh and tastes the way the winemaker intended. Now imagine that -- in that same world -- the wine by the glass isn't a rip-off. 

This is the world of wine in kegs. And it's come to Long Island in the form of Verace, a new Italian restaurant in Islip. I haven't been there yet, but the wine program is certainly intriguing.

Sure, they have a 'regular' wine list -- which, as you'd expect, is heavy on Italian wines. That makes sense and isn't anything special. But the cool thing is the four wines that they have on tap. There is an Italian-made Barbera, but what got the attention of this local wine entusiast is the other three taps.

There's a dry riesling from Hermann J. Wiemer up on Seneca Lake and two wines made at Raphael on the North Fork -- a steel-fermented sauvignon blanc and a custom-made blend of 68% merlot (clone 181), 19% cabernet franc aged in old wood, 8% malbec and 5% petit verdot.

Because these wines were gravity fed -- unfined and unfiltered -- directly into kegs under nitrogen gas right at the winery and are held under pressure until being poured, they aren't exposed to oxygen or sunlight, two of wine's great enemies. Think of these kegs as bag-in-box wines on steroids, with much higher-quality wine in them.

Not surprisingly, the inspiration for the system comes from the Old World -- Italy to be more precise. Verace co-owner Michael Bohlsen told me in an email that “We stopped at a small restaurant on the side of the road and drank some wonderful red wine from a pitcher. I asked where the wine was from. The owner pointed out the window to the vines in plain sight.”

That’s the Italian wine experience that he wanted to bring to Long Island.

He's done it and according to Raphael winemaker Rich Olsen-Harbich "There has never been a fresher wine served on Long Island."

Consistently fresh wine in your glass is an obvious benefit to consumers, but look just a bit deeper and there are benefits for the restaurant, the winery and the environment too. “I like not having to order extra glass and cardboard. It makes our entire winery just a little more environmentally friendly which I'm proud of," Olsen-Harbich told me. 

With its wine-in-keg system, Verace has been able to reduce its carbon footprint and save money too. It doesn’t have to pay for the waste associated with bottling or for shipping bottles across the country or around the globe. They don't have to dispose of the empty bottles or the cardboard boxes they come in.

“The price of the wine reflects those savings,” Bohlsen said.

They also never worry about corked bottles or pouring wine from bottles that have been open too long -- again, eliminating waste. “It is just a more efficient, higher-quality product with the benefit of being kind to the environment," Bohlsen said.

For someone like Olsen-Harbich who has been making wine on Long Island for nearly 30 years, this has been a fun project to be a part of. "The development of a wine to match the (restaurant's) cuisine is very cool. I usually don't get a chance to do that, so it was great to have this completely involved process with everyone participating."

He's not kidding when he says "everyone." He met with the entire restaurant staff, including head chef Francesco Torre to taste through two dozen lots of reds from the 2008 vintage. "It was great to sit and work with a group of people who were obviously all in love with what they are doing and all had great palates."

Olsen-Harbich describes the finished blend as "beautifully aromatic and soft yet with an authentic rustic edge. Completely ready to drink today with enough complexity to be really alluring. It's the perfect wine for Francesco's food."

But, the most important thing to Olsen-Harbich is that "People can enjoy my wine in a new way. Wine has been available in larger, refillable vessels in Europe for a long time, so its nice to see this philosophy take root here. The people of Long Island live close to a great wine region and enjoying local wine in this way is a benefit of living here -- its the way it was supposed to be!"

From the sounds of it, Olsen-Harbich is far from the only one so excited and enthusiastic about the program.

"We expected to have quite a bit of resistance," Bohlsen told me, referring to his customers. "On the contrary, the program has been widely embraced. People are curious as to how we got it done. They are truly amazed at how wonderful the wine really tastes. And, of course, the affordable price is attractive."

Local with Local (Finger Lakes): Atwater Estate Vineyards 2007 Syarah and Deb Whiting's Vanilla Chevre-Stuffed, Bacon-Wrapped Beef Tenderloin with Red Wine-Vanilla Sauce

By Deb Whiting, chef and co-owner Red Newt Bistro

My assignment this month was a food pairing with the Atwater Estate Vineyards 2007 Syrah, an absolutely beautiful wine with tones of ripe dark cherries and plum.

Often times when I pair food with wine I will concentrate a particular flavor that I find both in the food and in the wine I am pairing. But other times, I think about flavors that I may not find in the wine, but that I think will make a flattering complement.  

In the 2007 Atwater Syrah, characters of vanilla and smoke showed delicately in the background while the wine was supported by forward fruit and great structure. The synergy of these two flavors with the wine is the inspiration for my pairing - Bacon wrapped beef tenderloin stuffed with a vanilla bean chevre spread, topped with a  red wine and vanilla  sauce. 

Serves 6 – 8 (8 oz. Portions)

Vanilla Bean Chevre

Ingredients:
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and scraped (reserve the "bean pod" for use in the sauce)
1 1/2 cup chevre, room temperature
salt and pepper, to taste

Method:  Using the paddle attachment of electric mixer, blend the chevre and the "scrapings" of half of a vanilla bean until smooth.  Sprinkle in salt and pepper and blend well (you should see vanilla specks throughout the chevre).

Red Wine and Vanilla  Bean Sauce

Ingredients:
2 cups beef demi or stock
1 cup red wine (dry, full bodied)
½ vanilla bean pod (scraped, reserved from above)
1 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp fresh sage, chopped
1 tbsp honey
salt and pepper, to taste

Method:  Combine all ingredients in sauce pan.  Bring to a boil then reduce temperature to medium and allow to simmer until reduced by half.  Taste and adjust salt and pepper, if necessary.  Strain and reheat before using.  

Beef Tenderloin

Ingredients:
3 to 4 lb Beef Tenderloin (silver skin removed)
½ lb sliced bacon (free range preferred)
3 cups swiss chard, chiffonade

Method:
Leaving ½ inch at both ends, cut a 2 inch deep slit lengthwise on the tenderloin.  Spread the vanilla bean chevre evenly down the "pocket".  Layer the chiffonade chard on the chevre, press together pocket and wrap entire tenderloin with sliced bacon, tucking in bacon ends to secure.  Grill or pan sear the beef tenderloin until bacon is beginning to crisp.  Continue cooking in 375 degree oven until medium rare or desired doneness.  Remove from oven and let rest for about 10 to 15 minutes.  Slice into 6 - 8 servings and serve with warm sauce on top.

Hint: You can also prepare individual 8 oz cuts of beef tenderloin. Use about  1 Tbsp spread for each piece.

What We Drank (March 1, 2010)

Just a sampling of what our editors and contributors are drinking. We were almost all wine this week... until I had to mess it up with a big New York-brewed beer.

Evan Dawson: Raymond Usseglio 2001 Chateauneuf-du-Pape

As the referee in a weight-loss contest for two friends -- a contest recently ended in swift and decisive fashion -- my task is to select a half case of wine for the victor, paid for by the non-victor.

I have my regional marching orders, so I'm enjoying the research required to make good selections.

This wine might make the cut.

More than most wine regions, I find the wines of the Northern Rhone, Southern Rhone, Piedmont and Montalcino to fall neatly into bifurcated categories: either you're in the pumped up, more homogeneous new school, or you're in the lower-alcohol more elegant old school. This is an over-simplification, sure, but it's an easy rule of thumb.

And yet I've been discovering wines with elements of both schools. This wine hews more toward the elegant, nuanced style. It's also a relative CdP bargain. And nine years old, it's showing beautifully.

Combined with the Northern Rhone 2004 Bonserine La Sarrasine that I also sampled this week, I think we're finding the value wines that could fill out the winner's spoils.

Julia Burke: Kleine Zalze Estate Chenin Blanc

I visited Kleine Zalze Estate over the weekend for two reasons: first, they share a vineyard site with us from which we get some of our very best merlot and viognier, so I was eager to taste their wines and look for similarities. Second, they are within walking distance of Blaauwklippen and I was without a vehicle.

I passed their gorgeous mountainside vineyards (and ours) and kicked off my tasting with what's becoming my favorite white grape, chenin blanc.

This particular chenin, my favorite of the three on the list, is a touch sweet (the blend is 60% botrytis-affected grapes and 40% ripe, fruity grapes) and intoxicatingly complex, and at R37 (about US$3 per bottle) I couldn't afford NOT to drink it. I took a bottle home to pair with fresh baked bread, gouda cheese, and passionfruit for a lunchtime picnic.

In addition to gorgeous fig, toasted lemongrass, and buttery toffee flavors the nose offers an intriguing stony and almost petrolly flavor, like a good aged riesling. It made me want to run back to the cellar and taste our nearly-completely-fermented viognier to look for similarities. If the nose is an elegant heiress, the palate is a voluptuous bombshell with an explosion of tropical fruit and just the right touch of oak for a scrumptious finish. It's just about everything I could want in a white wine.

Bryan Calandrelli: Atwater Estate Vineyards NV Stone Bridge Red

While working in a local tasting room recently a gentleman walked in and introduced himself as being from Atwater Vineyards. I love when industry folk come in and I made sure to ask him immediately what he brought us from his winery.

A bit surprised at my forwardness he seemed to enjoy the idea that we were that interested, so he went out to his car and brought in this bottle of Atwater Stone Bridge Red table wine. Not exactly the first wine I'd ask for in their tasting room but still interesting because I appreciate a winery having an accessible table red for under $10 on their menu.

With dark cherry and plum aromas the nose was pleasant. It did have some overt aromas that I associate with hybrid grapes like Frontenac and I wasn't surprised to find out the blend is cabernet franc, Marechal Foch and Corot Noir.

Grapes like Corot Noir make me think of red candy flavors and I can only assume that there's a big niche of drinkers out there that like a red with big candied fruit flavors like this blend.

Overall I appreciate the niche a wine like this fills in a tasting room. Not everyone needs to bring home a bottle of Meritage or pinot noir. Some people just want an inexpensive easy drinking wine to remember a winery by and this is a great example of that.

Lenn Thompson: He'Brew Bittersweet Lenny's RIPA (Rye-based IPA)

Some would say (or at least think and keep it to themselves) that this beer was named for me. Not so, but I did enjoy it quite a bit as I sat down to watch the gold-medal game yesterday afternoon.

This is a big beer (10% abv) but pretty well balanced with a load of malty character with plenty of hops to satisfy hop heads too (including me).

The rye is quite noticeable, reminding me a bit of bran flakes with a sprinkling of baking spice. There's also a strong fruity core here with raisin and dried cherry before a jolt of herby-piney hops.

It's maybe a little sweeter than I'd drink more than one of and the alcohol peeks through just a bit at the end, but I really enjoy this one.

Tom Mansell: Robertson Winery Gewürztraminer 2008 Special Late Harvest

Yesterday, I attended a Gewürztraminer tasting at Damiani Wine Cellars, part of what will be a monthly series exploring grape varieties with wines from around the world.

The nose on this ZA wine was unlike any Gewürztraminer I've ever had.

At first it reminded me of the way someone's jacket smells after a smoke break. When the ashtray died down, I got pine needles, a huge blast of terpenes, with hardly any of the classic lychee/rose Gewürztraminer varietal character. 

On the palate, citrus peel comes out to play but is overwhelmed by a mouthful of botrytis...in a good way, with a long finish that isn't too sweet, belying its late harvest status.

While it's not a textbook Gewürztraminer, I loved its complexity and the diverse array of aromas it brought to the table. 

For more thoughts on this tasting and development of varietal character in
Gewürztraminer, look for my science post this Thursday.

Andy Freedman: Quinta do Vallado 2007 Douro Red

We tasted about 75 wines (maybe more) from all over the world this past Saturday at the NY Wine Expo Grand Tasting at the Javits Center.

Several local New York wineries were there at the Grand Tasting pouring their wares too. We chatted with Barbara Frank of Dr. Frank's Vinifera Wine Cellars and were happy to see our friends from Bedell Cellars there pouring their high-end and pretty limited release 2006 Musee (we have a few bottles of the 2005, but had yet to try the '06).

Portugal had an amazing presence front and center at the Grand Tasting. After tasting a couple of reds from the Douro and Alentejo regions, I quickly recalled why I predicted last year that these Portuguese reds would soon blow up here in the US. It hasn't happened yet, but it's coming.

Portuguese reds that retail for $13 to $25 drink like $45 to $60. I was most impressed with the 2007 Quinta do Vallado Douro Red. It's a mix of Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, Amarela and Sousao with a portion of the blend being aged in French oak barrels and pours a dark red, crimson with some spice notes and berries on the nose. It's a big, but very smooth drinking wine with nice, rounded tannins and would nicely complement a wide variety of foods.

The differentiator is the Touriga Nacional grape, that gives the wine some nice floral and violet notes. Be on the lookout for some good value Portuguese reds coming soon (hopefully) to a wine shop near you.

New York Cork Report Nominated in Saveur's 1st Annual Best Food Blogs Awards

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief

I just caught wind of this via Twitter this afternoon, but it appears that LENNDEVOURS/New York Cork Report has been named as a finalist in Saveur's 1st Annual best Food Blog Awards in the "Wine Blogs" category.

All any of us here at the NYCR hope to do is share New York wines and the the people, the places and the stories behind them with you on an almost-daily basis. That we occasionally receive recognition for our efforts is just amazing.

Looking at the other finalists, it's a great group that only scratches the surface of the blogs I like best -- and it's an honor just to be nominated. I'm also proud to call many of the publishers friends who I've known for years.

So thank you to Saveur, the only food magazine that I subscribe to actually, for the nomination and thank you to all of our readers for being so supportive over the years.

If you'd like to vote for us and for your favorites in all of the other categories, head on over to the awards site now.

In the meantime, we'll continue with our regularly scheduled programming, bringing you the New York wine news, commentary and reviews you're looking for.