New York Cork Report

What We Drank (February 8, 2010)

This week, our intrepid Niagara correspondent chimes in with her first contribution from South Africa, so she gets top billing. But, this is one of our better editions of WWD with some old wines, some poorly-rated-but-tasty wines and (of course) a couple beers.

Julia Burke: Blaauwklippen 1993 Cabernet Sauvignon, 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon and 1999 Pinotage

We don’t see a lot of aged South African wine in western New York – I think the oldest I’ve tried was a 2006 Cape blend. So when our assistant winemaker whipped out five aged Blaauwklippen wines on Thursday afternoon and asked us to try them and see if they were fit for sale, I felt as if both Christmas and my birthday had both come early.

For brevity’s sake I’ll just mention the highlights: a 1993 and 1999 cabernet sauvignon and a 1999 pinotage. The best part of this job is that I’m surrounded 24/7 by people who will drop everything to taste wine, and sure enough when I raced home with all three bottles to my wine geek roommates, they put down their weinwurst and beer to sample.

The 1993 cab had a fascinating dried-fruit-leather quality, as rustic as a cabin in the woods with a significant cherry presence despite its age. Though it was certainly past its peak in terms of oxidation the complexity and earthiness was seductive, and I actually liked this one best of all five.

The 1999 (unlabelled, not pictured) was the obvious choice for sale in the wine centre and my roommates’ unanimous favorite: it was incredibly smooth with great tannins, beautifully structured fruit without a trace of brett, and an elegant length: clearly a wine meant to age. When our assistant winemaker suggested we sell it for R245 (about US$25) I was appalled. It turns out our standard markup for any aged wine is 10%; I feel a post coming on about South African wine pricing.

The pinotage was, for me, the most interesting of the five simply because it’s an eleven-year-old pinotage. The nose had no banana, brett or meat but smelled like a mushroom farm being invaded by angry stewed plums; beyond its peak for sure, but quite fascinating as an example of this iconic and often chameleon-like South African cultivar. My roommate and I are going in on a case of the 1999 cab – with our staff discount the half-case will set us back a whopping US$15.

Lenn Thompson: Fox Run Vineyards 2001 Lemberger

While certainly not a 1999 pinotage, this wine served as my own recent foray into aged "obscure" varieties, and to put it simply -- it was a heck of a lot of fun to drink.

Stored no-doubt impeccably (it was at the winery until a couple weeks ago) I was beyond curious about this wine when Evan gave me a bottle a few weeks ago. Lemberger? 2001? That can't be any good can it?

I do like Lemberger. Quite a bit, in fact but can it age? I uncorked this just before kickoff to enjoy with some chicken-white bean chili (with lots of white pepper) yesterday to find out. I figured it might make a nice pairing if it still had some life left, and if it didn't it would still be a fun experience.

At first I got some weird rubber tire aromas along with stewed blueberry and black cherry -- and that signature black pepper spice that I dig so much in the grape. The rubbery aromas blew off quickly though and that blueberry-black pepper compote character was joined by a little licorice on the palate. Any tannins that were there have faded leaving just a bit of acid for structure.

Clearly past peak, it still has some life in it and has me re-thinking what grapes and wines can age. It makes me want to lay down some other "obscure" wines to see how they evolve. Plus, check out those neon colors on the label.

Bryan Calandrelli: Unibroue La Terrible

Since I was probably going to watch the Super Bowl alone, I decided I needed a craft beer to keep me company and get me through, and because I'm just so fond of Canada these days this Unibroue Terrible was calling out to me in the store.

Since I knew it was a bad-arse beer that didn't deserve a food pairing, I waited until the fourth quarter to open it up and quickly realized that the bottle was a full 750 ml package at 10.5% alcohol and there was no way I'd get through it.

No biggy, I'd just have it for breakfast on Monday.

Dark cola color with aromas of root beer, toasted marshmallow and spice, which tasted rich on the palate with fine carbonation and a touch of sweetness.

For 10.5%, I didn't get much heat and overall I'd peg this a
being in balance. I'd put it up there with Le Fin de Monde as my favorites of this brewery.

Andy Freedman: Sixpoint Craft Ales Double Sweet Action

Nowhere gives me that 'kid in a candy store' feeling like the Beer Room at the Whole Foods Market Bowery in NYC. Their beer selection is amazing. I usually lug a couple of empty growlers with me to fill up with some quality craft beer.

This weekend in the Beer Room, Sixpoint Craft Ales hosted the Third Annual Sixpoint Craft Ales Growler-filling Super Bowl Extravaganza featuring six different Sixpoint Beers on tap. I was sold when I heard they would be offering their special 5th Anniversary beer, the Double Sweet Action.

I literally couldn't wait to get home to try it, so I headed over to TPoutine (168 Ludlow b/t Houston & Stanton), which is BYO, for a burger, a side of their classic poutine and some of my Double Sweet Action.

The Double Sweet Action pours a very hazy bright orange color. It has aromas of sweet malt, honey, caramel and some crisp, citrusy hops. It tastes of sweet buttery, caramel malty goodness with some zesty citrus hoppiness.

It was so good I offered a taste to one of the TPoutine employees to get his thoughts. I think I may be his favorite customer now. If you're in NYC and looking to try the Double Sweet Action, head over to Sixpoint's 5th Anniversary Party at Roberta's in Brooklyn on February 17, where $32 gets you all the Sixpoint you can drink and all the pizza you can eat.

Alternatively, you can head to Kettle of Fish in the West Village tomorrow night for a Sixpoint Birthday Party featuring $5 drafts, including the Double Sweet Action.

Evan Dawson: Poggio Antico 2006 Rosso di Montalcino, Tuscany

This wine might be the best recent example (in my cellar, anyway) of why score is so often irrelevant in a wine. It's a wine that is special to me and Morgan because we bought it on site. 

Tasted blind or without context, it's basic Rosso (if certainly fuller bodied). A touch disjointed, a little bit short, but enjoyable nonetheless. But pulled from our cellar on an evening featuring Italian food, it's like a three-hour return trip to Montalcino. Instantly evocative of its place. 

We love this wine for its flaws and its character and its home.

Score would have no meaning for this bottle. We drained it happily.

New York Wine News & Notes (February 8, 2010)

 By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief

It's been a while since we've compiled a "News & Notes" post, but as the busy season approaches in New York's wine regions, we'll probably be doing them more and more.

 Jazz Returns to the Vines on Long Island
The extremely popular Long Island Winterfest Jazz On The Vine is coming back this week and this year it's even bigger and runs longer than last year's successful program. This, the 3rd annual Long Island Winterfest, runs from February 13 to March 21 across the East End and features renowned jazz musicians performing free-admission concerts at winery tasting rooms and other venues every weekend afternoon over those six weeks. Wine country can be quiet and dreary this time of year -- both for visitors and for the wineries themselves -- so this is a great reason to visit. Enjoy some music. Taste some great local wines. And get in from out of the cold winter weather.

For a full concert schedule and access to all festival promotions, visit www.liwinterfest.com.

Long Island Region to Protect Wine Place-Names
Last week, the Long Island wine region has joined the Joint Declaration to Protect Wine Place & Origins, a now 15-region group whose goal is to promote labeling that reflects the importance of wine place names and origins. Other signatories of the Declaration include: Champagne, Chianti Classico, Jerez, Napa Valley, Oregon, Paso Robles, Rioja, Porto, Sonoma County, Victoria, Tokaj, Walla Walla Valley, Washington state, and Western Australia.

Just being invited to join the group speaks highly of Long Island's place in the greater wine world, but according to the press release, members believe that "geographic names are fundamental tools for consumers to identify the special wines associated with specific winegrowing regions." Does that mean that the names like "Port" and "Champagne" that adorn some Long Island wine labels will come off? Let's hope so.

Peconic Bay Winery to Fight Breast Cancer with New Rose
Peconic Bay Winery, in collaboration with the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc. (NBCF), is contributing to the fight against breast cancer. On March 1, 2009, Peconic Bay will release a special bottling of its second label “Nautique Esprit de Rosé” decorated with a hand-tied pink ribbon, and packed into pink boxes of twelve bottles each. A portion of the proceeds, about a dollar a bottle, will be donated to NBCF. The rose is still being finished, but is made up of mostly estate-grown cabernet sauvignon from with some North Fork cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc. I also hear that winemaker Greg Gove will probably add a bit of estate chardonnay and riesling to round it out.

Bedell Hires New Vice President of Marketing
Bedell Cellars has hired Molly Deegan as its new Vice President of Marketing and Private Client Relations.

Before joining the Bedell team, Deegan served as the executive events marketing director for AOL since 2003 and has also worked in client relations and media events for House & Garden Magazine, O (the Oprah Magazine), and Robert Mondavi Winery.

At Bedell, her primary role will be to manage the wine club.

Is something noteworthy happening at your winery or in your wine region? Make sure you let us know.

New Chocolate and Wine Bar Opens In Rochester With Local Emphasis

By Evan Dawson, Finger Lakes Editor

Admit it: On more than one occasion, you've said to yourself, I'm going to quit work and start my own bed and breakfast/wine bar/restaurant. Danielle Lewis and Michael Goldberg got sick of saying it, so they decided to finally do it.

The result is Rochester's newest foodie attraction: Chocolate & Vines, located in a renovated house in the Neighborhood of the Arts. Lewis and Goldberg bought the house nearly two years ago and spent 18 months renovating it. They live upstairs, with the downstairs converted into a chic mini-restaurant with seating for roughly two dozen customers.

The menu features wine, cheese, artisan chocolates, desserts, craft beers and French-press coffee. We noticed that the top of each wine section features a New York state selection. It turns out that's not an accident.

"We wanted to place New York wine right at the top to make sure our customers know there are local choices," Danielle told me after a satisfying two-hour tour of the menu. "We've had so much fun putting the wine list together, and we wanted our customers to have fun deciding what to order."

Here's the menu, which is not fully updated -- it doesn't show the by-the-glass McGregor Black Russian Red, which I ordered and is shown in the photo ($15.50 for a glass of Black Russian paired with an artisan chocolate). It's the only time I've ever seen this cult-ish Finger Lakes red offered by-the-glass. 

There is much more from New York state, though it's a wine list to suit worldwide taste. Long Island's Bedell Merlot headlines the red list. Whites from Hermann J. Wiemer, Prejean and other Finger Lakes producers headline the whites.

A friend ordered a glass of Argentinian Malbec while I pondered a glass of Masi Amarone, ultimately saving it for my next visit, which will also include one of the 18 craft beers on the list. There is even a pair of Finger Lakes meads available.

A visit to Chocolate & Vines nearly requires a taste of the artisan chocolates, so our party sampled the almond marizpan, passion fruit, cookies and cream, and dark chocolate truffle. Even more enjoyable was the range of cheeses on offer, from simple aged gouda to a carmelized Norwegian Gjestost.

There is a room adjoining the dining area that provides a pool table, but I'm not sure it fits. The dining area was packed and buzzing on a Saturday night and the unused pool table made me wonder if that's a space better suited for more dining. 

For now, Chocolate & Vines is open seven days a week, noon to 11pm. Lewis expects that to change eventually, "But for now we want to be always open, always available. We want to build a customer base and introduce ourselves." They're off to an excellent start.

New York Cork Report Tasting Table: February 5, 2010

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief

This week, the tasting table post is a little shorter than usual, but I've got a big tasting planned for Super Bowl Sunday. In the meantime:

Fox Run Vineyards 2007 Merlot ($20): Ripe blackberry and plum with vanilla and smokey (American?) oak. Even smokier on the palate with vanilla covering up what is a nice core of ripe, concentrated fruit. Blueberry pie peeks through with time in the glass. Medium body, ripe, medium-low tannins. Great fruit, with a little too much oak.  (3 out of 5 | Recommended)

Ravines Wine Cellars 2007 Chardonnay ($19): Toasty oak, fig, roasted nuts and apples greet the nose. Not timid or fruit-forward, roasted nuts, oak and fig lead here with apple and dried apricot fruit. Vanilla cream on super-long finish. Good balance, but a lot of oak right now.  (2.5 out of 5 | Average-to-Very Good)

Ravines Wine Cellars 2008 Pinot Noir Rose ($15): Red cherry and cranberry on the nose with a subtle earthy-herbal note. Fresh and refreshing palate, cranberry and dried cherry flavors. Med-light body with great acidity and light herbal character. Great balance.  (3 out of 5 | Recommended)

Ravines Wine Cellars 2008 Sauvignon Blanc ($18): Austere nose -- a little passion fruit, subtle herbaceousness. Even more herbs on the palate with passion fruit, citrus and a minerally vein. Unique raw butternut squash flavor. Great acidity, but a little thin. Okay length.  (2.5 out of 5 | Average-to-Very Good)

New York Well-Represented at NYC Debut of the Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival

By Andy Freedman, New York City Correspondent

Some of my favorite things in life begin with the letter 'B': there's basketball, and brunch, and, of course, bars. 

Last weekend my wife and I encountered 3 other Bs close to my heart when we attended the "Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival" at LA.VENUE in Manhattan with some 5,000 other beer and bourbon-drinking, bacon-crazed porkophiles. Having successfully traveled up and down the East Coast the past three years, BB&B finally made its Manhattan debut. What's there not to love about a walk-around event that features unlimited tastes of 60+ beers, 40+ bourbons and all the southern 'cue you can handle, not to mention tastings of 10-plus artisanal bacons? 

Local breweries, and even a local whiskey distillery, more than held their own amidst all the Southern flair at the festival, which included a mechanical bull, sweet tea vodka, collard greens and baked beans. And, as you can see from the pictures, there was quite a bit of local pride on display. 

Sixpoint Craft Ales was pouring its Sweet Action and Righteous Rye. Kelso of Brooklyn poured its immensely popular pilsner. Saranac had its Pale Ale and Imperial IPA and Southampton Brewing was serving its IPA and Imperial Porter. Also on-hand representing New York were Brewery Ommegang with its Witte and Abbey ales, Long Island's own Blue Point Brewing Co., NYC's Heartland Brewing, Lake Placid Pub & Brewery, Brooklyn Brewery and Tuthilltown Spirits.

Perhaps the most interesting of the local beers was the Heartland Brewing Sumatra Porter with Chicory, a collaboration between Heartland founder Jon Bloostein and his brother, Oren, of Oren's Daily Roast Coffee in Manhattan. It had a light, mocha aroma and tasted of very strong, very good coffee. 

 

Of the out-of-state breweries, our favorite beers were Heavy Seas Loose Cannon IPA from Maryland's Clipper City Brewing Co., Bear Republic's Hop Rod Rye and Lagunitas IPA. I would say the surprise standout beer for me though was Goose Island's Bourbon County Stout, a potent 13% ABV bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout.  If you can get your hands on this, I strongly recommend giving it a try. It sported huge aromas of bourbon and vanilla and tasted of chocolate, vanilla and sweet malts.

Let's not forget about the 'cue. Luckily, we arrived at the event as the doors opened at noon. The first session ended at 4 p.m. and by 1:15 p.m. the lines for local favorites like Hill Country, Dinosaur BBQ and Southern Hospitality were close to 20 minutes long. By 1:45 p.m., many of the BBQ vendors were already out of food. 

Hats off to Dinosaur BBQ, the only vendor who had enough supply to meet the massive demand. They even sent a truck to pick up more 'cue from their Manhattan location. My favorites were the bbq pork sliders from a lesser known purveyor who was tucked away towards the back of the event space and bacon sausages from Brooklyn's The Meat Hook. 

Thankfully, there was also plenty of tasty collard greens, baked beans and cornbread. 

Given that it was BB&B's first go-around in Manhattan, the festival was not without its glitches. It appears they oversold tickets to the 12-4 p.m. session. The lines for the big-name BBQ purveyors were too long and they ran out of food too quickly. We heard some grunts from people who arrived closer to 1 and didn't get to try some of the food. 

My advice to those attending future BB&B festivals would be to arrive early and skip the huge lines for the big-name vendors in favor of the lesser known purveyors with shorter lines, and in many instances, better 'cue. 

It was great that so many representatives from the breweries came out for the event. I use these festivals as an opportunity to learn more about the breweries and the people behind them, and there's nothing worse than someone pouring tastes that has no clue what they're even pouring. Many of the out-of-state breweries were manned by either volunteers or distribution reps. 

 

We caught up with Jeff Gorlechen of Sixpoint Craft Ales, who's celebrating their fifth anniversary this month.  They've been busy brewing Double Sweet Action, their special Fifth Anniversary Ale. Sixpoint has also recently released its Redd, an American amber ale. When asked what else Sixpoint has in the works, Jeff said they're making their first foray into bottling. So, the day when you can bring home a six-pack of Sixpoint from the store may not be too far off. For now, you'll have to continue to fill a growler or head to a bar to get your Sixpoint fix. 

 

While he was busy pouring away his Hudson bourbon whiskeys for the masses, we were able to sneak in a few words with Gable Erenzo, the Distiller and Brand Ambassador for Tuthilltown Spirits.  New York may be well known for its wineries and breweries, but Gable tells us that it's also becoming a hotbed for the emerging craft distilling industry.  In speaking with him, we learned that Tuthilltown use only organic product and locally-produced ingredients, such as New York grown corn and apples, in their eco-friendly distillation process. 

 

Some other highlights from the festival included:

 

• Maker's Mark had a table where guests could dip their tasting glass into the signature Maker's Mark wax for a one of a kind souvenir. As a bonus, shots of Maker's Mark were being poured as guests waited in line. We got to meet and chat with Master Distiller Kevin Smith, who told us about a new Maker's Mark bourbon that's in development and should be released soon. He said it's basically going to be similar to the Maker's Mark we've grown to love, but enhanced with toasted oak staves to give it more intense flavors.
• Loveless Café’s Famous Piggy Popcorn.  This caramel-candied bacon popcorn goodness is popped in pure bacon grease, coated with a secret, homemade caramel sauce and studded with lean bits of Loveless' own hickory-smoked country cured bacon. 

Raphael 2008 Grand Cru Sauvignon Blanc

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief

Raphael and winemaker Richard Olsen-Harbich have long made one of the North Fork's best sauvignon blancs -- wines that aren't quite Loire, aren't quite California and aren't quite New Zealand. They are Long Island through and through.

With the 2008 vintage, they expanded upon their sauvignon blanc program, making two distinctly different wines: Raphael 2008 First Label Sauvignon Blanc and this wine, Raphael 2008 Grand Cru Sauvignon Blanc ($15).

Made using fruit from their younger sauvignon block, the Grand Cru is made in 100% stainless steel and is made in a bright, drink-young style.

When I tasted this, there was still a bit of sulphur on the nose, but that blew off quickly revealing fresh grapefruit and honeydew melon aromas with just a little saltwater minerality.

Medium bodied, the palate brings straight forward melon and citrus flavors with a subtle herbal edge and chalky, snappy acidity. Fruity and approachable, this must sell like crazy in the tasting room -- especially on hot spring and summer days.

And, in a category (local sauv blanc) that usually requires a $20 entry fee, this is a nice value.

Producer: Raphael
AVA: North Fork of Long Island
ABV: 12.5%
Price: $15*
Rating: (3 out of 5 | Recommended) 

(Ratings Guide)

Lucas Vineyards 2008 Dry Riesling

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief

As Evan hinted in his post last week, he'll be investigating the challenges involved in making truly exceptional dry rieslings. The story idea grew out of some conversations he and I have had about some of the "acid water" dry rieslings we've both tasted of late -- meaning wines that have the lively acidity that we both look for, but not much else.

More on that soon though. Today, I wanted to review this Lucas Vineyards 2008 Dry Riesling ($14) a dry Finger Lakes riesling that sucessfully dodges the pitfalls of dry riesling and delivers solid balance of fruit, sugar and acidity.

Green apple aromas dominate the nose, but there is some lime here too, with a bit of that wet river rock that I like in many Finger Lakes rieslings. As it warms, a subtle citrus blossom note emerges a bit as well.

The palate shows good-not-great balance, with linear lime, apricot and green apple flavors -- again with just a little of that rocky minerality -- framed by citrusy acidity.

The finish is medium-long and ends with a citrus zest-meets-stone note.

Producer: Lucas Vineyards
AVA: Finger Lakes
Residual Sugar: 1%
ABV: 11.5%
Production: 600 cases
Price: $14*
Rating:  (3 out of 5 | Recommended)

(Ratings Guide)

Icewine Harvest at Leonard Oakes Estate Winery

By Bryan Calandrelli, Niagara Region Editor

Last Thursday morning I had a chance to participate in my third icewine harvest since moving to the Niagara region -- this time at Leonard Oakes Estate Winery’s vineyards in Lyndonville, NY on a chilly morning.

I not only pitched in, but shot some video and spoke with winemaker Jonathan Oakes.

Jonathan’s 2008 release icewine was just awarded “Dessert Wine of the Year” for the Niagara Escarpment region and he was eager to bring in the frozen grapes this year to build on the success of last year’s harvest. I didn’t have time to stay for the pressing of the grapes but Jonathan did assure me that he’d get me some video of that process as well.

Wine Blogging Wednesday #66: Your Tenderest Twosome

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief

This month's edition of Wine Blogging Wednesday is actually the first dual event between WBW and Sugar High Friday, a similar event centered on desserts and sweets founded by this month's WBW host, Jennifer Hamilton of The Domestic Goddess. This will mark SHF #62, so it's been around for a while and this dual event is long overdue.

Her theme, Your Tenderest Twosome is a no-brainer for this first dual event:

"Most meals end with dessert and coffee or a glass of liqueur. The focus on the meal is long since gone, as is the wine. Guests are getting sleepy, hosts are getting antsy about the clean-up ahead of them and no one is paying attention to what they're eating or drinking anymore. I think this is shameful. Every once in a while, dessert deserves the attention given to a main course...

The proper pairing of a sugary confection with a good wine is a difficult thing to maneuver. I have seen it done a few times in restaurants, once or twice at dinner parties and maybe done it once myself - and I almost certainly managed it by accident. Do you go sweeter with the wine than the dessert or match it? Do you go red or white or ice? Do you try to harmonize regions or go completely off the map (so to speak) with your choice...?

You have the chance to decide all this and more for yourself this month with the first ever joint SHF-WBW Dessert-Wine Pairing Event! All bloggers (food, wine or otherwise) are welcome to participate. Post your entry on Wednesday, February 24"

I think that sums it up quite nicely. So join us on February 24. This should be a fun one.

Read Evan Dawson on Palate Press

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief

Another quick note pointing you to another piece penned by a NYCR editor, this time Evan Dawson, over at Palate Press, an online magazine that several of us contribute to (or will contribute to).

Evan's story is about restaurant wine experiences -- specifically three that he had on his recent trip to Northern California. 

Check it out. It's worth the read.

Lucas Vineyards 2008 Chardonnay

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief

My lukewarm feelings towards barrel-fermented chardonnay are well documented, but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate the qualities that a cool growing climate bring to the category.

Lucas Vineyards 2008 Chardonnay ($14) shows great balance from start to finish, which is something worth noting in any wine.

The nose is decidedly oak-inflected with toasted marshmallows and hazelnuts layered with pineapple, mango, roasted apple fruit aromas.

Medium-bodied with a bright, fresh attack that brings sweet apple and pineapple fruit, this wine turns creamy and vanilla-tinged on the mid-palate before getting nutty as it ends on a medium-length finish.

It's not something I'd drink every day, but there are truckloads of New York chardonnay -- many more expensive -- that don't show well-balanced, integrated acidity that this one does. And at $14, it's a good value.

I'll even admit to having a glass of this at the end of a recent flight of Finger Lakes whites.

Producer: Lucas Vineyards
AVA: Finger Lakes
ABV: 12%
Price: $14*
Rating:  (2.5 out of 5 | Average-to-Very Good)
(Ratings Guide)

February 17: Taste Live with Finger Lakes Sparkling Wine

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief

With all of the details ironed out and all the moving parts in place, I'm exited to announce the second in a series of Taste Live events I'll be moderating for Finger Lakes Wine Country (FLWC) in conjunction with their newly launched TasteLive page.

The first in the series, centering on Finger Lakes cabernet franc, was a success and I think this one is going to be even better. Why?

Well, for one we're tasting four sparkling wines, which is always fun. Specifically, we'll be tasting:

• Chateau Frank 2002 Blanc de Blancs
• Goose Watch Winery NV Pinot Noir Brut Rosé 
• Glenora Wine Cellars 2002 Brut
• Lucas Vineyards NV Extra Dry Cayuga White

Probably even more exciting is the fact that more people will be able to take part in this month's event by buying these four wines at a discounted price as a Taste Live pack from Bacchus Wines in Rochester, NY.

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

What We Drank (February 1, 2010)

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief

More local than usual, this week's WWD offers a different kind of diversity...

Lenn Thompson: Peconic Bay Winery 2007 Steel Fermented Chardonnay

Yesterday was Jackson's third birthday, so we had family in from upstate New York as well as Pittsburgh for a weekend of festivities. Of the course of a few nights, a lot of bottles were opened and enjoyed, but this one was the one I chose for WWD.

Why? Well for one, it was a magnum which is just plain fun for entertaining. There's just something celebratory about opening a large-format bottle (if we're talking good wine here, not jug stuff).

But the other reason I wanted to highlight it is that it was great at the beginning of the evening as an opener, but also great at the end of the night to enliven and refresh the palate after several reds.

It's not a complex wine -- not one to ponder -- but it brings bright pear flavors with hints of lemon balm and a fresh, minerally edge. The acidity is great and balances the ripe fruit very well.

It's satisfying and a pleasure to drink, really and I'm glad to have several more bottles (magnums) in the cellar. The next time you're at my house for a party, ask me to open one. I probably will.

Evan Dawson: Sheldrake Point Vineyards 2001 Semi-Dry Riesling and Fox Run Vineyards 2001 Riesling

Over the weekend, I had a chance to compare both of these 9-year old Finger Lakes rieslings, and had the confidence that they'd been stored very well, because both came directly from the winery.

If you don't fear mature riesling flavors, these bottles remind us that the best local producers are making wines that age gracefully. That said, the Sheldrake Point is definitely in a "drink now" phase, while the Fox Run retains the freshness that portends more life.

That's what made the comparison so interesting.

The Sheldrake brought a rich, marmalade-meets-petrol aroma and palate. It offered some serious viscosity. The Fox Run remains more straw-colored, more youthful, with more slatey zip and lime.

Two lakes, two rieslings, one vintage. I'll keep saying it: Lay more bottles down. The results never fail to intrigue.

Andy Freedman: Tuthilltown Spirits Whiskeys

After attending this weekend’s Beer, Bourbon & BBQ festival at la.venue in Manhattan, “What Didn’t I Drink” would perhaps be more fitting for me to be writing about. It was great to see so many local NY breweries and distillers represented at the event and showcasing their liquid assets.

Sixpoint Craft Ales was pouring its Sweet Action and Righteous Rye. Kelso of Brooklyn brought out its pilsner. Saranac had its pale ale and Imperial IPA and Southampton Brewing was serving its IPA and Imperial Porter. But the standout for me had to be the trio of Hudson bourbon whiskeys from Tuthilltown Spirits.

Based in Gardiner, New York (close to New Paltz and Poughkeepsie), Tuthilltown produces vodkas, whiskeys, rum, eau de vie, brandy and infusions. Their whiskeys are the only legally distilled and aged grain spirits produced in New York since Prohibition.

Distiller and Brand Ambassador Gable Erenzo was on-hand pouring the Hudson Unaged Corn Whiskey, the Hudson Baby Bourbon Whiskey, and the Hudson 4-Grain Bourbon. The Corn Whiskey, aka “moonshine”, is clear and made from 100% New York corn. It sips smoothly and serves as the base whiskey for the Baby Bourbon. The Baby Bourbon is aged in small, American oak barrels and was my favorite of the three. It had some nice oaky vanilla and caramel notes and a warm finish with a touch of corn sweetness. Each batch of the 4-Grain Bourbon starts with 800 lbs of grain which is ground at the distillery, cooked and fermented, then distilled twice. It’s then aged in small oak barrels for less than a year.

As for the bottle design, I like the signature medicine-bottle look with a wax-dipped top. But I guess it’s what’s on the inside that counts, and they’re doing a great job with that, too.

Bryan Calandrelli: Peninsula Ridge Estate Winery 2007 Meritage

I picked this bottle up because it showed well among the many delicious whites in the tasting room during my last visit to the Canadian side of the Niagara wine region.

Knowing that 2007 was such a banner year for reds, I’m all about seeing what each winery could do with grapes like cabernet franc and blends like this Meritage.
 
This one has great color and extraction with aromas of blackberry and bing cherry with a touch of vanilla. Unfortunately I did pick out the slightest hint of volatility in the nose but nothing that would be off putting to anyone but a winemaker or chemist. The wine’s strong suit is definitely its generous mouth feel thanks to some fleshy tannins. It finishes with a lot of fruit which is the way I would prefer as opposed to an oak inspired last impression.
 
I paid $22 for this bottle and it was worth every penny. It’s interesting to note that the VQA label is Niagara Peninsula, which means it can be a blend of any of the twelve sub regions including the Niagara Lakeshore, Beamsville Bench, or even Niagara on the Lake appellations.

If it were from just one of these and labeled as such it might have been closer to $30 in my experience.

Read Bryan Calandrelli in Edible Buffalo

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief

Just a quick post this morning to send some kudos over to our Niagara editor Bryan Calandrelli for his cover story in the latest issue of Edible Buffalo.

The story is titled "Liquid Assets -- Ice Wine" and it tells a tale of Bryan's own experience picking grapes for ice wine, a bit about ice wine in general and of course the present and future of Niagara USA's ice wine industry.

It's definitely worth a read. Check it out.

And, look for some video here on the NYCR. Rumor has it that Bryan picked for ice wine again over the weekend and is hard at work editing the footage.

Hudson-Chatham 2008 Reserve Baco Noir

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief

Of the red wine hybrids, baco noir is among my favorites. And, based on the few examples that I've had from the Hudson River Region, it seems like a variety with a real future there, especially if more wineries plant it and really focus on it. The region needs a signature red variety and it doesn't seem as though any vinifera is ready to step up.

Hudson-Chatham Winery is a relatively new winery but its already established itself as one of the more quality-focused producers, one that is embracing what the region can do best rather than apologizing for it.

In that vein, not only are they making baco noir, they have already positioned it as one of their flagship wines.

Hudson-Chatham 2008 Baco Noir Reserve ($21) shows ripe black cherry and plum aromas on the nose with a little cranberry and a healthy dose of vanilla and oak.

Rich and fuller bodied, there is an intensity to the black cherry flavors here with vanilla to round it out. Layers of chocolate and oak bring a little complexity before a sour cherry/cranberry note emerges on the medium-length finish.

Fresh, but balanced, acidity provides most of the structure here, keeping it from being too soft or flabby. Acidity isn't uncommon in red hybrids, but it's not excessively high here like it can be.

It's fruity, but not as simple as some baco noirs I've had. The oak is perhaps a bit obvious right now, but I'm curious to see how this one ages in bottle.

Producer: Hudson-Chatham Winery
AVA: New York
ABV: 11.5%
Price: $21*
Rating:  (2.5 out of 5 | Average-to-Very Good)
(Ratings Guide)

Wine for Haiti Auction: The New York Lots

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief

A couple weeks ago, I published a simple post and send a quick email to the New York wine community, alerting members to the Wine for Haiti Auction over at Palate Press.

The response has been nothing short amazing -- not to mention generous.

18 New York wineries donated wine in all, and we're not talking a couple 750ml bottles here or there. We're talking cases of great wines and super-rare large format bottles of age-worthy wines.

To make it easier for NYCR readers to find and bid on the lots, I thought I'd put together a list with direct links. Take a look, and bid on your favorites. You'll see my name on more than a few. To bid, just place your bid in the comments at the end of each post:

• Anthony Road Wine Company: Duo of 2008 TBAs
• Eveningside Vineyards: Case of 2008 Unoaked Chardonnay
• Fox Run Vineyards: Mixed Case selected by winemaker Peter Bell
• Glenora Wine Cellars: Case of 2002 Brut
• Heron Hill Vineyards: Case of 2006 Ingle Vineyard Riesling
• Hunt Country Vineyards: Magnum of 2006 Vidal Ice Wine
• Knapp Winery: Mixed Chase of Riesling and Chardonnay
• Lieb Family Cellars: 3-Magnum Set (Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Meritage)
• McGregor Vineyard: Case of 2007 Reserve Cabernet Franc
• Medolla Vineyards: Case of 2003 Merlot
• Paumanok Vineyards: Magnum of 2004 Grand Vintage Merlot
• Peconic Bay Winery: Case of 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon
• Peconic Bay Winery: Case of 2007 La Barrique Chardonnay
• Raphael: 3L of 2002 First Label Merlot
• Raphael: 6L of 2007 First Label Merlot
• Red Newt Cellars: Case of 2007 Sawmill Creek Cabernet Franc
• Sheldrake Point Vineyard: Case of 2008 Gewurztraminer
• Shinn Estate Vineyards: Magnum of 2005 Nine Barrels Merlot
• Shinn Estate Vineyards: Case of 2006 Nine Barrels Merlot
• Wolffer Estate Vineyards: Case of 2006 Fatalis Fatum (Bordeaux-style blend)
• Zugibe Vineyards: Case of 2007 Riesling

Obviously I don't need to tell you how important this auction is. The people of Haiti need our help, and if we can get some great New York wine out of it, it's a win-win situation. Bid early and often.

Ice Wine Science, Part 2: Frozen Assets

By Tom Mansell, Science Editor

In my last article on ice wine, I talked about how volatile acidity is an important aroma characteristic in ice wine and how it can contribute to peach and pineapple aromas. To conclude our discussion, let's talk about some other famous ice wine descriptors, including honey.

For our purposes, it's best to think of ice wine grapes as late harvest (well, really late harvest).  Grapes are left to hang until December, January, and even February until they are frozen on the vine.  During this time, all kinds of physical, chemical, and biological changes are happening to the berries.

First, as the season draws to a close, the berries will continue to accumulate sugar (until photosynthesis stops) and lose malic acid to respiration. This loss of acid can have a huge effect on the finished wine, which may even require acid addition to balance the huge residual sugar. 

Cool-climate winemakers may find it absurd to have to add acid (and may feel slightly dirty doing so), but in this case the sweetness of the finished wine may demand it.

Second, noble rot (Botrytis cinerea) may start to move in, especially in tight-clustered varieties like riesling and vidal blanc. This mold penetrates the skin of the grape, drying out the berries and concentrating flavors, sugars, and acids. 

When berries are carefully selected, botrytis can be responsible for heavenly Sauternes and Trockenbeerenauslese-style wines.

Third, the skins of the berries can be physically damaged by birds, deer or simply freezing. Again, this can lead to berries drying out, but it can also lead to growth of other less-desirable organisms. The overall loss due to grape damage and deer breakfast partially justifies the higher-than-normal price of ice wine.

Aroma compounds

The combination of these three factors can lead to the formation of aroma compounds not usually found in dry wines.    Over-ripening has been found to lead to development of compounds normally found in older and/or oxidized wines.  While the aroma profile of ice wines has not been studied extensively, I think it's safe to speculate that the damage to berries in ice wine shares characteristics with botrytized berries, and many botrytized wine aroma compounds have been recently characterized. They include:

• Sotolon (spicy, curry, honey) (pictured at right)
• Furaneol (strawberry, cotton candy)
• Phenylacetaldehyde (honey, rose)

While biosynthesis of these compounds is not fully understood, it's likely that the first two are the products of sugar oxidation either in the berries themselves or by yeast during fermentation.   Phenylacetaldehyde is produced by the botrytis itself, and is also a key aroma component in honey.

Mouthfeel

As if smelling like honey weren't enough to provide the "honey" descriptor, ice wine's dense and rich mouthfeel make it feel like honey on the tongue.  This increased perceived viscosity is not due to glycerol formation (although glycerol in ice wine is  higher than in dry wines).  At the levels present in wine, glycerol does not contribute to increased perceived density or viscosity. 

The real culprit of increased density and viscosity is high residual sugar. This shouldn't be too surprising to anyone who knows that measurement of Brix, i.e., the concentration of sugars in a must, is based on density.

Overall, with its concentrated aroma profile featuring fruity and botrytized aromas (usually with a smidge of VA), and dense mouthfeel, ice wine is really something special.  It's something I'd like to see more of in the Finger Lakes. No doubt that it gets cold enough.  When conditions are right and harvest and fermentation are well controlled by vineyard management and winemaker, the results can be outstanding. 

---

Further Reading:

Nurgel and Pickering, "Contribution of glycerol, ethanol and sugar to the perception of viscosity and density  elicited by model white wines." Journal of Texture Studies, 2005

Sarrazin et al., "Characterization of key-aroma compounds of botrytized wines, influence of grape botrytization." Food Chemistry, 2007.

To assist with this work, I tasted Sheldrake Point's 2007 Riesling Ice Wine and 2008 Cabernet Franc Ice Wine.  For my tasting notes, see my writeup on Ithacork.

Thanks to Sheldrake Point, especially Dave Breeden for helpful insights.

Ithaca Brewing Company Le Bleu Sour Blueberry Ale

By Kevin Burns, Beer Columnist

As the craft beer world grows, brewers are becoming more and more creative with their brews. One of the recent trends is the use of wine ingredients into beer such as grapes or champagne yeast, or the aging of beer in wine barrels. 

Le Bleu was brewed with New York State blueberries and Brettanomyces, The beer is a blend of barrels filled in 2007, 2008 and 2009. It's finished in the bottle with Champagne yeast.  The beer is named after Ithaca Beer Company employee Bret LeBleu and is an extremely limited production.  

Le Bleu poured a rose color with a two fingered width, white bubbly head. The aroma is dominated by yeast.

The mouthfeel is Champagne-like and the body is tart with ripe fruit. The blueberries start to show through towards the back end and lead to a tart finish.

Overall, this is a nice sour ale. The carbonation is high on this one, and the ABV is fairly low. The bottle advised the beer to be served cold, but I found the flavors became more pronounced as the beer warmed. If you can find this beer it is worth the buy.

This beer is a fantastic substitute for champagne (its does have the yeast) and would be a great starter for your meal.  I am thinking either a pear salad with romaine hearts and blue cheese or a fruit and cheese plate if you must pair this with food but I would prefer it by itself to truly sip and savor.       

Producer: Ithaca Beer Company
ABV: 5%
Price: $12.00 (25.4 oz. Bottle)
Rating: (3.5 out of 5 | Very good-to-Delicious)

By Kevin Burns, Beer Columnist

As the craft beer world grows, brewers are becoming more and more creative with their brews. One of the recent trends is the use of wine ingredients into beer such as grapes or champagne yeast, or the aging of beer in wine barrels. 

Le Bleu was brewed with New York State blueberries and Brettanomyces, The beer is a blend of barrels filled in 2007, 2008 and 2009. It's finished in the bottle with Champagne yeast.  The beer is named after Ithaca Beer Company employee Bret LeBleu and is an extremely limited production.  

Le Bleu poured a rose color with a two fingered width, white bubbly head. The aroma is dominated by yeast.

The mouthfeel is Champagne-like and the body is tart with ripe fruit. The blueberries start to show through towards the back end and lead to a tart finish.

Overall, this is a nice sour ale. The carbonation is high on this one, and the ABV is fairly low. The bottle advised the beer to be served cold, but I found the flavors became more pronounced as the beer warmed. If you can find this beer it is worth the buy.

This beer is a fantastic substitute for champagne (its does have the yeast) and would be a great starter for your meal.  I am thinking either a pear salad with romaine hearts and blue cheese or a fruit and cheese plate if you must pair this with food but I would prefer it by itself to truly sip and savor.       

Producer: Ithaca Beer Company
ABV: 5%
Price: $12.00 (25.4 oz. Bottle)
Rating: (3.5 out of 5 | Very good-to-Delicious)