Clearly, Bedell Cellars Wants to Be the Best

(This column appeared in the 3/18/05 issue of Dan's Papers)

Michael Lynne, owner of Bedell Cellars in Cutchogue and Corey Creek Vineyards in Southold, wants to be the best. But not just the best on the North Fork or even in the U.S.

He wants to be the best in the world.

In early February, this commitment to making world-class wines led Lynne, whose “day job” is running New Line Cinema as co-Chairman and co-CEO, to hire Pascal Marty, formerly of Chateau Mouton Rothschild, as his consulting oenologist, and John Irving Levenberg, most recently at Paul Hobbs Winery in Napa Valley, as associate winemaker. They join founding winemaker “Mr. Merlot,” Kip Bedell, to create a formidable winemaking team.

Marty, a globally respected winemaker who was integral in the creation of the ultra-premium Opus One brand, has received most of the press since the announcement, but Levenberg may have a more immediate impact on the wines. While Marty will only be visiting Long Island periodically (he lives in Chile), Levenberg will be involved daily.

In addition to posts at Paul Hobbs and other Napa wineries, Levenberg has worked in Bordeaux and New Zealand, bringing an interesting mix of Old and New World experience with him. He also brings an understanding of “how to make wine in a cool climate” as a result of his experience in Bordeaux, said Bedell.

With his new winemaking team complete and in place, Lynne may have positioned Bedell Cellars to bring a top-100 wine to Long Island, but how soon can it happen?

“Perhaps as soon as two to three years from now. We can absolutely make top wines here,” said Bedell.

If you don’t want to wait that long to enjoy a delicious bottle from Bedell Cellars, try the 2001 Merlot Reserve. In April, the vineyard will release 455 numbered magnums of this reserve, which will feature labels designed by noted artist and Sag Harbor resident Eric Fischl.

These special, collector-worthy bottles will sell for $200. For those on a smaller budget, 750ml bottles without the Fischl label will go for around $30 – a nice value.

Regardless of bottle size or label, this is a spectacular wine that captures the essence of what Long Island wines can be. Bedell notes that 2001 had a “long, warm growing season with little or no rain at harvest.” This reserve was made using fruit harvested on October 31, 2001, from Bedell’s “best blocs of Merlot.”

Best fruit in usually means best wine out.

Ninety-five percent Merlot with three percent Cabernet Sauvignon and two percent Cabernet Franc, the wine itself is extremely elegant and reminiscent of a fine Bordeaux. On the nose, I was greeted with cedar, spiced berries and delicate hints of sweet vanilla. On the palate, black and red cherry flavors mingled with minerals and more spice.

With fourteen months in French-coopered American oak (sixty-five percent new), this wine offers super-smooth, expertly integrated tannins and a mesmerizing, long finish. This is the best Bedell wine I’ve ever tasted, and I’ve tasted all seventeen years of the vineyard’s Merlot.

Comments

[Foley]

Lenn,
Just popped a bottle of this tonight and it was excellent. I give it a solid A. My notes included: Wonderfully aged wine. Opened with some herbal notes on the smell, but not the pallette. Definetly demonstrated traditional LI terior. Changed over the course of 2 hours and became more rounded and full; showed some faint chocolate flavor in the last few sips. Excellent.
I'm really starting to find the benefits of ageing good LI reds; they are holding up and improving so much more than many "better" California and Washington counterparts.
I had an '03 Sherwood House Cab Franc the other night and it was also amazing. To date, this might have been the best Cab Franc I've had from LI. I still have some really great LI Francs in my cellar ('04 Shinn, 03 Lieb Reserve, 05 Raphael, 02 Jamesport, 04 Paumonok), so I'm really excited to see how they show in a few years.

[Lenn]

Dave,

I wish I had more of the 2001 merlot...but alas, it didn't last long in my house!

I don't remember liking that 03 Sherwood THAT much, but I do remember liking it. There are so many good ones made here...it's tough to pick one.

[Foley]

I just dug up your notes on the 03 Sherwood Franc and you seemed to think it was OK, not great.
I dug up my old notes when I first tasted it (in Sept 2006) and I loved it then, too... though I do think it improved with the extra few years in the bottle.
That's the beauty of wine, right? It's also the beauty of tasting notes. I've been keeping them pretty religiously now for the last few years (save for the time when I corrupted my excel cellar database a while back!). The notes really give me a way to compare my initial impressions with my current impressions.