What Did We Learn at Lenz?

As many of you know, last weekend I had the unique chance to blind taste several wines from The Lenz Winery against great (and much more expensive) wines from Burgundy and Bordeaux at an event held for Lenz wine club members.

Lenz is well known for using blind tasting such as this one to advance its standing in the overall wine market. In a 1989 tasting against French heavyweights like La Grande Dame, Chateau Petrus, J. Drouhin, Montrachet Marquis de Laguiche, and Veuve Clicquot tasters were unable to single out the Lenz wines as inferior in quality.

Saturday’s tasting wasn’t nearly as ambitious. Chateau Petrus is insanely expensive and buying it for 25 people would have pushed the $50 per person event fee to “$400 or $500” according to winery owner Peter Carroll. He seemed open to holding such an even, however, if people were interested.

The average price of the Lenz wines tasted was $20 while the French bottles averaged $90. But, this tasting wasn’t just about differences in price. As winemaker Eric Fry put it “This is a beauty contest. Whatever wine you like best is the winner.”

The first flight, dedicated to crisper-style chardonnay, pitted Lenz Winery 2003 White Label Chardonnay ($12) against 2003 Jean Louis Chevy, Puligny-Montrachet ($35). Tasted blind, I chose the Lenz as my favorite because of its nearly flawless balance. By comparison, the Jean Louis Chevy seemed tight, lean and flat.

Flight number two featured Lenz Winery 2001 Silver Label Chardonnay ($15) and 2001 Domain Leflaive Clavoillons, Puligny-Montrachet ($80). Again, I preferred the Lenz wine, by a narrow margin, which again seemed much more balanced while the Burgundy was a little raw in the oak department and lacking fruit.

It is worth noting, however that both chardonnay flights were served a bit too cold. Over-chilled Chardonnay is a pet peeve of mine.

Our next flight featured two cabernet sauvignon-dominated bottlings, Lenz Winery 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon ($30) and 2000 Gruaud-Larose, St. Julien ($115). The Lenz was complex, with intense berries, toasty-sweet spices and was almost meaty, with ripe tannins. Very approachable, I thought it was drinking much better than the Gruaud-Larose, which was a bit restrained and high in tannins. Five to ten years from now, when it’s peaking, I expect that I’d prefer it to the Lenz, however.

The last flight of the afternoon put Lenz 2000 Estate Selection Merlot ($23) up against 2000 Figeac, St. Emilion ($105) and 2000 Le Bon Pasteur, Pomerol ($110) in a supposed “Merlot Flight.” Only 30-percent Merlot (with 35-percent Cabernet Franc and 35-percent Cabernet Sauvignon) the Figeac seemed out of place, while the Le Bon Pasteur seemed a bit “off” to me and it may have been slightly corked. It was complex, smoky but extremely tannic and obviously not peaking. Again, the Lenz wine won me over as the most ready to drink today.

The room was a little dark and the flights were rather rushed, but what did we learn?

Never assume that a $100 wine is going to taste better than a $15 bottle — especially when the $100 bottle is a still-young Bordeaux. With substantial tannins, it really wasn’t fair to compare them to the Long Island wines, which are ready now.

We also learned that while Merlot still rules Long Island, our Chardonnay is a real bargain — especially the $12 White Label from Lenz.

As Fry put it, “The definition of a good wine is that you like it,” which means that, for me Lenz Winery makes good wine.

Comments

[Andrew]

If I ever (or should I say when) get to NY I really must go on one of these tastings with you to see how our perceptions differ. I mean a basic chard against a Puligny-Montrachet; What ever next!

[seb]

Come on, we could beat Lenz by comparing it to other New York Wines.

[Lenn]

Seb,

That may be true (certainly it is, there are many other wines of note in NY) but that wasn't the point of the tasting or the post.

What are some of your favorites?

[Terry Hughes]

Sounds like a mini-version of the 1976 "Judgment of Paris"!

[Kristin]

Hi Lenn,

I must say that pitting a fresh, crisp New York Chardonnay against a white burgundy from a vintage where the wines were so fat and flabby that most winemakers acidified is maybe not entirely fair. It would be more interesting to see something like a 2004 Chard vs. 2004 white Burg, since the vintage was much more typique. Of course, should the Puligny-Montrachet cost as much as $35 when it is, in a word, boring?

As for the 2001 test, it sounds like the Burg was in a dumb state. I'd love to see the tasting of these same wines done again in three years to five years.

French wine defender to the end ;)

Kristin

[Mona]

Lenn, I think this post is great. Wow, you fired up some folks:) I can't wait to seek out Lenz wines..I'm all about supporting local vineyards.

[Lenn]

Kristin,

I think you're 100% right. I think they preyed on the lack of French wine knowledge many (most?) of the attendees had. Let's just say that I was the only one spitting and taking detailed notes of any sort, at least at my table.

The tasting probably wasn't fair at all in most flights.

Mona,

I'd highly recommend the white label chardonnay and also their gewurtztraminer, which obviously wasn't included in this tasting.

[Ed]

Lenn,
This is good stuff.

I agree with Kristin on the whites, I would have loved to see '04 vs '04.

For the reds, although the French reds should open up more, they have certainly matured enough for a tasting. I'm impressed that Lenz faired so well...guess I need to go buy a bottle...Ed