The New York Cork Club's July 2010 Selections

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

This month's New York Cork Club selections are Sheldrake Point Vineyards 2008 Gewurztraminer and Herman J. Wiemer 2008 Dry Riesling, who great summer sippers that will pair with the hot temperatures we've been "enjoying" of late and also with the great local produce that is available this time of year.

Before I say a bit about the two wines, first let me point you at more information about the New York Cork Club (NYCC) itself. The quick and dirty of it is that we've partnered with BacchusWineOnline.com to build a wine club that features only wines made in New York -- making more accessible to people around the country. We can't ship to every state, shipping laws being what they are today, but we can ship to a lot of them.

For more information and to sign up, visit the Bacchus website.

Okay, enough of that. You want information about the wines, right?

Sheldrake Point Vineyard 2008 Gewurztraminer ($18) is a classy, classically styled gewurztraminer that delivers the character I love about gewurztraminer without any of the overly perfumey stuff that I don't. Candied lemon peel bursts from the glass with floral aromas that aren't at all rose-like or perfumy, classic lychee notes and a little sprinkling of brown spice.

Medium bodied and showing good balance between residual sugar and acidity, this gewurz tastes dry despite sweet lemon-citrus flavors with some ripe peach in the mix. The acidity isn't electric, but helps the wine finish crisply with lingering citrus blossom and Lemon Head candy flavors.

Interesting in signing up for the club? You can do so on the Bacchus website.

After including the 2008 Late Harvest a few months ago, I picked Herman J. Wiemer 2008 Dry Riesling this month, their 'regular' dry bottling. Don't be fooled -- it's anything but ordinary. The nose erupts with classic Finger Lakes character -- bright lime, Kaffir lime leaf, lemon zest and grapefruit aromas with an undercurrent of wet slate minerality. 

In a mouth-watering, trocken Kabinett style, the palate is dry (.8% RS) with electric acidity that is both balanced and integrated. Lime flavors drive the palate with white grapefruit and slightly less minerality than the nose might indicate. This wine shows great length and has a bright-but-smooth finish, begging for another sip -- as well as a place on the lunch or dinner table.

Comments

[Jeff]

so the only wines that get included in your monthly club distribution have to be previously carried by bacchus? or will bacchus pick up wines on your review/request?

[Lenn Thompson]

Jeff: I actually have no idea if these wines are available at Bacchus or not -- are they?

To answer your question, Dan at Bacchus has been great -- he's gotten a ton of wines in just for the club and we're working out a couple deals to get in wines that aren't available anywhere except at the wineries themselves, typically.

[steve g]

I am a club member who found Bacchus through the club. I live in Albany but travel to Rochester every couple of months and stop in to Bacchus to avoid any shipping costs.

I like the store a lot and Dan is committed to NY State wines. To answer your question, when I was there last, there were a great deal of the club wines from previous months on the shelves of Bacchus. In fact, one previous selection I really liked,2003 Medolla Merlot, was smiling at me so I think a bought two or three more.

Steve

[Dan]

Hi Jeff,

There are a few answers to your comments.

We have a healthy selection of NYS wines BUT if there is something you are interested in just let me know and I will be happy to special order the wine OR direct you on how to get the wine.

I am happy to sell the wine and/or act as a helpful guy assisting poeple in finding the wine they want!

As for the club selections, we have some instock and some we order special for the club. Typically we have "leftovers" from the club selection but they sell out fast becasue of the exposure.

Contact me anytime.........I would love to chat with you.

dc
@dclifford