LENNDEVOURS

Should More Long Island Wineries Submit to Wine Spectator? (Part 1)

By Lenn Thompson, Founder and Editor-in-Chief

Last week on Twitter, Morgen McLaughlin of Finger Lakes Wine Country said, referring to a short piece by Wine Spectator's Thomas Matthews, "This is why Long Island wineries need to submit wines for review to Wine Spectator."

As you can see, the story includes Matthews scoring at\ Lenz Winery 2005 Old Vines Chardonnay 90 points.

Morgen has done a great job getting Finger Lakes producers editorial coverage in the Spectator over the last year or so -- mostly by submitting a boatload of wine to the magazine (both current releases and library wines). In her words, "The formula is simple. Wine submissions = editorial coverage. End of story."

We discussed, all via Twitter, the advantages of her organization coordinating mass submissions (are you listening, Long Island Wine Council?), the differences in the two region's sizes and how great (and I agree) James Molesworth has been for the Finger Lakes. He covers the Finger Lakes for WS, by the way, with enthusiasm and fairness.

The discussion had me thinking to myself "Aren't most Long Island wineries sending wines already?" Matthews implies that they aren't in the story, and I have heard several winery owners and winemakers complain about Wine Spectator's "blind" tasting procedures, the perceived 90-point ceiling for New York wines, etc. But, I hadn't asked many of them in any sort of organized way, so I decided to do that.

I sent a quick, informal survey to the Long Island wine community that asked some basic questions: Do you send wines to Wine Specator? Why or why not? What advantages have you seen? Etc.

As one might expect, responses were mixed, though generally affirmative.

Most of the "on the record" responses painted a positive picture of the winery-WS relationship. Rich Pisacano, co-owner of Roanoke Vineyards told me that they've only sent wines "Twice in four years, but I plan to continue" because "We experienced a positive response and interest for our wines from an 88 point score for Roanoke Vineayrds 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon and more recently 89 points for our Roanoke Vineayrds 2005 Merlot."

Just a few miles east of Roanoke, Alex Macari of Macari Vineyards tells a similar tale "We have always submitted to Wine Spectator ever since we opened the winery. Great benefits! We have had customers walk in with the magazine requesting a case of a particular wine just because of a review."

Richard Olsen-Harbich, winemaker at Raphael who has been making wine on Long Island since the 1980s does submit his wines, but added that "I would see a bigger benefit with a couple of 95s. Believe it or not it seems as if the scores we received for our wines years ago were more generous than they are today -- somewhat incongruous with the fact that our wines today are so much better than they were 20 years ago. I've truly been perplexed by many of the recent scores of very good local wines. I think many are much better than the scores in the context of their system. But hey I'm biased."

Michael Croteau, owner of Croteaux Vineyard (a rose-focused producer) doesn't sent wines to the magazine, however, telling me simply that sending wines to Wine Spectator is "Not a priority. I don't see the benefit for us."

For a small boutique winery only making 4 wines, all merlot-based rose, that's easy to understand. They don't need high scores to sell through their inventory. The same is probably true for many of Long Island's smaller producers

But the owner of a far larger (and we can assume profitable) winery, who would only comment off the record, told me that sending wines to Wine Specator held "no benefit" for his winery, saying "I have always thought that our wines and indeed all Long Island wines have been damned with faint praise by the 'Specter' -- and by many, many others who do not taste blind, or better, double blind."

Continuing to talk about the magazine's tasting procedures, he told me "The Spectator has always tasted un-blind. They may sometimes say that they taste blind but that means they assemble 50 Long Island wines and then taste them blind, obviously knowing they are ALL LONG ISLAND WINES. They may be better-than-average tasters but the literature on human bias is very, very extensive."

Part 2 of this post will focus on Wine Specator's tasting process and guidlines, with information direct from Thomas Matthews himself, as well as some brief analysis of New York wine scores over the years.

In the meantime, here are a couple of my own thoughts on the matter, after hearing from so many wineries:

1. Long Island doesn't "need" to submit samples to Wine Specator. Morgen is wrong there. Several wineries are doing just fine without sending wines.
2. If Long Island really wants to make an impact via the Wine Specator, they should work together, submitting wines en masse like Finger Lakes Wine Country has been doing. Again, are you listening Long Island Wine Council?

The last comment I want to make is more about the piece Mr. Matthews wrote. It strikes me as odd that he'd say "Few of the region's producers choose to submit wines for review, making it difficult to establish a comprehensive context." considering that all but four of the wineries I talked to do send wines (two said they didn't know they could just send them without them being requested) and that from the sounds of it, he hasn't visited Long Island wine country in years. One winemaker told me "I haven't seen or heard of him being out here in 6 or 7 years." I think Mr. Matthews is based in NYC, so it would seem that if he's going to cover the Long Island region, he could easily visit with some sort of regularlity.

I know that Mr. Molesworth visits the Finger Lakes more often than once every 6 or 7 years.

Stay tuned for more on the Wine Specator topic. Should be a fun ride.

Q&A: Josh Wig, General Manager, Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars

Today's Q&A subject (standing), harvesting cabernet franc

This is a Q&A that I've been looking forward to doing for several months now. Why? Well, it's kind of a funny story really.

I've been writing about Finger Lakes wines for a few years now, but until maybe a year or so ago, I didn't really know very many of the players. A few winemakers here. A few winery owners there. Maybe some marketing folks. But one day, I was looking on Lamoreaux Landing's website for some information about them and I noticed "Josh Wig - General Manager" and thought to myself "Hey, I went to college with a Josh Wig. We were even in the same department (biology) but it can't be him, can it?" 

Turns out that it is the same Josh Wig, who as he puts it was "Born a farmer. And, after a brief foray as a warrior and nuclear engineer, with any luck will die a farmer and lover of nature."

What (and where) was the first bottle of wine you remember drinking?
My grandmother took me back to her home island of Lefkada in Greece as a high school graduation present. I spent the whole summer with my cousins. They drank large quantities of Vertzami and Robola, surfed all day, and hung out in the discotheques all night. I'm not sure if it was the wine or the topless beaches that made the biggest impression on me at the time, but that summer was definitely good preparation for college.

What event/bottle/etc made you decide that you wanted to be in the wine industry?
Growing up on the family farm, I was brainwashed into thinking that everyone worked 16 hours a day out in the elements, enjoyed eating the dirt and diesel mist that rolled up from the tractor, and got up at 4 a.m. the next day to do it all over again.

It was a hard-yet-rewarding upbringing that has always left me longing to get back to the land. This was the perfect opportunity to get back to my roots, while still providing the constant challenges associated with production, marketing and sales of the most engrossing agricultural product that I have consumed to date.

Which of your current wines is your favorite and why?
Our 2007 T23 Cabernet Franc has to be at the top of this list. While cab franc is by far my favorite grape, this wine takes the varietal to whole new level for me. Why go through all of the trouble to grow good fruit, if you're just going to beat it to death with a stick?

This wine will always take me back to my first harvest in the Finger Lakes.

What has surprised you most about being a member of the Finger Lakes wine community?
I have been very impressed with the educational culture and the members' general propensity to share their ideas and methods with their neighbors.

Other than your own wines, what wine/beer/liquor most often fills your glass?
Maker's Mark -- straight, rocks or Manhattan.

Is there a 'classic' wine or wine and food pairing that you just can't make yourself enjoy?
I haven't found one yet!

Wine enjoyment is about more than just the wine itself. Describe the combination of wine, locations, food, company, etc. that would make (or has made) for the ultimate wine-drinking experience.
Having my wife's family and my family all at the 20-foot long picnic table under a Seneca Lake sunset, and serving an entire meal that we harvested: venison burgers, grilled asparagus, sauteed mushrooms, swiss chard, strawberry rhubarb pie and of course T23! For me, wine is all about bringing people together.

Shinn Estate Vineyards 2005 Nine Barrel Merlot

By Lenn Thompson, Editor and Publisher

As you've read here and elsewhere, to tell the story of the 2005 vintage is really to tell two separate tales -- one before the October deluge and one after.

That deluge lasted eight days and dumped as many as 20 inches of rain on some vineyards. Some wineries weren't willing to risk waiting, harvesting their reds before the rains hit. One even stopped picking chardonnay, leaving it to the elements, to pick reds. 

The before-or-after decision wasn't a simple one, nor was it one-dimensional. If you waited until after the rains, how long did you wait? How much of your crop was rendered useless due to berry splitting?

2005 could have been a banner year, but it ended up being an inconsistent one from producer to producer.

The merlot (85%), petit verdot, cabernet franc and malbec that went into this Shinn Estate Vineyards Nine Barrels Merlot ($43) after the rains, and they clearly made good decisions along the way.

The nose is expressive, showing rich, intense blackberry and blueberry fruit with Thai basil, violet and subtle toasty vanilla accents. 

On the medium-bodied palate, the fruit is ripe, but restrained, with dark fruit flavors (blackberry, blueberry and a little plum) with more Thai basi/anise character along with sweet, minty herbs. The finish is medium-long with blueberries and a lightly earthy note at the very end.

Ripe, well-incorporated tannins of medium intensity make this wine approachable today, but short-term (3-5 years) development is easy to predict.

Only 225 cases were made (9 French oal barrels, 4 of which were new).

NOTE: David Page, co-owner of Shinn Estate Vineyards has announced (via Twitter) that anyone mentioning this LENNDEVOURS review gets a 20% discount on purchases of this wine.

Producer: Shinn Estate Vineyards
Price: $43*
ABV: 12.8%
Rating: (3.5 out of 5 | Very good-to-Delicious)

(Ratings Guide)

Shinn Estate Vineyards 2008 Coalescence

By Lenn Thompson, Editor and Publisher

Merriam-Webster Online defines the word coalescence:

• "to unite into a whole" or
  
• "to arise from the combination of distinct elements."

Given that, the folks at Shinn Estate Vineyards have chosen an unique, apt name for this blend of 54% chardonnay 23% sauvignon blanc 13% viognier 10% merlot, Shinn Estate Vineyards 2008 Coalescence ($14 at the tasting room).

The four wines were vinified separately, and then came together, or "coalesced" into one wine.

That 10% merlot, which was actually merlot blanc, gives this "white wine" a mere suggestion of pink.

This bottle showed a little stinky sulphur when first opened, but that quickly dissipated with zesty citrus, melon, white cherry and subtle her aromas emerging.

Medium-light in body, the flavors very closely match the nose, maybe with a bit more melon and the addition of a lightly floral note. The acidity is fresh and citrusy. The finish crisp, inviting another sip, but pretty short.

For $14 (and you can probably find it for $12 at some local shops), it's a nice value for every day drinking or if you want to serve local wine at your next summer party.

Producer: Shinn Estate Vineyards
AVA: North Fork of Long ISland
ABV: 12.8%
Price: $14*
Rating:  (2.5 out of 5 | Average-to-Very Good)

(Ratings Guide)

Rooster Hill Vineyards 2007 Gewurztraminer

By Lenn Thompson, Editor and Publisher

Gewurztraminer is the sometimes-forgotten grape of the Finger Lakes, often playing a distant second fiddle to riesling. But if you find yourself touring any of the lakes' 100+ wineries, you will find a lot of good, and sometimes great, Gewurztraminer.

Rooster Hill Vineyards 2007 Gewurztraminer ($16) shows why Gewurzt is one of the most aromatic grapes around. The nose is effusive with pineapple and apricot fruit aromas mingling with ginger, spice and white flowers.

The palate is medium-bodied with apricot, pineapple and spice flavors. The acidity is fresh, balancing the light residual sugar well. The mid-palate has a light creaminess to it, which gives way to medium-long, citrusy finish with hints of minerals.

Not a mind-blowing Gewurzt, but at $16 a good value. Rooster Hill is still a relatively new producer, but they are putting out some very good wines, wines that seem to improve with each vintage.

Producer: Rooster Hill Vineyards
AVA: Finger Lakes
ABV: 11.7%
Price: $16*
Rating: (3 out of 5 | Recommended) 
(Ratings Guide)

Channing Daughters Winery 2008 Mudd Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc

By Lenn Thompson, Editor and Publisher

I've said it a million times and I'll say it again -- there is little doubt that sauvignon blanc is the white-wine future of Long Island. And, year after year, a unique regional is emerging -- one with bright citrus fruit, accented by herbs that are less overwhelming than wines from New Zealand, and minerality that is less intense perhaps than Sancerre. And, unlike sauvignon from the left coast, the wines are focused and well balanced by refreshing acidity.

These are generalizations, of course, but it's an emerging style and I'm just trying to position it within other generalized styles from other regions.

Chris Tracy, winemaker at Channing Daughters Winery, does beautiful things with white wines, so it comes as no surprise that he's leading the pack in the develpoment of that signature style for Long Island sauvignon blanc.

He makes two versions, including this Channing Daughters Winery 2008 Mudd Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc ($20), which is almost entirely sauvignon blanc with 3% Musque clone chardonnay blended in. All of the fruit was grown in Steve Mudd's vineyard on the North Fork of Long Island.

Bottled in late February, it's a pale straw yellow and shows clean aromas of grapefruit, lemon, honedew, citrus blossom and the sea.

The medium-bodied palate is very lively with acidity and shows focused citrus and melon flavors up front that become minerally and herbal as you taste and swallow each sip. I don't each much seafood, but it's hard to imagine a better wine to enjoy with local shellfish this summer. Or, and this is something I do eat, fresh goat cheese.

Grape(s): 97% sauvignon blanc, 3% chardonnay
Producer: Channing Daughters Winery
AVA: North Fork of Long Island
ABV: 12%
Price: $20
Rating: (3 out of 5 | Recommended) 
(Ratings Guide)

Hermann J. Wiemer 2007 Dry Riesling

By Lenn Thompson, Editor and Publisher

One should never assume that the wineries with the best reputations make the best wines. In fact, I'm often skeptical of these "best" wineries.

Sometimes wineries that worked hard to earn their reputations rest on their laurels a bit, feeling as though they've arrived at the pinnacle of the industry.

Others never truly earned their place at all, instead relying on superior marketing and public relations.

Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard, on the western side of Seneca Lake in the Finger Lakes region of New York is one winery that not only earned its reputation as a leading producer, but is showing no signs of slowing down in its drive for even higher heights.

Take this Hermann J. Wiemer 2007 Dry Riesling ($17.50) for instance. 

Winemaker Fred Merwarth makes seven different rieslings, including two single-vineyard wines, a late harvest, a TBA-style, a Reserve and then two "regular" bottlings. This is one of those "regular" wines, and it's delicious. It seems silly to call it "regular" really.

The nose is somewhat floral with light petrol notes, but it's dominated by that classic peach-lime-wet stone combination I've noticed in many of the Finger Lakes' best rieslings. If you want to know what "a typical Finger Lakes riesling" smells like, this is it.

The feather-light palate is alive with citrusy acidity -- more than many 2007s -- that more than balances the .9% residual sugar. Peach and lime flavors dominate here, with white flowers and super-subtle sweet herbs behind. The petrol notes from the nose are barely noticeable on palate, but there is a terrific minerally vein throughout.

A long, peachy finish ends with a citrus zest note.

I don't want to overuse the word "classic" here, but this is a classic Finger Lakes riesling, and it's very well priced.

Producer: Herman J. Wiemer Vineyard
AVA: Finger Lakes
Price: $17.50*
Rating: (4 out of 5 | Delicious, Distinctive ) 

(Ratings Guide)

Heron Hill Winery 2007 Semi-Dry Riesling

By Lenn Thompson, Editor and Publisher


Heron Hill Winery is one of many Finger Lakes wineries that try to appeal to a wide audience. On one hand, winemaker Thomas Laszlo makes a couple of my favorite Finger Lakes rieslings. He also makes some delicious dessert wines. Anything designated "Ingle Vineyard" can be counted on for deliciousness as well.

On the other hand, not every tasting room visitor is going to drop $30 for the reserve riesling, so he also makes a pile of mediocre wines, some under the "Game Bird" label. Those wines are all under $15 and appeal to a wide audience. That's probably the audience that keeps the lights on.

This riesling, Heron Hill Winery's 2007 Semi-Dry Riesling ($13), which is made from grapes grown througout New York (inlcuding Lake Erie and Long Island) shows ripe peach and honeyed citrus on the nose.

The medium-to-light-bodied palate features straight-forward peach flavors, with something akin to watermelon rind there too. With 2.5% residual sugar and not quite enough acidity to truly balance it, this wine defintely tastes sweet. The finish, which I'd like to be a bit drier as well is short as well.

You can do far worse for $13, but there are better wines at that price point too. The Heron Hill Reserve, Ingle Vineyard and Old Vines rieslings are so much better, and the Ingle Vineyard wine is only a few dollars more.

Producer: Heron Hill Winery
AVA: New York
ABV: 11.5%
Price: $13*
Rating:    (2 out of 5 | Average)

(Ratings Guide)

The LENNDEVOURS Tasting Table (May 22, 2009)

By Lenn Thompson, Editor and Publisher

One of the things that I always struggle with is how to get more wines, more reviews, onto LENNDEVOURS. To make the time to write full reviews of everything I taste, I'd have to quit my day job, move out of my house and leave my family. I'd be living on the street and miserable, but hey, I'd be publishing more reviews.

To address this challenge, I'm going to try a something I'm calling the LENNDEVOURS Tasting Table, where I'll give quick-hit reviews of the wines I tasted in the past week that didn't get full reviews. I'm still working out the details of why wine X gets a full review and wine Y doesn't, but I'm hoping that this process works itself out. So there are the other New York wines that I tasted this week:

Billsboro Winery 2007 Pinot Gris ($15): Lemon, orange and orange blossom on the nose with a little apple in the background. Medium body with good acidity. Apple, citrus and distinct melon flavors. Medium-to-short finish. Shows potential for the variety in the Finger Lakes. Rating: (3 out of 5 | Recommended)


Billsboro Winery 2007 Dry Rose ($14): Strawberries, sweet dried cherries and dried cranberry aromas. Medium body and dry (0% RS) with red fruit and a lightly creamy texture. Simple, but good balance. Medium-long dry finish. Don't over-chill. Rating:  (2.5 out of 5 | Average-to-Very Good)



Billsboro Winery 2007 Chardonnay ($13): Austere on the nose with only light citrus, apple and even lighter spice notes. On the lighter side of medium body, ripe apple with a little butter, some brown spice and some toasty oak, but not too much. Nice acid balance, but nothing special. Rating: (2.5 out of 5 | Average-to-Very Good)

Anthony Nappa Wines 2008 Anomaly

By Lenn Thompson, Publisher and Editor

When Anthony Nappa, winemaker at Shinn Estate Vineyards, interviewed for the job, he had two questions of his own for the owners, could he bring his dog to work, and could he make his own wine?

I've seen his dog at the winery myself and with the release of Anthony Nappa Wines 2008 Anomaly ($18), the second question is answered as well. His second wine, the Anthony Nappa Wines 2008 Nemesis, will be released this weeked. Both are available at Shinn's tasting room and both wines are 100% pinot noir sourced on the North Fork. The Anomaly is a white wine, while Nemesis is a more traditional pinot.

Why would he put himself through the pain of making pinot noir on Long Island, a cool, humid region? It's simple: "Part of the reason is because I love pinot, and part of the reason is because everyone says pinot cannot be done well on Long Island. I know it can, and I enjoy the challenge of working with such a hard grape," he says.

And when I asked him why he decided to make a white pinot, he told me that "making a white wine out of pinot gives me a pure expression of Long Island pinot noir, brought down to its basics, and allows me to better understand the nuances of the variety grown here." Of course, he knows that it's a little off the beaten path, it's called Anomaly after all.

After tasting this wine for myself, I can say that I've found a Nappa wine I can recommend. Notice the second "p" in Nappa.

As with all the wines made at Shinn Estate, all of the fruit was hand harvested and sorted in the field. Then, it was de-stemmed but not crushed, and hand sorted on a sorting table. The fruit was then processed by gravity, to the press, where it was very gently pressed to minimize color extraction, like a Champagne. The wine was fermented cold, slow and aged without oak or malolactic fermentation

It is also worth noting that Anthony doesn't use enzymes or tannins in his winemaking. He only uses a little bit of sulfur and "Some are inoculated with yeast, and some are wild fermented, but none of the wines get DAP, only certified organic yeast nutrients if they need them."

I didn't get a very good picture of the wine, but its nearly colorless with only the faintest suggestion of pink. Unless you're looking for it, you may not even see it.

You're reminded that this is pinot noir once its aromas greet your nose, however. Delicate aromas of wweet red cherry, strawberry and strawberry hull are accented with a light note of sweet herb way in the back that became more apparent as the wine warmed to room temperature.

On the palate, it is mouth-filling, with a beautiful silky texture (this is pinot, remember?) that delivery clean, bright red fruit flavors, framed by good acid backbone.

Producer: Anthony Nappa Wines
AVA: North Fork of Long Island
Price: $18*
Rating: (3 out of 5 | Recommended) 

(Ratings Guide)

Is Southold Holding up Wind Power at Shinn Estate Vineyards?

By Lenn Thompson, Publisher and Editor

I hope that we can all agree that alternative energy sources are a good thing -- and that they are a large part of our future. Things like solar and wind power can, and will, reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. And they are sustainable. The wind will always be there. So will the sun. We hope so anyway. So these are renewable, persistent sources of energy.

Not surprisingly Shinn Estate Vineyards has already started to use these alternative sources, putting solar panels on top of their barrel storage building. Owners David Page and Barbara Shinn are among the winery owners most committed to sustainability of all kinds on their farm. 

While they remain on the grid, solar cells power their tasting room and the bed and breakfast on the property. In fact, the cells produced $260-worth of energy more than the inn and tasting room used last month.

But David and Barbara want to take it a step further. They want to harness the almost-constant North Fork winds to power their winery. And, with both state and Federal agencies offering incentives for investing in wind power, it seems like a great time to do so.

The State of New York has recently passed legislation, with the sponsorship of local State Assemblyman Marc Alessi, that requires the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) to net meter and rebate wind energy projects. Page told me in an email recently that this legislation alone will provide over 50% of the funding for their proposed turbine project.

On the Federal side, the Federal Government, through the USDA, has provided grant opportunities for alternative energy projects on agricultural land. This program is the first of its kid since 1985 and, according to David, will provide 25% of the funding for their wind system.

There is also a 30% tax credit on alternative energy projects like the one Barbara and David would like to undertake.

So, not only can Shinn Estate fund this project somewhat easily, but they will also put $100,000 into the local economy. Seems like a win-win situation right? Not so fast, my friends.

According to David "The problem arises when local government says 'not in my back yard' like they have done here in the Town of Southold, forcing us to go through a long, costly and cumbersome variance process instead of implementing reasonable town code."

The State Agriculture and Markets Commission recommends that turbines be set back 1 1/2 times the height of the tower, which would be 120 feet at Shinn Estate. But, the current Town of Southold code requires that they be set back 300 feet from property lines, which would require David and Barabara to rip out a chunk of established vines. These wines would obviously no longer produce the fruit that leads to the wines that they sell. Plus, they'd have to be replanted elsewhere on the property (with a three-year lag before the new vines produce usable fruit.) So, based on the current, the turbine simply can't happen.

Shinn Estate has been working with local government to create viable alternative energy code and to get a variance for their proposed project. "Town Code should promote the use of alternative energy strategies, not discourage them," said Page.

I asked David for an update earlier this week and while it sounds like things will eventually work out, it's getting expensive.

After paying $150 for a building permit to construct a CO2-free wind turbine, Shinn Estate was dissaproved and charged $50 for the dissaproval. Then they had to spend hundreds of dollars to have a survey prepared for a variance application. After submitting the variance application to the Zoning Board of Appeals (at a cost of another $400), they were told and told that their variance application would not come up for review until late August.

David summed it all up by telling me that "The wheels of our local bureaucracy are square."

Not surprisingly, Town of Southold Supervisor Scott Russell sees it a bit differently, telling me in an email "Mr. Page has no real issue here. He appplied for a building permit around March 30 and was issued a denial on April 8 because the code requires that the wind turbine must be set back 300 feet from any property boundry improved with a residence. Unfortunately, his hearing before the ZBA is not scheduled until the August meeting but, the workload at the ZBA is such that any hearing of any kind is generally not heard until a few months after the building permit is denied. It is a good law and a good process."

From the sounds of it, Russell doesn't see the current code or process as a problem, and probably doesn't think that this post is worth writing.

"Mr. Page is someone who simply does not want to wait his turn or wait on line...the timetable for everyone is the same. The real problem here is that Mr .Page does not like to follow a process of any kind and does not really like to wait for anything. He has an unrealistic expectation of entitlement that is simply not consistent with life," he said, adding "I have full faith and confidence that that board will make the right decision here and grant them the turbine application."

Russell admits that the code "in most cases is not perfect" and that the timetable for variance approvals can be frustrating, but he'd like David to be a bit more patient and let the process play out.

"We are just not able to extend to him the special treatment that he seems to think he is entitled to. Only a few years ago, the town code did not even allow for wind turbines anywhere. Now, it is taking him only a few month to get his presumably approved," Russel said. 

Page has asked Russell for an earlier hearing, but for now, the folks at Shinn Estate Vineyards are left waiting, watching the wind go by every day.

Billsboro Winery 2007 Dry Riesling

By Lenn Thompson, Publisher and Editor

May is Riesling Month in the Finger Lakes, but somehow this is my first Finger Lakes riesling review this month. Look for more riesling reviews this week and next (I'm tasting a lot of them lately, just haven't written them up yet).

Before we get to today's wine, a little background on Billsboro Winery. It's located on the west side of Seneca Lake, just south of the city of Geneva, NY and is owned by Kim and Vinny Aliperti. Vinny, who makes the wines, also serves as winemaker at Atwater Estate Vineyards, which is right across the lake.

I've enjoyed Vinny's Atwater wines for some time now for their balance, focus and value. This Billsboro Winery 2007 Dry Riesling ($16) fits within that framework though with a bit more opulent fruit and lower acidity -- both the result of the warm 2007 growing season.

The nose is bright with lush peach and apricot aromas and light honeyed citrus character.

Ripe and juicy up front, it's much more mouth-filling than I've come to expect from dry Finger Lakes rieslings. Peach and pear flavors dominate here with a squirt of lime juice. There's enough acidity here to balance all that fruit, but it doesn't show the tension and verve that are apparent in cooler, more-typical years.

Producer: Billsboro Winery
AVA: Finger Lakes
RS: .75%
Price: $16
Rating: (3 out of 5 | Recommended) 

(Ratings Guide)

Roanoke Vineyards 2006 Cabernet Franc

Lenn Thompson, Editor and Publisher

There's been a lot of TasteCamp content this week (for obvious reasons) so let's get back to some of the actual wines being made in New York. Not that this wine doesn't have a TasteCamp connection -- we tasted this Roanoke Vineyards 2006 Cabernet Franc ($32) on our visit to Roanoke Vineyards Saturday morning.

As you've probably read elsewhere, 2006 wasn't a great vintage for reds on Long Island. It was cooler growing season and was marked by a lot of overcast days and higher-than-average rainfall. Still, even in down years, the best producers put out quality wines, like this one.

The nose on this ruby-brick red shows sweet red fruit aromas -- cranberry and red cherry -- with vanilla, a bit too much oak, toasted nuts, tobacco leaf and hints of anise.

The medium-bodied palate is a little earthier than the nose, with the leafy, oaky notes more pronounced and fruit a bit subdued on the forepalate. The sweet vanilla cran-cherry flavors come back on the mid-palate and contnue through a medium-long finish, where they are joined by dusty earthy and cocoa powder flavors. The tannins are relatively light, but food-friendly acidity brings structure.

There might be a bit too much oak here for the fruit, but it's not over the top.

Grape(s): 87.5% cabernet franc, 6.25% cabernet sauvignon, 6.25% merlot
Producer: Roanoke Vineyards
AVA: North Fork of Long Island
ABV: 13.2%
Price: $32
Rating: (3 out of 5 | Recommended) 
(Ratings Guide)

The State of Long Island Wine

By Lenn Thompson, Editor and Publisher

As expected, TasteCamp EAST 2009 has initiated a flurry of blog posts by some of the best and brightest in the wine blogging world. I've enjoyed reading through all of the posts and commenting on many of them. I'd encourage you to do the same -- especially if you are one of the wineries that poured for the group last weekend.

One thing that has become clear is that I was blind to one pitfall as I put together the TasteCamp format -- it sent attendees away with only a snapshot of Long Island wine today, literally, a taste of what is going on here.

Joe Roberts' post over at 1WineDude and Lyle Fass's post at Rockss and Fruit have written some interesting posts. These are two of my favorite bloggers and I was thrilled that they were able to attend. What they say in their posts certainly has merit. They are interesting perspectives and I've said some of it myself both here on LENNDEVOURS and elsewhere.

That said, I think some of the absolutes they discuss might be a bit over-the-top.

Let's break this up into two primary points -- pricing and merlot vs. cabernet franc.

Taking them in reverse order, the argument for Long Island cabernet franc isn't a new one. Many have made it, and I've written about it several times, including this post almost 4 years ago to the day. I love Long Island cabernet franc. I'm a card-carrying member of the Franc Fanatics (a club I just made up 30 seconds ago). And, many of my favorite Long Island wines are cabernet franc or cabernet franc-dominated blends.

I wish it were true, but Joe's contention that (on Long Island) "Cabernet Francs will likely offer more consistent quality year-on-year" is off base. But once I thought about it for a few minutes, it's easy to understand why he'd think that.

This is where the timing of TasteCamp comes into play. These bloggers were not only here for a weekend, a weekend when 2005 cabernet francs were available in bottle and 2007s tasted from barrel. TasteCamp attendees tasted some of the best cabernet franc ever to come out of Long Island.

I'm making generalizations of course, but if they had tasted 2003s or 2006s, they may have come away with different feelings about the consistency of Long Island cabernet franc. As any winemaker or vineyard manager can tell you, Long Island cabernet franc can be a mess in lesser years. They can be overly green, thin and show little of the potential and intensity that these 05s and 07s exhibit.

Merlot, on the other hand, makes acceptable-to-good wines even in the worst of years. That is one reason that a lot of people here push merlot. They ability to ripen it well consistently. It is also the most-planted variety on Long Island. Don't let anyone tell you that isn't a driver as well.

Shifting gears and discussing pricing -- as the organizer of TasteCamp, I should have made sure that attendees got to taste a wide array of wines, instead of each winery's high-end wines. 

Our experience at Wolffer Estate on Sunday is a perfect example. Winemaker Roman Roth poured a three-vintage flight of his $100 Premier Cru, his own $50 Grapes of Roth 2002 Merlot, and two dessert wines priced at $37 and $85. Looking back, I probably should have asked him to pour some of his reserve merlot, which is around $20 and maybe his $15 rose. Would the impressions left be different, with regard to price, if Shinn Estate had poured it's $15 "Red", $23 Estate Merlot and $15 white blend? Or if Bedell Cellars had poured its $25 merlot? Maybe.

Both of those points -- varieties and prices -- are still open for debate, but for anyone who has only been to Long Island for a weekend (or even writing about them for 5 years like me) to suggest that Long Island wineries are doing anything "wrong" out here might be a bit presumptuous. I think so anyway.

The Long Island wine industry learns something new every day.

One of the things that some people are finally coming around to is the potential of sauvignon blanc here. We tasted several good renditions over the weekend from a variety of wineries. But for now, there is a lot of chardonnay planted. It's the second most-planted grape here, after merlot. If there were endless amounts of money around, my guess is that at least a handful of producers would rip out some of their chardonnay and plant sauvignon blanc. I think the future of Long Island whites resides in sauvignon blanc, but there just isn't that much fruit available. I know of at least 3 people who wanted to make a sauv blanc in 2008 but were unable to buy fruit.

Again though, they are still learning and will continue to learn. Long Island's wine industry was founded in 1973, fewer than 40 years ago! In the early days, there was a lot of American oak, completely different vineyard practices and varieties like zinfandel being grown. Through research at Cornell and experimentation both in the vineyard and in the winery, wineries understand what is possible here now more than ever. They aren't trying to grow zinfandel anymore and American oak is the exception, not the rule, these days. They have learned and continue to learn.

I've learned something here too about the TasteCamp format. Next year, I'll make sure that wineries pour a better representation of their portfolio. And, I hope that attendees will remember that two and a half days in a region doesn't make you an expert. 5 years with a blog focusing on the region doesn't make one an expert either, by the way.

At the end of the day, I think that these exchanges can help push Long Island wine country forward. That's the power of blogs. Where else would these discussions be possible?

New York Cork Club: April Selections

By Lenn Thompson, Editor and Publisher

Obviously I'm a bit behind with this post, given that we're well into May now, but I wanted to write a quick post about the wines I chose for April's shipment of the New York Cork Club. Both were a little difficult to get our hands on, so I'm extra proud of the choices.

First is Keuka Lake Vineyards 2007 Reserve Vignoles ($19), just the kind of wine that you're not going to get in any other wine club. First, Vignoles is hybrid grape. Unfortunately, most wine 'experts' ignore hybrids. Second, it's a (almost) dry rendition (most of the Vignoles with any sort of pedigree is used in dessert and ice-style wines).

It pours a pale yellow and the nose is rich and fruity with intense ripe (almost over-ripe) pear aromas mingling with those of musk melon and peach skin. A faint, distant note of gravelly minerals never really stepped forward, but really added to the complexity.

Medium-to-full bodied, the palate is similarly ripe and intense. The musk melon flavors come first, with the pear flavors emerging more on the mid-palate. The naturally bright acidity of Vignoles is there every step of the way, from the attack all the way through to a long, peachy finish that ends with a flavor that reminds me of the way my parents old gravel driveway smelled after a summer rain storm.

This is a wine that I'd love to pour for anybody who scoffs at the ability of crosses and hybrids to make delicious, balanced wines. And this was the LAST CASE available at the winery. It was hand delivered to the Brooklyn store a couple weeks ago by the winery's owner.

Our second wine is one that we actually received before it was even released, Raphael 2008 Naturale ($20), a blend of 60% chardonnay, 30% sauvignon blanc and 10% semillon. It's named Naturale because it's winemaker Rich Olsen-Harbich's forray into natural winemaking. It was made with wild yeasts, without fining or filtering, and only a touch of SO2 at bottling. It even has a bit of residual C02 in it that tickles the nose and tingles the tongue. That slight frizzante is a remnant of fermenation and Rich think it will disipate within a couple months. 

The nose, especially once the froth subsides and the wine warms to cellar temperature, is complex and intricate with aromas of ripe Gala apples, apple blossom, roasted nuts, sweet herbs, lemon zest and toasty yeast.

Medium bodied, it's much more citrusy on the palate, with the apple taking a step back, and basil-like herbs, nuts and a subtle minerally note. This wine is impeccably balanced -- creamy on the mid-palate yet featuring lively acidity. The oak (20% was fermented in new oak, the rest in stainless) accents rather than dominates. And, the finish is long with a little yeasty-leesy spiciness.

Macari Vineyards 2008 "Katherine's Field" Sauvignon Blanc

By Lenn Thompson, Editor and Publisher

When it comes to Long Island sauvignon blanc, there is a small group of wineries that can be counted on to deliver consisten quality. Macari Vineyards is one of those wineries and puts out one of the region's best sauvignons.

This is a wine that I look forward to every spring (when its released) and drink plenty of all summer long, even if I don't eat all of the great local shellfish that this wine is seemingly destined to be enjoyed with.

Most of the grapes than went into Macari Vineyards 2008 "Katherine's Field" Sauvignon Blanc ($22) come from their Block K (Katherine's Field), which is the part of their vineyard closest to the Long Island Sound between 100 and 150 feet above sea level.

Farmed to 2.5 tons per acre, the fruit was hand harvested, steel fermented and malolactic fermentation was strictly avoided.

This year's wine is far lighter in color that previous vintages. The green-yellow is so light that the wine is nearly colorless. The nose is nicly citrusy and grassy with hints of basil and gooseberries.

On the palate, it's a bit more delicate than past years, but it shows tremendous balance between citrusy fruit flavors, savory herb and grass notes, and snappy, lively acidity. The finish is lengthy with persistent saline minerality that the best Long Island sauvignon often has.

Grape(s): 100% sauvignon blanc
Producer: Macari Vineyards
AVA: North Fork of Long Island
ABV: 13%
Price: $22
Rating: (3 out of 5 | Recommended) 
(Ratings Guide)

Osprey's Dominion Vineyards 2007 Sauvignon Blanc

By Lenn Thompson, Editor and Publisher

A quick review of a very affordable local sauvignon blanc this Monday morning.

I really liked the 2006 edition of this wine for it's light, easy-drinking style and price. Well, Osprey's Dominion Vineyards' 2007 Sauvignon Blanc ($13) keeps the price down in the "daily drinking" zone and, despite the vastly different growing 2007 growing season, brings very similar aromas and flavors to the table.

Even with the ripe growing season, this isn't a big aggressive sauvignon. Intead, light lemon and grapefruit aromas mingle with golden delicious apple and subtle herbs on a medium-intense nose.

Medium bodied with fresh acidity, the flavors are fairly simple -- grapefruit, lemon and kiwi -- with just a little herbaceousness. The finish is medium-length with a little minearlity.

Grape(s): 100% sauvignon blanc
Producer: Osprey's Dominion Vineyards
AVA: North Fork of Long Island
Price: $13
Rating:  (3 out of 5 | Recommended)

(Ratings Guide)

Fire at Dr. Konstantin Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars

Fire damage at Dr. Konstantin Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars (Photo by Mike Linehan)

By Lenn Thompson, Editor and Publisher

I just got an email telling me that there was a fire at Dr. Konstantin Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars today that severely damaged the winery and/or the tasting room.

I don't know any details yet, but hopefully some of the people who read this blog and offer some. Hopefully no one was hurt.

UPDATE: David Spengler, tasting room manager at Ravines Wine Cellars just sent me a message on Facebook telling me:

"About 8:45pm this evening Dr Frank's new tasting room was engulfed in flames. Three fire companies and and couple on standby, but it was totally lost and they (Hammondsport FD) kept it contained to the one building. I was in the parking lot for about a hour watching before getting back down town to let Morgan know about it. Tomorrow in the daylight we'll see what it's left and I'll let ya know about the investigation of what started it. I live right on the village square, so I'm right smack dab in the center of phone calls and listen to the scanner."

From the sounds of it, only the new tasting pavilion was damaged. The tasting room will remain open as they investigate this fire.

UPDATE 2: Mike Linehan from the Yates County Chamber of Commerce (KeukaNY.com) sent the picture you can see above. He also appeared on 13 WHAM news this morning with Evan. Watch the video.

Red Newt Cellars 2007 Curry Creek Vineyards Gewurztraminer

By Lenn Thompson, Editor and Publisher

I had a feeling that the new Gewurztraminers from Red Newt Cellars would illicit a response from a few readers. I just knew that some people would have a negative reaction to the prices, regardless of quality.

The price of New York wines -- the truths and the myths -- is another topic for another time (and soon) though. Today, I want to tell you a bit about the other single-vineyard Gewurztraminer made in 2007 by Dave Whiting at Red Newt.

After much deliberating, I can now say that Red Newt Cellars 2008 Curry Creek Vineyard Gewurztraminer ($41) is my favorite of the two wines, maybe because it's a bit more "classic Gewurztraminer."

Compared to its sister wine, this is definitely the big brother. The nose, while still a bit taut, is spicy, with ginger, ripe pear and minerals.

The palate brings big spice, lychee and mineral flavors along with more pear and apple ripeness. The mid-palate is slightly juicy but the acidity is big and crunchy, pointing to potential longevity. The finish is long and dry with orange pith bitterness.

This is a real Gewurztraminer-lover's Gewurztraminer. I happen to be one and I really enjoyed this one -- especially on day two when the nose was a bit more expressive.

Producer: Red Newt Cellars
AVA: Finger Lakes
Price: $41
Rating: (4 out of 5 | Delicious, Distinctive ) 

(Ratings Guide)

Red Newt Cellars 2007 Sawmill Creek Vineyards Gewurztraminer

By Lenn Thompson, Editor and Publisher

When I heard that Red Newt Wine Cellars was releasing two single-vineyard Gewurztraminers, I was intrigued. Did the two vineyards really warrant separate bottlings, or was it a marketing ploy along the lines of "reserve" labels?

And when I heard they were price at $36 and $42, I'll admit that I even thought to myself "Have they lost their minds?"

Now that I've tasted them, I can say definitively that yes, the two vineyards (in 2007 anyway) led to distinct wines worthy of single-vineyard labeling.

Are the prices exorbitant? That's really up to you, but I can tell you this: these are expressive, distinctive wines that deserve your attention and show what is possible in the Finger Lakes with the 'other' aromatic white grape. You know, the one that isn't riesling.

The nose on this Red Newt Cellars 2007 Sawmill Creek Vineyards Gewurztraminer ($36), made with fruit from Jim Hazlitt's Sawmill Creek Vineyard, is an attractive melange of juicy ripe pears, dried orange peel, kiwi and white flowers with subtle spice and lychee notes in the background.

Elegant, mouthwatering pear and kiwi fruit flavors dominate the medium-bodied palate, with candied ginger, spice and floral notes bringing nuance. This wine's balance, brought about by tongue-tingling acidity, and it's long orange-peel inflected finish are what really helps it stand out.

Check back next week for my review of Red Newt Cellars' 2007 Curry Creek Vineyards Gewurztraminer.

Producer: Red Newt Cellars
AVA: Finger Lakes
Price: $36
Rating: (4 out of 5 | Delicious, Distinctive ) 

(Ratings Guide)

Pindar Vineyards 2007 Peacock Chardonnay

By Lenn Thompson, Editor and Publisher

Because I have to taste several Kosher wines for WBW #56 tomorrow, today's review is going to be a quick one for a simple, but solid Pindar Vineyards 2007 Peacock Chardonnay ($11).

This chardonnay was ermented in stainless steel and with an unknown amount of oak aging (the website doesn't say), this wine is very fruity on the nose with pineapple and pear aromas backed by hints vanilla and even some citrus blossom.

As I said, simple, but solidly made, the palate is medium-bodied with more pear-pineapple flavors, a bit more vanilla and just a sprinkle of toasty oak in the background. Good, but not great acidity, brings balance and there is an interesting grapefruit note on the average finish.

The tropical, fruity character reminds me a bit of some Aussie chards I've tasted, but there's better acidity here. It's a good example of the kind of wine I'd expect to get if I were to order a "glass of chardonnay" at a bar. Not that I would... but if I did, I'd be happy with this.

It's not distinctive, but for $11, it delivers good fruit and enough acidity.

Producer: Pindar Vineyards
AVA: North Fork of Long ISland
ABV: 12.8%
Price: $11
Rating:  (2.5 out of 5 | Average-to-Very Good)

Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars 2007 T23 Cabernet Franc

By Lenn Thompson, Editor and Publisher

Cabernet franc is a wine that comes in many styles across New York state. One one end of the spectrum, you have winemakers who eschew oak completely. On the other end, you have the winemakers who treat cabernet franc like it's cabernet sauvignon blanc, extending maceration and bludgeoning it with new oak.

I guess what I'm saying is that there isn't a clearly defined New York style cabernet franc yet. Nor is there a distinct style for Long Island, the Finger Lakes, etc. either.

This unoaked rendition, Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars' 2007 T23 Cabernet Franc ($15) makes a strong case for the no-oak style.

The nose is bright with tart cherries blackberries up front and layers of violets, lavender, thyme and subtle earthy spice.

On the palate, it's fresh and light-to-medium bodied with black cherry and blackberry fruit that is slightly juicy. The herb notes carry over, with light tannins and food-friendly acidity giving the wine just enough structure. the finish is medium-short, but features a nice spice note.

For $15, this is the kind of cabernet franc that I'd make my house wine. It should be versatile at the dinner table, and it's a good example of how a wine doesn't need to be big and hulking (or oaked) to be delicious.

Producer: Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars
AVA: Finger Lakes
ABV: 12.4%
Price: $15
Rating: (3 out of 5 | Recommended) 
(Ratings Guide)

Martha Clara Vineyards 2007 Himmel

By Lenn Thompson, Editor and Publisher

They don't always get a lot of attention, but there are quite a few late harvest and ice-style wines being made on Long Island. I say "ice-style" because the local versions of those wines are typically harvested long before they freeze on the vine, frozen in commercial freezers and pressed from there.

This wine, Martha Clara Vineyards 2007 Himmel ($31) is one of those commercially frozen wines, made with 60% riesling and 40% Gewurztraminer from the producer's own vines.

What works about the best local dessert wines is acidity to balance out all of that sugar. We can thank cool evenings, even in the height of summer, for the kind of slow ripening that leads to balanced wines.

Except 2007 was warmer than most -- great for reds and some whites -- but that ripeness (and lack of acidity) is apparent in this wine.

Medium-gold in the glass, the enticing nose blends honey with dried apricot, peaches and subtle citrus blossoms. Perhaps a little botrytis?

The palate shows great flavor -- honey-roasted apples, faint brown spice -- but low acidity leaves it feeling flat, actually flabby, in the mouth. The finish is very long with that brown spice really stepping forward, but the near-cloying sugar-to-acid ratio here keep this from being a truly special wine.

Producer: Martha Clara Vineyards
AVA: North Fork of Long ISland
ABV: 12.5%
Price: $31
Rating:    (2 out of 5 | Average)

(Ratings Guide)

Damiani Wine Cellars 2007 Cabernet Franc

I'm not sure when I first stumbled upon my now-friend Dave Honig's blog, 2 Days per Bottle, but I do know that it changed the way that I taste and review wines.

I've always frowned upon the "power tasting" that some publications employ -- tasting wines in rapid succession, in a near-clinical environment, spending no more than a few minutes with each wine. Instead, I have always preferred to taste wines over the course of an evening, with and without dinner or other food, to evaluate them in a way more similar to how people actually drink wine.

But Dave's blog has helped me take it even further. On his blog, he answers the question "Why two days per bottle?" this way:

Have you ever noticed how a really mediocre bottle can be much better the second night? Sometimes a wine that is "closed" opens up from exposure to air. This is a great hint that the wine is really not as bad as you thought. It just needs more time in the cellar. Alternatively, something great falls completely flat in just a day - drink all you've got, because there's not much time left. Wine starts changing rapidly the moment you open it.

So, for several months now, I've been tasting wines for at least two days before disposing of the leftovers and writing my final notes. Nena's not happy with this shift, only because our kitchen counter often has 6-10 bottles of wine on it for a couple days after my weekly tastings.

Damiani Wine Cellars 2007 Cabernet Franc ($23) is the kind of wine that needs two days (or more) to really taste and get a sense for.

Right out of the bottle, on day one, I didn't like this wine very much. It had some nice dark fruit, but with a weird chlorine-like aroma that was more than a little off putting. If I hadn't tasted this wine again the second (and third, actually) day, this isn't the review I'd be writing.

Ripe, just-crushed black cherries and blackberries dominate the nose, with dusty cocoa powder and hints of cola, root beer and jalapeno pepper.

The palate is medium bodied, with flavors that closely match the nose -- especially those dark fruits. The smooth tannins are a bit bigger than you might expect and this wine also shows good acidity -- both leading me to believe that it will age well for five years or more.

This wine also serves as a reminder that many of New York's smallest wineries need to release wines long before they really should (or would probably want to), but that's a post for another time. Just know that this wine is not showing its best yet -- far from it.

Producer: Damiani Wine Cellars
AVA: Finger Lakes
Price: $23
ABV: 12.8%
Rating: (3 out of 5 | Recommended) 
(Ratings Guide)

The Grapes of Roth 2003 Merlot

Roman Roth, the German-born winemaker at Wolffer Estate and Roanoke Vineyards, released the first wine under his own The Grapes of Roth label in the summer of 2006. That 2001 merlot, was a beautiful wine from one of Long Island's best vintages. It also received a 91-point score from Wine Advocate. His 2002, which garnered a 92-point score, will probably prove to be the longer lived of the two.

Last weekend, I tasted the newly released The Grapes of Roth 2003 Merlot ($50) for the first time. While not without its own merits, it just doesn't stand up to the previous vintages.

The grapes that went into this wine come from Sam McCullough's vineyard on the North Fork. McCullough is the vineyard manager at Lenz Winery and is one of the region's best growers, which is no doubt why Roman sources his merlot for GoR from Sam's vineyard.

But, 2003 wasn’t a great vintage for Long Island wines — especially reds. It's not that it was a cold growing season. Or even a rainy one for most of the season. The spring and summer months were fairly typical (in a good way). But, rain and then two October frosts caused problems for many growers.

Once the frost kills the vines’ canopy, photosynthesis stops and the grapes won't ripen further. You can talk about “hang time” (on the vine) all you want, but without the sugar factory, the grapes won’t develop any further.

Deeply colored a rich garnet-purple, this wine's nose is intense and shows great nuance and depth. The fruit aromas move from dark cherry to black raspberry to blueberry and back. There is also a distinct dried cherry note and toasty oak character here.

The toasty edge of the nose is very different on the palate, taking center stage. The 21 months this wine spent in barrel is much more apparent, almost overwhelming at this stage in the wine's development. Dried cherry, fig and dusty cocoa flavors emerge when the wine is allowed to breath over night and the tannins are
well integrated, but overall, I'm left wanting a bit more fruit and perhaps a bit less oak.

Producer: The Grapes of Roth
AVA: Long Island
ABV: 13.5%
Price: $50
Rating: (3 out of 5 | Recommended) 
(Ratings Guide)