New York Cork Report

Heron Hill Winery 2007 Blaufrankisch Reserve

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief

I think that I'm like most wine geeks in that I like wines that make me think. I don't mean all the time. Not every wine. Sometimes we just want wines that we can drink, have with our meal, and enjoy throughout the course of an evening.

But on other occasions, I want a wine to stop me in my tracks and demand further consideration and pondering. Even rumination.

This Heron Hill Winery 2007 Blaufrankisch ($35) is a wine that had me thinking. And wondering.

We'll get to that in a minute though.

First, a little soapbox time. Let's talk about the name Blaufrankisch, the original name for this grape. Yes, original name. Dating back to possible the 10th century. If you've had Lemberger, you've had Blaufrankisch. It's just that, for whatever reason, many American producers (including numerous ones in the Finger Lakes) think that Lemberger is more attractive to consumers than Blaufrankisch.

I don't subscribe to that belief, so I'm glad Heron Hill doesn't use the Lemberger moniker.

Okay, off of the soapbox. Let's talk about the wine itself.

As Evan reported when this wine was released, then-winemaker Thomas Laszlo gave this wine the "cabernet treatment" aging it in new oak for 18 months.

With that much time in new oak, it's not surprising that the nose it toasty with oak and vanilla notes that somewhat mask the ripe plum, black cherry and spice aromas.

Medium bodied with extremely ripe dark fruit and spice flavors, the vanilla/oak still dominates the palate too much for my tastes. The tannins are round and well integrated. The spice peeks through the vanilla nicely.

It's a well-made wine, but doesn't fit what I'm looking for stylistically. And I'm not really sure that I'd be able to identify it at Blau if tasted blind. 

And that's why this wine had me thinking and made me wonder as I tasted it over the course of several evenings.

"What could this wine be without the heavy hand? Without the 'cabernet' treatment?" I guess we'll never know.

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that this is my contribution to Wine Blogging Wedndesday #62: A Grape By Any Other Name, hosted by my friend Dale Cruse.

Producer: Heron Hill Winery
AVA: Finger Lakes
ABV: 13%
Price: $35*
Rating:  (3 out of 5 | Recommended)  
(Ratings Guide)

WBW #61: Lieb Family Cellars 2007 Bridge Lane Cabernet Franc

By Lenn Thompson, Long Island Editor and Editor-in-Chief

Lieb Family Cellars, a small North Fork winery with a tasting room tucked into the front of the Premium Wine Group complex, was one of the wineries that first inspired me to start writing about wine more than five years ago. It was the first winery I had visited on Long Island where I enjoyed every wine in the lineup. In fact, Nena and I joined the wine club after that first visit.

So, when I was trying to decide what winery to visit for Wine Blogging Wednesday #61: At the Source, I eventually shot an email to Gary Madden, Lieb's long-time general manager, to set up an appointment for last night for after work.

My target wine for WBW was the newly Lieb Family Cellars 2007 Bridge Lane Cabernet Franc ($18), but over the course of two-plus hours, Gary and I tasted through the current releases as we talked about chardonnay styles on Long Island, how the economy has impacted business (a large part of their model is restaurants in Manhattan), wine dinners, blogging and my evolution as a writer. 

Like I said, Gary was there at the beginning. 

But let's get back to the wines, which were showing very well for the most part. Some quick-hit notes for some of the wines we tasted:

2008 Bridge Lane Merlot Blanc ($15): Pretty nose of cherry, citrus and peach. Peach and cherries on the palate with good acidity up front, but an abrupt finish makes it seem less bright. Liked the 07 far better.

2007 Reserve Pinot Blanc ($20): Ripe pear, floral and some melon on the nose. Great balance, clean, dry and slightly creamy with a great minerally edge. Very Alsatian.

2005 Blanc de Blancs ($35): Fresh and crisp with bright pear and apple flavors with toasty yeast/dough notes and hints of honey. Maybe the best vintage of this wine to date. 

2007 Bridge Lane Chardonnay ($15): Peach, Granny Smith apple and pineapple/tropical. Medium-light body with palate-cleansing acidity, more apple, pear and stone fruit flavors with a subtle, minerally-saline edge that lingers longer than you’d expect at this price point.

2006 Reserve Chardonnay ($20): Well-balanced barrel fermented chardonnay. Apple fruit with nutty, toasty nuance and just a little vanilla on the finish. Well done, but not distinctive.

2007 Bridge Lane Cabernet Franc ($18): 50% done entirely in steel. Cherry and cranberry fruit with earthy, mushroomy flavors and subtle asparagus and herb notes. Maybe a little too much oak (some vanilla on the finish) but still my kind of wine.

2005 Reserve Cabernet Franc ($25): Ripe black cherry and pomegranate with a fist full of violets on the nose. Ripe, almost plump with mushroomy, earthy flavors backing bright fruit. Subtle spice too. Very well done.

2005 Bridge Lane Merlot ($15): Decent fruit, but surprisingly green from a warm vintage. The one hiccup of the tasting for me.

2004 Reserve Merlot ($20): Drinking really nice right now. I hate the Bordeaux comparisons, but this really is reminiscent of a Right Bank wine. Plum, blackberry, cedar, dusty cocoa and subtle minty-herb notes. Medium-body with well incorporated tannins.

So that's it for this edition of Wine Blogging Wednesday. Over the next several days I'll be compiling all of the submissions, so keep an eye out for that post as well.

 

Today is Wine Blogging Wednesday #61: At the Source

By Lenn Thompson, Long Island Editor and Editor-in-Chief

Today is Wine Blogging Wednesday's 61st edition (hard to believe, isn't it) and I'm hosting once again. This month's theme is "At the Source" where I've challenged participants to write about a wine based on a tasting done at a winery. 

Think of it as my way of encouraging a "local wine" story without doing the same ole theme again.

I think this is going to be a fun one, especially for those bloggers who live in lesser-known and non-traditional wine regions. I hope they had fun with it and I hope that there are some fruit wines or off-the-wall things included. 

Me? I'm heading to Lieb Family Cellars after work tonight. The target wine? A newly released 2007 Bridge Lane Cabernet Franc that I've heard some good things about.

Look for my post late tonight and for the roundup over the next several days.

Participants, please make sure that you email me with your submission URLs.

Announcing Wine Blogging Wednesday #61: At the Source

By Lenn Thompson, Founder and Editor-in-Chief

As the founder of Wine Blogging Wendesday, I like to hop in and host at least once a year. It's fun to force people to drink what you tell them to. It's a power rush. A boost to my ego.

Okay. What really happened is that the planned host for September went and got pregnant and gracefully bowed out until after the baby is born in the spring. So, I'm jumping in so we don't miss a month.

After brainstorming a bit, I dismissed simply making participants drink local again. That's been done. But, ever the proponent for supporting local wineries, I did find a new angle that I think will be fun -- At the Source.

Rather than walking into your local wine shop to pick up a wine for WBW, I want you to actually visit a winery and taste a wine there. Bonus points if you can taste it with the winemaker or the vineyard manager.

Because I'm a bit late announcing (was hoping to find a host before taking it on myself), we'll push out WBW an extra week and do it on Wednesday, September 16. That should give people plenty of time to visit a tasting room, taste several wines and pick one for WBW.

See how I still kept the local angle in play? Not bad, right?

I understand that this will mean some interesting wines for many of you -- especially those in lesser-known corners of the wine world. But, I've had some fun and interesting wines from quite a few off-beat places. Have fun with it.

And remember, you can visit a winery this weekend for WBW, just don't post until September 16.

Email me a link to your post for the roundup please.

Wine Blogging Wednesday #60: I've Zinned -- Neyer's Vineyards 2000 Pato Vineyard Zinfandel

By Lenn Thompson, Founder and Editor-in-Chief

I've taken an unintentional hiatus from Wine Blogging Wednesday the last couple of months, and for that I'm a little ashamed (but only a bit). Sometimes I get busy, okay? Anyway...

For those of you who don't know what WBW is, it's a monthly virtual wine tasting project that I founded several years go. Each month, a wine blogger chooses a theme and bloggers (and non-bloggers) buy/taste a wine that fits the theme and post about it, often on the second Wednesday of the month.

This month's edition, hosted by Megan of Wannabe Wino (who is a huge wino by the way, not a wannabe), is themed "I Have Zinned" and features, you guessed it, zinfandel.

I know that there are plenty of people out there who think I ONLY drink New York wines, but that's a clear misconception. Sure, I drink them a lot and I think it's important to drink local, but there are some grapes and wines that just don't work well in New York -- zin being one of them.

I love zinfandel, at least partly because it's just so different from most of the local wines I drink. They are big, powerful (both in flavor and alcohol) and are really just in-your-face wines. There's a lot of crappy $10 zin out there though, so be careful.

I almost missed out on this edition of WBW. I went down into my cellar to pull a bottle, thinking that I had some down there. No, I didn't (save some samples a winery sent me and I don't use those for WBW if I can avoid it). So, I drove up the road to the nearest wine shop, a shop that usually has some interesting wines and even some older vintages (though they are usually stored upright, so I tend to avoid them).

Anyway, I picked up this Neyer's Vineyards 2000 Pato Vineyard Zinfandel for $33.

I think that conventional wisdom is that zinfandel doesn't age all that well, but I thought it'd be interesting to see how this wine was at age 9.

In a word: tired.

There was still a bit of fruit here -- strawberry and raspberry, but it was barely holding on, slipping into a cavern that was clove-y and spicy (good) but also very earthy in a dusty, not-so-good way. There an interesting brown sugar component and some faint meatiness, but without fruit to balance it, the alcohol pokes through pretty signifcantly on the finish too. 

I'd like to get my hands on a more recent vintage of this wine, though. I don't have a lot of experience with older zin, but it seems to me like this wine was either stored improperly (see above) or is just past peak.

So thanks to Megan for hosting. Next time I'll make sure that I have my wine picked out further ahead of time, so I'm not left at the mercy of the nearest shop.

Wine Blogging Wednesday #59 Announced: WBW #59: An Homage to Kushi no Kami

The 59th edition of Wine Blogging Wednesday, hosted by The Passionate Foodie, is an homage to Kushi no Kami.

Not sure what that is? I have no idea what it is that's why it's just the kind of WBW theme that inspired the event in the first place -- a forced exploration of a region or type of wine that is new or unknown.

So who or what is Kushi no Kami? Turns out that it's an ancient name for the god of Saké.

I've had Saké exactly once in my life and it was cheap, warm stuff at a Japanese restaurant once. It tasted sort of like hot vodka to me without the alcohol burn. Not exactly a ringing endorsement.

But, I know that our host is a Saké-loving guy, with tons of knowledge on the subject, but he's making it easy for the newbies:

For this theme, all you have to do is to conduct your own kikishuSaké tasting”) by selecting any Saké and reviewing it. You will earn bonus points if you review multiple Sakés of different styles or types. For example, you could compare a Ginjo to a Daiginjo or a Honjozo to a Junmai. You will also earn bonus points for pairing Saké with food.

This is all going to go down on July 8, so get your Saké ready.

Read Richard's full post to get all the details and for links to more information on Saké.

Wine Blogging Wednesday #57 Announced: California Inspiration

Even though this is a New York wine blog, non-NY wines do make their way into my cellar, into my glass and ultimately into my mouth. Wine Blogging Wednesday is often the reason, and May's edition (the 57th) of WBW, hosted by my friend Jeff at Good Grape, will force me once again to leave local wines for at least a day.

Jeff's theme is a good one:

Thematically, this month is intended to be broad while acting as homage to Robert Mondavi, the 1-year anniversary of his passing on Saturday, May 16.

Because Mondavi was such an inspiration physically, spiritually and philosophically to so many – both in the industry and to consumers, while acting as the forefather of the modern California wine movement, I would like for WBW participants to revisit a California wine that they have enjoyed, or have a particular fond memory of, and tell a story.

Simply, Mondavi promoted an air of inclusiveness, not exclusiveness, conducting many of his business practices around a philosophy of aiding other wineries in knowledge and practices to create a profile for California wine that would rival the world’s finest wines.

The easy route for this theme would be to taste a Mondavi wine, but I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that Mondavi would have preferred an air of openness.  No good is accomplished by a singularity of purpose that acts as an exclusionary barrier for others.

Please go buy or pull from your stash, a bottle of whatever that California wine was that created a memorable chapter in your life, revisit the bottle, and share your story.

I don't have a Mondavi wine that inspired me or pushed me forward in my journey (obsession) with wine, but there are a few California wines that fit the bill. Stay tuned to see which ones and why.

Join us on May 13 as we celebrate the life of Robert Mondavi and the wines and wine industry he helped create.

Wine Blogging Wednesday #56 Fine Kosher Wines

By Lenn Thompson, Editor and Publisher

Today is Wine Blogging Wednesday #56. I know I say it almost every month, but it is still fascinating to me that the virtual wine tasting I founded 56 months ago is still going strong.

This month, we're hosted by John, who is better known as The Corkdork. The theme is Fine Kosher Wines, something that I knew little about (and still probably don't, given the small sampling that I did.)

Before this edition of WBW, I actually had never knowingly tasted a Kosher wine. I guess it's possible that I had some Manischewitz in college or something, but I don't think so. In that sense, I was going into this without any of the negative bias that some seem to have for the category.

Nena and I tasted through six different Kosher wines (5 were "Kosher for Passover" which is a different sub-category). Rather than offer full reviews on everything, I'll give you a basic rundown.

The two chardonnays showed way more oak than I like. The 2006 Yarden was remarkable only in how utterly unremarkable it was. Any cheap chardonnay on the market could stand it -- except for that Kosher angle. The 2006 Recanati was also overoaked for my tastes, but had great acidity and seemed to have more elegance and better fruit. I'd be curious to taste a version with the oak turned down a few notches.

Most of the reds were mediocre to good. If you like California petite sirah, you'd enjoy the Recananti Reserve Petite Sirah-Zin. It has all that big, dark fruit and a little spice. With burgers, it'd be great I think.

But, my favorite of the lot was the Tzora Vineayrds 2006 Givat Hachalukim Cabernet Sauvignon ($23 at Israeli Wine Direct), perhaps because its a bit more cool climate in style than the others. The nose has nice dark berry fruit with is peppery and thyme-basil notes as well.

The flavors closely match the nose, with the pepper-herbs stepping forward maybe a bit more. With medium body and softly gripping tannins that are well integrated rather than angular or abusive to the palate, this is the sort of balanced cabernet that I prefer to the hefty left coast renditions. The finish isn't long, but it's long enough at the price point.

So thanks, Corkdork for forcing me to try some of these wines. I don't really have much reason to explore Kosher wines otherwise or further, but the Tzora has me curious about Israeli wines for sure.

Wine Blogging Wednesday #56 Announcement: Fine Kosher Wines

I honestly don't know that I've ever tasted a Kosher wine. I'm sure that I have, at some point along the way, but I've never had a reason to specifically seek them out. I've heard a lot about them, and very little of it has been good.

And that's why, when John over at The Corkdork got in touch with me about hosting WBW this month with a Kosher wine theme just in time for Passover, I thought "Hey, that sure would give me an excuse to try some Kosher wine. Let's do it!"

So there you have it. That's how Wine Blogging Wednesday #56 Fine Kosher Wines was born.

Join us on the last day of Passover, April 15 and post about at least one Kosher wine. Me? I've actually gathered a handful of appropriate wines so the LENNDEVOURS crew will have some fun with this theme.

Check out John's full post for all the details

Wine Blogging Wednesday #55, North vs. South: The Roundup

I'm a bad, bad founder of Wine Blogging Wednesday. Because the LENNDEVOURS household was plagued by a stomach virus last week, we weren't able to pitch in with our contribution for WBW #55.

But, I wanted to direct you over to host Remy Charest's roundup for those who did take part in one of the better themes we've had in a while: North vs. South. Remy asked participants to compare wines made from the same grape, but from different regions.

I had planned to taste riesling from the Finger Lakes, Long Island and Chile and also cabernet franc from the same regions. It would have been a fun comparision and I may still do it as a post-WBW endeavor.

Thanks for the great theme, Remy and sorry that I couldn't join the fray.

And keep an eye out for the announcement for WBW #56. It's going to be another interesting one that, I hope, will surprise some people.

WBW #54: Piedmont: Ascheri 2006 Dolcetto D'Alba

I'm enjoying Finger Lakes wine country at the moment, but I did bring along this bottle of dolcetto for WBW #54 hosted by one of my favorite bloggers, David McDuff of McDuff's Food & Wine Trail.

The theme this month, A Passion for Piedmont, was one I was very curious about as these aren't wines that I explore often. And sadly, I'm pretty sure that I haven't really explored them any further with this wine.

I don't think bottle wasn't corked, but I think (hope?) that there was something wrong with it. It had a strong musty, stale flavor and the nose was almost non-existent. That's really all I can say about it.

Maybe someone can recommend another Dolcetto D'Alba that will give me a good example and understanding for the wine?

Wine Blogging Wednesday #54 Announced: A Passion for Piedmont

I haven't done a great job writing about it lately, but Wine Blogging Wednesday is still rolling along. In fact, we're coming up on the 54th edition. It never ceases to amaze me that the little virtual wine tasting event I created over four years ago is still going and is still so popular.

February's edition will be hosted by one of my favorite bloggers, David McDuff of McDuff's Food & Wine Trail.

The theme is one that I'm looking forward to as well: A Passion for Piedmont.

I have to admit, I don't know a whole lot about the wines of that region in Italy, so this will be a fun edition of WBW for me. David offers a brief run-down saying:

While there are some fine white wines made in the region – from Gavi di Gavi to Roero Arneis to Moscato d’Asti – there’s no denying that Piedmont is red wine country. The Nebbiolo-based wines of Barolo and Barbaresco may steal the thunder. But it’s the wines made from Piedmont’s other two primary varieties – Barbera and Dolcetto – that appear most often on the Piedmontese table. Less common regional specialties like Freisa, Grignolino and Brachetto add local color and help to make Piedmont one of Italy’s most diverse wine zones.

Join us on February 18!

Wine Blogging Wednesday #53: McGregor Vineyard 2007 Dry Riesling

Okay, I'm late Wine Blogging Wednesday #53, hosted by El Jefe from El Bloggo Torcido. Sue me.

But, at least I'm still taking part, albeit a few days late. I had to because this theme, wines with breakfast, is one of the most unique we've had in the 4+ years of WBW. Of course, anyone who knows Jefe won't be surprised that he is the mastermind behind an off-the-wall theme.

Wine with breakfast, you say? He took us even one step further...outlawing sparkling, rose and sweet wines. We had to pick a dry red or dry white.

He did cut us a bit of a break though... we didn't need to actually drink the wine at breakfast time, just with breakfast foods.

So, I cooked up a gruyere-Canadian bacon frittata (with lots of caramelized onion) and pondered my options. I didn't ponder for long though. I knew where I was going... my GTG (that's go-to grape), riesling. Sorry for the Rachel Ray moment, there.

McGregor Vineayrd 2007 Dry Riesling ($23) went reasonably well, although Nena didn't think it worked as well as I did. The nose was much more floral that I expected, with Key lime blossom the primary aroma with wet slate, lime zest and faint peach aromas in the background.

The reason I go to riesling when I'm in doubt is the racy acidity that good ones feature -- and this one has it in spades. Lime and peach mingle on a medium-light bodied palate cut by electric acidity. The finish is long and minerally with a tart apricot note on the very finish. Nena likes a bit more peach and tropical fruit in her Finger Lakes riesling, but I enjoyed this one. I think its best days are ahead of it though. The acid will settle down and integrate a bit more.

How about the pairing? It was okay. I enjoy riesling enough that it will "work" for me most of the time (unless we're talking rare-cooked steak). The acidity was great with the rich eggs and the light fruit flavors actually played nicely with the smoky-salty pork. The floral component is what kept this from being a great match, though.

Thanks for hosting, Jefe and thanks for the great theme. I think I'll stick to green tea, or better yet, a good German-made Hefe Weizen for breakfast going forward though.

WBW #51: Baked Goods: The Rare Wine Co. Historic Series Madeira, Charleston Sercial Special Reserve

Wine Blogging Wednesday just cannot be stopped. Here we are, more than 4 years after its inception (this IS the 51st edition) and the theme is one of the few that shoved me way out of my comfort zone.

Not only was I forced to leave my beloved state of New York, but I also had to try a style of wine that I know very (very very) little about: wines that are intentionally oxidized at warm/hot temperatures. That's why the one and only (thankfully!) Joe Roberts, known in the blogosphere as 1WineDude, our esteemed host, termed the theme "Baked Goods." Prolonged exposure to heat and oxygen are typically not something winemakers want, but these wines are, in essence, baked to mimic the long sea voyage these wines took through the tropics.

There are many styles and 'reserve' levels of Madeira, but rather than repeat them all here, I'll simply point you over to Wikipedia.

This bottle, which I picked up from Greene Grape for around $45 if I remember correctly, falls into the "sercial" style, the driest, and is labeled as a special reserve, meaning that it was aged 10 years.

In the glass, it's a medium-to-dark gold-amber color. It's slightly viscous, but just barely so, perhaps because of the alcohol level (19% abv).

The aromas are interesting here, bringing roasted almonds, dried citrus peel, dried figs, something that reminds me of some of the peaty Scotch I've had. It's much drier than I expected, with great acidity. There is just a ton of delicious nuttiness. here with more dried citrus and figs. The finish lasts what seems like minutes on end. The only other Madeira I've tasted before was much sweeter and underwhelmed, but I really like this wine.

Best of all, from what I hear, I can hold onto it, even though it's open, for weeks, months or even longer before it starts to break down. It's already been bludgeoned by the elements and is already oxidized!

Joe, thanks for shoving me from my comfort zone and for hosting this, the 51st edition of WBW. Keep an eye out for the announcement for next edition, hopefully soon!

WBW #50: Wine in the Wilderness

Welcome to Wine Blogging Wednesday #50, hosted by Russ Beebe, known to many as the Winehiker. Given this alter ego, it is surely no surprise that Russ chose a "wine worthy of a hike" as his theme.

Unfortunately, there isn't a ton of hiking to be had on Long Island. You see, it's really just an overgrown sand bar jutting out into the Atlantic. But, there is a hike that I love that is still somewhat local... to my in-laws. The name of the mountain is Vroman's Nose in Middleburgh, NY.

Nena and I hiked to the summit on my first visit to meet her family and we've gone regularly ever since, most recently this past spring and next, I hope, this coming Sunday.

It's not a huge mountain or a particularly strenuous climb, but it's beautiful at the top. It's one of my favorite places in the world, in fact.

But what wine would we enjoy most after we get to the top? I asked Nena for her opinion, and the words "semi-dry riesling" came out of her mouth first, so that's what we went with tonight in honor of hikes past and hikes in the future?

Well, given my love of drinking local, we did that (shocking, right?) and since the hike isn't on Long Island, we chose a wine from a region somewhat local to Middleburgh, the Finger Lakes: Anthony Road Wine Company's 2006 Semi-Dry Riesling ($15).

The nose is citrusy and minerally, there are also hints of peach and pineapple The palate is medium-bodied and while there is a subtle sweetness, I think the acidity is more than enough to bring balance. The peach notes are a bit more pronounced on the palate with a lemon-lime finish that lingers and ends on a light minerally note.

Thanks for the great theme and for hosting Mr. Winehiker. I think that many bottles of wines will be enjoyed in the wilderness in the future.

Stay tuned for an announcement about the next edition of WBW.

 

Wine Blogging Wednesday #50 Announced

You know, it's funny how numbers work in my head. For some reason, the 48th and 49th editions of WBW didn't hit me over the head with a "Wow, we've been at this a while" the way that the 50th edition is.

50. That's Five-Zero. We've been at this a long time and I'm happy to report that I still look forward to it as much as I ever have.

This edition will be hosted by the Winehiker, known as Russ Beebe offline on his blog Winehiker Witiculture, which chronicles two of his loves -- hiking and wine. Given his blog's focus, it only makes sense that he would ask us to consider mother nature this time 'round:

"And so, imagine you and your significant wineau walking in the cool woods of Autumn. An amber glow lights your path, golden leaves fall around you, and as you walk, you’re working up a sizable hunger for that post-hike picnic you’ve got planned. Not to mention that sizable thirst! Which wine will you pour in the Great Outdoors?"

He's also offering participants bonus points for choosing a local wine (not a problem for the LENNDEVOURS crew), sharing the name of the wilderness where you’d enjoy the wine, and actually drinking the wine there.

You can read the full announcement over at Russ' site. Just make sure that you join us on October 8.

WBW #49: Swedish Hill Winery 2007 Vidal Blanc (Finger Lakes)

Welcome to the 49th edition of the original virtual wine tasting event, Wine Blogging Wednesday, hosted by 2 Days Per Bottle.

The theme? It's more of a question than a theme:

"What will you drink to toast the end of the Bush era? Will it be something to honor the 43rd President, or are you just looking forward to 44? Will it be something from Texas, which Bush calls home, or Connecticut, where he was really raised? Maybe a nice French champagne, a bit of a poke in his eye? Or do you prefer Italian prosecco, since they supported the “War on Terror”? Whatever it is, get ready to lift a glass and toast the end of an era that America will never forget."

It's a politically charged edition of WBW to be sure, but it's also a fun one. I know that I'm ready for the teetotaling dummy to be out of the White House, after all.

But what wine to choose? I do have a few bottles of Texas-grown Tempranillo down in the cellar. I also have a bottle of  blended white wine from Arizona, a state represented in the upcoming election. But that's just not my style now is it?

I decided to drink something from New York. I know, it's shocking. I chose Swedish Hill Winery's 2007 Vidal Blanc ($11), for a couple reasons:

1. It's in a blue bottle and I live in a blue state. I tend to vote with my fellow New Yorkers too.
2. It recently won the "Governor's Cup" as the top wine at the New York Wine & Grape Classic. There's a governor in this election too, no matter what you think of her.
3. I tend to drink a lot of Finger Lakes riesling. I thought it was time for a change. That sounds familiar too, right?

So those are the whys...but how was the wine? Quite good actually.

In the glass, this wine is extremely pale, nearly colorless with only the slightest yellow tinge. Expressive peach, orange blossom and pear aromas are enticing and somewhat riesling-like.

On the palate, it's heftier than a riesling. There is some sweetness (1.6% RS) but it's balanced with fresh acidity. The flavors match the nose almost exactly, but with a little minerality and a hint of orange zest on a surprisingly long finish.

In my opinion, it's a far cry from New York's best wine, but it's probably the best vidal I've tasted.

Grape(s): 100% vidal blanc
Producer: Swedish Hill Winery
AVA: Finger Lakes
Price: $11
Rating:  (3 out of 5 | Recommended)

(About LENNDEVOURS' Ratings)

Wine Blogging Wednesday #48: Back to Our Roots

Okay, so I'm a little late pulling this together. As anyone who has hosted WBW knows, the least-fun part about doing so is compiling the roundup post. Sure, it's fun to read everyone's submission, but typing them up in one place just isn't very fun. I wish LENNDEVOURS could afford a free intern. Yes, I know a free intern is free.

Anyway, we had 34 participants this time around (including yours truly). Some of these blogs were, I'm embarassed to say, new to me. I don't read as many blogs as I used to. But, I'll be adding several new ones to my Google Reader later today.

Thanks to all who participated for making WBW's 4th birthday a fun, interesting one. In no particular order (just the order I jotted them down in, really), I give you the 34 40 brave souls who sipped into their wine pasts.

• Wine Biz Radio: Clos Du Val 2005 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.
• Chronic Negress: Bedell Cellars 2005 Reserve Merlot
• Jim Eastman's Music and Wine: Macallan Cask Strength
• Vinotrip: 2002 Bocca di Lupo
• Walla Walla Wine Woman: Chateau Ste Michelle 2004 Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
• Inquiring Vine: Schmitt Sohne 2005 Riesling Auslese
• Anything Wine: Barboursville 2006 Merlot
• Winecast: Gallo Hearty Burgundy and Sutter Home 2005 Zinfandel
• Vinquire: 4 Different Wines
• TasteVin: Hogue Cabernet Sauvignon
• Able Grapes and Garbled Peas: Ridge 1997 California Zinfandel Paso Robles Late Picked
• McDuff's Food & Wine Trail: A three-part video clip tour of his wine past which leads to trying V. Sattui Winery 1995 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon “Suzanne’s Vineyard”
• Recently Consumed: Rodney Strong Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon
• My Wine Education: Gets a little sappy on us, but in a good way
• Wine & Vine BC: Fisherman Riesling
• The Corkdork: 2004 Acorn Heritage Vines Alegria Vineyards Russian River Valley Zinfandel
• El Bloggo Torcido: Curran 2006 Santa Ynez Valley Gewurztraminer
• 2 Days Per Bottle: Manischewitz Concord Grape NV
• A Food and Wine Blog: Apparently does a great video blog that I didn't know about
• Wine for Newbies 2.0: Geyser Peak 1995 Sonoma Merlot
• Bloviatrix: Martin Ray 2006 Angeline Gewurztraminer and Beringer 2007 White Zinfandel
• Wine Case: Cousino-Macul Antigua Riserva
• Cheap Wine Ratings: Rodney Strong Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon
• Good Wine Under $20: Larkmead 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
• Wine Peeps: Columbia Winery 2006 Cellarmaster's Riesling
• Smells Like Grape Taster A: Chateau Pesquie 2007 Terrasses
• Smells Like Grape Taster B: Angeline 2006 Chardonnay
• Eating Leeds: Peter Lehmann 2001 The Antiquus Old Vines Shiraz
• Indiscriminate Ideas: Cambria 2006 Julia's Vineyard Pinot Noir
• Everyday Wine: Penfold's Rawson's Retreat 2006 Merlot
• Wannabe Wino: Lucashof 2007 Pfalz Riesling
• 1WineDude: 1998 Opus One
• Wine Lover's Journal: Gallo 2005 Sonoma Reserve Chardonnay
• Vinomadic: Joins the fray with his WBW 48 post.
• Domaine547: Jill actually did two WBW posts this time around: here and here.
• BroolynGuy: My Loire-loving buddy Neil looks back at Bordeaux.
• Catavino: Can't believe that I missed Ryan and Gab's post the first time through.
• BrixChicks: David Bruce 2005 Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir
• Luscious Lushes: Missed this one too. Sorry!

Sorry that I just don't have the time for witty commentary on each post. Perhaps I'll revisit some of the highlights (and lowlights) of this list in a future post. If I missed anyone, just shoot me an email and I'll add you.

Wine Blogging Wednesday #48: Black Opal 2006 Chardonnay (South Eastern Australia)

Welcome to Wine Blogging Wednesday's 4th birthday celebration. That's right, it's the 48th edition of the wine blogosphere's favorite monthly online tasting event.

As the humble founder of the event, I decided to host the event and ask participants to take a look back... back into their wine-drinking history. As I said in the original post, we're all wine lovers, but we have gotten where we are today in a variety of ways on a variety of paths. These long, windy paths are littered with wines the world over. I just want you to pick one of the wines from the beginning of your journey, taste it again for the first time in a while, and tell us about it.

When I started to look back into my own wine history, many wines fit the bill for WBW 48. Of course, I didn't want to drink Mad Dog 20/20 or Thunderbird (the only 'wine' I drank in college). The first wine that made me stop and say "aha" was actually Caymus Conundrum. It was the first wine that tasted like something other than "just wine." I didn't want to taste that one again though, because I've had it fairly recently.

Of course, after tasting this Black Opal 2006 Chardonnay, maybe I should have had the Conundrum.

When I was in graduate school, I drank a bottle of this almost every weekend. Why? It was cheap and I thought it tasted good at the time. And, I could get it at the wine shop right around the corner from my tiny little apartment just off of Carnegie Mellon's campus. Plus, my cooking skills were beyond rudimentary, so it didn't really matter what I was drinking with what I was eating. Or at least I didn't think it did. Wine was more sophisticated than beer, and because I was in grad school I wanted to leave the frat boy behind and "grow up." Funny, no?

I actually had a bit of trouble tracking this wine down. In fact, the only place I could find it only had it in 1.5L bottles, so that's what I bought... for $10. I guess when a wine seems to only be available in a 10-dollar magnum, you know what you're getting... awful wine. And that's exactly what Nena and I were forced to taste in the interested of WBW glory.

This wine is actually exactly what I expected... slightly sweet peach and tropical-pinappely fruit that has been bludgeoned by new oak. This isn't a wine that I'd pair with food. It isn't a wine that I'd drink on it's own. I wouldn't even use it to make white wine vinegar. It's not flabby per se. There is some acidity here. It's even almost balanced in that sense, but the raw, toasty, vanilla oak here is amazingly bad.

I didn't dump it yet, though. I may taste it again tonight. Apparently I'm a glutton for palate punishment.

Come back over the weekend to see a round up of other WBW participants. I think we'll see some interesting entries.

Announcing Wine Blogging Wednesday #48: Back to Your Roots

Four years. That's a long time... especially in the world of the Web and blogs. But, next month's edition of Wine Blogging Wednesday will mark the event's 48th edition. Four years of tasting wine together, virtually. Over the years, we've explored many regions and grapes We've had fun themes. We've had more academic ones.

As the founder of this little thing we affectionately refer to as WBW, I'm going to host the 4th anniversary celebration and I'm going to ask you to go back to your roots... your wine drinking roots that is.

We're all wine lovers, but we have gotten where we are today in a variety of ways on a variety of paths. These long, windy paths are littered with wines the world over. I just want you to pick one of the wines from the beginning of your journey, taste it again for the first time in a while, and tell us about it.

Maybe you remember the very first wine you ever tasted. Try it again.

Or maybe there was one wine that you drank a lot of when you were still a wine neophyte. That'd be fun too and I think that's the route I'm going. I don't remember the first wine I ever tasted (though it may have been MD 20/20 and who wants to drink that again?), but I do remeber two other wines from my past that I might revisit. One was the first wine that made me say "A-HA!" and the other is one that I drank a lot of when I was in graduate school. I've seen it a few times in some local shops, so hopefully I can get my hand on a bottle.

To give everyone a bit more time to think about, and dig out a wine for, WBW 48, let's do it on Wednesday, August 13. Post your entry to your blog and either shoot me an email, find me on Twitter, or leave a comment to this post. Don't have a blog? Go over to the Wine Blogging Wednesday site and you can post there.

Go back to your wine-drinking roots people.

WBW #46: Martha Clara Vineyards 2007 Viognier

Today is Wine Blogging Wednesday, hosted by Dr. Debs of Good Wine Under $20, a blog that has received quite a bit of acclaim over the past year or so. The theme she chose proved to be a bit of a challenge for the guy who tries to drink as much local wine as he can -- particularly for WBW. You see, she wanted participants to drink a wine made from the white varieties of the Rhone Valley in France... things like Marsanne, Roussane and Viognier.

New York is a bit cool, generally, for those grapes, but one North Fork Producer does make a viognier, that being Martha Clara Vineyards.

So, I was able to drink local this time around, and enjoy one of the first releases from MCV's new winemaker Juan Eduardo Micieli-Martinez, formerly of Pellegrini Vineyards and Shinn Estate.

The nose is expressive, but not overly so, showing nice peach aromas with honeysuckle and some just-barely-ripe honeydew melon as well. The palate, which is medium bodied and features a bit more acid than most Viognier I've tasted, offers straight forward peach/nectarine flavors with a lemon zest note on the end of a medium-long finish. It doesn't have much of the oily, glycerin mouthfeel I've found in many of the Viogniers I've tasted, but with so much acidity in its youth, one wonders if it will reveal itself with another year or two in bottle.

Overall, there is a focus and a cleanliness to this wine that hasn't been present in previous vintages of this wine. That gives me hope for the future of the winery under Juan's watch.

Grape(s): 100% Viognier
Producer: Martha Clara Vineyards
AVA: North Fork of Long Island
Price: $19
Rating: (2.5 out of 5 | Average-to-Recommended)

(About LENNDEVOURS' Ratings)

 

The Wine Blogging Wednesday Logo Contest Semi-Finals

Before we get to the WBW Logo Contest semi-finalists or discuss the voting procedures, I just want to thank each and every person who submitted a logo or logos for consideration. There were dozens of great entries and it was difficult for the WBW advisors to narrow it down to the 6 you see below. I was planning to post all of the entries, but that would have been over whelming on many levels.

Take a look at the final 6 logos here or at Flickr account I've created for them.

Voting will take place over on the  Wine Blogging Wednesday website via the poll in the upper right corner. The semi-final round will run from today until May 31 at 11:59 p.m. Then, the top 3 vote getters will move into the finals. We'll update the poll and announce the final voting procedure in early June.

WBW #44: French Cabernet Franc: Domaine Gasnier 2006 Chinon Cuvee Les Graves

This month's edition of Wine Blogging Wednesday, hosted by none other than Gary Vaynerchuk of Wine Library TV, is one I've been looking forward to for sometime for a few reasons.

First, as the founder of this here virtual wine tasting club, it's great to have Gary on board this month. Like him or hate him, he's big time in the online wine world. He's been on Ellen, Conan, Nightline and now he's hosting WBW. You'll notice that we wouldn't let him host WBW until after the other gigs. We had to make sure he was for real and not just a flash in the pan.

Second, I love cabernet franc, as you all know.

Third, this theme gave me an excuse to put down the New York wines for a moment and uncork a bottle of Chinon, one of my favorite French wine regions.

But, I broke one rule that I always have for myself when it comes to WBW -- this is a wine I've had before. In fact, this is a wine that I had once a while back, and I liked it so much that I bought a lot more of it. It's our house red when we want a break from local reds.

I'm drinking this bottle right now as I type this...and it's just as good as I remember. There's plenty of black and red plum up front and a little blackberry too, but there's all of the other things I love about cab franc as well. There's earthy notes, some asparagus (a good thing!), black pepper and a stony, mineral quality on a medium-long finish that is really nice.

It's medium bodied with medium tannins, it's versatile with food too. I've had it with Thai food. I've had it on it's own. And I've had it with pizza.

If you like your cab franc without (or with barely any) oak, you should definitely check this one out.

I bought this wine from Greene Grape Wine in Brooklyn.

Wine Blogging Wednesday #44 Announced: French Cabernet Franc with Gary Vaynerchuk

Just in case you live under a rock and missed it, Gary Vaynerchuk, the man behind Wine Library TV will be hosting the next edition of Wine Blogging Wednesday. His theme, not surprisingly, is French Cabernet Franc.

Gary loves these wines and so do I, so it's a theme I'm looking forward to. Of course, those who love over-extracted fruit bombs instead of nuanced, earthy-veggie-herbal reds, may not enjoy it as much. But hopefully they'll try something outside of their comfort zone.

Join Gary Vaynerchuk on April 2 for WBW #44.

Reminder: Wine Blogging Wednesday Logo Contest

I keep forgetting to post about this, but wanted to remind everyone that the Wine Blogging Wednesday logo contest is well under way.

So far, about a dozen entries have been sent to winebloggingwednesday@gmail.com. Some of them are quite good, but I'd still love to see more come in before our March 31 deadline.

You can read all of the details in the announcement.

We are also still looking for contributions to the prize pack for the winner.