New York Cork Report

It's been a light week at LENNDEVOURS

I've been slacking on my blogging duties this week, but it's not without reason I assure you.

It's rare when my day job, various writing gigs and other freelance work converge so densely as they have (and still are) this week. But it does happen. Sadly, LENNDEVOURS is often the neglected party in these cases.

But fear not loyal readers. Most everything except the day job will wrap up by the end of the weekend and we'll be back to regular posting here on LENNDEVOURS.

In the meantime, I thought a picture of our little guy would help fill the void. And, here are some of the best wines I've tasted lately:

• Bedell Cellars 2005 TASTE Red: Ripe, rich and outstanding. You'll see more on this soon.
• Treleaven Winery 2006 Dry Riesling: Clean, balanced and nimble...
• Lieb Family Cellars 2005 Pinot Blanc: Not a newbie, but always a goodie

More soon people.

American Airlines to Serve New York Wines

If you're flying from New York to the west coast--say to San Francisco, Los Angeles or Seattle--you'll now be able to enjoy some New York wine during the flight. Assuming you fly American Airlines that is.

I haven't been able to dig up specific vintages yet, but they'll be serving a merlot from Bedell Cellars here on Long Island and also a riesling from Salmon Run, which is Dr. Konstantin Frank's second label.

This is a very cool development and I'm glad to see that they chose well-regarded producers. There are a lot of wineries in NY with better PR/marketing, but much lesser juice. Kudos to American for picking a couple that market and make wine well.

Wine Blogging Wednesday #32 Announced -- Regular vs. Reserve

Wine Blogging Wednesday is heading into it's 32nd edition on April 11 and the theme is one that I'm really looking forward to--Regular vs. Reserve.

The premise is simple, buy two bottles of the same varietal from the same producer, one the 'regular' bottling and the other the 'reserve' and see how the juice inside those bottles differ. Which do you prefer? Is the 'reserve' bottling worth the higher price?

I expect that we'll see a wide array of wines involved and I hope that a lot of people participate. Reserve wines can be expensive, but you can also find affordable pairs as well. I'd never suggest anyone drink them, but you could get a regular Yellow Tail Shiraz for $6 and the reserve for $11.

Keep in mind that things like "estate selection", "proprietor's reserve" and "winemaker series" can also indicate a reserve bottling.

I'm going to try to do at least a couple different producers for this one...and I might even be able to do three or four "levels" of one local winery, which produces four different merlots that range from $12 all the way up to $125.

Join us April 11.

WTN: Channing Daughters Winery 2006 Mudd Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc (North Fork)

 For all of its purported similarities to Bordeaux, Long Island produces surprising little Sauvignon Blanc. It's the white wine grape of Bordeaux after all. Yet, those that are made always seem to capture the region's uniqueness. The best taste like Long Island in a bottle. Channing Daughters Winery, one of only three producers within the Hamptons Long Island AVA, sources the grapes for its Sauvignon Blanc from the Mudd Vineyard on the North Fork – where some of the Island's oldest Sauvignon Blanc grapes grow.

Winemaker Christopher Tracy is a white wine wizard – mixing and matching both expected and exotic varieties to craft a wide array of small-production whites.

While composed almost entirely of steel-fermented Sauvignon Blanc, Tracy also adds a squirt of barrel fermented musque clone Chardonnay to the mix. The result is a delicious, exquisitely balanced white that, at $20, is one of better values in CDW's sometimes-expensive portfolio.

A super-pale greenish yellow in the glass, the nose is extremely expressive with ripe grapefruit and lime aromas accented by distinct minerality. Flavorful and light bodied, those same fruit and mineral characteristics carry over to a refreshing, begging-for-fresh-seafood palate.

When Long Island Sauvignon Blanc is at its best, it lives somewhere between California and New Zealand with a hint of Sancerre – not aggressively grassy or herbal like many New Zealand bottlings and not nearly as fruity or tropical as many from California. This wine tastes like the North Fork and the nearby Peconic Bay. This is Long Island terroir.

(This review first appeared on Appellation America.)

Love at First Twist

By Contributing Columnist Robin Mererdith

I'd like to welcome Robin Meredith as LENNDEVOURS' newest contributor. He is the former owner of Broadfields Wine Cellars and The Tasting Room on the North Fork of Long Island. He is now preparing to begin his Master of Wine education.

If you've ever had a glass of wine that smelled of moldy cardboard, wet dog, or dingy basement, you've experienced a "corked wine." Saldy, corked wines are ruined and there's no resuscitating them.

Most of the time, corked wine is caused by 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (TCA), a hard-to-pronounce compound that taints the aromas and flavors of anywhere from 3% to 15% of the bottles we purchase, depending on whose estimates you believe. But — this is but one of the ways that natural cork fails us.

That’s why, for me, it was love at first twist. The first time I encountered a screw capped wine — not counting all those three liter bottles of Gallo Hearty Burgundy back in college — I knew this was something I wanted more of.

Cork’s most basic function is to act as a seal — keeping wine in and air out. Unfortunately, as anyone who has ever stumbled across a sticky, leaky bottle knows, cork can’t even be counted on for this seemingly simple job. Entire vintages have been compromised by poor cork seals. And, because cork is a democratic troublemaker, this can happen to the world's best wines as well as more humble ones. The 1989 Chateaneuf du Pape from Chateau de Beaucastel, a Wine Spectator #1 wine of the year, was notoriously plagued by leaky corks.

Cork has also been implicated in the premature oxidation of several recent vintages of white Burgunies. It is believed that a chemical applied to corks during the manufacturing process wasn’t rinsed off properly, and contaminated the wines, leaving them exposed to oxidation. Countless $100+ bottles of wine were effectively ruined.

We tend to think of screw caps primarily as a way to sidestep the downfalls of natural cork, but they have some unique positive attributes of their own. The plastic liners that create the seal in screw cap closures come in two versions — semi-permeable, which allow some oxygen in over time and essentially mimic natural cork, and non-permeable, ones that a perfect seal, eliminating oxygen exchange entirely.

These non-permeable liners allow winemakers to bottle wines with lower sulfur levels, eliminating some of the “shock” caused by sulfur additions before bottling. This is especially beneficial for crisp, aromatic whites and roses that are at their best soon after bottling.

Sips and Slurps (March 23)

I taste a lot of wine—and I mean a lot of wine. I hope that doesn’t sound like complaining, because it’s anything but. I love exploring the world of wine and bringing the best—and sometimes even the worst—to you, my readers.

As spring begins, I thought it a good time to catch up on some one-off wines and news bits that I have dog-eared in my tasting notebook—notes that just haven’t made it into any stories for a variety of reasons.

This is the beginning of a new periodic feature here on LENNDEVOURS...Sips and Slurps.

If you love Zinfandel, look for Monte Rosso Vineyard. Monte Rosso Vineyard, which means “red mountain” is named for the red volcanic soils you’ll find there, high above the Sonoma Valley. Over the past several weeks, I’ve had three different zinfandels made with fruit from this well-known vineyard—one from Rosenblum Cellars, Rancho Zabaco and Ravenswood. All were outstanding, balanced renditions of my favorite West Coast grape. In particular, the 2002 Rosenblum stands out. If you see this wine, pick it up. You’ll be glad that you did. I know that there are other great zin vineyards, but this is one I like a lot.

Rkatsiteli—hard to pronounce, easy to enjoy. Dr. Konstantin Frank Wine Cellars is one of only a handful of U.S. wineries to grown and make wine from Rkatsiteli—a wine most popular in Eastern Europe. That’s no surprise, the producer’s namesake founder pioneered the growing of classic European wine grapes on the Eastern United State. Smelling and tasting like a racy, exotic blend of Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Gruner Veltliner, this $25 white is impeccably balanced and just might be the perfect wine to serve with Asian cuisine.

A hearty congratulations. This isn’t directly related to any particular wine, but I’d like to extend my heart-felt congratulations to Christopher Tracy and Allison Dubin of Channing Daughters Winery. The winemaker and general manager respectively, they are use to raising delicious, hand-crafted wines…but now they get to try their hand at raising their first child, a boy, who was born a couple weeks ago. Salute!

Making Wine at the Equator: Zabibu

I got an email late last week from the founding mother of Long Island wine, Louisa Hargrave. That's not particularly noteworthy as we correspond regularly and obviously share a common affection for our local wine region. But, this email was an interesting one.

Turns out that she had just returned from a trip to Kenya where she had been helping Richard Leakey and his daughter Louise de Merode make wine in Kenya of all places.

Apparently they are focusing on pinot noir but have also made some chardonnay with Louisa's help.

And, Louise has a great blog, Zabibu (which means raisin or grape) where she shares their adventures growing grapes and making wine so close to the equator.

The first thing that jumped out at me is how they battle mildew in the vineyard--by diluting local milk with water. Louisa told me that it works because it's raw milk and has microflorae that battle the mold and mildew.

The most fascinating thing that Louisa told me is that so close to the equator they need manually defoliate to simulate winter. How cool--and labor intensive--is that? Wine lovers are a passionate group.

Check out the blog to learn more.

Vineyard 48 Hires a New Vineyard Manager

Vineyard 48 has just hired Huntington, NY-native Chris Kelly as its new vineyard and estate manager

After being a professional bee keeper in Hawaii for five years, Kelly returned to Long Island in 1982 and pursued a career in vineyard management and has worked Pellegrini Vineyards, Palmer Vineyards and others

He's been working in Long Island vineyards for 25 years and now believes that boutique wineries have the opportunity to become leading edge pioneers in sustainable agriculture.

Kelly is obviously not the first local vineyard manager to turn to 'green' grape growing, but it's nice to see another one joining the movement. Apparently Vineyard 48's fields are mostly covered with white Dutch clover--a good organic source of nitrogen.

To this point, the vineyards had been managed with the help of Steve Mudd of Mudd Vineyards.

"MERLOT" License Plate Illegal in Utah

File this one under "I sure am glad that I don't live in a theocratic state."

The license plate that you see mocked up at right was just deemed illegal in the state of Utah--after it had been issued and used for a decade.

Turns out that using "Merlot" on a plate is illegal in the most oppressive of states because it is an intoxicant. I guess the people running things in Utah have a different view of freedom of speech--and clearly don't have anything more important to focus on.

I just went to the NY DMV site to see if MERLOT is available as a personalize plate. It's not...and I'm sure it's taken by someone who loves the wines of Long Island.

Maybe I should get my own plate.

What do you think?

New North Fork Winery: Medolla Vineyards

I got an email this morning from John Medolla, who along with his wife  Denise, just released their first merlot under the new Medolla Vineyards label--adding yet another producer to the North Fork wine scene.

I hope Lisa Granik is paying attention.

Medolla's first release, a 2002 Merlot ($23) was produced at the Lenz Winery with Eric Fry (of Lenz) serving as consulting winemaker.

Medolla Vineyards is one of the smallest in the region with an initial annual production of 500 cases. They hand harvest grapes from local vineyards.

Both John and Denise work in the aviation industry, but their family has winemaking roots that can be traced to the base of Italy’s Mount Vesuvious. John's grandparents were wine makers from the nearby town of Torre Del Greco.

I have yet to taste this first merlot release, but I'm hoping to get my hand on a bottle this week.

Why Do Some Wineries and Restaurants Even Have Websites?

Warning: What follows is a frustration-induced rant. You've been warned.

My 'day job' is in Internet marketing and I've long been a believer in the power of the Internet as an affordable tool organizations of most any size can leverage to increase profits and customer loyalty. But, they should also maintain their websites, or they can have the opposite effect--alienating customers.

I guess that I'm saying that I think every company should have a Web presence, but only if they are going to bother to pay attention to it. If that isn't part of your plan, don't spend the money on a site. Seriously. The Internet is enough of a content graveyard without your useless site.

What has me so frustrated today?

It's simple. Because of my previously mentioned day job, most of my writing and blogging research is done via email. I just don't have the time/opportunity to conduct phone interviews very often. I rely on information posted on websites and contact forms/email addresses listed on them. So, when I fill out online forms multiple times or send emails to published addresses only to be ignored, it frustrates me. Especially when we're talking about as competitive industry as wineries.

There is one local Long Island winery--I won't name names at this point--who I have tried to contact at least a dozen times via their online contact form. I've also tried to use their published email address. I haven't gotten a response in the three-plus years I've been trying. I've even left voicemails for this winery. Nothing.

I know that I don't write for the New York Times or Wine Spectator, but I expect some sort of response. Heck, just as a wine consumer I expect one.

This winery isn't alone in pathetic websites however. There are also several wineries who have wines listed that have been sold out for well over a year and that list events that happened almost a year ago.

Local restaurants can be just as bad. I was on one site recently that listed the current seasonal menu from last summer. And restaurants seem to be particularly bad about returning emails.

I know. I know. Many wineries and websites are short staffed and they just don't have the time or manpower to keep up with their websites. That's the easy excuse.

Fact is, people in my generation and younger use the Internet to plan trips to wine country, to buy wine, and to get their information.

Maybe these wineries and restaurants should stop spending thousands of dollars a year advertising in many of the marginal print publications locally and use a little bit of that money on their websites. My guess is that their return on investment would increase quickly.

End of rant...at least for now. I may need to do further research to find out just how bad some wineries are at using the Internet to interact with customers.

LENNDEVOURS Turns 3 Today

In some ways, it feels like only yesterday that I started this blog with a short, not particularly interesting post. And it turns out that LENNDEVOURS has become something that I never intended or could have imagined.

For one, it's become almost exclusively a wine blog, and one focused on the wines of New York State. I never expected that, but it happened organically, on its own and from the beginning I said that I'd kind of let this whole blog thing take me where it wanted.

Second, never in a million years did I think that my early wine writing here at LENNDEVOURS would lead to various paid writing gigs for publications like Dan's Papers, Hamptons.com, Appellation America, Long Island Wine Gazette, Long Island Press, Edible East End and Edible Brooklyn.

And most of all, I certainly never expected to attract a fun, loyal following of readers the world over--many of whom can't even get the wines that I write about. That's probably the thing that I've found most amazing. People are coming here to read what I'm writing, even though they can't taste the wines that I focus on. Pretty cool.

The most exciting project of the past year, the New York Cork Club is building up membership slowly but surely and let me tell you--we've got some terrific wines that we'll be sending out in the next few months. Who would have thought that I'd be choosing wines that are being sent out to  people all over the country? The power of blogs continues to impress me.

Wine Blogging Wednesday has continued to grow and evolve to the point that it's time for a slight change in the event that I'll announce soon. It's a change for the better and I'm excited about it.

To my readers, thank you. I'm proud of what we've built here together in three short years. All of the comments and emails that I get from all of you bring me more joy and pride than you'll ever know. I've learned at least as much as I've educated and all I can offer is a sincere thank you.

So what's next for LENNDEVOURS? As always, I've got a lot of plans in the hopper, but over the next year you can expect at least some of the following to happen:

• The 1st Annual LENNDEVOURS Harvest Party. I tried to pull one together last fall, but it never materialized. This year I want to make it happen, either at a local winery or B&B. Details to come this summer.
• More Industry Contributors. I've really enjoyed having my contributing columnists Rich, Charles, Donavan and Chris write here on LENNDEVOURS. Hopefully I can line up a few more people this year and get them to write a little more regularly.
• A Complete Redesign. I'm an incessant design tweaker but I think that I've grown tired of the way this blog looks. If I can find some time, I hope to revamp it completely, and maybe even change blog platforms.
• "Hire" a Chef. I'd really like to find a like-minded local chef who will contribute recipes and collaborate with me on local food and wine pairings.
• More Feature Stories. Too often I let the publications I write for get the more interesting things that I write. No more. This blog probably has the highest readership anyway. :)
• An Editorial Calendar. Right now, I run this blog in a completely haphazard, random way. If I have something to write about on a given day, I write about it. I think I can improve this blog dramatically by being a bit more organized and imposing a schedule for myself.
• A New York Wine Email Newsletter. This is something I've been thinking about for at least a couple of years. Maybe this is the year that it happens. Maybe.

Thanks again for all of your support, readership and friendship. At this point, I can't imagine not having this blog, so maybe we'll be here for another three, ten or twenty years.

WBW #31: Trove 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon (California)

Wine Blogging Wednesday is upon us again people and this time around, that means wines in non-traditional packaging.

I'll admit is--as open as I was to the theme, I had my reservations. First of all, I've never had a bag-in-box wine that I've found even gulpable. Second, I was worried that we'd lose a lot of our wine geek participants.

I guess we'll find out in the next day or two if some of our more "high class" WBWers stuck with us and expanded their horizons a little bit. I hope they do and I hope they found some interesting wines, even if they are more interesting as curiosities than they are as something worth drinking.

I actually had a much harder time finding a boxed wine than I expected. I didn't want to choose Franzia or Almaden for WBW. I knew I wouldn't like those. And a local wine shop that used to have single serving boxes of Bandit Trebbiano didn't have them anymore when I went there.

So, after stopping at three shops, I came upon this three-liter box of 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon from Trove. It cost me $22, which when you consider that it holds the equivalent of four regular bottles, is a pretty good deal.

IF the wine is good.

And you know what...I wouldn't call it "good" or something I'd normally rave about, but it was much better than I expected.

Is it simple? Yup. But you know what? It's not offensive in the least and you can even taste just a little bit of varietal character. Lots of red berries, especially cherries, throughout, fruity but not Australian or overdone. Very little oak and rather juicy, medium body.

I'd serve this at a big bash attended by people who enjoy wine but aren't geeks. It seems like a perfectly fine wine to serve at a big BBQ in the summer where burgers and grilled chicken are the primary fare.

Wine Blogging Wednesday Mentioned in Food & Wine

Thanks to the good doctor, I was able to track down the mention of Wine Blogging Wednesday in the latest issue of Food & Wine.

Pretty cool that our little international tasting event was mentioned...even if their link to this blog is actually pointing to the TypePad homepage.

Wine Blogging Wednesday and Wine & Spirits Magazine

Just a couple brief things this morning...

First and foremost, don't forget that today is Wine Blogging Wednesday #31: Non-Traditional Packaging. Nena and I will be tasting our bag-in-box wine this evening, so stay tuned for my contribution to everyone's favorite virtual wine tasting.

Secondly, I heard a rumor from a co-worker that this here blog was mentioned in the new April 2007 issue of Wine & Spirits Magazine. Of course their website isn't one that would allow me to find out for sure and I don't typically see the magazine around my house so I don't read it often. Has anyone seen the new issue?

I guess I'd better go pick one up.

Grand Cru Classes to host Open House April 23

I've written about Grand Cru Classes before and its founders, Tracy and Jared are knowledgeable, passionate wine lovers who are doing something I believe in--bringing top-notch wine education to the North Fork of Long Island.

They started with their classes last summer, teaching them at various host wineries as they renovated the old Catapano Dairy Farm to convert it into a wine education center.

Well, on April 23 from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. they are happy to host a grand opening open house. They'll be serving wine and cheese and offering tours of their new facilities. For those of you (like me) who have a hard time making things like this during the week, they are also having a preview on the 22nd from noon to 4:00 p.m.

If you're interested in attending, please go to their site and add yourself to the Evite list so that they can keep track of how many people are coming.

WTN: Peconic Bay Winery 2005 Steel Fermented Chardonnay (North Fork of Long Island)

I can still remember my first sip of Peconic Bay Winery's steel fermented Chardonnay like it was yesterday. I had just moved to Long Island and was then only flirting with the region and its wines. This flirtation has since become an all-out love affair and I count this wine as one that stoked the fire of my neophyte palate.

At the time, my vision of Chardonnay was of the flabby butter bombs with big everything – oak, vanilla, fruit – that I had tasted from both Australia and California. Based on my early experiences with those wines, I used to always say "No thanks, I don't like Chardonnay" when presented with a pour at a tasting room. Then I tried this wine and my eyes were opened for the very first time.

It was then that I finally tasted what Chardonnay tasted like – the grape, not the winemaker's influence. I was hooked and have since found that Long Island winemakers are realizing that they needn't put such a heavy footprint on this grape. Particularly in recent years, you can find many no-oak and judiciously oaked Chardonnays that I not only like, I embrace them for their balance and refinement.

2005, a particularly hot, dry year on Long Island, has produced many big-fruit, low-acid whites – a style that just doesn't appeal to me. Local whites are at their best when the cool night winds off the Atlantic Ocean or other surrounding bays preserve fresh, food-friendly acidity within the just-ripe grapes. I was worried that 2005 might strip this wine of its freshness, but I was pleasantly surprised when I finally got this bottle.

Fresh on the nose with almost Sauvignon Blanc-like grapefruit and other citrus aromas, there is also a faint mineral note that adds interest. The palate is just as fresh, with a light, lithe body with loads of citrus and terrific acidity. Not a wine to be pondered or – heaven-forbid, cellar – it's a mouth-watering wine for sure.

WTN: Corey Creek Vineyards 2005 Cabernet Franc

Despite the obvious success of Merlot on the North Fork, there are many people – myself included – who get just as excited about Cabernet Franc. This grape, a more subdued, more feminine genetic parent of Cabernet Sauvignon thrives in our climate.

Fill a blind-tasting table with Long Island Cabernet Franc, however, and you'll taste almost as many styles as there are wineries – from un-oaked, Chinon-style reds best suited to casual foods and young drinking all the way up to rich, strenuously oaked wines that can cellar well and seem almost Sauvignon-like in their flavor profile. Vintage variation and ripeness plays a big part, but so does winemaker style and whim. In cooler or wetter years, when the grapes don't ripen to their potential or flavors get diluted by excess water, these barrel-aged wines can be somewhat flat and lifeless.

Not so with this wine. 2005 was a remarkable year on the North Fork, the growing season was warm and extremely dry – at least until a harvest-time deluge ravaged some vineyards. But, for those wineries that literally weathered the storm, strong, drying winds soon followed and 2005 is already shaping up to be a benchmark year for Long Island red wines, with this wine a fine first release.

Cherry and other red berries mingle on the nose with a wisp of smoke, subtle green herbs and earthy dried leaf aromas. I love the flavorful, rich mid-palate on this wine, with flavors in line with the nose. Well balanced with well-integrated tannins, it's a wine of deliciously crafted structure. Bold yet elegant, this is a fine example of how well this Bordeaux-like style of Cabernet Franc can be done here.

(This review originally appeared on AppellationAmerica.com)

Where is the Long Island Wine & Culinary Center?

First, the New York Wine & Grape Foundation opened up the New York Wine & Culinary Center in Canandaigua. That made sense to me. The NYWGF is headquartered in the Finger Lakes and that region also has the most wineries.

But the news that the NYWGF received a state grant to explore the possibility of opening a similar, but scaled-down version in the Hudson Valley region strikes me as an odd choice.

I'm a big supporter of the Hudson Valley region and it's wines, but why put a center there? The wineries are spread out quite a bit geographically throughout the region (the "trails" aren't that easy to follow) and, in general, the wines just aren't that good. There are a few producers who have impressed me, but why not put a center here on Long Island? We have many of the best wines and the same proximity to New York City.

Come to think of it, this has to be about money. You can probably get a nice chunk of land and have a building constructed up in the Hudson Valley a lot cheaper than you can here on Long Island.

But I think that a center like this one would thrive on the North Fork. The wineries are localized onto to main roads and a center seems like a great fit.

There are a lot of people in the local industry here who, when speaking off the record, feel that the NYWGF plays favorites with upstate wineries and sometimes makes the Long Island an afterthought. Hopefully that isn't the case and that isn't part of the reason here.

Grapes Gone 'Ganic at Bonterra Vineyards

Most of us can agree that organic farming is a good thing. Good for the plants. Good for the land. Good for the groundwater. And, good for those eating the resulting produce.

But questions remain about whether or not organic vineyard practices lead to better wines. I haven't formed an opinion yet—mostly because I haven't had that many organically grown wines.

In fact, I had only tasted a couple marginal ones until last week when I got my hands on a set of wines from Bonterra Vineyards, a producer that has bet the farm—literally—on the quality of their organically grown wines.

Their 378-acre vineyard, located in the Russian River benchlands of Mendocino County, is certified organic, and they describe their farming practices are "back to the future" because they focus on composting, cover crops and natural cycles to "create a soil that is rich and vital. From this fertile soil grow naturally healthy vines and intensely concentrated, flavorful grapes."

I can't be sure if their "green" vineyard practices are responsible for the quality of the wines, but the quality is there—even if the ripe, California style is a bit much for my taste in some cases.

Bonterra Vineyards 2005 Roussanne ($22) was my favorite of the whites. Roussanne has a unique flavor profile and this wine is a fine example with honey, apricots and fresh flowers on the nose. There are a lot of over-oaked, chardonnay-wannabe roussannes out there, but this isn't one of them. Ripe peach flavors dominate a well-balanced, medium-bodied palate that features just the right amount of acidity. There are also honey and floral notes, particularly on a deliciously long finish. Buy this one if you see it.

Also fairly well balanced was the Bonterra Vineyards 2005 Viognier ($18). On first sniff, this wine has a lot of gewürztraminer-esque, exotic character with rose petals and lychee-lemon aromas. Moments later, just-ripe honeydew melon steps forward on the slightly underwhelming nose. The finish leans a little towards sourness, but there are loads of lemon, lemon zest and green melon flavor here. At 13.9% alcohol by volume, there was a little heat on the finish too, but it wasn't overwhelming.

My disdain for many California chardonnays is well documented and while Bonterra's 2005 Chardonnay ($14) doesn't suffer from the usual flabbiness, a noticeable green pea aroma and flavor was off-putting. No thanks. 

Moving on to Bonterra's red offerings, they make a serviceable, if overly soft, Bonterra Vineyards 2004 Merlot ($15) that is one dimensional and a little hot on the finish. If merlot is your thing, you're much better off looking locally.

I did enjoy their 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon ($16), however. It is filled with plum and cherry flavors with just slightly gripping tannins and a lengthy finish. It's unique for California because it's not over-oaked, and at $16 is a nice value.

If you like Australian shiraz, but want a little more complexity, pick up a bottle of Bonterra Vineyards' 2004 Syrah ($18). This dark, almost inky, red wine offers deep, big black fruit flavors with hints of spice, tar and caramel. The caramel is most apparent on a flavorful yet supple finish that lasts long after the wine is swallowed.

Sang Lee Farms in canvas magazine

In this month's issue of canvas, Cindy Krezel turns her Tasting Notes column to one of my favorite North Fork farms, Sang Lee Farms.

The story focuses mainly on greens, but take it from someone who has driven out there (at least 45 minutes each way) just for their heirloom tomatoes--this is a place you have to check out.

They also grow delicious, multi-colored carrots that I've enjoyed in the past and make some excellent pre-made Asian pestos and sauces as well.

Jackson's First Wine Tasting

You all knew it was only a matter of time before we put the newest member of the LENNDEVOURS staff to work.

Here's a picture of our new CCO (that's chief cuteness officer) at his very first LENNDEVOURS tasting Saturday night. Of course he can't really participate until he's much older, but we'll integrate him into the process slowly.

Overall, he seemed to enjoy the tasting. Then again, he has me and Nena for parents, would you expect otherwise?

And, as you can see, we tasted several of Castello di Borghese's current releases during this tasting (along with several wines from organic winegrower Bonterra Vineyards). Expect to read about both wineries in coming days/weeks.

Jackson's pick, according to this picture at least, was the Borghese 2001 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, a wine that his daddy enjoyed quite a bit as well.

Heard Through the Grape Vine: D'Latte Vineyards?

I've heard an unconfirmed rumor from a couple different unnamed sources that the owner of D'Latte Uncorked, an upscale deli/wine bar in Greenport, is planning to plant a vineyard on the North Fork with tight row spacing, build a winery on the premises and use a local winemaker as a consultant.

Does anyone know anything about this?

I'm going to call the deli when I get home tonight, but I'm wondering if any of my "insider" readers have heard anything about this endeavor.

Either way, check back soon for more information--I hope.

One Last

As winter slows and we look to spring, LENNDEVOURS' Poet Laureate, Christopher Watkins presents a piece about what this time means for grape vines that have been sleeping during the cold months.

One Last
By Christopher Watkins

One last hurl of winter
for the sleeping vines
to unknowingly withstand;

One last morning
of vivid, blinding beauty—
sunlight caroming off snow slicks—
and the dirty days that follow
as the oily trucks tattoo
the banks built up
along the salted roads;

One last fire for warmth;

One last reminder
that the world’s not at our mercy,
that our mercy’s what we plead for
at the door of Mother Nature’s busy home—
darkened by our shadows as it is
this time of year, when

on behalf of all the squirrels
who are swiftly losing weight,
all the birds who can’t sustain
their hopeful morning songs,
all the vines, like sleeping princesses,
who need the kiss of spring,

we come and ask for
a change in seasons.

The door never opens,
but like children Christmas Eve
who leave out milk and cookies
we leave bottle after bottle
of the best wine we can make
and when we come back in the morning
to submit our pleas again,
the bottles are all gone,
and the day
is just a little bit longer.

Paumanok Wine Dinner @ North Fork Table & Inn (March 11)

On Sunday March 11, two of the North Fork's best--Paumanok Vineyards and the North Fork Table & Inn--will present a special wine dinner featuring three vintages of Paumanok's cabernet sauvignon.

$85 plus tax and gratuity per person gets you the delicious menu below.  For more information and to make a reservation, please call the North Fork Table at (631) 765-0177

Local Fluke Sashimi with Ruby Red Grapefruit and Ginger Cracklings
Paumanok 2005 Sauvignon Blanc

Porcini-Crusted Salmon with Savoy Cabbage and Red Wine Reduction
Paumanok 2004 Cabernet Franc Grand Vintage

Roasted Sirloin of Beef with Beef Cheek-Bone Marrow Ragout, Organic White Turnip Puree and Spicy Mustard Greens
Paumanok 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Vintage
Paumanok 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Vintage
Paumanok 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Vintage

Coconut Tapioca with Passion Fruit Sorbet and Crispy Coconut Wafers
Paumanok 2003 Late Harvest Riesling