By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor
Established in 1839, Brotherhood Winery in Washingtonville, NY is America's oldest winery and one of the largest, best-known and widely distributed wineries in the Hudson Valley region.
The portfolio is large -- and among the most diverse in the state.
On one end they produce a Sherry-style wine flavored with Korean ginseng, a rose blended with strawberries and woodruff, and two different honey wines. On the end of the spectrum, you'll find some excellent sparkling wines and vinifera table wines that are always well-priced and often over-deliver.
Many of those vinifera wines are sourced from elsewhere in the state. The rieslings typically come from the Finger Lakes, while the Bordeaux varieties are mostly sourced from Long Island. And this Brotherhood Winery 2008 Pinot Noir ($15) was made from Niagara-grown fruit.
If you're going to buy fruit, it only makes sense to buy it from the successful places, right?
Pure and focused, this pinot offers aromas of pomegranates, cranberries and cherries with a subtle woodsy spiciness with very little overt oak or vanilla character.
The cran-cherry fruitiness carries over, though not overly intense, on the light-bodied palate, with subtle earthiness and smoke notes. On the second day open, a gentle floral quality emerges too, along with more noticeable spice.
With just a little silky tannin, this is a wine that mainly relies on fresh acidity for structure. It might be a bit too acidic for some, but I appreciate it. I like it, in fact.
Though somewhat straightforward, there is a purity here and a fresh balance that it easy to appreciate. In fact, there may be no better $15 pinot noir in New York.
Producer: Brotherhood Winery
AVA: New York (actually Niagara)
ABV: 13%
pH: 3.43
TA: 6.1g/L
Price: $15*
(3 out of 5, Very good/Recommended)
It's on sale in my area for as little as $10 a bottle...a ridiculous value for a solid NY pinot noir.
Posted by: Bryan | August 16, 2011 at 04:39 PM
$15 retail. At my neighborhood wine shop, it's $11, and if I go just a couple miles down the road, it's $8.50. Yes, friends. You read that right.
I know I've commented in the past that I am not a fan of New York pinot noirs in general, HOWEVER, this is one that I buy and drink on a fairly regular basis.
Posted by: irisira | August 16, 2011 at 05:39 PM
Definitely a great value! Also I love the fact that the ABV is quite reasonable at 13%, versus the 14+% that you often see in California Pinot Noir.
Posted by: Catherine | August 18, 2011 at 12:27 PM
Would have any information about Brotherhood Winery,
pertaining to (founder) Jean Jacques selling of his first wines probably Scarementals. Can you give me a date of his first sales if that is on record.
Can you give me a source if this information is not available to you.
I appreciate it very much.
Thank you
Paul Spague
Posted by: Paul N. Sprague | January 19, 2012 at 12:38 PM