New York Cork Report

Paumanok Vineyards 2007 Merlot

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

Paumanok Vineyards' "regular" merlot bottling, informally known as the "white label merlot" is one of Long Island's most values -- particularly from warmer, dryer years (think 2005 and 2007 recently).

No, at $24, it won't satisfy those who lament the region's lack of $15 standouts, but know this: it over-delivers for that $24.

The nose is ripe and complex, showing fruit aromas of black cherry, plum and cassis as well as notes of dried autumn leaves and dried thyme.

Medium-bodied and at once ripe and lithe, the palate delivers fruit flavors that closely match the nose -- ranging from bright, almost crunch red berry to tobacco leaf to black currant. The tannins are gripe and well-integrated, bringing nice grip and structure without angularity or astringency.

A minty eucalyptus note at the end of along finish makes you go back for another sip, just to taste it again.

It probably has enough stuffing to improve for three to five years, but it's tasting beautifully today.

Producer: Paumanok Vineyards
AVA: North Fork of Long Island
ABV: 13% 
Price: $24
  

(4 out of 5 | Outstanding and Delicious, Highly Recommended)

 

(*Ratings Guide)

Lamoreaux Landing 2010 Dry Riesling

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

As I patrol the Internet, seeking out information about New York wine and read what to others are saying about it, I see some pretty amazing and curious things. One of the most mind-boggling is the contention by some that Finger Lakes rieslings are over-priced.

That's just silly and barely merits discussion, so I will just assume those folks must be very happy drinking a lot of Pacific Rim and Covey Run rielsings from the West Coast and move on.

This wine, the Lamoreaux Landing 2010 Dry Riesling, is $13 at the winery and I've seen it of less in wine shops. And in just about every vintage, this is a wine that over-delivers.

When I was a kid, we had a gravel driveway. This wine smells like that driveway did after it rained, with added aromas of lime, citrus blossom and green tea.

Lively, dry and focused, the palate shows intense lime flavors with grapefruit at the edges and more of that wet gravel minerality. The acidity is juicy and citrusy and the finish is medium-long.

Finger Lakes rieslings over-priced? Here's exhibit A against that case.

Producer: Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars
AVA: Finger Lakes
ABV: 12.1%  
TA: 8.03 g/L
pH: 2.96
Production: 1,750 cases
Price: $13*
 

 

 (3.5 out of 5 | Very Good, Recommended to Outstanding and Delicious, Highly Recommended)

(*Ratings Guide)

Heart & Hands Wine Company 2009 Reserve Riesling

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

Tom and Susan Higgins, owners of Heart & Hands Wine Company on the eastern shore of Cayuga Lake, have worked tirelessly to build a reputation for making what may be New York's best pinot noirs. It's clear that pinot is their passion and it shows in the bottle and throughout their entire operation.

But, with wines like Heart & Hands Winery 2009 Reserve Riesling ($29) Tom, who makes the wines, proves that he's not a one-trick pinot pony. This is the Finger Lakes after all, where riesling rules and it seems silly not to make riesling when such high quality raw materials are available.

The nose is expressive and concentrated, filled with lime, pear, starfruit, fig and citrus blossom aromas.

Intense and concentrated fruit flavors -- apple, graprefruit and lime -- are delivered on a nimble, almost feathery palate with bright, well-integrated acidity that drives it forward and into a long, citrusy dry finish.

2009 was a tremendous year for riesling in the Finger Lakes, and this is one of the best I've tasted from the vintage.

Producer: Heart & Hands Wine Company
AVA: Finger Lakes
ABV: 12%  
RS: 1.5% 
TA: 9.6 g/L
pH: 2.9
Price: $29
  

(4 out of 5 | Outstanding and Delicious, Highly Recommended)

 

(*Ratings Guide)

 

Heron Hill Winery 2008 Blaufrankisch

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

Though on the oakier -- and pricier -- end of the Finger Lakes Blaufrankisch spectrum, the Heron Hill Winery 2008 Blaufrankisch ($35) is worthy of a taste when you visit their tasting room with stunning views of Keuka Lake.

Not content making a juicy, fruity, peppery wine, the folks at Heron Hill always push the envelope with this grape.

At first, the nose seems like it will be dominated by chocolate and smoky oak, but those aromas don't completely obscure those of red cherry, cranberry, black pepper, clove, tarragon and mint.

Hefty on the palate, and a bit more overtly oaky, the smoke, vanilla and chocolate character pushes the red fruit to the background just a bit. Good acidity keeps it lively and there is just enough fruit to retain varietal correctnes through the oak.

The long finish shows layers of spice, vanilla and just a bit of sweet cedar.

This is a wine that makes me wonder what it could be like with just a bit less time in barrel.

Producer: Heron Hill Winery
AVA: Finger Lakes
ABV: 13%  
Price: $35*
 

(3 out of 5, Very good/Recommended)

(*Ratings Guide)

 

The New York Cork Report Tasting Table -- November 10, 2011

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

These are tasting notes for some wines that have been tasted at the NYCR tasting table but won't be reviewed in standalone posts. Starting next week, we'll be back with daily standalone reviews.

Comtesse Therese 2010 Rose ($16): Made with cabernet sauvignon. Watermelon aromas with vague red berry character. Bit awkward on the palate. Watermelon and wild strawberry with hints of peach. Good acidity that is a bit disjointed. Subtle RS but dry-ish finish. Pretty ordinary.

Comtesse Therese 2008 Russian Oak Chardonnay ($21): Nose offers dried apricot, fresh pear, vanilla, sugar roasted nuts and beeswax aromas. Medium bodied palate with peach and pear fruit, vanilla cream and cotton candy flavors. Good balance and acidity without any rawness to the oak footprint. Somewhat nutty as it warms. Subtle but distinct grapefruit note at the end of the medium finish.

One Woman Wines 2008 Chardonnay ($20): Apples and pineapples on the palate with light vanilla, butter and lemony aromas. Richer on the palate that the nose indicates. Extremely buttery -- distractingly so. Good acidity. Not woody, but the butter and vanilla flavors overwhelm the fruit a bit too much.

One Woman Wines 2008 Estate Reserve Chardonnay ($38): Warming notes of toasty oak and woodsy spice accent rather than overwhelm apple and citrus fruit aromas. Light floral scents emerges at room temperature. Medium-full body with ripe pear and apple flavors, lemon zest, sweet vanilla and butterscotch. A bit pricey maybe but well done.

One Woman Wines 2010 Gewruztraminer ($23): Peachy nose with jasmine-green tea, citrus blossom, honey and lychee notes. Fruity -- mainly peachy -- palate that shows fresh, citrusy, juicy acidity. Pushes the boundary of too bitter, even for gewurzt.

One Woman Wines 2010 Sauvignon Blanc ($28): Lemony grapefruit citrus aromas with hints of green melon, tropical fruit and white flowers. Somewhat simple palate -- very citrusy -- with nice saline minerality. Medium body with good-not-great acidity.

Raphael 2010 Riesling ($28): Nose is a bit light, with citrus blossom, lemon-lime, honey and a little yellow apple. Light, citrus-driven palate shows subtle saline minerality and a bit of honey. Light on flavor, but good acidity and focus. Lime zest on short finish.

 

(Ratings Guide)

 

One Woman Wines 2008 Merlot

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

Because of the diminutive size of its tasting room and location at the far eastern end of the unofficial Route 48 wine trail, One Woman Wines is still under the radar for many visitors to North Fork wine country.

The one woman behind One Woman Wines is Claudia Purita, who grew up on her family's farm in Calabria, Italy, where she learned farming and viticulture.

After moving to Long Island as an adult and working in the restaurant industry, she decided it was time to "return to her roots" in 2004 planting much of the 16-acre vineyard by hand and doing most of the vineyard work herself.

I recently tasted through One Woman's portfolio and the lone red, this One Woman Wines 2008 Merlot ($28) was the standout.

It spent 16 months in new French oak, so the smoky, spicy aromas -- including a serious, almost syrah-esque dose of black pepper -- aren't surprising. They don't overwhelm the plum, black cherry and subtle blueberry aromas, however.

Medium bodied and bit rustic, the palate is even more syrah-like with peppery, smoky flavors over top of dark fruit flavors. The tannins are light, but there's good acidity here. It turns a just a bit woody on the medium-length finish.

Producer: One Woman Wines
AVA: North Fork of Long Island
ABV: 12.7%  
Price: $28*
 

(3 out of 5, Very good/Recommended)

(*Ratings Guide)

Tousey Winery 2010 Pinot Noir

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

Why do I explore every corner of New York wine country? Wines like this one. Yes, I taste a lot of mediocre (or worse) wine, but discovering a hidden gem of a wine like this one is what energizes and inspires me.

Tousey Winery, located in Clermont, NY in the Hudson River valley, is owned by Ben and Kimberly Peacock. Ben makes the wines but he's quick to point out that he is "merely a student."  "I find the term 'winemaker' hard to wear because that would put me in the same category l as Peter Bell of Fox Run Vineyards, our mentor, and that's certainly not the case," he said in a recent email.

The wines span several styles -- from tasting room crowd-friendly off-dry rose and whites to more classic wines made with chardonnay, pinot noir and cabernet franc. Creme de cassis, a black currant cordial made with estate-grown currants an honey, rounds out the portfolio. The Hudson Valley is carving out a niche for itself with cassis -- but more on that someday soon.

The grapes for this Tousey Winery 2010 Pinot Noir ($24) were grown in the Finger Lakes at Miles Wine Cellars on the western shores of Seneca Lake, where Bell also consults.

Aromas of red raspberries, strawberries and cranberries mingle with slightly earthy, woodsy notes on a classic pinot noir nose.

Though fruity, the light-to-medium bodied palate shows some depth and richness. Its flavors, mostly red raspberry and cranberry with an earthy edge, are balanced by subtle tannins and food-friendly acidity that is well incorporated.

The finish isn't particularly long, but it has enough crunchy red fruit to invite another sip. This is a wine I hope to drink again before the mere 120 cases are sold.

For 2011, Peacock was hoping to make this wine from estate-grown fruit, but "the turkeys got it first." Instead, they're using fruit grown at the famed Sawmill Creek Vineyards on Seneca Lake.

Producer: Tousey Winery
AVA: New York
ABV: 12%  
Production: 120 cases
Price: $24*
 

(3 out of 5, Very good/Recommended)

(*Ratings Guide)

Southern Tier 2XIPA

By Julia Burke, Beer Editor

When beer enthusiasts rate a beer, they often talk about balance. Technical correctness. Drinkability. Good integration of flavors. Nothing out of place or over-the top.

When hopheads rate a beer, they want one thing. Dank, sticky, resiny, more-bitter-than-a-tongue-scraper hops. Lupulin junkies don't necessarily want a "balanced" or "sessionable" brew. When the Brits learned that they could use hops as a preservative when shipping beer to the troops in India, the India Pale Ale was born. When the San Diegoans learned that they could take that idea and crank up the hop bill and alcohol past any semblance of politeness, the modern West Coast IPA gave birth to an entire beer subculture of drinkers focused on one thing.

For all my appreciation of the many wonderful beer styles out there, I'm one of these freaks -- and when I reach for an IPA, I want the hops to sing to me. When I reach for a double IPA, I want them to wack me over the head with a club and drag me back to their cave. Southern Tier Double IPA is just such a beer.

This hophead's dream, made by the masters of the hoppy and high-gravity at Southern Tier Brewing Company, is gold and glowing with lovely lacing and beautiful stratification. There's a tidal wave of floral, grapefruity, piney hops on the nose and a note of sweetness that hints at its 8.2% ABV but complements rather than overwhelms the citrusy acidity.

The mouthfeel packs a wallop: enormous hop character, big, robust malts to put some muscle behind the spikes, and a crazy-good finish that makes me wonder what a hop resin bubble bath might feel like. (For the curious: they do make shampoo with hop resin. It's lovely.)

This was a Beer of the Year last year, and when I saw the faces of a few of my fellow NYCR writers as they sipped this hop bomb, I could tell I wasn't alone in my appreciation of a downright lusty hop experience. Will a few of these knock you off your feet like a wrecking ball? Yes. Will you love it? That depends on you. But the hopheads out there know exactly what I'm talking about, and friends, this beer was made for us.

Producer: Southern Tier Brewing Company
ABV: 8.2%
Sample Size: 12 oz. bottle
Stemware: Pint glass
Price: $12/sixpack

 

(4 out of 5 | Outstanding and Delicious, Highly Recommended)

 

(*Ratings Guide)

Bedell Cellars 2010 Viognier

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

I have fond memories of Bedell Cellars' viognier. Back when my wife and I were dating and exploring North Fork wine country nearly every weekend, it was a favorite in all of its melon and honeysuckle glory. 

Then it was gone, removed from the portfolio... because the winery introduced and began to focus on white wine blends like Taste White and Gallery. That's where all of the viognier went. 

It remains an important component in those blends, but starting with this wine it's back as a varietal wine -- permanently. According to winemaker Rich Olsen-Harbich "We all just felt it’s such a distinctive varietal on the North Fork that it deserves its own label."

Bedell Cellars 2010 Viognier ($35) shows ripe but restrained aromas of honeydew melon, honeysuckle, peach and apricots -- without a sliver of oak to be found. This is my kind of viognier.

The medium-weight, nearly bone dry (.3% RS) palate begins with sweet melon and stone fruit flavors before distinct but understated floral and plum flesh (not the skin) notes join the well-balanced fray.

Fresh and focused, the acidity really stretches the finish out, carrying the peach and melon flavors with it.

It's hard to consider this wine in context because there isn't much of a viognier benchmark here. This one makes a strong case, however. Sadly, they it's sold out already, but Olsen-Harbich is already looking forward to releasing the 2011 in the spring.

Producer: Bedell Cellars
AVA: North Fork of Long Island
ABV: 13%  
TA: 9 g/L
pH: 3.2
Production: 200 cases
Price: $35* (sold out)
 

 

 (3.5 out of 5 | Very Good, Recommended to Outstanding and Delicious, Highly Recommended)

(*Ratings Guide)

Lamoreaux Landing 2010 Yellow Dog Vineyard Riesling

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

There are other single-vineyard riesling programs in the Finger Lakes, but Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars was among the first wineries to enact one. It's a part of their portfolio that I always find fun and educational to explore and topping at out at $20 per bottle, it's probably the most affordable site-to-site exploration available.

Lamoreaux makes three labeled single-vineyard rieslings and their reserve riesling comes from another single vineyard.

Lamoreaux Landing 2010 Yellow Dog Riesling ($20) comes from one of the winery's youngest vineyards, planted in 2007, and opens with aromas of grapefruit, peach and sweet orange peel.

Showing the warmth of the vintage, the fruity palate is on the richer side of things, showing more grapefruit, orange and apricot flavors. There is definitely some sweetness here, but crunchy acidity slices through it nicely.

The finish isn't particularly long, but brings a subtle floral note that adds complexity to an otherwise straight-forward wine.

Producer: Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars
AVA: Finger Lakes
ABV: 11.8%  
TA: 9.79 g/L
pH: 2.96
Production: 200 cases
Price: $20*
 

(3 out of 5, Very good/Recommended)

(*Ratings Guide)

 

Rooster Hill Vineyards 2009 Estate Cabernet Franc

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

Honestly, I drink them all year, but with the weather we've been experiencing, we are decidedly in the midst of cabernet franc season at my house.

A combination of the weather cooling and the changing local, seasonal vegetables available have meant more root vegetables, more stews, and more roasts on our dinner table. As a franc fanatic, I often reach for cabernet franc with these foods.

Rooster Hill Vineyards 2009 Cabernet Franc ($25) is a wine made for rich foods, particularly those with bacon or another smokey element.

Red cherries and pomegranate molasses aromas are made more complex by notes of brown spice, milk chocolate and high-toned floral aromas that are almost overwhelmed by smoky, bacon-y notes.

Plump and surprisingly full-bodied, the palate is fruit driven -- a melange of red berries -- with a smokey hint of bonfire and a subtle meatiness that delivers a certain umami quality. There is more structure here than what is found in many 2009 Finger Lakes reds, and also well-incorporated, slightly tart acidity on a medium-length finish.

I wish the oak were toned down just a bit, but this is still a well-made, concentrated cabernet franc that is deserving of much more attention.

Producer: Rooster Hill Winery
AVA: Finger Lakes
ABV: 12.9%  
Price: $25*
 

(3.5 out of 5 | Very Good, Recommended to Outstanding and Delicious, Highly Recommended)

(*Ratings Guide)

Three Heads Brewing Bromigo

By Julia Burke, Beer Editor

Three Heads Brewing is on a roll lately with new releases, and Bromigo, their very first fall seasonal offering, is an interesting foray into flavorings: it's a smoked maple amber brewed with maple syrup.

The nose is wonderfully complex for a fall seasonal -- sweet and smokey, with full and thick maple notes backed up by toffee and vanilla and a firm roast. There's no aggressive alcohol to speak of, just the rich scents of a woodsy fall flannel-wearing, maple-syrup-tapping party. 

Bready malts and roast dominate the palate. It's not a thick beer, for the lushness of the nose; instead it's more roast and smoke and an exceptionally dry finish that lasts long but could almost use a little more body.

It's a nice change, though, from the sweetness of many fall styles, and it's certainly a sessionable version of a "smoked maple" brew at a well-incorporated 7% ABV.

I admire the deft subtlety of the rather in-your-face ingredients used, but I found myself wanting just a little bit more of a malt bill; that said, this would shine with a steak or venison on the grill.

Is it hunting season yet?

Producer: Three Heads Brewing (via Custom Brewcrafters) 
ABV: 7% 
Sample Size: 16 oz. bottle 
Stemware: 16 oz. V-glass 
Price: $6.99 

(3 out of 5, Very good/Recommended)

(*Ratings Guide)

 

The New York Cork Report Tasting Table -- October 28, 2011

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

These are tasting notes for some wines that have been tasted at the NYCR tasting table but won't be reviewed in standalone posts. Starting next week, we'll be back with daily standalone reviews.

Eleven Lakes Winery 2008 Boat Landing Cayuga ($14): Browning/bruised apple aromas with some peach and a chlorine-y chemical note. Not overly interesting on the palate. Pear and white grape that are less oxidized than the nose. Residual sugar is very well balanced, just not much in the way of flavor. 

Eleven Lakes Winery 2008 Chosen Spot Dry Riesling ($18): Extremely citrusy on the nose with lemon-lime and just a little flinty quality. Borders on citrus-water style of Finger Lakes dry riesling. Mainly lemon-lime with a little boney, flinty character. Good acidity. Simple, but clean and fresh. Lacks character though.

Eleven Lakes Winery 2008 Stoney Place Semi-Dry Riesling ($17): Classic regional combination of peach, lime and river rock on the nose. Good acidity and balance on the palate with flavors that match the nose precisely. Shows nicely focus and length, but has a weird medicinal note on the finish. Otherwise, very classic and well done.

Inspire Moore 2009 "Lust" Pinot Noir ($28): Sweet strawberries and raspberries on the nose with subtle earthiness. Medium-light body with restrained red fruit backed by supporting earthiness in the form of muchrooms and stemmy qualities. Soft, but not flabby with just enough acidity and silky, low-grip tannins. Long finish. Nice effort from a not-great year for pinot.

Inspire Moore 2010 "Love" Semi-Dry Riesling ($17): 2.5% RS. Peachy nose with grapefruit and hints of honey and lychee. Mouth-filling with some noticeable sweetness but just enough acidity for balance. Ripe vintage shows with fruit intensity -- peach and grapefruit. Finish is abrupt. Pleasant and very Finger Lakes in style.

Lamoreaux Landing 2010 Semi-Dry Riesling ($13): Apple-driven nose with a juicy squirt of lime. On the friendly, forward palate, a bit of grapefruit joints the apple-lime party. Shows its residual sugar, but not in a sloppy way. Medium-short finish. Simple, but fresh and well-balanced.

Lieb Family Cellars 2010 9/11 Memorial Chardonnay ($19.11): Very light nose with subtle apple, papaya, orange peel and pineapple aromas. Great acidity, but not huge on flavor. Tropical with pineapple and papaya with a bit of nutty vanilla.

Macari Vineyards 2010 Rose ($15): Blend of merlot, cabernet franc, cabernet sauviginon and malbec. Juicy watermelon, strawberry and big cherry aromas with light sweet herb notes. On the fuller-bodied side with gobs of ripe, drip-down-your-arm watermelon and a burst of crunch red berry flavor, including slightly candied cherries. Shows vintage ripeness with maybe a bit of heat, but has great acidity. Bold but balanced and well suited to your season's last barbeque. One of my favorite 2010 Long Island roses.

Raphael 2010 Chardeaux ($22): 66% chardonnay, 34% sauvignon blanc. Fruity, almost fruit-cocktail nose shows ripe pear, ruby grapefruit, melon with subtle tropical fruit too. Medium-light body, with lots of melon and pear flavor and a bit of citrus zest. Could use a bit more acidity but has a saline edge that I like.

Ventosa Vineyards 2009 Chardonnay ($18): Toasty oak (rather than raw) dominates, hiding much of the tropical fruit aroma. Lots of sweet, toasty oak on the palate as well, but also good acidity. Fruit is somewhat candied, with bubblegum vanilla sweetness on the finish as well. Not enough fruit to stand up to the wood.

Zugibe Vineyards 2008 Pinot Noir ($18): Red cherry aromas are accented by hints of star anise and toasty oak. Fresh on the palate with red cherry and raspberry fruit and light caramel/vanilla  flavors. Not complex or exceptionally long, but clean and fresh and well-priced.

 

 

Shinn Estate Vineyards 2008 Wild Boar Doe

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

The name of Shinn Estate Vineyards 2008 Wild Boar Doe ($30) serves two purposes. It is at once a playful homage to the Bordeaux-style blend and also a food pairing tip -- because lean wild pork or venison would work beautifully with this wine.

A blend of 40% merlot, 23% cabernet sauvignon, 17% malbec, 15% petit verdot, and 5% cabernet franc, this medium-weight red shows complex aromas of licorice, white pepper, leaf tobacco and exotic spice interwoven with ripe blueberries and black currants.

Intense black-and-blue fruit highlights a somewhat rustic palate, along with an array of spices, licorice and a bit too much oak for my tastes. The tannins are lightly chewy and cottony, providing enough structure for at least short-term aging.

The finish is medium length and very peppery -- both black and white.

2008 was a cooler and often lesser year for reds, but the best wineries do good things even in years like those. This wine is a fine example.

Producer: Shinn Estate Vineyards
AVA: North Fork of Long Island
ABV: 13.8%  
Price: $30*
 

(3 out of 5, Very good/Recommended)

(*Ratings Guide)

Bloomer Creek Vineyards 2009 Auten Vineyard First Harvest Riesling

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

When my colleague Evan Dawson first introduced us to Bloomer Creek, I only knew Bloomer Creek Vineyard as the winery that shared a parking lot with one of my favorite places to eat in the Finger Lakes, Stonecat Cafe. But, after speaking with Evan further about them, I knew that I had to get my hands on some of Kim Engle's wines.

Evan and I have similar-but-different palates and tastes when it comes to wine, but I think we agree on Bloomer Creek's rieslings -- these are some of the most uniquely expressive, genuine rieslings in the region.

Bloomer Creek 2009 Tanzen Dame Auten Vineyard First Harvest Riesling ($16) oozes with ripe yellow apple aromas accented by a crushed fennel and caraway seeds, honey and a subtle biscuit-y, Champagne-like yeastiness.

Fuller bodied and almost rich on the palate, it offers a melange of tree fruit -- assorted apples, pears and apricot -- with more that honey-fennel character. There is gentle sweetness here, but a burst of acidity ushers in a long, apple-dried apricot-flavored finish.

You've never had a Finger Lakes riesling like this -- and I think that's the point.

Producer: Bloomer Creek
AVA: Finger Lakes
ABV: 10%  
Production: 173 cases
Price: $16*
  

(4 out of 5 | Outstanding and Delicious, Highly Recommended)

 

(*Ratings Guide)

 

Saranac Wet Hop IPA

By Mark Tichenor, Rochester Beer Correspondent

It might not yet be a gold mine, but farmer Rick Pedersen of Seneca Castle, New York is definitely sitting on something.

Pedersen Farms is one of the few in Western New York to fully embrace the craft beer revolution by cultivating hops. In doing so, they spur the resurgence of this once-ubiquitous New York State crop. This makes it possible for breweries like Saranac to brag that their new Wet Hop IPA is made with all-New York hops, a claim that, until recently, would have been untenable.

Wet-hopping is basically adding fresh hop flowers, direct off the vine, to the brewing liquid in addition to the normal dried hops. The introduction of all that fresh, un-mellowed lupulin imparts a powerful, extremely grassy character, sort of like you just mowed your lawn if your lawn were composed of pure awesome.

Wet Hop IPA is brewed in Buffalo by Matt Brewing Company's autonomous subsidiary, Flying Bison, and that classic small brewery's pedigree shows in the beer's makeup. At its foundation, this is a solid, aggressive IPA, with a bitter attack many would find surprising from a Saranac branded beer. Upon introduction of schnozz to glass, the buckwheat honey-colored beer explodes with intense grass and floral aromas, the first sip reveals more.

What makes the Wet Hop really work is a robust body that counters the hop essence. A more timid, thinner beer would be smothered by all that grassiness, rendering the wet hopping nothing more than a marketing gimmick. SWH fully lives up to its promise because of its backbone. This is a beer to order with a smile, then order a second.

Producer: F.X. Matt Brewing, via Flying Bison
Style: American IPA
Stemware: 16 oz shaker pint
ABV: 6.2%
Price: $5.50

 

(4.5 out of 5 | Outstanding and Delicious, Highly Recommended to Extraordinary, Can't Recommend it More)

(*Ratings Guide)

The New York Cork Report Tasting Table -- October 6, 2011

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

These are tasting notes for some wines that have been tasted at the NYCR tasting table but won't be reviewed in standalone posts. As always, these notes come almost directly from my notebook.

Bashakill Vineyards 2010 Wood Duck Chardonnay ($15): Fruit from Seneca Lake. Nose is almost all raw oak with just a bit of apple and lemon behind. Great acidity and mouthfeel on the palate, but also a lot of oak covering up most of the apple, pear and citrus fruit.

Hermann J. Wiemer 2009 Dry Riesling ($18): Big slate aromas with juice pear and hints of lime zest. The palate shows more lime along with some pear and green apple. Slate is less obvious. Crackles with acidity and shows a long time-meets-river rock finish.

Hermann J. Wiemer 2009 Late Harvest Riesling ($23): Aromas of starfruit and green apple -- with just a bit of flinty slate. RS is obvious on the palate but is balanced well. Forward sweet lime flavors along with starfruit, fennel frond and slate. Not quite as focused as I'd like, but still very good.

Lenz Winery 2005 Merlot-Malbec ($35): Malbec character is obvious on the nose. Beautiful aromas of blueberry compote, vilolets and anise with subtle notes of clove and cured meat. Sweet spice, blackberry and cherry greet the palate. The tannins are on the lighter side, but there is nice acidity here. Nutty oak quality with more of that gamey meatiness and hints of pepper.

Lenz Winery 2008 Blanc de Noir ($15): A still, 100% pinot noir rose. Vague red berry aromas with a leesy, yeasty note. Straightforward cherry-strawberry flavors. Somewhat like a flat rose sparkler. Some freshness but nothing special. 

Red Newt Cellars 2009 Lahoma Vineyards Riesling ($20): Somewhat lean nose of lime, flint and yellow apple. Off dry but shows a nice acidic edge that slices through intense apple flavors and more subtle notes of lime and pear. Long, apple-y finish, but a bit less complex than other single vineyard wines.

Red Newt Cellars 2009 Sawmill Creek Riesling ($20): Big nose with pretty jasmine-white teas overtones with lime, lime blossom and green apple aromas. The palate starts with tart granny smith apple before evolving into lime and flowers. Great acidity that helps it finish linear and long, with hints of quince. Terrific balance and a real value.

Red Newt Cellars 2009 Semi-Dry Riesling ($14): Very light on aromas, with only subtle apple skin and lime zest notes. Good acid and balance but flavors reminiscent of candied fruit cocktail. Weird bitter note towards the finish.

Red Tail Ridge Winery 2009 Semi-Dry Riesling ($16): Lighter nose of green and yellow apple and peach. Good balance and in a crowd-pleasing style. Simple but tasty flavors of ripe apple and peach. Acid is just fresh enough. Drink now or soon.

Red Tail Ridge Winery 2010 Dry Rose ($17): Sweet red cherries and strawberries dominate the nose with light strawberry husk and cranberry aromas. Clean, bright red berry flavors with subtle weight and silky softness. Fresh, well-incorporated acidity brings focus to the ripeness of the vintage. One of the better roses I've tasted from 2010.

Ventosa Vineyards 2009 Rosato ($16): Made with sangiovese. Nose brings dried autumn leaf and blood orange. Palate shows good acidity, but not much flavor or elegance. Clunky and disjointed.

 

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

These are tasting notes for some wines that have been tasted at the NYCR tasting table but won't be reviewed in standalone posts.

Heron Hill Winery 2008 Ingle Vineyard Cabernet Franc

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

The image of Finger Lakes red wines as typically underwhelming -- especially compared to the regions often outstanding white wines -- has begun to evolve in recent years -- mostly thanks to two warm vintages (2005 and 2007) and a handful of producers really pushing the quality envelope.

The region is getting its due for its red wines too now -- at least here and there.

Here's a wine from the more "normal" 2008 vintage that further proves how silly it is to generalize when it comes to wine.

Heron Hill Winery 2008 Cabernet Franc ($18) shows aromas of blackberry and black raspberry fruit under a veil of toasty oak and leaf tobacco. With time in the glass, a subtle savory/umami note emerges as well.

With a surprisingly dense core of sweet black and blue fruit, the medium-bodied palate delivers good intensity of fruit with a smoky, peppery edge. Though relatively low on tannin, there is nice acidity here for structure.

The tobacco leaf character from the nose reappears towards the end of a medium-long finish that also shows a bit of oak.

Producer: Heron Hill Winery
AVA: Finger Lakes
ABV: 12.5%  
Price: $18*
 

(3.5 out of 5 | Very Good, Recommended to Outstanding and Delicious, Highly Recommended)

(*Ratings Guide)

Bedell Cellars 2010 Chardonnay

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

I appreciate the direction that winemaker Rich Olsen-Harbich is taking the white wine program at Bedell Cellars.

I've now tasted a handful of his 2010 wines -- his first vintage at Bedell -- and a few things are clear. First, there is a distinct focus on expressing the vintage over a house style. Second, there is a much more judicious use of new oak.

This Bedell Cellars 2010 Chardonnay ($20) illustrates both points well.

In some previous vintages, there's been a sameness to the regular chardonnay bottling and the reserve. That sameness was oak -- oak that stood out as a major flavor component.

Olsen-Harbich fermented this wine in half in stainless steel and half in neutral oak, all with ambient yeasts -- resulting ina transparent rendition of chardonnay that stood out even for someone as typically chardonnay indifferent as I am.

Though dominated by somewhat typical juicy pear and apple aromas the nose also shows intriguing notes of lemon balm, crushed coriander seed and orange peel.

The warmth of the season is captured on the palate, which is medium bodied but still balanced with the tongue tingle of fresh acidity. Flavors of pear, lemon and coriander seed leading into a mid-palate that shows a subtle richness and creaminess without being heavy or flabby. Showing good length, the finish ends with apple peel and seawater.

Tasty enough on its own, this wine elevated -- and was elevated by -- a dinner of fettuccine alfredo with garlic-sauteed kale the nigh that I tasted it.

Producer: Bedell Cellars
AVA: North Fork of Long Island
ABV: 13%  
Price: $20*
 

(3 out of 5, Very good/Recommended)

(*Ratings Guide)

 

Custom Brewcrafters Signature Series: Krysztoff

By Julia Burke, Beer Editor

Baltic porter is a beer style with a little mystery. Made as dark as the North Sea and strong enough to withstand the journey across its treacherous waters during the Industrial Revolution, this style owes its lineage to both the milder English porter and the robust Russian Imperial stout. Traditionally done with lager yeast for a long, cold fermentation, this porter at its best is intense but smooth.

I often find Baltic porters a little too sweet and thick for my taste, but I can never turn down a great porter, so I’ve kept trying this sub-style hoping for one to change my mind.

On the nose, Custom Brewcrafters Krysztoff shows a firm but clean roast, with hints of African coffee and intense bittersweet chocolate. The palate shows a faint sweetness but nowhere near the syrupy consistency that normally hinders the style, instead showing roasty licorice-dark malts and powerful molasses-toffee complexity.

As the beer warms to temperature (it peaked at about 55 degrees) it blossoms. Any hint of the 10% ABV melts seamlessly into an experience that’s disarming but not palate-coating, each sip balanced and restrained enough to beg another but packed with enough flavor and complexity to warrant attention. It’s made with Magnum and Mount Hood hops, and they don’t show on their own so much as lift up the back-palate and finish — exactly as they should with this style.

The finish is outstanding: fantastic length that gave me the sensation of being slowly toasted over campfire coals like that perfect golden-brown and melty-on-the-inside marshmallow that takes several minutes but makes the perfect s’more. 

I haven’t mentioned the appearance of this beer. I don’t normally spend a lot of time on a beer’s looks (absent obvious flaws or problems), because to me all beer has an inherent sex appeal, but I need to mention the singular silhouette of this brew. In a V pilsner glass, it pours a blackish-brown so lightless it’s almost cobalt in color, with a ridiculously inviting mocha-foam one-finger head and beautiful lacing. Beautiful, enticing, with stylish delivery to boot, this is the most extraordinary effort I have tasted from CB brewmaster Bruce Lish, and my new favorite example of the style. I had this with German potato pancakes on a Sunday morning and it was outstanding, but I’d really like to see this with a smoked gouda or other smoky cheese.

Producer: Custom Brewcrafters
Style: Baltic Porter
Stemware: 16 oz. V pilsner glass, then snifter (I couldn’t resist the photo appeal, but this beer belongs in a snifter or wide goblet)
ABV: 10%
Price: $6.99

 

(Outstanding and Delicious, Highly Recommended to Extraordinary, Can't Recommend it More)

(*Ratings Guide)

Roanoke Vineyards 2009 'Rhyme and Meter' Chardonnay

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

Much to my personal chagrin, barrel-fermented chardonnay isn't going to evaporate from the Long Island wine industry. I've come to grips with this fact over time, though I denied it for years.

Some of them are delicious, sure, but I maintain that they just aren't distinctive enough. Despite its continuing popularity in the marketplace, we'll simply never see the day when chardonnay puts Long Island on the map. But, it's in the ground and we're not seeing large-scale re-planting recently. Did I mention there is still a market for these wines?

Anyway, Roanoke Vineyards 2009 'Rhyme and Meter' Chardonnay ($30) is made by Roman Roth using fruit from Sam McCullough's vineyard in Aquebogue. It was fermented entirely in oak barrels and went through 1005 malolactic fermentation.

A bushel full of peaches, pears and a bit of dried pineapple, the nose also shows hints of butterscotch and citrus.

Mouth-filling and lush, the palate shows intense fruit -- pears, apples, pineapple and ruby red grapefruit. There is a succulence to the forward fruit flavors that balances the caramel-vanilla pretty well. While well balanced, I could use a bit more acidity here.

The finish is long but there is a bit of raw oak there that detracts.I did enjoy this far more at just-above-room temperature. Don't over-chill it.

Long-time readers of the site know that this is a style of wine that isn't my favorite, but this is a well-made rendition.

Producer: Roanoke Vineyards
AVA: North Fork of Long Island
ABV: 13%  
Price: $30
 

(3 out of 5, Very good/Recommended)

(*Ratings Guide)

The New York Cork Report Tasting Table -- September 8, 2011

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

These are tasting notes for some wines that have been tasted at the NYCR tasting table but won't be reviewed in standalone posts.

Channing Daughters Winery 2008 Cuvee Tropical ($20): 8% muscat ottonel and it really stands out on the nose, which shows peach, green apple and pineapple aromas with a serious dose of flowers. Medium bodied with a lightning bolt of acidity, but a bit watery flavor-wise on the mid-palate into the finish. Peach, apples and flowers, but a bit bitter on the finish.

Hunt Country Vineyards 2008 Cabernet Franc ($18): Sweet aromas of strawberry and raspberry with some vegetal-herbal notes and subtle spice on the nose. Palate is juicy and very fruit-forward -- mostly strawberries -- with sweet, spicy oak. Simple without much tannin structure. Some jalapeno on the finish. 

Macari Vineyards 2008 Cabernet Franc ($35): Blackberry and black plum fruit on the nose with light spice, tobacco leaf and sweet wood. Also a subtle, but distinct, Brussels sprout note. Juicy on the medium-bodied palate with firm, dusty tannins. Black fruit and chocolatey oak dominate with layers of spice, licorice and tobacco. Finish is long and peppery.

Macari Vineyards NV Collina 48 Merlot ($13): Blend of 2006, 2006 and 2008. Cherry and plum aromas with woodsy earth and a wisp of juniper berry. Cherry compote and fresh plums on the palate with some freshness. Mid-palate shows surprising density at this price point. Slightly rustic, but not bitter tannins and the oak is a bit too obvious on day two. Finish that shows some herbal qualities. Great value in local merlot.

Palmer Vineyards 2010 Pinot Blanc ($17): Not hugely aromatic, with light note of green apple, citrus blossom, blanched almond and leesy spice. Very apple-driven on the palate with subtle leesy qualities. Huge acidity that is slightly out of balance, turning sour on the finish. This is a wine that usually improves and becomes more complex with time in bottle.

Palmer Vineyards 2010 Rose Merlot ($19): Strawberry and red cherry on the nose with hints of tomato leaf and herbs. Medium-weight palate with good balance. Dry, clean finish. Flavors match nose. Medium-length finish. Satisfying rose with good acidity. Food friendly.

Paumanok Vineyards 2010 Semi-Dry Riesling ($22): Apricots and peaches mingle with beautiful citrus blossom aromas and a bit of spicy lychee on the nose. Shows some RS up front, but it's quickly scrubed away by terrific acidity. Peach, apple and apricot flavors dominate with a little lime zest and more citrus blossom. Long, clean finish.

Rooster Hill Vineyards 2009 Gewurztraminer ($17): Nose is faintly riesling-like in its peachiness. Also some ripe citrus, with subtle rose petal and lychee. Far spicier on the palate with intense peach and light floral notes. Some RS that brings weight on the mid-palate but doesn't taste particularly sweet. Good acidity and a lively, if a bit short, finish. Nice varietal bitterness at the end.

Shinn Estate Vineyards 2008 Estate Merlot

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

What helps differentiate the best wineries from the rest in a region? The wines they produce in cooler and/or less-ideal growing seasons. By that definition, Shinn Estate Vineyards is no doubt one of the North Fork's top wineries. Some of my favorite Shinn wines have come from the 2004 and 2006 vintages, which no one considers stellar.

Add this Shinn Estate Vineyards 2008 Estate Merlot ($25) to the list of impressive wines from not-so-hot years.

Showing what I consider to be classic Long Island merlot qualities, the nose shows good fruit ripeness -- mostly black cherry and plum -- with layers of dried thyme, bay leaf, earthy spice, brown sugar and just a hint of cocoa bean.

For a 2008, this well-priced merlot offers more depth and weight than many, with ripe, but not over-ripe flavors of plum and black cherry. There is a bit more chocolate on the palate but the same sprinkling of dried herbs -- bay, thyme and oregano -- and a bit of black pepper that peeks through on a gently lingering finish. 

With tannins that are both approachable today and grippy enough to reward some time in your cellar, this merlot is a very good value.

Producer: Shinn Estate Vineyards
AVA: North Fork of Long Island
ABV: 13.5%  
Price: $25*
 

(3.5 out of 5 | Very Good, Recommended to Outstanding and Delicious, Highly Recommended)

(*Ratings Guide)

 

Palmer Vineyards 2010 Sauvignon Blanc

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

I've found some of Long Island's 2010 sauvignon blancs a bit lacking -- mostly in the balance department.

They all have plenty of fruit -- hot, dry year and all that. A few are so ripe that those citrusy-grassy flavors one expects from local sauvignon are absent. That doesn't bother me. Vintage variation is a part of life in New York wine.

What does disappoint is a lack of acidity and the occasional 'hot' wine that simple shows too much alcohol.

It was with all of this in my mind that I tasted Palmer Vineyards 2010 Sauvignon Blanc ($19) -- and was reminded of just how delicious local sauvignon blanc can be.

The nose bulges at the seams with sauvignon blanc character -- lemon and grapefruit, but also green melon with hints kiwi, sweet herbs and green grass.

Snappy but balanced, the medium-bodied palate shows electric acidity that frames ripe, intense fruit -- more citrus and melon -- and a subtle salty minerality. The finish lingers beautifully and shows off the crisp, balanced texture of this wine and an intriguing lemongrass note at the very end.

To date, this is the epitome of 2010 Long Island sauvignon blanc. A real stand out.

Producer: Palmer Vineyards
AVA: North Fork of Long Island
ABV: 13%  
Price: $19*
  

(4 out of 5 | Outstanding and Delicious, Highly Recommended)

 

(*Ratings Guide)

 

Hermann J. Wiemer 2008 Cabernet Franc

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

Want to find the best wineries in a region, particularly ones from a cooler climate? Taste the red wines from less-than-ideal vintages.

If the reds wines made in shorter, cooler and/or rainier growing seasons are good, chances are the rest of the portfolio is going to impress as well.

The best wineries delivery quality year in and year out.

By that, and any other criteria really, Seneca Lake's Hermann J. Wiemer is a top producer. This Hermann J. Wiemer 2008 Cabernet Franc ($20) -- from a not-very warm year -- is a bit of proof.

Somewhat reminiscent of Beaujolais on the nose and on the palate, it offers black cherry, blackberry, earthy-floral tea, licorice and rocky graphite note.

Crunchy berry flavors dominate a bouncy medium-bodied palate with light herbal tones, medium-light tannins and a gravelly, earthy edge.

This isn't an intense, hulking style of cabernet franc. Winemaker Fred Merwarth could have bludgeoned this wine with oak to cover up those herbal notes. Instead, he has captured the qualities of the vintage and lets them do the talking. I like what they have to say.

Producer: Hermann J. Wiemer
AVA: Finger Lakes
ABV: 11.9%  
Price: $20*
 

(3 out of 5, Very good/Recommended)

(*Ratings Guide)