In my previous jobs in wine bars, I've never been overly impressed with New York (Fingerlike and Long Island) wines that were brought in for tastings or special events. I could appreciate what they were doing with the fuller bodied whites and sparklings, but the reds always fell a little short.
Well apparently they just don't export any of the good stuff! Right before Christmas my family decided to take the ferry over from Connecticut and spend a few days exploring this corner of the wine world, and indulge in far more oysters than is healthy for any human.
I really was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed a lot of what they were putting out. I tried to stick to the reserve lists, not out of snobbery, but as those lists generally have the wines that the vineyard prizes as their top wines. If they make anything worth tasting, those wines are going to be the best of the best examples of it.
The biggest surprise of the whole trip was how much I enjoyed the reds I tried. I really was expecting, well, to not like any of them. I certainly enjoyed the white more on a whole, but found about half the reds I tried very pleasant. Merlot and Cabernet Franc grow best in the area, so most were single varieties or blends of those two. I found a significant amount of Pinot Noir as well, but didn't enjoy them as much as their cabernet franc counterparts.
Anyhow, here are a few highlights from my trip:
1. Shinn Estate Vineyards, 2000 Oregon Road, Mattituck, New York
So on a whole, Shinn Estate was an interesting study in North Fork wines. It was our first stop on the trip. The grassy and savory quality of their house sparkling and their Haven oak aged sauvignon blanc/semillon blend was excellent. An organic quality that you miss sometimes in white wines in place of overly citrus or fruity flavors. Their coalescence blend and reds fell a little short, but the climate really isn't suited for those styles. Generally, a great start and an excellent expression of terroir in specific wines. The tasting room was also unbelievably charming. Old oak/cedar cabin style with small tables attached to a small B&B. We were the only ones there and I absolutely loved it. Very quaint...but can't imagine it in summer!
2. Lieb Cellars, 13050 Oregon Road, Cutchogue, New York
Lieb, I think, was our favorite of the trip, as far as wine quality goes. Little bit more acid and earth driven, with attempts to avoid too much residual sugar. Again, we were the only ones in there. It was great! The staff were amazing, the quality of wine, across the board (including reds) was great, and the room was large and comfortable without being stark or isolating. Just do it.
3. Lenz Winery, 38355 Main Road, Peconic Bay, New York
This was the dark horse of the trip. I had googled reviews on Lenz, seen intriguing things, and since it was across the street from Bedell.........we figured it was worth a shot. Their reds, in my opinion, were the most impressive of the lot. We got to do a little bit of a vertical tasting as well. Their whites were typical North Fork...enjoyable in the higher levels. Their team was really great behind the bar and we tasted so much more than the standard, without having to pay for it. As an aspiring Somm, this was great for me. I really got a sense for their style, range and terroir. I would highly recommend a visit here. They also had some really great wine kitch, including beautiful blown glass wine stoppers (my brother secretly bought us a bunch as presents!).
4. Bedell Cellars, 36225 Main Road, Cutchogue, New York
So apart from my brother looking extra suave, this was definitely the most "high end" tasting room we visited. I actually had featured Bedell wines at a wine tasting I conducted once, and used to sell their rose and white blends on my bottle list. It's a fancy example of North Fork wine, but it wasn't my favorite. They certainly play off the off dry strengths that the climate and terroir pushes the grapes towards, but it was VERY formal and you often need reservations. I preferred some of the other wines that were much more casually presented elsewhere, but I wouldn't count this one out for decadence.
5. Sparkling Pointe, 39750 Middle Road, Southold, New York
My last stop was a sparkling wine pairing at...you guessed it....Sparkling Pointe. They did a sushi pairing with the sparklings, which was nice. I prefer to taste things in comparison when I go to vineyards, to see the range and variety of their production. I really do like their wines and use it in a lot of my pairings, but the vineyard experience was a little overrated. They have a huge, lovely dining room, which I would prefer to be dining in to be perfectly honest.
On a whole, was a really great experience. If you like oysters.....the Peconic Bays are to DIE for. Just say yes. If you don't like seafood, or borderline off dry wine....maybe spend more money on drier climate wines with higher cattle content.
Until next time, stay thirsty my friends.
No comments:
Post a Comment