Chilean Syrah & Red Blends

This is the second part (long overdue) of our guinea pig tasting with a concentration on syrahs and red blends.

Syrahs


Falernia 2006 Syrah Reserva
Elqui Valley, Chile - $11.50
Dusty red fruit, blackberry, hints of barnyard. More rustic aromas and rougher all around initially. Light body. Green, herby aroma somewhere between green pepper and eucalyptus (hay, pot?) faded in/out quickly. Light tannins for just enough structure. Dominated by earthy and green notes.
Note: Elqui Valley is a cooler climate than Colchagua.


Montes Alpha 2007 Syrah
Colchagua Valley, Chile - $20
Sour cherry & leather aromas. Richer, deeper nose than Falernia with darker berry fruit. Smooth, grippy with tip of tongue spices. Dark chocolate joins sour cherry and dark berry flavors. Long finish. Syrupy, condensed aroma. Similar to Cousino-Macul (see below). As a whole, less fruit forward than California syrahs (a relief). Best on its own.

Nose: Montes
Flavor: Falernia (after drinking the heavier wines, Montes edged out the Falernia)
Finish: Montes
Wild card: Falernia
Favorite: Falernia

Blends


Seña 2005
Aconcagua Valley, Chile - $28.50
Blend of Cab Sauv (57%), Merlot (25%), Carmenere (9%), Cab Franc (6%) and Petit Verdot (3%).
Greener, more fruit forward than Montes. Bold with spicy, condensed port-like flavor. Long finish with lighter body. Bolder nose than flavors. Didn't care for the finish as the wine opened up, became bitter. This is a wine for drinking on its own or with food. You're able to continue drinking it after you finish a meal. Brainchild between Chadwick (Viña Errázuriz) and Robert Mondavi, hence the fruit forward approach. Produced by Viña Sena, imported by F. Wildman.


Cousiño-Macul 2007 Finis Terrae
Maipo Valley, Chile - $26
Blend of Cab Sauv (60%) and Malbec (40%)
Unfiltered. Softer nose with lots more everything. Complex! Spicy (cooking spices) with smoother mid-palate. More elegant than the Sena. CS focuses on the US export market. The Finis Terrae label, while tasty, is still not the top label available at CS.

Nose: Cousiño-Macul
Flavor: Cousiño-Macul
Finish: Cousiño-Macul
Wild card: doesn't matter
Favorite: Cousiño-Macul

Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon

All 100% Cabernet Sauvignon with about 14% alcohol, $15-22 range

(We are guinea pigs and have no qualms about it. We've been helping Brian's dad and step-mom taste, review and select the final wines that will be presented at an upcoming wine group event. It's hard work but we're up for the challenge.)

1. Santa Rita 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva estate grown D.O. Maipo Valley, Chile
First sip revealed juicy red fruit, green pepper (barely there) and a flatness/bitterness that resembled lead pencil. Light body, light tannins. Aroma was nothing outstanding, just expected red fruits. Not steak-ready, better with lighter meats. Priced at $10, this was wasn’t expected to stand up to the wines to follow. For the price, it makes a nice house red but don’t bring it to a BYOB.

2. Cousino-Macul Antiguas Reservas 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Maipo Valley, Chile
Better nose than #1. Great mouth feel. Stronger flavors, more body and tannins. Flavors of brambly red fruit and mocha with pleasant tongue-coating tannins. Lovely on its own, softens with food. Not a tannic monster. Lightly perfumed. Tartness develops as it opens: cranberry flavor, but mostly aroma. This wine was priced at the low end of the range and does well for a $15 bottle. Rated 90 points by Wine Advocate (Parker).

3. Lapostolle 2008 Cuvee Alexandre Cabernet Sauvignon Apalta Vineyard, Colchagua Valley, Chile
Softer aromas and flavors, cedar, red fruits (not brambly), light spice and finely integrated tannins. Really like the tannins in this wine! Better than #2. Subtle and elegant! Balanced, smooth and still powerful. Personality-wise , it is a blend of #2 and #4 (see below). Pleasant to sip on its own. The most expensive bottle of the group at $22 but really delivers. This is the second highest “level” for Casa Lapostolle; top tier wines in this approach $60-70. Normally rated 91-92 by Wine Spectator & Enthusiast, this vintage was in the high 80’s (2008 was not a “great” year).

4. Marques de Casa Concha 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon D.O. Puente Alto, Chile
Amazing nose, very strong. Similar to Lapostolle initially but bolder, more tannins, and a little more heat (less balanced, alcohol). Medium tannins. More like a CA Cab (out of the 4) but still not as tannic. Better suited for steak and heavier meats. Lots of personality. A portion of their Puente vineyard is sourced for the higher tier Don Melchor; Casa Concha is the third highest tier in the Concha y Tora line-up. Price varies by a few dollars if you shop around: $17 at Costco, $20 other retailers. Rated 90 points by Wine Advocate (Parker) and 91 points by Wine Spectator.

The results:
-No one liked the Santa Rita against the others but fine on its own. Not fair to compare.
- Cousino-Macul isn’t bad but wasn’t anyone’s favorite; in third position.
- The ladies preferred Lapostolle. The guys liked it as an alternative to the bolder Marques.
- For lamb/steak dinners, go with the Marques de Casa Concha. It’s heavier in body and style.

Pour me some of that "Steve" wine...

Our buddy Steve loves a good Zin. So much so that I've started calling (red) Zinfandel "Steve" - partly in honor, partly in jest. While I was at Moore Bros. Saturday, I made sure to pick up a bottle. We opened it last night. Yes, Steve was in attendance. It was a hit because the contents disappeared pretty quickly.


Three 2007 Old Vines Zinfandel - California, $18

What I sampled I liked: great berry aromas, full body, decently long finish, fruit-forward flavors, spice (but nothing nearly as spicy as Wilson's Tori) and easy drinking. A buy again. Produced by Cline (Matt Cline). Shhhh.

We also opened a great wine from last October's Finger Lakes trip: Ravines 2008 Sauvignon Blanc. Perfect with guacamole!

Terrain at Styer's birthday dinner

Brian and I dined at Terrain last night for my real birthday dinner. Uncorked a wine from our 2008 California trip: Arista 2006 Longbow Pinot Noir. We were so relieved it was better than we remembered and had yet to peak. After our first sip, we just sat there with eyes closed savoring it and the memory of the trip.

Our second bottle should be beautiful in about six months.

Birthday dinner

Sampled at Dom. Hudson on 9/27/10 at a true "wine with friends" dinner.

Praxis Pinot Noir Monterrey, CA 08
Great nose. Lots of rich berry. Smoky nose. Slow start but stronger mid-palate pulls through to long finish. Bittersweet chocolate flavors barely there. Reserved fruit. Strong aroma was my favorite part of this wine, best of the three here. 7 of 10

Le Cadeau "Red Label" Pinot Noir willamette valley, OR '07
More delicate nose. Restrained. Odd bitter mid-palate but not unpleasant. Fades slowly. Better with food. 5 of 10, 6 of 10 with food

Daniel Rion Bourgogne, Burgundy, FR '08
Vegetal, sweet nose. More vegetal and definitely more tannic than the le cadeau. Sour cherry flavor. Light body. Probably too light for food; nuances disappear.

Food:
1st: Polenta with shirred egg and truffle oil
2nd: Wild mushroom risotto
Dessert: Poached peaches (plus fourth drink - a lovely tawny port)

The unofficial drink of Dewey

Orange Crush (because you know you want one)
Fill pint glass with ice.
1 part Vodka
1 part Triple Sec
Fill up 3/4 full with Sprite (or lemon-lime beverage of your choice)
Top with juice of 1 freshly squeezed orange.
Shake or stir.

Be prepared. Buy a crate of oranges in advance. You're going to need it.

- Brian

Hot hot heat calls for white, crisp wine

Poured myself a big glass of Ravines Dry Riesling moments after getting home. Less steely than I remembered. Absolutely fine on its own. Waiting on the sweet potato fries to finish baking and then all will be good. Or at least better than it was before the wine happened.

Random Summer Beer #1 (found in cooler)

So we had an idea for a last minute 4th of July weekend BBQ. Apparently none of my friends had plans, because about 25 people showed up. The plan? BYOB + side dishes and we'll provide the main course as well as fresh Orange Crushes. The results, a good night with friends and a cooler full of 10 different types of summer beers. The benefit for Nic? Summer beer taste-off for the blog!



Spaten Franziskaner Weissbier
Hefe-Weissbier
Munich, Germany
$1.99/bottle, $39/20-pack

Appearance: Cloudy with amber hue
Aroma: Yeasty sweetness dominates with light herbal hints
Flavor: Mild & mellow, yeasty, touch of sweetness and citrus notes. No bitter bite.
Mouthfeel: Light body. Fine carbonation/no discernable bubbles. Texture is a little too "Miller High Life champagney". Wouldn't reach for this as a thirst quencher because of the carbonation and yeastiness. Would be a good food beer.
Overall: An easy pick when paired against domestics. Not as much personality as locally produced Hefeweizens.

- Brian (first guest post!)

We interrupt this wine blog...

Have to apologize for being MIA again! My goal of a post/week has been difficult with extremely busy work load, vacation, visiting family, wedding planning and all things summer. Even my photos still haven't been downloaded from my camera so you know it's nuts around here.

Good news! The boy will be out of town for a few days so I am hoping and planning on getting caught up on posts.

Rose Month

As the temperature and humidity climbs, we're naturally reaching for something refreshing. To kick off the week-long Italian Festival, we stocked up on a few rose wines (plus a case of Modelo Especial and a Smuttynose summer six pack). The first few bottles of rose have been poured and consensus is in. It is a tad difficult to remember wines in a social setting, so the notes on these bottles are a little spare.


Jaboulet Parallele 45 Rose 2008
Cote du Rhone, $12
Favorite rose wine of the summer - so far! Lovely salmon color. Bright, intense fruit aromas. Fresh, light and easy drinking with pleasantly long finish. Half grenache (plus 40% cinsault; 10% syrah).










Bonny Doon 2008 Vin Gris de Cigare
Santa Cruz, CA, $11
Strawberry aromas dominate. Dry and lean with light body. More grenache in blend than cinsault or roussanne.

Lopez de Heredia - Gran Reserva Rosado 1998

A trip into NYC usually means a show and dinner. We were in town this time to see Amy dance in a ballet. Caught a light dinner at Buceo 95 with nine of my future in-laws and had a tasty (and unusually colored rose) with our assorted tapas. The running list... mushroom croquettes (good, but a touch salty), grilled asparagus, roasted mushrooms in sweet sherry sauce, grilled calamari, garlic shrimp, bacon wrapped dates (always good and everyone's favorite), chicken kabobs with cumin, skirt steak, chorizo and grilled duck breast.

Lopez de Heredia - 1998 Vina Tondonia Gran Reserva Rosado
Rioja Alta, Spain

Honeyed nose with dried apricot and a richness reminiscent of sauternes. Insane orange color! Color comes from extended aging (4 years) in oak. Great acidity, light body. Light dusty strawberry flavors with vanilla finish. Tempranillo, Garnacha (Grenache), and Viura grapes. Lots more info here.












Polished off a bottle quite easily between the three of us.

Canary in the coal mine

Just read a great article on climate change and winemaking. The takeaway for me is which winemaking regions will emerge as the new standard as the temperature climbs in historical wine-making regions (Champagne, Napa, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer)? Also, which varietals will become the new workhorses and darlings when adaptability is key?

I'm very interested in what the future holds for our local Brandywine Valley as well as the Finger Lakes, Oregon and Washington state, in the revised wine world.

Restaurant Week: Domaine Hudson

Four of us dined at Domaine Hudson (or Wilmington) last night to kick off Wilmington's Restaurant week. Since the reservation was later in the evening, I had a chance to look over the prixe fixe menu online and research any wines ahead of time. Sadly, the favored main course, short ribs, was not available when we were seated which left us in a lurch for a second choice. Happy to report that whatever course we chose was well paired with one of the 40+ by the glass wines thanks to our server's recommendations.

My appetizer choice of spiced carrot soup presented a bit of a pairing challenge: red or white. I tried the Domaine Corsin "Vieilles Vignes" Saint-Veran Burgundy 2007 (Chardonnay). This French Chardonnay is a refreshing change from being bonked over the head with oak and vanilla anytime Chardonnay is involved. Balanced flavors, good acidity and restrained use of oak. It seems I need to seek out smaller production French wine if this is to continue. That said, I preferred Brian's light red choice - a fruity Rhone blend (grenache, syrah, carignan, mourvedre) from Chateau Signac ("Cuvee Tradition" Cotes du Rhone Villages 2007").

Main course was the flat iron steak, an easy out when I took too long deciding between entrees. Initially tried the Chateau Viella "Tradition" 2007 from Madiran, France simply because I'd never had a wine with the Tannat grape before. This is a blend of 80% Tannat and 20% Cab Franc. Enjoyed it, though not a do again when I have all the other wines to choose from. I was searching for something with a touch more fruit and fewer tannins. Sampled my way through most of the glass before the steak arrived. I told our server I was open to suggestions and didn't mind being surprised. With that, he disappeared into the kitchen then returned with our next round. My glass was missing its usual number marked on the foot - a true surprise then! It was a big red that took some investigative sips to pin down. By the third sip, I had picked up the characteristic roundness of the Merlot grape but needed him to confirm what it was. Turns out it is the current house favorite, the Merlot that doesn't feel like a Merlot, the Code Noir Merlot 2007 from Rattlesnake Hills, WA.

The Zin Man dining partner raved about his big, bold, juicy red simply described as "the bomb." The Carl Roy “East Side Cuvee” Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 from Napa Valley was tasty and an easy read, but not overly fruited. I was relieved to drink a Cab that wasn't a tannic monster. I felt the use of oak was a little heavy-handed due to the strong vanilla note with a persistent finish. I bet it went well with the flat iron steak!

Finished the meal with chocolate mousse and the Sauternes-like Domaine du Petit Paris Monbazillac 2007. I'm always a sucker for a dessert wine bring back the memories of the once sampled, now unattainable Chateau d'Yquem. This blend of botrytized Semillon, Muscadelle and Sauvignon Blanc grapes was an acceptable substitute and worth seeking out for the price (~$15).

(No photos as is dark inside the restaurant. If we can locate some of the bottles locally, there will be an extended review with photos.)

Wilson Wine on its way

Placed an order of three of Wilson's 2007 Tori Zinfandel this evening as part of a group order. We've gone through all our bottles of older Tori vintages. Looking forward to opening the first bottle soon after the shipment arrives to assess how long we'll hold the other two.

Currently sipping

Glazebrook Sauvignon Blanc - Great buy ($11) from Costco. Love it with guacamole; could be a favorite summer wine.
Ravines Meritage 2006 - a Finger Lakes trip wine, $25. Great on its own, but held up to prime rib and horseradish mashed potatoes thanks in part to the acidity and restrained fruit flavors.
Clos Pegase Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 - a "ready to drink" California trip wine. Not as good as I remembered, but that means nothing since I build up anything from that trip. Paired it with a nice tenderloin last night. (We are eating well lately.)
Goats do Roam Rose - tasty little $10 gem from South Africa. The weather was beautiful mid-week around the beginning of the month so we had an inspired, unplanned dinner of cured meat, cheeses, olives, bread and olive oil. I felt a rose was needed to celebrate the warming weather and unconventional dinner al fresco. Enjoyed it more than the French rose that was poured second.

Signs of Spring

Over the weekend, we grabbed an afternoon bite at Harry's Seafood Grill on the Riverfront. It was one of those days where I was craving seviche and a crisp, white wine. A glass of 2008 Buitenverwachting Beyond Sauvignon Blanc from South Africa was the perfect foil for the scallop and poblano seviche. Lunchmate/fiance felt it worked well with his oysters from Oregon and British Columbia. Pleasant, grassy aroma and fresh lemon and lime flavors dominate with glimpses of green pear and lemongrass to create a bright, clean wine with balanced acidity with a medium range finish. At $7.50 a glass, it is one of the less expensive white wine options on the menu and still delivers. (Wine Enthusiast gave the 2007 vintage 90 points.) It retails for around $11 so next time I'm out with my wine shopping list, you can bet it will be on the list.

Finger Lakes - Best of the Whites

Best Whites
1. Anthony Road
2. Atwater












Best Riesling
1. Ravines 2007 Dry
2. Wiemer 2007 Dry
3. Lamoreaux Landing 2008 Dry
4. Atwater 2008 Dry

Best Gewurztraminer
1. Anthony Road 2008
(Lamoreaux Landing 2007, Penguin Bay 2007)

Best Chardonnay
Ravines












Best Pinot Gris/Grigio
Anthony Road Pinot Gris 2007

Best Sauvignon Blanc
Ravines 2008













Best Sparkling
1. Swedish Hill (Penguin Bay) - "Blanc de Blanc"
2. Weimer - "Blanc de Noir 2003"

Best Dessert/Sweet
1. Anthony Road - "Sweet Dream"
(Standing Stone - "Vidal Ice" or "Chardonnay Ice", Wiemer - "Late Harvest Riesling 2008", Wagner - "Vidal Ice")

Best White: Other
Lamoreaux Landing - "Estate White"

Finger Lakes in the news

In celebration of Wine Spectator's recent article highlighting the Finger Lakes ("Single Vineyard Craze in the Finger Lakes" by James Molesworth, 3/31/10 issue), a bottle of Heron Hill's Ingle Vineyard Cab Franc '06 is decanting for dinner tonight. I was beside myself with giddiness when I read the article last week. Some of my favorite Finger Lakes wineries were mentioned (Wiemer, Ravines!, Lamoreaux Landing) and the publicity makes me oddly proud (and excited for their well deserved publicity).

The best thing about opening a bottle from a wine trip is the memories that resurface. Conversations with winemakers and winery staff, visuals of the countryside, connections with fellow wine lovers and, of course, thoughts of all those bottles you wish you could have brought home.

Cheers!

Finger Lakes - Best of the Reds

Best Reds
1. Standing Stone
2. Lamoreaux Landing

Best Pinot Noir
1. Ravines 2007
2. Lamoreaux 2007
3. Wiemer 2006












Best Cab Franc
1. Ravines 2007
(Atwater 2006, Lamoreaux Landing - "Barrel Aged" & Heron Hill - "Ingle Vineyard")

Best Cabernet Sauvignon
Penguin Bay (blend, no vintage)

Best Merlot
Standing Stone

Best Lemberger (blend)
1. Anthony Road 2007
2. Rooster Hill 2007












Best Red: Other
1. Lamoreaux Landing - "76 West"
(Anthony Road - "Devonian Red", Atwater - "Stone Bridge Red", Prejean - "Marechal Foch 2008")

Rooster Hill

Keuka Lake (West - Penn Yan)
489 Route 54 South
Penn Yan, NY 14527

315-536-4773
roosterhill.com
info@roosterhill.com

Hours: 10am-5pm Mon-Sat, 11-5 Sun
Tasting Fee: $6









Our last winery! We drove out of the way late Sunday afternoon to reach Rooster Hill. A friend's mother had been a year before and recommended it. Heck, after the last winery, I was determined to leave on a positive note.

The Rooster Hill tasting room sits halfway up the steep hillside with views of Keuka Lake. Homey, comfortable tasting room with helpful, knowledgeable staff. Our wine pourer guided us in the right direction with suggestions from the tasting menu. Overall, it was a positive experience with average wines. It was such a hike from our temporary home base that only out of my stubbornness and a desire to visit as many wineries as possible did it make it onto the itinerary.









Selections from tasting menu (purchases in bold):
Dry Riesling 2008 - $15.99. Crisp, lime and light apple. Light body, high acid. Smooth. Prefer the Gewurzt. "Luscious, dry crisp wine... flavors of tangerine, lemon and white pepper. Dusty hint of slate and minerals. Citrus fruit keeps it fresh and vibrant."
Estate Gewurztraminer 2007 - $19.99. Delicate, dry style with solid acid to bring it through to finish. "Ripe with intense spice... floral bouquet is prominent. Layered with fruit."
Estate Pinot Noir 2007 - $15.99. Tannins and spice without a lot of fruit; still tight. "Delicate... cherry fruit and strawberry... soft tannins. Finish is crisp and clean."
Estate Cabernet Franc-Lemberger 2007 -$19.99. Blend of 70% Cab Franc, 30% Lemberger. Lovely nose of herbal fruit, vanilla finish; nice tannins. "Lush wine... bold blackberry, cherry... complexity and depth... layers of spice, hint of mint. Oak adds touch of vanilla and smoky bacon."
Estate Cabernet Franc 2007 - $19.99. Smoky and meaty. Nice weight and balanced tannins. "Open and easy-going, medium-weight mix of tobacco, black cherry and spice notes."
NV Port - $15.99. Cab Franc blended with brandy. Chocolate-y, sweeter than expected and a touch hot. "Dark fruit aroma... plum and black cherry."












Other wines from the tasting menu:
Chardonnay 2008
Estate Gewurztraminer 2008
Estate Semi-Dry Riesling 2007
Silver Pencil 2008
Traminette 2007
Rosecomb Red
Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
Meritage 2005

Fox Run

Seneca Lake (West - Penn Yan)
670 Rt 14
Penn Yan, NY 14527

800-636-9786
foxrunvineyards.com
info@foxrunvineyards.com

Hours: 10am-6pm Mon-Sat, 11-6 Sun
Tasting Fee: $2, Tours: hourly until 4pm, Reservations: not required









On paper, Fox Run's tasting room looks like an ideal stop for the western shore of Seneca Lake. Wine & Spirits gave it a "Top 100 2008 Winery of the Year" and the cafe food smells great. The Dutch Colonial-style building has good views of the lake and a rear patio with vineyard views. (We took advantage of the patio with a quick snack of cheese, cured meats and bread after our tasting.) The tasting menu offers lots of selection and even includes a Ruby Port. All these things weren't enough to score it a spot on our list to revisit.

The winery was very busy. (Remember, this is a Sunday afternoon in late October.) A large busload of tourists had just unloaded - talk about crummy timing! Fortunately, they were milling about without much direction and hadn't found the tasting bar. Although busy, we didn't have to wait long for a spot at the bar. Our wine ambassadors were working hard at pouring for the crowd three deep in some spots, so efficiency was king. Fox Run's best-selling wine is a sweet, local white varietal. We were pleased when our host was flexible with the tasting menu and allowed us to pick alternatives from the drier side.

Wines were hit or miss. A few were good but not for the price. I think that if we were there during a slower day, the winery staff would have been able to make more accurate recommendations.









Selections from tasting menu (purchases in bold):
Reserve Chardonnay 2006 - $14.99. A traditional Chardonnay with strong peach fruit and vanilla. Odd cheese flavor at finish. "Barrel maturation," 0.5% RS.
Dry Riesling 2008 - $15.99. Focus is on citrus fruit for this wine. Heavy on the lemon and acidity. Not balanced. 0.9% RS
Arctic Fox - $8.99. The Best-Seller! Very light, sweet white wine blend. Did not have strong flavors. Citrus and apples. 2.1% RS
Cabernet Franc 2006 - $14.99. Smoky with violets. Tart, interesting; not my favorite version of the varietal. No residual sugar.
Merlot 2006 - $14.99. More tannic than the Cab Franc. Tight, needed more time to open than the tasting allowed. "Velvety plum and wild blueberry flavors."
Lemberger 2007 - $14.99. Really smooth and soft; light tannins in balance. Doesn't have the green pepper spice of Anthony Road's Lemberger blend. "Intense berries, plums and dried sage... full-bodied, moderately tannic." No residual sugar.
Reserve Riesling 2008 - $30.00. The same issues I had with the regular Riesling are present here: too much acid, not balanced and lots of lemon. From the description of "intense aromas of kiwi, jasmine, red raspberries, lemon, mango and nectarine," I was very interested. Felt like I wasted a higher-end pick on this wine. 1% RS
Reserve Cabernet Franc 2005 - $40.00. Pleasant nose, herbal flavors with vanilla finish. No residual sugar. A good wine, but not $40 good. Best of the tasting. Here's to finishing on a strong note!









Other wines from the tasting menu:
Ruby Vixen
Gewurztraminer 2008
Semi-Dry Riesling 2008
Reserve & regular Pinot Noir 2007
Sable
Fox Trot Red
Ruby Port
Meritage 2007

Anthony Road

Seneca Lake (West - Penn Yan)
1020 Anthony Road
Penn Yan, NY 14527

800-559-2182
anthonyroadwine.com
info@anthonyroadwine.com

Hours: 10am-5pm Mon-Sat, 12-5 Sun
Tasting Fee: $1, Reservations: not required, but recommended during peak hours/season









At the time of our visit in October 2009, Anthony Road had been producing wines for 20 years. It is still family-owned and operated with on-site control over the many aspects of winery operations (winemaking, bottling, labeling, storage). The final product is a roster of excellent wines in a full range of styles priced at a great value. The winery was only second in number of bottles purchased (just behind Ravines). To say we were pleased with the accuracy of the Wine Spectator recommendations is not enough. You really ought to visit yourself.

The tasting room is in an impressive building of with hints of Classical (Greek/Roman architecture with a soaring ceiling, airy atmosphere, and lots of marble and fresco-styled decorative painting. Our host was alert, able to answer specific questions abou the winery and wines as well as guiding our selections.

Anthony Road definitely deserves a return visit, possibly paired with a picnic under the deep porch overlooking the vineyards.









Selections from tasting menu (purchases in bold):
Dry Riesling 2008 - $U. "Apple & lemon peel with hints of lime." 0.7% RS.
Pinot Gris 2007 - $12.99. Rose florals with crisp citrus flavors followed with a hint of toasted walnut. Really nice. 0.6% RS.
Gewurztraminer 2008 - $15.99. Balanced and beautiful. Lots of florals with easily detected ginger; tangerine and lychee in supporting roles. Nice weight with a long finish. 1.1% RS
Rose of Cab Franc 2008 - $U. Crisp; lighter and less personality than the most recent Rose (Peju in Napa Valley) we tasted, but still good. A great summer appetizer wine. 0.4% RS
Devonian Red - $9.99. Possibly the best value wine of the whole trip. An easy-drinking red blend with distinctive green pepper spice flavors.
Sweet Dream 2007 - $15.99. Simply delicious. This dessert wine is made with 75% raisined Vignoles grapes (via botrytis) at harvest. Decadent with just the right amount of acidity and weight. 8.6% RS












Other wines from the tasting menu:
Devonian White
Chardonnay 2007
Dry Riesling 2008
Cab Franc/Lemberger 2007
Tony's White
Tony's Blush
Tony's Red
Semi-Sweet Riesling 2008
Vignoles 2008

Prejean Winery

Seneca Lake (West - Penn Yan)
2634 Route 14
Penn Yan, NY 14527

315-536-7524
prejeanwinery.com
info@prejeanwinery.com

Hours: 10am-5:30pm Mon-Sat, 10-5:30 Sun
Reservations: not required

Prejean's tasting room is surrounded by vineyards just off the main road. This winery made my list because I'd heard the Late Harvest Vignoles and Riesling were worth checking out. The location of this winery between Heron Hill and some highly recommended wineries to the north made it an easy choice for a quick stop.

Our visit was on a late Sunday morning. We figured by this time most of the weekend wine drinkers would be long gone. Our host's weariness indicated they had in fact come and gone. The tasting room was fairly empty save for a small, but rowdy group of middle-aged folks who left in a small party bus. The room has lots of merchandise, heavy on the puns, dotted between the wine bins. The wines really deliver for this crowd. For us, the wines were (overall) not complex enough, thin or too similar to other wineries. I think having visited once, we can pass next time to try out a new winery.

The tasting menu covers five wines. Since there were two of us, we didn't duplicate selections to maximize our exposure to as many of Prejean's wines as possible. The tasting fee is refunded incrementally with purchases.








Selections from tasting menu (purchases in bold):
Dry Riesling 2007 - $11.99. The whites we sampled were all considered dry or medium dry, but there is a sweet/semi-sweet menu as well. My notes for this wine just read, "Don't like" without further elaboration. I was expecting a wine that more closely matched the description of a "crisp wine with aromas of lime and orange peel... flavors of tropical fruit." Pretty sure that is not what I found.
Pinot Gris 2007 - $14.99. This bottling leaned more toward the sweet side of the tasting menu. Pineapple flavors dominated.
Dry Gewurztraminer 2006 - $16.99. This pretty, yellow wine is actually crisp and lean although the description says it has a "floral, creamy nose... with a rich mouthfeel." Lots of pineapple aromas. I liked it better than the Pinot Gris, but felt it was thin/watery. Barrel-fermented.
Marechal Foch 2008 - $10.99. Our lone purchase. I felt this was a good example of the varietal. The wine was interesting, featured pleasant flavors and good tannins for the price. Marechal Foch is a cold-hardy varietal hailing from the Loire Valley (FR), so you can understand why it enjoys some degree of popularity in the Finger Lakes. The wine we sampled featured chocolate and cherry flavors and a dry, berry finish with a body reminiscent of Beaujolais.
Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 - $15.99. Another one with minimal notes. Found this one to be sour, not in a good way.
Cabernet Franc 2007 - $15.99. Cherry, plum and toasty oak. Not a winner. Still thin, but better than the Cab Sauv.
Merlot 2006 - $17.99. This was one of the few wines I didn't think was watery, thin or flat. This one was just "meh" with some fruit. I'm enjoying revisiting my tasting notes even if the wines weren't a hit.
Pinot Noir 2006 - $14.99. No scribbles on this wine. I'm sure it fit in with the rest of the bunch.
Late Harvest Vignoles 2008 - $12.99. Ah, the long-awaited and heralded dessert wine. High hopes were checked by the previous wines, but still keeping an open mind. The notes just keep getting more amusing - "Woah, sweet but checked by acidity. Prefer thicker style. Refreshing." Drinking companion, who is not a white or dessert wine devotee, found "sweet and sour sauce... no wait, more like orange sauce." *sigh*












Other wines from the tasting menu:
Riesling 2007
Gewurztraminer 2006
Cayuga 2007
Semi-Sweet Riesling 2008
Bird of Paradise (Chardonnay Port)
Cabernet Port 2006
Reserve & non-Reserve Chardonnay 2007
Proprietor's Red

Silence

I have to apologize for the extended period of no posts. Between the holiday season, getting engaged, a heavy workload and a dying Mac... it's been difficult finding time to write about wine - although I have been drinking it.

But the blog should be back to bi-monthly posts at least! The unusual amount of snow has created some much-appreciated snow days home from work and I've caught up on some posts.

See you soon!

Heron Hill

Seneca Lake (West - Himrod)
3586 Route 14
Himrod, NY 14842

607-243-7109
heronhill.com

Hours: 10am-6pm Sun-Thurs, 10-7 Fri & Sat
Fee: $5, Reservations: not required

Heron Hill was the first winery of the last day. I was excited that we had an extra day of tastings ahead of us; some of the wineries were highly regarded. Heron Hill was one of them. They're noted for being green winery using organic methods whenever possible and always keeping sustainable farming practices in mind.

For convenience's sake, we visited the tasting room on Rt. 14. Their beautiful Keuka Lake site was just too far - next time! The tasting fee covers 6 wines; we shared our tastes so for two people it's more like 12 wines. Heron Hill prorates the fee back with a purchase. We found the wine room host to be knowledgeable and friendly. He gave good advice and direction toward certain wines based on our disclosed preferences, giving a bonus pour of a similar style or different vintage. It was a quiet, slow start to a Sunday. The tasting room had a few more visitors by the time we left, but had the room to ourselves almost the whole time. Definitely focus on off-peak hours or days if you want the intimate, intellectual conversations.









Selections from tasting menu (purchases in bold):
Reserve Chardonnay Unoaked 2007 - $18.99. Crisp with clean finish. "Light peach and apricot aromas." 0.15% RS
Eclipse White 2007 - $13.99. Blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris. Toasty and ideal for someone on our gift list. 0.66% RS
Reserve Old Vines Riesling 2007 - $22.99. Love the nose. Clean finish. Like it but not at this price point. "Light citrus aromas with tart steel, mineral finish." 0.8% RS
Ingle Vineyard Riesling 2006 - $14.99. Very nice wine; represents a great value. "Crisp wine... apple and lemon." 1.76% RS
Ingle Vineyard Pinot Noir 2006 - $14.99. Woodsy, berries and touch of spice. Light body. Prefer this style over the Reserve. "Small European oak barrel aging... floral aromas of strawberries." 0.02% RS
Reserve Pinot Noir 2007 - $27.99. More body, stronger aroma, markedly stronger tannins. Longer vanilla finish. Oak and vanilla dominate. Needs time to calm down and present other flavors. "Fruit forward... deep color and delicate nuances." 0.3%
Ingle Vineyard Cabernet Franc - $14.99. Bold. Green pepper, spice on nose and mid-palate. Like this one. "Small European oak barrel... intense berry flavors." 0.2% RS
Reserve Blaufrankisch 2007 - $32.99. Tight; spice and tannins without balance of fruit. Traditional California Pinot Noir nose. Aromas are stronger than flavors. "Deep blackberry and plum flavors, finishing with vanilla and spice notes and soft tannins." 0.2% RS

Other wines from the tasting menu:
Classic Chardonnay Unoaked 2008
Ingle Vineyard Chardonnay 2005
Classic Dry Riesling 2006
Game Bird White
Classic Semi-Dry Riesling 2007
Classic Semi-Sweet Riesling 2008
Classic Cabernet Franc 2006
Eclipse Red 2005
Late Harvest Chardonnay 2007
Late Harvest Vidal Blanc 2007
Late Harvest Muscat Ottonel 2005
Ingle Vineyard Late Harvest Riesling 2006
Riesling Icewine 2003