Posts Tagged“2010”

Shinn Estate Vineyards 2010 Wild Boar Doe

At their best, Long Island reds straddle the line between fruity and earthy.  Shinn Estate Vineyards 2010 Wild Boar Doe ($30) is on the fruitier side, but still hits the mark. This playfully named blend of 40% merlot, 23% cabernet sauvignon, 17% malbec, 15% petit verdot and 5% cabernet franc is effusively aromatic with ripe black and blue berry fruit, violets, peppery spice and a pleasant meaty note. Mouth filling and plump, the palate shows dark berries, violets, black pepper, Chinese five spice and earthy, nutty oak notes. Drinking well today, it should reward another few years in the cellar…

Arrowhead Spring Vineyards 2010 Arrowhead Red

Some New York restaurant owners, when confronted about a lack of local wines on their lists, point to price point as the main reason. “There just aren’t any good $15 reds!” they might say. Now, one could argue that the cheap reds they are pouring aren’t very good either, but that’s another discussion for another day. Today, let me introduce you to the latest vintage of one of New York’s great red wine values — Arrowhead Spring Vineyard 2010 Arrowhead Red ($15) — an incredibly well-priced wine that should be served by the glass in every western New York restaurant that…

Wolffer Estate Vineyard 2010 “Caya” Cabernet Franc

The nose on the Wolffer Estate Vineyard 2010 “Caya” Cabernet Franc ($40) shows a significant dose of oak, which expresses itself as candied, roasted nuts as well sweet cedar, layered over top of chocolate covered cherries and ripe blueberries. Luckily, that oak character is more understated on the rich, concentrated palate, where dark berries and plums mingle deftly with woodsy spice, cocoa bean and vanilla. I miss the savory, herbal edge that cabernet franc should have, but with round, well-integrated tannins, it’s approachable now but should cellar well for at least the shorter term. Producer: Wolffer Estate Vineyard AVA: The Hamptons, Long Island ABV: 13.3%…

Heron Hill Winery 2010 Ingle Vineyard Cabernet Franc

The long, warm 2010 Finger Lakes growing season is captured well in the Heron Hill Winery 2010 Ingle Vineyard Cabernet Franc ($25). A lighter hand in the cellar might have served that ripe fruit better, however. 14 months in American and European oak may have been just a bit too long. On the nose, rich, brooding aromas of cassis, blueberry and blackberry are accented by notes of licorice, lavender and dark roast coffee. Full bodied with a concentrated core of dark fruit, the palate brings black cherry along with currants and blueberries, more licorice and grilled herbs. Chewy tannins provide…

Atwater Estate Vineyards 2010 Pinot Noir

Another well-made Finger Lakes pinot noir that over-delivers for the money? Yes. Atwater Estate Vineyards 2010 Pinot Noir ($22) isn’t the most complex pinot noir — at least not at this stage in its develpoment — but it is table-ready and delicious. Aromas of black cherry, red currant are accented by gentle floral notes and lead into a silky-but-fresh palate with flavors of black cherry, red plum, red currant and cherry pit. The fresh acidity meshes with gently gripping tannins for a great mouthfeel. Again, you won’t find layers and layers of complexity here, but you’ll find a clean, well-balanced…

Channing Daughters Winery 2010 Mosaico

  Winemaker Christopher Tracy makes some of Long Island’s most unique wines. Being unique isn’t enough — a wine has to be delicious to earn my attention. Channing Daughers Winery 2010 Mosaico ($29) is a field blend — from part of the winery’s Sylvanus Vineyard in Bridgehampton — that was fermented with ambient yeast. Made up of 32% pinot grigio, 29% chardonnay, 14% sauvignon blanc, 10% muscat ottonel, 7% tocai friulano and 8% gewurztraminer that was fermented mostly in stainless steel (86%) with 14% fermented in new French oak. The muscat and gewurztraminer were fermented on their skins and blended…

Lenz Winery 2010 Pinot Gris

Far from your neighbor’s cheap pinot grigio, Lenz Winery 2010 Pinot Gris ($25), shows off the ripeness of the 2010 growing season in its intensity. Apple and musk melon aromas are accented by notes of white flowers and a drizzle of honey. The dry, medium-bodied palate is fruity up front, showing sweet, concentrated apple and pear flavors again accented by honey and subtle spice. Gentle creaminess on the mid-palate is quickly sliced through by fresh, citrusy acidity that carries through on the medium-length finish. Producer: Lenz Winery AVA: North Fork of Long Island ABV: 12.5% Price: $25* (2.5 out of 5, Average-to-Very Good)  …

Raphael 2010 Cabernet Franc

Ripe but Old World-styled, Raphael 2010 Cabernet Franc ($25) offers blackberry and black cherry aromas with layers of dried autumn leaves, sandalwood and a light sprinkling of pencil shavings on the nose. Medium-to-full bodied, the palate is ripe and rife with those same black fruits, accented by varied earthy flavors, dried herbs — with medium-intense, drying tannins. The finish shows a bitter, almost chemical note that is off putting and mars what is otherwise a fine example of North Fork cabernet franc. Producer: Raphael AVA: North Fork of Long Island ABV: 12.8% Price: $25* | Buy Now From Empire State Cellars (2.5 out of…

Red Tail Ridge Winery 2010 “RTR Vineyard” Teroldego

I don’t have a lot of experience with the teroldego grape. In fact, the first one I ever tasted was the sparkling rendition Nancy Irelan makes at Red Tail Ridge Winery. So, it was with a completely blank slate that I approached Irelan’s Red Tail Ridge Winery 2010 Teroldego ($35) — this time the still version. Color fetishists will no doubt appreciate the dark, almost inky color of this wine, but I’m more interested in its other attributes. Blueberry preserves and ripe strawberry aromas are joined by notes of fennel, Chinese Five Spice and hints of toasty vanilla. Round and…

Red Tail Ridge Winery 2010 Blaufrankisch

Red Tail Ridge Winery 2010 Blaufrankisch ($23) is another wine that supports the case for Blaufrankisch in the Finger Lakes, even if it’s completely different from the one I reviewed yesterday. Made from fruit grown just up the road in the Martini Family Vineyard (the Martini family owns Anthony Road Wine Company), this wine is a standout because of it’s purity and and freshness. The nose shows floral high notes backed by intense, distinct aromas of red cherries and just-crushed red raspberries. Medium-light bodied and crunchy at the edges, the palate shows more of that clean red, brambly fruit and…