Author: Bruno Donaggio

Syrah On Long Island

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Syrah (Shiraz in Australia), is a varietal found to be indigenous to France. It’s used as a backbone grape for many big and bold wines from the Cote du Rhone and Australia as well as grown in other regions. I remember at one time it was thought it would be the next standout varietal in California but that never panned out and there was a lot of Cali Syrah being sold on those discount mail-order wine sites these past few years. Out East it’s not a big player but there are a few acres of it planted and on this Sunday afternoon I sampled a few. In the cooler growing season in this wine region, I wasn’t expecting big and bold wines.

 

2014 Pindar Vineyards Syrah  37645 Route 25, Peconic.

Pindar Vineyards which opened in the 1980’s is the largest vineyard on Long Island with over 500 acres with 17 varietals planted. It’s one of the more popular stops on the east end wine route and the tasting room was crowded even on this quiet, post holiday Sunday afternoon. It had been awhile since I stopped by this tasting room.

Black in color with roast meat and black licorice on the nose, medium body with sour black fruit and crisp acids. Felt a bit unfinished.

 

 

2014 Bedell Cellars Syrah  36225 Main Road, Cutchogue.

Winery with vines planted in the 1980’s and now owned by film executive Michael Lynne.

Dark red to black in color with a purple rim, roasted meat, dirt on the nose, tight, tart, concentrated dark fruit, neutral flavors with firm tannin at the end.

 

 

2014 Clovis Point Winery Syrah  1935 Main Road, Jamesport.

One of the newer wineries out east with 10 acres of farm land, named after pre-historic native arrow and spear points found on Long Island. One of the wineries that serve their wines in proper wine glasses.

Dark red with a purple rim, notes of asparagus and roast meat on the nose, concentrated and dusty ending with a mouth tightening tannin.

 

 

Holiday Spirits Bazaar

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It’s the time of the year for the Holiday parties. This past Saturday evening I attended the 7th annual Holiday Spirits Bazaar held at the Astor Center event space on 399 Lafayette Street in Manhattan.

It was a night of holiday cocktails, punches and nogs made with gin, tequila, rum, brandy, scotch, bourbon, aquavit and cordials such as Drambuie along with many types of botanicals. Generally, a nog is made with dairy (milk or cream), sugar and eggs while a punch with fruit or fruit juices and of course, alcohol. The event was set in two themed rooms, the Whiskey Tavern and the Sparking Spirits Parlor along with reindeer, wreaths and tinsel. It was very festive.

 

Punches, Nogs and cocktails I sampled:

 

Fitzgerald’s Roaring Twenties Punch

Sleigh Bell Punch

Apple Ginger Punch

Rum Raison Punch

Merry Mulled Punch

Arak My World

DeLord Of The Rings

La Loba’s Rompope

Northern Lights

The Big Apple Cider

Rosy Cheeks

Spiced Old Fashioned

A Crafted Egg Nog

 

 

Pinot Noir On Long Island

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Of all the classic grape varieties, Pinot Noir is one of the most difficult to grow. There was never much hope that Pinot Noir would be the stand out varietal out on the East end but that hasn’t stopped winemakers from trying. Several wineries on the North Fork bottle Pinot Noir and on this sunny Sunday afternoon I tried a few.

 

2014 Martha Clara Vineyard Pinot Noir  6025 Sound Ave., Riverhead.

Medium to dark red in the glass, sweet cherry on the nose, crisp acids up front with red cherry and smoke notes on the light fruit.

 

2013 McCall Winery Pinot Noir “HIllside”  22600 Main Road, Cutchogue.

A real working farm as the earthy scent in the air attests to, the tasting room is in an old potato barn. This wine is the middle of a trio of Pinot Noir they pour, medium red, black cherry and tobacco on the nose with tight, smokey black cherry on the fruit ending with some tartness.

 

2012 Castello di Borghese Vineyard Pinot Noir “Estate”  17150 County Road 48, Cutchogue.

This is the site of the first vineyard (Hargrave) on Long Island in 1973. Medium red, sour cherry on the nose with sour red fruit and some earth on the fruit with some tartness at the end.

 

My pet peeve again.

I don’t mind when the tasting rooms charge wine bar prices for a glass of wine, after all they have a business to run, but I feel that their wines would be better showcased and the wine drinker have a better wine drinking experience if they served their wines in proper glasses instead of the thimble-sized glasses that many of the tasting rooms on the North Fork do.

 

 

Raw Wine New York City 2016

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The New York City Raw Wine Fair was held on November 6-7. It was a two-day, huge tasting and celebration of low-intervention, organic, biodynamic and natural wines showcasing the growers whose farming and cellar philosophes concur with the raw wine charter of quality. Raw Wine “celebrates wines with emotion, wines that have a humanlike, or living presence. They are also wines that are an authentic expression of a place.”

The event was held at a warehouse at 99 Scott Avenue in the up and coming, graffiti filled, industrial prairie of Bushwick in Brooklyn. I attended the Sunday afternoon session which was open to both trade and consumers, it was packed with people having a good time.

 

I particular enjoyed wines from these producers:

 Dirty & Rowdy Winery

Donkey & Goat Winery

Les Clos de Caveau

Chateau le Puy

Fattoria di Caspri

 

Other producers I sampled:

The Hobo Wine Co.

Hardesty Cellars

Coturri Winery

Swick Wines

Montebruno

Bloomer Creek Vineyard

Podere Casaccia-Sine Felle

Costa Graia

Andrea Scovero

Santa 10

Chateau Mirebeau

Clos Lentiscus

 

 

 

Wine Spectator Awards Banquet 2016

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During the week of October 20-22, Wine Spectator magazine held its annual NY Wine Experience. On Saturday the finale of the weeks events, the Awards Banquet was held. The banquet recognized the 2016 Grand Award winners which are restaurants with great wine lists and presented its Distinguish Service Award which this year went to Mr. Mel Dick, the president of Southern Glazers Wines & Spirits.

They also gave the award for the Wine of the Year (2015) which in this case is the 2012 Peter Michael Winery “Au Paradis”, a blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon and 24% Cabernet Franc from Oakville, California.

All of the events were held at the Marriott Marquis hotel in the heart of Times Square, Manhattan. Entertainment this year as was last year was provided by Heuy Lewis and the News with guest star Sting stopping by and singing a couple of songs with the band. The boys were rocking and played a long set until midnight this time around.

 

Champagne Reception

NV Bollinger Brut Special Cuvee

NV Henriot Brut Souverain

NV Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve

NV Perrier-Jouet Grand Brut

NV Piper-Heidsieck Brut

NV Louis Roederer Brut Premier

NV Tattinger Brut La Francaise

 

Dinner With Wines

Hen Of The Woods Mushroom Risotto, Porcini Duxelle, Shaved Black Truffle and Crispy Blue Foot Mushrooms

2014 Antinori Umbria White “Cervano della Sala”. Mostly Chardonnay, medium yellow, toast and oak on the nose, big tropical fruit with oak notes on the finish. Old world Chard with New World profile.

*

Horseradish Crusted Filet Mignon, Sweet Potato Puree, Roasted Corn Flan, Broccoli Rabe And  Roasted Tomato With A Bordalaise Reduction

2012 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon 40th Anniversary. Inky black, crushed red berry and dark chocolate on the big nose, full, crushed red fruit.

*

Chocolate Gianuja Torte, Black Cherry Ice Cream

1985 Graham Vintage Port. Thick and chewy with tobacco and toffee notes on the balanced finish.

 

Wine Spectator’s NY Wine Experience 2016

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The 36th annual Wine Spectator’s New York Wine Experience was held on October 20-22. It was “a joyous three-day festival of great wines”, an opportunity to taste the world’s finest wines. Thursday and Friday consisted of wine seminars during the afternoon capped off with the critics’ choice Grand Tasting in the evening where over 250 wines rated 90 points or higher on their rating scale were served. The Wine Spectator magazine, which is celebrating its 40th year this year and its 100 point rating scale is one of the most influential  wine magazines in the wine world. Many consider it the “Bible” of the industry.

The event was held at the Marriott Marquis hotel at 1535 Broadway in the heart of Times Square, Manhattan. I attended Friday evening and it was an outstanding tasting, an embarrassment of riches with a huge selection of some of the worlds best wines to sample.  I decided to focus on California Cabernet and Bordeaux with an Italian here and there. One day was certainly not enough to sample everything I would have wanted, so much juice so little time.

Some of what I sampled:

 

2007 Heitz Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon “Martha’s Vineyard” (Napa Valley). Dark red, perfume of red leather and tar, chewy black licorice and red cherry fruit on the balanced finish.

2007 Shafer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon “Hillside Select” (Napa Valley). Dark purple, toasty black fruit on the nose, tarry finish.

2012 Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley). Dark red to black, crushed black fruit on the nose, chewy with tobacco notes on the balanced finish.

2012 Harlan Estates Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley). Dark purple, crushed black fruit and mint on the nose, silky fruit, silky tannin.

2013 Ovid Hexameter (Napa Valley). Black with a purple robe, stewed fruit on the nose, juicy and jammy.

1999 Ridge Vineyards “Monte Bello” (Santa Cruz Mtns). Bordeaux blend, dark purple, sweet red candy and graphite on the nose, dusty, smoky fruit that tightens up at the finish.

2010 Diamond Creek Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon “Gravelly Meadow” (Napa Valley). Dark red, red candy nose with red cherry fruit.

2013 Peter Michael Cabernet Sauvignon “Au Paradis” (Oakville). Dark red with a purple rim, cola and red cherry on the nose, juicy with firm herb notes on the finish.

2012 Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon “Reserve” (Oakville). Dark red with a purple robe, toast sour cherry on the nose, tight and concentrated with fresh rosemary on the balanced finish.

2012 Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon (Mt Veeder). Black in color, minty graphite on the nose with thick and chewy red fruit.

2013 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon “Special Select” (Napa Valley). Black with a purple rim, crushed black fruit on the nose, thick and syrupy.

***

2011 Bouchard Pere & Fils Volnay Caillerets (Burgundy). Brick color, brick dust on the nose, chewy with red cherry and smoke on the fruit, firm acids.

2013 Domaine Faiveley Corton (Burgundy). Medium light red, forest floor on the nose, tight, moderate fruit.

2001 Chateau Margaux (Bordeaux). Dark brick, big perfume of black olives and tar, smoky, tobacco notes on the fruit, balanced, long smoky finish.

2006 Chateau Lafite Rothschild (Bordeaux). Dark red with a brown robe, beautiful perfume of violets, green olive notes on the concentrated dusty fruit, turns tight with crisp acidity at the end.

2006 Chateau Haut-Brion (Bordeaux). Dark red, closed nose of bacon, silky green olives on the fruit, balance with a long finish.

2006 Ducru Beaucaillou (Bordeaux). Dark red in color, closed nose with mint notes, tight fruit, tannins on the end.

2009 Chateau Figeac (Bordeaux). Dark red to black, cook fruit, dried leaf on the nose, tight with smoke and toast notes on the fruit, firm tannins on the finish.

2004 Chateau La Mission Haut-Brion (Bordeaux). Medium brick, cigar box nose, silky graphite notes on the fruit and on the finish, great balance.

2008 Chateau Palmer (Bordeaux). Dark red with a purple robe, toast notes on the nose, concentrated, dusty, toasty fruit, good balance.

2011 Chateau Angelus (Bordeaux). Dark red to black, closed nose of black fruit, mint, silky green olives and toast notes on the fruit, firm finish.

2010 Chateau Canon La Gaffeliere (Bordeaux). Black in color, crushed red fruit and Asian spices on the nose, thick and juicy with nice tannins to balance it out.

2011 E. Guigal Cote-Rotie Chateau d’Ampuis (Rhone). Dark red, big roasted meat and floral notes on the nose, big and chewy meat notes on the fruit, tightens up a the end.

***

2006 Solaia (Tuscany). Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon, pretty perfume of red roses, violets with dark silky fruit and a beautiful finish.

2012 Sassicaia (Tuscany). Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon, medium purple, closed nose, juicy red cherry fruit. Boring.

2009 Ornellaia (Tuscany). Medium red with a brick robe, cooked vegetable on the nose, dusty, tobacco fruit, balanced, cigarette smoke on the finish.

2011 Gaja Sperss (Piedmont). Medium brick, cherry tar on the nose, tight, silky tannin, finishes with lip smacking tannins.

2011 San Felice “Vigorello” (Tuscany). Dark purple, cigarette smoke on the nose, thick and chewy black fruit with some mint notes on the balanced finish.

2006 Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona Brunello di Montalcino “Riserva” (Tuscany). Magnum, medium brick, tar and pencil shavings on the nose and fruit, great balance.

 

 

A Grand Tasting, Porchetta & Mario

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The 9th annual Food Network Wine and Food festival whose motto is “eat, drink, end hunger” was held on October 13-16. It’s the largest food and wine festival in New York City with proceeds to help fight hunger benefiting no kid hungry and the food bank of New York City.  With over 100 events including dinners, seminars, hands-on classes, wine tastings and late night parties held at different venues throughout Manhattan, it’s four days of serious culinary partying.

On Saturday I attended the Porchetta, Pigs and Pints event hosted by Mario Batali. The event was held at the Standard Highline hotel Biergarten at the corner of Washington Street and Little West 12th Street in the trendy Meatpacking District of Manhattan. It was an evening of pig-centric food washed down with Italian wine, Mexican beer and cocktails with Four Roses Whiskey. Mario Batali was on hand for photos and to sign his cookbook.

Sunday afternoon was spent at the Grand Tasting at Pier 94 at 55th Street and the West Side Highway in Manhattan. An airplane hangar sized “130,000 square foot culinary wonderland” of food samples from local restaurants, wines and spirits and culinary demonstrations from culinary stars from the Food Network and the Cooking Channel. There was also the GEMS collection room presented by the Wine Spectator which featured high-end wines not available in the main hall. It was an afternoon of hundreds of people enjoying eating and drinking.

Some of the wines I sampled at the Grand Tasting:

2013 Lazy Creek Vineyards Pinot Noir “Estate” (Anderson Valley). Dark purple, brambly, dried herbs on the nose, thick and syrupy.

2012 Thomas George Pinot Noir “Bakers Ridge” (Russian River Valley). Medium brick, stewed fruit on the nose, juicy raspberry, low tannins and acids, easy drinking.

2014 Siduri Pinot Noir (Willamette Valley). Medium to dark red, closed nose of roasted meat with cola on the moderate finish.

2012 Heritance Beckstoffer Georges III Cabernet Sauvignon (Rutherford). Black in color, black cherry on the nose, dark and concentrated black fruit with nice balance.

2013 Joseph Phelps Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley). Roasted nuts on the nose, chewy and chunky with dusty, mouth filling tannins with mint notes on the finish.

2012 Joseph Phelps “Insignia” (Napa Valley).  Their flagship wine, a Bordeaux blend, dark purple to black in color, roasted meat and nuts on the nose, silky, minty fruit with a big mouthful of tannin at the finish.

2012 Stags Leap Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon “Fay” (Napa Valley). Dark red to black, closed nose, silky, dark fruit with great balance.

2012 Ferarri-Carano Cabernet Sauvignon PreVail “Back Forty” (Alexander Valley). 100% Cab, black in color with mint and crushed black fruit on the nose, chewy, roasted meat and tobacco on the firm and balanced finish.

2013 J Lohr Cuveé “Pom” (Paso Robles). Decanted, primarily Merlot, dark red to black, crushed red fruit on the nose, juicy but framed with firm tannins, good balance.

2013 J Lohr Cuveé “St. E” (Paso Robles). Decanted, bordeaux blend, dark black, smoky, toasty, green olives on the nose, deeply concentrated black fruit, silky tannin on the firm finish.

2012 The Prisoner Wine Co. Merlot “Thorn” (Napa Valley), Dark red to black in color, strawberry jam on the nose, juicy fruit with coffee notes on the moderate finish.

2006 Bertani Amarone (Veneto). Dark brick, amber robe, red cherry and mint on the nose, silky, dark fruit, bitter cherry on the finish.

2010 Umani Ronchi Campo San Georgio Conero Riserva (Marche). Dark brick, tar, graphite on the nose, silky, concentrated, mint and tar notes on the fruit, moderate structure and a long finish.

2011 Castello D’Albola “Acciaiolo” (Tuscany). Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon, black in color, strawberry jam on the nose and fruit, moderate tannins.

2010 Castello D’Albola Chianti Classico Gran Selezione “Il Solatio” (Tuscany). Medium brick, fresh herbs on the nose, concentrated, dusty fruit, finishing with a bit of astringency.

2011 Antinori “Guado al Tasso” (Tuscany). Bordeaux blend, dark red to black, roast meat on the nose, roasted nuts on the fruit, a hit of a mouthful of tannin at the end.

2008 Trefianco Carmignano Riserva (Tuscany). Dark brick, tight tannin, bacon, roast meat noteson the medium finish.

2009 Monsanto Chianti Classico “Riserva” (Tuscany). Magnum. Medium brick, spicy cherry nose, juicy, black cherry on the fruit with nice tannins on the balanced finish.

2005 Fontanfredda Barolo “La Rosa” (Piedmont). Brown brick with a brown robe, big tar nose, moderate tar and leather notes on the fruit, firm tarry finish.

2007 Nervo Barberesco (Piedmont). Magnum. Dark brick with a brown robe, tarry, red cherry nose, moderate fruit, tar, graphite on the moderate to long finish with firm tannins at the end.

2010 Marchese di Barolo “Coste di Rose” (Piedmont). Single vineyard, dark brick in color, tar, dried herbs on the nose, dusty fruit with big tannins and astringency on the finish.

2010 Marchese di Barolo “Sarmassa” (Piedmont). Single vineyard, medium brick, red cherry and violet on the nose, tight with big tannin.

2010 Marchese di Barolo “Cannubi” (Piedmont). Single vineyard, dark brick in color, dried leaf and camphor on the nose, smoky tobacco on the finish with firm tannin.

2010 Marchese di Barolo “Barolo di Barolo” (Piedmont). Blend from various vineyards, dark purple with a brick robe, nice perfume of roses and fresh rosemary, tight with big dusty tannin at the end.

2013 Domaine Ponsot Clos del al Roche (Burgundy). Medium purple, roasted nuts on the nose, moderate red cherry fruit.

Red Blends On Long Island

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Last Sunday was a miserable, rainy afternoon. Why not a drive to wine country? This time around I met a few friends out there to help me sample the local wines.

I had planned on having Sauvignon Blanc tasting but circumstances dictated that I modify my plans. I ended drinking red blends. We stopped at three wine tasting rooms this afternoon.

The first stop of the day was at the Winemakers Studio by Anthony Nappa Wines at 2885 Peconic Lane, Peconic on the north fork of Long Island. It’s a cooperative tasting room featuring the wines of Anthony Nappa and some local wineries that don’t have a tasting room.

2014 Anthony Nappa “Ripasso”. This is the first wine made in this style that I have seen made in Long Island Normally it’s done with Valpolicela in Italy. Ripasso which means repassed in Italian, is when Valpolicela is made using the left over pomace from the fermentation of grapes used to make Amarone. Is usually adds some body and complexity to the wine. In this case Merlot was repassed over the leftover skins of Petit Verdot and Malbec grapes.

Dark red to black with a purple robe, dark chocolate and black cherry on the nose, concentrated, mint notes, tight and dusty with some astringency on the finish. Interesting wine.

 

2010 Osprey’s Dominion Meritage “Flight”. 44075 Main Road, Peconic. Whereas the Winemakers Studio was a sedate drinking experience, this large tasting room was mobbed with plenty of people out enjoying the holiday weekend.

A blend of Merlot, Carmenere and Cabernet Franc. It was nice to try a red with some bottle aging, black in color, crushed blueberries on the nose, chewy fruit with some bell pepper notes, dark chocolate and bell pepper on the moderate finish. Tasty.

 

2010 Pugliese Vineyards Meritage “Sunset”. 34515 Main Road, Cutchogue. Established in 1980 which makes it one of the founding fathers of the wine industry out East, family owned and operated.

A blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Black in color, closed nose of dark chocolate, chewy and chunky with licorice and coffee notes on the balanced finish. A fine effort.

 

 

Oystoberfest New York City

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September 16-October 1st was Oyster Week in New York City. It was actually a couple of weeks oyster centric events at various venues throughout the city that celebrated the significant role of the oyster in the history, culture and economy of New York.

The geography of New York City harbor estuary was conducive to the production of oysters. In 1860 12 million of them were sold in New York markets . They became the classic New York snack by the 1800’s, the first real street food, cheap and plentiful and sold by street carts. By 1900 over-fishing and pollution caused them to disappear from the harbor.

I attended the grand finale event, Oystoberfest on Saturday evening. It was held on the cobblestone streets of the South Street Seaport in front of the old Fulton Fish Market. It was a casual, outdoor event with stalls of oysters being shucked all night. The oysters were served raw on the half shell and I added a mignonette of red wine vinegar, chopped onions and pepper to each oyster I sample in order to be consistent. Beer and wine were served and I made due with a generic white wine.

Excellent live music was provided by the band, “The National”.

What I sampled:

East Coast

Cape May Salt (New Jersey)

Fishers Island (New York)

Empire (New York)

Big Rock (Massachusetts)

Beach Soleil (New Brunswick)

Lucky Lime (Prince Edward Island)

Grand Isle (Louisiana)

 

West Coast

Olympic (Washington)

Purple Haze (Washington)

Little Skookum (Washington)

Imperial (California)

Beach Angels (British Columbia)

Kusshi (British Columbia)

 

 

Harbor Island Beer Fest

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The past Saturday afternoon, September 24th I attend the 3rd annual Harbor Island Beer & Cider Festival. They say it’s the worlds largest beer festival with over 200 breweries pouring 400+ beers and ciders along with food vendors and live music.

The event was held under the big tents at Harbor Island Park in the town of Mamaroneck which is about a 40 minute train ride North from Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan.

Rain threatened the day when I woke in the morning but by the time I got to the event the sun came out for a beautiful day of beer and cider drinking. It was a huge event and I concentrated on the ciders and any interesting beers I could find including sours, gose, stouts and porters.