Tag: Rosé

Long Island Rosé

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Nothing says “Summer” like a nice glass of rosé on a warm afternoon. All of the east end wineries of Long Island bottle a rosé and those wines fly off the shelf during the Summer months. That’s not surprising in a region that’s surrounded by beaches and beach towns (Hamptons).

I think that the rosé wines along with non-oaked aged Chardonnay are some of the best wines coming out of Long Island.

One Sunday afternoon I took a drive out to wine country out east to sample a few.

Croteaux Vineyards 1450 S Harbor Rd, Southold

At Croteaux they make rosé and only rosé, and they say that they are the only vineyard in the United States to do so. The tasting room is a unique “tasting garden” which looks like an outdoor antiques store.

2023 Merlot 314

The 314 refers to the clone number of the varietal, aged in 100% stainless steel. Clear Salmon pink in color, canned peaches on the nose, dry with some tannin notes on the finish, enjoyable glass.

Jamesport Vineyard 1216 Main Road, Jamesport

One of the first wineries you run into driving east on the north fork wine trail, founded in 1986 and still run by the same family, the tasting room is in a 165-year-old barn.

2023 East End Rosé

100% Syrah. Clear medium red, strawberry notes on the nose, some earth on the fruit, dry with good acidity.

Mattebella Vineyards 46005 Route 25, Southold

An off the radar winery whose motto is “wine, passion & craftmanship”, they have a tasting cottage and outdoor tasting garden.

2021 Rosé

Merlot and Cabernet Franc, pale copper in color, sweet, earthy melon on the nose, ripe fruit, moderate to low acids, dry, starting to taste its age.

Winebow Springtime Portfolio Splash

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Winebow is one of the several importers and distributors in the New York City area that deal with wines and spirits.

As with the other distributors, periodically they will have a tasting for members of the restaurant trade to showcase their portfolio or a part of their portfolio.

This past April 23rd, they held a small tasting of some of their new acquisitions as well as wines for the upcoming Summer season. Since it was a small tasting, it was held at their office at 31 West 27th Street in midtown Manhattan.

Not surprisingly, for their Springtime Splash tasting, there was a large selection of Rosé wines poured. I sampled a few including those from Charles Joguet, Chateau Trinquevedel, Domaine de Reully, Tres Sabores and Wolffer Estate from Long Island.

The Champagne house of Laurent Perrier was represented with their Cuvee Rosé Brut, Blanc de Blanc Nature and the 2012 Brut Vintage.

Some other interesting wines I sampled:

2021 Andrew Murray Syrah Tour les Jours2021 Andrew Murray Syrah Roasted Slope.
2022 Brown Estate Red Blend2022 Seghesio Vermentino
2022 Argle Bloomhouse Pinot Noir2021 Textbook Cabernet Sauvignon The Pey Family
2021 Macroste Nightwing Pinot Noir2021 Joseph Drouhin St. Veran
2019 Dry Creek Vineyards The MarinerNV Faustino Cava Brut
2023 Garzon Single Vineyard Alberino2022 Garzon Tannat Reserva
2021 Realm Cellars The Bard 2019 Pecchenio Barolo San Giuseppe
2022 Santa Julia Vineyard La Vaquita Clarete2022 Cleto Chiarli Lambrusco del Fondatore
2021 Elizabeth Spencer Napa Cabernet Sauvignon2021 Vietti Timorasso Colli Tortnesi

Rosé Splash 2022

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In the past few years there have been a couple of wine events that featured rosé wines and a boat ride around Manhattan. Those events were La Nuit en Rosé and Rosé Splash.

The La Nuit en Rosé event had a day for the consumer with an afternoon and an evening sail. They also set aside one afternoon with a sailing for members of the hospitality industry while the Rosé Splash event did not. Because they held a tasting for members of the trade, I feel that the La Nuit event poured a better selection of worldwide rosés than the Splash event.

What they shared in common was a boat with three decks of rosé, food, a DJ, a dancefloor and a sail around New York harbor cruising by local icons such as the Statue of Liberty and the Brooklyn Bridge.

Unfortunately, The La Nuit event ran into some “issues” and was forced into bankruptcy last year and did not have an event this year. Fortunately, on August 6th after a two-year Covid hiatus the Rosé Splash set sail on the Spirit of New York from Pier 61 on the West side of Manhattan.

While it didn’t have the same quality of wines as the La Nuit en Rosé boat ride, with three decks of rosé wine to sample and a nice sunny Summer afternoon to be on the water, it was a nice day.

Some of the Rosé I sampled:

2020 Chateau de Berne Romance2020 Chateau de Berne Inspiration
2021 Dauo Family Estate Rose2021 Ame du Vin Provence Rose
NV 90+ Cellars Prosecco RoseNV Bridge Lane Rose In A Can
2020 The Vice Rose of Pinot Noir2020 Croteaux Vineyards Jolie
2021 D’Agostino Rose2021 Albert Bichot Cest la Vie Syrah-Granache
2020 Maiden + Liberty Rosalies2020 Borghese Vineyards Rose of Merlot
2021 Lange Twins Rose of Anglianico

June Tasting Out East

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At the end of June I took another drive out East to the wineries on the North Fork. Seems like this is the only game in town for social drinking. Sampled a diverse range of varietals this time around. Still not a bad way to spend a sunny afternoon.

 

 

Lieb Cellars 13050 Oregon Rd, Cutchogue

Off the main road, Lieb Cellars is run “by a close knit group of young passionate individuals”.

2018 Sauvignon Blanc: Light yellow with a greenish tint, closed nose of green apples, clean and crisp with green apple notes.

 

Bedell Cellars 36225 Main Road, Cutchogue

The Bedell’s planted their first grapevines here in 1980

2019 Pinot Gris: This is the first vintage of this varietal produced at the winery. Clear light yellow with greenish tints, kiwi, tangerine on the nose, juice lemon/line notes on the fruit with crisp acidity.

 

Croteaux Vineyards 1450 S Harbor Road, Southold

This winery off the main road produces exclusively estate grown Rosé against the backdrop of two historic farms. 

2019 Rosé Merlot “181”: Stainless steel fermented, light copper in color, cantaloupe on the nose, minerally fruit with nice acidity. 

 

Pulgliese Vineyards 34515 Main Rd, Cutchogue

Established in 1980 and is family owned and operated, they make down to earth wines. The only winery that I know of on the North Fork that bottles a Sangiovese.

2015 Sangiovese: Clear light red in color, red cherry and green herbs on the nose, red cherry with a touch of leather on the fruit with good acidity. 

 

 

2019 Gerard Bertrand Cote des Roses, Languedoc

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Summer is here, more rosé.

Gerard Bertrand is a French wine grower with a vast portfolio of wines from the South of France.

They make several different rosé. This one is from the Languedoc region and is packaged in a pretty bottle with an etched rose on the bottom.

The wine is a blend of Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault. 

 

2019 Cotes des Roses: Light pink in color, ripe cantaloupe on the nose, nice mouthfeel of light cherry and raspberry, nice balance. 

 

 

2018 Josh Cellars Rosé California

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Now that the warmer weather is upon us, it’s rosé time. I like a glass of rosé on a warm day. To me they are the casual wear of the wine world, nothing serious to make a fuss about and as long as it’s not sweet, I’ll drink it.

Josh Cellars was founded in 2007 by Joseph Carr and named as a tribute to his Dad, Josh. They produce wines sourced from across the California winegrowing regions.

 

2018 Josh Cellars Rosé California:  Clear copper in color, nose of watermelon and sweet strawberry, dry with light cherry notes and some earthiness on the finish, easy drinking. 

 

 

 

Rosé Splash

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Rosé Splash was a rosé wine themed boat ride that was held aboard the Spirit of New York on the afternoon of September 3rd. It’s not to be confused with the other rosé boat ride, the La Nuit en Rosé boat ride from last May.

The boat shoved off from Pier 61 at Chelsea Piers at West 21st Street in Manhattan for a leisurely three hour cruise along the Hudson river and lower Manhattan.

The Spirit of New York which is normally used as a dinner cruise venue, is a fairly large boat and today had three floors of tasting tables and a buffet, They poured an international selection of wines including New York State wines in addition to spirits such as Ketal One vodka, Taconic Distillery whiskey and Goslings rum to name a few.

It was a beautiful afternoon to be on the water and the crowd enjoyed themselves. I didn’t think that the quality of the wines today were as good as the wines poured at the La Nuit en Rosé boat event, but with three floors of wine and spirits, there was plenty to keep everyone occupied for the afternoon. Plus, they had really good bread at the buffet table.

 

 

More Summer Rosé Long Island

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Rosé season is kicking in to high gear now and there is plenty of pink wine coming out of the east end long island wineries to keep the thirsty satisfied.

Most of the wineries do a pretty good job of making a drinkable version.

One afternoon I drove out for another tasting.

 

 

Shinn Estate Vineyards  2000 Oregon Road, Mattituck

Winery using biodynamic wine practices, featuring a wine library with a barrel room view. They also have a B & B on property.

2018 Rosé

100% Merlot. Medium cherry red, crushed red cherry on the nose, red cherry and some funk on the medium body with moderate acids.

 

Lieb  Cellars  13050 Oregon Road, Cuthchogue

The rustic tasting room is in a quiet spot off the main road. Established in 1992, they make estate grown “small production reserve wines”. They also own a local custom crush winemaking facility.

2018 Bridge Lane Rosé

Mostly Cabernet Franc. Medium copper in color, fresh honeydew on the nose, clean melon notes on the fruit, moderate to low acids, very drinkable.

 

Paumanok Vineyards  1074 Main Road, Aquebogue

The first winery you run into on the main road wine trail. Established in 1983 and the first winery to grow a Chenin Blanc.

2018 Dry Rosé

A blend of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Orange-copper in color, dried herbs and funky melon on the nose with some of those funky notes coming through on the fruit, nice balance of acids.

 

 

Rosé Long Island

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With the warmer weather approaching that means that rosé season is upon us. It’s not surprising that on an island with miles of beaches and beach towns that drinking rosé wine would be very popular, in fact in the Hampton’s this year they are talking about a rosé shortage.

Every east end winery bottles a rosé which usually sells out quickly. While you won’t be drinking any of the grape varietals used to make rosé in the south of France such as Mouvedre, Cinsault or Grenache, they make do with Merlot, Syrah, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc.

One recent Saturday afternoon I drove out East to try a few.

 

One Women Winery 5195 Old North Road, Southold

Small production winery, a real mom & pop operation with excellent wines. Small, cozy tasting shack with knowledgeable staff, not much space inside but there are tables surrounding the tasting room.

2018 Rosé

A blend of Merlot and Pinot Noir, recently bottled.  Light copper in color, watermelon on the nose with light melon notes on the fruit, nice balance with refreshing acidity at the finish.

 

Corey Creek Tap Room  36225 Main Road, Cutchogue

Owned by Bedell Cellars, as the name suggests they serve only small batch wines on tap, “fresh from our cellar”. The tasting room has a nautical décor with an outdoor seating area overlooking the vineyard.

2018 Rosé Syrah

Light pink in color with sweet melon on the nose and fresh peach notes on the fruit with some residual sugar coming through at the finish.

 

McCall Wines  22600 Main Road, Cutchogue

McCall is not only a vineyard but a cattle ranch as well. They raise grass-fed Charolais cattle, a heritage European breed, on the adjacent ranch and is one of the few vineyards that bottle a pinot noir. The rustic tasting room is a former potato curing barn. There’s always one of the owners on hand overseeing the tasting room and pouring.

2018 Marjorie’s Rosé

A blend of Syrah and Merlot, light copper in color, sweet kiwi on the nose, funky melon on the full fruit with crisp acidity on the finish.