Quick Review: Thousand Islands Winery Pinot Grigio 2011

US, NY, Thousand Islands Winery, Pinot Grigio 2011

/ // Fruity // Grass, Apricot // Under-ripe Apricot, Butter // Medium

The butter notes were unexpected, and made it heavier. As the wine opened, it revealed some riper fruit flavors.

Did you know? . . . Pinot Grigio vs. Pinot Gris

Upon receiving a bottle of Oregon Pinot Gris in the early days of this blog, we immediately started scratching our heads. What was the difference between this and the oh-so-popular Pinot Grigio? We had actually never heard of Pinot Gris, although the two sounded very similar. So, what is the difference?

A little research quickly revealed: not much. They are the same grape. Of course, all the rules of climate and soil apply. They say the difference rests in the treatment of the wine: Pinot Grigio is made in the Italian style, and Pinot Gris in the French style. For us, and most of our readers, that's a little too deep. We find Pinot Gris typically has a heavier mouth-feel to it. Pinot Grigio often comes off much lighter. Think of whole vs. skim milk. But, that's just our observation.

For fun, a little trivia: "pinot grigio/gris" means (in both French and Italian) "gray pine cone." The grape itself has grayish tones and the growing cluster looks like a pine cone. In fact, all Pinot grapes (Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, and Pinot Blanc) have this "pine cone" in their name, due to their appearance.

Pinot Gris / Pinot Grigio Grapes
from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinot_gris

Quick Review: Imagery Code Blue

US, CA, Sonoma, Imagery Estate, "Code Blue"
++ // Fruity // Blueberry, Oak // Blueberry, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Brown Sugar // Full bodied

14% Blueberry wine, 86% Red Wine. Smelled and tasted like a blueberry pie: fruity and tart, with spices and sugar. A balanced flavor, made an excellent chilled dessert wine. Beautiful mouth-feel.

Quick Review: Lamoreaux 2013 Red Oak Vineyard Riesling

US, NY, Finger Lakes, Lamoreaux Landing, 2013 Red Oak Vineyard Riesling
++ // fruity // yeast, forest floor, green apple // apple, lemon, yeast, kiwi // light

Bright, assertive, complex. Fruity, but not too sweet. A nice, complicated (in a good way) sipping wine. A great finish to our 2013 Finger Lakes Riesling Tastings. 

Quick Review: Bellangelo Dry Riesling 2013

US, NY, Finger Lakes, Bellangelo Dry Riesling 2013

+ // Fruity // peach, stone, // peach // light-med

A little "one-note" upon first tasting but ended up being an excellent food accompaniment. We enjoyed it with spicy fish and veggie soup. Surprisingly, even with the soup's strong flavors, this wine managed to cut through and hold its own. The soup's spices brought out the wine's much-desired crispness and helped to balance the fruity quality we got with our initial tasting.

Quick Review: Fox Run Dry Riesling 2013

US, NY, Finger Lakes, Fox Run Vineyards, Dry Riesling 2013
+ // Crisp // Apple, peach, blossoms // Apple,caramel apple, peach // Full

Unexpected floral notes. Really full body, like a sweet Riesling but minus those cloying aspects. Good to sit and sip. 

Enjoyed with spicy Indian food, this wine was able to hold its own against the spices. We noticed it finished a bit metallic, but this didn't ruin the overall quality of the wine.

This is a new release from one of our favorite, local wineries in the Finger Lakes Region.

Finger Lakes Launches 2013 Rieslings

The wineries of the Finger Lakes Wine Region work well together. Each fall, they collectively release the previous vintage's Rieslings. So dozens of wineries with brand new offerings, and celebrations and events to accompany them. Those who are familiar with the Finger Lakes know how far the wine region has come with this singular grape, and part of the annual celebration seems to be about closing ranks and finding power in standing together.

We were able to sample three new releases of Finger Lakes Riesling this past week, and will be reviewing them here over the next several days. Each year, we are like kids in a candy store, filled with excitement about what the most recent vintage will be like. We are never disappointed. Check out the twitter feed from the Finger Lakes Riesling Hour that occurred 9/27 to learn more about the recent vintage. During the virtual tasting, #FLXRiesling was the #2 trending topic on Twitter.



Most United States wineries are releasing their 2013 white wines now (except where the wines--like Chardonnay--require aging). That's the most recent year you'll find in your wine shop. And, most of these 2013 white wines are meant to be enjoyed before the winemakers release their 2014 vintage next year. So, get to it!

Did you know? . . . about Burgundy Wine

The Burgundy wine region ("Bourgogne" in French) only grows two grapes: Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

This knowledge is useful when you are staring at an extensive wine menu, or picking out a bottle of wine for a gift and want to impress with something that sounds good. If you like either of those grapes, chances are you won't go wrong if you select a bottle of Burgundy. The wine will, however, have specific traits having been grown in that specific region in France, but most of us wouldn't notice the difference, anyway...and that's OK. If you don't like those grapes, you know chances are you won't like wines from Burgundy. That's OK, too.

Next time you're choosing wine, keep an eye out for the word "Burgundy" or "Bourgogne" on the wine menu, or on the labels. Remind yourself, "that's just Chardonnay!" or "that's just Pinot Noir!" Makes the whole wine experience less intimidating, right?

Did you know?....What "Funky" Wine Means

"Funky" is a funny descriptor. Recently a friend mentioned someone had described a wine to her as "funky," and she didn't know what that meant. I thought about it, and then I realized: people say "funky" when they don't know what else to say. The wine is so different that they can't easily describe it. Funny...but true.

Perhaps it's nicer to say that "funky" means "unusual" or "unexpected," in a way that makes the wine hard to describe. Wine experts do have lots of training, after all. Regardless, having read this, you now get to chuckle a little every time you hear a waiter or wine salesman describe wine in this way. Don't let this descriptor throw you. It sounds complex but really isn't.

Quick Review: Channing Daughters Rosato

US, NY, Long Island, Channing Daughters Rosato 
+ // Crisp // Strawberry // Peach, Apricot // Light

A Glass of Rose for Summer

We've said it before, and we will say it again: Rose is an amazingly versatile wine.

A new restaurant has opened not too far from us, Pacifico's Fine Foods. We liked the look of the menu: finely crafted dishes with a South American bent. But with an international menu, we didn't expect much in the way of local wines. It was a pleasant surprise then, when we found two different glasses of wine from Channing Daughters on the menu--a white and a rose.

When we are looking for a complicated bottle of wine to linger over, we often turn to red. When we want something simple we can just sip, a light white is in order. But when we are looking for something that blends the two--that has some complexity but is still light enough that it goes down easily--we seek out a nice rose. And Channing Daughters manages to deliver. Making just a few hundred cases of their Rosato's each year, we've started to look forward to catching these wines wherever we can each summer. So as fall approaches, it was great to find yet another chance.

The South American cuisine was an interesting twist for us. The menu was small, with only half a dozen entrees, and even fewer appetizers. Since we were starting with our wine choice and working from there, it limited our choices even further, but it seemed easy enough to find some good pairings. Pork and yucca seemed to fill the menu, along with some spicy sauces. Hoping for a bit of crisp to combat the heat of the sauces and the fat of the pork, with maybe a hint of earthiness to match the yucca, we were optimistic.

In this case, it worked, but maybe not much more. The wine was great. The food was great. In combination, they worked. It wasn't a sublime experience, where the whole was greater than the sum of its parts. But that's okay. We were looking for a good, casual dinner and we got that. Maybe there were subtle flavors that didn't mesh, or maybe we were just more focused on our evening out than analyzing the complex interactions of our food and wine. We enjoy that, but sometimes just enjoying a fun night out is enough.

How-To: Tell What Wines are in a Blend

Americans like to know what wine they are drinking. While the Old World labels their wine based on region, sure in the knowledge that everyone knows the grape that ends up in a Burgundy or a Barolo, in the New World we want our wines to be labeled by the varietal.

In most cases, that's easy enough. But when it comes to blended wines, its not always so straight forward. A blend may be made up of a range of grapes, so the wine makers will often use a proprietary name useful for marketing, but not always informative. But there are tricks you can use to help pick out the grapes.

Look for typical styles: Bordeaux or Meritage blends are typical, made of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. Champagne will be made from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.

Labeled: Since Americans demand the info, many wine makers will include the list of varietals used. It may be hidden on the back label, but especially with New World wines it may be there.

Guess: If you know a bit about wine, you can start to guess what grapes make up a blend. In a red wine, soft red fruit flavors might be a high percentage Merlot or Pinot Noir, while a buttery white wine might be based on a Chardonnay.

Quick Review: Castoro Cellars "East Meets West" 2012

US, CA, Castoro Cellars, East Meets West Reserve 2012

+ // Spicy // Clove, Old leather, Tobacco, Dried cherry // Cherry cola // Medium to full-bodied

Quick Review: Tess Winery Red & White Blend

US, CA, Napa, Tess Red&White Blend
++ // Spicy - Sweet // Maraschino cherry, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Clove, Candied apple // Cinnamon, Cherry, Rose petals // Medium

Red Wine In Summertime

When the summer rolls around, we don't drink a lot of red wine. Red wines tend to be heavier in flavor and body, and often a little bit higher in alcohol content. On a warm day, we are usually looking for something a bit more refreshing. There are reasons to still enjoy red wines in the summer. With grilled meat, sometimes you need a big red wine. A nice sangria is great for a casual weekend afternoon. And sometimes, you can find a red wine that works well chilled, allowing you that cool drink you so desperately need.

We are told we should avoid chilling red wines. They say that the fruitier, earthier flavors in red wines become subdued when chilled, so you lose a lot of the subtleties of the wine. This is true. (White wine tends to be more forward with its flavors, and chilling can even reign in a more aggressive acidity.) But some red wines can stand chilling, especially ones with sweeter fruit flavors. Even better are blended wines that use both red and white varietals. Chilling that sort of wine will help the flavors from the white varietals "pop" to augment the smoother flavors of the red varietals.

Why does this matter? Sometimes when you are lounging around, you might want to drink something a little more substantial. White wines can be refreshing, but they often go down a little too easy: the glass empties too quickly. A glass of red wine might catch your attention a little more, and remind you to savor your drink while you savor the warm weather. The trick is to give your red wine just a slight chill; leaving it in the fridge 15-20 minutes should be enough. If it comes out a little too cold for your tastes, simply let it sit a few minutes or hold the glass by the tumbler to raise the temperature a little.  To each his own: this is one of those subjective areas where experimentation is necessary and there is no right or wrong in what you like best.

Did you know?.... What We Mean by "Hot" Wine

Sometimes, a wine is referred to as "hot". Unless you are drinking mulled wine, this isn't a reference to the wine's temperature, or even its spice level (which is common vernacular in the food world). Instead, "hot" wine is wine higher in alcohol content than normal, and in most cases means you can feel that alcohol in your mouth. The reason it is referred to as "hot" is both because of the warming effect of the alcohol, and the fact that the high alcohol content is due to grapes that were riper than usual, most likely from a hot summer.

Quick Review: Albertina "Lorilai's Reserve" Merlot 2009

US, CA, Mendocino, Albertina "Lorilai's Reserve" Merlot 2009
+ // Fruity // Spice, Leather, Chocolate, Cherry  // Black pepper, Cherry, Savory // Medium

Hot. "Bigger" than preferred. Flavor dissipates quickly, but the hotness lingers.

Why are Red Wines Always So Old?

When you look at a restaurant wine list, it might strike you that the vintages on the white wines are much younger than most of the reds. This isn't because they've been sitting on the same bottles of red wine for a long time. Most white wines are ready to bottle within a year after harvest, so the available vintage will be recent. Many red wines, however, see a much longer aging process in barrels. White wines may rest for a few months before they are bottled, while red wines can spend up to two years in barrels before the bottling process. This means a white varietal harvested in 2014 will be ready to be sold in 2015, while the red might be ready in 2016, or even later. And while most wines are expected to be consumed right away, a higher percentage of red wines are made with the expectation that they will be given time to age in the bottle after they are sold, so a restaurant with a world class wine list will let those wines age accordingly. This is also the reason you might find one wine-maker's Merlot, for example, offered from different vintages. You get a different experience based on year produced and time aged.

Quick Review: Pellegrini Vineyards Cabernet Franc 2007

NY, Long Island, North Fork, Pellegrini Vineyads Cabernet Franc 2007
+ // Spicy // Blackberry, Cherry, Currant, Slate, Earth // Graphite, Black pepper, Hint of plum, Cinnamon // Full

Wishing for More Cab Franc

Why don't we see more Cabernet Franc? Anywhere you can get wine, you can find its more famous cousin, but Cabernet Franc is a nearly forgotten varietal. For us, that's a sad thing. It shows up in Bordeaux blends, but that doesn't show the true strength of the grape. Fortunately, winemakers--especially on the East Coast--are working with the grape.

Many wine-makers in New York work with Cabernet Franc, one of the few red grapes that thrives in cooler climates. It's seen frequently in the Finger Lakes, but some people feel that the temperatures are a bit too cool, and the wine can end up with the green vegetable flavors of an under-ripe grape. Long Island puts out some flavorful wines, so when we found a bottle from Pellegrini Vineyards at ABV on Manhattan's Upper East Side, we decided it was a safe bet.

We've found Cabernet Francs to be earthier wines, rounded out with a balance of red fruit and spice notes in the best cases. We find it a good wine for cold weather meals that are heavy on meat and root vegetables. With the restaurant's "Super Fries," the wine was a bit much, overpowering the complicated spices of the fries. With a short rib gnocchi, however, it was the perfect complement, bringing a blend of fruit, earth, and spice to the sweet and meaty sauce. On the other hand, the gnocchi with winter vegetables and mushrooms was obliterated by the wine. The Cabernet Franc definitely needed some bigger flavors to match up to it.

ABV was a good venue for us. It was a bit trendier and noisier than our usual haunts, but the waitstaff was friendly and helpful, and the wine and beer lists were interesting. Changing, seasonal, with an American bar food menu, it felt comfortable for a casual evening. We don't have much excuse to get to that neighborhood often, so we were glad when we had the chance. And it was a good excuse to order some Cabernet Franc.