Riding the Pine

It's a Friday night and I am not out wine tasting in New London with the Trifecta. What is wrong with me? Well, perhaps the fact that I just sneezed four times in a row so hard that I may have cracked a rib or two might explain why I am sitting on the proverbial bench tonight. But alas, a cozy couch and reruns of Top Gear are more than enough to keep me entertained tonight. Granted, I would prefer to be out tasting with the ladies.

This past week, while vacationing on the Vineyard (God I sound snooty when I say it that way) we performed one of the easiest and most enjoyable wine experiments out there. Comparing oaked and unoaked Chardonnays. Laura and Doug where kind enough to bring out two Chards from my favorite Long Island winery, Channing Daughters. We compared the 2007 Scuttlehole Chardonnay against the 2006 L'Enfant Sauvage Chardonnay.

The Scuttlehole is fermented in stainless steel with no malolactic fermentation. The result is a crisp, acidic wine with similar mouth feel to a Sauvignon Blanc, but with exploding flavors of green apple. In my mind this was the clear winner. Now why would I say that before I even told you about the other wine? Because much like my good friend from Sideways, Miles, I don't like the way wineries manipulate Chardonnay. If you remember from the king of all wine movies, Jack questions Miles' feelings toward Chardonnay, and Miles deftly explains that he loves all varitals in their true form.

The L'Enfant Savage, or wild child, is aged in new French and Slovenian Oak for 13 months. Doug also informed me that it also goes through a full malolactic fermentation. One sip and you'll know. It's a mouthful of butterscotch and vanilla. It's a tremendous wine with exciting flavors and an almost syrupy texture, but just not my style of Chard.

So if you get a chance, find a fully oaked and malolactic fermented Chardonnay and pair it up with a "naked" or unoaked Chard. Katie and I would recommend the Four Vines Naked Chardonnay. Then put the two side by side and enjoy. Wiith only half a box of tissues left I bid you adieu, and till next time..."Why's he calling me meat? I'm the one driving a Porsche. "--???

South Fork Surprises

Word of advice, when visiting Long Island from the main land (i.e. Connecticut), try to make the trip for the weekend. We did a day trip, and I was spent! But, it was well worth it as Katie, Lori, Laura, Doug, and I all had an excellent time hitting three wineries on Saturday.

First up was Channing Daughters. The most interesting thing about this winery, and the other two for that fact, was that I went in with zero expectations. I had never tasted or have any strong knowledge of any of the stops. What I really enjoyed about Channing Daughters tasting room was the California feel of it. It reminded me of all the delicious times I've had in Napa, Sonoma, and also Oregon for that matter. The service was superb (Thanks Debbie!) and all our questions were answered throuoghly. The wine itself was surprisingly very good. To my palate, the wines came across as more European in taste then California. The whites reminded me of France, and the Reds of Italy. First we tasted three of their whites, the 2006 Scuttlehole Chardonnay, the 2006 Sauvignon, and the 2006 Vino Blanco. The Vino Blanco really stood above the others. This blend of Tocai Friulano (mostly grown in the Friulia region of Italy), Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, and Chardonnay was dry with a nice body and would be excellent food wine with seafood. Then we tried three reds, the 2006 Rosato Cabernet, the 2006 Rosso Fresco, and the 2006 Mudd (God I love that name for a wine!). My personal favorite was the Rosso Fresco. This blend of Merlot, Blaufrankisch (you geussed it, German!), Cab Sauv, and Dornfelder (another German grape) was loaded with spice, and I loved the aromas of smoked meat I was pulling out of it. Then we were fortunate enough to taste the Clones Chardonnay. This baby is a winner! It's a blend of their ten different Chardonnay clones. Quite simply, the closest thing to Burgundy I have tasted from America. Of course I brought a bottle home. Channing Daughters will definitely get a repeat visit from me in the springtime so I can taste some newer wines, especially since their production is so limited. Keep up the good work Channing Daughters!

Next was Duck Walk. While my compatriots enjoyed a lot of their wines (we tasted 15 of them) I was not impressed. The majority of them were too sweet for me or just lacking that dry style I like. Their Sauvignon Blanc was the only wine that really struck me as good. The others were all blah to me. Of course that is my palate and not yours. My other beef was the service. It was like feeding from a trough. Everyone lines up along the bar and they literally walk down the line pouring tastes of the same wine. If you arrive at the wrong time you start out with reds then go to desserts and finish with whites. There is no personal attention at all. That really bugged me. But, they definitely had a large range of wines for those looking to taste a large number of different wines.

Finally was Wolffer Estate Vineyards. This place narrowly surpassed Channing Daughters as my favorite of the day. We did have to wait quite a few minutes to sit and taste due a large crowd of NYC bimbos in front of us. They looked utterly foolish smoking their cigarettes and "tasting." Katie and I split their portfolio tasting to get a sip of everything top to bottom. Basically they make three levels of Chardonnay and three levels of Merlot, as well as a Cab Franc and a Late Harvest Chardonnay. Their entry levels, called La Ferme Martin, were good. The Chardonnay seemed a little weak in body to me, and the Merlot could be suitable as a table wine. Next is their Reserves. The Chardonnay was quite good, something I'd be willing to serve to any wine loving guest, and the Merlot could hold its own against mid-level producers from California. It was the Estate Selections that really surprised me. Both the Chard and Merlot were delicious. I would have loved to pair their Merlot with a nice piece of lamb, oh would it be perfect! And the Chardonnay was destined to go with scallops. It was the Cab Franc though, that really blew me away. It was the quality of wine IO would expect from California not New York. It was big and lush with some Cab Sauv and Merlot tossed in. It had a divine velvety finish that lasted and lasted. I plan to open our bottle with some nice steaks, once I figure out how to grill steak. I have to say, sitting outside and tasting at a table was a nice experience. And they have everyone taste that way, unlike Napa where you usually only sit down at private or VIP tastings.

In the end it was Wolffer and Channing Daughters that really sold me on New York wines. I'll have to head back soon to check out the North Fork, and of course stop by the South Fork again. Thanks again to Debbie at Channing Daughters and I hope you enjoy that New Hampshire foliage! Till next time..."I cook with wine; sometimes I even add it to the food."--W.C. Fields

Long Island Bound

Tomorrow Katie and I will be venturing off to Long Island with some friends to enjoy a few wineries. While the North Fork is packed with wineries pumping out the juice, we'll be heading to the South Fork, where the numbers are fewer, but I have heard good things about the quality. Look for a post on our tastes and travels on Sunday or Monday!