10th anniversary here. Eric Fry (Lenz) was originally the consultant here. The Old World blend 2013 is lovely now, with the sharp edges (mostly) resolved and complexity more on tap. Does Long Island really do well with Merlot (92% here)? Drink this. Classic flavors,  plenty of firmness on the finish, and finesse. It sure seems more like Bordeaux as it has aged. 13.2%. More recent vintages were around $50. Lots of life left. A great pairing for steak. #wine #longisland #winesofnewyork #merlot

Showing just great with a few more years of bottle age, the balance here is perfect. I like this better today than when I first saw it. The sugar and the acidity have a little bit of a tug of war, but that only works to your benefit in the end. It is showing some nuance and complexity now, but it should hold well for several more years, probably even more.
#winesofnewyork #riesling #fingerlakes

One of the Finger Lakes' icons is Hermann Wiemer. As you can see in the pic, most of the wines were 2018 or 2021 (21 for table wines). There are also two 10-year disgorgement wines from 2011. None was a great vintage and the two recent ones, 2018 and 2021, were stormy years with lots of rain. On paper, it is not a group that inspires, but the winery did well, relatively speaking. I like to see that. They won't be their greatest ever, but still pretty good. #fingerlakes #wine #Winesofnewyork

These are special 10-year disgorgement sparklers, 126 months on the lees.Contrast their new 2019 Blanc de Blanc Standing Stone Vineyard ($36) with only 27 months on the lees--sharper, crisper and energetic. These 2011s are lusher, more integrated and complex, not oxidative.

They are impressive, but they do come at a cost given the effort to age them for 10 years ($85 instead of $39 to $45 for the more typical 30 to 39 month releases; those are the 2018s now). #Wine #Fingerlakes #Winesofnewyork

Ok, it doesn't have to be from Champagne, does it? It can also be from New York. On the left, from the Finger Lakes, the 2008 spent a hefty 92 months on the lees and they sold it for $35 when released in 2018. Wut? Damn. If you feel sufficiently guilty, send Morten & Lisa Hallgren, the owners of Ravines, some extra money.

On the right, the 2013 Seduction from Long Island. This is a heavier price point ($60) with three years on the lees. They are both very fine sparklers. Let's spread our wings. Do something different. #wine #winesofnewyork

Lagrein, obviously more popular in Alto Adige, Italy, is being transplanted to other wineries too. I loved this super red from Jamesport in Long Island, N.Y. It may be ultimately that things like this work better in many regions that are less traditional than bigger wines. Structured, fresh and tasty, I'm liking this a lot these days. It's always about finesse, never jammy. This was a good vintage for it.

#wine #winesofnewyork #longisland #lagrein

This Lagrein from Jamesport on Long Island is a good example of the experimentation done these days, especially in smaller places. It is native to Trentino-Alto Adige in Italy. I really liked this.
#wine #winesofnewyork #longisland #wineadvocate #robertparker