McCALL WINES TASTING 01 SEPT 2022

By LONG ISLAND WINE DAD September 19, 2022

After lunch at Barrow Food House, it was on to McCall Wine, two events in one place. First is the wine tasting, and the second is McCall Beef which requires a separate discussion. McCall Wine is well set back on the south side of the main road in Cutchogue, just before Pellegrini Vineyards (McCall Wine Google Map). Turning on a gravel road takes you to the back of an old barn to a gravel parking lot with a view of the vineyard just beyond (Fig 01). The rustic vibe continues, approaching the tasting room built into a barn (Fig 02). The theme continued as we were seated on the outdoor patio with fantastic views of the fields and vineyards (Fig 03). The team greeting is warm and friendly, leaving the impression that you will have some wine and conversation with close family members who are highly versed in wine. There are two menus, one for tasting (Fig 04) and one for bottle selection listing McCall’s entire portfolio (Fig 05). As it has been a while since exploring Long Island Pinot Noir, the Pinot flight looked particularly interesting, with Jo selecting just a glass of the 2021 Pinot Noir Rosé as the driver today. Having just finished lunch, we passed on what looked to be a fine Cheese & Charcuterie board.

The Pinot flight consisted of three wines: the 2021 Whole Cluster Pinot Noir Rosé, the 2015 Pinot Noir, and the 2014 Pinot Noir Hillside (Fig 06). The 2021 Whole Cluster is a 100% Pinot Noir that presents clean and crisp, with pleasing notes of peach and a hint of Grapefruit. The following two are the same clonal grape varieties, same winemaker and team, but different vineyards and a different vintage by one year. The two wines became a study in terroir, and the differences are noticeable and enjoyable. The 2015 Pinot noir is a clean, light-bodied, very bright acid wine with notes of Cherry and Strawberry. The fruit notes are followed by earthy tones, spice, and vanilla, finishing with well-structured tannins. The 2014 Pinot Noir Hillside leads with strawberry, followed by cherry, a medium body, lighter acid, and a note of cloves. The Hillside recalls the French versions from Burgundy. Again, the wines are a study in contrast, and both are added to the home portfolio for a nice take-home five-pack (Fig 07). Having completed the leisurely and enjoyable tasting in a little over an hour, we moved on to the beef, but that is so good that it requires a separate post.

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