LIWINEDAD

  Continuing on our expedition for the end of August and after gorging ourselves at the Sparkling Pointe Lobster Roll Event , we rolled on to Raphael Vineyards for a quick pick-up.   If you have not been to Raphael Vineyard , it is a beautiful place rich in Italian family history.   The entrance opens into a large tasting room overlooking the winery facilities on one side and the Vineyard to the south (Fig 01).   The balconies on the vineyard side of the Italian monasteries -inspired villa provide beautiful scenic vistas overlooking the vineyards (Fig 02).   The views from the Balconies are striking, inviting all to a world of relaxation, calm, and good wine (Fig 03).   As time was short, we needed to pass on this bucolic scene, as we had more Wineries to stop at for pick-ups.   We did pick up our six-pack of wine that included two bottles of 2019 Estate Merlot, a 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon, a 2015 Cabernet Franc Reserve, a 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, and a 2013 Primo (Fig 04).   The club me

  Most time, our expeditions out to wine country involve Jo driving with me doing tuck, roll, and grab into all the wineries on the pickup list for the day; however, this trip was very different (Fig 00).  We were joined by friends Mary and Pete, with the first stop being Sparkling Pointe , not for a pickup but a Lobster roll event (Fig 01) which was so good it requires a separate blog posting just for the lobster roll alone.   After almost 2 hours of gorging on good food and sparkling wine, we roll on to 3 “quick” pickups.   Raphael Winery was first up, and we grabbed our 6-bottle club selection (Fig 02).   Following Raphael, we went to Terra Vite Winery & Vineyard for a pickup, but the wine was not yet available (My Bad), so we relaxed with an after-lunch bottle of Terra Vite’s 2021 Sauvignon Blanc (Fig 03).   From there, it was on to Roanoke Vineyards for our three bottles fall pickup, but we stopped for a quick tasting (Fig 04).  Overall, a fun-filled adventure to the #Nort

  Sometimes the best wine is the wine slowly sipped and shared with one’s better half.  The wine is from an old friend Raphael Winery in Peconic ( Google Map ), and the handiwork of Anthony Napa (Fig 01).   The 2019 Primo reserve is a blend done in the old-world style of a Bordeaux.   The blend is from Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Merlot.   The exact blend is unclear, but if the Cabernet Sauvignon leads, this should be close to a Left bank (M édoc) Bordeaux.  The color presents as a dark Garnet, bright fringe, and minimal legs.  The nose is rich with hints of cedar and black fruit.  The 2019 Primo is a young blend, the acid is bright, and cherry notes come screaming to the forefront.  The tannins are there but not overpowering, and a few more years in the cellar will smooth them out even more.  Into the finish come pepper notes as the wine lingers on the palate.  Raphael’s Primo Reserve is a fine sipping wine paired with a block of hard cheese and good f

  We were expecting to pick up at Raphael Vineyard & Winery while on the #northforkwinetrail doing all the other pick-ups during the first week of June.  However, the club selection shipped before we hit the road, and it arrived as we returned from the pick-up run.  We have signed up for a six-pack each quarter, and generally, it is four from the current offering and two from a library or reserve connection, and this shipment was no exception (Fig 01).  The first four wines are all current releases from 2019 and include 2019 First Label Sauvignon Blanc, 2019 Pinot Noir, 2019 Cabernet Franc, and 2019 Primo Reserve.  All four are very good, but my personal favorites are the First label Sauvignon Blanc and the 2019 Cabernet Franc.  The Franc is quite good and will be even better in a few years if I can resist drinking it this summer.  From deep within the cellar came two 90+ wines.  The 2013 Cabernet Franc Reserve and the 2013 Petit Verdot.  After almost a decade, both aged remarkabl

  Summer is officially here, and it is time for the next wine club pickups and deliveries.   The summer pickup was structured as if we were on a ‘mission from God’(FIG 10).  The pickup runs covered six wineries, 152 miles in about 5 hours, retrieving fifty-four bottles of wine, including ten bottles for friends with some clubs in common with us.  First, of course, we needed the SUV to fit everything, so Jo became the designated driver, and I did the tuck and roll at each winery to dart in, grab the wine, and go.  We made stops at Pellegrini Vineyards (Fig 01), Lenz Winery (Fig 02), Sparkling Pointe (Fig 03), Sannino Vineyards (Fig 04), Terra Vite Winery & Vineyard (Fig 05), and Roanoke Vineyards (Fig 06).   Deliveries from Kontokosta Winery (Fig 07), Raphael Winery (Fig 08), and W ö lffer Estate Vineyard (Fig 09) round out the early June 2022 Clubs.   Each club selection will be covered in a separate posting and the late June pickups. #longislandwineries #vineyardviews #wineryvib

  Jo was out with a friend, so I was left to create my dinner.  The solution was to do a classic steak and wine dinner.  First was the selection of the wine.  We did a pickup and tasting a few weeks ago at Raphael Vineyards-liwinedad .   One of the wines includes a Raphael Vineyard - 2017 Estate Malbec , which was very good, so we brought two bottles home.   With the wine selected, next was the meal to pair with the wine.   A hearty wine like the Malbec calls for a USDA Choice (Not prime) rib-eye steak with trimmings. The Raphael Vineyards2017 Estate Malbec is a fine example of a Long Island Malbec and has found a fine home at Raphael’s, notwithstanding the grapes’ French heritage and Argentina being a second home.   Malbec’s color is rich, dark purple with a touch of bright garnet at the fringes.   The nose is red berries, Cherries, and Raspberry with light alcohol (Figure 1).    Black cherry and raspberry come forward with a hint of plum on the palate.   Pleasant tannins and easy

  Today, at the bottom of the wine rack was found a very dusty bottle of Raphael Vineyard – 2014 Cabernet Franc .   The Cap was dry, and the top of the cork looked good, so it was worth a try.   The wine in the glass is particulate-free, opaque, rich purple, with a hint of rust color at the fringe and no legs.   The nose is gentle with slight notes of Bramble, Fig, and a hint of oak.   Absent were any herbaceous notes or intense raspberry.    The 2014 Cabernet Franc is a smooth wine with receding silky Tannins, notes of fruit, and a spark of Acid on the palate.   Gone were any long finish peppery or spice notes.   Reserving one cup of the wine for the gravy, the balance of the wine complemented the dinner.   Dinner was a pork loin was from Stew Leonards , originally an almost 7-pound fresh Pork Loin which we broke down in three roasts and vacuum-sealed then frozen until today.     The pork loin was rolled in McCormick’s Montreal Steak Seasoning , pan-seared in a Lodge Cast Iron Skill

  We continue to work our way through the Winter club selections, and the next up is from Raphael Vineyards - 2019 Cabernet Franc Reserve .  T he Cabernet Franc is on the younger side of many of the Cabernets Francs in our portfolio, but it should be enjoyed before its fifth birthday.  In the glass, the color was a lighter Garnet with a bit of Ruby ting at the edges and minimal legs, and we allowed it to breathe for about ½ hour.   Roasted red bell pepper, Raspberry, and Gravel notes were on the nose.  The nose is very similar to a right bank Bordeaux region Cabernet Franc.  The Cabernet Franc showed bright fruit, red cherry, Raspberry, a passing note of Strawberry, ending with a dash of herbaceous bell pepper and peppery finish.  The acid was more reserved than expected, and the tannins were noticeably pronounced. The Franc paired well with some beef dishes and is an excellent weekly wine.  FIG 1 - RAPHAEL 2019 CABERNET FRANC RESERVE 06 MAR 2022

Raphael Winery March Club allows a bit early pickup to fit this pickup into February.  The pickup included a tasting, and we had a gaggle of friends along for the ride (Figure 1).  As it turned out, this became a 3-member pickup with representatives from two other families joining us for a total of five people.  The tasting team included Mary, a friend and neighbor (member 1), Noelle (our son’s Fiancé, member 2) and her mother Val, and lastly, Jo and me (Member 3).   The first tasting flight was selected from the March club and included a 2017 La Fontana , 2017 First Label Merlot , and 2019 Cabernet Franc Reserve (Figure 2).  The La Fontana is made in the right bank Bordeaux style, and the wine opens with dark fruit, plums, and cherry.  The tannins are well-structured with just the right balance of acid and a pleasingly long finish.  The 2017 First Label was very fruit forward with a strong note of tart black cherry, plum, and a hit of Vanilla.  The tannins, while soft, were still

  There is nothing better than a home-cooked steak paired with a glass of good red wine (Figure 1).  To start, the Steak was a USDA Prime NY strip from Stew Leonards .  The meat was trimmed perfectly, then dry rubbed with Montréal steak seasoning and sealed in a vacuum bag. Next, the Steak, cooked in a water bath set to 120 F for 60 minutes (Sous Vide by Joule ).  After the sous vide, the Steak was seared in a raging hot cast iron skillet for 90 seconds on each side, and then the sous vide bag juices were added along with a pat of Irish butter to coat the Steak all over.  The pan-searing resulted in a nicely charred, rare steak that was flavorful, tender, and moist throughout. The wine paired with the Steak is a Raphael 2019 Cabernet Franc (Figure 2). This wine presented soft ruby color and bright red at the fringes.  The nose is full of red fruit such as raspberries, licorice sticks, with just a hint of oak.  The mouth was medium with bright acid that balanced the fat of the prime St

  Today's post is a twofer covering both Raphael's June Club delivery and their joint venture with Tellers Steakhouse as promoted by Northforker magazine ; what a combination for the north fork wine scene.    Today club consisted of six wines split between three reds and three whites.   The whites included a 2017 First Label S é millon.   This grape has a long history and is the third most commonly planted grape in France, where it is a crucial blending component in White Bordeaux.   It’s taste profile is usually similar to Pinot Gris or Sauvignon Blanc but with a fuller body and mouthfeel.   Second, in the white trio is the 2020 Sauvignon Blanc New York State white wine which I will take to mean that not all the grapes are from a Long Island AVA.   Lastly in the whites is the 2018 First Label Sauvignon Blanc, which appears to hail from the North Fork AVA.   I am looking forward to tasting and describing them in detail, especially to explore the difference between the two S