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  The Sparkling Pointe – 2018 Topaz Impérial Brut Rosé is an excellent enjoyable apéritif that also pairs well with dinner.   We savor this sparkling wine as an apéritif before dinner while preparing and plating the meal.   In the glass, the wine presents a matte coral-pink color accentuated by a robust effervescent stream (Fig 01).   The nose is enticed with the delicate aromas of Strawberry and warm Bing cherry.   The palate is greeted with Hibiscus, peach, a zesty lemon acidity, and notes of warm toast.   Next, the taste reflects the blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier, then resting two years on the sur lie before disgorgement.   Then, finally, the tiny bubbles burst forth, preparing the palate for the forthcoming meal.   The Sparkling Pointe 2018 Topaz Impérial Brut Rosé is a fine meal-opening wine and, better still, is available in magnum to ensure a continuous pour through the dinner.       #longislandwineries #vineyardviews #wineryvibes #liwine #lich

  An aperitif before dinner is a fantastic thing and a custom I was introduced to while in Paris.  Today we served a Sparkling Pointe - 2014 Seduction Blanc De Blancs (Fig 01).  The 2014 Seduction Blanc De Blanc is a well-aged sparkling with the nose and palate reflecting that maturity.  Notes of apple, pear, and toast greet the nose, followed by tiny creamy mousse bubbles enhancing the palate of baked apple and lemon peel leading to a pleasantly long finish.  The Seduction Blank De Blanc is the perfect opening act to a fine meal.   #longislandwineries #vineyardviews #wineryvibes #liwine #licharacter #longislandwine #northforkwineries #longislandwinery #longislandnorthfork #northforker #discoverlongisland #topwineries #northforkwinetrail #liwinecountry #liwine #lisustainablewinegrowers #nywinegrapefdn #nofo #sparklingpointe   FIG 01 - SPARKLING POINTE 2014 SEDUCTION BLANC DE BLANCS 16 SEPT 2022

  It is a perfect day to hang out with some friends and neighbors by their firepit, so we wander across the street and bring two bottles of Sparkling Pointe with us to share.  First was the Sparkling Pointe 2017 Brut Nature , an easy, enjoyable sipping wine.   The description provided by the winemaker captures our experience with the wine and follows in italics .   “Made principally from aged reserve wines and wines from 2017, a balanced proportion of 1/2 Pinot and 1/2 Chardonnay, a soft effervescence, and no dosage creates a distinct character in this Brut Nature.   The bouquet displays subtle notes of field flowers, Bartlett pear, and citrus zest.   The palate, elegant and precise, with over three years aging, has developed a softer style hinting at mature acidity, with a crisp, dry finish.   Technical Data: Varietals: 55% Chardonnay, 22% Pinot Noir, 23% Pinot Meunier, 274 Cases Produced, 3+ years aging sur lie, Disgorged 10.14.21, Alcohol 12.5%, pH 3.15, TA 9.21 g/l, Dosage 0 g/

  We are over-stocked with sparkling wine, so we decided to try to have a sparkling wine apéritif before dinner.  So today, we poured a Sparkling Pointe 2017 Blanc De Blancs wine, a fine opener for any meal; light and creamy with just the right amount of acid to excite the palate for dinner to follow (Fig 01).   The best description of the wine is directly from the Sparkling Pointe winemaker notes in italics, along with some of the technical information about the wine.   “Of a bright gold color, this sparkling wine presents floral aromas of tree blossoms with notes of green apple and melon.   Flavors of lemon zest and doughy characters add to its crisp mineral edge.   Aged for 3 years on its fine yeast lees, its toasty flavors enhance its creaminess to the palate.   Striking in acidity and dry in style, it finishes elegantly on a lemon rind and biscuit note.   Technical Data: Varietal: 100% Chardonnay, 453 Cases Produced 3 years aging sur lie, Disgorged 4.15.21, Alcohol 12.5%, pH 3.

  A week later, we are back on the road again to grab lunch, explore a new winery and ranch then do two pickups.  Four stops and 183 miles later, we had delicious lunch and lots of wine to replenish our stock (Fig 00).  The first stop was at Barrow Food House , a wonderful place to have lunch, which we found, through Sparkling Pointe Vineyard .   A few weeks ago, Barrow Food House provided the Lobster Roll to the Sparkling Pointe Lobster Roll , North Fork Potato Chip , and Pearl Street Caviar pairing event at the end of August.   The Lobster roll (Fig 01) was so good that we needed to come and check out Barrow Food House , and it did not disappoint with a detailed posting to follow (Fig 02).      The next stop was a quick pickup at Terra Vite Vineyards , which we had missed the week before (Fig 03).   The next was a duel stop for a wine tasting (Fig 04) and to acquire a block of fresh free-range grass feed beef from a long Island Ranch (Fig 05).   Yes, Long Island has had cattle r

  Sunday was perfect for a relaxed lunch at Sparkling Pointe (Fig 01, 02, 03).   We booked a Lobster Roll and chips pairing event with two friends at Sparkling Pointe Vineyards for the day that included a combination of a full tasting, pairing, and lunch in one sitting.   We opened with three tastings paired with a selection of North Fork Potato Chips , followed by a Lobster roll from Barrow Food House paired with a different sparkling wine and Pearl Street Caviar (Fig 04). The idea of pairing sparkling wine with Potato chips was new to me, and I was pleasantly surprised at how well the combination works together.   First up was a Sparkling Pointe 2018 Brut matched with Original Plain North fork Potato Chips (Fig 05).   The 2018 Brut blended Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier to produce a crisp, clean feel, with notes of lemon and apple that paired very well with the plain chips.   Next was a 2016 Reserve Blanc de Blanc teamed up with the North Fork Potato Chip – Sweet

  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

  Sparkling Pointe has announced its upcoming event for the rest of the summer and the fall.   Two events remain in August (Fig 01), one in September and the last in October (Fig 02).   The events start with a classic Sparkling Wine and Cheese pairing (Sun 21 AUG 2022) followed by a Lobster Roll event (Sun 28 AUG 2022), a Vintners Harvest Dinner (Sun 18 Sept 2022), and far from last, a Local Oyster Showcase (Sun 02 Oct 2022).   It all looks to be a fantastic day at the winery.   We just scored five tickets to the upcoming North Fork Lobster Roll & Potato Chip Wine Pairing event in a few weeks.   The event starts with something different, a trio of sparkling wines paired with three different North Fork Potato Chips .   The Sparkling & Chips is followed by a Lobster roll from Barrows Food House paired with the Sparkling Pointe Topaz Imp é rial Brut Ros é.   One additional option is to add Pearl Street Ossetra Caviar to round out the tasting experience.   Reservations for the L

  Stop number three on the #northforkwinetrail is at Sparkling Pointe for a six-pack of bubbly (Fig 01).   The selection is the default for the June club, but substitutions are allowed.   In this case, however, the selection includes many of my favorites, therefore is no need to swap out any.   Sparkling Pointe website provided winemaker notes and technical details for all the wines except for the Carnaval Rouge.   The sparkling wine in pickup includes 2017 Brut Nature (Fig 02), 2012 Brut Seduction (Fig 03), 2016 Seduction Reserve Blanc De Blancs (Fig 04), 2019 Topaz Imp é rial Ros é (Fig 05), Carnaval Rouge (Fig 06), and a 2018 Cuv é e Carnaval Ros é (Fig 07). #longislandwineries #vineyardviews #wineryvibes #liwine #licharacter #longislandwine #northforkwineries #longislandwinery #longislandnorthfork #northforker #discoverlongisland #topwineries #northforkwinetrail #liwinecountry #liwine #lisustainablewinegrowers #nywinegrapefdn #nofo #sparklingpointe FIG 01 - SPARKLING POINTE

  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