LIWINEDAD

  Today’s Wölffer Estate wine was included as part of the March 2022 Club shipment and is very different and unique from the traditional Merlot than was expected.   The Wölffer Estate Lorena 2010 is a 100% Merlot from the Long Island AVA .  The wine is described by Wölffer as made from Partially Dried Grapes (think raisins), has a remarkably different flavor profile than a Long Island Merlot, and is much closer to an Amarone.  The Lorena 2010 presents in the glass with dark opaque red color with a slight fringe of brown (Figure 1).  The nose is rich with the scent of raisins, prunes, and a hint of overripe plums.  Gone are the classic Merlot notes of Bramble, red cherry, or hints of baker’s chocolate.  The mouthfeel is full and rich with well-structured velvety tannins and a bright spark of acid.  Instead, the Lorena 2010 presents the traditional rich dark fruit flavors of a fine Amarone and high alcohol content (16.2% ABV).  The technical data sheet from Wölffer describes in detail

  Time for a fun, leisurely dinner at home.  This time it would be Jo’s Salsa chicken paired with some wine.   The wine we selected is a recent acquisition from the new EV & EM Vineyards we visited about a week ago.   We tried the wine at the Vineyard and brought home a bottle of the 2019 ev & em2 Gewürztraminer .   The flavor profile of this wine was markedly different from the experience at the Vineyard, maybe due to the missing scent of fresh paint in the air.   We served the Gewürztraminer well chilled at about 40 ⁰ F and without decanting (Figure 1).   The color in the glass is shimmering light gold and absent any legs.   The nose is remarkably different than at the tasting room, with no notes of Lychee but more intense floral notes of Honeysuckle and rose.   The mouthfeel is medium-low acid and off-dry perfect to pair with the spicy Salsa chicken.   The palate also shifted from Grapefruit to more Tangerine with ginger on the finish.   The Gewürztraminer we paired wi

  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

  Today we uncorked a Roanoke Vineyards - 2020 Sauvignon Blanc .  The wine expresses what Long Island can do with the Sauvignon Blanc grape.  The Sauvignon Blanc appears as a shimmering pale yellow with no noticeable legs (Figure 1).  The nose is very forward herbaceous notes of fresh-cut grass, asparagus, and the well-defined presence of Grapefruit.  Bursting out with very bright acidity and moderate alcohol defines this Sauvignon Blanc on the palate.  Ever present is Grapefruit with just a hit of mango.  The overall feel is sharp, clean, and crisp with a short finish.  The only thing missing was a dozen or so Blue Point Oysters fresh from the Peconic waters.  The 2020 Sauvignon Blanc will make a perfect summer afternoon on the rear deck even better.  FIG 1 - ROANOKE 2020 SAUVIGNON BLANC 12 MAR 2022

  One of the first EV & EM Vineyards wines produced under their label is the ev & em 2 cf19 cabernet franc, a 2019 Cabernet Franc.      The flavor profile and enjoyment of wines are as much about what is in the bottle as the context in which it is drunk.   A few weeks ago, we had the opportunity to try a tasting of the Cabernet Franc while the renovations are in progress at EV & EM.   The bottle had been opened and used several times for the tasting, taking care to vacuum-preserve the wine between pours.   The multiple openings combined with the scent of fresh paint in the air contributed to a different profile.   While still very good, the tasting at home was even better.   In the home environment, the bottle was tapped using an Argon gas-based preservation system, and the wine was allowed about 30 minutes to breathe and develop in the glass Figure 1).   As was the case at the winery tasting, the nose bursts forth with the fruit of strawberry, bramble, and some Raspb

  The Wölffer Estate Grand Prix Club March 2022 arrived today with six bottles of goodness (Figure 1).   Today’s selection included 2020 Perle Chardonnay (2), 2020 S é millon (2), 2021 Estate Ros é , and a 2010 Lorena (Merlot).  Each looks to be a fascinating wine, and we will be trying each over the next few weeks with a posting to follow.  However, in the meantime, the Wölffer Estate tasting notes are attached to provide a bit of tantalizing intrigue while awaiting the actual tastings (Figure 2).  Of particular note is 2010 Lorena Merlot, which is well-aged and should show remarkably well and required additional comment in the introduction to this month’s wine club letter (Figure 3). FIG 1 - WOLFFER ESTATE MARCH 2022 CLUB 12 MAR 2022 FIG 2 - WOLFFER MARCH 2022 CLUB WINES FIG 3 - WOLFFER MARCH 2022 CLUB INTRODUCTION

  We were looking for a local place for dinner and landed on a relatively new place named Anthony’s Kitchen & Cocktails in Belmore.   It is on the Northside of Merrick Rd . next to Oz General Contracting, replacing the Morpheus Greek restaurant (Figure 1).   The inside is modest and still has the Greek Restaurant vibe, a fun family place (Figure 2).   We opened with a round of drinks which included a fine Cosmopolitan and a Woodford Reserve ™ on the rocks; both were generous pours (Figure 3).   The cocktail and wine menu is a deep list of the classic drinks and a good selection of wine both by the glass and bottle.   The prices were remarkably moderate.   The beverage menu should be added to their website, allowing folks to map out what they will be enjoying that night.   The food menu is straightforward, with a broad selection of traditional Italian favorites (Figure 4).    For starters, we had the Shrimp Cocktail and Grandma’s Meatball.   The Shrimp Cocktail consisted of five