LIWINEDAD

  Time to crack open some of the wine we have picked up over the last few weeks.  The summer weather is still with us, and seafood abounds, so the first choice is a Kontokosta Winery 2019 Sauvignon Blanc.  The wine is bright shimmering gold in the glass with light notes of tropical fruit on the nose (fig 01).  The subtle hint of peach and melon complimented with well-balanced acid, much less than a New Zealand Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc.  Overall, a perfect match for fresh raw oysters and clams.  For more details on how the wine came to be, see the winemaker note (Fig 02).  #longislandwineries #vineyardviews #wineryvibes #liwine #licharacter #longislandwine #northforkwineries #longislandwinery #longislandnorthfork #northforker #discoverlongisland #topwineries #northforkwinetrail #liwinecountry #liwine #lisustainablewinegrowers #nywinegrapefdn #nofo #kontokostawinery FIG 01 - KONTOKOSTA WINERY 2019 SAUVIGNON 15 SEPT 2022 FIG 02 - KONTOKOSTA WINERY 2019 SAUVIGNON WINEMAKER NOTES

  We continue to enjoy the wine we collected over the past few years and rotate older vintages up from the cellar.  Fortunately, we are long on sparkling wine inventory, so we continue the new tradition of having a post-General Hospital/pre-dinner aperitif of Sparkling wine.  Exploring the cellar, one of the older bottles of Sparkling wine is from Lieb Cellars .   The sparkling wine is a 2011 Reserve Sparkling Pinot Blanc ; after dusting it off , the bottle was in excellent condition.  Surprisingly, the cork held all this time and opened with the classic sparkling wine pop.  2011 Reserve Sparkling Pinot Blanc is impressive; we had a 2013 a few weeks ago that was fine, but to find a bottle 11 years old in the cellar and still in excellent condition is remarkable.  The Pinot Blanc filled the glass with good effervescence and finished with a rich, full head, better than the 2013 Sparkling Pinot Blanc.  The nose is crisp with notes of toast, citrus, and green apple with a pale golden color

  Channing Daughters Winery is one of the few wineries on the South Fork of Long Island.  However, it is genuinely an outstanding winery for growing unique varieties of grapes and some very distinguished wines.  The fall wine club is two bottles (Fig 01), one white and one orange spanning nine grape varietals with seven in each wine.  Our 2018 Meditazione is comprised of 45% Chardonnay, 40% Sauvignon Blanc, 10% Tocai Friulano, 4% Pinot Grigio, and 1% Muscat Ottonel. The Heart is made from 29% Muscat Ottonel, 21% Chardonnay, 20% Pinot Grigio, 18% Tocai Friulano, 6% Gewurztraminer, 5% Pinot Bianco and 1% Malvasia.  The heart is bottled with 12 different labels from 12 artists.  Both wines have a rich and complex development, so the Winery should describe the wines directly.  The 2021 Heart wine is fully explained in figure 02, and the 2018 Meditazione is in figure 03.  The wines look fascinating, and we look forward to trying them shortly.  #longislandwineries #vineyardviews #wineryvi

  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.

  Not all our wine clubs are pick-up in person, but some are delivered; such is the case with Kontokosta Winery .  While Kontokosta is the most distance from us, the beauty of the place and the view over the sound is well worth a few extra miles, and we will need to change from delivery to pick-up.  The menu for the three-pack of goodness consisted of 2021 Sauvignon Blanc, 2021 white Merlot, and a 2018 Cabernet Franc Reserve (Fig 01).  Based on past vintages, all three are fun, enjoyable, easy-drinking wines that are perfect for a backyard Bar-B-Que with friends (Fig 02).  However, restocking will be required as the wines are daily wines that do not last long.  #longislandwineries #vineyardviews #wineryvibes #liwine #licharacter #longislandwine #northforkwineries #longislandwinery #longislandnorthfork #northforker #discoverlongisland #topwineries #northforkwinetrail #liwinecountry #liwine #lisustainablewinegrowers #nywinegrapefdn #nofo #kontokostawinery FIG 01 - KONTOKOSTA FALL CLUB

  The final stop on our pick-up run for this week was the last-minute add-on at Long Island Spirits Craft Distillery (LIV).   LIV is one of the first distillers to open (Legally) since the late 1800s on Long Island, and in keeping with the long tradition of Potato farming, the first product was Vodka.   The product line has expanded to include a collection of Bourbons, Liqueurs, and Canned Vodka Cocktails .   LIV believes in Farm to Bottle producing sustainably grown beverages.   The tasting room is up a flight of stairs built into the hay loft of an old, refurbished barn with a large balcony overlooking the potato fields (Fig 01).   Today was a restocking pick-up of LIV Vodka , Rough Rider Cask Strength Bourbon , and Rough Rider Straight Bourbon Whiskey Brandy Cask finished (Fig 02).  The tasting room is a tasting room with a long list of flights available (Fig 03) and an impressive Cocktail menu (Fig 04).  The bourbons are all fine sipping bourbons, and multiple revisits will be re