Robibero Family Vineyards 2009 Riesling

Robibero Family Vineyards / R Winery  is the newest vineyard/winery in the Hudson Valley.    I recently purchased their Riesling and brought it down to a friends boat.  This wine made for a perfect boating wine!

The color was a nice light straw with a nose of strong grapefruit and pear.  Crispy flavors of pear, grapefruit, lime and green apple make this a very enjoyable wine.  The wine ends with a lime finish that was consistent throughout the tasting.

As the wine warmed up the pear is really strong on the front as it leads into a white grapefruit mid taste and a lime finish.

This wine is available from the winery for $16.99.

Oak Summit Cab Franc Harvest

Oak Summit Cab Franc

This past weekend Oak Summit harvested their Cab Franc.  Personally I thought it was to early to harvest that variety.  I guess I was incorrect.  The brix number coming in at 23.6, pH 3.6, TA 7 g/l  Considering the next few days of rain...well maybe they were best picked when they were? 


John Bruno - Owner of Oak Summit told me "Flavors were phenomenal, and we are all glad we choose to harvest before this week of 5 days of rain. Who knows, there may be another 5 days of rain after that."

Hudson Valley Chardonnay Crush

Michael Migliore of Whitecliff Vineyard & Winery recently processed a few tons of Chardonnay he received from the vineyard in Hudson, New York.  This vineyard sits on the banks of the Hudson and has it's own micro climate. The grapes looked great and the juice was mighty tasty!

A Day of Harvesting at Oak Summit Vineyard

Oak Summit Vineyard is located in Millbrook NY just of Route 82, owned by John and Nancy Bruno.  John sent me a note and told me he was harvesting his Chardonnay on Saturday and invited me for lunch.  When John invites you to lunch you don't say no.

John grows Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc.  He keeps the Pinot Noir for himself and I must say he makes one of the finest Hudson Valley Pinot Noirs around  He has a total of 6 acres devoted to vines - 1.5 Pinot Noir, 3 Chardonnay and 1.5 Cabernet Franc.

The Pinot Noir was picked on September 15.  It came in with brix of 24, pH of 3.2 and TA of 8g/L.  It's going to make a wonderful wine.  The Chardonnay harvested on Saturday came in at 23.5 Brix, 3.25pH and TA of 8g/L.   The Cabernet Franc is still hanging on the vine.

So what does John do with the Cab Franc and Chard.  Well...the Chardonnay was sold to Millbrook Vineyards.  You will find these grapes in the Proprietor's Special Reserve Chardonnay.  The Cabernet Franc was purchased this year by Tousey Winery in Germantown NY. Tousey is a fairly new winery in the Hudson Valley.  Their tasting room should be opening sometime this fall from what I am told.

John told me this year's harvest was remarkable because it was so early.  He said it was perfect, text-book weather that contributed to high sugars and great acid balance at an earlier date than anyone can remember.

Here are pictures of the vineyards, property, harvest, lunch and road leading up to the vineyard.  If you know  John, you will be laughing at the road signs on the climb. Just remember to duck... Enjoy...

Happy Birthday to Me - Today is really my Birthday

Today is my Birthday. What will I be drinking, I have no idea.  I signed up for the Society of Wine Educators Certified Specialist of Wine Course and the first meeting is tonight at the Westchester Wine School in Rye, NY a good 1 1/4 hour drive.  People do this drive every day, so once a week shouldn't be that bad. It will make for a long day.

I am looking forward to the course but attending on my birthday.....well....so much for a nice dinner and bottle to celebrate.  

So Ned make first day of the course a good experience!  I'll be spending the next 10 Wednesday evenings with you.

Punching Down the Cap

Punching down the Foch

Yesterday I was at Whitecliff Vineyards as they were crushing Chardonnay they received from the vineyard in Hudson NY. While there they did put me to work punching down the cap.  What is punching down the cap?

After red grapes are destemmed they are put into large fermentation containers, yeast is added and fermentation begins. As a result of the carbon dioxide that is produced as the yeast consumes the sugars in the must (juice) the skins and seeds rise to the top. The skins and seeds contribute phenolic compounds to the wine.  Phenolic compounds contributed are color, tannins, structure, and resvertrol.  In order for this contribution to happen the skins and seeds must be in contact with the must.

Punching down the cap happens every 4 to 6 hours or so.  As the wine ferments and the cap gets punched down it gets easier.  The first day or so of the punch down is tough.   When you stick the pitch fork into the cap it's like cutting trying to get a knife through an ice cream cake you just took out of the freezer.  You punch down in a pattern to get all areas.  As you break through the cap, it does get easier.  As the days go by and the wine ferments the cap does get softer.

Punching down the cap is a great way to build those upper arm muscles!

Another Find - Whitecliff 2004 Cabernet Franc

Whitecliff 2004 Cab Franc 

Boy the things I find in my wine cellar. Recently searching for a Hudson Valley Cabernet to drink on #Cabernet day I came across a 2004 Whitecliff Vineyards Cabernet Franc. Couldn't have found a better wine to pair with the hanger steak.

When you find wine like that in your cellar you often wonder if it will still be good or if it's past its peak.  Well I am happy to say this was at its peak.

On the bouquet was cherry, cigar and a hint of alcohol.  The taste: bright cherry giving way to black cherry, hint of cranberry and a white pepper finish.  It was a very well balanced wine.

I did have this with a cheese I picked up at the Arlington Farmers Market.  A Haseholm Caource Cheese from a new cheese vendor.  When this wine was tasted after eating this cheese, it brought out a maraschino cherry flavor to the wine.

Unfortunately I can't say where you can get this wine, because I think I was the only one that still had a bottle.

Hudson Valley Wine Fest Recap

It was an exhausting weekend at the Hudson Valley Wine Fest.  The crowds were great both days.  It was nice to see so many Hudson Valley wineries attending this year. There were many that were first time attendees.

Craig from Palaia Vineyards (1st time at festival)

There was some great food at the festival too.  Unfortunately when I went to try the "inside out" meatballs from Savonas they were all out.  I guess they were a popular so I settled for the crab cake from Twisted Soul which was delicious.

crab cake from Twisted Soul

There were many good wines from both the Hudson Valley and the Finger Lakes to taste.  When you attend festivals like these, you can't forget about your four legged family members you leave home to guard your home.  I brought my dog home a bag of dog treats that she absolutely loves.  In fact the dog treats are in the shape of a wine bottle.  A little wine for me and a wine treat for the dog.

Here is a video recap of the festival.

A stop at Bashakill Vineyards

Basha Kill - The area between the Shawangunks and the Catskills, flowing south from Summitville to join the Neversink below the wetlands and onto the Delaware.  In this tiny micro climate we find Bashakill Vineyards

We stopped at BashaKill on our way to Bethel Woods for a concert.  The vineyard is located just as you cross into Sullivan County from Orange County on Route 17. I was at BaskaKill last year and did a series of interviews with Paul Deninno, owner and winemaker.(click here to view them).  It was nice to visit again and see the progress Paul has made.

Unfortunately Paul was not there as he had a wedding to attend, but his brother-in-law did a great job filling in.  They are growing nicely and have increased production from 1000 cases last year to 2000 cases this year.    

We began the tasting with their 2009 Estate White Tail.  This was made from their first full crop of organically grown Cayuga White grapes and is a sparkling wine.  On the nose I smelled lots of yeast.  I found this slightly sweet and grapey. It retails for $22.

Next we tasted 2009 Barn Owl which is made with Gewurztraminer.  It had nice balance and spice.  Retails for $15.   Then we moved onto the reds.

2009 Dragonfly made from Lemberger grapes.  I have to admit, Lemberger is my least favorite but Paul did a great job with this wine.  I was not overcome by bacon or bologna which is what personally turns me off to this wine. The flavors were mild and had soft tannins.  This wine sells for $14.

Now the Cab Franc - 2009 Black Bear.  This is made from 100% Cabernet Franc and aged for 10 months in medium toast American Oak barrels.  I did get a slight bell pepper on the nose along with some oak and cherry.  The wine had notes of bright cherry, black currant, vanilla and a hint of raspberry. I think this wine along with the next would benefit with aging a few years. This wine sells for $15

The last wine we tasted was the 2009 Coyote.  This is made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon.  It has a very earthy nose that comes into hints of black cherry.  The wine had flavors of black currant, cherry and black pepper on the finish.  This wine would also benefit with some aging.  It sells for $15 in the tasting room.

If you are driving up or down Route 17, I suggest a stop at BashaKill Vineyards.  Paul has music on the weekends, so pack a picnic and relax.  Also just across the street is the BashaKill Management Area.  Don't forget to take a walk down there and see some of the wildlife and learn about the BashaKill.

Hudson Valley Harvest Update

Harvest has begun and is in full swing here in the Hudson Valley.  August 25th began the harvest when Clinton Vineyards harvested their Seyval. (click here for video)

Baco Noir at Slate Hill Vineyards @ Benmarl Winery

Just about one week later Benmarl Winery harvested 4 tons of their Baco Noir at Slate Hill Vineyards. Brix at 22.5


Sunday, Benmarl Winery harvested their Seyval from their Ridge Road Vineyard.

Meanwhile up the road at Glorie Farm Winery, they were harvesting Seyval and processing Leon Millot.

Seyval harvested at Glorie Farm Winery

Hudson Valley Wine Festival

This weekend is the Hudson Valley Wine Festival at the Dutchess County Fair Grounds in Rhinebeck NY.   I will be there at the Hudson Valley Wine Country booth so please stop by and say hello.

The Hudson Valley Wine Festival is a great event.  There are wineries from the Finger Lakes and Hudson Valley that attend this festival. There is a nice variety of wines to taste and non wine vendors to purchase early Christmas presents from.

Visit these Hudson Valley Wineries at the festival:

• Brotherhood, America's Oldest Winery
• Brimstone Hill Vineyard
• Brookview Station
• Cascade Mountain Winery
• Cereghino Smith Winery
• El Paso Winery
• Glorie Farm Winery
• Palaia Vineyards
• Pazdar Winery
• Warwick Valley Winery
• Whitecliff Vineyard & Winery (be nice to my daughter, their cashier for the event - wish her Happy Birthday, her B-day is Monday)

Some of my favorite Finger Lakes Wineries to visit are:

• Atwater
• Hazlitt (ok, my mother-in-law loves their Red Cat, but I like their vinifera wines)
• Heron Hill Winery
• McGregor Winery
• Swedish Hill (actually they won the Governor's Cup - so see if they have their Riesling Sparkling wine to taste)

Tickets to the festival are $30 and there is a $50 two day ticket available.  You can purchase tickets at http://hudsonvalleywinefest.com/tickets.htm .  I hope to see some of you at the event.

Magic on the Green featuring Brotherhood Wine

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Dutchess County (a program of Dutchess County Community Action Partnership) will be holding an event "Magic on the Green" Saturday September 11, 2010. If you like golf, food and wine this event is something you may want to check out.

The event will feature wine from Brotherhood, America's Oldest  Winery, golf clinic from 5p-6p and a silent auction featuring art created by the "littles" as they are called as well as local artists.

Event tickets are $30 and $50 if you want to attend the golf clinic. The event runs from 6pm - 9pm. Tickets can be purchased at http://magiconthegreen.eventbrite.com/ and must be purchased in advance.

Golf, food and wine to benefit Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Dutchess County.  A wonderful organization mentoring children and making a difference in their lives.

Lost & Found - Whitecliff 2003 Sky Island

Search and you never know what you will find.  Recently while searching in my wine cellar for a nice red to have I came across and oldie - well not that old, but old enough - 7 years a 2003 Whitecliff Vineyards & Winery Sky Island Red. I didn't even realize I had a local wine that old in the house.  Quite honestly I was wondering how well it was holding up.

I contacted Michael Migliore the winemaker to tell him of my find and ask what was in the blend.  I know this particular wine of theirs is their Bordeaux blend.  This wine is blended with 78% Cabernet Sauvignon from Ackerman Vineyards in Long Island, 6% Whitecliff Vineyard Hudson Valley Merlot and 6% Whitcliff Vineyards Hudson Valley Cabernet Franc.

With no expectations I opened the bottle.  I was shocked to find aromas of bright bing cherry, vanilla and wet tobacco once I got past the earthiness.  On the taste was dark fruit and black cherry with a hint of plum. It had a quick cherry finish.

I was quite surprised at how nicely this wine did  age.