Well Stated: Empire Cellars Debuts

Someone wise once quipped that there was nothing so great as an idea whose time has come. Empire State Cellars has proven the point well.

Gift packs and accessories greet you at the entrance

For the uninitiated, Empire State Cellars is the name of the recent wine store that opened last week at Tanger Outlet Center in Riverhead, where rack after rack are filled with wines and spirits produced exclusively in the state of New York. The brainchild of Jim Silver, General Manager at Peconic Bay Winery, along with winery owners Paul and Ursula Lowerre who financed the creation of Empire State Cellars, the ample store is chock a block with terrific bottlings from wineries on the North and South Forks of Long Island, the Finger Lakes region and the Hudson Valley.

The impressive Wall of Wine at Empire State Cellars

More than 150 New York wineries are represented and, at present, about 400 bottlings of wines and spirits can be found. Silver reports that he hopes to boost the number up to 600 and beyond before too long and increase the number of New York wineries the store stocks to nearly 200.

Wall of Fame portraits of winemakers, vineyard managers and owners

 Apart from the massive wall of wines that flanks the left side of the store, with floating racks and tables situated throughout the space, there is a tasting bar and Silver is bringing in a large communal wood table with seating as well. On the green colored walls adjacent to the tasting bar is an ersatz "wall of fame" that showcases blow-up portraits of seminal New York winemakers, vineyard managers and winery owners. Included in the portraits are Pindar founder Dr. Herodotus "Dan" Damianos, Bedell Cellars winemaker Richard Olsen-Harbich, Paumanok's Charles and Ursula Massoud, and Lenz winemaker Eric Fry, among others.  Eventually Silver says he hopes to represent as many New York wine personalities as the wall will hold.

 A rare 10-year vertical of Riesling from Peconic Bay Winery

An unabashed oenophile and thoroughly knowledgeable wine enthusiast, Silver has methodically selected some interesting and rare bottlings.  For anyone looking to immerse themselves in the world of fine wine made in New York, Empire State Cellars offers ample opportunity. There are offbeat varietals such as Vignoles, Lemberger and Blaufrankisch represented (Hudson, Finger Lakes and Long Island respectively) along with a vertical bottling of Peconic Bay Winery Riesling of the last decade. Also worth noting are select Pinot Noirs from the Finger Lakes and Reserve bottlings of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Meritage blends from the Hudson Valley.

Hard to find bottlings from Clovis Point and One Woman

 
There are even certain bottlings from Long Island that were new to this writer such as Coffee Pot Cellars Merlot. And did you know that the Hudson Valley produces single batch whiskey? Empire State Cellars has it. Interestingly, Silver is already thinking that if the Tanger Center store works, the Empire State Cellars idea could be duplicated elsewhere, especially at airports in the metropolitan area. Given the embarrassment of wine riches on display and for sale at Empire State Cellars, it's not much of a stretch to think we'll not see other shops popping up elsewhere before too long. Great ideas have a way of doing that.

Reaping Rich Rewards at Harvest East End II

Swarms of fruit flies notwithstanding, the sophomore Harvest East End Wine & Food Festival held under a huge tent at Mecox Farm in Bridgehampton this past saturday evening was once again a triumph in ways too numerous to list, but suffice it to say the Long Island wine community presented itself in a flattering and positive light that portends great things for the future. Plus, more than $30,000 was raised for local charities.

Grazers and imbibers under the tent at Mecox Farm in Bridgehampton

Long Island wine--especially tastings of the astonishing 2010 vintage--and local food created and served by some of the East End's most notable chefs were the star attractions, but it was the gathering itself that brought smiles to the huge crowds in attendance. The sense of community and cohesion wrought by the weekend-long Harvest East End events is easily the best thing that has ever been created for a wine and food community growing by leaps and bounds despite a sluggish economy and consumers still worried about their future. But none of this really mattered on this weekend--this was a time to rejoice, share gossip and laughter, learn about all things wine and food and just enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.

 Bedell's "Gallery" Chardonnay, consistently one of Long Island's best

Virtually all of the nearly 50 Long Island wineries were represented at the Festival and some of the area's best young local restaurant chefs were on hand to personally serve oversized "bites" of their specialty dishes, most of which were made with locally sourced seafood, cheeses, vegetables, lettuces and, in at least one case, beef. How terrific is it to walk around with a generous pour of Channing Daughters' well upholstered 2010 Lagrein, McCall's rambunctious new Pinot Noir Rose and Bedell's rich and buttery "Gallery" Chardonnay while pairing it with a roasted tomato and beet soup, ricotta tartlet or fluke crudo? Some thoughtful wineries even brought small oak casks and served tastings of their 2010 vintage with a wine thief--offering a barrel-tasting experience for the uninitated. 

 Russell McCall poured his outstanding Pinot Noir and new "Marjorie's Rose" from the Pinot Noir grape.

Celebrated winemakers like Christopher Tracey from Channning Daughters, the inestimable Roman Roth (who is largely credited as the brainchild of  Harvest East End) and Russell Hearn, star of Pellegrini and his own labels, Suhru and T'Jara and maverick Russell McCall, winemaker and pasture-raised beef purveyor, snaked through the crowded tent chatting up friends and fans and comparing notes with chefs like The Riverhead Project's Greg Ling, Southfork Kitchen's Joe Isidori, Noah's Noah Schwartz and rock & roll chef and East End elder statesman Tom Schaudel, among many others.

TRP's Greg Ling, a young chef who has winning ways with seafood and heirloom tomatoes.

Egos were checked at the door as everyone celebrated the landmark 2010 vintage and the bounty of sustainable local food sources popping up on the East End like mushrooms in a cow pasture on a dewy morning.  Perhaps best of all, the the live auction of Long Island wines and "experiences" raised $31,000 for charities such as East End Hospice, Group for the East End and the Peconic Land Trust.

The Suhru (acronym for Sue and Russell Hearn) bottlings showed the great variety in wines made on Long Island

“We are proud to be able to raise money to benefit the land, environment and people that make the East End of Long Island a great place to make wine," said Roth.  "We salute our generous auction donors and bidders, and talented auctioneer, Charles Antin.”

Seeing everyone gathered in one place and catching up, feeling good about being part of something truly special in some small way made this writer proud to call the East End home, at harvest time and throughout the calendar year.

Lunching and Learning with Giovanni Bonmartini-Fini of Barone Fini

Giovanni Bonmartini-Fini is holding court at a small round table tucked into a corner at Felidia, celebrity chef Lidia Bastianich’s swank Italian restaurant on New York’s Upper East Side.  Descended from Italian royalty--Bonmartini-Fini is actually a Count—the slim, debonair de facto head of Barone Fini, his family winery, is regaling guests on such topics as the history of Italy, true Roman cuisine and the trials and tribulations of running an international business within the parameters of Italian tax laws.

            But the last thing Bonmartini-Fini wants to talk about is ink; as in printer’s ink, a business that has successfully grown by leaps and bounds in the last decade, earning him a small fortune.  “There’s just no glamour in it,” Bonmartini-Fini confesses.  “It’s boring.”

Giovanni Bonmartini-Fini

What isn’t boring to Bonmartini-Fini is winemaking, specifically Pinot Grigio, which Barone Fini produces two: a Pinot Grigio Valdadige and a Pinot Grigio Alto Adige.  And while his winery also produces a palatable Merlot, it is the white wines that excite Bonmartini-Fini, made from relatively young vines in the Trentino region of northern Italy planted about 30 years ago.  Both Barone Fini Pinot Grigio bottlings are D.O.C, which means the wines were produced in specific regions according to traditional Italian winemaking standards.  Generally, D.O.C. is a mark of excellence and top quality. Bonmartini-Fini says the key to the complexity and complex aromas and flavors in his wines stem from the earth itself.

“Our vines are planted in dolomite gravelly soil,” says Bonmartin-Fini.  “You can actually see bits of shell in the soil from ancient sea beds that once covered the ground. Pinot Grigio requires rich, minerals in the soil, along with good drainage, but it is a sturdy and tough varietal and very forgiving of any mistreatment”

Easily one of the most interesting and complex Pinot Grigios I've ever tasted

            Though the soil in the Trentino region where Barone Fini makes its wines may be rich with minerals, and soaked with natural spring water from rains in the lofty Alto Adige, Bonmartini-Fini insists it is the clean simplicity of his Pinot Grigios, with the grapes hand picked and lightly crushed (Valdadige is fermented in stainless steel tanks, while Alto Adige sees three months of wood casks) that makes them special.

            “We’re not talking about big wines here,” he says while swirling a glass of his 2009 Pinot Grigio. “These are food wines, made to be enjoyed with food while young. I like them best when they are fresh and crisp.”

            According to Bonmartini-Fini, his Barone Fini Pinot Grigios as well as his Merlot are purposely made to be medium-bodied, without harsh tannins or high alcohol content.  He says he follows advice once given to him by a wise Italian winemaker: “Don’t let nature take control, you take control.”  And Bonmnartini-Fini, whether it’s black ink or the golden hue of his Barone Fini Pinot Grigios, is clearly in control.

Tasting Notes:

Barone Fini 2009 Pinot Grigio Valdadige

Bright and citrusy, with faint lemon/lime and floral aromas that repeat on the palate, opening to flinty, well rounded juiciness that finishes clean with a hint of lichee and green apple. Nice balance of acid to fruit.

Barone Fini 2009 Pinot Grigio Alto Adige

Zesty and unusually concentrated. Wild flowers, herbs and ripe pear aromas rise up from the glass, not unlike a fine Viognier.  On the palate are mineral and all-spice notes with a hint of raw cashews.  Medium to full-bodied, it finishes long and satisfying, with creamy lemon curd flavors. 

Barone Fini 2009 Merlot

Light to medium bodied, with a fruity, bright cherry nose. Clean and bracing on the palate, with hints of plum and cassis. Not particularly tannic but has decent structure nonetheless, with a smooth, velvety finish that brings chocolate cherry notes to the fore.