TN: Dog birthday party with Long Island Merlot (plus 08 QbA)
 

While Betsy made a caesar salad, we sipped a glass of the 2008 Loosen
"Dr L" Riesling. Lots of lime, fairly sweet, tangy acids. Fairly
simple, but satisfying $8 wine! B-/B

We lugged our salad, some applesauce, and our hound to friends who
were celebrating their spaniel's birthday (hey, she came to Lucy's
party). The dogs enjoyed bones, the people enjoyed stuffed pork chops,
potatoes, salad, etc. I had also carried the 2001 The Old Field
Merlot*(North Fork). Black plummy fruit, a little smoke meets vanilla
oak note, medium acidity. There's a little pruney edge on the finish
that says drink up, but overall a nice enough wine. The issue (as
always with me and NY wines) is value, at $19 it has tough competition
from less expensive Bordeaux and New World merlots. B-

There was also a Zardetto prosecco, dependable as always.


Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an
excellent*wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I
wouldn't*drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I
offer no*promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of
consistency.**

TN: Dog birthday party with Long Island Merlot (plus 08 QbA)
 

On Jan 31, 9:52*am, DaleW > wrote:
> While Betsy made a caesar salad, we sipped a glass of the 2008 Loosen
> "Dr L" Riesling. Lots of lime, fairly sweet, tangy acids. Fairly
> simple, but satisfying $8 wine! B-/B
>
> We lugged our salad, some applesauce, and our hound to friends who
> were celebrating their spaniel's birthday (hey, she came to Lucy's
> party). The dogs enjoyed bones, the people enjoyed stuffed pork chops,
> potatoes, salad, etc. I had also carried the 2001 The Old Field
> Merlot*(North Fork). Black plummy fruit, a little smoke meets vanilla
> oak note, medium acidity. There's a little pruney edge on the finish
> that says drink up, but overall a nice enough wine. The issue (as
> always with me and NY wines) is value, at $19 it has tough competition
> from less expensive Bordeaux and New World merlots. B-
>
> There was also a Zardetto prosecco, dependable as always.
>
> Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an
> excellent*wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I
> wouldn't*drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I
> offer no*promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of
> consistency.**

I meant to put an additional disclaimer here, the owners of The Old
Field are old friends, though I haven't seen in several years, so you
can factor that in on notes.

TN: Dog birthday party with Long Island Merlot (plus 08 QbA)
 

On Jan 31, 9:52�am, DaleW > wrote:
> While Betsy made a caesar salad, we sipped a glass of the 2008 Loosen
> "Dr L" Riesling. Lots of lime, fairly sweet, tangy acids. Fairly
> simple, but satisfying $8 wine! B-/B
>
> We lugged our salad, some applesauce, and our hound to friends who
> were celebrating their spaniel's birthday (hey, she came to Lucy's
> party). The dogs enjoyed bones, the people enjoyed stuffed pork chops,
> potatoes, salad, etc. I had also carried the 2001 The Old Field
> Merlot�(North Fork). Black plummy fruit, a little smoke meets vanilla
> oak note, medium acidity. There's a little pruney edge on the finish
> that says drink up, but overall a nice enough wine. The issue (as
> always with me and NY wines) is value, at $19 it has tough competition
> from less expensive Bordeaux and New World merlots. B-
>
> There was also a Zardetto prosecco, dependable as always.
>
> Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an
> excellent�wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I
> wouldn't�drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I
> offer no�promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of
> consistency.��

I have the same issue with Ohio wines. There a few pretty good
representative Vinifera wines made in both the Lake area and down
along the Ohio River Valley but from a price standpoint they are quite
pricey from $20-$30 and for the money there are better values to be
had from France, Spain and Italy.

TN: Dog birthday party with Long Island Merlot (plus 08 QbA)
 

On Jan 31, 12:20*pm, "Bi!!" > wrote:
> On Jan 31, 9:52 am, DaleW > wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > While Betsy made a caesar salad, we sipped a glass of the 2008 Loosen
> > "Dr L" Riesling. Lots of lime, fairly sweet, tangy acids. Fairly
> > simple, but satisfying $8 wine! B-/B
>
> > We lugged our salad, some applesauce, and our hound to friends who
> > were celebrating their spaniel's birthday (hey, she came to Lucy's
> > party). The dogs enjoyed bones, the people enjoyed stuffed pork chops,
> > potatoes, salad, etc. I had also carried the 2001 The Old Field
> > Merlot (North Fork). Black plummy fruit, a little smoke meets vanilla
> > oak note, medium acidity. There's a little pruney edge on the finish
> > that says drink up, but overall a nice enough wine. The issue (as
> > always with me and NY wines) is value, at $19 it has tough competition
> > from less expensive Bordeaux and New World merlots. B-
>
> > There was also a Zardetto prosecco, dependable as always.
>
> > Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an
> > excellent wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I
> > wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I
> > offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of
> > consistency.
>
> I have the same issue with Ohio wines. *There a few pretty good
> representative Vinifera wines made in both the Lake area and down
> along the Ohio River Valley but from a price standpoint they are quite
> pricey from $20-$30 and for the money there are better values to be
> had from France, Spain and Italy.

That's why many/most NY wineries depend mostly on tasting room sales,
where people are caught up in the moment.