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Business & Tech

Corks of the Forks: August Releases from LI Wineries

Here's a look at the wines released by local wineries in August.

Clovis Point 2009 Tank Fermented Chardonnay ($17.50)

Fresh and lively from a top white wine vintage, this steel-fermented white is a blend of 97% chardonnay and 3% sauvignon blanc, which brings subtle aromatic interest. According to the winery, it has "Bright, clean flavors and aromas of ripe peach and golden apples make this wine fruit driven and refreshing."

Clovis Point 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon ($27.50)

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Winemaker John Leo blended 81% cabernet sauvignon with 15% merlot and 4% cabernet franc for this cool vintage red that he describes as "sumptuous" and offering "concentrated blackberry and black fig aromas with nuances of leather and smoke" with "ripe tannins and fresh acidity."

Lenz Winery 2005 Cuvée ($35)

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Lenz's winemaker Eric Fry makes many of the region's top sparkling wines and this cuvée is always classy and delicious. According to the winery, this vintage is "crisp and refreshingly dry" with "bright flavors of white and red cherry lead on to a long finish with hints of lime zest and white peach."

Lenz Winery 2008 Old Vines Chardonnay ($25)

Fry has a way with chardonnay, particularly with "Old Vines" bottling, which is always barrel fermented and rich without being heavy. He describes this vintage as "elegant...with buttery textures, notes of apple, pear and fig."

Lenz Winery 2009 Pinot Gris ($25)

This second release of Pinot Gris from Lenz is decidedly unlike your average pinot grigio. It's richer and more intense, with flavors the winery describes as "bright with white cherry notes and a dry finish with a medium body and mouthfeel."

Martha Clara Vineyards 2010 Riesling ($20)

Made with fruit grown on Seneca Lake in the Finger Lakes, this wine recently won the Governor's Cup at the 2011 New York Wine & Food Classic — meaning it was chosen as the best single wine out of several hundred tasted there. I don't put much weight behind most awards, but this is a delicious riesling with gobs of Finger Lakes character — lemon-lime citrus, lime blossom and flinty slate nuance. There is subtle residual sugar here but it is balanced by fresh acidity.

2008 Cabernet Franc ($23)

 Winemaker Roman Roth, who always makes terroir- and season-driven cab franc, describes this red this way: "The nose is filled with wonderful aromas of cassis, toasty cedar and black cherry. The elegant mouth-feel has a delicate balance of ripe fruit notes, cassis, and hints of bell pepper, with well-integrated oak. The finish is classic cabernet franc — fruit driven with a fine ripe tannin structure. This is a beautiful wine that is well-focused and very food-friendly.

2008 "Lambardo" Merlot ($35)

After skipping the 2006 and 2007 vintages (the juice went into other wines) "Lambardo" is back, and if the 2008 is anywhere near as good as the 2005, it's a terrific value.

I haven't tasted it yet, but Roth calls this wine "aromatic, with cassis, prunes, toasted oak and hints of licorice" with a "classic and elegant" mouth-feel showing "ripe, lush fruit is layered with fine, ripe tannins, dark chocolate, cedar and mocha."

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