Posted from CellarTracker
It was very nice. I think there was more than just a “hint” of fruit. Every time I make it out to Paumanok, this is sold out.
How can this be? We were all told that all the wine from the Island sucks just two weeks ago.
Lots of ripe pear and green apple. It was very nice.
There was a very specific carve-out for Paumanok Chenin Blanc in that discussion.
That’s what you get when you listen to morons. I just chose not to refer to them as morons on that thread because I am trying to improve the quality of discourse.
The wines aren’t good; this thread falls into the easy rule of “if the person posting the note refers to the winemaker or proprietor by their first name, unless the wine was tasted blindly the tasting note is not to be trusted”.
Sorry, but I have served and been served the wines blind more than once and they show better when you do not know they are from Long Island, not worse.
This may or may not be true (I’ve had the wines and disliked them, but different strokes for different folks), but the principle espoused above still stands.
You sure make a lot of rules, Mr. Zylberberg. So Charles and I, and Jamie and Roy and Ed and the rest of us who personalize our businesses…and are available to our customers for discourse and dinners and personal tastings…our wines and any notes resulting from anyone who mentions us by name automatically get disregarded?
Wine rules for Dummies I guess.
It’s probabaly because he has no friends either in the wine world or out.
I wonder why. I have rocks in my back yeard with more personality than this bozo.
I’m with David on this one in substance, if not in tone. I certainly would take notes from such a context with a grain of salt.
You and I were at a blind tasting of LI wines vs Bordeaux/Cali for reds. LI wines did well.
To be honest, John, I was surprised the first time I saw “well done Merrill” in a tasting note. But I have been visible on eBob and here for 10 years, and with a name like “Merrill,” (and not Susie or Linda or Debbie as I would have preferred in elementary school), and being basically a one-woman show, I have come to feel appreciative of that personal gesture in notes on CT and the Boards.
I never set out to be Kendall-Jackson, and I am appreciative of the rapport my small business has enabled between my customers and me.
Oh yes, and I left out “Mike.” I don’t think you would be well-served to discount every note that says “Mike” about any Mike Smith wines. Mike works hard to taste with people, and they feel connected after they have done so.
And to me, that’s the way this stuff rolls.
Have you ever seen a note that said “Not a good effort by Merrill” or “I don’t like Merrill’s wines”? The point is that if you feel a sufficient connection to the winemaker or proprietor that you refer to them on a first name basis, you’re going to bend over backward to see their wines in the most positive light possible, and if you do have a bad experience you’re less likely to post about it. That’s a major reason many producers (and other businesses of all stripes) seek to make that personal connection to customers in the first place - because it’s great for business. (See, e.g., the social media efforts of damn near every consumer product these days.) Of course, sometimes the personal connection is organic and real - I suspect that’s the case with you - but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t influence the tasting experience of the folks who like you.
Now that you remind me, yes, my first OL. 2005. 42 glasses. OMG was I blitzed. If I recall, the Long Island whites did well, the reds did OK, and the “champagnes” were, to be charitable, not good.
The protocol was six glasses, three LI and three French, equal price points. Seven flights. Bubbly, two white, three red, one dessert. The tasters brought the French wines so the LI guys could not be accused of picking bad stuff. There are about 4 tables, and the wines were mixed up quite a bit. Charles Massoud, who I first met that night, was the Master of Ceremonies. I remember that my comment on one of the LI bubblies was “Cold Duck.” I also remember that I was shocked at the high quality of the LI dessert wines.
There were 11 of us at dinner last night. Everyone enjoyed the wine - points aside. As far as discrediting others - David Z seems to think way too highly of himself. Dan posted his impression. Don’t like it - move on. But to jump in (again BTW) with vitriolic and disrespectful comments - that shows a lack of basic human tact.
Ok, I tasted this wine essentially blind. I had no idea what it was and even typing this now - with Mikhail watching over my shoulder like a hawk! - I couldn’t tell you the name of the producer without checking the original post again, or anything other than that is is from Long Island and is Chenin Blanc.
Pale color, clean aroma of pretty green apple and melon, dry or pretty dry in the mouth, clean, bright and delicious.
Trust that all you like, or not. It was good quaffing white wine that I wouldn’t seek out but would happily drink again. And it makes me want to explore LI wines more than I have (which is never).
nice note. thanks
That’s a well thought out and expressed response, David. I get it. There have been reviews on CT and on eBob and here that are not as positive as I would hope to have. That goes with the territory. Not everyone likes the same wines, fortunately.
I must leave this conversation for now and get back to work. I need to write my offer letter for the 2013s, which I’ll sign, of course, “Merrill.” ![[cheers.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/0/0ff9bfcdb0964982cd3240b6159868fbdf215b1a.gif "cheers"){kind=small}