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Wölffer Estate Challenges Bordeaux to a DuelWith the Launch of Premier Cru 2000
With the release of Premier Cru, which has a suggested retail price of $100, Wölffer has not only raised the quality bar for Long Island and East Coast wineries but has also offered a challenge to Bordeaux. The launch at Daniel featured a blind tasting, conducted by Christian Wölffer, owner of the winery, Winemaker Roman Roth, and Jean-Louis Mandrau, a consultant to Wölffer Estate and former winemaker at Château Latour in Bordeaux. Wölffer’s Director of Marketing & Sales, Eric Weiss, acted as emcee. Wine professionals and media tasted the 2000 Premier Cru next to 1998 Château Angélus ($140, Parker rating: 93) and the “garagiste” 1999 Château Peby Faugères ($90, Parker rating: 94). The exercise was not to determine the “best,” but rather to see if the guests could identify the wine from Long Island. Only one-third of the attendees—to the surprise of the rest—voted correctly, proving that Premier Cru, crafted a mere 90 miles from the heart of Manhattan, is of comparable quality to some of the finest wines produced anywhere. And I confess to being one of the “surprised” guests. I thought the Premier Cru was an expensive French wine. But at least I was in very good company in guessing wrong. That sentiment was echoed by Gramercy Tavern’s General Manager Nick Mautone, who tasted Premier Cru first in summer 2002 and again at the launch. “Spectacular,” he said. “It is vibrant, full, round, with big, broad tannins and shows subtleness and dexterity in the winemaking. It’s as close to a Pomerol as you’re going to find in America.” Mandrau agreed, stating that Premier Cru “can be compared to the best Bordeaux Merlot.” “I started my winery here in a potato field in 1987 with an ambitious dream—to be the best,” says Christian Wölffer. “And with Premier Cru, we’ve fulfilled that dream, thanks to the talent and passion of our team: Roman Roth, Jean-Louis Mandrau, and our viticulturist, Richie Pisacano. We’re proud of this achievement—and are committed to continuing to push the quality envelope for Long Island.” Noted wine authority Peter Sichel congratulated the Wölffer team at the launch for their vision. “It takes four things to make a great wine,” he remarked. “Terroir, the right people, money—and pride. Without real pride about what goes into the bottle, you can have all the right elements but you will not achieve greatness. Wölffer has it all.” During the luncheon, Chef/Proprietor Daniel Boulud told guests that, “As a Frenchman who is living and working here in New York, I am proud to support local products, including New York wines—and Premier Cru will definitely have a place on my wine list.” For Roth, the idea of producing a wine of this quality began when he and Pisacano visited high-end producers in California, including Joseph Phelps and Caymus Vineyards. “When we came back we felt that we could compete with these wines,” says Roth. He was strongly encouraged in this direction by Mandrau, who, noting the ripeness and quality of the fruit, encouraged him to “go bolder.” Premier Cru’s excellence begins in the vineyard, where Pisacano meticulously tends Wölffer’s oldest Merlot vines, planted in 1990 on the steepest slopes of a five-acre plot. These are the best balanced vines of Wölffer’s 50-acre estate, with a full 40% of the fruit dropped in mid-August to assure the greatest concentration in the remaining berries. After a perfect Indian summer, the grapes were carefully hand picked on Nov. 8, 2000—the longest hang time ever for red grapes at Wölffer. Yields were kept extremely low, at 1.8 tons/acre. Attention to quality continued at the winery, where the berries were hand sorted and only the ripest, lushest grapes were used. The must received 26 days of maceration, for maximum extraction. After being gently pressed, the wine spent 19 months in 100% new French Seguin Moreau and Vicard oak barrels, at a cost of $640 per barrel. A special bottle from Italy called Bordeaux Imperiale was selected for Premier Cru, with a cost of $4.50 per bottle and weighing 4.3 lbs when filled (the standard Bordeaux bottle is 55¢ and weighs 2.8 lbs). Bottling was done without filtration or fining, and only 200 six-bottle cases were produced. The wine has a deep ruby color, almost inky. According to Roth, the nose first shows lush aromas of ripe raspberry, violet, and almond, followed by notes of mint and licorice. A wine of complex structure, Premier Cru also shows intense fruit character of black cherry and ripe plums, with hints of mineral and tobacco. The rich tannins are multi-layered and well integrated with subtle toasty oak overtones, leading to a remarkably long finish. The most concentrated wine Wölffer Estate has released to date, Premier Cru has both long aging potential and exceptional food-friendliness, a tribute to both its Hamptons terroir and its European-style winemaking. Wines from Long Island are now contenders on the world wine scene, and were honored by the famed Four Seasons restaurant this past February with a themed Long Island wine dinner in the landmarked Pool Room. “The Four Seasons put California on the map in 1976 by hosting a similar dinner,” says Roth. “Their support is an indication of what is to come for Long Island.” Julian Niccolini, co-owner of The Four Seasons, believes in Long Island wines. “There is no question in my mind that this evolving region is looking in the right direction,” he says. “Great things are coming.” The Long Island wine industry will celebrate its 30th anniversary this year. “From the first cleared potato fields to a fête at the Four Seasons in a mere 30 years is remarkable progress,” says Christian Wölffer. “And the best is yet to come.” Production has grown from a few hundred cases released in 1977 to more than 30 wineries producing 500,000 cases today. Long Island is also the first US wine region to receive Federal servicemark protection for its regional marketing name—the Long Island Wine Country®. Wölffer Estate wines are available direct from the winery by calling 631-537-5106 or at selected retail stores in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, the District of Colombia, Georgia, Florida and Colorado. WINE BOOKHidden Wine Country Edited by Madelyn Miller |
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Luminaries of the wine world gathered recently at
Daniel restaurant in New York City to taste the much-anticipated first
vintage of Premier Cru, an ultra-premium Merlot from Wölffer Estate
Vineyards & Stables, located on Long Island’s South Fork in the heart of
the Hamptons. A rare gem, only 200 six-bottle cases of Premier Cru 2000
were produced. The wine has completely sold out, except for 20 cases to
be kept in Wölffer’s Library for aging, to showcase the wine’s longevity.
