Dan’s Papers November 5, 2010 danshamptons.com P age 30
NORTH FORK OVER THE BARREL
by Lenn Thompson
Pellegrini Vineyards Delivers Solid Value In a local wine world where prices can seem downright insane at times, it’s good to know where you can go for a good $20 of merlot. One of the best of a handful of suc h places is Cutc hogue’s Pellegrini Vineyards. Sure, their premium line is around $40 and the 2005 Reserve, a top-notch blend that w as one of my favorite wines from the 2005 vintage is $70, but their regular line is $20 and under, providing solid value. It’s not the most complex, but the P ellegrini Vineyards 2007 Steakhouse Red ($17) hits the spot on a Tuesday night with anything from pork chops to pizza to a burger . Slightly jammy on the nose , it brings black cherry and plum aromas with a dose of toasty oak. The palate is juicy with blac kberry and cherry flavors with subtle spice and slightly astringent tannins. If you like your gewurz floral, you might enjoy Pellegrini Vineyards 2008 Gewurztraminer ($20). Perfumed with rose petals and lychee nut over peach
and honey aromas, the nose leads into a palate that is far fruitier. It shows intense peac h and pineapple flavors - with a garden’ s worth of roses . Medium-tofull bodied, the balance is good, but ultimately, the finish is a bit short. It seems that there ha ve been some well-made white blends hitting shelves the last couple of years and I would add P ellegrini Vineyards 2008 Medley White ($20) to that list - especially if you can pic k it up for $15 or so at your local shop . Fresh lemon, orange peel and pineapple aromas greet your nostrils before giving w ay to a medium-bodied palate with lemon-lime - almost Sprite-like - flavors with a bit of green apple. With good balance and acidity , this would make a great summer sipper. Pellegrini’s cabernet francs always bring a dose of oak without overwhelming cabernet franc’ s varietal character and their current release , Pellegrini Vineyards 2005 Cabernet Franc ($20) fits that house style perfectly. The nose is dominated by red c herry and raspberry fruit - but with a distinct la yer of menthol and eucalyptus over top and a distant aroma of vanilla. A subtle earthiness - particularly after it’ s been open for a day - lingers in the bac kground. Tart cherry flavors are bac ked by more menthol and spice, framed by a firm, almost-rustic combination of tannins and acidity on the first day of tasting, with a medium finish of blac k pepper, vanilla and earth. On day two, some of those rough edges smoothed out significantly, but by da y three, it just wasn’t holding up. Perhaps my fa vorite wine of the tasting w as Pellegrini Vineyards 2005 Merlot ($20) - a great value in classically styled local merlot. Tobacco leaf,
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fennel frond and menthol mingle with red cherry and plum flavors on a bright, expressive nose. Those cherry and plum fla vors carry over to the balanced palate, as do tobacco and subtle blueberry compote character. The tannins ha ve softened since I first tasted this, but still provide solid structure . For $20, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better local merlot.
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