Interesting Wines from our Wine Library (McGregor Vineyard)

From the Library
Project Share the Wine!
So, I just did an inventory of the Library for the
first time and I was pleasantly overwhelmed to see
that we have over 300 cases aging away! This is a
monumental amount of wine to keep up on, so I’m
thinking I just might have to start trying to share some
of the wines with you more frequently since our
“From the Library Live Auction,” and Vertical/
Horizontal tastings can’t keep up with moving
through the inventory! So, starting with this
newsletter I’m featuring a selection from the library
for sale on a limited basis. I can’t promise to get a
wine featured and for sale in each newsletter, but I’ll
give it a try and see how it goes. Also, if there a wine
from days gone by that you really want, drop me an
email or give a call and we can discuss the possibility.
Recently Tasted Wines
2000 Black Russian Red:

I received a not so great
email from a fellow Clan Club member telling me he
had opened a 2000 Black Russian Red only to be
treated to a vinegar aroma and unpalatable wine. He
offered that his other bottle of this vintage would be
poured away or he would bring it to the winery for us
to try together which I immediately asked to be the
case. In the meantime, my curiosity needed
fulfillment and I quickly dug out a bottle of this wine
from the Library. I was nervous that I’d waited too
long for this vintage (and I’m sitting on about 5 cases
of it). I was relieved at the first sniff— no acetic acid
smells. In fact, judging from the bottle Stacey and I
enjoyed, this vintage is at its peak. The wine has
mellowed considerably, is soft, rich and delightful. It
maintains a great fruitiness, has structure and is
complex. I’d say drink them now! I hope you have a
similar experience; we tried a second bottle and had
the same impression.
2005 Pinot Noir Reserve: This is completely
enjoyable right now, but still has a way to go. Pinot is
a terribly erratic wine for aging and it seems to go
through ups and downs and is therefore sometimes
(always?) difficult to predict. Currently, this vintage’s
aroma is rather closed but is quite fruity on the palate
and still has a good dose of tannic structure. I’m
guessing a few more years on this one; it still seems as if
it’s saving its potential for another day.
2003 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay: Not ready,
but tasty. The higher alcohol on this wine is still
present in the nose. It has a nice mouth feel and a
good fruit/oak balance. It still has a good dose of
acidity and is a great, food-friendly wine— broiled
salmon, Chicken Marsala, and all on its own. Can
still be held a few years longer.

Fake Spring at the Finger Lakes Vineyard , March 2009

The Finger Lakes just experienced what I like to call “fake spring.” Every year in February it seems to be the case that we are treated to a week or so of unseasonably warm and mild weather. This winter had the feel of an “old fashioned” winter— from the moment December appeared and right on into February the snow arrived, accumulated and refused to leave. That is, until “fake spring” decided to tease many into thinking winter was over. It’s really hard not to get excited— the snow melts away, warm southern breezes tickle your face and it’s easy to forget about grabbing your gloves, hat and coat. However, as tied to nature as I am as a grape grower, my joy is quickly dashed with a dose of reality and a twinge of nervousness— I tell myself, with fingers crossed, that this warm weather won’t stay too long and it won’t get cold again too quickly! And now, back to reality, the snow is blowing around and the ground is hard once again— whew! Spring is a welcomed experience, but I’m not excited to rush into it…slow and steady wins the race! The vineyard is in fine shape and we’re off to a good start…I ask for nothing more nothing less. “Filled with that good gift (wine)…” Euripides Humbly, give thanks to nature for what you have and appreciate that it could be much worse just as easily as it could be much better— another day is on the horizon…put a smile on and walk boldly forth! “For filled with that good gift (wine) suffering mankind forgets its grief; from it comes sleep, with it oblivion of the troubles of the day. There is no other medicine for misery.” Sometimes big things come in small packages… This month’s featured Clan Pack wines are from an outstanding vintage. There really hasn’t been a disappointing wine of ours from 2007 and these sweeter wines shine. 2007 was a long, hot and dry year— mildews were kept at bay, grape maturation was excellent, sugar content was high and balanced with good acidity. Operative words for these wines: varietal character! The Muscat Ottonel is so aromatic it might as well be used as a perfume— it is a gorgeous sipping wine. The Late Harvest Vignoles is incredibly tropical, smooth and uplifting. I hope they each make a positive impression with you— I couldn’t be prouder to have my name on the bottles…cheers!

Grapes and weather make for a fickle marraige

Editors Note: In this July 2003 news letter  posting, John McGregor laments on the lack of  sunshine and its effects on the grape crop.

We have had one heck of a rainy summer and the grapes are all behind schedule. There is still plenty of time for ripening, but every cloudy day hurts. All signs point to a year of lighter reds than normal. The white grapes are in slightly better shape and we should also produce some fantastic sparkling wine. Unfortunately, we will have very little Gewurztraminer and Pinot Noir from the 2003 vintage. Jeff has been bottling away and we have a number of
the 2001 reds in the bottle waiting for the labels to arrive. We should certainly have some ready for release
by mid-fall.

More interesting articles on how weather effects grape production from around the world:

Cornell scientist receives New York Wine and Grape Foundation Research Award

Grape harvest dates are poor indicators of summer warmth

Poor weather hits grape harvest

Grapes Face Weather Damage

Wild weather hits Sonoma County grape crop

Bad weather hits California Grape Crop

Cornell University releases three new cold resistent wine grapes

McGregor Vineyard a pioneer of New York Vinifera grapes

Trellis row Keuka Lake Mcgregor Vineyard

Conventional wisdom said that the Finger Lakes climate was too harsh for the successful propagation of Vinifera grapes. Then, in 1971, the McGregor family began planting twenty-eight acres of premium Vinifera and Hybrid grapes overlooking the beautiful East Bluff of New York’s Keuka Lake. The local wine industry (which was essentially dependent upon native American grape varieties) watched with skeptical interest. Today, the thriving McGregor Vineyard includes Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, Chardonnay, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Muscat Ottonel, Cayuga White, and Vignoles. McGregor Vineyard is also home to the rare (in the United States) Vinifera grape varieties Sereksiya Charni, Saperavi Rkatsiteli, and Sereksiya Rose’. McGregor Vineyard’s commitment to premium plantings and meticulous vineyard management results in a small but spectacular production of estate bottled wines. Come and stroll through the beautiful bounty made possible by the fair “lake effect” winds which caress our flourishing vineyard.

A look at the start of a vineyard

After a few years of searching for a spot on Keuka Lake to attempt the difficult task of growing vinifera grapes, my parents and their partners, the Stewarts, finally settled on 5503 Dutch Street, Dundee, NY.  The land was purchased in 1971.  One of the first things they had done was to have a pond dug.  The land was primarily pastureland but there were a few acres of Concord grapes growing (not seen in the pictures).  Here are a few of the first pictures taken of the land before they started planting grapes…

Fall of 1971…pond has been dug!

East Branch Farms, Inc…aka McGregor Vineyard c. 1972

The making of a Chardonnay circa 2001

McGregor Vineyard

Editors note:

From the McGregor Vineyard Newsletter in 2003, the following description of the process of making a first class Chardonnay is worth a revisit.

Note: If you happen to be in the vicinity of Keuka Lake there may be a few bottles of the 2001 Chardonnay down in the vault so please stop by.

Harvest:

Ten tons of fruit were hand picked on November 10th and 11th 2001. This fruit was used for both the Unoaked Chardonnay and Chardonnay Reserve. At the time of harvest, the natural sugar was 23.8 brix, the TA was 0.94 and the pH was 3.20. Fermentation: The fruit was de-stemmed and transferred to the press. Only the “Free Run” juice (juice created only by the weight of the grapes and pumped into tanks prior to mechanical pressing) was used for this Chardonnay. The juice was chilled and allowed to settle for 6 days. After settling, the juice was racked into New French Oak barrels and CY3079 yeast was added. Fermentation lasted for three weeks.

Approximately 70% of the wine was racked out of the oak barrels and the remaining 30% was left to age for seven months. After this period of time, the wine was blended together.

Finishing:

The wine was filtered after heat and cold stabilization. The finished wine was bottled on August 22, 2002 and bottle aging commenced. At the time of bottling, there was 0% residual sugar, 0.65 gm/100 ml TA, and a pH of 3.34. There is 13% alcohol in this finished wine. A total of 420 cases of 750 ml bottles an 30 cases of magnums were produced. Comments: As I have said before, the wines from the 2001 vintage display intense varietal character and this Chardonnay is no exception. The nose is rich and full of fruit and French oak. This wine is complex and offers wonderful citrus flavors, particularly lemon zest and grapefruit, entwined with smooth, buttery oak flavors. The finish lingers with grapefruit and nuances of butterscotch. This is a very pleasant drinking wine now, but I’ve got great expectations for the aging potential of this wine- cellar some of this for 3-5 years and I can’t imagine you’ll be disappointed!

A winter Weekend in Paradise at the McGregor Vineyard on Keuka Lake

By Guest Columnist

Art Reisman

McGregor Vineyard

I had the rare pleasure this last week of staying up at the McGregor Vineyard on Keuka Lake in upstate New York this past weekend.

The McGregor Winery is one  of the most beautifully situated vineyards in the US.  I have been there twice now,  once in early October and this last time in the dead of winter. The small state sponsored directional sign along HighWay 54 understates the Wineries grandeur. The sign points to a nondescript road away from the lake. The road takes you  up a steep incline to the crest of this glacier carved valley where you’ll find rolling fields of grapevines.
The Vinyard is situated in the middle of  a 50 acre farm that breaks the forest canopy about 400 feet above lake level.  As you sit in the tasting room, the panorama opens up towards a Peninsula in Kueka lake. The terminus of this headland abruptly ends in a bluff from its origins 10 miles north.

Much like the panoramic views and sunsets over the mountains of Colorado, I am amazed at how no two days are alike. Today the lake is frozen solid without snow cover; the sun sets over the bluff slivering its way between an opening, separating low clouds and a light ground fog. The ice capping the lake looks like a shiny granite counter top. I fully expect the Loch Ness monster to crash through the ice and snatch an ice fisherman.  Without a house in site, this primeval scene could be the setting for a lost world adventure.  From the Winery hill,  several gorges fed full from recent snowmelt cascade to the lake.  My wife Sandy has told me of many lazy summer days from her youth hunting these gorges for wild mushrooms and the odd fossil embedded in the shale rocks with her sisters.

Come up here any day of the week and you’ll find the Wine Makers busy checking temperatures and taking small samples from the 10 or so varieties of grapes in different stages of fermentation.  Many of their more famous varieties, Black Russian, are sold out from special barrel tastings before bottling. If interested I suggest you get on their newsletter mailing list.

This past week I stayed in the Guest Cottage complete with full Finnish Sauna. The Suana is accessible from a small dock that juts out onto a small one acre spring fed pond. Tradition has it that on cold autumn days you work up a sweat in the Sauna, and then plunge off the dock into the pond 6 feet below into the icy waters of the pond.

This week the bulk of the family is wintering points south, and I spend the afternoons and evenings with the company of an opossum that lives under the porch and some early season woodpeckers and cardinals. The wind comes up on my final evening to near hurricane force, and  I am glad that the trees have not leafed out yet, as many would surely topple in the 60 mph gusts that rattle the small structure on its foundation.

Reminiscing the winter and Spring of 2003 at the McGregor Vineyard on Keuka Lake

John McGregor heir to the McGregor Vineyard (founded  1972)  is also a magnificant writer and observer of nature. What follows is a reprint of  his observations from a NewsLetter from the winter of 2003

It’s been one heck of a winter up here on Dutch Street this year. After a good 3+ years of very mild winters, Mother Nature is once again showing her flair for unpredictability and lack of regard for sticking with a trend! Last year our low temperature at the winery was seven above zero… this year we had weeks on end where this was about the average daily high temperature (March is only a few days away and we are still having sub-zero temperatures). Weather forecasting, particularly over extended periods of time, exemplifies how, in many respects, science cannot account for what nature has up her sleeve. My gut, on the other hand, told me that this was going to be one long, cold, snowy winter and one to remember (I am a firm believer in the adage to trust what your gut tells you)! Well, as a result, it has been quite quiet here at the winery…with few making the venture out in the cold to visit. Most tourists plan on visiting in the summer and fall and comment on the beauty of the Finger
Lakes during those seasons. Honestly, I find beauty in all the seasons even in the dark, cold, sub-zero days of winter (maybe it’s just my Finnish blood!). This year we have been treated to some fantastic images of Keuka Lake completely frozen over…the first time in years to freeze over and stay frozen. Combined with the snow
and long, golden rays of the setting sun, the lake is producing some jaw-dropping sunsets. If you’ve never visited the Finger Lakes in the winter, give it a try sometime. Stop by, warm up with some wine and
good conversation, and discover some of the winter beauty the Finger Lakes has to offer!

Later in the Spring John writes about how the grape vines fared
During late spring and early summer Jeff (our wine maker) is busy getting wines through cold stabilization (a process that keeps tartrates from forming in the bottle when chilled), filtering and bottling last year’s white wines and reds from two seasons past. It’s a double edged sword with respect to selling out of an older vintage of wine: on the one hand it’s sad to see a wine I’ve been consuming for a few years disappear- it’s like an old friend passing on;
on the other hand it’s nice to have new wines around to get to know- watching (and tasting!) their development, change, and hopefully their move into a rich and deep maturity.

McGregor Vineyard Recipe Archives

Editors note:

The McGregor Vineyard has a treasury of recipes that have been published over the years. We will continue to update this post with past Recipes and future ones check back often.

From 2003 In Celebration of our Rob Roy Red
Robbie Burns Treats For those of you who missed Robbie Burns Day here at McGregor Vineyard, here are two recipes for you to try at home!
Rumpledethumps
2 C. Cabbage cut into bite sized pieces
2 C. Potatoes cut into bite sized pieces
2 T. chopped chives or 1 small onion
2 T. butter
Cheddar Cheese – grated
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Cook cabbage and potatoes separately. Sauté chives or
onion in butter and add salt and pepper to taste. Mix
cabbage, potatoes, and chives/onions together and put in a
greased casserole dish. Top with grated cheese (make as
sinful as you want!). Place dish in oven for 20 minutes or
until heated through and the top has slightly browned.
Typsy Laird
1 yellow cake, sponge cake, or pound cake, prepared,
cooled and sliced for layering.
2 T. cream sherry
1/2 C. raspberry preserves
1/4 C. blanched slivered almonds
1-2 T. Drambuie
1 C. whipping cream, whipped with a small amount of
confectioner’s sugar
1 large package vanilla pudding or rich custard, prepared
Arrange a layer of cake in the bottom of a deep round
glass dish and drizzle with sherry. Spread raspberry
preserves on cake, pour pudding over preserves and
sprinkle with slivered almonds. Cover with other half of
cake. Sprinkle with Drambuie and cover with whipped
cream. This is another recipe that is very amenable to
variation— add more preserves if you like to the top of the
second layer; if you don’t want to be typsy, use fruit juice
rather than sherry and Drambuie, etc…