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Current Issue: Fall 2007
photos by Kristian S. Reynolds

Annual Fall Harvest Winemaker's Dinner

Celebrate......this Fall's harvest in the midst of rolling vineyards and breathtaking views of the Finger Lakes Wine Region.  Sign up now for the Annual Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars Winemaker's Dinner being held Saturday, November 3, 2007 at the winery.

Enjoy.....delectable hors d'oeuvres paired with sparkling wine in the wine cellar among the towering stainless steel tanks and racks of wooden barrels of aging wine.  The evening begins at 7:00PM as guests mingle and chat with the Winemaker, Staci Nugent and owner, Mark Wagner.

Taste....select Lamoreaux Landing wines that are prominently featured with a delicious multiple course dinner.  Invited in for the evening is local, extraordinary Chef Samantha Izzo, who dishes up a scrumptious meal  to serve in the stately tasting rooms of our distinct, contemporary, Greek revival landmark.  This is truly a memorable event that is not to be missed.

Seize...the opportunity and secure your seat at this exceptional dinner.  Attendance is limited with reservations only available until our number for comfortable seating is reached.  The cost is $89.00 per person plus tax.  Register by calling the winery at 607-582-6011 between the hours of 9:30am - 5:00pm any Monday through Saturday and noon to 5 on Sunday.

Does Your Chardonnay Have Terrior?
by Mark J. Wagner, Owner

        Over two million years ago the first of several glaciers descended from the Hudson Valley into central New York and marked the beginning of the “Ice Age”.  During the next several thousand years, the alternating advance and retreat of these two mile thick ice sheets scored the land and carved out what we know today as the Finger Lakes.  And while you’ll hear us preach over and over again about the climatic buffer that the lake provides for our vines during the cold winter months, the local climate and sloping banks of Seneca Lake are not exclusive to the vineyards here at Lamoreaux.  Equal protection, however little it may be, is afforded to all who plant their vinifera in close proximity to the lakes. 

 
        Terroir (pronounced Ter Wahr), however, is more than just the slope or temperature in the vineyard.  Terroir is the interaction of a host of viticultural, geological, and other management factors which combine to uniquely characterize a specific site.  How else can you explain the gross disparity between two vineyards with identical slopes and macroclimates?  These vineyards can be separated by no more than the width of a back country road, and yet the difference in the quality of the grapes can be astonishing.  Here at Lamoreaux Landing, I take great pride in managing all of our vineyards for maximum quality.  And while I will save a description of our tightly controlled and meticulous viticultural practices for a future article, I would like to tell you a little more about what goes on under our vineyards.

        While the lakes are a direct result of the glaciers, the bedrock of central New York was formed at the bottom of an ancient ocean which was left in the aftermath of the glacial melt.  Deeper water resulted in the heavy compression of mud and sand to form shales and sandstones, while the shallower, warmer waters supported a multitude of animal and plant life.  This organic matter resulted in the formation of a living reef that eventually became limestone.  The Onondaga Escarpment is one such deposit, as it is a thin band of limestone which runs across the northern half of the Finger Lakes.  Interestingly enough, this is also the hard cap over which Niagara Falls flows.  

        If you’re still reading this, you are probably asking yourself what all of this has to do with your glass of Chardonnay.  Our vineyards are optimally situated such that we take full advantage of the diversity of soil types which were laid down as a result of the glacial outwash.  Consequently, we are able to grow our grapes in soils with a variety of texture, drainage, and nutrient profiles.  Our five blocks of Chardonnay are planted in three different soil types: Conesus, Honeoye, and Lansing Gravelly Silt Loam.  Each block allows us to optimize a different characteristic of the grape on the vine, and each of these lots is carefully blended in the cellar to emphasize the strongest attributes of each vintage in the wine.  

        Accordingly, we must give credit to the glaciers for not only our beautiful lakes, but also for the soils under our vines.  And while it is human nature to think that it is our management practices alone which produce Lamoreaux’s superb quality, it is only through the realization that we must work in harmony with what the glaciers have given us, that the true terroir of our vineyards is captured in the bottle.  So what is the bottom line?  There is more geology in your glass than you realize, and as such, we are able to pour the best Chardonnay for you year in and year out because of it

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