Previous Issues of the Newsletter
Autumn 2001
Aging Wine in Wood:
A time-honored tradition at Lamoreaux Landing
by Mark Wagner
For many visitors to Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars, the experience would not be complete without a look at our wine cellar. This is where oak barrels filled with wine line the cellar walls, interspersed with tall, shiny stainless steel tanks. Aside from the shear beauty of both French and American oak barrels stacked neatly on their sides, the reason we use barrels to store many of our wines is simple: wood enhances wine aromas and flavors.
Fine wine has long been associated with handmade oak barrels also known as casks. For many centuries winemakers around the world have stored wine in barrels. Long before modern refrigerated stainless steel tanks were available, handmade wooden barrels held most all wines until they were ready to drink.
Although the science behind the transformation that takes place when wine is aged in wood was not clearly understood in the past, we now know that when the alcohol in wine has contact with wood it extracts a variety of components from the oak. The flavor and aroma composition of the wines stored in barrels has a distinctive tannin and vanillin profile. Time in wood makes wine more complex and interesting and ³softens² it by altering the wineıs tannins.
In this age of space-age plastics, stainless steel and super-strength glass, we still believe that high quality, hand-crafted oak barrels is well worth the investment. Come taste the fruits of our labor and the wonders of wine aged in wood in the unforgettable setting at Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars.
From the Cellar...
Samuel Alexandre, WinemakerOne of the advantages of making and storing wine in a cellar is the consistency of temperature a cellar environment provides. But more than the 50 degree temperature, a well built cellar should not have more than a few degrees of variation from that temperature. Large fluctuations of temperature either in the fermentation or aging process can adversely effect wines.
Too cold a temperature inhibits fermentation and proper aging, too warm may rob the wine of much of its fruit character. At Lamoreaux Landing all the stainless steel tanks are thermostatically controlled and the cellar itself can be maintained year-round at or near 50 degrees.
On the subject of fruit, both our 2000 Chardonnay as well as our 2000 Reserve Chardonnay have outstanding fruit. They have perfumed the cellar with pineapple, citrus, honey and pear. Having spent nine months in oak barrels these flavors have developed along with a complexity of mouth-feel and a very long finish.
I invite you to visit our cellar and put some Lamoreaux Landing wines in yours.
--Samuel
New Art Exhibit
Lamoreaux Landing is very pleased to display, 'Finger Lakes Scenic Photographs,' an exhibit by local photographer, Kevin Stearns of Valois Photography. Kevin says about the New York Finger Lakes, "This region, molded and torn by glacial forces unimaginable, is ever mysterious to the seeking mind and wondering eye," adding, "I hope you enjoy the time it takes to view my images as much as I enjoyed the time I spent creating them."
We invite you to visit Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars and view Kevinıs vibrant, insightful photo-graphs while you enjoy fine wine and the exceptional beauty surrounding the winery. His work will be on display from October 30, 2001 to March 4, 2002.
photo of Taughannock Falls
by Kevin Stearns
Vineyard Report
by Steve Delaney, Assistant Vineyard Manager
Fall in the vineyard means that harvest time is upon us. The hot, dry summer of 2001 has produced a crop of grapes that should produce outstanding wines.
During the final weeks of summer, the vineyard crew was busy fine tuning the vineyard in order to allow the vines to produce the highest quality grapes possible. This involved tucking shoots up into the trellis system, removing leaves around the grape clusters to increase sunlight exposure, and removing any fruit that was not ripening properly so that the vine could put its energy into the fruit that will produce the best wine.
As the season progressed, we took berry samples from each vineyard to monitor the ripening process. From these samples we charted the increasing sugar levels, the decreasing acidity levels, and the overall flavor development of the grapes. When these factors reached an optimum point, particularly when the maximum flavor characteristics of the grape variety were achieved, the decision to harvest was made.
Grapes are picked in the morning while the temperature remains cooler in order to maximize the flavor potential in the wine. We pick the grapes both by hand and with the assistance of a machine harvester. Harvest is a busy time of year, involving long days and hard work. It is a time when all of the yearsı work shows through in the quality of the grapes we produce. As we put away our picking shears for the 2001 vintage, we also pull out our pruning shears for the winter and begin to think about the vintage of the year 2002.
mechanical harvester in the vineyard below the winery
Gold, Gold, and More Gold
Lamoreaux Landing wines won Gold Medals at four prestigious wine competitions held recently. Our 1999 Merlot took a Gold at the New York State Fair Commercial Wine Competition, while our 2000 Gewürztraminer garnered Gold at the New York Wine & Food Classic.
Also at the Wine & Food Classic our 1999 Cabernet Franc, 1999 Chardonnay Reserve and 2000 Semi-Dry Riesling all took Silver Medals. At the Indy International Wine Competition a Gold Medal went to our 1998 Chardonnay Reserve. Silver Medals went to both the 1997 Brut and Estate White at Indy as well. Our 1996 Brut earned its third Gold Medal at The New World International Wine Competition.
Food and Wine Pairing
Garlic Loverıs Braised Beef featuring
Lamoreaux Landingıs 1999 Merlot
by Grady WellsCool-weather comfort food with a complex garlic kick describes this easy pot roast. The wine and tomatoes make a very dark, rich sauce with deep garlic aromas. An hour or two in the refrigerator will meld and improve the flavors.
If you can prepare it a day ahead, it will improve even more; reheat the roast and sauce together slowly, and add a clove or two of minced garlic just before serving. Lamoreaux Landingıs barrel-aged 1999 Merlot complements the tomato, braised garlic, and especially the nutmeg flavors in this pot roast. The wineıs mixed currant flavors also work well with the final dressing of fresh garlic, parsley, and orange peel.
Grady Wells is a writer and radio producer living in Ithaca, New York.Garlic Loverıs Braised Beef
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS DIRECTIONS 3 1/2 lbs. beef chuck in one piece trimmed of surface fat
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium cooking onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 large head garlic, cloves separated & peeled
1 28 oz. can imported plum tomatoes, with juice
2 1/2 cups Lamoreaux Landing 1999 Merlot
1 bay leaf (not California)
1 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste
Orange Gremolata
1/2 cup Italian parsley, minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
zest of 1/2 orange, mincedIn a Dutch oven just large enough to hold the meat, heat the oil over medium high heat. Brown the meat well on all sides. Remove meat and add onions, carrots, and celery and sauté, stirring often, until the onions are softened, approximately five minutes.
Add the garlic, cook for one minute, add the tomatoes and juice and bring to a boil, breaking up the tomatoes with a spoon. Add wine, spices, and meat, bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer slowly, turning meat several times, for 3 1/2 to 4 hours, until meat is tender.
Remove roast to a warm platter, strain the sauce, raise heat to high, and boil sauce until thickened, approximately 10 minutes, spooning fat off surface. Add 1/2 he mixed gremolata ingredients to the sauce with the meat, and simmer until meat is hot; add remaining gremolata and serve immediately.
Serve with salad, fettuccini tossed in its hot cooking pot with olive oil and fresh ground pepper, and Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellarıs 1999 Merlot.
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