Long Island Merlot Defined by Appellation America;
LIMA Member Wines Judged ‘Best of Appellation’

First-ever official evaluation of Long Island wines in California

CUTCHOGUE, NY - July 10, 2009 The Long Island Merlot Alliance (LIMA) announces the results of a typicity study of Long Island merlot conducted by Appellation America, based in Napa, and the Best of Appellation awards conferred by the organization on Alliance-member wines. This important study marks the first, landmark evaluation of Long Island wines in California.

Merlot of Distinction

Appellation America seeks to study and define in detail the flavors and aromas unique to the terroir of American wine regions so expert tasters and consumers know what to expect from wines produced there. Also, as part of its Best of Appellation awards program, the organization rates individual wines as gold or double-gold examples of their regional type. Focusing on Long Island merlot, Clark Smith, director of Best-of-Appellation Evaluations for Appellation America, led a panel of experts through a rigorous modified blind-tasting of more than 50 merlots and merlot-based blends sent in for evaluation by Long Island wineries. (According to Appellation America’s procedures, in the “blind” aspect of the tasting, the wines are grouped by American Viticultural Area [AVA] and vintage, but the producer is unknown to panelists.)

Summarizing the panel’s findings, Mr. Clark writes, “[Long Island] Merlot consistently produces tasty offerings, even in cool years when the wines drink well young, and somehow consistently avoid the grainy, vegetal crudeness of Bordeaux’s poor vintages. Merlot is either great or just good here…. Long Island Merlot has achieved a very high standard of consistent trueness-to-type which, in my opinion, surpasses most of Bordeaux , dollar for dollar.” He also distinguishes Long Island merlot as having a “delicacy and elegance,” “a very refreshing respite from our California amped-up offerings.”

Following the evaluation, Appellation America suggests the following descriptors for merlot from each of Long Island’s three appellations:

• The North Fork of Long Island: Orange peel, Darjeeling tea, cilantro, violets, fine oily (or fat) tannins, great finesse and moderate alcohol.
• The Hamptons: Tobacco, rhubarb, grapefruit, spinach, weedy strawberry, well-structured, fine dense tannins with considerable feminine fatness.
• Long Island: Similar in character to merlots from The Hamptons AVA.

A complete summary of Appellation America’s findings can be found in Clark Smith’s article, “Simply Merlot Paradise.”

Best of Appellation Awards

Collectively, members of the Long Island Merlot Alliance submitted 39 wines for evaluation as part of Appellation America’s typicity study. Best of Appellation awards were conferred upon 35 of these wines, including Merliance, the cooperative blend made from Alliance members’ 100% merlot wines. (See complete awards listing below.) The high number of medals underscores Mr. Smith’s conclusion that Long Island merlot is a “regional offering that has come of age,” offering a consistency on par with European appellations whose reliable, consistent styles are readily identifiable to consumers.

“Merliance was created to be a pure example of what Long Island merlot is. Therefore, we are pleased, but not surprised, that it has been recognized as one of the best expressions of the grape on Long Island,” said Russell Hearn, winemaker at Pellegrini Vineyards, Managing Partner/Director of Winemaking at Premium Wine Group and a founding member of the Long Island Merlot Alliance. Mr. Hearn served as the regional advocate for Long Island merlot and attended Appellation America’s blind-tasting. “We believe that the Appellation America evaluation is an important validation of our elegant, food-friendly wines, and a testament to the consistent quality the region has achieved with merlot.”

All Long Island Merlot Alliance members won Best of Appellation Awards for their merlots and merlot-based blends:

About Appellation America

Appellation America is an online publication that provides a comprehensive source of information on North American wines and wineries; third-party evaluation of wines, through its unique Best-of-Appellation program; an acclaimed online magazine with the best in wine writers, columnists and regional editors; the ability to buy wines directly from wineries in its Direct-Marketing Program. Appellation America celebrates the diversity in wine that arises from each distinctive wine growing area - or appellation - and is the driving force of a movement to identify the defining characteristics of North America’s appellations.