Long Island Takes Top Spot
LONG ISLAND TAKES TOP SPOT AT THE MERLOT FOCUS
Four Long Island Merlots Place in Top Half of Wines Scored
Participants at The Merlot Focus
EAST END OF LONG ISLAND, NY – January 27, 2012 – Long Island merlots and merlot-based blends from the 2007 vintage stood shoulder-to-shoulder with wines from other regions of the world known for the varietal at The Merlot Focus, organized by the Long Island Merlot Alliance (LIMA) and held January 26 at Jewel in Melville, NY. At this blind-tasting, members of the wine trade and media rated 14 merlot wines—seven from Long Island and seven world examples hailing from Pomerol and St. Emilion in France, Napa Valley in California, and Columbia River in Washington State—all from the great 2007 vintage. The top score went to McCall Wines Ben’s Blend. Also in the top seven wines were Christian’s Cuvee from Wölffer Estate Vineyard, Merlot from T’Jara (LIMA’s newest member) and Merliance, LIMA’s own cooperative blend of merlot. The ranking of the wines (with high and low scores removed, and all scores averaged) is shown below.
The Merlot Focus: Ranking of Wines
As shown above, the spread of the points scored for all wines was only 5.54, with several of the wines scoring within only a few tenths of a point of one another. This relatively narrow margin suggests that the quality of the wines was very similar. Indeed, when asked to guess the origin of the wines, participants had a hard time distinguishing the Long Island wines from those from other regions, particularly France. Interestingly, McCall Wines Ben’s Blend, which received the highest score, was also the wine most participants accurately identified as being from Long Island.
The site of The Merlot Focus, Jewel, is Chef Tom Schaudel’s newest restaurant, located in Melville, in Nassau County, NY. Chef Schaudel is a noted champion of Long Island wines.
About the Long Island Merlot Alliance
Founded in 2005, the Long Island Merlot Alliance (LIMA) joins premium wine estates committed to advancing the quality of and regard for Long Island merlot. Because it grows reliably well here, enriches most blended red wines of the region and consistently produces an elegant, classically styled single-varietal wine, the Alliance seeks recognition for merlot as the signature grape of the region, and for Long Island as the New World’s leading appellation for merlot. LIMA members believe that, in the tradition of other great wine regions, emphasizing excellence in merlot does not diminish regard for other wines, but will help to elevate Long Island as a quality wine region. To learn more about the Long Island Merlot Alliance and about Merliance, its cooperative blend of merlot, visit www.longislandmerlot.com.
Media Contact:
Donnell Brown, Executive Director, Long Island Merlot Alliance
631-477-6207
Participants at The Merlot Focus
EAST END OF LONG ISLAND, NY – January 27, 2012 – Long Island merlots and merlot-based blends from the 2007 vintage stood shoulder-to-shoulder with wines from other regions of the world known for the varietal at The Merlot Focus, organized by the Long Island Merlot Alliance (LIMA) and held January 26 at Jewel in Melville, NY. At this blind-tasting, members of the wine trade and media rated 14 merlot wines—seven from Long Island and seven world examples hailing from Pomerol and St. Emilion in France, Napa Valley in California, and Columbia River in Washington State—all from the great 2007 vintage. The top score went to McCall Wines Ben’s Blend. Also in the top seven wines were Christian’s Cuvee from Wölffer Estate Vineyard, Merlot from T’Jara (LIMA’s newest member) and Merliance, LIMA’s own cooperative blend of merlot. The ranking of the wines (with high and low scores removed, and all scores averaged) is shown below.
The Merlot Focus: Ranking of Wines
As shown above, the spread of the points scored for all wines was only 5.54, with several of the wines scoring within only a few tenths of a point of one another. This relatively narrow margin suggests that the quality of the wines was very similar. Indeed, when asked to guess the origin of the wines, participants had a hard time distinguishing the Long Island wines from those from other regions, particularly France. Interestingly, McCall Wines Ben’s Blend, which received the highest score, was also the wine most participants accurately identified as being from Long Island.
The Merlot Focus: Ranking of Wines
Founded in 2005, the Long Island Merlot Alliance (LIMA) joins premium wine estates committed to advancing the quality of and regard for Long Island merlot. Because it grows reliably well here, enriches most blended red wines of the region and consistently produces an elegant, classically styled single-varietal wine, the Alliance seeks recognition for merlot as the signature grape of the region, and for Long Island as the New World’s leading appellation for merlot. LIMA members believe that, in the tradition of other great wine regions, emphasizing excellence in merlot does not diminish regard for other wines, but will help to elevate Long Island as a quality wine region. To learn more about the Long Island Merlot Alliance and about Merliance, its cooperative blend of merlot, visit www.longislandmerlot.com.
Donnell Brown, Executive Director, Long Island Merlot Alliance
631-477-6207