Martha Clara Vineyards Glaciers End White
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40% Chardonnay, 20% Semillon, 14% Sauvignon Blanc, 9.5% Riesling, 7.5% Viognier, 5.5% Gewurztraminer, 3% Pinot Gris.
In 1978, the family agreed to sell the company and move on to greener pastures. For Robert Entenmann this meant a potato farm turned thoroughbred horse farm on the North Fork of Long Island. The neighboring potato farms began to give way to vineyards; it was just a matter of time before he would follow suit
In 1995 Robert caught the grape bug and planted 18acres of vitis vinifera grapes. Over the next four years his vineyard acreage grew to 112 acres as he anxiously waited for the grapes to come of age. Today, daughter Jackie runs the Long Island vineyards home to over a dozen types of classical European varietals.
With hundreds of white grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended white wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used in white wine blends, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a variety that creates a soft and full-bodied white wine blend, like Chardonnay, would do well combined with one that is more fragrant and naturally high in acidity. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
Increasingly garnering widespread and well-deserved attention, New York ranks third in wine production in the United States (after California and Washington). Divided into six AVAs—the Finger Lakes, Lake Erie, Hudson River, Long Island, Champlain Valley of New York and the Niagara Escarpment, which crosses over into Michigan as well as Ontario, Canada—the state experiences varied climates, but in general summers are warm and humid while winters are very cold and can carry the risk of frost well into the growing season.
The Finger Lakes region has long been responsible for some of the country’s finest Riesling, and is gaining traction with elegant, light-bodied Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc. Experimentation with cold-hardy European varieties is common, and recent years have seen the successful planting of grapes like Grüner Veltliner and Saperavi (from the Eastern European country of Georgia). Long Island, on the other hand, has a more maritime climate influenced by the Atlantic Ocean, and shares some viticultural characteristics with Bordeaux. Accordingly, the best wines here are made from Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The Niagara Escarpment is responsible for excellent ice wines, usually made from the hybrid variety, Vidal.