WINE TASTING
Through the years, the Chief Penguin and I have visited a number of vineyards and done tastings. Some of our earliest ones were in the Finger Lakes wine region in upstate New York; others were in the Loire and Rhône Valleys in France and in Chile and New Zealand. While living in San Francisco, we would drive north to Sonoma and Napa Valleys and sometimes Mendocino and stop in at those California wineries. On one trip to Mendocino, we tasted pinot noirs in the Anderson Valley. At Toulouse Vineyards, we sat on wine barrels in their makeshift tasting room.
Probably the most memorable tasting experience before today was one that took place in Hammondsport, NY in the early 1970’s. The Chief Penguin and I spent part of a day driving around Cayuga and Keuka Lakes stopping in at a few wineries. We had read about Dr. Konstantin Frank, Ukrainian émigré, who came to the United States in the early 1950’s and began experimenting with growing vinifera vines from Europe for wine making in the Finger Lakes. His pioneering and successful efforts led to the expansion of winemaking in this region and to award-winning vintages.
Back then, Dr. Frank’s small winery did not have a tasting room, and it appeared from the road as if they had no interest in wooing prospective buyers. As I recall, we went up to a nondescript building with an open door and went in. A bare lightbulb hung from the ceiling, and a few cartons of wine were scattered around the room. We waited a bit and an old man (or so he seemed to young us) came and greeted us. It was Dr. Frank himself. We mostly listened as he talked about wine and why American wines were preferable to European ones.
Our intention had been to buy just one bottle, maybe two. Unexpectedly, we found ourselves agreeing to buy a mixed case! One bottle in particular, he made us pledge to not open and drink until our 10th wedding anniversary. “Drink no wine, until its time,” he said. For seven or eight years, that “special” bottle of wine sat in a shoebox on a shelf in the Chief Penguin’s closet. When we opened it in 1980, It was past its prime—beyond its time, you’d say!
DOMAINE LE CHENE BLEU
Today we drove a short distance to the small village of Crestet for a tour, tasting, and picnic lunch arranged by our trip organizers. The distance was short, but the roads, narrow lanes really, were the most challenging we’ve been on. Domaine Le Chene Bleu is high at about 1,500 feet and the road twists and turns and winds on a tortuous path that only got smaller, narrower and higher the farther we went. I simultaneously held my breath on some of the hairpin turns while wondering why we were going here at all. Ultimately, we arrived at the gate, early since it took less time despite the twists, and were admitted to a beautiful mountain property.
The original house called La Verriere (after the glass blower who first came here) was a medieval priory that felt into ruin. The current owners restored the house which is now a B&B, and the old barn houses staff. They also revived some 70 year old vines and are now producing organic and biodynamic wines. This required building a wine production facility with a tasting room. In addition to the vineyards, there are beehives, olive trees, and a vegetable garden.
Julie, one of the newer staff members, gave us a comprehensive guided tour of the vineyards and the actual processing and storing facilities. It was fascinating, and we learned a lot about this natural way of making wine.
Then we adjourned to a tasting table where we sampled several whites and several reds. These wines are complex and quite different from others we’ve had on this trip. If you know French, the name of the wine means ”blue oak;” there’s a story behind that, but I’ll save it for another time.
Nicole, one of the owners, happened by during the tasting. She’s American and her husband French. We had a most engaging chat with her about her trips around the world and to the U.S. marketing their wine. (She was supposed to be in Tampa on the day Hurricane Ian hit.) Between her and Julie, we now know where we can buy these wines back home!
PICNIC
You know I like to write about food, and part of this winery tour was a picnic lunch. We thought it might be with a large group, but it was a basket of local fare prepared just for us with a bottle of rose’. We trotted down the path to a covered table next to the vegetable garden and enjoyed lunch al fresco. Given the winding roads back, we agreed to defer the rose’ and savor it later.
Note: All photos ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved.)
I have done the wine tour of the finger lakes region as well. It is much less crowded than Sonoma County. We also visited Konstantin Frank’s winery which reminded me of my elementary schooI. It was cold, mid to late October so it felt good to be inside. I do love that area.