Wine Recommendation
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Wine Recommendation

Wine:Channing Daughters Winery 2005 Chardonnay, Brick Kiln Vineyard (Hamptons Long Island)

Channing Daughters Winery

2005 Chardonnay, Brick Kiln Vineyard
(Hamptons Long Island)



Channing Daughters Winery, one of only three wineries in the Hamptons Long Island AVA, is arguably the most unique wine producer on Long Island, and maybe the eastern seaboard. Yes, in a region making mass quantities of Merlot, Channing Daughters is more than a little different. While they do make wine from Long Island's supposed signature grape, it is not their focus. Far from it actually.

Instead, the focus is set squarely on white wines, some of the most distinctive, nuanced whites around. They grow several varieties not grown anywhere else on the East End — varieties like Aligoté, Malvasia Bianca, and Muscat Ottonel. And winemaker Chris Tracy uses these and other grapes, as well as Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Bianco and Pinot Grigio to make small quantities of a wide array of unique, terroir-driven wines that sell out quickly to their loyal and sometimes-rabid wine club.

Their Chardonnay portfolio spans a great many styles, from the steely, super-crisp Scuttlehole bottling all the way to the deep, rich, complex L'enfant Sauvage (which takes over a year to ferment with native yeasts).

This 100% Chardonnay wine, made with fruit from their Brick Kiln vineyard, was whole cluster pressed and barrel fermented. It displays inviting aromas of ripe, juicy pears, vanilla, baking spice and just a small squirt of lemon. In the mouth, the spices really come through — mostly nutmeg and cinnamon — with fruity pear and apple flavors on a palate that is balanced and shows just a little spicy lees character. The finish, which is medium long, has a distinct pear note with a little butter.

Reviewed February 2, 2007 by Lenn Thompson.

The Wine

Winery: Channing Daughters Winery
Vineyard: Brick Kiln Vineyard
Vintage: 2005
Wine: Chardonnay
Appellation: Hamptons Long Island
Grape: Chardonnay
Price: 750ml $20.00

Review Date: 2/2/2007

The Reviewer

Lenn Thompson

Lenn Thompson writes about New York wines for Dan's Papers,
Long Island Press, Long Island Wine Gazette, Edible East End
and Hamptons.com. Two words describe his taste in wine — balance and nuance. Lenn prefers food-friendly, elegant wines to jammy, over-extracted fruit bombs and heavy-handed oak. When reviewing, Lenn tastes each wine three times — alone right after opening, with food, and again the next day — believing that 90-second reviews are unrealistic and not how the average person enjoys wine.