Wine Recommendation
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Wine Recommendation

Wine:Comtesse Thérèse 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon - Cabernet Franc  (North Fork of Long Island)

Comtesse Thérèse

2004 Cabernet Sauvignon - Cabernet Franc
(North Fork of Long Island)



Some of the wines that display Long Island's true nature – terroir if you will – are actually red blends, not the varietal Merlots that are often lauded as the region's best. Of course there are also the "Meritage" wines that seem more like a way to use up extra lots of lesser reds than anything else.

Theresa Dilworth, co-owner of and head winemaker for Comtesse Therese is making the former with this blandly named but far-from-bland blend named for its component grapes and their percentages: 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Cabernet Franc.

This is a soft, slightly juicy blend that dodges the over-oaking that burdens some local blends and many wines from the slightly cool 2004 vintage. Very Cabernet Sauvignon aromas and flavors – blackberry, and black currant – are accented by subtle cinnamon, chocolate, smoke and violet notes. The tannins are soft and the noticeable acidity makes this a terrific food wine. This is the kind of wine I like this time of year. It's still a red wine, but it's not heavy or brooding. It reminds of me the transition between winter and spring.

Reviewed March 12, 2007 by Lenn Thompson.




Other reviewed wines from Comtesse Thérèse

 

The Wine

Winery: Comtesse Thérèse
Vintage: 2004
Wine: Cabernet Sauvignon - Cabernet Franc
Appellation: North Fork of Long Island
Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon (70%), Cabernet Franc (30%)
Price: 750ml $20.00

Review Date: 3/12/2007

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.