Updated: 11/11/2010 - 2:35 PM

Winning Wines: Parker Redux
Recent awards and praise in the press

Photo by Jane Starwood The Lenz Winery's 2002 Old Vines Merlot and 2006 Gewurztraminer

This has been a great season so far for Long Island wines, with a new and exciting review of the region by David Schildknecht in issue 188 of Robert Parker's highly influential, subscription-only Wine Advocate newsletter. If you've been following the rise of Long Island's reputation as a — dare I say it once again? — world-class wine region, you may recall Mr. Schildknecht's first major Long Island review in issue 165, which we reported in the fall/winter 2006 Wine Press. Back in 2006, those of us who were already in on what seemed like a too-well-kept secret were thrilled to see the richly deserved high scores that year in “Parker” and other major wine publications.
Tracking the trajectory of praise, the first Parker report was subtitled, “Baby, You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet,” while this new one carries the tag, “No Longer a Long Shot.” Indeed.
With 106 wines awarded 84 to 92 points, we simply don't have room to list them all. Below, along with some other recent awards, are the highest scores earned by the wineries reviewed in the Wine Advocate (WA). In summary, 90-plus scores went to wines from Shinn Estate (5  90+ wines), Channing Daughters (4), Lenz (4), Paumanok (3), The Grapes of Roth (2), Schneider (2), The Old Field (1), Roanoke (1) and Wolffer Estate (1). To read David Schildknecht's report and view the entire list of scores, you can sign up for a monthly subscription to the online version of The Wine Advocate at
erobertparker.com. It's $12 and renews automatically, so if you don't want to continue beyond a month, be sure to cancel in time.
These highly rated wines are just the tip of the iceberg; Long Island has reached its stride as a wine region that can stand bottle-to-bottle, glass-to-glass, with the very best.
Bedell Cellars—WA: '06 Musee, 88; '07 Musee, 87; '07 Corey Creek Gewurztraminer; '07 Merlot Reserve, 87.
Channing Daughters—WA: '07 Meditazione, 92; '04 Pazzo, 91; '08 Tocai Friulano Sylvanus Vineyard, 91; '07 Envelope, 90.
Clovis Point—Finger Lakes International: '05 Merlot, double gold.
The Grapes of Roth—WA: '04 Merlot, 92; '05 Merlot, 90; '08 Riesling, 89; '09 Riesling Late Harvest, 89.
Harbes Family Farm & Vineyard—Wine Enthusiast: '05 Reserve Chardonnay, 86.
Lieb Cellars—Finger Lakes International: '08 Reserve Pinot Noir, silver; '05 Reserve Merlot, bronze. Wine Enthusiast: '06 Reserve Chardonnay, 87; '07 Bridge Lane Chardonnay, 86.
The Lenz Winery—WA: '06 Gewurztraminer, 91; '96 Cuvée RD, 91; '03 Cuvée, 90; '02 Merlot Old Vines, 90.
The Old Field Vineyards—WA: '04 Blanc de Noir, 90; 2001 Brut LD, 88.
Onabay Vineyards—WA: '07 Chardonnay Wild Ferment, 88; '07 Merlot Night Heron, 87.
Osprey's Dominion—Tasters Guild International: '07 Carmenere, '07 Merlot and '07 Cabernet Franc, gold; '07 Reserve Merlot and '07 Chardonnay, silver; '07 Cabernet Sauvignon, bronze.
Paumanok Vineyards—WA: '07 Merlot Tuthills Lane, 92; '05 Cabernet Sauvignon Tuthills Lane LE, 90; '07 Assemblage, 91.
Peconic Bay Winery—Finger Lakes International: '06 Riesling, double gold; Nautique Esprit de Rouge, gold.
Pellegrini Vineyards—WA: '05 Vintner's Pride Reserve, 89; '07 Chardonnay Vintner's Pride, 88; '05 Encore Vintner's
Pride, 88; '05 Merlot, 88.
Raphael—WA: '07 Cabernet Franc, 89; '05 Merlot First Label; '05 Malbec, 88.
Roanoke Vineyards—WA: '07 Gabby's Cabernet Franc, 91; '07 Merlot, 89; '05 Merlot, 88; '07 Blend One, 88.
Schneider Vineyards—WA: '05 Cabernet Franc La Cloche, 91; '07 Cabernet Franc Le Breton, 90.
Shinn Estate Vineyards—WA: '07 Merlot Nine Barrels Reserve, 92; '05 Merlot Nine Barrels Reserve, 91; '06 Merlot Nine Barrels Reserve, 90; '07 Grace, 90; '07 Wild Boar Doe, 90.
Wölffer Estate—WA: '07 Fatalis Fatum, 91; '07 Cabernet Franc, 89; '07 Chardonnay Estate Perle, 88; '05 Merlot Cuvée Christian Wölffer, 88.