Coming up with novel wine tastings for visiting friends is a challenge when half your bottles are California Cabs and the other half are a polyglot selection of favorites from wineries near and far. What’s the common thread? Varietal? Terroir? Year? After scouring the cellar, we found our theme: 2019 — Two Chards. Two Cabs. Two Coasts. From California, a Napa Cabernet Sauvignon [Edict] and a Sonoma Chardonnay [Jordan.] From the North Fork of Long Island [where we visited in April and had plenty of juice,] a Cab and Chard from a single vineyard, Lenz Winery, where we had a fabulous visit with winemaker Thomas Spotteck.
The Year – 2019
Lucky us: 2019 was an exceptional year on the east and west coasts.
The North Fork: One local winemaker called the 2019 vintage “one of the finest of the last decade,” with “long, sunny days and balanced weather [that] allowed late-ripening red grapes to achieve unusual depth and ripeness levels.”
Northern California: K&L Wines deemed 2019 “another great vintage for Napa, the 2019s have tons of depth, ripeness, and balance.” According to Wine Business, “the 2019 growing year in Sonoma County was an exceptional, near-ideal season marked by heavy winter rains, a cool spring, and a long, mild summer that produced balanced, high-quality fruit.”
The Contestants
Estate Chardonnay 2019; Lenz Winery; North Fork, LI / $27
Crafted entirely from estate-grown Chardonnay, the grapes were harvested by hand in a series of 3 picks. Lenz hand-sorted berry by berry prior to fermentation. The earlier pick was fermented in stainless steel to retain crisp acidity and freshness, while 40% of the later two picks were fermented in large-format and new French oak barrels.
Tasting Notes: Medium hay color with a “very French Chardonnay nose;” crisp and clean with good acidity
Chardonnay 2019; Jordan; Russian River Valley, Sonoma / $40
“French-inspired;” it has the fruit profile of green apple, citrus blossom and lemon curd. 100% new French oak for 5.5 months; 50% fermented in stainless; 32% malolactic fermentation.
Tasting Notes: Deep yellow color; “classic CA Chardonnay minus the super-creaminess;” Some citrus and acidity; “more depth than the Lenz.”
Old Vines Cab Sauv 2019; Lenz Winery; North Fork, LI / $60
Hand-sorted berry by berry; extended cold maceration to maximize extraction of the more delicate fruit flavors without over extract powerful tannins.
Tasting Notes: Cedar and toasted vanilla on the nose; “black; no light getting through here;” big tannins; “Amazing with a sliver of dark chocolate.”
Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2019; Edict; Napa Valley / $98
100% Rutherford AVA wine aged for 22 months in oak.
Tasting Notes: Blackberry and leather on the nose; super dark color; flavors of black cherry, blackberries, and a touch of sage; “So balanced, so delicious.”
The Winners – Rated on a scale of 1 to 5
Lenz Estate Chardonnay 2019: The locavores among us were delighted that Long Island beat Sonoma by a nose, with an average score of 4.6 to 4.5. At $27, the Lenz Chardonnay is a steal, but its availability is limited to the winery and a few online shops. Here’s where to buy it: Lenz Winery; Oakdale Wine. The Jordan Chardonnay can be purchased via the winery’s web site and throughout the US.
Edict Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2019: Edict is an old favorite in the VinoDuo household so it was no surprise that it handily beat Lenz 4.9 to 4.5. You can buy the Lenz Old Vines Cab online or at the winery. Edict is more widely available, including at Benchmark Wine Group.
