From Signal Hill in Montauk, high signs of things to eat and drink

Sipping from Sagaponack to Signal Hill

I had not been to the Montauk Manor in about seven or eight years—it is after all on the fringe of the known world—and I was curious to see what it looks like these days. So a wine dinner (with Wolffer wines produced in Sagaponack) there last week seemed a perfect opportunity.

The view from atop Signal Hill is as spectacular as ever, even if there are a few more houses and condominiums scattered on the surrounding hills and the shore of Lake Montauk. As I strolled the grounds with a flute of Wolffer Estate Brut Sparkling Cuvee 1999, I thought that with all the natural beauty and the well restored and imposing 1920s building, this was the perfect ambience for good food and wine—but at the same time it gave the chef and winemaker a lot to compete with.

The Breakwater Café, located in a room off the lobby, is pleasant and intimate, with 44 seats and a small bar plus some terrace seating. The evening started casually with passed hors d’oeuvres accompanied by the Wolffer Cuvee—a dry, balanced and harmonious sparkling wine. The wine is produced using traditional champagne techniques, and the care shows in the pale golden color, the fine sustained bead, and elegant nose. The acid and minerals notes are refined and are balanced with apple and lime aromas and a delicate smoky taste. It is a sophisticated but easy to drink sparkling wine, and according Erik Weiss, marketing director at Wolffer, it is served at the White House along with some other Wolffer wines. The wine sells for $27 at the winery in Sagaponack.

We went on to a five-course tasting menu prepared by chefs Christopher Kozlowski and Craig S. Lieder, Jr. A delicate, clear chicken consommé was accompanied by Wolffer’s La Ferme Martin 2002 chardonnay. Fermented in stainless steel, this chardonnay has a clear, straightforward and expressive taste with vibrant melon fruits and a nice finish—a good match for the consommé. Modest and unfussy, but still satisfying on the palate, it fits well with summer soups and salads. The wine is priced at $13.50 at the winery.

The Wolffer rose, a consistent favorite during our East End summers, was the right bone-dry accompaniment for a sumptuous lobster cocktail with yellow tomatoes. Composed of merlot and chardonnay, the rose sells for $12.50. A house paté was matched with a reserve chardonnay. Aged partly in oak, this chardonnay is a more ambitious wine than La Ferme Martin—richer, riper and subtler, though each clearly has its place on summer menus and as aperitifs. It sells for $20.

The next course, a grilled yellowfin tuna, rare and meltingly tender, was matched with Wolffer’s pinot noir. This is a serious wine. Wolffer Estate has a European orientation, and their pinot noir, I believe, takes Burgundy as its model. I found it soft and silky, intense and sensuous. The aroma and taste profile include cherry, raspberry, violets and toasted oak, all fine spun and layered. It doesn’t quite match top-flight Burgundies, but I think it is better than many ordinary (but nevertheless expensive) imports from that region. It compares well to some Oregon pinots, but does not quite reach the level of their best ones. Still, it is a fine league to play in. Oregon pinot noir is often recognized as second only to Burgundy and certainly among the leading varietals produced in this country.

Pinot noir is a difficult grape to grow and tricky to make into wine. I admire Roman Roth, the winemaker at Wolffer, for his obviously purposeful and for the most part successful attempt. He’s on to something, and I will be observing his work with this grape in the future. The 2001 vintage sells for $60, not too a bad price for a first-rate pinot noir.

Our dessert, a strawberry trifle, was accompanied by a late harvest chardonnay. Ambrosial and voluptuous but not cloying, it is a congenial dessert wine and a lovely way to finish an evening. The 375ml bottle sells for $35 at the winery.

I had been meaning to catch up with the people from Wolffer and sample some new releases, and the dinner was a swell way to do that. Discovering the enticing and innovative Breakwater Café, which moved to the Montauk Manor in February, was a revelation. I don’t think I’ll wait another seven years to return to Signal Hill.