Musée: Long Island’s Highest Scoring Red
It’s a bit like Roger Bannister breaking the four-minute mile in 1954 and setting the standard for others to come.
Bedell Cellars’ 2007 Musée has set a new record for Long Island red wines with an award of 91 points from Wine Spectator magazine. It comes as happy news but no surprise to me. I have been an admirer (and whenever I can, a drinker) of Musée since I tasted the inaugural 2005 vintage almost three years ago at a party hosted by Bedell Cellars owner Michael Lynne at The Modern restaurant at the Museum of Modern Art.
Lynne’s pursuit of excellence in winemaking is to be expected. He is, after all, one of the country’s most prominent film producers (Lord of the Rings, among many others). He’s also an important art collector, and the Musée label, with an original daguerreotype created by Chuck Close, is a knockout, one of the most beautiful labels in the wine world.
Musée is a merlot-predominant blend with sensuous and complex aromas and a lush taste. At $75 it delivers on every benchmark that you expect from an ambitious and serious wine. Not to mention the thrill of having that gorgeous bottle on your table.
Gewürztraminer: right now
Summer ends on September 21st although the autumn equinox. for 2010 does not arrive until 03:09 on September 23rd. But summer as we know it in the Hamptons is over and our season of rosé has peaked. All eyes are on more serious wines. I just opened a bottle of 2008 Corey Creek Gewürztraminer that I had chilling for a suitable moment.
Gewürztraminer is a cool weather grape that does well on Long Island and the Corey Creek version hews closely to the Alsace style—fragrant, spicy, floral, just to the right of center on the off dry side. Some people find hints of a silky or oily texture in Gewürztraminers, and I suppose it is there if you look for it. In any case it is a component of a well-balanced palate in a good wine.
Corey Creek Gewürztraminer seems just right as an aperitif for the chillier nights of September following our hot and dry summer. It sells for $35 a bottle
