I’ve been checking in with Long Island vineyard managers and winemakers on the 2010 harvest and what’s fermenting in their cellars. The reports range from high spirits at the low end all the way to bliss and rapture. The rest of us will have to wait for the first releases to share their elation.
From my friend, Gilles Martin, winemaker at Sparkling Pointe in Southold:
"Harvest 2010 started very early (August 26th) for the sparkling wines of Sparkling Pointe. Unusually hot temperatures accelerated the ripening process and set a record for early grape picking, with our Champagne grape varieties getting to the winery within 10 days.
"The 2010 vintage is the perfect picture of a generous, healthy crop—something a vintner can dream about. Golden ripe chardonnay, beautiful pinot noir and meunier are fermenting slowly in our new cool cellar, producing intense aromatic base wines.
"The quality of this fabulous vintage extends to still wine varieties, which also gained from the perfect dry growing conditions of this summer. The early picking during this warm fall brought to the crush-pad optimum ripeness for our fruits.
"2010 Harvest will be a vintage to remember for its perfect dry growing conditions and healthy ripe grapes, and also to enjoy for its lively and intense sparkling wines, its aromatic white wines and for its generous red wines to cellar."