As a wine lover one of the most important things that you can do is to support your local wineries. So many times I have heard people complain about the quality of the local selections. And the truth is that often they do not measure up to the offerings of France, Italy and California. But remember, at one time, not that long ago, California wines were also seen as second rate. If you would like to see your state's wines improve, then you must seek them out, buy them, thereby enabling the local winemakers to develop and prosper. As an added bonus your travels will bring in contact with some of the nicest vinophiles, who are willing to take the time and share their knowledge and passion with you.
On a recent trip to Providence, Rhode Island, Karin and Erik Aslaksen had arranged for us to spend a day following the Costal Wine Trail (click here for more information). And it was the perfect way to spend a brisk New England afternoon. The trail carried us through the heart of the Southeastern New England Wine Growing Appellation. The five participating wineries (Newport Vineyards, Greenvale Vineyards, Sakonnet Vineyards, Westport River Vineyards and Winery and Running Brook Vineyards) can all be visited in a day. We packed our own sustenance and stopped whenever we were hungry to munch on some delicious, leftover homemade pizza and look out on some of the most beautiful vistas anywhere.
We awarded two of the five wineries A Big Slice Best Award, based on the overall quality of their wines and the attention to customer service. Please keep reading to find out which wineries were chosen. And one individual wine was also awarded A Big Slice Best. Keep reading below to find out which wine won.
Just a quick note. This was a long day of tasting. The first went well, but we noticed a decline in quality as the day wore on. We began to think that it was us and our taste buds were tiring. But we arrived at the last, wonderful, winery and realized that our taste buds were fine. You'll notice that almost all of our favorites were whites. The New England climate does not lend itself very well to red wine production, although the wineries valiantly give it their all. Most of the reds seemed unripe and thin. So even if you prefer reds wines, think of the location and taste what works best for that area.
Best Winery Costal Wine Trail (tie for first place)
1. Newport Vineyards
This family farm, now owned by brothers John and Paul Nunes, is located on some prime real estate on Aquidneck Island. Newport Vineyards boasts a wonderful and wide ranging selection of wines. The tasting room is large, modern and very pleasant, and the pouring staff was extremely friendly and knowledgeable. We would especially like to thank Scott for his time and attention. He made the tasting even more fun and taught us a few things along the way. There were four of us tasting, so we made sure to vary our selections and taste as many of their wines as possible. The tasting list is quite long but it provides a key that helps you move step by step through the tasting. You can easily focus on those styles that you know you like, or be adventurous and try something completely different. Our favorites were as follows (in no particular order):
Sauvignon Blanc 2006 - Very nice and similar in style to New Zealand's, meaning very crisp and clean with those vegetal notes that we have come to love and look for. Although it was not as it your face as the NZ wines, we enjoyed its subtlety. ($15.99)
Vidal Blanc 2006 - Semi-dry wines can be tricky and Newport has created a lovely Vidal Blanc with just a hint of sweetness. The aroma was loaded with tropical fruits and flowers and there was just enough crisp acidity to keep things interesting. ($14.99)
"In the Buff" Chardonnay 2006 - If you are looking for a great taste test, try this Chardonnay against the Sauvignon Blanc. Both are unoaked, so you are getting the true expression of the grapes. But where the Sauvignon Blanc was mouthwateringly edgy and a little more austere (but still delicious), the Chardonnay was round and fruity. Both very different and both delightful, purely a stylistic preference. ($14.99)
Gemini Red 2005 - Of the reds that we tasted, this was the best of the day. It is a medium bodied red but that surprises you with a spicy, peppery taste that made it a real crowd pleaser. ($13.99)
1. Running Brook Vineyard and Winery
We were very impressed with this winery. The surroundings here were at the other end of the spectrum from Newport. It was small and charming, and Denise, the pourer, was wonderful! Even though we were running late, she was so warm and welcoming and never made us feel like we had to rush. The history of Running Brook Vineyards really begins in Azores, Portugal, where both owners, Pedro Teixeira and Manuel Morais, were born and raised. They have brought with them a real sense of "old world elegance" and their wines were a revelation. Their selection is smaller, but what they do they do very well. The tasting is organized and shows the range of styles available to the visitor. Our favorites were as follows (in no particular order)
Chardonnay 2004 - In many smaller wineries, the use of oak is heavy-handed and takes over from the fruit. Not so here. This Chardonnay was lovely, and elegant. The oak was nicely in the background adding complexity, and subtle enough not to affect the crisp, clean nature of the wine. ($10.00)
Pinot Gris 2005 - We really loved this wine. It was big and fruity. If you are a fan of pinot gris you'll know what I mean when I say it had that wonderful, characteristic oiliness. The taste was loaded with citrus fruit and would hold its head high with most pinot gris out there. ($20.00)
Celebration Sparkling Wine 2005 - This sparkling wine was another winner. Produced in the traditional "methode champenoise" this bubbly was very French in style and class. It was crisp and clean, but also had a nutty, yeasty quality that made us keep smiling as we tasted it (that and the fact that this was our fifth winery).
Along with Running Brook, and Newport we would like to commend all of the wineries that we visited. The Coastal Wine Trail is within easy reach of Providence and Boston. Do yourself a favor and get out there. Every state has wineries, to find them simple click here. Now get out there and support yours!
