Dan's Papers - July 11, 2008 - Over The Barrel...

Over the last 24 months, the Long island wine community has welcomed many new-mostly smaller-wineries with open arms. Most recently, producers like Bouke, Onabay Vineyards, Christiano Family, One Woman Winery, Sparkling Pointe, Medolla Vineyards and Scarola Vineyards have joined the fray.

Before these small, family operations came along, there was Waters Crest Winery.

Owned by Jim and Linda Waters, with Jim also making the wines, Waters Crest Winery can be easy to miss tucked away in an industrial strip mall in Cutchogue, but any Long Island wine lover owe it to him or herself to stop by, meet Jim and taste his rose, white and red wines, which he makes in the back from grapes purchased from various growers on the North Fork.

An accomplished home winemaker before opening his winery, Jim's story is an inspirational one for anyone who has thought about giving up a job to follow a passion. He worked for years as a manager for large trucking companies. He was, and still is, a volunteer fireman as well and without that, he might not be a full-time winemaker today.

After the tragedy of September 11, he found himself at Ground Zero, working side-by-side with other firemen. It was an introspective time for many, no doubt, and Jim decided that life was too fragile and fleeting to not make a change in his life. It was time to follow his passion.

Not long after, he quit his job with the trucking company and opened Waters Crest Winery.

I stopped by last weekend to chat with Jim and taste through several newly released wines.

We started with Waters Crest Winery's 2007 Rose ($17), a blend of 50% chardonnay, 25% merlot and 25% cabernet sauvignon. It's a light salmon pink with simple strawberry and stone fruit aromas flavors. Medium bodied and almost completely dry, a bit more acidity would be nice, but at the beach on a hot summer day, this wine would be welcome.

New to the portfolio is Waters Crest Winery's 2007 Campania Bianco ($24), made from 45% Chardonnay, 37% Gewürztraminer and 18% Riesling, is an interesting, blend that is fruity, spicy and floral. Medium bodied and with just the right acidity, this was my favorite white of the day.

Of Jim's current reds, his Waters Crest 2005 Cabernet Franc ($25) and Waters Crest Winery 2004 Private Reserve Merlot ($35) stand out. The cab franc is showing nice ripe cherry-raspberry fruitiness with subtle herbs and a little spice.

The private reserve merlot is a great find, with black raspberry, black plum, black cherry, smoky oak, vanilla, brown spice intermingling on a nose that fills the room given an hour in the glass. Though still quite young (the tannins are slightly astringent now) this full-flavored merlot is driven by blackberry and black cherry flavors that are ripe, but not jammy with a faint chocolate-mint note on a lengthy finish. Either drink it now after decanting for an hour or two, or cellar it for a few years. Your patience will be rewarded.

I also got a sneak peak at Jim's 2006 reds-a cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon and a blend. 2006 wasn't a great year, but these reds, particularly the cab franc, will be worth checking out next year when they are released.

Visit www.waterscrestwinery.com to learn more or to order these wines.