Wine 101: Corot noir

Corot noir courtesy of
Double A Vineyards

Is Corot noir, the new Pinot Noir for cold climate vineyards? Of course not; but this cross between hybrids Seyve Villard and Steuben has its converts. Developed  at the Cornell Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, its wines "are free of the hybrid aromas typical of many other red hybrid grapes, and can be used for varietal wine production or for blending. The distinctive red wine has a deep red color and attractive berry and cherry fruit aromas." This in the words of grape breeder Bruce Reisch. And according to Double A Vineyards, a New York nursery,  "The wine has big soft tannins with a structure that is complete from the front of the mouth to the back, suitable for a varietal wine or for blending. Pairs well with beef, game, and other hearty dishes."

Hunt Country Vineyards
Classic Red

Diane Forsee of Forsee Vineyards and Winery (Coffeen Illinois) is one convert: "it just happens to be one of our best sellers here at the winery". The grape handles the Midwest winters well, the hot humid summers, and even poor clay soil. The negatives, do not over-crop and "you have a very small window within which to harvest, because the 'numbers' are perfect for a short time. Otherwise, the acid is too low and the wine becomes the perfect blender." But in the winery, the grape is versatile. They produce a dry red aged in American oak; a fruit forward semi-sweet blush; and a semi-dry "Chianti" styled wine blended with Leon Millot.

In Branchport, New York, Al Hunt of Hunt Country Vineyards grows Corot Noir to keep his wines competitively priced. His customers demand wines below $10 and their Classic Red fits that bill. Plus this five varietal, medium bodied blend has won several Golds, including a recent one at the Florida International Wine Competition. We need to get our hands on this one.

Corot Noir seems to have found a home in New York and Illinois, but is also grown in Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, and even Colorado and South Dakota. Here is an alphabetical list.

• Beneduce Vineyards - Pittstown, NJ
• Davis Valley Winery and Vineyard - Rural Retreat, VA
• Deer Run Winery - Hector, NY
• Dill's Run Winery - Union Springs, NY
• Forsee Vineyards and Winery - Coffeen IL
• Hunt Country Vineyards - Branchport, NY
• Le Fuselier Winery - Canon City, CO 
• Prairie Berry Winery - Hill City SD
• Presque Isle Wine Cellars - North East, PA
• Ridge View Winery - Mt. Sterling, IL
• Silver Moon Winery - Lanark, IL
• Taylor Brooke Winery - Woodstock, CT
• Villa Marie Winery and Vineyard - Maryville, IL

Virginia Wine Showcase - Round 1

I just took a short dry red run and tasted some very interesting wines. My first stop was Davis Valley Winery and Vineyard to try their Corot Noir a new grape developed at Cornell's New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, N.Y. In fact Davis Valley is one of the first wineries to make wine from this grape - a cross between Seyve Villard and Steuben that is more suitable for growers in cold climates. The Davis Valley's version has a cherry aroma with a smooth berry flavor. While not as structured as Pinot Noir, the wine is very similar. I plan to bring a few bottles home for a more in depth analysis.

I also tried the red selections from Acorn Hill Winery, which plans to open this spring in Madison. Today they are pouring their 2006 Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The Merlot is full bodied and smooth and for some reason I preferred it over the Cabernet Franc. Go figure.

Finally, I was able to taste the red wine's from my wife's favorite winery, Savoy Lee Winery. I tried their Merlot and Cabernet Franc, which weren't bad- I think I'm becoming a Merlot lover, but my favorite was the 2004 Echo Forest Red, a smooth cab blend.

Virginia Wine Showcase - Finally Online

After a brief network hiccup, Dezel from My Virginia Vine Spot and I are finally online at the Virginia Wine Showcase's Bloggers Corner. Throughout the day we will be posting highlights of the showcase and the wines. There are a number of Virginia wineries that traveled a great distance to be here including Davis Valley Winery and Vineyard, Hill Top Berry Farm & Winery, Peaks of Otter Winery, and Savoy Lee Winery to name a few. The Bloggers Corner is situated right next to James River Cellars and Bluemont Vineyards so we should get good sample of their offerings. We are also looking forward to tasting a few new wines such as Cooper Vineyards Petit Verdot and Davis Valley Winery and Vineyard's Corot Noir. This is also a chance to taste the wines from Virginia's newer wineries, Acorn Hill Winery, Mattaponi Winery and Vault Field Vineyards. I'll be back shortly.