Today’s Wine Wednesday is dedicated to this lovely Methode Traditionelle sparkler made from 100% Pinot Noir from the Lenz winery on the North Fork of Long Island. I first visited Lenz back in 2004 when my parents were selling their summer house in Bridgehampton.

Lenz is one of the classic wineries on Long Island. It was founded in 1977 by the Lenz family but they sold their winery to the Carroll family in 1994. These last have been bringing the winery forward with much the same philosophy of the founders these 27 years. Today they really are one of the pillars of Long Island wine.

I spent a few weeks touring the vineyards and I remember tasting these wines. I loved this wine which I received as part of a shipment from a wine club I joined late last year. It’s the brainchild of Lenn Thompson of the Cork Report. I’ve had fun with the few wines I have tasted at this point. This one was a beautiful expression of a Pinot Noir sparkler. I got lots of raspberry, some mushroom and floral notes but also brioche, yeast and a hint of citrus. The acidity was lovely and the wine had an enveloping mouthfeel. It worked super well with my Shrimp with Green Sauce too.

I also love that it’s a 2014, a great year in my life, the year when my son was born. The winemaker at Lenz for 30 years was Eric Fry, a darling of the Long Island wine scene. While still consulting with the winery, he has modified his schedule and Tom Spotteck is today also at the forefront. I’m looking forward to the next wines from my shipment.