It’s harvest season for local wineries, so let’s focus on local this week. Here’s a post from Carlo DeVIto’s East Coast Wineries blog about some standouts at Benmarl Winery. They’re in Marlborough and open seven days a week. If you can’t find their wines in a store near you, consider a visit to their beautiful site.
I love what Benmarl Winery is doing these days. They were once the bastion of hybrid wines, and old fashioned packaging. But, today, they are being adventurous with their wines, both as winemakers and in their packaging choices. They are rocking it. General Manager Michael Spaccarelli Jr and Laura Cypress as Winemaker (with Matt Spaccarelli) have driven the program to new heights. At a tasting in NYC this spring, I found these wines: Benmarl Seyval Blanc Estate Grown 2018 was light, lively, bright, and fun. Great zippy acidity. Fabulous food wine. Lots of green apple, lemon and lime zest. One of the best Seyvals I have ever had.
Benmarl Dry Rose’ New York 2018 is a lovely, soft rose with hints of bright fresh strawberries and lime. Easy drinking, with lovely tropical highlights, very easy quaffer.
Benmarl Baco Noir Rose Estate Grown 2018 was a big bright sour cherry bomb of a rose, with lovely tropical notes, and a big citrus bomb ending, with the cherry lingering. Wonderful.
I love the fact that Benmarl has taken on an extra edgy look with their new canned wine program. Not just rose, but their crowd pleasing Slate Hill Red and their Chardonnay are also available in tall boy cans. (Excerpted from a review on http://eastcoastwineries.blogspot.com.)