Marathon Tasting at Paumanok with Charles and Kareem

The sheer hospitality of the Massouds is already legendary in these parts. As are the wines - one needs to look no further than Paumanok to learn about what LI is capable of producing. It has been a pleasure to know this family for over a decade and to watch the wines and the winery develop. The best part - the hospitality - has remained a constant. Thank you guys - your kindness and dedication to your guests and your wines is well documented.

The food available at the winery, btw, is not only a great match for the wines - but simply delicious as well. Oh and... oysters on weekends? yes, please!

Thanks also to Dan H. for arranging and inspiring this trip and Kim C. for joining us!
Sorry if the notes are rather brief.

• 2015 Paumanok Dry Rosé 88 Points

  USA, New York, Long Island, North Fork

  mineral and herb notes over the strawberry fruit. bright mid with some white peach and cranberry. dry and light with a hint of citrus and berry on the finish. excellent summer wine.

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• 2016 Paumanok Dry Rosé 88 Points

  USA, New York, Long Island, North Fork

  currently riper than the '15, with more strawberry flavors. dry herbs and fruit in mid. light, needs a bit of time imo to gain more on the finish. quite delicious.

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• 2015 Paumanok Chenin Blanc Minimalist 91 Points

  USA, New York, Long Island, North Fork

  I like this wine a lot. this is showing a bit more subdued than it did last year - but also more mineral touches. bright gooseberry flavors, great citrus mid. Apples and a touch of honey. cant wait to try it in 3-4 years.

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• 2016 Paumanok Chenin Blanc Minimalist 90 Points

  USA, New York, Long Island, North Fork

  showing riper than the '15 - but that is youth (15 showed riper last year). Sweet peach over honey and some funk. big juicy mid. interesting cider-like note of apples in the mid. good finish. this will be fun to open and watch it develop. also grabbed one for the cellar.

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• 2016 Paumanok Chenin Blanc 89 Points

  USA, New York, Long Island, North Fork

  Fun in a bottle. A total crowd pleaser - bright with green apple and pineapples. good ripe core of grapefruit and melon. If you think of sunshine in a bottle - this is the wine.

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• 2016 Paumanok Sauvignon Blanc 88 Points

  USA, New York, Long Island, North Fork

  the other side of the coin - riper richer and more tropical than the chenin. deep notes of ripe citrus in the middle. finishes with some zest and a touch of sweet fruit. very pretty.

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• 2015 Paumanok Sauvignon Blanc Minimalist 92 Points

  USA, New York, Long Island, North Fork

  this is just a plain fun wine. Funky, unusual tropical fruit, white flowers. in the middle there is a touch of rose-hips and a bright red berry note - the closest is Cornelian Cherry (dogwood family). The whole cluster / tank press and 18 hour soak really adds a unique dimension to this wine.

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• 2014 Paumanok Chardonnay Barrel Fermented 89 Points

  USA, New York, Long Island, North Fork

  young - showing a hint of vanilla from the oak and touches of butter. mid is bright - full of beautiful citrus notes and great power. this needs time to show itself - but looks like another great chardonnay.

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• 2016 Paumanok Semi-Dry Riesling 89 Points

  USA, New York, Long Island, North Fork

  as a riesling geek - and someone who has had more than a few Paumanok rieslings - i can say this is the best semi-dry riesling i have had yet. made in a kabinett/qba style - this lightly sweet riesling (30g RS) shows a ton of charm. White peaches on the nose with bright red berry note in the mid along with more white and yellow peach. my only gripe would be the medium finish - but this is quite and excellent effort.

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• 2016 Paumanok Dry Riesling 88 Points

  USA, New York, Long Island, North Fork

  Feinherb style wine - with a touch of sweetness (5g RS) and loads of topical fruit (pineapples and mango). good fresh note keeping this wine bright. great match for spicy food as well as seafood.

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• 2012 Paumanok Blanc de Blancs 91 Points

  USA, New York, Long Island, North Fork

  excellent effort. bright green apple notes. middle of yellow apples and hints of citrus. turns toward a riper apple note right before a clean and dry finish. this was simply wonderful on an early summer day. add oysters for heaven.

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• 2014 Paumanok Cabernet Franc 88 Points

  USA, New York, Long Island, North Fork

  this is for the lovers of bell peppers and herbs over fresh cherry fruit. delicious ripe red and black fruit notes in the mid over the herb/tobacco note. nice finish of spicy and savory tannin.

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• 2014 Paumanok Cabernet Franc Grand Vintage 91 Points

  USA, New York, Long Island, North Fork

  Richer than the reg C.Fr. - riper black fruit, showing very young with touches of vanilla over the full-powered fruit. blackberry and cassis layers over the herbs. coats the palate in lush fruit and tannin. needs time but should develop well.

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• 2013 Paumanok Merlot 90 Points

  USA, New York, Long Island, North Fork

  Paumanok Merlots are hard to beat. this is no exception - bright blackberry and cherry fruit, mid is bright with mineral and herbs under the bright red fruit notes. showing young tannins and a lovely savory herb on the finish.

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• 2013 Paumanok Merlot Grand Vintage 92 Points

  USA, New York, Long Island, North Fork

  third time tasting this wine - and third time this is in my top 3. Simply a go to for LI Merlot - pretty wine with good black and blue fruit, bright mid with ripe plum over mineral notes, great length and finish... what is there not to love? I put my bottles away - this will really be a star in 5 years or so.

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• 2014 Paumanok Cabernet Sauvignon 89 Points

  USA, New York, Long Island, North Fork

  Initial sniff was monumental - this is blueberry pie! on the mid it showed more austere - with the blueberry tempered by the bright acidity and herbal notes. Still powerful tannic grip should give way with a bit of aging. The wine showed more violet and lilac notes on the nose as time went on - as well as a ripe core of fruit.

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• 2014 Paumanok Cabernet Sauvignon Tuthills Lane Vineyard 92 Points

  USA, New York, Long Island, North Fork

  Bitter chocolate notes over plum and blackberry. brilliant middle of ripe fruit, core of acidity and powerful tannin. long finish. this will develop amazingly over a decade. strong effort!

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• 2013 Paumanok Assemblage 91 Points

  USA, New York, Long Island, North Fork

  Balance and complexity is the name of this game. Of you want pure power - look to the Cab. here there is a perfect play of fruit and acidity. Good red and blue fruit, savory herbs and bright acids in harmony. give it a bit more age and think of it as an old school claret.

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• 2013 Paumanok Petit Verdot Apollo Drive 94 Points

  USA, New York, Long Island, North Fork

  Boom! Powerhouse - toasty, big black fruit. Plum power x 100. Sweet chewy fruit, polished sexy middle - and yet still oh-so-fresh! this is a monster with a well combed and conditioned fur. Long finish with sweet and tart black fruit. WOW.

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• 2012 Paumanok Late Harvest Riesling 91 Points

  USA, New York, Long Island, North Fork

  BA level sweetness in this ice-wine. Apricots and mangoes, candied nuts, nice bitter sweet orange note on the back. rich sweet finish. think peach tart or blue cheese.

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• 2012 Paumanok Sauvignon Blanc Late Harvest 90 Points

  USA, New York, Long Island, North Fork

  The overt vanilla notes that were present two years ago are not there now - this feels light on the nose, with buttery peaches and caramel corn. mid is rich, buttered popcorn in a butterscotch sauce. TBA sweetness on the finish. very unique!

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thanks again guys.