Pindar Long Island Autumn Gold
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A "Wine is like poetry" So stated Robert Louis Stevenson, and how befitting that this analogy should be drawn. For good wine, like good poetry, has the power to raise the spirit to a heightened level of awareness and satisfy the soul.
Pindar, the name derived from the great Hellenic poet from Sparta, was founded in 1979 by the entrepreneurial Dr. Herodotus "Dan" Damianos. Starting off with just thirty acres of uncultivated land, Dr. Damianos envisioned the grand possibilities for his fledgling vineyard. His dream is being actualized for the ever expanding Pindar currently encompasses nearly 550 acres of prime viticultural property and is Long Island's largest and most prestigious vineyard. Sixteen different vinifera varieties are grown at Pindar including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, and lesser known varieties such as Viognier and Syrah.
Whether designing a proprietary blend or a rich, elegant, pure varietal, Pindar takes meticulous care and pride in producing the finest wine available for consumption. In doing so Pindar has become a name synonymous with quality and reliability. So we welcome you to sample our liquid poetry, and be moved!
With hundreds of white grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended white wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used in white wine blends, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a variety that creates a soft and full-bodied white wine blend, like Chardonnay, would do well combined with one that is more fragrant and naturally high in acidity. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
An important winegrowing state increasingly recognized for its high-quality reds and whites, Washington ranks second in production in the U.S. after California. Washington wines continue to gain well-deserved popularity as they garner higher and higher praise from critics and consumers alike.
Washington winemakers draw inspiration mainly from Napa Valley, Bordeaux and the Rhône as well as increasingly from other regions like Spain and Italy. Most viticulture takes place on the eastern side of the state—an arid desert in the rain shadow of the Cascade mountains. Irrigation is made possible by the Columbia River. Temperatures are extreme, with hot and dry summers and cold winters, during which frost can be a risk.
Washington’s wine industry was initially built on Merlot, which remains an important variety to this day, despite having been overtaken in acreage planted by Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. Bordeaux blends and Rhône blends are common as well as single varietal bottlings. Washington reds tend to express a real purity of concentrated fruit. The best examples have a bold richness, seamless texture, plush or powdery tannins and flavors such as licorice, herb, forest floor, espresso and dark chocolate.
In terms of white wine from Washington state, Riesling is the state’s major success story, producing crisp, aromatic examples with plenty of stone fruit that range from bone dry to lusciously sweet. Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc perform nicely here as well, and Viognier is beginning to pick up steam.