Our winemaker has been working hard this year curating a new, more refined palate for our customers and distinguished Wine Club Members. Renan, who's profile includes a background in California style wines, has taken a new approach to our Connecticut grapes. While his tenure here at Priam is nearing an end, and his new home at Harvard is waiting, he's leaving behind a beautiful selection of wines for us to enjoy.
The first of these new wines, which will debut this weekend (7/21-7/23), is our famed Riesling. The new Riesling is a bright and fresh summery splash, floral on the nose, much like our Gewürztraminer, but a rounder and fruitier profile on the tongue. A balanced mouth of pear, peach, and orange was delightful enough for the judges at this years Women in Wine Competition, elected it not only Best in Class, but also Double Gold! Those two medals racked our running Medal Count to 92. We can't wait to showcase this wine this weekend, so be sure to come out!
Secondly, we've recently sold out of our full-flavored, sweet 2015 Blackledge Rosé which was reminiscent of watermelon, but never fear, our new 2016 Blackledge Rosé has made a complete 180º. With a nose of orchids and freshly trimmed strawberries, it opens to a more complex hibiscus flower and a delicate raspberry. The mouthfeel is fresh and lemony, with balanced acidity, and the palate experience is almost as if eating a strawberry fresh from the vine.
Lastly, this weekend, we'll have the piéce de résistance: an old favorite, Salmon River White. We've been waiting for this years release, after its absence from our tasting sheets and our bellies, but the wait was well worth it. Yet again, Renan delivers on an elegant and fragrant floral bouquet that develops effortlessly into accords of crisp green apples and fig, with a hint of butterscotch. As with all well-rounded chardonnay blends, there is a delicate butteriness, and a creamy white chocolatey, and an exuberant almond, that waltzes across the tongue. It finishes with fine white pepper notes and can age in a cellar for an additional year.
Other notable events include our wins at the New York International Wine Competition (NYIWC). As Gloria has continued to place our strongest bets in their proper classes, Blackledge White walked away with yet another well deserved Silver Medal (it's first was earlier this year at East vs West Wine Competition). Our Gewürztraminer has held up its own end of our floral German wines with its second Bronze this year (Also awarded Bronze at EvWWC).
In another eventful twist over the summer, our UnWINEd Summer Concert Series has been moved around a little and we'd just like to update you with our new dates for these bands:
Shaka's Root Hog Stomp (Blues Americana) - Friday, August 25th, Food By Pizza Pixie
Mixed Signals (Rock & Blues) - Friday, September 1st
As a bonus to those of you who are reading this to the end, here is a little sneak peek of our winery. This week we went all out in preparation for The Connecticut Wine Festival at Goshen. Come visit our table along with our friendly, local vineyards. It runs from 12PM–7PM This Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are $35, and designated driver tickets are $10. You can get your CT Winery passport stamped for the Goshen event, but we won't be stamping for our winery separately (You'll have to come out and visit us for that!).
The Goshen Fairgrounds – 116 Old Middle Street, Goshen, CT
Photography by: S. Newcomb Photography
Videography by: Priam Vineyards