Finger Lakes Discovery
2008 Bloomer Creek White Horse Red
Loire By Way of the Finger Lakes
Since we opened, we've been on the look-out for a Finger Lakes wine that we could get behind, that expressed the potential of the region.
Last week, eight years later, we finally found it.
This impressive discovery began when Kristin, a manager here, took a trip to see her family near the Finger Lakes. She had a list of wineries to visit, including one that came highly recommended from a long-time Crush customer and intrepid wine geek.
The recommendation was Bloomer Creek, and Kristin really liked the wines. She returned with a few favorites to share. They were opened a week or so ago with some samples from one of our favorite importers of Old World wines. On that day, the Bloomer Creek wines captured the group's attention, especially the White Horse Red.
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Bloomer Creek has been garnering a lot of attention in recent months - they've landed on top wine lists in the city, like NoMad and Blue Hill at Stone Barns. They even received a nod from the NY Times' Eric Asimov, who writes, "their cabernet francs are deliciously fragrant, peppery wines." He goes on to single out their White Horse Red.
Bloomer Creek is run entirely by a husband and wife team (ok, they have ONE employee.) Winemaker Kim Engle, inspired by his love for natural Loire wines, takes a quality-driven hands off approach, producing expressive wines in a region where a built-in tourist business often leads to sugary, anonymous wines.
While White Horse is a spoof on Cheval Blanc, a legendary Bordeaux, the wine has much more in common with Loire reds - Bourgueil or Chinon - than Bordeaux. The White Horse red is an energetic, spicy blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot. There's just enough fleshiness to keep the wine from becoming austere.
One of the things that drew us to the Finger Lakes was the cool climate of the area. Whereas California winemakers often have to jump through hoops to keep their alcohols within reasonable levels, in the Finger Lakes there's a struggle for grapes to ripen. This isn't easy for winemakers, but when everything works out, the wines have a freshness, an earthiness that we love.
This is the case with Bloomer Creek's 2008 White Horse. It is dark fruited with notes of forest floor, sandalwood and pulverized baking spices, all of this is backed up by bright acidity, making this a perfect companion to the dinner table.
White Horse is an ideal wine for the spring greens and young root vegetables that are just around the corner. This kind of sweet-spot pricing makes case-buys a no-brainer. It's a good idea to buy fairly deep and have bottles around for next winter and spring - the wine will likely be even better then.
To order, please email us at offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463.
Joe Salamone
Wine Buyer
Crush Wine & Spirits