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Feature Article
Richard Pisacano is busy on both forks of Long Island as vineyard manager for the Hamptons' Wolffer Estate and the co-owner of Roanoke Vineyards on the North Fork.
North Fork of Long Island (AVA)
Roanoke Vineyards – Producing Cab
That Ricochets Around the Room
As odd as it may sound, I am not convinced terroir exists. I think to say that it does exist would suggest that there is somewhat of a specific regional flavor, characteristic or personality that could not be masked, changed or evolved at the will of the vintner.
~Richard Pisacano
by
Lenn Thompson
February 6, 2007
Lenn Thompson (LT): You started growing grapes back in high school. How did you find yourself falling into the local wine region, which was still in its infancy?
Rich Pisacano (RP): What kept my interest was the excitement of the boom. I was working for Mudd Vineyards in the late 70’s and everyone was coming to us to learn. We were soon consulting for, planting and maintaining most of the first wave of growers, including Pindar Vineyards, Palmer Vineyards, Island Vineyards (now Pellegrini Vineyards). Cutchogue Vineyards (later Gristina) and Jamesport Vineyards to name a few. Their was a tremendous amount of optimism and energy which we all shared and I was enjoying being part of it.
LT: You started growing grapes back in high school. How did you find yourself falling into the local wine region, which was still in its infancy?
RP: What kept my interest was the excitement of the boom. I was working for Mudd Vineyards in the late 70’s and everyone was coming to us to learn. We were soon consulting for, planting and maintaining most of the first wave of growers, including Pindar Vineyards, Palmer Vineyards, Island Vineyards (now Pellegrini Vineyards). Cutchogue Vineyards (later Gristina) and Jamesport Vineyards to name a few. There was a tremendous amount of optimism and energy which we all shared and I was enjoying being part of it.
Also, my passion was plant propagation and we began grafting grapevines, so the combination of the hype and plant propagation was the hook.
LT: Back then, were grapes treated much like other local crops? Was there any real expertise/knowledge?
RP: The vines were treated according to what vineyard knowledge was available at the time. We were applying the expertise coming from UC Davis in California and Cornell research station in Geneva, New York. We combined the two into our own hybrid which was adequate but certainly not entirely suitable for our region.
LT: So what have growers learned since then? How have they improved?
RP: Most importantly, growers have learned the negative impact that mistakes make on the finished product and how not to repeat them. As growers and vineyards have matured, so has our way of thinking, in terms of how we care for the vineyards. Since the early 1990’s, many growers have become to realize that the vineyard is part of a complex system which we just happen to be harvesting grapes from. Introducing sustainable practices has become more of a responsibility than a choice.
Prior to that, the mentality, though conventional for the time, was mostly to react to the vineyard. When weeds would grow, kill them or plow them under; if disease or pests were present, spray; when vines would grow, hedge them when it was dry, water them and so on. By realizing that the vines are part of this system and having a higher tolerance to the pressures, most growers have learned to help nurture the system and become much better overall stewards. I often say that you cannot bring the vineyard back into its natural habitat, but you can do your best to invite more of nature back into the vineyard. This is the area which has been most improved on Long Island and will make for a healthier future and better wines, besides being fun and rewarding.
LT: What are some of the biggest changes in growing techniques since "the old days"?
RP:: The biggest change has been in the finesse or in the attention to detail. Growers learn the brick and mortar long before they learn the art form of winegrowing. Some learn quicker than others and some never really care to learn, partly because of the lack of importance they put on it and also, that it almost always takes more time, money and effort to achieve.
Techniques have changed with respect to achieving vine balance, improving crop and canopy management and all the many little things that seem to not mean much but can have a tremendous impact on the wine. Most of these techniques are done by hand, standing in the vineyard, one vine at a time.
LT: When you joined Wolffer Estate in 1996 and started growing wine on the South Fork, what were some of the Fork-specific challenges you didn't expect? How did you overcome them over time?
RP: I did not know what to expect. I was surprised by the dews which persisted, mostly caused by the lesser winds on the South Fork. I thought that the proximity to the open ocean would certainly mean higher winds but I quickly learned that it is actually much less windy on the South Fork, compared to the North Fork.
Also the slower pace that the soil warmed in spring was an unusual challenge for me. I thought I'd have to respond but found it to have its advantages actually. It merely meant lower spring disease pressure. The two climates are more similar than different. The South Fork has a delay of spring which is countered by a lengthier fall. The suspicion that the South Fork was inferior to the North Fork was quickly overcome by the first signs of ripeness and most memorably by the very first block of Chardonnay which was harvested at over 23 Brix with beautiful acidity and PH and flavors oozing with fine ripeness. This was
ripeness I had only previously read about, even having, at the time, a twelve year old North Fork Chardonnay vineyard. The other challenge was the drive. Farmers are not meant to commute.
LT: When you visit other wine regions, what strikes you as the biggest differences between growing quality grapes on Long Island versus other areas?
RP: With the exception of the maritime climate of Bordeaux, France, I find the difference to be in the human factor, where in the Medoc, we absolutely must intervene in the vineyard and steer the direction which the climate is taking the fruit. Most regions rely more on the climate than we do and that is where we differ from most of the world’s regions. I think that in maritime climates like Long Island and Bordeaux, the wine is the symbiotic magic between man, the soil, vine and sea, where in the more arid climates, man plays an important but lesser role in the finished wine. This is why many of us often use the Bordeaux comparison. It is not in an effort to compete or compare our wines as much as it is to learn from and - sorry but - yes, even emulate a great region that has so many similar traits.
LT: You bought Roanoke Vineyards in 2000. What were your goals at the outset?
RP: The goal was to create something special with what was the remaining footprint of one of the truly great North Fork farms, known as Young’s Farms. I saw it as a diamond in the rough. I said that I would plant the vineyards and lay the foundation for it to become a special red wine vineyard; that I would create and move on to plant more vineyards in interior Riverhead. I felt that the vision I had for this farm, though small in scale, was too ambitious for me to successfully take on. The deciding factor to take it to the next level was my wife Soraya’s willingness to become a managing partner.
LT: Long Island is often lauded for its Merlot, yet you've said that your focus is Cabernet Sauvignon. Why do you prefer Cab?
RP: It is sometimes said that to become a successful grower, it is best to grow the varieties which you prefer as a wine. Cabernet Sauvignon, in my opinion, is the King — never to be dethroned. I have truly experienced sensory overload from its tremendous complexities and multiple dimensions.
I want to produce a wine that leaves the glass and can seemingly ricochet around the room before reaching your palate and I believe we can achieve this with Cabernet Sauvignon.
LT: What is it about your location that makes it better suited for Cabernet than other vineyards?
RP: The slight advantage which this part of the North Fork offers to the production of Cabernet Sauvignon is the higher accumulation of heat over the growing season.
Adequate heat is necessary for the maturation of the Cabernet Sauvignon grape. As the land widens (heading from east to west on the North Fork), it is less influenced by the sea in the daytime as well as during the night. More than the other widely planted varieties like Merlot, Cabernet Franc and all whites - varietals that can make delicious wines when under-ripe - heat is important to Cabernet Sauvignon because only when it reaches ripeness can it be made into a good or great wine.
The prevailing SSW summer winds travel over a larger piece of land here. This helps warm air and, of course, the land. We also have a beautiful, light but deep soil, a terrific combination for our varieties. This helps produce characters exhibiting blacker fruits with dried and even baked fruit flavors that go beyond cherry-like red fruits.
LT: Wolffer Estate is a part of the Long Island Merlot Alliance, but Roanoke isn't. What do you think of the initiative and what do you hope it will do for the region?
RP: Roanoke Vineyards will always strive to make the very best Merlot, but in very small amounts of 250 cases or less. Our focus will remain Cabernet and our blends.
But, I applaud the founders of the Long Island Merlot Alliance and its goals. Certainly, to take ownership of Merlot in this way is a visionary move. This is the red variety which is, and will likely continue to be, the most widely successful. Proactive initiatives like LIMA are what will help in putting Merlot and North Fork in the same sentence, like Oregon and Pinot Noir, New Zealand and Sauvignon Blanc, Malbec and Argentina.
LT: If you had to describe Long Island's terroir in just a few sentences, what would you say?
RP: As odd as it may sound, I am not convinced terroir exists. I think to say that it does exist would suggest that there is somewhat of a specific regional flavor, characteristic or personality that could not be masked, changed or evolved at the will of the vintner. Naturally, if a region shares a philosophy or techniques in the vineyard and cellar, using many of the same varieties planted in near common soils, than it is likely that a familiar flavor can permeate throughout the region.
LT: Your vineyard falls within the North Fork, Long Island AVA, but your growing conditions are vastly different than those further east on the North Fork. Do you think it makes sense to create a sub-AVA for your area of the North Fork...maybe called "Riverhead, Long Island"?
RP: I think the growing conditions are probably different enough here to warrant a new sub AVA.
I once thought this
area would prove to be the new frontier of the Long Island Region but high land prices and the tremendous challenges of this business have stalled growth. Unless more vineyards are planted in this area, there is not much sense in creating a new sub AVA.
LT: What's next at Roanoke Vineyards? Tell me a little bit about your 2005 and 2006 wines.
RP: Our plan in the vineyard is to continue to improve on the sustainable approach, in every way possible. It takes lots of time to bring a site to maturity.
At Wolffer Estate, I am proud of the success that has been achieved in bringing the vineyard slowly closer to almost organic. Here at Roanoke Vineyards, progress has been very good but I will need more years of learning just how to achieve it with the same high level of success at this specific site, while producing great fruit.
In the winery, we are planning an eventual boutique winemaking facility in our potato barn. Having Roman Roth and his staff watching over most of our wines is, and will remain, of huge importance to us.
Our 2005 and 2006 wines are developing beautifully. The 2005 consists of a pre-rain event Merlot and a small lot Meritage style blend. Much of our 2005 crop was lost to the rain. I will celebrate these wines but certainly not the vintage because of the widespread crop loss which was suffered in the region. At Roanoke Vineyards, this vintage will be defined as producing phenomenal wines in an unfortunate season. They are enormously ripe and display richness and dense black resinous fruit flavors which are mostly uncharacteristic for the region.
The 2006 wines, though quite young, are very exciting. The season was extremely challenging and the wines are showing wonderful varietal character, surprisingly ripe tannins and a feminine but solid structure. I am very fond of this vintage because of the tough journey which the fruit endured and the high quality that so often during the season we seemed unlikely to achieve. Now this is a vintage which I will celebrate for many years.
~ Lenn Thompson, Regional Correspondent
To comment on Lenn’s writings and thoughts, contact him at l.thompson@appellationamerica.com
Rich Pisacano (RP): What kept my interest was the excitement of the boom. I was working for Mudd Vineyards in the late 70’s and everyone was coming to us to learn. We were soon consulting for, planting and maintaining most of the first wave of growers, including Pindar Vineyards, Palmer Vineyards, Island Vineyards (now Pellegrini Vineyards). Cutchogue Vineyards (later Gristina) and Jamesport Vineyards to name a few. Their was a tremendous amount of optimism and energy which we all shared and I was enjoying being part of it.
LT: You started growing grapes back in high school. How did you find yourself falling into the local wine region, which was still in its infancy?
RP: What kept my interest was the excitement of the boom. I was working for Mudd Vineyards in the late 70’s and everyone was coming to us to learn. We were soon consulting for, planting and maintaining most of the first wave of growers, including Pindar Vineyards, Palmer Vineyards, Island Vineyards (now Pellegrini Vineyards). Cutchogue Vineyards (later Gristina) and Jamesport Vineyards to name a few. There was a tremendous amount of optimism and energy which we all shared and I was enjoying being part of it.
Also, my passion was plant propagation and we began grafting grapevines, so the combination of the hype and plant propagation was the hook.
LT: Back then, were grapes treated much like other local crops? Was there any real expertise/knowledge?
RP: The vines were treated according to what vineyard knowledge was available at the time. We were applying the expertise coming from UC Davis in California and Cornell research station in Geneva, New York. We combined the two into our own hybrid which was adequate but certainly not entirely suitable for our region.
LT: So what have growers learned since then? How have they improved?
RP: Most importantly, growers have learned the negative impact that mistakes make on the finished product and how not to repeat them. As growers and vineyards have matured, so has our way of thinking, in terms of how we care for the vineyards. Since the early 1990’s, many growers have become to realize that the vineyard is part of a complex system which we just happen to be harvesting grapes from. Introducing sustainable practices has become more of a responsibility than a choice.
Prior to that, the mentality, though conventional for the time, was mostly to react to the vineyard. When weeds would grow, kill them or plow them under; if disease or pests were present, spray; when vines would grow, hedge them when it was dry, water them and so on. By realizing that the vines are part of this system and having a higher tolerance to the pressures, most growers have learned to help nurture the system and become much better overall stewards. I often say that you cannot bring the vineyard back into its natural habitat, but you can do your best to invite more of nature back into the vineyard. This is the area which has been most improved on Long Island and will make for a healthier future and better wines, besides being fun and rewarding.
LT: What are some of the biggest changes in growing techniques since "the old days"?
RP:: The biggest change has been in the finesse or in the attention to detail. Growers learn the brick and mortar long before they learn the art form of winegrowing. Some learn quicker than others and some never really care to learn, partly because of the lack of importance they put on it and also, that it almost always takes more time, money and effort to achieve.
Techniques have changed with respect to achieving vine balance, improving crop and canopy management and all the many little things that seem to not mean much but can have a tremendous impact on the wine. Most of these techniques are done by hand, standing in the vineyard, one vine at a time.
LT: When you joined Wolffer Estate in 1996 and started growing wine on the South Fork, what were some of the Fork-specific challenges you didn't expect? How did you overcome them over time?
RP: I did not know what to expect. I was surprised by the dews which persisted, mostly caused by the lesser winds on the South Fork. I thought that the proximity to the open ocean would certainly mean higher winds but I quickly learned that it is actually much less windy on the South Fork, compared to the North Fork.
Also the slower pace that the soil warmed in spring was an unusual challenge for me. I thought I'd have to respond but found it to have its advantages actually. It merely meant lower spring disease pressure. The two climates are more similar than different. The South Fork has a delay of spring which is countered by a lengthier fall. The suspicion that the South Fork was inferior to the North Fork was quickly overcome by the first signs of ripeness and most memorably by the very first block of Chardonnay which was harvested at over 23 Brix with beautiful acidity and PH and flavors oozing with fine ripeness. This was
ripeness I had only previously read about, even having, at the time, a twelve year old North Fork Chardonnay vineyard. The other challenge was the drive. Farmers are not meant to commute.
LT: When you visit other wine regions, what strikes you as the biggest differences between growing quality grapes on Long Island versus other areas?
RP: With the exception of the maritime climate of Bordeaux, France, I find the difference to be in the human factor, where in the Medoc, we absolutely must intervene in the vineyard and steer the direction which the climate is taking the fruit. Most regions rely more on the climate than we do and that is where we differ from most of the world’s regions. I think that in maritime climates like Long Island and Bordeaux, the wine is the symbiotic magic between man, the soil, vine and sea, where in the more arid climates, man plays an important but lesser role in the finished wine. This is why many of us often use the Bordeaux comparison. It is not in an effort to compete or compare our wines as much as it is to learn from and - sorry but - yes, even emulate a great region that has so many similar traits.
LT: You bought Roanoke Vineyards in 2000. What were your goals at the outset?
RP: The goal was to create something special with what was the remaining footprint of one of the truly great North Fork farms, known as Young’s Farms. I saw it as a diamond in the rough. I said that I would plant the vineyards and lay the foundation for it to become a special red wine vineyard; that I would create and move on to plant more vineyards in interior Riverhead. I felt that the vision I had for this farm, though small in scale, was too ambitious for me to successfully take on. The deciding factor to take it to the next level was my wife Soraya’s willingness to become a managing partner.
LT: Long Island is often lauded for its Merlot, yet you've said that your focus is Cabernet Sauvignon. Why do you prefer Cab?
RP: It is sometimes said that to become a successful grower, it is best to grow the varieties which you prefer as a wine. Cabernet Sauvignon, in my opinion, is the King — never to be dethroned. I have truly experienced sensory overload from its tremendous complexities and multiple dimensions.
I want to produce a wine that leaves the glass and can seemingly ricochet around the room before reaching your palate and I believe we can achieve this with Cabernet Sauvignon.
LT: What is it about your location that makes it better suited for Cabernet than other vineyards?
RP: The slight advantage which this part of the North Fork offers to the production of Cabernet Sauvignon is the higher accumulation of heat over the growing season.
Adequate heat is necessary for the maturation of the Cabernet Sauvignon grape. As the land widens (heading from east to west on the North Fork), it is less influenced by the sea in the daytime as well as during the night. More than the other widely planted varieties like Merlot, Cabernet Franc and all whites - varietals that can make delicious wines when under-ripe - heat is important to Cabernet Sauvignon because only when it reaches ripeness can it be made into a good or great wine.
The prevailing SSW summer winds travel over a larger piece of land here. This helps warm air and, of course, the land. We also have a beautiful, light but deep soil, a terrific combination for our varieties. This helps produce characters exhibiting blacker fruits with dried and even baked fruit flavors that go beyond cherry-like red fruits.
LT: Wolffer Estate is a part of the Long Island Merlot Alliance, but Roanoke isn't. What do you think of the initiative and what do you hope it will do for the region?
RP: Roanoke Vineyards will always strive to make the very best Merlot, but in very small amounts of 250 cases or less. Our focus will remain Cabernet and our blends.
But, I applaud the founders of the Long Island Merlot Alliance and its goals. Certainly, to take ownership of Merlot in this way is a visionary move. This is the red variety which is, and will likely continue to be, the most widely successful. Proactive initiatives like LIMA are what will help in putting Merlot and North Fork in the same sentence, like Oregon and Pinot Noir, New Zealand and Sauvignon Blanc, Malbec and Argentina.
LT: If you had to describe Long Island's terroir in just a few sentences, what would you say?
RP: As odd as it may sound, I am not convinced terroir exists. I think to say that it does exist would suggest that there is somewhat of a specific regional flavor, characteristic or personality that could not be masked, changed or evolved at the will of the vintner. Naturally, if a region shares a philosophy or techniques in the vineyard and cellar, using many of the same varieties planted in near common soils, than it is likely that a familiar flavor can permeate throughout the region.
LT: Your vineyard falls within the North Fork, Long Island AVA, but your growing conditions are vastly different than those further east on the North Fork. Do you think it makes sense to create a sub-AVA for your area of the North Fork...maybe called "Riverhead, Long Island"?
RP: I think the growing conditions are probably different enough here to warrant a new sub AVA.
I once thought this
area would prove to be the new frontier of the Long Island Region but high land prices and the tremendous challenges of this business have stalled growth. Unless more vineyards are planted in this area, there is not much sense in creating a new sub AVA.
LT: What's next at Roanoke Vineyards? Tell me a little bit about your 2005 and 2006 wines.
RP: Our plan in the vineyard is to continue to improve on the sustainable approach, in every way possible. It takes lots of time to bring a site to maturity.
At Wolffer Estate, I am proud of the success that has been achieved in bringing the vineyard slowly closer to almost organic. Here at Roanoke Vineyards, progress has been very good but I will need more years of learning just how to achieve it with the same high level of success at this specific site, while producing great fruit.
In the winery, we are planning an eventual boutique winemaking facility in our potato barn. Having Roman Roth and his staff watching over most of our wines is, and will remain, of huge importance to us.
Our 2005 and 2006 wines are developing beautifully. The 2005 consists of a pre-rain event Merlot and a small lot Meritage style blend. Much of our 2005 crop was lost to the rain. I will celebrate these wines but certainly not the vintage because of the widespread crop loss which was suffered in the region. At Roanoke Vineyards, this vintage will be defined as producing phenomenal wines in an unfortunate season. They are enormously ripe and display richness and dense black resinous fruit flavors which are mostly uncharacteristic for the region.
The 2006 wines, though quite young, are very exciting. The season was extremely challenging and the wines are showing wonderful varietal character, surprisingly ripe tannins and a feminine but solid structure. I am very fond of this vintage because of the tough journey which the fruit endured and the high quality that so often during the season we seemed unlikely to achieve. Now this is a vintage which I will celebrate for many years.
~ Lenn Thompson, Regional Correspondent
To comment on Lenn’s writings and thoughts, contact him at l.thompson@appellationamerica.com
