We seem to be creatures of habit - more so than I ever would have imagined. I find that even in our wine travels, we tend to settle into a routine and only occasionally do we stray. I guess I shouldn't be too surprised about that. If you ask my Partner-in-Crime, he will tell you that change is bad. At times I have to agree and change on the wine trails has not always been good to us.
We were enjoying the drive to Billsboro on a beautiful Finger Lakes morning and, having completely zoned out, drove past their driveway. While turning around, we saw a sign for a winery that was new to us, Lacey Magruder. Change is bad, so we turned around and went to Billsboro but with Lacey Magruder on our minds. After spending some time with the good people of Billsboro, we decided to live dangerously and try something new. Off we went to Lacey Magruder!
Named for the grandparents of the owners, Lacey Magruder sits high on a hill in a beautifully restored 1830 post-and-beam barn. The decor is eclectic and, from the deck, the view of Seneca Lake is impressive. We had the pleasure of spending some time with Jim and Ruth Hundertmark, the husband and wife team that made their dream a reality. Originally from Maryland but loving the Finger Lakes, Jim took a wine making course from Jim Law, winemaker extraordinaire of Linden Vineyards in Virginia, and they sold their home in Maryland and took the plunge.
They had just opened for what will be their first full season and Jim is currently offering six wines on the tasting menu - three whites, three reds. The first is their 2009 Lot No. 1 Cuvee, an interesting blend of Muscat, Gewurztraminer, Chardonnay, and Riesling. I was kind of intrigued with this one. Nice floral notes on the nose, crisp and clean on the palate with hints of grapefruit. It's bright and minerally and a really nice surprise. Not being a huge Chardonnay fan, I don't have much in the way of notes, but I can say that the 2009 Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay had a nice mouth feel without being overly oaked. The last of the whites was the 2009 Barrel Reserve Chardonnay. This one had a little more oak but the fruit was still predominate. Nicely balanced with a touch of mineral on the finish.
The red line-up started with the 2009 Proprietary Red. A Bordeaux blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc, it had soft tannins and nice cherry notes. The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon showed nice fruit on the nose but is still drinking young. It's spicy with firm tannins, and I'd like to try it again in a year. Finally, we tried the NV Vintner's Red. Another Bordeaux blend, this one 51% Cab Sauv, it has a little more body than the Proprietary Red but it also has .6 to .8% RS. Dark fruit characteristics and nicely balanced.
All in all, the wines are pretty solid and we look forward to seeing what they do in the future.
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