Suhru Blog

Best in Class at the 2022 New York Wine Classic

We are very excited to announce that our 2020 Teroldego received a 95 point score and Best in Class at the 2022 New York Wine Classic competition!

The New York Wine Classic celebrates a diverse selection of world-class wines from producers within New York State. Judging for this year’s competition included 694 entries from 101 wineries from across the state.

In addition to the wonderful review and top marks for our Teroldego, we are beyond excited to share the good news that our 2019 Cabernet Franc was awarded 94 points and a Gold Medal, showing among the best Cabernet Francs in New York! We also recieved silver medals for our 2021 Sauvignon Blanc (coming soon), 2021 Dry Riesling, 2019 Shiraz,  and 2019 Ember.

We could not be prouder of the hard work and long hours that our winemaker and winery team put in on all of our wines. It is their hard work, creativity, and dedication that allow Suhru Wines to continue to produce the high quality, innovative wines that rank among the best in New York and we all know and love!

What's Happening at Suhru this June

Hello Suhru family! You may notice that I am not in the Tasting House as often as I've been in the past, a few changes are happening at Suhru. We have an incredible staff, managed by Shelby, as well as our new Assistant Tasting Room Manager Shannon, which has allowed me to refocus my efforts recently. I will be focusing more of my time over the coming months and years on Wholesale Outreach and Farmer’s Markets. But don't worry, you will still see me at the Tasting House from time to time!

This summer you can find me at a number of Farmer's Markets, including the Three Village Farmer’s Market, located at 93 North Country Road in Setauket every other Friday from 3–7 pm and at the Havens Farmers Market at the Shelter Island Historical Society every other Saturday from 9am–12:30 pm. Checkout Sue's Farmer's Market schedule

They are both great markets with about 25 Vendors each with some awesome offerings. It’s been fun introducing our wines to a new audience farther afield from the Tasting House. I have been doing Farmer's Markets for Suhru since we first opened in 2008 and it has been so nice to get to connect with people at these new venues. Over the last few weeks several Wine Club Members have stopped by my table. It’s always nice to see a familiar face, so please stop by and say hello!

In addition to Farmer's Markets I have also been working more closely with our Distributor, Vias Imports, Ltd to expand the accessibility of Suhru Wines in wine shops and restaurants across New York and New Jersey. In addition to focusing on expanding placements on Long Island, I spent some time working with our sales rep Sarah in New York City earlier this month and will be working with Joe in New Jersey in July.

We are ever expanding the list of Where to Find our Wines on our website. However a few recent additions of late include: 

• Lucha Cubano, located at 87 E Main St in Downtown Riverhead, NY
• Sound Avenue Bistro, located at 3225 Sound Avenue in Riverhead, NY
• Blue Point Spirits, located at 226 Blue Point Avenue in Blue Point, NY
• Page at 63 Main, located at 63 Main Street in Sag Harbor, NY
• North Fork Wines and Spirits, located at 122 South Street in Greenport, NY
• Finest Kind Wines and Liquors, located at 552 W Lake Drive in Montauk

One of the things I do to support new Wine Shops is schedule in-store Tastings. I will be at Finest Kind Wines and Liquors – 552 W Lake Dr in Montauk, NY sampling our Sauvignon Blanc, Dry Riesling Rose and Cabernet Franc on Saturday June 25th from 4–7 pm. If you're in the Montauk area, please come and say hello!

If you'd like to see Suhru Wines in your local wine shop or favorite restaurant please ask them to carry it and let me know by sending an email at susan@suhruwines.com so I can follow up and schedule a tasting. Some of my best wholesale relationships have begun with a recommendation from one of our regular guests. I look forward to sharing more with you about where I’ve been and new placements next month. Cheers!

New Release: 2021 Pinot Grigio

With the warm days quickly approaching it could not be better timing to be releasing our 2021 Pinot Grigio. Consistently one of our most popular wines, Pinot Grigio is a staple of the Suhru Wines brand. Crisp and bright with delicate fruit notes we make an Italian style Pinot Grigio as opposed to the French style Pinot Gris which tends to dominate the American market. If you are interested in learning more about the difference between the two, checkout our "History of a Grape: Pinot Grigio vs Pinot Gris" blog post from a few months back!

A Note from our Winemaker

The 2021 vintage brings a slightly different winemaking approach as we have blended a small amount of Finger Lakes grown Pinot Grigio into this wine. The choice was made to blend vineyards and AVAs into this single wine to allow for a richer mouthfeel which is achieved through higher pH. The Finger Lakes grown fruit was picked two weeks later than our North Fork fruit, bringing forth a wider range of fruit notes including peach and hints of apricot.

With this style of Pinot Grigio the goal typically is to have a bright acid driven style that typically is at the expense of a low pH however by blending fruit from the two AVAs one with a lower and a second with a high pH it allows us to achieve a little higher pH overall which brings increased mouthfeel to the wine.

Tasting Notes for the 2021 Pinot Grigio

Made from 100% Pinot Grigio fruit, this white wine was fermented and aged entirely in stainless steel tanks. It did not undergo malolactic secondary fermentation and was not barrel aged, resulting in a finished wine that accentuates the vibrant varietal fruit aromas and flavor while retaining a clean, crisp acidity.

Pale straw yellow with delicate fruit notes on the nose. Light apple notes and rich pear on the pallet with a hint of lemon showcase the round mouthfeel and rich texture on the pallet. The bright flavors and refreshing acidity offers a diverse range of food compliments. Try a glass of this Pinot Grigio with lighter flavors such as grilled fish, fresh salads, spring and summer cheese plates, lobster, and shellfish.

Pinot Grigio is an excellent wine to pair with any meal although a few of our favorites include BBQ Lemon Garlic Shrimp on top of Grilled Sourdough Toast and Seared Sea Scallops, both excellent options this time of year with the weather warming and warmer temperatures meaning that alfresco dining is back baby, happy sipping!
 

Learn More about the 2021 Pinot Grigio

What's Happening at Suhru this May

It has been a cold, long winter but with the arrival of May there is no denying that Spring has Sprung! 70+ degree days, sundresses, and lazy days in the backyard, on the boat, at the beach (insert delightful outdoor setting of your choice) with a glass of wine... here we come!

To say that I am ready for Spring is the understatement of the century. I am the first to admit that I am a Fall/Winter girl but let me at some warm weather! It has been a long, cold winter full of twists and turns. In the wine industry as in many businesses across the country supply chain delays have been the constant topic of conversation along with the many other economic and political challenges that are facing the globe at the moment. We have seen major delays in glass deliveries meaning that many of our 2021 white and rosé wines have seen delayed release dates this season. However those delays have come to an end!

We are excited to be releasing our 2021 Pinot Grigio, the first of our 2021 whites to hit the market (more soon to follow)! This refreshing white wine is slightly different from years past with softer, more delicate fruit notes with notes of gala apple and rich pear and a hint of lemon showcasing the round mouthfeel and rich texture on the pallet. A beautiful wine, particularly well suited to a meal, we are beyond excited to share this new vintage!

In addition to new releases, we are excited to welcome our seasonal team back to the tasting room! Over the next few weeks you will start to see many familiar faces in the Tasting House and behind the bar, as well as a few new faces so be sure to stop by and say hello!

We have tons of great things planned for the season including a full events calendar that is currently up-to-date through the end of July with lots of great events featuring oysters, lobster rolls, succulents, watercolors, live music and more! In addition to our events, I have been busy in our backyard seating area transforming it into a wine garden for the season! We hope you will stop by to enjoy a glass in our beautiful new backyard wine garden this season. Happy Spring!

Suhru Wine Dinners

One of the deep joys of wine is pairing it with a meal. At Suhru Wines we belive wine is best enjoyed among family and friends over a delicious meal. With that in mind we are thrilled to share two great wine dinners coming up this Month on Friday, March 4th and Monday, March 7th, one of each of Long Island's two forks. 

 

 

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Friday, March 4th at Hamlet Green in Hampton Bays, NY

Enjoy Suhru Wines with your meal at The Cottages at Hamlet Green's weekly Dinner Pop Up hosted by Dayna Corlito, available by reservation only. Reservations are available 5-9pm. 

The three-course $50 prix fixe menu, prepared by Chef  Karl McDermott features escargot canapés, potatoes au gratin, poached pears, curries shrimp, grilled salmon, drenched chicken breast, lamb sausages, gateau au chocolate, tarts aux pommes, creme brûlée and more! Your choice of starter, main, and dessert with each course paired with a complimentary wine pairings from Suhru Wines. 

 

 

Monday, March 7th at Grace & Grit in Southold, NY

Join winemaker Russell Hearn and acclaimed Chef Adam Kaufer for a six-course wine dinner at Grace & Grit on Monday, March 7th showcasing the best of the North Fork!

This intimate six-course meal prepared by Chef Adam will take place at Grace & Grit (55750 Main Road in Southold) with seatings available at 6pm and 8:30pm. Reservations are required for this limited seating event. Tickets are $125pp and include all six-courses and the wine pairings listed below.

Enjoy commentary on the wines by Suhru winemaker Russell Hearn throughout the dinner.

What's Happening at Suhru Wines this March

We are starting to come out of the deep freeze of winter and it’s beginning to feel more like Spring every day! By this time of year, we usually have all the white wines and rosé bottled. As we all know Covid has been wreaking havoc on the supply chain, it has now trickled down to Suhru wines both with shipping delays and price increases on everything. Our primary issue is glass bottles. Knowing about supply chain delays, I ordered the glass bottles and my other packaging supplies, screw caps, labels, etc late last summer before we had harvested even one grape. I expected the glass to arrive in December so we could bottle early in January. Well... that didn’t happen. The glass has been sitting on a container ship off the coast of New York waiting for space to come into the harbor and after many long weeks finally arrived!

Our 2021 Sauvignon Blanc and Rosé were bottled in mid-February and our Pinot Grigio and Dry Riesling will be bottled in the weeks to come. We are excited to share these new releases with you in the coming months and are looking forward to the warmer Spring weather soon to come!

It's another busy month here at Suhru with lots of great events including two wine dinners with local restaurateurs. On Monday, March 7th we are partnering with chef Adam Kaufer of Grace & Grit in Southold for a six-course wine dinner. The Friday before we will also be served at Hamlet Green's Wine Dinner Pop-Up with a three-course menu prepared by Chef Karl McDermott. We hope you will join us for one of these great dinners or stop by the Tasting House this March!

Our March Wine Club is just around the corner and I am very excited for this quarter's selections. The March Wine Club includes a Library wine—2014 Shiraz—and this is especially exciting as this is the first time a Library Wine has been featured in our Club. The tasting notes from its original release describe it as:

“A vibrant wine which has a rich, dark and vibrant hue with aromas of cigar box and dried herbs with a hint of black pepper and spice. It's red fruit and raspberry flavors mingle across the elegant mid palate with silky smooth fine grain tannins.”

As a wine ages its flavors continue to age and develop with it so we are looking forward to sharing the experience of tasting this 2014 Shiraz alongside our current 2019 Shiraz during the Wine Club tastings. In addition to the Shiraz, the March Wine Club features our 2017 T'Jara Merlot and 2020 Rosé, three wines perfect for the transition from winter to spring. If you are in our Wine Club be sure to check your email for the dedicated link to make a reservation for the March Wine Club Event which runs March 3rd to March 14th, reservations are required. Each quarter with the release of our Wine Club selections we partner with a local restaurateur or artisan to create a custom pairing menu with our wines. This March we are pairing the wine selections with Disset Chocolate just down the road in Cutchogue. If you haven’t tried the delectable chocolates created by Ursula XVII you are in for a treat. She has created a custom chocolate pairing that will pair beautifully with our wines.

What's Happening at Suhru Wines this February

I can't believe that it is already February! Our annual Winter Holiday has flown by and we are looking forward to getting back in the Tasting House for another wonderful season!

We are excited to announce a few changes in 2022. We are extending our Tasting House hours and will now be open 5 days a week—Thursday - Monday from 12noon to 6pm—year round (with the exception of our annual Winter Break). Reservations are currently open for indoor seating though April and we highly recommend making a reservation if you plan to visit the Tasting House in the coming months as our indoor seating is limited. 

We also are introducing Thursday Happy Hours! Each Thursday we will be featuring a selection of glass and small bite specials. Follow us on Instagram and keep an eye on our Stories for updates on the weekly specials! 

With a new month also comes new releases—our new 2019 Ember is now available and is being poured at the Tasting House! If you are a member of our Wine Club, this wine will be familiar as you received it as a pre-release in your December Wine Club, for everyone else, this wine is now available and tasting beautifully! The 2019 Ember, our Bordeaux blend, is medium bodied with rich dark fruit notes, think cherry, plum, black currant, & cranberry as well as nice dried herb notes tarragon and sage. Warm and inviting the 2019 has a long, lingering finish and the classic touch of smoke on the finish for which this wine is so well known. There are so many great pairing options when it comes to Ember, but with the piles of snow blanketing the North Fork from this past weekend's snow storm, it seems only appropriate to recommend pairing a bottle of Ember with a warm, smoky bean & beluga lentil Chili, you can find a great recipe on the Suhru Blog. 

Beyond the Tasting House we have a number of great events quickly approaching including:

1. Valentine's Day Virtual Tasting: I will be participating in a Valentine's Day Virtual Tasting Panel featuring five producers from New York State on Tuesday, February 8th at 7PM EST. This virtual event hosted by Crush Wine Events is part of their 2022 virtual tasting series and the second that I have done this year. Registration is free and I would love for you to join me to chat about the great wines
    
2. Riverhead Indoor Farmers Market: If you live on the East End you may have heard that the Riverhead Winter Market is back and open Saturdays from 9am-1pm now through April. We have long participated in this market and this year have a rotating booth in the Long Island Wine Country corner. On select Saturdays you can find myself or owner Susan Hearn pouring a selection of our wines alongside other Long Island wineries, famers, artisans, and artists. You can next find us at the market on February 12th and March 5th with a complete list of upcoming dates on our events calendar.
    
3. March Wine Dinner: As I mentioned before, the Suhru team has been hard at work planning a number of great upcoming events. We are beyond excited to once again be partnering with Chef Adam Kaufer of Grace & Grit in Southold for a six-course Wine Dinner on Monday, March 7th with insights into the wine pairings by winemaker Russell Hearn. Seating is limited, reservations required.
    
4. Watercolors & Wine: We are thrilled to welcome back local watercolor artist Melissa Hyatt this April 7th for a Piping Plover watercolor class. As an added bonus, at this class we will be joined by Christie Jones who makes non-toxic, handmade watercolor paints that you will use during the class. These classes are so much fun and open to all levels. Come explore your creativity with us! 

That's all for now, but I hope to see you in the Tasting House soon!

Cheers,

Shelby Hearn Ulrich, General Manager

Wine Lovers Holiday Gift Guide

The holidays are just around the corner and that means it's that time of year where we all struggle to find the perfect gift for our friends, family, and loved ones! We know that gift giving can be stressful, so we are here to help!

If you are like us, most everyone on your list (the adults at least) enjoy a good glass of wine, so we are helping you take some of the guess-work out of gifting this year with our Wine Lover's Guide to the Holidays!

We've put together some of our favorite wines and wine-related gifts to help take some of the guess-work out of your holiday shopping! Explore our Guide below to find the perfect gift for all of the wine lovers on your list this holiday season.

Don't forget, we ship to 40+ states! Make your life a little easier and ship directly to friends and family around the country!

Stocking Stuffers

Traditional stocking stuffers of candy and trinkets are all well and good but why not add some spice to your stocking this year with a few fun wine related items? Try a Merlot Dark Chocolate Bar, local artisanal chocolate bars made specifically for Suhru using our own Merlot wine. Or take it up a notch and stuff those stockings with a Suhru can or two, guaranteed to make opening presents with the kiddos all that more enjoyable!

A classic oldie and most certainly a goodie, stick a couple Suhru Gift Cards in those stockings (available in $25 and $50 value) for the gift that keeps on giving! Gift cards can be used for wine and food purchases at the Tasting House. 

Under the Tree

Who wouldn’t love to receive a bottle of wine for the holidays?! Share your favorite bottles of wine or perhaps gift one of our Suhru Favorites Bundles which include a bottle of Pinot Grigio and one of Ember, our Bordeaux blend!

One of our more popular items this year has been our stainless steel insulated tumblers (available in both black and white) which keep your beverages hot or cold for up to16 hours! These are great gifts for the wine lover in your life who is always on the go! They are great for the boat, the backyard, the beach, hiking, and wherever life takes you!

If you are looking to add a little more Suhru into your life or want to introduce friends and family to our wines, gift a couple of our Stemless Wine Glasses, both delicate and durable making them an excellent gift or addition to your home.

For Your Holiday Dinner

When it comes to the holiday season, the key is to never show up empty handed, whether it is simply a bottle of wine, a hostess gift, a home baked dessert (checkout our holiday cookie recipes) or a personalized item, the options are endless. 

For a classic holiday pairing pickup a bottle of NV Brut, because you can never go wrong with a bottle of bubbly. With so much to celebrate during the holiday season the opportunities to pop a cork are endless! Our NV Brut is light and delicate with a hint of pear and honey crisp, a touch of brioche and a delicate stream of bubbles.

For a cocktail party, pre-dinner drinks, or any and all cheese and charcuterie board related activities, I always recommend a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc! This classic winter white, our French-style Sauv Blanc is crisp and refreshing with just the right amount of savory richness to pair beautifully with a wide range of cheeses, a great choice for a Feast of the Seven Fishes, and simply a delicious wine no matter the occasion.

For a hearty winter red the Ember is our go-to,  it's a delicious sipper on its own and one we regularly enjoy when curled up by the fire watching the snow fall! Pair this beautiful Bordeaux blend with a hearty Holiday meal and you're sure to end this holiday season on a high note!

One last holiday recommendation (because I can't help myself) in the Hearn household it isn’t the holidays without a roast Australian lamb and what better to pair with your Australian themed dinner than a bottle of Shiraz? Made in a cool climate Australian style, our 2019 Shiraz pays homage to winemaker Russell Hearn's native country Australia adding that extra layer of home to the holidays. A delicious and expressive wine, our Shiraz has bright red fruit notes, a hint of cardamom and super soft, elegant tannins with  a light hint of oak. No matter your holiday traditions, we have the wine for you!

Looking for recommended pairings? Shoot us an email at info@suhruwines.com and we will be happy to offer a recommendation or two for whatever you are serving this holiday season! Cheers and Happy Holidays!

November 2021 Harvest Update

A Note from Winemaker, Russell Hearn

October has been kind with a beautiful spell of warm weather in the mid to late portions of the month. The above normal temperatures and dry spell that we have had in October have allowed the red varieties to ripen nicely across Long Island. Early in October I was a little concerned about the red grapes but the warm Indian Summer we experienced in the middle of the month has really allowed for the red varieties to reach full ripeness. We haven't had an Indian Summer for several years but when they do come, they make some of the best quality reds.

We harvested our Teroldego and Shiraz last week on October 24th and 25th just before this last bout of rain. They had developed nicely during the beautiful long spell of sunny days and we are very happy with the fruit quality that came into the winery! Both varieties 'cold soaked' in the tank (50 degrees Fahrenheit) for 3-4 days to extract the initial skin tannins and color before being warmed up to initiate fermentation.

Our Bordeaux varieties—Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot—all needed a little more time on the vine to fully ripen so we waited through the most recent rain event and began harvesting these grapes in the first few days of November with the Cabernet Franc harvested on November 1st and the Merlot on November 2nd. I am hopeful that we will have several more sunny, and dry days ahead to allow the grapes to fully ripen.  The plan is to let our Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Petit Verdot hang on the vine a little longer, aiming to harvest towards the end of the first week or first half of the second week of November.

Sometimes harvesting in early November is necessary to fully ripen the fruit. This extended hang time allows for some dehydration in the berries which intensifies the flavor profile. So this year our winery team will be working over the Thanksgiving period, punching down the fermenting tanks and getting close to pressing off shortly afterwards. We plan to be enjoying a bottle of our 2019 Shiraz with our Thanksgiving turkey while probably pressing off the 2021 Shiraz around the same time.

 

What's Happening at Suhru

October 2021 Harvest Update

Harvest is well underway! The Fall is always a busy time of year on the North Fork and this season is no different! Long Island is currently rounding the corner on the white and rosé harvest with winemakers beginning to turn their eyes towards the red harvest.

At Suhru we have completed our sparkling harvest with the juice for our Brut as well as our Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc picked, harvested, and fermenting away in the winery. Our attention has turned to our Rosé and Riesling grapes which are being picked this week, and will be inoculated and begin their fermentation in the coming days followed by our red varietals which will all be harvested by the end of October.

This is one of our favorite times of the year, as this is when all the action happens at the winery! Over the next few months we will be keeping you up-to-date on the Blog and on our social media account (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and TikTok) on whats happening in the winery and the vineyard during the 2021 Harvest, so stay tuned and follow along!​

What's Happening at the Winery

Inoculations and fermentations are the topic of the day in the winery. The cellar crew has been busy settling, racking, filtering, and fermenting our white and rosé wines. This time of year, the winery team at Premium Wine Group is working diligently round the clock (literally, they work 3 shifts, 20+ hours a day, 7 days a week) to ensure that our freshly picked grapes turn into wine! The crush pad is a constant flurry of activity with grapes being harvested across the East End daily! Read more about Premium Wine Group, where we make our wines in Newsday. 

A Note from Winemaker Russell Hearn

Whites and rosé have been harvested, and we are  looking ahead to the red harvest. All the whites are looking good. We're especially excited about the quality of this year's Sauvignon Blanc which was picked last week and has begun fermentation. 

A good vineyard team is essential to a winemaker's ability to make high quality wines as your vineyard manager has eyes on the vines and is in the vineyard every day. In addition to my regular visits, I am getting regular reports from the vineyard managers from the dozen vineyards we work with and conducting berry analysis to evaluate the ripeness of the grapes to determine when they are ready to be harvested. There is a lot that can be discerned about a grape's ripeness by sight and taste, but nothing beats lab analysis. We are carefully watching our Teroldego and Shiraz vineyards, two of our earliest ripening reds and the next to be harvested.  

At this point, we are watching the weather, hoping for favorable forecasts including, sun, warm days and less rain then we have been seeing recently for optimal ripening!

What's Happening at Suhru