Finger Lakes Fun Part III: Hector Wine Company & Forge Cellars

Justin Boyette, harvesting Pinot Noir grapes

September is here and in New Jersey (the current world HQ of Amie’s Winehouse) the leaves are only just beginning to turn with the shortening of the days. In the Finger Lakes, however, about 4 hours north, the leaves are resplendent with color and harvest is in full swing.  This is the ‘manic’ season for most wineries and winemakers.  Grapes are being picked, presses are working overtime, new releases are being bottled.  In small wineries across the country, every staff person is on deck and is wearing multiple hats, sorting grapes, affixing labels, packing shipments, working the tasting rooms. 

This is a far cry from the lazy dog-days of August, when I was last up in FLX. We had stopped into one of my favorite restaurants, the Stonecat Cafe for a late lunch and grabbed seats at the bar. As we ate, we found ourselves joining a wine related conversation with Joshua Carlsen, Stonecat’s Wine Director, who was tending the bar, and a soft-spoken gentleman sitting to my right. Josh was pouring tastes of a new imported Sicilian wine he had sourced for the restaurant for us and made introductions.  The gentleman was Justin Boyette, the Co-owner and winemaker of Hector Wine Company, and Forge Cellars. Justin invited us to stop in and visit with him at the winery to taste some of the wines he and his teams were producing.

As it turns out, the day we dropped in at Hector Wine Company and asked for Justin, he had just left to man a tasting event down towards Watkins Glen. Instead, we met with Alexandra Doniger, an enthusiastic young assistant winemaker to Justin, and the Director of Marketing at Hector Wine Company.  

As we began our tasting, Alexandra excused herself to take a call from a colleague working at a tasting room just up the road.  Apparently an intoxicated young woman had come in to their winery with what appeared to be her sober boyfriend, but they had denied the couple a tasting.  They were calling to give the Hector staff a heads up as they were fairly certain that the couple were heading towards Hector’s tasting room. “She’s got a blue striped dress and is slurring her words, you won’t miss her.”  Five minutes later the couple rolled in.  The young woman was practically draped over her boyfriend's shoulder, lids heavy.  Alexandra approached the couple and explained that they had received a call from the previous winery and that they would also not serve them.  With grace and finesse, Alexandra suggested that they consider calling it a day. 

What followed was an interesting and animated discussion about tasting room protocol and etiquette. “Tasting rooms look out for each other - we do communicate and share information, especially about problematic patrons, and obvious intoxication.  It really doesn’t matter that she had a designated driver.  We want people to enjoy themselves, to taste and to learn, but we take ‘poor behavior’ pretty seriously.  Yes, it is awkward to deny a visitor a tasting, and it doesn’t happen often, but sometimes we have to say no. Not only is it for the health and safety of the patron and everyone around her, it also reflects on our tasting room, all of the wineries around here, and on the Finger Lakes as a wine making region.”  Well done, Alexandra. 

A mental note: among the all different ‘hats’ staff have to wear in small wineries, add ‘occasional bouncer’ to the list.  It occurs to me that there might be a book, or at least an article with fun and interesting stories from ‘behind the wine tasting counter.’  The people the staff have met, and the crazy things that happen, a sort of tasting room staff "tell-all" piece. 

But I digress. 

We tasted several delicious and well-crafted wines produced by Justin and his team, both Hector Wine Company wines as well as wines from Forge Cellars, Justin's more recent winemaking venture and partnership with friends, Louis Barruol, and Richard Rainey.

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The standout tasting for me that day at Hector's tasting room was Forge Cellars' Les Allies 2012 Pinot Noir.  Though I tasted it in mid summer, I knew immediately that I would want to drink it on a cool fall evening as the leaves are turning.  This is a lovely 100% Pinot Noir with ripe red fruit (cherry and strawberry) on the nose with red fruit and some exotic Asian five spice notes on the palette, giving it depth and intensity.  There is bright acidity that balances the fruit and spice.  It would make a wonderful wine with braised or roasted pork with stewed fruit – apples, cherries.  It would also pair well with a roast turkey, particularly the rich dark meat. 

I think this wine has aging potential; there is really just great 'substance' in this 2012 vintage. It has got that wow factor. Laying it down will help develop secondary savory notes and the add to the complexity and allure of this wine. That is, if I can actually wait that long.  And here’s the thing; tonight is a perfect cool autumn evening.  So, I think that at least one bottle of Forge Cellars’ Les Allies 2012 Pinot Noir is not going to see any more cellar time tonight.

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If you want to get a picture of the outstanding winemaking that is taking place in the Finger Lakes, this short video captures it perfectly. The Forge Cellars owners share their passion for their craft, and their commitment to making wine that expresses the amazing potential of this “unique, cool-climate region."