Q & A with Roman Roth of Wölffer Estate Vineyard

by Anna Mowry on July 03, 2012

For more than ten years, the postcard-perfect Wölffer Estate Vineyard, located on Long Island’s South Fork, has hosted our annual summer tasting, Chef & Champagne® New York. We caught up with head winemaker Roman Roth to discuss his favorite summertime wines and what’s on the way from Wölffer’s cellars.

JBF: What are your favorite wines to drink in the summer?

RR: Dry Rosés, Riesling, or white blends are perfect for the beach or the pool. Our barrel-fermented (but not overoaked!) Perle Chardonnay is a perfect match for fresh-caught local striped bass.

JBF: It’s no secret that Rosé is a popular choice for summer. What do you like to eat with it?

RR: I love cured salmon, sushi, and fresh salads with Rosé. It also goes great with barbecued chicken or grilled octopus.

JBF: We know it can be hard to pick, but what are your favorite wines from the Wölffer Estate range?

RR: Each wine serves a purpose or has a character that will be best for a specific use or preferred by a discerning palate. What stands out, however, are any of our White Horse Labels, which is our reserve line. These wines offer great concentration combined with elegance and balance. A few highlights are the Noblesse Oblige Sparkling Rosé Extra Brut, the Perle Chardonnay, or the Fatalis Fatum—our red blends are very special wines.

JBF: Is the winery working on any new bottlings that we can look forward to?

RR: We are just releasing a new White Horse wine called White Mischief Chardonnay, made with grapes from the fantastic 2010 vintage. Thirty percent is fermented in new barriques, and the remaining 70 percent is done in stainless steel tanks with indigenous yeast. It’s a stunning wine with great intensity and wonderful balance. We are also working on an Amarone-style red wine from partially dried grapes. That will be released for our 25th anniversary in 2013.