Kareem Massoud once said in an interview with Grape Collective, "As far as our philosophy with winemaking, it's very simple. Like many producers around the world, as winemakers we view ourselves as custodians of what we got from Mother Nature. I believe it was Galileo who said, "Wine is bottled sunshine." You get this gift from nature, and we've worked very hard with Mother Nature, as my father likes to say, "Winemaking is less of an art, and more of a partnership with Mother Nature. Unfortunately, she's the senior partner." When you get this fruit that you've been given from a wonderful season, it's your job as the winemaker, your fundamental responsibility, to preserve it, and keep it protected, and get it into the bottle without any diminishment of what characteristics it had to begin with, and to just guide it along its path. Very minimalist approach, and in fact we have a whole range of wines that we call 'minimalist.' In general even for our mainstay Paumanok labels, the winemaking approach is a minimalist approach."
This is perhaps one of the biggest reasons I have always liked and respected his wines. Now, I must amend that. I LOVE his wines!
I saw Kareem at the recent NY Drinks NY at the Rainbow Room at Rockefeller Center. In the time I have covered wine I've seen Kareem go from a young, untested winemaker, to one of the better winemakers in New York state, who's stature is certainly growing well beyond the state's borders. He has gone from journeyman to spokesman, and his maturation as a technician and as an artist has been impressive. As a young winemaker he was always well-informed, involved, confident, and competent, composing wonderful wines, but his mastery across the range of his wines is now fully evident and on display.
While at the event, along with many other tasters, I tasted through the Paumanok line. The whites were spectacular, as always. Sooooo delicate, restrained, yet powerful.
Paumanok Chenin Blanc 2018 was wonderful. Paumanok has always had a way with Chenin Blanc. Many industry experts agree, such as Eric Asimov, who wrote in the New York Times, ""Year in and year out, this is one of the best American chenin blancs around...Paumanok's from the North Fork of Long Island stands out as delicious on almost any scale you choose." Eric remain right. Their Chenin Blanc is always stand out, and would be a star wine no matter what region it came from.
The 2018 Chenin Blanc is a lively mix of melon, honeydew, pineapple, and grapefruit. A wonderful acidity tying the entire wine into a nice bow. Elegant and complex, well balanced, and as tasty as it is aromatic. As lovely a varietal wine of this type produced in any region. This is a world class wine!
The Paumanoak Sauvignon Blanc 2018 is another world beater. Kareem it seems also has a way with Sauvignon Blanc. This Sauvignon Blanc is a glass full of rocks, seashells, and lemons. A mineral-y fruit bomb if you will, filled with citrus zest to spare. Light and delicate, it has a wonderful mouth feel, and a zippy freshness that makes it gulpable....but don't...it deserves to be savored. Every bit as good as the legendary New Zealand or Australian Sav Blancs. This wine locks arms with the Chenin Blanc, instantly raising the game of Paumanok to a world beater for quality white wines. If this were being made in a bigger, more notable region (Napa or somewhere else) it would be considered cult-worthy). Outstanding!
The Paumanok Dry Rose 2018 is a unique and creative blend of 45% Cabernet Franc, 40$ Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petite Verdot, and 7% Merlot...worthy of a Bordeaux-styled blend. The wine bursts forth with a big dose of strawberries stewing in light wine. Cranberry, apple, and lime also come through. Lovely!
For me the biggest surprise was the Paumanok Cabernet Franc 2015. Kareem has always produced good, solid Cab Franc but this newest version was easily the best IMHO. It was a big stewed bowl of dried cherries and dark red cassis. Beautifully complex with wonderful fruit, and well balanced tannins, and a lovely finish, where beyond the black tea of the tannins, the dried cherries and cassis lingered...truly a lovely, lovely wine, and one of may favorite Cabernet Francs of the entire New York tasting.
Paumanok Assemblage 2014 was a Meritage-styled wine, consisting of 50% Merlot, 37% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petite Verdot. Assemblage has always been among my favorites of the Paumanok line. And this one does not disappoint. Aged in a combination of new and older oak for more than a year-and-a-half, this wine delivers in all the ways that one suspects. This is a big wine filled with dark cherry, dark raspberry, cranberry, and hints of mocha and vanilla, with spice and a hint of earthiness. A big, chewy red wine...and as always, impressive.
A HUGE congrats to Kareem and his staff. A great showing by one of the North Fork's best producers! Great stuff!