In just three hours on a recent Sunday in Cutchogue, 14 people became amateur winemakers.
Led by Sannino Vineyard owner and winemaker Anthony Sannino, the crash course in the art of wine blending — culminating with each participant crafting a bottle of custom wine — began between rows of pinot grigio and cabernet franc vines on his 10-acre farm on Sound Avenue.
The eager rookies, wearing hats and sunglasses and sipping glasses of Fresco — a white field blend of nine grape varieties — listened intently to their teacher for the afternoon.
“It’s as if you are the winemakers today,” Sannino said with a smile as he welcomed the group. “Each one of you will wind up creating a different wine.”
‘Endless possibilities’
Sannino began by describing in detail how soil plays a crucial role in the taste and aroma of wine. Then he joked with his trainees: “There will be a test after you’ve had a lot of wine!”
It was the final class of a seasonal series that began in 2009, taking participants behind the scenes through a combination outdoor classroom and vineyard tour. Along the way, the veteran winemaker passed on the Sannino style of winemaking to his trainees.
Pointing to black netting surrounding the grapes, Sannino explained its importance in protecting the fruit from migrating starlings and other hungry wildlife.
“We have to use zip ties to stop the raccoons from ripping the nets open,” he said. “We also have wild turkeys in abundance here, and they just poke holes through the nets to get to the juice.”
The group then walked out of the vineyard and into the outdoor production area, where Sannino described the process grapes go through once they are harvested. Standing on the concrete crush pad, with the steel crusher-destemmer, press and red fermentation tanks nearby, he explained the many variables winemakers face.
“There are probably 100, including the weather, soil, temperature, when to harvest and whether you want to break the skin of the grape or use the whole berry,” he said.
As they listened, two rosés — Bianca and Dulce, both made from white merlot, one sweet and one dry — were poured into their glasses.
Sannino also delved into the fermentation process, including how winemakers choose strains of yeast to achieve the distinct characteristics they want.
“Think about your taste buds,” he said. “There are endless possibilities to concentrate the aromas and flavors.”
At one point, Sannino mentioned the movie “Sideways,” saying the film influenced consumers’ tastes in wine. “Hollywood often tells you certain varieties become trendy,” he said.
‘Am I confusing you?’
Following the first two lessons, the apprentice winemakers took a lunch break at picnic tables beneath umbrellas. Over mini pizzas, they chatted about what they had learned so far.
Greg and Lara Lindquist of Mattituck said they have tried all the wineries on the North Fork and consider Sannino among the better ones.
“Plus, I love the whole concept of family working in the business, and I like to support that,” Greg Lindquist said.
His wife, Lara, said it was overwhelming to realize how much information they had absorbed in just a few hours.
Also taking part were Sannino wine club members Nancy Greene and her husband, Bill, of Holbrook.
“Blending is interesting,” Nancy Greene said. “It’s a lot of information to process.”
Bill Greene was already thinking about the blend he would create at the end of the immersive, interactive class.
“Probably the cabernet sauvignon or cab franc with a little bit of merlot in there,” he said.
Deborah Wetzel photos
Refreshed, the group headed downstairs for the final lesson in the barrel cellar, squeezing in alongside steel and oak tanks that filled much of the room.
Ava Sannino, one of Anthony Sannino’s three daughters, poured the vineyard’s Franchesco red blend, named for Anthony’s father, into the guests’ glasses.
Sannino explained that the vineyard uses white oak barrels “because it’s tradition and for the flavors.” Each barrel costs about $1,300 and must be replaced after three or four years, he said. A barrel holds about 60 gallons, enough to produce roughly 25 cases of wine.
At one point, Sannino stopped and asked the group, “Am I confusing you?”
Several guests said yes, adding that they had no idea how many variables — or how much work — go into making wine.
Sannino also added to their wine vocabulary, introducing veraison, the term for the color change that occurs as grapes ripen.
“Does spelling count in our test?” one trainee joked.
The five S’s
After the barrel cellar, it was finally time for the students to become novice winemakers themselves. They took seats around a U-shaped table for the most important part of the lesson: putting what they had learned from Sannino to work by designing their own wines.
At each place setting sat three bottles of wine and several glasses, ready for the blending challenge.
With graduated cylinders, funnels and beakers reminiscent of a high school chemistry class, the experimentation began.
Sannino encouraged the participants to decide which of the three varietals was their favorite based on taste, aroma, flavor and mouthfeel. Merlot, cabernet sauvignon and petit verdot competed to become the dominant base of each participant’s personal blend.
“Any favorites yet? Still deciding?” Sannino asked as he made his way around the table.
Studying the grids on the paperwork in front of them, the beginner winemakers began pouring, sipping and adding notes to their recipes.
“Let’s say you want to do 75% of your favorite and then add 25% of one of the other two as a suggestion,” Sannino coached them. “You could also do 90% and then 10%. The largest volume should go in first.”
They sipped their blends, reacting to the distinct nuances with smiles or frowns before tweaking their recipes and trying again. Partners compared tasting notes and discussed what they should mix next.
As they worked toward their final bottles, Sannino encouraged them to remember what he called the five S’s.
“Smell, swirl, sip, slurp and swallow, and take notes while you’re doing that,” he said. “A great wine is going to invite you to come back for another sip. Compare and contrast the nuances and see if you can make it better.”
Deborah Wetzel photos
‘A little kick’
Newlyweds Daniel and Alexa Alazraki of Massapequa ultimately left with a bottle that was 75% cabernet sauvignon and 25% merlot.
“She’s a big fan of cabernet,” Daniel Alazraki said. “The mixture of the merlot fit well with it. It turned out really good, had great flavor and smell. It was very appetizing.”
Pete Biolsi and his newlywed partner, Lou DeCampi of Islip, decided to use all three varietals in their customized bottle.
“The dominant flavor was the cab,” Biolsi said. “Then we did three different trials with the others. I added some merlot, then a little bit of the petit verdot. It was just enough to give it a little kick.”
