For 20 years, Mark and Christine Tobin of Mattebella Vineyards (46845 Main Road, Southold, 631-655-9554) have been quietly, carefully devoted to their 22 acres in Southold. The vineyards are managed by Christine, the winemaking done by Mark with the occasional consult from former Lenz winemaker Eric Fry. Their grounds are gorgeous—a wonderful haven created by Christine of perennial and native plantings, winding paths and pretty pergolas in which to lounge and enjoy Christine’s abundant charcuterie boards and kind hospitality. They don’t make a million wines — just a few focused offerings with quality over quantity as the goal.
Mark takes a very Old World, unrushed approach in the cellar. Grapes are hand-harvested and cold-soaked to gently lure out their aroma, flavor and color. Each variety is fermented separately, keeping the grape skins in the mix — something you’ll notice in this wine’s deep, opaque appearance and solid tannic structure. Mark then presses off the juice and starts the barrel aging process in one- to two-year-old French oak barrels, with a small percentage set to linger in new oak. When the juice is ready to mix and mingle, the job takes on a focused intensity.
“The blending process is taken very seriously and is not at all formulaic,” says Mark. “[It] occurs via multiple sessions, narrowing until I make the final.” It’s unfiltered and unfined, a more traditional, Old-World winemaking decision meant to preserve the inherent character of the grapes and the vintage.
The Winery Mattebella Vineyards
The Winemaker Mark Tobin
The Wine 2017 Old World Blend
The Price $74
The Grapes 85% merlot, 7% cabernet franc, 5% petit verdot, 3% cabernet sauvignon
What’s in your glass The Tobins have patience in holding back their wines (the 2017 was bottled in 2019 and released in 2020), so you should have a little patience with this lovely blend of traditional Bordeaux grape varieties, too. This is not a cocktail wine to pop for a casual chat with a friend. It needs a little air and a little time to unfold its delicious mysteries; it certainly shines at the table with a meal and is a bit brooding initially. It’s all black cherry and dark, juicy Italian plums. A suggestion of cinnamon drifts into your nostrils but morphs into summer geraniums and strawberry. There’s a faint hint of licorice humming through the finish, which turns pleasantly, mildly tart and lip-smacking. It’s concentrated but elegant. If you decant it or simply leave the bottle uncorked and are happy to linger at the table, you’ll be rewarded with a multitude of layers to discover.
Pairs with “I love this wine paired with roasted meats — duck being a standout — as well as European aged cheeses made from sheep and cow’s milk,” says Tobin.
To hold or not to hold Mattebella’s practice of holding back their bottles, allowing them to age in both barrel and bottle before release, offers the benefit of ready-to-drink status when their wines hit the market. At eight years old, the 2017 is drinking beautifully now, and Tobin anticipates that it “will likely have another three or four years.” An attorney by trade, Tobin is a bit more cautious than we are: The fleshy fresh fruit and good acidity here will likely hang in there for at least five more years.
