The 2007 Petit Verdot Apollo Drive scored the highest must weight in Paumanok’s history, translating into 14.2% finished alcohol. Smelling and tasting of blueberry, mulberry, and white pepper, it is an impressively concentrated but formidably tannic illustration of its grape variety. The wine’s tendency toward hardness is only partly alleviated by a high level of glycerin. “To me,” remarks Charles Massoud, “this grape is behaving here more like one from Italy or the Rhone.” Those with patience or tolerance for chew will find this worth holding for six or more years to see how it evolves. Veteran Charles Massoud and his oldest son, Kareem, are practicing increasing selectivity and sorting of fruit as well as ever more sensitive and targeted extraction, and their 2007s build on and refine the success of their 2005s.Tel. (631) 722-8800

Paumanok’s 2005 Petit Verdot Apollo Drive mingles sumac and white pepper with its black and blue fruits. Even more tannic today than its 2007 counterpart, it is formidable rather than winsome, and I wonder whether there is any point to holding it longer as opposed to serving it in a context where its sheer density and chew – as well as, perhaps, some meat tenderizing skills – will be shown off.Veteran Charles Massoud and his oldest son, Kareem, are practicing increasing selectivity and sorting of fruit as well as ever more sensitive and targeted extraction, and their 2007s build on and refine the success of their 2005s.Tel. (631) 722-8800