Posts Written OnAugust 2007

A Food Addiction: Heirloom Tomatoes

Last weekend I made an early-morning trip out to Sang Lee Farms, just hoping that their heirloom tomatoes were in. As you can see, they were and I bought quite a few (okay, too many). So far, I took many of the yellow and gold ones, made a sauce and froze it for the winter. We’ve used them sliced simply for salad and have also used them on grilled cheese sandwiches. But this post isn’t so much about what we’re doing with them, it’s really about the picture. Though they are delicious.

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Party On at Bully Hill

By Finger Lakes Correspondent Jason Feulner All the talk recently about the party-like atmosphere at some wineries brings to mind Bully Hill Vineyards, a winery nestled on the hills overlooking the beauty that is Keuka Lake. This winery is a party destination that mixes a proud history, great bottle art, ample tastings and thong underwear. The story starts with the Taylor Wine Company. The Taylor family was one of the original wine producing families of the Finger Lakes. The Taylor Wine Company grew from a small 19th-Century family operation into a 20th-Century wine bohemeth. After being acquired by the Coca-Cola…

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Exciting News: Screwcaps Coming to Long Island Wine

A little birdy has informed me that a well-known and well-regarded Long Island winery is preparing to make the leap into screwcap closures for some of it’s 2007 white wines. Care to guess which winery? Okay, I’ll just come out and tell you. It’s Paumanok Vineyards and I think it’s great that they are pioneering the use of screwcap closures here on Long Island. Kareem Massoud, who makes the wines with his father Charles, told me in an email today that: "…we are currently planning to start bottling wine under screw cap with our 2007 whites, that does not necessarily…

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My Thoughts on the 2007 New York Food & Wine Classic

Several of you have been asking for my thoughts on the results from the 2007 New York Food & Wine Classic in Napa a couple weeks ago. And I’ve taken quite a bit of time to ponder them and try to come up with some commentary. Some will probably surprise you. Some won’t. First, as commenter Jeff Houck pointed out in my previous post about the results, the full results have been posted online, just not where they were supposed to be. My frustration with newyorkwines.org is almost constant, but it is what it is. On to the results themselves:…

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WTN: Ackerly Pond Vineyards 2004 Merlot (North Fork of Long Island)

Over the past decade-plus, there has been an interesting phenomenon in Long Island wine, though it’s probably mere coincidence. It seems that even-numbered years tend to be cooler than the riper odd-number years, which include the well-regarded 1995, 2001 and 2005 years. Of course this isn’t a hard and fast rule. And it certainly doesn’t mean that there aren’t terrific wines in the cooler years. In fact, some of the most underrated wines–both red and white–that I’ve tasted lately have come out of the 2004 vintage, a slightly cooler, but still typical local year. Founded just less than a decade…

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The Roundup: WBW #36 Get Naked (Finally)

I know that it’s taken me a while to get this roundup written and posted, but my back is finally feeling pretty good and I’m able to sit up for long periods of time. That’s certainly good news and something to drink to, right? So on to WBW! Thank you to every single blogger (or non-blogger) who has ever participated Wine Blogging Wednesday. What started as a simple, fun idea (and a rip off of a Is My Blog Burning) has make it through 36 iterations and is still going strong. It’s been a ton of fun and there are…

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WTN: Channing Daughters Winery 2006 Vino Bianco (Long Island)

As you’ve probably heard, Christopher Tracy, winemaker at Channing Daughters Winery, is a trained chef. I think that many of his wines clearly reflect that background. They are usually terrific with food and display his affinity for mixing and combining elements to create flavors that are more than the sum of their parts. His white blends–inspired by those from Northern Italy–are among my favorites. Take his 2006 Vino Bianco ($30) a unique-to-Long Island blend of 27% Tocai Friulano, 26% sauvignon blanc, 22% pinot grigio, 19% Dijon clone of chardonnay and 6% Musque clone of chardonnay. It is a wine inspired…

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New Websites for Three Long Island Wineries

Two Long Island wineries have new websites, and I just wanted to point them out. First is Scarola Vineyards, which is a producers you may or may not even know about. I did a piece that mentioned them for Hamptons.com and for Edible East End. The wines are made by owner Frank Scarola at Wolffer Estate under the watchful eye of Roman Roth. My favorite of Frank’s wines is his chardonnay. Waters Crest Winery has also (finally) revamped its website. I know that co-owner Jim Waters had quite a battle getting it completed (because some designers/developers didn’t do him right).…

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Local With Local: Grilled Strawberry-Duck-Goat Cheese Pizza with Corey Creek Vineyards 2006 Rose

This edition of the "Local With Local" project I’ve started has me working again with chef Doug Gulija from The Plaza Cafe in Southampton. This time, I’m even more excited because the dish truly was a collaborative effort. I wanted to highlight Corey Creek Vineyards’s 2006 Rose, which has been Nena’s favorite rose this summer. I was served a strawberry goat cheese mousse at a rose launch party earlier in the summer, so I suggested that to chef as a starting point. He wanted to do something grilled, because he likes rose with grilled fare and the next thing you…

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Congratulations to Long Island Winners at the New York Food & Wine Classic

I’m still not ready to offer my full commentary on "The Classic" but wanted to congratulate the following wineries on their "best" wins at the event: Best Cabernet Franc and Best Red Wine: Pindar Vineyards 2005 Cabernet Franc I haven’t tasted this yet, but hope to soon. Best Vinifera Sparkling: Osprey’s Dominion Vineyards 2002 Rose de Noir I didn’t love this when I tasted it a while back, but I have one bottle left and may have to revisit.Best Oaked Chardonnay: Peconic Bay Winery 2005 La Barrique Chardonnay I think I have this in my tasting queue. Will have to…

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