Posts Written OnSeptember 2007

Q&A With Adam Roberts: He’s Anything But an Amateur Gourmet

This morning, we have a special guest here at LENNDEVOURS. You may know his simply as Adam Roberts or The Amateur Gourmet. But to me, he’s one of the best–and most entertaining–food bloggers around. And, he’s written a book titled The Amateur Gourmet: How to Shop, Chop, and Table Hop Like a Pro (Almost). We’re proud to welcome Adam as he continues his virtual book tour, and while wine isn’t a big part of his new book, we thought we’d talk a bit about it anyway. LENN: Good morning, Adam, and thanks for taking the time to sit down with…

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Wine Blogging Wednesday #37: Ravines Wine Cellars 2006 Keuka Village White (Finger Lakes)

Wine Blogging Wednesday is back again–this time for its 37th edition, hosted by none other than Dr. Vino himself. The theme is "Go Native" and the good doctor has asked us to drink a wine made from indigenous grapes. As someone who writes about, and tastes, a lot of New York wines, there are a lot of non-vinifera wines that cross my palate. And, I could have dug around in my cellar for a New York-made concord wine and followed the letter of the law exactly. But frankly, most of those wines aren’t my cup of tea? Instead, I wanted…

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Mail Order Grapes in the Finger Lakes

By Finger Lakes Correspondent Jason Feulner This past spring, the comments of some LENNDEVOURS readers concerning the origin of grapes for Dr. Frank’s second label, Salmon Run, elicited a response from Fred Frank, president of the winery. His explanation as to the origin of these grapes for the value-priced Salmon Run line reveals the market pressures that are brought to bear on Finger Lakes wineries. Bad winters can kill some species of vines, creating legitimate regional shortages. Dr. Frank’s and other quality wineries did face some supply problems over the last several vintages. Luckily, the relative mildness of recent winters…

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WTN: Harbes Family Vineyard, Current Releases

Harbes is one of the most recognizable names on the North Fork of Long Island. And, Harbes Family Farm in Mattituck is a one-stop-shop for the North Fork agri-tourism experience. There’s the pick-your-own berry operation, which is always fun and a great way to get the freshest berries possible. Cross over Sound Avenue and you’ll find an array of plants, including annuals, perennials, hanging baskets and–as we head into fall–mums. This main farm stand also offers delicious baked goods (the baguettes are great), locally made jams and hot sauces, as well as picnic tables, a place for children to play,…

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Wine Library TV Has Fun With Long Island Franc

I’ve been talking about Long Island’s cabernet franc wines for a while…even daring to question merlot’s supremacy because of my love affair with franc. Well, Gary Vaynerchuk over at Wine Library TV loves cab franc too, especially those from the Loire Valley. Late last week though, he looked much closer to home, drinking three Long Island renditions. I for one am glad to see Gary getting back to basics. He’s toned down the theatrics and is really doing more educational work again with WLTV. And incidentally, for $13, the Pellegrini bottle was a steal. I say was because it sold…

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Take Me Out to the Ball Game…With Wine?

It’s impressive to me how Long Island wines, on the whole, have improved over the past few years. Sure, there are still plenty of clunkers to be tasted, but it seems like the middle-of-the-road wines are better and the regions best wines are that much better lately. But good juice is only part of the package. To sell improving that wine, Long Island wineries need to market and promote themselves. Wine isn’t a "build it and they will come" sort of industry. Local producers do seem to be getting better at building relationships with their customers and attracting new ones.…

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WTN: Waters Crest Winery 2004 Cabernet Franc Private Reserve (North Fork of Long Island)

Much of home winemaker-turned-pro Jim Waters’ early commercial success was based on his delicious, well-priced whites—his Riesling and Gewurztraminer in particular.    Many of Waters’ latest red release, however, have matched—and even surpassed—those early offerings. His limited-production, sometimes-hard-to-get reds are worth seeking out in his storefront tasting room tucked in an industrial park.  Even previous vintages the Waters Crest Winery Cabernet Franc Private Reserve impressed with their rich fruit and cocoa flavors. But, the 2004 release seems to take it to another level. Waters Crest Winery 2004 Cabernet Franc Private Reserve is a ripe, spicy wine that should develop even…

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The New LENNDEVOURS Wine-Rating System

I always go back and forth on wine ratings, their usefulness and whether or not I should use them here. I’ve given it a lot of thought, I’ve had lengthy email discussions with some of you, and I’ve talked it over with fellow wine bloggers. Clearly there’s isn’t a clear consensus. Some love ratings. Some hate them. And most fall somewhere in between. When I asked my readers, many of them seemed into ratings…but not at the expense of my commentary and tasting notes. So, here’s what I’ve decided to do… Starting with the next tasting note that I post,…

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What Defines a Boutique Winery?

There is a seemingly endless array of adjectives that wineries use to describe–and okay, to market–themselves and their wares. Words like award-winning, artisanal, small-run, limited-production, hand-crafted and boutique come to mind quickly. They all have a real meaning at their core, but because we see them over and over and over again, that meaning, those definitions get watered down. I think that just about every winery going calls themselves "award winning" and in most cases, there is some evidence of that. Almost any wine can get some sort of award if it’s entered into enough competitions. In actuality, "award-winning wine"…

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