Posts Written OnJuly 2008

Merlot: "These hanging merlot grapes at Channing Daughters Winery in Bridgehampton, NY, are picking up the light from the Sunday morning sun. The remnants of rain from the night before slowly evaporate or drip down to the soil below." – Ellen Watson Chardonnay: "Basking in the morning sun, this cluster of chardonnay grapes at Channing Daughters Winery in Bridgehampton, NY still appears to be defying gravity. I wonder about this bunch of grapes in particular; I am curious to see if at some point, it will begin to hang down towards the earth." – Ellen Watson Pinot Grigio: "In the…

By Jason Feulner, Finger Lakes Correspondent After seeing a reference on the Finger Lakes Weekend Wino’s site, I was in a state of disbelief. Could this news be for real? Last week, as I drove south on Route 14 on the west side of Seneca Lake, I kept my eyes peeled, and then I saw it for myself…yes, there is a winery opening on Seneca named Pompous Ass. The sign out front says the winery is opening this summer, although a lot of summer has already passed us by. Is this name funny? Is it appropriate? More importantly, what role…

Before the North Fork became the epicenter of the Long Island wine industry, it was covered in potato fields. Long Island potatoes were famous long before the Hargraves planted grape vines in the early 1970s. Of course, many of those potato fields have been replaced by grape vines, but there are still hundreds (thousands?) of acres of potatoes grown on Long Island. You might think about French fries or mashers when you think potatoes, but Rich Stabile, owner of and head distiller at Long Island Spirits, sees the ultimate raw material for making vodka. "Long Island has a long history…

What do you think about if someone mentions "white merlot"? For me, it’s sickly sweet blush made by Forest Glen or Beringer that comes mind. Not exactly a pleasant thought. Given that, I hope that the fine folks at Lieb Cellars can forgive me if that is where my brain went when I heard they were making a white merlot in 2007. I didn’t love their rose last year and I didn’t think I’d love this wine either. (Note: They made a rose in addition to this wine in 2007). This is the whitest of any white merlot I’ve ever…

From the photographer, Ellen Watson: "Nestled into the leaves on abundant vines, these pinot grigio grapes look like a lush, Dutch still life painting, at Channing Daughters Winery in Bridgehampton, NY."

By Jason Feulner, Finger Lakes Correspondent Finger Lakes Wine Country graciously invited me to a "sneak peak" media event last Friday to preview some rieslings that would be featured during the Finger Lakes Wine Festival throughout the weekend. The event was held in the media building on the grounds of the Watkins Glen International raceway, a sprawling circuit-style course that winds its way through a hill overlooking the Seneca Lake valley below. Wineries that presented their 2007 rieslings during the media event included Dr. Frank’s, Fox Run, Glenora, Hazlitt 1852, Lakewood, Lucas, Red New Cellars, Sheldrake Point, and Swedish Hill.…

From the photographer, Ellen Watson: "Appearing to defy gravity, these robust Chardonnay grapes are growing heartily at Channing Daughters Winery in Bridgehampton, NY."

I try not to spam my own readers here on LENNDEVOURS with talk about the New York Cork Club, the wine club that I run with Greene Grape Wine in Brooklyn. I could (and probably should) tell you much more often about how I pick the wines independently, without the wine shop telling me to pick wines that they can make a ton of money on. I could tell you how I’m able to get wines that aren’t available to any other clubs or retailers. But I don’t nearly often enough probably. But this month, we have two wines that…