Tomorrow morning, Nena and I leave from her parents' house in rural Schoharie, NY and head down to Corning to attend a couple days of PALATE, a food, wine and art showcase in Finger Lakes wine country. Organized by Finger Lakes Wine Country, Corning’s Gaffer District and The ARTS Council of the Southern Finger Lakes the week-long festival starts today and promises to be a fun event for the cold-this-time-of-year region. We're going to have a fun- and wine-filled couple of days. Before we even join the PALATE festivities, we're heading to Anthony Road Wine Company to taste with winemaker…
Posts Written OnFebruary 2009
A Tale of Two Niagaras
By Bryan Calandrelli, Niagara Correspondent Lately, it’s been frustrating for me to keep fresh information about Niagara wines flowing to the readers of LENNDEVOURS. I’ve written about a handful of wineries producing dry wines that I’ve been excited about, but I’ve dealt with some trepidation concerning some of the others in the region. It’s the same feeling you might get when a new girlfriend comes home with you to meet your family. There’s always that one aunt or uncle that you haven’t quite mentioned before everyone meets face to face. Well, it’s about to get awkward as I introduce you…
Fox Run Vineyards 2005 Reserve Cabernet Franc
I mentioned earlier this week that I've been impressed by some 2005 Finger Lakes cabernet francs. Well, this is the one that I liked best in that recent blind tasting. From the moment I pulled the cork, I knew this wine was going to be interesting. Once in my glass, complex aromas of camp fire, black pepper bacon, sweet vanilla, cocoa powder and intense black fruit fill the room. When I re-tasted this wine the next day, the smokiness had stepped back a bit, with fruit coming to the forefront and subtle herbal qualities emerging. Smoke and spice lead on…
Wine In Grocery Stores: Coercion? Boycotts? Intimidation?
By Evan Dawson, Finger Lakes Correspondent The issue has become so heated, so emotional, that some wineries feel threatened. Liquor stores are predicting widespread closures and job losses if the bill passes. And while New York wineries figured this was not their war to wage, they increasingly find themselves dragged into the debate. What's going on? Is everyone playing fair? There is no doubt that wineries feel threatened by liquor stores. After speaking to 15 winemakers and winery owners in the Finger Lakes, only two agreed to speak to me on the record. All said they've felt pressure from angry…
Sheldrake Point 2007 Gewurztraminer
Gewurztraminer is a love-it or hate-it sort of grape. I love it. Nena — most of the time anyway — hates it. The sometimes-overwhelming rose petal perfume that the grape exhibits turns her off. But Sheldrake Point's 2007 Gewurztraminer ($20) is one wine that we both enjoyed during a recent tasting of New York whites. A brilliant medium straw yellow in the glass, the nose is only lightly floral — rather than overwhelmingly so — and is spicy and gingery with classic lychee and pineapple aromas. Make sure that you don't over-chill this wine, or the beautiful aromas will be…
Hunt Country Vineyards 2007 Late Harvest Vignoles on IntoWine TV
Thought you might be interested in watching this IntoWine TV epsisode featuring Hunt Country Vineyards 2007 Late Harvest Vignoles.
Should Wine Be Sold in New York Grocery Stores?
Should wine be sold in New York grocery stores? This is a hot topic and one that several readers have emailed me about in recent weeks. So where is the LENNDEVOURS post with our take on the situation? Be patient. Instead of writing a post with knee-jerk reaction, Evan (with a little help from me) is working on a well-researched post on the topic. With so many egos, personal interests and dollars involved, this is a controversial, emotional topic for a lot of people. As such, not everyone wants to talk on the record. But, we'll have a post up…
Sheldrake Point 2007 Gamay
I've long been a fan of the Gamay grape. I first encountered it like many do, in the form of Beaujolais Noveau. I've since out-grown those wines, but I love Cru Beaujolais and also enjoy Gamay from the Loire Valley as well. These are wines that are often priced for daily drinking, have great acidity for with food and are just plain fruity and delicious. My affection for French Gamay is probably a big reason why I was so disappointed by Sheldrake Point's 2007 Gamay ($16). A surprisingly light ruby color (almost like a pinot noir) the nose on this…
Heron Hill Winery 2005 “Ingle Vineyard” Cabernet Franc
Over the weekend, I tasted a handful of Finger Lakes reds, mostly cabernet franc, and I came away pleasantly surprised by what I tasted. True, each of the cab francs came from the outlier 2005 growing season, which was hotter and longer than usual, but the quality can't be denied — even by those of us that wish Finger Lakes wineries would plant more riesling and Gewurzt and less merlot, cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc. Heron Hill Winery is perched on the western shore of Keuka Lake, but the grapes that go into Heron Hill Winery's 2005 "Ingle Vineyard" Cabernet…
Stony Brook Center for Food, Wine and Culture to Close
I was disappointed to hear early this week that, as a result of major spending cuts at Stony Brook University, the Center for Wine, Food, and Culture will become inactive at the end of the current semester. Louisa Thomas Hargrave, the founding mother of Long Island wine, will also obviously no longer serve as the program's director. The Center started in 2004, with a state grant via State Senator Ken LaValle. And, from the fall of 2007 to now, they have offer 40 separate wine tasting classes, including the first Wine and Spirits Education Trust accredited courses on Long Island).…