Posts Written OnAugust 04, 2010

By Evan Dawson, Finger Lakes Editor On a recent visit to Rooster Hill Vineyards, owner Amy Hoffman said something that got my attention.  The new Rooster Hill Dry Riesling has .8% residual sugar, or 8 grams of RS. Their dry riesling used to have 4 grams. There's a reason for the change. "Our experience has shown that .4 is a niche product," Hoffman told me. "There's a much wider and more accepting market when your dry riesling is at .8."  Today my colleague Lenn Thompson reviewed a Finger Lakes dry riesling that received one of his highest scores: 91 points…

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor Over the years, we've had several people cover New York City for us, but I think (hope) we've finally found a long-term solution — David Flaherty, who you may already know as the man behind the great NYC-based blog Grapes & Grains. In addition to his amble blogging duties, David works as the Operations Manager for Hearth Restaurant and Terroir Wine Bar in NYC's East Village and Tribeca.  He holds a Level 3 Advanced Certificate with Distinction from the Wine and Spirits Educational Trust and has built relationships in the wine industry from such countries…

David Flaherty is the Operations Manager for Hearth Restaurant and Terroir Wine Bar in NYC’s East Village and Tribeca, and has also built a reputation for his blog Grapes & Grains. He holds a Level 3 Advanced Certificate with Distinction from the Wine and Spirits Educational Trust and has built relationships in the wine industry from such countries and regions as Chile, Napa Valley, New Zealand, Finger Lakes, Rioja, Barossa and Long Island. His passion and knowledge have been developed from working in the restaurant, bar and retail wine industry for more than fifteen years. In addition to food and…

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor Red Tail Ridge Winery, perched atop a hill overlooking Seneca Lake, has garnered a lot of attention for its sustainable practices since opening the tasting room in 2007, and deservedly so. (Read our coverage of their green initiatives.) What gets lost a bit in all of that "green" coverage is how good co-owner and winemaker Nancy Irelan's wines can be.  When I tasted a few of them during TasteCamp earlier this year, I came away impressed — especially with the pinot noir — especially given the youth of the vines. I wanted to taste more,…

  Photo by Bryan Calandrelli