Posts Written OnSeptember 2012

Harvest 2012: Pinot Noir at Bellwether Wine Cellars

Kris Matthewson, winemaker at Bellwether Wine Cellars, sends this report from their September 7 pinot noir harvest: [quote]We harvested pinot on Friday, September 7 from Sawmill Creek Vineyard on the East side of Seneca Lake. The brix were right around 23 when we picked. The grapes were in really good condition. We ended up picking most of the acre ourselves, and did some pretty heavy field sorting while we picked, and then table sorted again when we brought the grapes in from the vineyard. After all the sorting was said and done, they were some of the best grapes I…

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Ballpark Brew Fest Hits a Homerun

I’ve written before of my beefs with beer festivals. It’s heartening, then, to see events like Ballpark Brew Bash, which took place in Buffalo’s Coca-Cola Field this weekend. Small and intimate but boasting an impressive selection of breweries and beers, BPBP was downright pleasant to attend. Thanks to a favorable ratio of breweries to attendees and a spread-out facility (the breweries set up on the edges of the baseball diamond and in the concession areas) I didn’t see a single long line –– not even at the Stone or Founders stands, where beloved Bastards both Dirty and Arrogant were on…

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Watch “The Secrets of the Finger Lakes” in its Entirety

“Secrets of the Finger Lakes” aired original on September 12 at 8:30 p.m. on WHAM-TV and on 13wham.com For those of you who missed it — or want to watch it again — here it is broken into four clips. My television news superiors approached me about putting together a special report after the success of my book. At first I hesitated, because I didn’t want to simply air a rehashed set of stories that already appear in print. But then I saw an opportunity to tell new stories; these are some of the stories that do not appear in the…

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Harvest 2012: Riesling at Peconic Bay Winery

Peconic Bay Winery general manager Jim Silver sent this harvest report yesterday: [quote]Harvest of old-vine riesling underway at PBW since 7:30 a.m., and will continue tomorrow (pickers welcome!) Yields not determined yet (about 2T/ac), brix above 19 degrees.  Nearly rot-free, hand sorted in the field by an experienced crew.  Very slight desiccation of some grapes. Top quality vintage similar in style to a blending of 2005, 2009 and 2010.”[/quote]

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Hudson Valley Cassis Gets its Own Website

Some of the most exciting beverages coming out of the Hudson Valley these days aren’t been made from grapes, apples or grains.  Nope. Cassis is made using currants, and many of the versions produced in the Hudson Valley are intense and bright on their own or blended into other adult beverages. Now, Hudson Valley cassis has its own website, HudsonValleyCassis.com Though still a curiosity to many, 20,000 bottles of cassis will be sold in the region this year, making the Hudson Valley the number one producer of artisanal cassis in North America and the Western Hemisphere.  And it seems like…

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Finger Lakes Wine Country Hits Primetime Television

If you’re in the Rochester area, tonight I invite you to watch a special report on the growth and success of the Finger Lakes wine region. Yes, sometimes my work worlds collide. “Secrets of the Finger Lakes” can be seen at 8:30 p.m. on WHAM-TV and on 13wham.com My television news superiors approached me about putting together a special report after the success of my book. At first I hesitated, because I didn’t want to simply air a rehashed set of stories that already appear in print. But then I saw an opportunity to tell new stories; these are some…

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Harvest 2012: Chardonnay in Niagara USA

Harvest has ramped up here in Niagara this week as the time for chardonnay had come in several local vineyards. Leonard Oakes Estate Winery had already taken Vignoles before pulling chardonnay in addition to pinot noir for sparkling wine. Freedom Run Winery’s custom crush operation had already brought in Brianna, Edelweiss and Leon Millot before they began their estate chardonnay picking on Monday. The picture at left shows the bounty of chardonnay collected at Eveningside Vineyards yesterday where the yield looked larger than normal and the quality looked to be very good. In the coming days I’ll post the film…

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