Archive for January, 2013
Ice Cider: Learning to Love the Cold
Slyboro Cider House lies in Washington County, right on the border of Vermont, and about an hour and a half drive straight north of Albany. Working the land of Hick’s Orchard (New York’s oldest “U-Pick” ...
A Change of Heart About Pinot, and Another Sign that the Finger Lakes is Rallying Around This Red
Bob Madill, general manager at Sheldrake Point Vineyards, does not necessarily agree with the way I describe his feelings on pinot, but I’ll stand by it: I think he’s had a change of heart. The question is, why? B...
Arrowhead Spring Vineyards 2010 Pinot Noir
Think that pinot noir that retails for under $20 isn’t very good? Get yourself a bottle of Arrowhead Spring Vineyard 2010 Piont Noir ($18) and unlearn that widely held belief. Just-crushed raspberries and pomegranate frui...
Sheldrake Point Vineyards 2009 “BLK 3″ Pinot Noir
When I asked winemaker Dave Breeden to tell me about Sheldrake Point Vineyards 2009 “BLK 3″ Pinot Noir ($30 at release, now sold out) – the first vintage of a new vineyard-designated pinot – he didnR...
Serving Local: Recognizing Wine Country Restaurants That Truly Support Local Wine
After spending the late morning in Greenport on Sunday — riding the carousel and getting our son Jackson out onto the ice for the first time — my family and I stopped at Bonnie Jean’s in Southold for lunch. ...
Farewell to The Little Sweet One
The last drops quivered, and resisted their fall, from the bottle’s lip towards the glass. I heard the words in my head again: “This, too, shall pass.” This ancient axiom has shadowed my consciousness for longer than...
Some Personal Observations on Long Island Wine’s 40th Anniversary
This year Long Island wine is celebrating the 40th anniversary of the first vinifera grape plantings by Louisa and Alex Hargrave that kicked off the Long Island wine region. As one who arrived very late to Long Island...
Getting Out of That Restaurant Rut
You have probably found yourself in a restaurant rut at some point or another. You want to head out for dinner, and you cycle through the same short list of usual restaurant options. They’re your favorites for a reason, b...
Surge Protector: Long Island Breweries Brew Up Sandy Relief
Beer people are cool. Beer people are fun. And at heart, they are some of the best people out there. When Hurricane Sandy struck, Barrier Brewing Co. in Oceanside on the south shore of Long Island on October 28 sustained dam...
Mattebella Vineyards NV Famiglia Red
Say what you will about Long Island wine prices, but I’ve recently tasted at least three reds for under $20 that I’d happily drink any day of the week, including this blend of merlot and cabernet franc – Matte...
