Posts Written OnJuly 2013

Atwater Estate Vineyards 2010 Pinot Noir

Another well-made Finger Lakes pinot noir that over-delivers for the money? Yes. Atwater Estate Vineyards 2010 Pinot Noir ($22) isn’t the most complex pinot noir — at least not at this stage in its develpoment — but it is table-ready and delicious. Aromas of black cherry, red currant are accented by gentle floral notes and lead into a silky-but-fresh palate with flavors of black cherry, red plum, red currant and cherry pit. The fresh acidity meshes with gently gripping tannins for a great mouthfeel. Again, you won’t find layers and layers of complexity here, but you’ll find a clean, well-balanced…

Hegel Meets Riesling: Introducing the Winemaker Taking Keuka Spring to Places No One Has Considered Before

Maybe the problem is that you don’t often enough consider the Hegelian model. You think about wine, right? You think about which bottles to buy. You think about pleasure. You think about what to lay down, what to drink now, what to open for what guest. But are you taking a Hegelian approach? First, imagine the pleasure of wine in its truest, most savage form: drinking it. One person, drinking one bottle. Then, restrain that savageness, and invite a group to enjoy the wine together. Yes, you’re sublimating the instinct to drink it all yourself, but in so doing, you…

What We Drank (July 9, 2013 Edition)

Lenn Thompson: Domaine Tempier 2012 Rose Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve been drinking as much rose from as many regions as possible — partly because I love the versatility of rose during the summer months, and partly because I want to have a bit more context leading up to the 2012 rose tasting and report I’ll be undertaking very soon. On Sunday, I got to enjoy this rose that frankly I’d probably not pay for at around $40. It was a surprise offered by friends from the Finger Lakes who are vacationing on the East End this week.…

Robibero Family Vineyards 2012 “87 North”

This blend of 50% vidal and 50% cayuga (grown on the east side of Seneca Lake) is a great example of what is possible with white hybrid blends. Robibero Family Vineyards 2012 “87 North” ($16) is citrusy on the nose — mainly grapefruit and lemon — with a bit of canary melon and citrus blossom. Fruity and medium-light bodied, the palate is super-fresh with straight forward sweet melon and citrus flavors and spritzy acidity. The finish is a bit abrupt and shows a bit of pithy bitterness, this is a fun summer wine. If it were $13 like it was in…

“Drink New York” Dinner with Arrowhead Spring Vineyards This Thursday. Now With a Special Treat.

Just a reminder that our next “Drink New York” dinner is only a few days away! Thursday at 7 p.m. we’ll gather at the Riverhead Project to enjoy a wonderful menu prepared by chef Lia Fallon alongside some of my favorite wines from the Niagara region of New York, those from Arrowhead Spring Vineyards. You can read the full menu here. Over the weekend, I recieved an email from ASV winemaker and co-owner Duncan Ross, and he’s bringing something special for the end of the meal — 4 of his last 12 bottles of 2007 Vidal Icewine. I can tell you…

Summer in a Glass Dinner Event: Rare Wines, Local Food, One Time Only

When Summer in a Glass was published, I wondered if there could ever be a dinner event that brought together all the wines from the book. It seemed like a wonderful idea, but I figured it would remain only an idea. The work of pulling together such an event would be overbearing. But now it’s actually happening. On Monday, July 22, the Hole in the Wall Restaurant in Perry is hosting the Summer in a Glass-themed dinner. Tickets are still available for $150 apiece. If that price seems high, consider this: the restaurant is still probably going to lose money on…

Shinn Estate Vineyards Open’s New Tasting Patio and Grill Menu

Shinn Estate Vineyards in Mattituck is putting the final touches on its outdoor patio and new grill area.  The tasting patio is an extension right off of the entrance to the wine library, and is a great improvement to what used to host a few at tables and benches between two buildings. Now, they can accommodate many more with intimate seating, or groups who want to relax with a flight of Shinn Estate wines. The patio, which started construction a little over a month ago, transformed the tasting area, but what was not lost in the addition is the cozy…

Channing Daughters Winery 2010 Mosaico

  Winemaker Christopher Tracy makes some of Long Island’s most unique wines. Being unique isn’t enough — a wine has to be delicious to earn my attention. Channing Daughers Winery 2010 Mosaico ($29) is a field blend — from part of the winery’s Sylvanus Vineyard in Bridgehampton — that was fermented with ambient yeast. Made up of 32% pinot grigio, 29% chardonnay, 14% sauvignon blanc, 10% muscat ottonel, 7% tocai friulano and 8% gewurztraminer that was fermented mostly in stainless steel (86%) with 14% fermented in new French oak. The muscat and gewurztraminer were fermented on their skins and blended…

NEW VENUE: “Drink New York” Dinner with Arrowhead Spring Vineyards Moved to the Riverhead Project

  Last week, Chef Lia Fallon left her previous job to become the executive chef at the Riverhead Project and as such, we’re moving our “Drink New York” dinner next week there too. The time, price and menu will all be the same. And, after talking with winemaker Duncan Ross yesterday, it sounds like he’s going to bring a special treat or two from the winery’s library — yet another thing to be excited about. Seating is still very limited, so please call the restaurant at (631) 284-9300 to reserve your spot.

What We Drank (July 2, 2013 Edition)

Here’s just a sampling of the libations that crossed the palates of our editors and contributors… Evan Dawson: Chateau la Canorgue 2012 Rose I am sad for those who don’t know the joys of Provencal rose on a summer evening. Wine doesn’t typically fit into seasonal categories — I drink plenty of red in the summer and plenty of white in the winter — but rose is a seasonal wine. It is summer. A clever writer might describe it as summer in a glass, even. New York roses are gaining in quality and quantity. I drink them happily. But Provence…