Posts Written OnJuly 16, 2015

Raphael 2014 “First Label” Sauvignon Blanc

Since his arrival on Long Island in 2007, Anthony Nappa — who serves as winemaker for Raphael as well as his own label after working for Shinn Estate Vineyards for four years — has shown a deft hand with North Fork sauvignon blanc. Perhaps Nappa’s time spent studying winemaking in New Zealand helped a little. Regardless, he makes some of my favorite local sauvignon, more or less regardless of who he’s making it for or where the fruit comes from. Sometimes they are crispy and lighter-styled. Other times they are concentrated and textural. Raphael 2014 “First Label” Sauvignon Blanc ($28) continues that tradition and…

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Appreciating the FLX Wienery: A Conversation with Christopher Bates

Here’s the scene: You are biting into a burger called The Local, made with goat cheese and miso mayo and lettuce and tomato and herbs, and you’ve just pillaged a bottle of 1988 Dunn Cabernet from the secret wine fridge, and you’re wondering if this high-end comfort food oasis is only for serious food lovers. And then a well-placed dick joke cuts through any concern about pretension. This is the FLX Wienery, a little food-and-wine joint on Route 14 that has been open for a year. It’s already become a regional treasure, a must-visit for wine tourists on Seneca Lake.…

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