Browsing CategoryHudson Valley

A Real Winery’s Tasting Room is Not a Bar… And Other Advice to Get the Most From a Visit to Wine Country

This isn’t the first time I’ve written about this topic. 99% of you know everything I’m about to write. And agree. And act this way. But I still feel compelled to write about it. Why? Maybe it’s because pumpkin-picking season is upon us on Long Island and wine country roads are clogged with local agritourists. Maybe it’s all of the bar-masquerading-as-a-tasting-room stuff I’ve been reading. Or maybe it’s that I’m becoming more and more like my father every day in that I simply expect people to act the right way in every situation — including visiting wine country. Most of the time,…

Continue Reading

Tousey Winery 2011 Riesling

It’s pretty easy to find riesling wines in the Hudson Valley. Many of the producers put the out every year. And most of those buy juice from the Finger Lakes to do it. Riesling grown in the region itself is rare, but Tousey Winery 2011 Riesling ($23) is one such wine. Not nearly as aromatic as you might expect, the nose offers light aromas of peach and grapefruit, along green almond and a faint earthiness. Punch grapefruit flavors lead the way on the palate, bolstered by just-under-ripe peach and juicy, mouth-watering acidity. As the wine warms to room temperature, the…

Continue Reading

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…

Continue Reading

Harvest 2012: Estate Seyval Blanc at Hudson-Chatham Winery

From Hudson-Chatham Winery owner Carlo DeVito:   [quote] We harvested approximately one ton of seyval blanc from our North Creek Vineyard, Block 1 location yesterday. Brix were at 21. We would have actually let it sit longer, but extreme bird pressure and deer pressure led us to pick it earlier than we would have liked. We had several growing experts come in a take a look at it and help us make our calculation to pick. All agreed that we had excellent fruit, and nice production. We’ve found bird pressure immense this year. Possibly, with the drought-like conditions in the…

Continue Reading

Benmarl Winery 2010 Slate Hill Red

Benmarl Winery 2010 Slate Hill Red ($19), a blend of merlot, cabernet franc, petite verdot and malbec source primarily from Long Island, shows aromas of plums, cherries, dried herbs and raw oak on a slightly underripe nose. Soft and approachable, the palate is low on tannins but has just enough acidity to provide some structure. It’s plummy with dried herbs and leaves on the finish.  Simple and solid, but unremarkable. Producer: Benmarl Winery AVA: New York ABV: 13% Price: $19*   (2 out of 5, Average)

Continue Reading

Benmarl Winery 2009 Slate Hill White

You don’t see many blends of chardonnay, riesling and traminette, but that’s what Benmarl Winery puts together to create it’s Benmarl Winery 2009 Slate Hill White ($17). The riesling (30%) and traminette (5%) aren’t overt, but no-doubt contribute subtle complexity and acidity. Pear, apple and pineapple fruit aromas dominate the note with subtle lemon and lemon zest notes. That pineapple character steps forward on the medium-bodied, well-balance palate, with pear and sweet lemon notes in the background. Simple and overtly fruity, it has a round mid-palate that is kept fresh with acidity, leading into a medium-length finish. At $17, I want a…

Continue Reading

Sprout Creek Creamy and Sixpoint Craft Ales Join Forces to Produce “Point of Origin”

Beer and cheese make a perfect pair. I have said it many, many times here at the NYCR, behind the counter at a cheese shop, and talking with other cheese geeks.  It is pretty universal that when these two are brought together, there is an opportunity for good things to happen. As the Specialty Products Coordinator for Whole Food Market, Chris Manca takes concepts such as beer and cheese together, develops them, and finds a way to make a product from them. With the plethora of local artisans and producers  in the Northeast, what better way to celebrate this than by…

Continue Reading

New York State Wine Outlet to Open in Shanghai, China

Over the last 12-18 months the United Kingdom has emerged a potentially important market for New York — and other East Coast — wines. In fact, delegations from the Finger Lakes and Long Island are there right now for the 2012 London International Wine Fair. Now, more New York wineries than ever are looking even further east for new markets — all the way to China. A handful of wineries, including Channing Daughters Winery, Lieb Family Cellars and Pindar Vineyards, already sell or have sold wine in China. But, later today, Empire State Cellars, the New York-only tasting room and shop in Riverhead,…

Continue Reading

Captain Lawrence Brewing Company Beers Now Available in 6-Packs

Captain Lawrence Brewing Company has been working through some growing pains over the last couple of years.  They’ve just gotten so damn popular they couldn’t keep up with demand (pretty much a problem any business wants to find themselves in), going so far as to pull out of the New Jersey market to keep their supply to the Empire State flowing. Striking it rich with popularity in the New York City beer scene means you better be ready; ready for the thirsty mobs who’ll pound through whatever barrel of beer you put in front of them and ready for the…

Continue Reading