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By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor Peconic Bay Winery has namd Zander Hargrave assistant winemaker, adding him to long-time head winemaker Greg Gove's team. The Hargrave name isn't new to Long Island wine lovers. Zander's parents, Louisa and Alex Hargrave, founded Hargrave Vineyard, Long Island's first commercial winery, in 1973, and Zander's uncle, Charlie Hargrave, has served as vineyard manager at Peconic Bay for over a decade. Born "shortly before the excellent harvest of 1977," Zander told me that "As a child, growing up on a vineyard was much less about the wine than the people who were around. There was…

By Evan Dawson, Managing Editor The Wild Vine is not, at its core, a wine book in the most common sense. It is a story of outsiders, connected over the generations by a common sense of purpose and discovery. And like The Billionaire's Vinegar, it is such a compelling work of narrative nonfiction that I have reccomended it to friends who don't care much for wine. But if you do care for wine, Todd Kliman's book takes on an added weight. And if you care for American wine, it becomes essential reading; the fact that it's gripping and well paced…

By Julia Burke, Beer Editor There's no shortage of appreciation for craft beer sources in Buffalo, it seems: last week Village Beer Merchant (VBM), the city's best source for hard-to-find imported and domestic brews, celebrated its third birthday with a packed house and tastings by four New York breweries. With no advertising other than word-of-mouth, VBM's anniversary party was a smash hit with local craft beer lovers. Samples and growler fills from Flying Bison, Southern Tier, Saranac and Ommegang provided a chance to taste seasonals from the state's most popular breweries.  "It's a great turnout," says Vincent Somogyi of VBM.…

By David Flaherty, New York City Correspondent Photos by Chris Lehault of IDrunkThat.com Like moths to a flame. Like lemmings to the edge of the cliff. Like schoolchildren to the tether ball pole, we came. From far and wide, the craft beer-lovin' fans of Brooklyn Brewery came Tuesday night in droves for the Main Engine Start launch party. Brooklyn Brewery is expanding. And in a big way. Once fully completed, and with the estimated price tag of $6.5 million, the expansion will add 15 full-time, salaried employees to the mix.  I was astounded by the size of the new space. Entering through the normal…

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor When it came time for me to pick a wine for Wine Blogging Wednesday #70: Spain! hosted by my friends over at Catavino, it was a difficult choice. I don't have a ton of Spanish wine in my cellar, but what I do have is pretty interesting. First, I reached for some older Riojas from Lopez de Heredia, an old-school producer who makes some of the most interesting wines I've encountered. But, I tend to prefer trying new things when WBW comes along. But what? My local shops don't have extensive Spanish offerings beyond the…

This is what our editors and contributors were drinking last week… Evan Dawson: Barboursville Vineyards 2002 Cabernet Franc Reserve (Virginia) On a blind wine evening that included Barolo, white Rioja, Chablis, Cahors and Bordeaux, this wine snuck in and left a significant impression. Still youthful and structured at 8+ years old, it was a very pleasant surprise. Tasted blind, we hung on this one for a while. I settled timidly on cabernet franc and, pressed to identify a region, I said Long Island. That's a compliment. I expect that 2011 will be the year when I learn much more about…

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor Just a quick reminder that Wine Blogging Wednesday, the monthly tasting I created back in 2004 (after being inspired by a similarly styled food blog event) makes its triumphant return to the blogosphere tomorrow with WBW #70: Spain! hosted by Ryan and Gabriella Opaz of Catavino. For this 70th edition of WBW, the Iberian super-blogger duo is asking us to: Choose a Spanish wine or wines to taste on Wednesday the 16th of February.  Seek out Spanish wines that you

The tasting room at Clovis Point on Saturday By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor If this post were a baseball game, it'd be "Turn Back the Clock Day" here on the New York Cork Report. I haven't written a post like this in a long time. There was a time — before our four year-old son was born — that my wife and I would spend at least one day every weekend out in wine country, visiting wineries, meeting friends, making new ones and of course tasting great wines. With the arrival of our little man four years ago, these casual,…

By Julia Burke, Beer Editor A style that often disappoints due to lack of depth, Irish Red is a rust belt staple and a must-have for the upcoming fish fry season. This one is an addition to Saranac's massive lineup of seasonals. Its puffy two-and-a-half finger head, bronze-redhead orange color and decent lacing definitely invite sippage.  On the nose, malty caramel, honey, toasted marshmallow and freshly mowed straw aromas show an appetizing and balanced flavor profile with a little more chutzpah than I'd expect from this style. There's a big, sweet palate too, with a crisp hop finish and length that…