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Cornell Asks the Industry to Name That Grape

Usually the way the game goes, someone gives us a hint, say Barolo, and we have to guess the name of the grape (Nebbiolo) to win the prize or score some points.  Yesterday, I received a couple of interesting emails from a list put out by Cornell Enology Extension Associate Chris Gerling that were more than mere fun and games. Chris is a sharp guy and quite a joker, yet someone who I take very seriously in matters of cold-hardy viticulture and wine geek info.  In this case, he passed on word about a bit of sport where we know what…

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Heron Hill Winery 2009 Ingle Vineyard Unoaked Chardonnay

The portfolio at Heron Hill Winery varies greatly from top to bottom — but the Ingle Vineyard wines, made with grapes grown in owner John Ingle’s vineyard, offer dependable value. The Heron Hill Winery 2009 Ingle Vineyard Unoaked Chardonnay ($20) is a balanced, expressive wine with aromas of lemongrass, grapefruit, lemon, green apple and just a hint of honeydew melon rind. Medium bodied and showing tremendous focus, the palate is citrusy with a lemongrass edge and a light floral characteristic. The acidity is almost crunchy and well-integrated, lengthening the finish, which is tinged with apples and lemon zest. Producer: Heron Hill Winery…

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It Doesn’t Get Any Fresher or More Local: Rocky Point Artisan Brewers Releases Hefeweizen

Saturday morning, I logged onto Facebook and was greeted with some exciting news — Rocky Point Artisan Brewers, with license now in hand, had released its first beer, a hefeweizen, at my local beer shop. As you can see from co-owner Mike Voigt’s post, the beer moved quickly from brew day to on tap at Thrifty Beverage in Rocky Point.  It doesn’t get any fresher — or more local.  RPAB’s brewery is just a couple miles from Thrifty and from DEKS American Restaurant, where the beer is also available. “Local” has long mattered to the RPAB team. Voigt helped organized…

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Wolffer Estate Vineyards 2011 Rose

Wolffer Estate Vineyards and winemaker Roman Roth are known for producing some of the East Coast’s best chardonnay and merlot. But it is this wine, the Wolffer Estate Vineyards 2011 Rose ($16), that is probably the winery’s best known. You’ll find it most every where in the Hamptons — from posh pool parties to the beach to restaurants and bars — and they make a lot of it every year, typically well north of 9,000 cases (which dwarfs several Long Island wineries’ total production). Made with 54% merlot, 21% chardonnay, 9% pinot noir, 8% cabernet franc and 8% cabernet sauvignon,…

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Governor Cuomo and Legislators Announce Agreement Supporting Craft Breweries

A threat that could have put New York’s breweries in financial jeopardy and driven up the cost of craft beer has been staved off, thanks to collaboration by breweries and sympathy from Albany. As Rochester correspondent Mark Tichenor reported, a recent lawsuit filed by the Shelton Brothers importation and distribution company resulted in the end of exemption from excise tax and brand label fees for New York breweries. That meant that effective immediately, New York breweries were required to pay a $150 fee on each individual beer label registered for sale, plus 14 cents on the gallon (add an extra…

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Martha Clara Vineyards 2010 Reserve Chardonnay

Martha Clara Vineyards 2010 Reserve Chardonnay ($22) shows honey-baked apples, pineapple, and lemon peel fruit aromas on the nose with a healthy dose of toasty oak, eggnog and vanilla. Nice, ripe fruit — apple and pineapple — greets the palate, but it’s a bit overwhelmed by woody-vanilla spice notes. Full bodied, it offers a rich, creamy mid-palate and well-balanced acidity. If you like the style, it’s fairly well done, but the finish is just a bit boozy. Producer: Martha Clara Vineyards AVA: North Fork of Long Island ABV: 13.5% Price: $22*   (2.5 out of 5, Average-to-Very Good)

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Lost and Found Pop-Up Restaurant: 3 Local Chefs Look to Reclaim “Farm to Table”

Kyle Fiasconaro and Dan Shannon and Doug Weiler, the three local chefs behind Lost and Found are on a mission — a mission to make “farm to table” mean something again. “Many restaurants claim to be ‘farm to table,’ but what we have found from our collective experience in the industry, is that the majority of the time this is either a lie, or a tremendous exaggeration,” says Weiler. “The term has become somewhat of a buzz word, which seems to instantly attract people to a restaurant.” He points to the practice of only sourcing salad greens from a local farm, but…

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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…

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Finally! A Good Reason to Open Cab Franc Ice Wine

I’m probably being a bit unfair in the title of this post. After all, some of the region’s top producers make a cabernet franc ice wine. And on occasion, it’s nicely made, drinkable. The problem is that too often, it tastes like ballpark nachos. I suppose the science types among us might be able to explain why that is. But even if it’s good, it’s hard to find a good occasion to open a bottle. How much can you drink? Let’s pretend, for a moment, that you recently purchased a bottle on a wine trip at one of the lesser…

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Peak Organic Brewing Company Local Series: New York

Peak Organic Brewing Company isn’t a New York brewery –– it calls Portland, Maine, home. But their beers are so consistently good that I forgive them. Now they’ve gone and made a beer with New York ingredients, which, for various reasons, is more than I can say for many of the excellent brews reviewed on this site. Peak has embarked on a Local Series, with each brew in the series featuring hops and barley from a certain state (Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts, and New York) to showcase that state’s particular terroir. Their New York example is here, and it’s a very…

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