By Julia Burke, Beer Editor Long Island brewery Southampton Publick House has arrived in western New York and I can't think of a nicer way to ring in the holidays than with this consistently impressive brewery's lineup of interesting and varied styles. Double White pours a glowing sunrise-haze gold color and shows a brief one-finger head and beautiful bubbles. A clean, crisp nose with only a subtle whiff of cardamom and lemon and just a little bit of clementine give way as it opens to bready wheat character and citrusy Belgian yeast esters. The mouthfeel is excellent –smooth, bready, just a…
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Paumanok Vineyards 2007 Merlot
By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor Paumanok Vineyards' "regular" merlot bottling, informally known as the "white label merlot" is one of Long Island's most values — particularly from warmer, dryer years (think 2005 and 2007 recently). No, at $24, it won't satisfy those who lament the region's lack of $15 standouts, but know this: it over-delivers for that $24. The nose is ripe and complex, showing fruit aromas of black cherry, plum and cassis as well as notes of dried autumn leaves and dried thyme. Medium-bodied and at once ripe and lithe, the palate delivers fruit flavors that closely match the…
7 Questions with….Erin Flynn, Marketing Manager, Dr. Konstantin Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars
By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor If you're active in social media channels like Twitter and Facebook, you may have noticed that one of New York's best-known wineries, Dr. Konstantin Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars, has become extremely active on them. That's the work of Erin Flynn, who joined Dr. Frank in May. Erin is a Finger Lakes native but didn't stay home to work in the wine industry right away. After earning her bachelor of arts degree from Nazareth College and as Master's degree in management from Keuka College, Erin moved to Washington D.C. to work in politics and as a…
For Chef Samantha Buyskes-Izzo, Simply Red Means Simply Good
By Rochelle Billow, Finger Lakes Food Correspondent Photos by Onion Studio If you’ve had any sort of connection to Finger Lakes food within the past ten years or so, chances are you’ve come across Samantha Buyskes-Izzo. She’s been cooking here since 2002, and since 2007 has served as the Executive Chef at Simply Red Bistro at Sheldrake Point Winery on Cayuga Lake, as well as at La Tourelle Resort and the Hangar Theatre in Ithaca. It’s a fair assertion that she’s best known for her work at Sheldrake, where the bistro earned her a sort of cult following, attracting visitors…
Sprout Creek Farm: Redux
By Aaron Estes, Cheese Editor I recently had the opportunity to attend the annual Taste of the Hudson Valley. Each year, local restaurants and artisans are given the opportunity to shine as they pair a couple of dishes with wine, beer, or other beverages of their choosing. The event is always well-attended as ticket holders move from table to table, chat with local chefs, sip wine, and comment on the successfulness of a particular pairing. It’s a great time, but the purpose of this post is not to talk about the use of Hudson Valley Foie Gras, butternut squash soup,…
Opposition to Hydraulic Fracturing in the Finger Lakes (By John Ingle, Heron Hill Winery)
By John Ingle, Heron Hill Winery As a winery owner and grape grower for over 35 years in the Finger Lakes Region, I have witnessed the growth of our industry from a dozen wineries in the ‘70s to over 100 now. I have also seen the significant increase in tourism in the Finger Lakes. This growth represents a focused and diligent effort to create two of the most viable profit centers, wineries and tourism, in the New York economy. For years, families and friends have united here over the lakes, the land, and the wine – to see it all…
Lamoreaux Landing 2010 Dry Riesling
By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor As I patrol the Internet, seeking out information about New York wine and read what to others are saying about it, I see some pretty amazing and curious things. One of the most mind-boggling is the contention by some that Finger Lakes rieslings are over-priced. That's just silly and barely merits discussion, so I will just assume those folks must be very happy drinking a lot of Pacific Rim and Covey Run rielsings from the West Coast and move on. This wine, the Lamoreaux Landing 2010 Dry Riesling, is $13 at the winery and I've…
Makinajian Poultry Farms: Three Generations of Organic Farming in Huntington, NY
By Dave Seel, Long Island Food Correspondent “We’ve always been organic and never use pesticides. My grandfather was talking about it back in the 50s even before it was popular,” said Michael Makinajian as he gestured towards an article written about his grandfather, Joseph, in 1964 for the Suffolk Farming Times. “We’ve just always been committed to doing things naturally.” Situated just south of Huntington, NY, Makinajian Poultry Farm is the definition of family farming and is one of few farms remaining this far west on Long Island. “When I was younger my grandfather would drive around and point out different…
Some Finger Lakes Wineries Favor Synthetic Corks for Their Best Wines; Should They?
By Evan Dawson, Managing Editor, and Tom Mansell, Science Editor Serious wine consumers are not, generally speaking, fans of synthetic cork. Most recoil at the sight of a plastic cork being pulled from a bottle they had otherwise been excited to open. Is this bias unfair? Maybe. Companies are working to improve the quality of synthetic corks. We'll get to that in a bit. But there's no denying that synthetic corks make a clear statement to the serious consumer, whether intended or not. "Cheap," said one of the many tasters on the evening of the recent Finger Lakes Riesling Hour.…
Heart & Hands Wine Company 2009 Reserve Riesling
By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor Tom and Susan Higgins, owners of Heart & Hands Wine Company on the eastern shore of Cayuga Lake, have worked tirelessly to build a reputation for making what may be New York's best pinot noirs. It's clear that pinot is their passion and it shows in the bottle and throughout their entire operation. But, with wines like Heart & Hands Winery 2009 Reserve Riesling ($29) Tom, who makes the wines, proves that he's not a one-trick pinot pony. This is the Finger Lakes after all, where riesling rules and it seems silly not to make…