By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor The image of Finger Lakes red wines as typically underwhelming — especially compared to the regions often outstanding white wines — has begun to evolve in recent years — mostly thanks to two warm vintages (2005 and 2007) and a handful of producers really pushing the quality envelope. The region is getting its due for its red wines too now — at least here and there. Here's a wine from the more "normal" 2008 vintage that further proves how silly it is to generalize when it comes to wine. Heron Hill Winery 2008 Cabernet Franc…
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Bedell Cellars 2010 Chardonnay
By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor I appreciate the direction that winemaker Rich Olsen-Harbich is taking the white wine program at Bedell Cellars. I’ve now tasted a handful of his 2010 wines — his first vintage at Bedell — and a few things are clear. First, there is a distinct focus on expressing the vintage over a house style. Second, there is a much more judicious use of new oak. This Bedell Cellars 2010 Chardonnay ($20) illustrates both points well. In some previous vintages, there’s been a sameness to the regular chardonnay bottling and the reserve. That sameness was oak —…
Martha Clara Vineyards Wins Governor’s Cup for 2010 Riesling
Martha Clara Vineyards on the North Fork of Long Island has won this year’s Governor’s Cup for best New York state wine, for their 2010 Riesling. There has been many words written about the New York Wine & Food Classic over the years, but this is still great for the great team at Martha Clara — and it virtually guarantees that this wine will sell out. It was chosen from 741 wines submitted by 105 wineries by a group of judges from across the country and the world. Juan Micieli-Martinez, general manager and head winemaker at Martha Clara, just told…
Wineries Say Heavy Rains Will Have Little Impact on 2011 Long Island Grape Harvest
It has been raining for more than 36 hours here at my house and it’s showing few signs of letting up. I don’t measure rainwater totals here, but I can say definiteively that it’s rained “a lot” across the East End of Long Island. Ever since around 20″ of October rain wrought havoc on the 2005 harvest and vintage, many observers pay far closer attention to rain here in Long Island wine country, but they needn’t worry. Sure, this is a lot of rain, but it’s fairly well timed and should have little-to-no impact on the 2011 vintage. “We
Heron Hill Moves to Screwcaps for Most Wines
In a matter of weeks, Heron Hill Winery customers will find many of the winery’s wines closed under screwcap. The winery recently completed the installation of a screwcap bottling line (pictured above) that owner John Ingle described as “not an insignificant investment.” Ingle described the plan for Heron Hill wines in simple terms: The wines that need to be preserved for as long as possible — with no change or evolution that comes from gradual oxidation — will be bottled under screwcap. The wines that Heron Hill considers to be capable of evolving into something greater will be bottled under…
Photos From 2011 Roanoke Vineyards Winemakers’ Smackdown
I spent a beautiful pre-rains Saturday evening at Roanoke Vineyards this past weekend to attend the latest in their series of “Smackdown” events; events where wine industry folks blind taste wines head-to-head while attendees taste along with them. It was great fun to see old friends, make new ones and meet journalist and author George Taber (pictured above center), who hosted the evening. Blind tasting is hard. Very hard. And also extremely humbling. But, the panelist seemed to have fun with it, engaging playful trash talk throughout the evening. Rather than give a blow-by-blow or sip-by-sip account, which I don’t think…
Waters Crest Winery: The Little Winery That Can…and Does
By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor 1,000 cases is not a lot of wine. But that’s about how much Jim Waters makes every year at Waters Crest Winery, making him one of the smallest producers on Long Island. For a little perspective, consider that Wolffer Estate Vineyards makes more 9,000 cases — of rose — every year. Waters
A Different Perspective on “Wine on Tap”: It’s Working. And is Growing.
By Mark Grimaldi, Director, Marketing and Events The subject of wine on tap (WOT) has always been one for debate, especially here on the New York Cork Report. Having been involved with kegged wines since they first started to become commercial a few years ago, I am now even more a proponent, seeing just how successful it is becoming. Some still see it as a downfall for our industry,
Extreme Grape Makeover: Chardonnay Edition
By Bryan Calandrelli, Niagara Region Editor We all know it. Chardonnay has an image problem. It lost its way by rooting itself all over the world without regard for its culture, forgetting what made it so great in the first place. It
Adventures in Home Winemaking: Finger Lakes Oak
By Julia Burke, Beer Editor Yesterday I bottled a Niagara Escarpment 2010 cabernet sauvignon made with New York oak — specifically, oak from the Cayuga Lake area of the Finger Lakes. I’m psyched about the incorporation of one more local ingredient into my wine, and since my source is supplying Finger Lakes oak to both commercial wineries and home winemakers with great success, I thought I’d report on my own experience. Shortly after the 2010 harvest I made a trip to Sheldrake Point Vineyards, where I had a wonderful tasting and conversation with winemaker Dave Breeden. When I asked about…