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The crowd at Winebar's opening last Thursday night. By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor When Theresa Dilworth closed The Tasting Room on Peconic Lane, some wondered where they'd be able to taste and buy wines from producers like Bouke Wines and Scarola Vineyards — small wineries without tasting rooms of their own. Winebar, which opened last week at The Portly Grape in Greenport, will serve as the primary tasting location for those producers. Dilworth's own wines, under the Comtesse Therese label, will also be featured there. Run by Mark Anderson and Andrew Mestler, who you may know from Bedell Vineyards, the…

By Evan Dawson, Managing Editor Photo by Morgan Dawson Photography You could forgive Judy Wiltberger for feeling skeptical about what she just heard. It was summer, 1989, and maybe the warm air and stunning views had imbued the region with an unrealistic sense of optimism. After all, Judy had doubts about her own grand visions for a winery called Keuka Spring. But the couple sitting across from her at dinner seemed perhaps one step further out of step with reality. They had just declared their hope to launch not only a winery, but a restaurant attached to it. "I'm going…

By Evan Dawson, Managing Editor We are devastated to report the loss of Deb Whiting, co-owner and chef of Red Newt Cellars and Red Newt Bistro. Deb died in a car accident last night while returning home from Vermont with her husband Dave, who was injured in the crash. Dave is listed in stable condition after being taken to a Syracuse hospital. The Whitings have long been regional ambassadors, reaching into new markets and pushing for higher quality standards. The restaurant, built around Deb Whiting's passion for local agriculture, has won many awards and is the reigning NYCR Finger Lakes…

By Evan Dawson, Managing Editor This list is a kind of public to-do list for me. It is not perfect or complete. This is not the list of the five best places to eat, or anything like that. But anyone who lives anywhere (which accounts for most people) has a restaurant or two that they've always been meaning to visit, but haven't yet, or haven't in a while. Here's my list. What's yours? Pumpkin Hill Bistro, Aurora, Cayuga Lake I'm pretty sure that everyone who's eaten there blows a gasket when they find out I haven't. This is not intentional.…

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor Here's a sampling of what our editors and contributors are drinking: David Flaherty: De la Senne Wadesda #1 (a series of barrel experiments)In the slightly sketchy outskirts of Brussels, Yvan de Baets and Bernard Leboucq have finally opened their brewery. With the space and rent required for one to realize this dream, you'll often find urban breweries in neighborhoods you don't want to let mom wander around in at night.  Inside, however, pure gold is happening. Riding a wave of beer geek love (they've been brewing at friend's breweries for years and honing their craft),…

By Mark Grimaldi, Director, Marketing and Events On Monday, July 4, Luce & Hawkins Restaurant at the Jedediah Hawkins Inn in Jamesport will host an event that is sure to be talked about for quite some time: a 90-person ticketed event featuring local food, beverages and  music.  Events similar to this have been done on the North Fork for years, but this event is different than anything else done. Having been a professional musician in between being a James Beard and Food & Wine award-winning chef, Chef Keith Luce has always thought that music and food  go hand in hand,…

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor JUne's Times Union New York Wine Club selections are on their way to members today and tomorrow, so it's once again time to announce the selections and share a bit about them. For our Basic-Level Members this month, we have two whites that represent tremendous value — and hot weather deliciousness. Hermann J. Vineyard 2009 Frost Cuvee is a unique, off-dry blend of riesling, gewurztrainer, chardonnay, pinot noir and sauvignon blanc.  Though off-dry with 1.5% residual sugar, there is a citrus drenched bold of electric acidity that runs through this flora, citrusy wine. It teaches…

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor One more reminder and then we're done talking about this for a while. Today is your last chance to go vote for us — if you think us worthy of course — along with your other favorite blogs. There are some truly inspired blogs in each of the categories that are worthy of your vote: >> Go Vote Now