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Some Information on Valdiguie

After asking for information on Valdiguie toward the end of a recent post, I decided not to be lazy and to research it a bit myself.  It turns out that it’s also known as Napa Gamay…and is a variety from southern France. From Beacon Hill Wine & Spirits: Gamay[ga-MAY]The full name of this French red wine grape is Gamay Noir a’Jus Blanc. Gamay wines have gained prominence in France’s beaujolais region where this grape, which represents 98 percent of all vines planted, reigns supreme. They’re so associated with Beaujolais that winemakers outside of the region often try to imitate the…

Wine Blogging Wednesday #5 — Wacky Wines

Holiday season got you feeling a little…wacky? Pim from Chez Pim has just the thing…Wine Blogging Wednesday #5 — Wacky-Names Wine. WBW is my own little creation (with a tip of the had to Alberto)that has quickly grown into an International Phenomenon! Okay…maybe two dozen participants in last week’s fourth edition (hosted by Derrick at An Obsession With Food) doesn’t qualify as taking the world by storm…but we’re getting there! We’re building momentum…thanks to the hosting of some blogging heavy hitters like Derrick, Alder and Viv. And, it’s great to add another popular blogger, Pim, to the list of gracious…

Wine Tasting Preview: Spencer Roloson Winery

Friday evening, when I got home after work, I was greeted with a package from Spencer Roloson Winery in San Francisco. Inside? Four bottles of wine. They emailed me a few weeks ago, wanting to introduce my to their wines and after reading a bit about them online, I welcomed the idea with open arms. The winery, founded by Sam Spencer and Wendy Roloson in 1998 "stives to make wines that reflect and illuminate the inherent beauty of the fruit that comes from unique vineyards. Sam and Wendy firmly believe that great wines are gently coaxed out of the fruit,…

My First Xmas Present of the Year

This year, instead of buying gifts for EVERYONE in my family (and vice versa) we picked names…and my dad got me (and I got him, despite a little confusion haha). Well…my gift from my dad arrived a little early (yesterday) but I couldn’t be more excited with it…my first wine fridge. Of course now my regular wine rack is looking a little empty (relatively)…so I guess I need to buy some more wine, right? Thanks, Dad!

WBW #4 Round-Up

Derrick has posted a round-up of this month’s edition of Wine Blogging Wednesday — New World Riesling. This month, we had two full cases of participants (that’s 24!) and over 30 wines reviewed total…from New York…to California…to New Zealand…to Australia…even to MARYLAND! Great theme (thanks Derrick) and thanks for hosting. Keep an eye out for the WBW #5 annoucement soon…it’s a little bit of a different spin on WBW…and comes from yet another SF blogger!

Wine Blogging Wednesday #4 — A Long Island Riesling Showdown

Here we are again…the first Wednesday of the month…and that can only mean one thing: it’s Wine Blogging Wednesday. Derrick at An Obsession With Food is this month’s host, having picked New World Riesling as the theme. I picked up a couple different wines this time around, staying local with Long Island wines. I grabbed a bottle of 2003 Peconic Bay Riesling and a 2001 Laurel Lakes Vineyard Riesling.

A Response From Reuters

As you  may have seen Monday, I had a few less-than-kind words in response to a Reuters story on the Long Island Wine Region. Well…the author, who usually works as a reporter for the New York Post, stumbled upon my little rant…and wrote to me. In the idea of fairness, I’ve decided to post his response. Lenn, I appreciate your comments and concerns about the story I wrote for Reuters. But you must understand this story was written for a global audience. I agree with you in that I too would like to see more interesting pieces written about Long…

Saturday Night Dinner Pictures

As I mentioned in a previous post, Nena and I cooked dinner for her parents and some friends last Saturday night. After two days of turkey-centric meals, we decided a small plates/tapas-style dinner was perfect. After over three years together, Nena and I have finally learned the best way for us to cook together…cook separately. We’re both great cooks…but both like to do things our own way…so we came up with a menu together, split it in half and each took ownership of half of the dishes. Dishes served included: Turkey Jack Quesadillas with Cranberry-Pear Salsa Asian Lettuce Wraps with…

WANTED: Long Island Wine Tasting Group Members

Do you love wine and live on Long Island? Want to make new friends and learn about Long Island wines (and wines from around the world)? I’m trying to form a casual (but  organized) wine tasting group out here in Suffolk County (we live near Port Jefferson). My thought it to try to get together at least once every couple of months (to start), drink wines, talk about them….and maybe even get a Long Island winemaker to join us on occasion. Interested? Email me and let me know!

Reuters’ Long Island Wine Piece: Tell Us Something We Don’t Know

Yesterday, Reuters published a story on Long Island wines and wineries. I was glad to see the story because Long Island wines don’t get nearly enough national press…at least in my less-than-humble opinion. The piece was a disappointment. It had the usual "Long Island’s climate is the same as Bordeaux’s" slant, compared the region to Napa Valley 25 years ago and  quoted representatives from some of the Island’s lower tier winemakers. This is all old news that most everyone has already heard about the region. I don’t claim to be a climate expert, but I bet there are dozens of…