This is a sampling of what our editors and contributors have been drinking. Amy Zavatto: Eve’s Cidery “Bittersweet” Call me trendy: Tried Eve’s Cider’s “Bittersweet” at Brooklyn Oenology and walked out of there with a bottle. If this is what cider can be, sign me up — zippy, snappy apple nose. On the palate, the dry, crisp mouthfeel fills out mid-palate into something juicier and fresh; truly the flavor of just-picked sweet-tart apple, but right before it could go over the top, the flavors reign themselves in, leaving you with a bone-dry finish. Roast pork loin, please. Mark Grimaldi: Brick House…
Posts Tagged“featured”
5 Questions with… Gabriella Macari, Macari Vineyards
Every wine not only has a story behind it, but a surprisingly large group of people as well. And, by bringing back “5 Questions with…” our once-popular feature, we will introduce you to the people that make up the New York wine community. Sometimes we’ll talk to winemakers, sure, but there are people in a variety of roles that you may not even be aware of. For this week’s installment, we talk to Gabriella Macari of Macari Vineyards. Her parents, Joe and Alex Macari, own the winery, but Gabriella and her brother Joey represent the next generation — and are…
Empire State Cellars Wine Club: November 2012 Selections
The November shipment of the Empire State Cellars Wine Club will ship in a couple weeks, but — as always — I’m excited to share the selections with you. If you’re not familiar with the club, you can learn more here. “Hello New York” Wines Lamoreaux Landing 2011 Gruner Veltliner: It’s exciting to include this relatively new grape to New York, and Lamoreaux Landing’s first commercial release of it. Dry and refreshing, it shows aloe, white pepper, lemon-lime citrus, and green herbs — with just a hint of salinity. Roanoke Vineyards 2010 BOND: Some complain about the lack of quality “table wines”…
Harvest 2012: Malbec at Peconic Bay Winery
Yesterday, the team at Peconic Bay Winery picked 10 tons of malbec from their Oregon Road Vineyard. The fruit came in at 22 brix. This pick is of special interest to me because I’ve purchased enough of it to make two 5-gallon carboys worth of wine. Should be fun!
Why Cider Week Matters
Cider Week NY kicks off today (well, to be more accurate: Cider 10 Days kicks off). Throughout New York City and the Hudson Valley, hundreds of participating restaurants and bars will begin pouring with a vengeance. In my eyes, this couldn’t happen at a more crucial time. The cider revolution is in its nascency. And already its in danger of losing its soul. Although cider is a niche market in the U.S, sales rose 23% last year. This is huge. And there is an interesting comparison here–what began 20 years ago in the craft beer world, is now happening in…
What We Drank (October 11, 2012)
This is what our editors and contributors have been drinking… David Flaherty: Jolly Pumpkin Weizen Bam Bière Whenever I can get my hands on this stuff, I do, because Jolly Pumpkin is some beer out of left field — no, I take that back, this is some beer from under the bleachers in left field where the circus freaks hang out. And I do enjoy a good circus freak. I’ve said it before and I’ll continue to say it: there is some wild s%&t coming out of Dexter, Michigan (population <3,000). It must be the cold winters; the fact that creative…
New York Wine, Beer, and Spirits Summit: Focus on Marketing, Not Fracking or WIGS
When two dozen invited wine industry professionals take their seats at the head table at the New York Wine, Beer and Spirits Summit later this month, they’ll have specific goals in mind. So will Governor Andrew Cuomo, and that includes his desire to make sure the summit is not bogged down by two recurring debates: wine in grocery stores, and hydrofracking. Several sources confirm that the summit will be geared toward other issues, leaving the volatile hot buttons for another day. Indeed, Governor Cuomo has repeatedly stated his opposition to wine in grocery stores, and his administration continues to review…
Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars 2011 Gruner Veltliner
Gruner veltliner, a variety typically associated with Austria, is still new to New York, with only a handful of folks growing it and making it into wine. But, the early returns have been interesting. Much like riesling, gruner seems to tell the tale of the growing season in a very direct, concise way. Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars 2011 Gruner Veltliner ($20) — the winery’s first commercial gruner release — is more lithe than the 2010 bottling that I was lucky enough to taste, but still has me excited for the grape’s potential in the Finger Lakes. Showing aromas of aloe,…
Western New York Food Community Rallies to Support Oles Farm
I became acquainted with the Oles family when I was in third grade, when their youngest daughter, Pam, was my classmate. We bonded over a love of digging in the dirt during recess, and subsequently I made many childhood memories at their beautiful farm in Corfu, New York. I ate their fresh strawberries every year on my birthday in June; I drizzled their maple syrup on my pancakes. As I grew up I watched the Oles Farm develop a strong reputation in Western New York; as I became more involved in Buffalo’s food scene, I began to see their products…
Sheldrake Point Vineyards 2011 Gewurztraminer
It can be difficult to escape riesling maelstrom in the Finger Lakes. Riesling flies at you from every direction. It’s wonderful, but can be overwhelming too. And, sometimes other varieties are unfairly under-promoted. That’s the second edge of the double-edged sword of ‘signature varieties.’ Chief among these sometimes-ignored grapes is gewurztraminer, which thrives in the region. Sheldrake Point Vineyards makes some terrific rieslings, but deserves perhaps more attention for consistent excellence with gewurztraminer. It seems that, no matter the growing conditions, winemaker Dave Breeden crafts deliciousness, even if the style changes year to year. Sheldrake Point Vineyards 2011 Gewurztraminer ($18) is a…