Posts Tagged“featured”

Hop Harvest Party in Niagara County!

McCollum Orchards hosted an old-fashioned harvest party this week to enlist the helping hands of their Niagara County neighbors, willing homebrewers in search of “U-Pick” hops, and any folks interested in experiencing the farm’s first commercial hop harvest. As guests helped owners Rich and Bree Woodbridge cut down Cascade bines and pluck hop cones, then sort them and lay them out on drying racks –– all in 90-degree heat –– the community got a taste of the life of a hop farmer. They also got a taste of banana bread, homemade brownies, pie, hot dogs, and a fresh batch of…

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“My Response to Wine Spectator” by Kareem Massoud, Paumanok Vineyards

During our summer recess/hiatus last week, Ben O’Donnell wrote a blog post titled “The Big Grapple: Can Long Island Wines Get Some Respect?” If you’re at all intersted in Long Island wine — or most any emerging region, really — I’d encourage you to read it. Because it’s part of the Wine Spectator’s blog, you needn’t be a subscriber to access it. I read it while I was away — and honestly didn’t think much of it. I’m not familiar with Mr. O’Donnell or his previous work, and the topics he covers are generally known (most for many years). In…

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Congratulations to the 2012 New York Wine & Food Classic Winners

We just received this email from the New York Wine and Grape Foundation announcing the winners from the 2012 New York Wine & Food Festival, including Dr. Konstantin Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars winning “Winery of the Year” and the Governor’s Cup for its 2011 Semi-Dry Riesling. Congratulations to all of the winners, which include many of the best wineries and wines made in New York State. [quote] Watkins Glen, New York, AUGUST 14 – Dr. Konstantin Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars 2011 Semi Dry Riesling from the Finger Lakes Region won the coveted “Governor’s Cup” trophy at the 2012 New York…

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What We Drank: August 14, 2012

  Evan Dawson: Huber Winery Sweet Marcella (Indiana) This wine was introduced to me as “the Red Cat of Indiana”. I wasn’t aware that Indiana made much wine, but of course, we know that just about every state is making wine these days. This particular wine is 100% Concord, $9 a bottle, nearly 7% sugar. A glance at the Huber website indicates that it’s certainly not Red Cat in terms of production; Huber makes just over 7,000 cases, perhaps a tenth or less of what Red Cat checks in at annually. Here’s the key question: Is it any good? Not…

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Harvest Update: Cascade and Centennial Hops at McCollum Orchards

McCollum Orchards, Niagara’s new hops farm and orchard in Lockport, New York, kicked off its first commercial harvest this week with Centennial hops. Bree Bacon Woodbridge, co-owner of the farm with her husband Rich, reports that the crop “looks pretty good, all things considered. We picked several cones that are the size of my thumb.” Woodbridge says the very hot, dry 2012 season brought “more pest pressure than last year. We were back on our heels and then were able to put in irrigation, with inline fertilizer, which helped regulate a lot. We have done a lot of hand-picking of…

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Empire State Cellars Wine Club: September 2012 Selections

The September shipment of the Empire State Cellars Wine Club, won’t ship for another 3 or 4 weeks, but I want to tell you about them today so, if you’re not already a member but want the wines, you’ll have time to join. If you’re not familiar with the club, you can learn more here. “Hello New York” Wines Keuka Spring Vineyards 2011 Riesling: Most 2011 Finger Lakes rieslings are marked by incredible, snappy acidity and this off-dry example shows near-perfect balance. Showing apricot, nectarine and lime flavors and hints of fig, this is a great value. Arrowhead Spring Vineyards 2009 Arrowhead Red: This…

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Vineyard Visuals Niagara: Riesling Down at Eveningside Vineyards

Eveningside Vineyards in Cambria saw a storm pass through last weekend that literally took down a row of riesling vines next to their tasting room. I arrived the next day to see it for myself and ask owner Randy Biehl how things looked. Bryan Calandrelli: So when did this happen? Randy Biehl: About 6:30 Saturday evening we were in the tasting room closing up and the building started rumbling. We looked outside and saw shingles in the yard and our lawn chairs flying around in front of the vineyard and then I saw our first row of riesling was down…

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Silver Thread Vineyard 2011 Dry Riesling

It’s impossible to over-state the impact the cooler 2011 growing season played, but I’m enjoying what new co-owner and winemaker Paul Brock is doing with the wines at Silver Thread Vineyard.  He is making fresh, clean wines that are delicious on their own but that perhaps shine brightest with food —  all at good price points. In other words, exactly the types of wines I reach for every day. With bright, fresh aromas of citrus blossom, lime, grapefruit and flinty slate,  Silver Thread Vineyard 2011 Dry Riesling ($16) showcases the winery’s apparent new direction quite well. Grapefruit flavor bursts on…

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New Releases at the Niagara Wine Trail Wine and Culinary Festival

Last weekend’s Niagara Wine Trail Wine & Culinary Festival was a chance for the trail to raise money for promotions while extending its bottles to a wine drinking audience that may still be a little shy about stepping foot into an actual winery. The site — Academy Park in Lewiston, NY — seemed like perfect setting to appeal to the summertime festival-going crowds that know the town for its jazz festival, peach festival and the live shows at Artpark Performing Arts Center. My hope that the event would be a great opportunity for me to catch up with winemakers and owners…

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Whole Foods Market-Harpoon Brewery “Saison Liaison”

You can’t mess with Saison. Seriously, don’t even try. You meet a frothy glass of it in an alley, promptly throw down your wallet, bow your head, take a few cautious steps backward, and run. And, just recently, a new player has stepped out of the alley and onto the scene.  Harpoon Brewery has teamed up with Jeff Wallace, the NYC Whole Foods Beer Buyer (and an avid homebrewer), on a new collaboration called “Saison Liaison,” which will only be available at Whole Foods Markets in NYC that carry growlers. Saisons are my favorite beer style, made even cooler by the fact that they nearly disappeared from the world,…

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