Posts Tagged“long island”

WTN: Osprey’s Dominion 2005 Vin Gris (North Fork of Long Island)

Today we’ll continue with a quick tasting note on Osprey’s Dominion Vineyards 2005 Vin Gris. I’ve written here numerous times about local rose wines and how diverse they can be. I guess the same can probably be said for many wine regions, but it always amazes me anyway. You’ve got your sweet, flabby versions that taste more like Koolaid than anything made with wine grapes. You’ve got fresh, clean, crisp wines that are just awesome on a hot summer day or with a picnic lunch. And of course there’s everything in between too. This rose, made with cabernet sauvignon grapes,…

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Howard Stern to Buy a Long Island Winery?

Should we be looking for H. Stern Cellars or Chateau Stern to open in Long Island wine country? I have no idea. This isn’t based on a single thread of news or even rumor. But, Howard Stern, the only person on the radio worth listening to, not only loves wine, but is a Long Island native who is building a mansion on the East End. Oh, and he also has plenty of money with that big Sirius contract. With wineries like Sherwood House Vineyards, Castello di Borghese and Galluccio Family Wineries for sale–all under $10 million–Howard can probably buy one…

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Bedell Cellars Named #7 Hottest Small Brand

I got an email yesterday that Long Island’s own Bedell Cellars was named the #7 hottest small brand by Wine Business News. While the story itself isn’t all that interesting (I’ve been talking about Bedell’s quality and shift towards more blends for a while now), it is obviously nice to see a North Fork producer on this list. It also shows just how boutique a region this is. In the overall world of wine, Bedell Cellars is a small producer, but it is definitely not one of Long Island’s small producers–in terms of wine production, quality or notoriety. Certainly, they…

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WBW #29: Shinn Estate Vineyards 2004 Cabernet Franc (North Fork)

I don’t mean any offense to Jack or anyone else who believes strongly in biodynamic farm practices. Really I don’t and I think that there are some great wines being made with biodynamic-grown grapes. Anyone who has tasted any can see that. But I don’t buy into the benefit some of the more ‘hocus pocus’ techniques. Maybe it’s the former scientist in me. I was a biology major after all. I’m all for organic and sustainable farming. The benefits to the land, environment and those living there are obvious and much more provable. In my mind, biodynamic gets a little…

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Meet Mickey Mouse. Drink New York Wines.

I just got an email telling me that Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort’s Blue Zoo restaurant will soon be pouring six, count em six, New York wines. So, now you can take your kids to meet Mickey and Minnie Mouse…and then enjoy some some delectable Finger Lakes and Long Island wines with dinner. The wines chosen by Blue Zoo’s team are: Atwater Estate Cabernet Franc Heron Hill Ingle Vineyard Riesling Heron Hill Semi-Dry Riesling Sheldrake Point Riesling (my review) Raphael La Fontana Wolffer Estate Selection Chardonnay I’ve had all of these wines with the exception of Atwater’s cab…

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WTN: Pellegrini Vineyards 2001 Merlot (North Fork)

With the recent 2006 vintage, Pellegrini Vineyards in Cutchogue celebrated its 15th year. Australian-born winemaker Russell Hearn is known for making flavorful wines that tend to be good values in a local industry that is too often plagued by over-priced, under-delivering wines. True to his Australian pedigree, Hearn applies some of Long Island’s most cutting-edge techniques, but he doesn’t try to make Aussie-style wines — thankfully. North Fork grapes just don’t get ripe enough for those big, jammy, fruit bomb styles. Pellegrini Vineyards also makes enough wine every year that they don’t need to rush their wines to the store…

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WTN: Shinn Estate Vineyards 2004 Estate Merlot

Shinn Estate Vineyards, still a relative newcomer to the Long Island wine scene, gets a ton of press for its "green" vineyard practices and its owners’ pedigree as Manhattan restaurateurs. I’ve written about them several times here on LENNDEVOURS and elsewhere. And yes, it’s true that David Page and Barbara Shinn employ several progressive sustainable and near-organic farming techniques in their North Fork vineyard. Their Greenwich Village restaurant, Home, is also a successful exhibition of local, seasonal food and wine. But it’s important not to forget about the fermented grape juice they bottle and stop with a cork. Their wines…

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January Issue of canvas Magazine

The January issue of canvas magazine has hit news stands as well as the Internet. I think this issue is particularly interesting, with a great story on the power of herbs, a short piece on North Fork Table and Inn, and one about mini-vacations for Long Islanders. The more I get involved with this publication, the more I enjoy the people, the content and its goals. Check it out.

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Winter Wine Class Series at Stony Brook

Stony Brook University’s Center for Food Wine, and Culture has just announced a cool new winter wine education session that you might be interested in. They are calling it Inside Wine: From Vineyard to Glass and it is on Thursday evenings from 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. on January 25 and February 1, 8 and 15. The cost is $185 per person for all four sessions. The four-part series will feature instructors who are experienced vintners, winemakers, and chefs. The sessions will examine viticultural practices, terroir, Old World vs. New World winemaking, blending and food pairing through a series of guided…

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The Best Long Island Wines of 2006

As 2006 comes to an unseasonably warm close here on Long Island, I thought it a good time to list and highlight some of my favorite Long Island wines of 2006. I’m a lucky guy. I’m tasting and writing about Long Island wines as much as — and probably more than — anyone else. I consider myself even luckier because I’m doing so as the region really starts to reach maturity. Remember, this industry only started in 1973. Its still a baby by wine region standards Over the past few years, local winemakers have really started hitting their stride, crafting…

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