By Lenn Thompson, Founder and Editor Last night over on Facebook, I learned about Wine Specator's first 2008 vintage report card, which includes an A grade for the Finger Lakes and a B for Long Island. A brief comment discussion ensued and I thought that I'd write a bit about it this morning. I have an email in to Mitch Frank, who contributed to the piece and who I know writes about Long Island for the publication, because I'm curious to learn how these grades are calculated. On the surface, it looks like winemaker and vineyard manager interviews are the…
Posts Tagged“long island”
Croteaux Vineyards 2007 Merlot “3 Clone” Rose
I definitely enjoyed this wine's 10% barrel-fermented sibling, but Croteaux Vineyards' 2007 Merlot "3 Clone" Rose ($18) was fermented entirely in oak and aged for 5 months in older oak barrels… and I just don't 'get' this wine. I like that Croteaux makes "rose on purpose," even if it seems a bit insane in such a tremendous vintage to use all of that beautiful merlot fruit for rose. And, it's kind of interesting that they do three different ones (I'll post my review of the third tomorrow), but this wine is just weird. Sometimes weird is good. Here, I'm not…
A Long Island Thanksgiving: The Turkey
This year I wanted to do something a little different to celebrate Thanksgiving here on LENNDEVOURS. So, I've asked some local chefs to contribute some of their favorite Thanksgiving recipes and pick a local wine or two to serve along side. The turkey, obviously, is the centerpiece of most Thanksgiving celebrations, and David Page (seen at right), former executive chef and co-owner of Home in Manhattan, and current co-owner of Shinn Estate Vineyards has offered this recipe for roast turkey. This is actually the recipe that I'm going to follow next week, and it comes from David's cookbook, Recipes from…
Macari Vineyards 2008 “Early Wine” Chardonnay (North Fork of Long Island)
Outside of Beaujolais Nouveau (and we all know how over-hyped and mediocre those wines are) there aren't many opportunities to taste wines only weeks after the grapes were harvested. But every year Macari Vineyards' Early Wine is one such wine that I look forward to. As the name implies, this 100% chardonnay wine is an extremely early release. In fact, just about everything about this wine is early. It was harvested on September 9, bottled October 16 and then released October 23. Just over 1,700 cases were produced. The 2008 edition pours extremely pale greenish yellow in the glass —…
Long Island Restaurant Week Starts on Sunday
The third annual Long Island Restaurant Week begins this Sunday, November 2 and runs through Sunday, November 9. Participating restaurants will offer a three-course prix fixe dinners for $24.95 per person all night, except Saturday, when it will only be available until 7 p.m. Each restaurant offers its own unique menu… and hopefully this year restaurants won't go crazy withe supplements for special courses (which isn't in the spirit of the event at all). With the little guy at home, it's hard for Nena and I to take advantage of this program, but I'm hoping we can sneak out, maybe…
Tropical Storm Hanna No Big Deal for Long Island Wineries
Hurricanes, and their remnants, are a hazard that very few wine regions need to worry about. But as harvest approaches each season, Long Island vineyard managers and winemakers always have an eye set on tropical systems as they develop in the Atlantic and build steam in the Caribbean. Sometimes the can, and do, make their way north and the results can devastating. Growing fine wine grapes on Long Island is a delicate balancing act. Growers are always trying achieve the most ripening that the growing season will allow—trying to eek out every last bit of sugar—while ensuring that they get…
WTN: Shinn Estate Vineyards 2005 Estate Merlot (North Fork of Long Island)
Many of the 2005 merlots that I’ve tasted have been big, plush and — frankly — not very true to Long Island’s unique terroir. These reds lean more towards California in style, at least in their youth, and aren’t very good values. Lovers of true Long Island wines should thank Shinn Estate Vineyards for staying true to the region with their Shinn Estate Vineyards 2005 Estate Merlot ($27). It’s a ripe, but surprisingly understated and agile red with blackberry, raspberry and plum on an expressive nose that is filled out with herbs, mocha, earth and vanilla. Similar flavors come through…
Wine Chick Wendesday: The Return of a Native
Surely, you’ve heard the expression ‘You can take the girl out of Long Island, but you can’t take Long Island out of the girl’? Plead ignorance on that if you must, but it is a truism if ever there was one. Along with enhancing my innate predilection for strip malls, spandex and merging ‘ing’s with the next vowel, returning home to the Mother Land (or “Muthuh”, if you’re a local) allows me to romp among the fields of plenty. I’m actually un/fortunate enough to hail from the East End of Long Island. Fortunate because I remember being able to walk…
March in canvas Magazine: Paul Dlugokencky, Blind Bat Brewery
The March 2008 issue of canvas has been published, including my 250-word profile of Paul Dlugokencky, owner/brewer at Blind Bat Brewery in Centerport, NY. As you’ll see in the profile, Paul will be opening (once he gets his state license) what very well may be the smallest commercial brewery in the country. He’s calling it a nanobrewery because he will start making only one barrel per week. I was lucky enough to meet Paul and his wife, Regina, at the LENNDEVOURS/canvas drink local event Saturday night. We spent quite a bit of time talking about the joys of state licensing,…
Reminder: LENNDEVOURS/canvas Magazine Wine Event, March 1
I know that several of you have already signed up, but I wanted to remind all of you that on Saturday, March 1 at 5 p.m., I’ll be co-hosting a wine event at at canvas’ Footprint Art Gallery in Huntington, NY. Three North Fork wineries will be pouring local wines with food from Whole Foods Market. The three participating wineries are Raphael, Lieb Family Cellars and Macari Vineyards. I’m still working with Whole Foods on the final pairings, but I’ll post them once they are finalized. In addition to great wine and food, there will be live music and a…