Posts Tagged“long island”

WTN: Lenz 2001 Cuvee (North Fork of Long Island)

I mentioned last week that I was thankful for Eric Fry and his local bubblies. As coincidence would have it, I tasted one of those very sparklers over the holiday weekend. Lenz Winery has garnered quite a bit of praise in the press by taking on high-end Bordeaux wines in blind tastings. Just this past weekend, Lenz hosted one such event where they poured 2001 Chateau Petrus, 2001 Peby-Faugeres, 2001 L’Evangile, 2001 L’Eglise Clinet, and 2001 Lenz Old Vines Merlot. I’m not sure that Long Island wine will get where it can go by constantly comparing itself to Bordeaux, but…

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2007 Harvest the Best Ever for Long Island Wine?

Was the 2007 harvest the best ever for Long Island wine? Mark Harrington of Newsday seems to draw that conclusion in his piece today after speaking to a large group of local grape growers and winemakers. I’m working on my own harvest-end report for my East End Oenophile column for Edible East End’s winter issue, but this is a great overview. Harrington should be applauded for asking a variety of industry members rather than just the same old people. He also admits that winemakers and vineyard managers almost always laud the latest vintage, but it does feel different this year.…

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Long Island Restaurant Week: Share Your Stories

Long Island Restaurant Week is going on right now and continues through Sunday night. Participating restaurants across the Island are offering special 3-course dinners for the terrific price of $21.95. I know what you might be thinking, because I think the same way. Yes, some of the menus are pretty boring and lame. You know, house salad for an appetizer, roast half chicken for the entree and chocolate lava cake for dessert, but there are also some really interesting and unique items being offered as well. Not every restaurant has their menu posted on their websites, but some of the…

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Wines Worth Dodging the Pumpkin Pickers For

I heard a joke last weekend that goes something like this: "Don’t wear orange on the North Fork this time of year. You might be taken home by someone." It’s probably not the funniest joke you’ve heard lately, but it aptly describes the sometimes-chaotic behavior of the pumpkin-picking masses. All those families, dead set on finding the perfect pumpkin, the best hay ride and the curviest corn maze, have been clogging the major North Fork arteries for weeks and will continue to do so through the fall. Whether you call it the harvest parade, a parking lot or bumper-to-bumper, the…

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Lettie Teague Tastes (and Likes) Long Island Wines

As you long-time readers know, I like seeing Long Island wines mentioned in the big-time, mainstream press…but I also find myself being critical of the coverage. Either the writers get their facts wrong, choose the completely wrong wineries to represent the region, or perpetuate the sort of "France and California" snobbery that I loathe so much. But, Lettie Teague of Food & Wine Magazine gets it right in her recent story "Can Long Island Make World-Class Wines?" At least when it comes to the places she tasted, the wines she liked and the answer to that question. My only comment…

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WTN: Sherwood House Vineyards 2004 Cabernet Franc (North Fork of Long Island)

Sherwood House Vineyards, they of the tiny little tasting room, is known primarily for their chardonnay and — to a lesser extent — merlot. Those are the varietals they’ve focused on in the past and they remain the focus today. But, as a card-carrying member of the "I Dig Cabernet Franc" club, I’m glad to see that they are bottling that variety as well. This Sherwood House Vineyards 2004 Cabernet Franc is their second such release and is has the sorts of aromas and flavors I’m looking for in cab franc. The nose is earthy and mushroomy with a little…

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How Will Global Warming and Climate Change Impact the Wine World?

By Special Wine Columnist, Richard Olsen-Harbich Will it be a brave new wine world? During the past year, discussions about the potential impact of “global warming” have dominated the mass media. Although the exact outcomes and causes are in dispute, few now doubt the existence of the phenomenon. What does it mean for the wine industry? As wine is all about long-term agriculture and entirely dependant on the weather, I’d say a great deal. The eventual consequences of climate change on the wine industry are unclear, as are the possible effects on the rest of the planet. The real question…

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An Early Harvest Report From the East End

By New York City Correspondent Sasha Smith My husband, friend and I had the opportunity to help out with the harvest at The Old Field last weekend. The North Fork’s easternmost vineyard (it’s in Southold) The Old Field produces the typical-for-the-region chardonnay, merlot, cab franc line up, as well as a pinot noir and sparkling wine that has won considerable acclaim. Owners Chris and Ros Baiz and their daughter Perry tend the 12 acres surrounding their house overlooking Peconic Bay, and Lenz vintner Eric Fry makes the wines. (Full disclosure: my husband and I got married at The Old Field…

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Wine Library TV Has Fun With Long Island Franc

I’ve been talking about Long Island’s cabernet franc wines for a while…even daring to question merlot’s supremacy because of my love affair with franc. Well, Gary Vaynerchuk over at Wine Library TV loves cab franc too, especially those from the Loire Valley. Late last week though, he looked much closer to home, drinking three Long Island renditions. I for one am glad to see Gary getting back to basics. He’s toned down the theatrics and is really doing more educational work again with WLTV. And incidentally, for $13, the Pellegrini bottle was a steal. I say was because it sold…

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