Posts Tagged“north fork”

A Letter to Lisa Granik (New York Times Op-Ed Contributor)

This letter is in response to Lisa Granik’s op-ed in the New York Times’ Sunday edition. Dear Ms. Granik, After reading your op-ed over the  weekend, I have two words for you: Thank you. That’s right, I’m thanking you even though I’m sure that by now you’ve received plenty of emails and calls from those in the Long Island wine industry, telling you that you’re wrong, misguided and misinformed — and you are in much of what you say — but I still think it’s great that your words were printed in the New York Times. The best way for…

WTN: Martha Clara Vineyards NV Blanc de Blanc

Martha Clara Vineyards, best known in these parts for having a bevy of large- and small-scale wine events, is really coming on. And by that I mean that their wines are improving with each released vintage. When I first starting covering the region several years ago, their portfolio was firmly entrenched as one aimed at the white zinfandel set — not fine wine lovers. Standby wines like the sweet, Beagle-labeled rose are still the top sellers, but further down the tasting sheet you’ll find some much better, refined, and delicious wines. Yes, the tasting room still overflows with new wine…

Is the Town of Southold Supporting Wineries Like it Should?

I heard through the grapevine this weekend (yes, pun intended) that the Town of Southold is trying to change the way that it taxes orchards, farms and wineries by charging them a separate commercial tax as "processors." So, if an apple orchard just picks and sells apples, it’s not going to be taxed more. But, if they make apple cider for sale at their farm stand, that means a higher tax. Same is true for a corn farmer…if they roast corn to sell at their farm stand, they have to pay more. Seems a little ludicrous to me. And, apparently…

Wine Blogging Wednesday #28: Martha Clara Vineyards 2001 Rose Brut (North Fork of Long Island)

Wine Blogging Wednesday is here yet again, with Brenda aka the Culinary Fool playing the role of hostess with the mostest. The theme — Sparkling Wine not from Champagne. I love many of the local sparklers here on Long Island. Our relatively cool growing conditions seem to lend themselves to the craft of methode champenoise. But which bubbly to choose for WBW? A new release caught my eye…and my palate as well. Martha Clara Vineyards, named after Martha Clara Entenmann (of Entenmann bakery fame), might be best known for their always-fun events and always-packed tasting room, but winemaker Gilles Martin…

Clovis Point (Jamesport, NY): Current Releases

Last week I wrote about Clovis Point, one of the North Fork’s newest wine labels, but I didn’t say much about the wines themselves. And many of you didn’t like that too much. I must have gotten at least ten emails saying "what about the wines, Lenn?" So, here’s a brief rundown of the wines Clovis Point currently has available on their website: Clovis Point’s 2004 Chardonnay ($13.50). This wine was fermented mostly in stainless steel with just a little barrel-fermented chardonnay and Gewürztraminer added. With bright fruit, super-subtle barrel notes and nice balance at this price point, this was…

WTN: Bedell Cellars 2005 Gallery (White Blend)

This week on Appellation America, I have recommended a white wine that I think captures the unique terroir of Long Island’s North Fork as well as any I’ve tasted. 2005 Bedell Gallery ($45), from Bedell Cellars is a complex, richly textured blend of 52% chardonnay, 32% sauvignon blanc and 16% viognier. This is a unique blend for the North Fork, or most anywhere else for that matter. Five separate lots of chardonnay were barrel fermented in French oak with primarily native yeast, and were blended with the viognier and sauvignon blanc. Pale straw yellow in the glass, the aromas immediately…

New North Fork Winery: Clovis Point (Jamesport, NY)

It looks like the North Fork is home to yet another winery — Clovis Point. I had heard something about this a while back, but didn’t know they were finally open (meaning they just got their license) and selling wine. (Thanks, Sean, for the tip.) Clovis Point is named for sculpted tools found near their vineyard that were used by the earliest inhabitants of Long Island’s North Fork over 10,000 years ago. Clovis Point was founded in 2001 when proprietors Hal Ginsburg, Mary Bayno, Nasrallah Misk, Jonathan and Renae Pine, and Richard Frey bought ten acres of farm land on…

A North Fork Gallery Worth Seeking Out

I consider myself fairly sophisticated and cultured, but a trip to an art gallery — and just an art gallery — isn’t necessarily my cup of tea (or glass of wine.) I need a fine meal either before the gallery or after (or maybe both) to entice me. The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, right?        But, there’s a new Gallery on the North Fork that I’m willing to visit — and open — any time. In fact, I plan to several times over the course of the next few months.       Bedell…

2003 Releases from Sherwood House Vineyards

2003 wasn’t a great vintage for Long Island wines — and many of the wines I’ve tasted from the vintage support that statement. Many, particularly the reds, tend to be under ripe and lacking flavor. The whole growing season wasn’t sub-par, but one of the most important parts was. After a perfectly fine spring and summer, untimely rain and then two October frosts did the vintage in. Basically, frost kills the vines’ canopy, stopping photosynthesis and keeping the grapes from getting fully ripe. You can talk about “hang time” (on the vine) all you want, but without the sugar factory,…

Tasting Vintage Variation — A Flight of “Flight”

You can buy bottle after bottle of mass-produced, ubiquitous wines like Yellowtail Shiraz or Cavit Pinot Grigio without even looking at the year on the label. That’s because year-to-year variation is barely perceptible in those wines. Huge vineyards, huge production and blending options that lead to a “house style” all result in fairly consistent flavors year in and year out. That’s boring and lame if you ask me. That sort of cookie-cutter consistency is not the case here on Long Island, where even the largest vineyards are miniscule by world standards. And, with generally cool weather that changes considerably from…