There are wineries on both sides of this heated debate, but it seems as though the number of New York wineries against Governor Paterson's proposal to allow grocery stores, convenience stores, delis, gas stations, etc. (wherever beer is sold today). I haven't seen a list of wineries who support the proposal, but here is the list of those willing to come out against it. Note that this is a list of wineries who oppose the grocery store portion of the proposal, not just wineries who oppose the overall proposal.
Posts Tagged“wine”
Video: PALATE 2009 Comparative Tasting — The Intro
As I’ve already mentioned, I co-hosted a comparative tasting as a part of PALATE 2009 last week. The tasting was held at Atwater Estate Vineyards, where 12-15 people had the unique opportunity to taste wines made by Atwater’s winemaker, Vinny Aliperti, fromi both Atwater and Vinny’s own winery, Billsboro Winery. We should some video of the event and have three clips pieced together, starting with this introduction where you’ll not only see yours truly in his LENNDEVOURS video debut, but also see me almost burn myself on the wall-installed heater behind the tasting bar. I also reveal the true pronunciation…
PALATE 2009: Atwater-Billsboro-LENNDEVOURS Tasting
Today, I'd like to thank the folks at Atwater Estate, including winemaker Vinny Aliperti (left), assistant winemaker, Justin Boyette (right), and owner Ted Marks for their hospitality as we co-hosted a comparative tasting of 2007 wines. We had around 12 people join the tasting and I think it was a huge success, and even more fun. Nena shot some great video (we hope) and I'll be writing another post about the event, probably next week.
What We’ll Be Doing at PALATE This Week
Tomorrow morning, Nena and I leave from her parents' house in rural Schoharie, NY and head down to Corning to attend a couple days of PALATE, a food, wine and art showcase in Finger Lakes wine country. Organized by Finger Lakes Wine Country, Corning’s Gaffer District and The ARTS Council of the Southern Finger Lakes the week-long festival starts today and promises to be a fun event for the cold-this-time-of-year region. We're going to have a fun- and wine-filled couple of days. Before we even join the PALATE festivities, we're heading to Anthony Road Wine Company to taste with winemaker…
A Tale of Two Niagaras
By Bryan Calandrelli, Niagara Correspondent Lately, it’s been frustrating for me to keep fresh information about Niagara wines flowing to the readers of LENNDEVOURS. I’ve written about a handful of wineries producing dry wines that I’ve been excited about, but I’ve dealt with some trepidation concerning some of the others in the region. It’s the same feeling you might get when a new girlfriend comes home with you to meet your family. There’s always that one aunt or uncle that you haven’t quite mentioned before everyone meets face to face. Well, it’s about to get awkward as I introduce you…
Wine In Grocery Stores: Coercion? Boycotts? Intimidation?
By Evan Dawson, Finger Lakes Correspondent The issue has become so heated, so emotional, that some wineries feel threatened. Liquor stores are predicting widespread closures and job losses if the bill passes. And while New York wineries figured this was not their war to wage, they increasingly find themselves dragged into the debate. What's going on? Is everyone playing fair? There is no doubt that wineries feel threatened by liquor stores. After speaking to 15 winemakers and winery owners in the Finger Lakes, only two agreed to speak to me on the record. All said they've felt pressure from angry…
Should Wine Be Sold in New York Grocery Stores?
Should wine be sold in New York grocery stores? This is a hot topic and one that several readers have emailed me about in recent weeks. So where is the LENNDEVOURS post with our take on the situation? Be patient. Instead of writing a post with knee-jerk reaction, Evan (with a little help from me) is working on a well-researched post on the topic. With so many egos, personal interests and dollars involved, this is a controversial, emotional topic for a lot of people. As such, not everyone wants to talk on the record. But, we'll have a post up…
Heron Hill Winery 2005 “Ingle Vineyard” Cabernet Franc
Over the weekend, I tasted a handful of Finger Lakes reds, mostly cabernet franc, and I came away pleasantly surprised by what I tasted. True, each of the cab francs came from the outlier 2005 growing season, which was hotter and longer than usual, but the quality can't be denied — even by those of us that wish Finger Lakes wineries would plant more riesling and Gewurzt and less merlot, cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc. Heron Hill Winery is perched on the western shore of Keuka Lake, but the grapes that go into Heron Hill Winery's 2005 "Ingle Vineyard" Cabernet…
Stony Brook Center for Food, Wine and Culture to Close
I was disappointed to hear early this week that, as a result of major spending cuts at Stony Brook University, the Center for Wine, Food, and Culture will become inactive at the end of the current semester. Louisa Thomas Hargrave, the founding mother of Long Island wine, will also obviously no longer serve as the program's director. The Center started in 2004, with a state grant via State Senator Ken LaValle. And, from the fall of 2007 to now, they have offer 40 separate wine tasting classes, including the first Wine and Spirits Education Trust accredited courses on Long Island).…
Martha Clara Vineyards 2007 “Five-O” White
Continuing with the white blend theme from yesterday, today's review is for Martha Clara Vineyards' 2007 Five-O White ($18), yet another wine that displays the potential of these wines for Long island. Winemaker Juan Micieli-Martinez used a bit of every white grape MCV grows for this blend, which is 32% sauvignon blanc, 25% viognier, 15% chardonnay, 10% semillon, 8% riesling, 7% pinot grigio and 3% Gewurztraminer. It might sound like a 'kitchen sink' wine, but don't be fooled. Each grape brings something unique to the table and the result is delicous. The nose is aromatic and somewhat riesling-like with scents…