Read Local: New Long Island Magazine — canvas

Long Island has more than its share of publications — too many in fact (and this coming from a guy who writes or has written for several of them). So many of them are the same — too many advertisements and too few interesting stories. Long Island’s newest magazine, canvas, is a little different. For one, the production value is through the roof compared to so many of the ad-supported papers in these parts. Two, the editor isn’t some just-out-of-college rookie or crazy person without any real talent. canvas’ editor, Ramin Ganeshram is an experienced journalist, editor and cookbook author…

Who are my daily blog reads?

People ask me all the time what other wine and food blogs I read. The short answer is "too many"…there’s just so much interesting content out there for any wine lover or foodie. But, with life as hectic as it is these days, I’ve had to pare down my daily reads — the blogs that I read every single day. So, I thought I’d share this list with you. Maybe you already read them. Maybe you don’t. If it’s the latter, check them out. They are well worth the few minutes of reading. So, in no particular order, I give…

Congratulations to Alder Yarrow of Vinography

Wine blogs (and wine bloggers) will soon take over the world! Okay. Maybe not. But, the power of the blogged word is growing each and every day. Many that started off as wine (and food) bloggers have started writing in more traditional forums…while keeping their blogs alive of course. Now, Alder Yarrow, the raconteur and palate behind Vinography is invading Antonia Allegra’s "Symposium for Professional Wine Writers" as a featured speaker. As someone who is an aspiring wine writer, trust me when I tell you this is a big deal. Allegra’s symposium is the place for wine writers to mingle…

Ternhaven Cellars Releases Rustic Reds

Earlier this year, when Harold Watts sold his five-acre vineyard, fans of his Ternhaven Cellars wines worried that he’d close the doors to his Greenport tasting room too. Luckily for those fans — myself among them— reports of the North Fork’s easternmost tasting room’s demise were overstated. Watts, 73, has just released his 2001 wines and has vintages up to and including 2005 aging for future release in his tasting room. His wines are also available at The Tasting Room on Peconic Lane, Long Island’s only co-op tasting room for small, artisanal producers. On many occasions, I’ve described Watts, a…

This Week On Appellation America (9/29/06)

I don’t often write much about my Appellation America gig here on LENNDEVOURS. But, for those of you that don’t know, I’m the regional correspondant for both the Long Island and Hudson Valley regions. What this means is that in addition to helping build appellation consciousness for the two regions, I’m responsble for tasting and recommending their wines as well. It’s hard work, but somebody has to do it, right? The cool thing is that editorial really drives the Appellation America site — a rarity in the wine media world to be sure. Starting today, I’ll highlight my Appellation America…

New York Wine & Culinary Center Announces Gold Medal Month

For the month of October, The Tasting Room at the New York Wine & Culinary Center will be pouring wines that won gold, double gold or best-in-class at the New York Wine & Food Classic earlier this year. This is a great opportunity to taste some of New York’s best wines. Tasters will be able to choose among seven different tasting flights (listed below) and beginning Saturday, October 7, a special tasting of the Governor’s Cup winner, Hermann J. Wiemer Dry Riesling 2005 will be available. Flight 1: Empire Tasting ($6) Peconic Bay Merlot 2001, Long Island Mazza Chautauqua Riesling…

Wine Blogging Wednesday #26 Announced: Where’s Wino?

Leave it to Beau to come up with a great, and innovative, theme for the next edition of everybody’s favorite wine blogging event. Rather than ask us to drink a bottle made with _____ grapes from ______ region that costs _____ dollars, he’s turned this WBW thing on its head. Instead, he’s given us a list of regions to choose from and he’s made a game out of it — Where’s Waldo style. When you post about your wine, don’t tell us the name or where it’s from. Why? Because the WBW participant that can guess the origin of the…

First Day of Fall Wine Dinner Menu

Saturday night, our friends M and T came over for dinner — a dinner that ended up being a celebration of the first day of fall. We served all local wines along side a lot (but not all) locally sourced ingredients. And, while I don’t have any pictures or recipes to share, I thought I’d write a bit about the menu anyway… Proscuitto-Wrapped White Figs with Toasted Pine Nuts and Balsamic Drizzle Wine: Peconic Bay Winery 2005 Riesling This was borrowed from an appetizer Derrick served when Nena and I were out in the Bay area. Instead of speck, I…

WTN: Raphael 2004 Malbec (North Fork of Long Island)

Don’t cry for me Argentina Long Island? Yes, there is malbec growing on Long Island — and probably more than you realize. Once a major component in the wines of Bordeaux, this large, fairly easy-to-ripen black grape is now best known in Argentina, where it is most often bottled alone, and as a bit player (along with cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, merlot and petit verdot) in in Meritage and other blended red wines in U.S., Australia and South Africa. So it only makes sense many of Long Island’s meritage-style reds feature small amounts of malbec — typicaly from 1 –…

No More Blind Tasting of One Long Island Winery

I got an interesting email yesterday from my contact for one prominent Long Island winery. The winery’s owner has decided that it will no longer be sending samples to me, or any member of the press, for review. From now on, he’d wants all wine tastings/reviews to be conducted at the winery, with him present. This winery isn’t the only one that doesn’t do samples…but the others are small, low-production wineries that sell out of their wines to their wine clubs regardless of any press coverage. This new member of the "no samples" club isn’t one of these artisanal producers…