Archive for October, 2012
macari-2011-sauvblanc

Macari Vineyards 2011 ‘Katherine’s Field” Sauvignon Blanc

Macari Vineyards is always one of my go-to producers for Long Island sauvignon blanc, particularly the Katherine’s Field bottling, which is made without oak. It always tells the tale of the growing season and doesn’...



duckwalk-2010-aphrodite

Duck Walk Vineyards 2010 “Aphrodite” Late Harvest Gewurztraminer

Duck Walk Vineyards 2010 “Aphrodite” Late Harvest Gewurztraminer ($25) bursts with intense lychee and peach aromas, backed by brown baking spices and surprisingly understated floral notes. Well balanced, it is sweet...



Photo courtesy of winemaker Tim Benedict

Red Cat Cellars Celebrates Opening of New Tasting Room

  Hazlitt’s Red Cat Cellars in Naples is celebrating the opening of its new tasting room, a large building on the grounds of what used to be Widmer Wine Cellars. Hazlitt bought the property in 2010 from Constellation...



tastingroom

A Real Winery’s Tasting Room is Not a Bar… And Other Advice to Get the Most From a Visit to Wine Country

This isn’t the first time I’ve written about this topic. 99% of you know everything I’m about to write. And agree. And act this way. But I still feel compelled to write about it. Why? Maybe it’s because ...



NYCR_Willsboro_Geology

“My” Vineyard on the Adirondack Coast

The Cornell Cooperative Extension cold-hardy cultivar trial vineyard in Willsboro, NY, on the western shore of Lake Champlain, sits in a place of true natural beauty, and is home to a number of grape varieties that have been b...



riesling-mags

Why Don’t Finger Lakes Wineries Offer Riesling in Magnum?

The other day I picked up a magnum of Hermann J. Wiemer 2008 Dry Riesling in magnum. It had me thinking: Magnums are so sexy. How come almost no one in the Finger Lakes offers riesling in magnum? I was going to say that no one ...



frw-10-cabfranc

Freedom Run Winery 2010 Estate Cabernet Franc

I think my Niagara-based colleagues here at the NYCR would agree that their home region has yet to hone in on a ‘signature variety.’ Many grapes have been consistent performers, including chardonnay, pinot noir an...



tousey-2011-riesling

Tousey Winery 2011 Riesling

It’s pretty easy to find riesling wines in the Hudson Valley. Many of the producers put the out every year. And most of those buy juice from the Finger Lakes to do it. Riesling grown in the region itself is rare, but Tous...



macari-11-rose

Macari Vineyards 2011 Rose

Mostly a kitchen-sink saigniee, the Macari Vineyards 2011 Rose ($15) also has just over 10% steel-fermented chardonnay blended into it. Fruity aromas of watermelon, red cherry and peach dominate straightforward nose. Medium-lig...



Evan Dawson’s “Summer in a Glass” Wins International Wine Book of the Year

Yesterday afternoon, our very own Evan Dawson was in London to accept the award for “International Wine Book of the Year” at the Louis Roederer Wine Writing Awards 2012. No one around here is surprised at the succes...