Next Saturday, September 10, from 5 - 7 p.m. Shinn Estate Vineyards and North Fork People of Conscience are hosting Wine Against the War, an evening of wine, hor d’oeuves, jazz and community. Shinn Estate Vineyards is located at 200 Oregon Road in Mattituck, NY. Tickets are $50 and support the Honor the Fallen memorial. Call 631-765-4612 or email nfpofc@optonline.net for reservations.
Pittsblog. A blog that will help me keep track of the goings on in my hometown of Pittsburgh, PA. Hot Sauce Blog. I can’t believe I never stumbled upon this one before. A Writer’s Diary. Reading about other aspiring writers can be a real inspiration. Heels, Sox & Steelers. An interesting trio of fan loyalty. I’m only down with the Steelers 1/3. Gadling. An interesting travel blog that focuses on "engaged traveling."
Sorry for the lack of posting this week. I’ve been swamped at the office and doing my best not to be at the computer when I get home. But, I wanted to highlight the wonderfully flavored, tender and juicy bird my lovely wife roasted Sunday evening. It was our first "organic, free-range" bird…and the flavor difference was truly amazing. Of course, Nena can make even a "sweatshop" bird taste good. But this was a particularly succulent fowl. Hopefully I’ll dig out from under this pile of work…and get back to the fun stuff.
Osprey’s Dominion Vineyards 2004 Vin Gris: A- Osprey’s Dominion Vineyards 2002 Fume Blanc: C+ Osprey’s Dominion Vineyards 2001 Merlot: B/B+ Osprey’s Dominion Vineyards 2001 Cabernet Franc: A- Osprey’s Dominion Vineyards 2001 Reserve Chardonnay: Osprey’s Dominion Vineyards 2001 Flight (Meritage): B-/C+ Waters Crest Winery 2003 Cabernet Franc: B+ Waters Crest Winery 2004 Chardonnay: C Waters Crest Winery 2004 Chardonnay Private Reserve: B Waters Crest Winery 2003 Merlot: B- Waters Crest Winery 2004 Gewurtztraminer: B Macari Vineyard 2004 Rose: A-/B+ Waters Crest Winery 2004 Riesling: B+
Tonight after work, I’m stopping at home for a glass of vino with Nena before heading to nearby Port Jefferson for the Greek Orthodox Church of the Assumption’s Greekfest 2005. I went to my first Greekfest four years ago…in fact, it was the first time I ever met Liz and John (a now-married couple who served as co-best man and co-matron of honor at our wedding. There’s Greek music, Greek dancing, craft vendors, carnival rides and (most importantly) homemade Greek food and pastries. Me…I’m a gyro fan from way back. But, as I peruse the online menu there are few…
Baldwin Vineyards, located in Pine Bush, NY, in the beautiful Hudson Valley region, is a small producer that makes wines from vinifera, hybrid and native grape varieties. But, it’s the fruit wines that owners and winemakers Pat and Jack Baldwin are most proud of.
Random House Webster’s Dictionary defines balance as “a state of equilibrium or equipoise; equal distribution of weight, amount, etc.” To wine lovers, the concept of balance isn’t all that much different. A wine is said to be balanced when all of its individual components — alcohol level, acidity, tannins (in red wine), flavors and sugars (if present) — are in perfect harmony and none overwhelms the others. At Castello di Borghese Vineyard and Winery in Cutchogue, winemaker Stan Schumacher is crafting just these types of wines — clean wines with class and poise. I recently sipped some of his latest…
Last Sunday, something important and exciting happened in the lives of the LENNDEVOURS family. I wish I could tell you that we bought a house (sometime in the next year I hope) or that some generous Long Island bazillionaire decided to thank me for bringing Long Island wines into his life by buying me a small, five-acre vineyard filled with mature cabernet franc vines. But no, the exciting news is slightly less exciting than that — we finally took a group of friends out to wine country to visit three of our favorite wineries on Route 48, the northern-most wine…
Via the good doctor over at Dr. Vino: That’s right folks…they’re growing grapes in Queens. I’m going to have to investigate this project more, but if Steve Mudd of Mudd Vineyards on the East End is involved, that’s instant credibility — in my eyes anyway. He’s a highly respected grape grower in Long Island wine country. This is a story that bears watching.
It seems like I’ve been drinking a lot of rose lately. I guess it’s a combination of swelteringly hot temperatures and the fact that several local wineries are releasing new ones. Regardless, I don’t mind much. I like a quality rose every now and then. Macari Vineyards makes some of our favorite summer sippers, including their Early Wine and previous vintages of rose. This year’s vintage is made with 55% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot, 15% cabernet franc, but previous vintages have included a little malbec and petit verdot as well. Eyes: This wine is a mouthwatering, pretty salmon color Nose:…