Posts Written OnFebruary 2006

Strawberry wine. It’s not something I drink regularly and probably not anything I’d drink with non-dessert food. But, over the weekend I tasted and compared two different versions from two well-known Hudson Valley wineries, Baldwin Vineyards and Alison Wines & Vineyards. I’m not going to go into full tasting note mode here…they both look, smell and taste like strawberries, there’s not a whole lot of nuance here. But there are differences certainly. Both were very sweet and edging on the cloying side of things but not quite. The one from Alison, named Fraise ($18 for 375ml), is the more refined…

Valentine’s Day is treated a little bit differently in our house, I think. We don’t really buy each other gifts beyond a well-thought-out card. But, we have a few food traditions related to the most Hallmark of all holidays. First, we never, ever go out to dinner for the occasion. So many restaurants have over-priced, under-delivering fixed menus, and tables filled with people who never go out to nice restaurants and act like it. Second, in recent years, Nena has started making her should-be-famous banana-chocolate chip pancakes (in heart shape) on the day itself. It’s a casual, fun meal that…

Roanoke Vineyards, one of the North Fork’s newest producers has been a favorite almost from it’s inception. I’ve written about them several times, almost always take first-time LI winery visitors there, and I named their now-sold out 2000 Merlot my favorite of 2005. Well, with a second New York Times piece this weekend, the secret is most certainly out about the two new red blends Rich and Soraya Pisacano just released. Roanoke Vineyards is a must-stop tasting room on the North Fork. From it’s rich, artisanal reds, the hands-on approach of Rich and Soraya, to the opportunity to also sample…

I swear, I meant to blog about Cheese Sandwich Day on the day itself, last Thursday. But, while we cooked and ate our yummy grilled cheese sandwich, a vacation day Friday and a long holiday weekend spent doing work on our new house has created a bit of a blogging back log. So what is Cheese Sandwich Day all about anyway? I’ll leave that explanation up to my go-to blog when I’m looking for a delicious recipe, Stephencooks. As for our sandwiches, I stopped on the way home at the local grocery store (greatly limiting my cheese selection) and whipped…

Think real-deal BBQ competitions don’t happen outside of the south? Think again…New York City is going to be hosting its first BBQ contest on March 26 — Grillin’ on the Bay. Some of the region’s best pit bosses will be cooking up chicken, pork, fish and even dessert. I know that I’m going to go if I can (never been to such an event) and if you want more information, visit White Trash BBQ’s great site.

And a bottle of Matthew Cellars 2001 Columbia Valley Red, compliments of the Culinary Fool and her Seattle Seahawks losing in the Super Bowl. We had a bet, and my winnings arrived yesterday. As you can see above and to the right, B tried to cover up her obvious shame by burying the bottle in Seahawks gear. She’s a gracious loser, I’ll give her that. I think Ben Roethlisbeagle will enjoy ripping the wrist bands to shreds. (Just teasing, I know a Seahawks fan here at the office I think he has kids. So they’ll get the gear most likely).…

Wine lovers and writers often debate the validity and usefulness of wine scores. I think they have their place, when taken as a part of a complete review that includes tasting notes and background information. But then I finally thumbed through the February issue of Wine Spectator and came upon some disturbing scores. It’s not often that I see many New York wines listed, even in the back. But this was their "ratings roundup" so there were quite a few. Some scary numbers: Yellow Tail 2003 Reserve Shiraz: 88 Bedell Cellars 2001 Reserve Merlot: 87 Wolffer Estate Vineyards 2001 Estate…

A discussion of sulfites and American vs. European winemakers seems to be underway here on LENNDEVOURS. One of my contributing columnists, Richard posted The Urban Legend of Sulfites a week or so ago and my other contributor, Charles, has chimed in with his feelings. What do you think? One of my favorite things about wine is the discussions (and sometimes arguments) that erupt from my love of it. Join in the fun and be heard.