Okay, I lied. I wasn’t planning on posting again until we get back Sunday night. Nor was I planning to do a Halloween post. But, when your kid looks as cute as ours does, particularly in his little chef’s costume, how can I resist?
I probably won’t be blogging much over the next few days. As I mentioned last week, we’re heading to Montauk tomorrow to celebrate Nena’s 30th birthday. We’re kind of playing our four days there by ear, but we are definitely planning to have dinner one night at Inlet Seafood, which was recommended by several of you. It’s possible that I’ll be able to snag a wifi signal from a nearby resort (the house we’re renting doesn’t have it) so you may get some as-they-happen updates. If not, I’ll post about all the fun (and wine I’m taking) later. In the…
I was talking with a LENNDEVOURS reader yesterday about his wine storage situation. As he described his motley crew of different racks, refrigerators etc., I had an idea. Wouldn’t it be cool to get a look at your favorite blogger’s rack? WINE rack that is. Be it a case shipping box in the back of the closet, a professionally designed and install super-cellar, or a humble IKEA wine rack on the kitchen counter, I’m a little fascinated by wine storage and would love to see what people are doing. So next Friday, November 9th, post a picture of how you…
Yesterday afternoon, several members of the LENNDEVOURS community winemaking project descended up on Sannino’s Bella Vita Vineyard to press the juice from the grapes we harvest a couple weeks ago. I was upstate, so couldn’t attend, but one member took several photos and posted them. I’ve heard through the grape vine (awful pun, no?) that there are several different types of oak barrel in play as well as a couple different yeast strains. We’re going to have a lot of options (and fun) when it comes time to blend our wine I think.
I just heard this morning that the vineyards and buildings once associated with Rivendell Winery are for sale and on the market. The winery itself is moving to a new location. For $1.6 million, you can get 45 acres, a 3,000 square foot pavilion (currently the tasting room) and three single-family residences and several outbuildings on the property. The property, located in Gardiner, NY on the Shawangunk Wine Trail in the Hudson Valley region, is a little off the beaten path, but the tasting room/building is absolutely beautiful. Nena and I were there a few years ago and really saw…
News Flash: I’ve found some California wines I can enjoy, afford for every day drinking, and feel good about. Humanitas Wines, founded in 2001 by Judd Wallenbrock, is a California winery unlike any you’ve heard of before. Seriously. Many wineries are involved in philanthropic endeavors. They host fundraising events or give a portion of wine sales proceeds to various causes, but Wallenbrock takes that to a whole other level. All of his profits go to charity. Every cent. Specifically, the profits are donated to address three primary issues – hunger, affordable housing, and illiteracy. A two decade veteran of the…
Next Friday, Nena turns 30. To celebrate, I’ve rented a house out on the eastern-most tip of Long Island in the town of Montauk for a few nights next week and weekend. I’ve only been to Montauk a few times and never for more than a few hours, so I’m looking for some suggestions for restaurants and things to do beyond enjoy the Atlantic. Any suggestions? Keep in mind that we’ll have the little one with us, so "family friendly" is an important descriptor.
On Sunday, Nena and I took Jackson pumpkin picking for the first time. Yes, I know. The same guy who complains about the road-clogging, pumpkin-picking families every year joined the fray with his own kid. So sue me. You do crazy things for your kids. Even if they can’t walk yet and can’t actually pick anything. But we definitely did it our own way, first meeting up with some good friends at Roanoke Vineyards for a glass of wine beforehand. Our kids (both under a year old) played as we enjoyed the early afternoon and some wine. Next, we headed…
By Donavan Hall, Beer Columnist A little over a month ago I told you about the first "Firkin Friday" at Deks in Rocky Point. We had a good turn out of local beer enthusiasts to sample a Long Island-brewed, cask-conditioned ale. I snapped this pic of my brewing colleague, Mike, taking the first sip of the first pint of Blue Point Oatmeal Stout at our first Cask Night. That’s the back end of the firkin on the right. Dean and Kevin (the owners of Deks) are going to host another Firkin Friday on the 9th of November. Mark your calendar.…
I read an interesting little piece this morning from the Cornell Daily Sun that talks about hybrid grape varieties, their advantages and what some wineries in the Finger Lakes are doing with them. Apparently, in addition to being more resistant to the cold weather of the region, they are also less susceptible to the typical grape maladies, meaning that fewer pesticides are needed to grow them. It’s kind of an interesting way to "go green" no? I know that there are plenty of wine lovers out there who turn their noses up at hybrids, but I’ve found several seyval blancs…