Posts Written OnAugust 2008

Dr. Vino @ Palmer Vineyards This Sunday @ 11:30 a.m.

Fellow wine blogger Tyler Colman, better known on the Internet as Dr. Vino will be taking part in a discussion about his new book "Wine Politics: How Governments, Environmentalists, Mobsters, and Critics Influence the Wines We Drink" at Palmer Vineyards this Sunday, August 31 at 11:30 a.m. as a part of their Writers on the Vine series. Tickets are $11 admission and include a glass of wine. No reservations necessary. Unfortunately, I’m not able to attend, but I am reading the book now and enjoying it quite a bit. For that glass of wine, I’d recommend their sauvignon blanc above…

You’re Invited: LENNDEVOURS Fall Wine Bar @ Roanoke Vineyards

I’m happy to announce that we’ve nailed down all but one detail for the first LENNDEVOURS Wine Bar event at Roanoke Vineyards on Sunday, October 19 at 2 p.m. Who: You, I hopeWhat: LENNDEVOURS Quarterly Wine BarWhen: Sunday, October 19 from 2-5 p.m.Where: Roanoke Vineyards (Map)Why: To enjoy some delicious wine with great people and raise money for charity. Tickets are $10 when purchased in advance (call 631.727.4161) or $15 at the door. That ticket gets you the opportunity to preview two unreleased wines: Roanoke Vineyard’s 2005 Gabby’s Field Cabernet Franc and Lieb Family Cellars’ 2007 Pinot Blanc. We’ll also…

Schneider Vineyards 2005 “Le Breton” Cabernet Franc (North Fork of Long Island)

Bruce Schneider, who owns Schneider Vineyards with his wife Christiane, is a man after my own cabernet franc-loving heart. Instead of being like most every other North Fork producer, his red wine programs isn’t dominated by merlot and merlot-based blends. He does what he thinks works here. He focuses on cab franc. And he will continue to do so, even after selling his 14.5-acre Roanoke Point Vineyard in Riverhead last year (which sadly is no longer a vineyard). Starting with the 2007 vintage, Bruce will make his wines from fruit grown at the leased Jackson Hill Vineyard, a small vineyard…

Because Man Can’t Live on Wine Alone: North Fork Craft Beer Festival

I drink a fair amount of wine, which will come as no surprise to any of you. If I didn’t drink wine, I guess I wouldn’t have a wine blog now would I? But what might surprise you is that I probably drink just as much beer. Yes, really. There may have been a time in America when beer and wine drinking was an either-or situation. You drank wine OR you drank beer, not both. But I don’t think that’s the case anymore. Beer is slowly, and thankfully, starting to get its due among those who care about what they…

Riedel in the Finger Lakes (Part I)

By Jason Feulner, Finger Lakes Correspondent Last Thursday night I was fortunate enough, to attend a dinner hosted by George Riedel at Suzanne’s Fine Regional Cuisine on the eastern side of Seneca Lake. The weather was fantastic, and the view of the lake was both breathtaking and (because it was looking due west) allowing for the sunset to complement the scenery and create a Finger Lakes panoramic that was truly beautiful. George Riedel used only one of his famous decanters during the evening, but through this vessel flowed a great deal of wine from the Finger Lakes and all over…

Full Results from the 2008 New York Wine & Food Classic

It takes a little digging on their less-than-stellar website to find them, but the New York Wine and Grape Foundation has finally posted the full medal results from the 2008 New York Wine & Food Classic. Thanks to our trip to the Finger Lakes this spring, I’ve actually tasted many more of these wines than in previous years. But, it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense for me anyone to argue with the results. They used professional tasters and we can only assume that they adhered to typical competition procedures. The results are what they are. Are there wines…

Riedel Comes to the Finger Lakes

By Jason Feulner, Finger Lakes Correspondent Riedel crystal is one of the more interesting facets of the greater world of wine business. Proponents laud the design of these stemware pieces and their supposed effect on the enjoyment of many different types of wine. Others think it’s a bunch of hooey. While most wine enthusiasts concede that the shape and design of glassware can affect the presentation of wine, many observers have balked at the sheer number of Riedel pieces and have wondered aloud whether a dozen of, say, different chardonnay glasses really speak to the nuances of regional influence on…

Wine Blogging Wednesday #48: Back to Our Roots

Okay, so I’m a little late pulling this together. As anyone who has hosted WBW knows, the least-fun part about doing so is compiling the roundup post. Sure, it’s fun to read everyone’s submission, but typing them up in one place just isn’t very fun. I wish LENNDEVOURS could afford a free intern. Yes, I know a free intern is free. Anyway, we had 34 participants this time around (including yours truly). Some of these blogs were, I’m embarassed to say, new to me. I don’t read as many blogs as I used to. But, I’ll be adding several new…

2008 New York Wine & Food Classic Winners

Boy, Bedell Cellars is having a good week. Their unreleased 2006 Musee won "Best Red Wine" at the 2008 New York Wine & Food Classic this week. Swedish Hill Winery was also named "Winery of the Year" for 2008, partly the result of their 2007 Vidal Blanc winning the Governor’s Cup as the best wine overall, beating out 774 other wines. The full list of class and category winners is below. Each class winner was eligible to win the Best of Category when the wines were re-tasted. Best of Class Awards Best Native Sparkling Wine: Swedish Hill Winery NV Spumante…

Wine Spectator Restaurant Awards Complete B*llshit?

Rather than repeat what you can already see over at Vinography, I’ll just point you to Alder’s post, which points to the article itself and further details on the author’s blog. Can just about any restaurant (real or fake apparently) win a Wine Spectator Restaurant Award, regardless of the wines on its list? It would appear so. If it’s all true, look for Wine Spectator Restaurant Awards in your local TGI Friday’s and McDonald’s soon.