The wake for Ben Sisson will be held tomorrow, Tuesday, January 27, at De Friest – Grattan Funeral Home, located at 51400 Route 25, Southold, NY from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. A memorial service will also be held at the First Universalist Church of Southold, on Wednesday, January 28 at 2 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that friends honor Ben's memory through contributions to a memorial fund in support of his family. Gifts can be made to: Friends of the Sisson Family c/o Suffolk County National Bank P.O. Box 702 Cutchogue, NY 11935
Posts Written OnJanuary 2009
Standing Stone Vineyards 2005 Pinnacle
2005 Finger Lakes reds continue to show well in my weekly tastings. Of course, no one expects the region's reds to push the aromatic whites into the background, but it is clear that, in hot years anyway, elegant, balanced reds are possible. Standing Stone Vineyards' 2005 Pinnacle ($23) is a Bordeaux-style blend (or Meritage if you will) made with 89% cabernet sauvignon, 8% cabernet franc and 3% merlot. In the glass, it shows nice extraction and is a rich crimson-violet color. The nose is intense with Bing cherries, caramel-vanilla and hints of oak. The palate is lush with bright cherry…
Oh, Snap: Cold Temps Not Low Enough for Severe Damage
By Evan Dawson, Finger Lakes Correspondent Last week, Dave Wiemann, the vineyard manager of Sheldrake Point Vineyard on Cayuga Lake, conducted a test to find out if the viciously cold temperatures had destroyed buds on his vines. He went to the coldest part of Sheldrake Point's 43 acres and cut ten canes of Riesling. He soaked the canes in water for 48 hours, then cut the buds. He was hoping to see green — a sign that the buds were still alive and well. He feared he could see the deadly black that signals a victory for the weather. The…
In Memorium: Ben Sisson, Vineyard Manager McCall Vineyards
It is with deep sadness that I write this post today. Another member of the Long Island wine community has left us long before his time. I certainly hope its the last such post I need to write for some time. Ben Sisson, a friend and frequent commenter here on LENNDEVOURS passed away yesterday. Most recently, Ben was vineyard manager for McCall Vineyards in Cutchogue after many years at Raphael. Over the several years that I knew Ben, he taught me a lot both about growing grapes on Long Island and about the industry itself. He was quick to chime…
Hunt Country Vineyards 2005 Cabernet Franc
If you don't like cabernet franc, you might be reading the wrong blog. And sure, for a long time I didn't have a lot of great things to say about Finger Lakes region reds, but a few have impressed me of late, including this one, Hunt Country Vineyards 2005 Cabernet Franc ($22). The summer of 2005 brought about great ripeness in vineyards throughout New York and that ripe fruit is on display here. The nose is bright and enticing, mixing strawberry and cherry fruit with black pepper, sweet herbs, and just a little vanilla. Bing cherry flavors, with more black…
Onabay Vineyards 2006 “Night Heron” Merlot
Onabay Vineyards 2006 "Night Heron" Merlot ($25) is a blend of 86% merlot, 9% cabernet franc and 5% syrah. That syrah worried me a bit because Long Island syrah, particularly in a cooler year like 2006, doesn't often impress.. But I had no reason for concern. I like this wine quite a bit. A nicely extracted medium-dark garnet, the nose offers nice dark fruit aromas of black cherry, black berry and even a little blueberry, accented by basil, thyme and a little smokiness. That same dark fruit character, black cherry and black raspberry this time, leads on an elegant, medium-bodied…
Quick Q&A with Kristop Brown, Winemaker, Benmarl Winery
The Hudson River Valley is a sometimes-forgotten wine region in New York, often losing out to Long Island and the Finger Lakes for the attention of writers and much of the wine-drinking populace. But there is an emerging group of quality-focused producers in the region. One winery making some very good wines is Benmarl Winery, which boasts what may be the oldest vineyard in the United States, dating back to the 1770s. Today, we sit down with Benmarl's winemaker, Kristop Brown, to learn a bit more about him. What (and where) was the first bottle of wine you remember drinking?…
New York Sparkling, Dessert and Table Wines Receive Accolades
Several New York wines have received impressive accolades in recent weeks. So, just in case you missed it: Sparkling Pointe's 2000 Brut Seduction ($55/review coming soon) was named Best Sparkling Wine at the San Francisco Chronicle's 2009 Wine Competition. Winemaker Gilles Martin is well known for his bubbly and this is an impressive win given the CA-dominated category. Martin's 2004 Brut and two bubblies from Chateau Frank in the Finger Lakes also did well. Casa Larga's 2006 Fiori Vidal Ice Wine ($35/review coming soon) was recently chosen as the "World's Best Dessert Wine" at the 2008 International Wine & Spirits…
Miles Wine Cellars 2006 Cabernet Franc
Miles Wine Cellars, a small, family-run winery located on the western shore of Seneca Lake, is one of the rare finger Lakes wineries that focuses on red wines, rather than the racy, aromatic whites that the region is known for. Pinot noir, cabernet franc and a merlot-cabernet franc blend dominate the portfolio of wines that are made by Peter Bell, winemaker at Fox Run Vineyards. This Miles Wine Cellars 2006 Cabernet Franc ($22) was fermented in Hungarian oak and has an interesting, oak-inflected nose of smoke, grilled herbs and fresh red cherries. Soft, flavorful and medium bodied, red cherry flavors…
The Ice Wine Cometh
By Bryan Callandrelli, Niagara Correspondent This year’s Niagara region ice wine harvest is underway, with three local wineries braving temperatures that barely broke single digits (windchills were well below zero) to collect those precious frozen grapes during seemingly perfect harvest conditions. The harvest window this year was a long one, as frigid temperatures have lingered in the region for several days. Niagara Landing in Cambria, Schulze Vineyards & Winery in Burt and Leonard Oakes Winery in Medina all had crews out last week collecting either Vidal or Catawba grapes. Domenic Carisetti, winemaker/consultant for all three wineries, was busy overseeing the…