TasteNY_logo By Lenn Thompson, Publisher and Editor

Hot on the heels of the hugely successful TasteCamp project, I'm happy to announce yet another way for me to share the wines I write about with the greater blogging community — TasteNY.

The concept, again, is simple. Quarterly (that's the plan anyway) I'll hand-pick a set of New York-made wines, beers or spirits and get them into the hands of a small group (10-12) bloggers. Participating bloggers needn't promise to write about them, and there certainly isn't a ticking clock — the bloggers can taste the wines whenever they'd like.

The only thing that I've asked them to do is taste the wines, preferably with a group of friends. And, even better, over a meal together. As if any blogger (or wine lover for that matter) needs an excuse to get together with friends to drink wine and eat.

For this, the first edition, the focus is on Finger Lakes riesling. Nearly 20 wineries submitted nearly four cases of wine for possible inclusion in the project and I was able to pare that group down to 12 wines from 12 wineries, from 4 different vintages:

  • Heron Hill Winery 2005 Old Vines Riesling
  • Ravines Wine Cellars 2006 Riesling
  • Red Newt Wine Cellars 2006 Reserve Riesling
  • Sheldrake Point 2006 Reserve Riesling
  • Atwater Vineyards 2007 Dry Riesling
  • Wiemer Vineyards 2007 Dry Riesling
  • Dr. Konstantin Frank 2007 Dry Riesling 
  • Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards  2008 Homestead Reserve Riesling
  • Anthony Road Wine Company  2008 Semi-Dry Riesling
  • Billsboro Winery 2008 Dry Riesling   
  • Fox Run Vineyards 2008 Riesling 
  • Lamoreaux Landing 2008 Red Oak Vineyard Riesling

I'm really excited about this kick-off edition and I think it's going to be a lot of fun for everyone included, including Joe Roberts, John Witherspoon, Megan Witherspoon, Richard Auffrey, Becky and Steve Borichevsky, Tim Elliott, Hardy Wallace, Dale Cruse, Brian Simpson, Erika Strum, Rob Bralow, David Honig, Jeff Lefevere, Matt Horbund, Tom Mansell, Thea Dwelle and our own Evan Dawson.

Now that the program has been announced, the wheels are in motion to get the wines out. I'd like to thank Morgen McLaughlin from Finger Lakes Wine Country for helping with the coordination and logistics of this edition of TasteNY.

The calendar is wide open for the next edition. Maybe we'll do Long Island cabernet franc. Or maybe we'll do some beer. Stay tuned to find out.