Posts Written OnAugust 2009

Southampton Double White

By Kevin Burns, Beer Columnist Our latest beer review comes from the Southampton Publick House on Long Island. Wheat beers are usually my favorite style for the summer, and Belgian wheats are known for the citrus, so it's not surprising that the brewers tout this Southampton Double White as "a stronger version of the classic Belgian white ale style." The Southampton Double White poured a hazy, light golden yellow color with a pen-width white head. The aroma had mostly wheat with strong citrus and spice notes. The body is smooth on the palate but crisp around the edges. There is…

Merlot Verasion at Bella Vita Vineyard

By Lenn Thompson, Founder and Editor-in-Chief I made a quick stop at Bella Vita Vineyard last week to pick up some white merlot I made there last year and did a quick stroll through the vineyard with co-owner and winemaker Anthony Sannino. The small block of cabernet franc along the driveway was hit hard by the dreary, wet weather this spring — very little fruit on the vines at all. But the merlot (seen above) wasn't too bad and the cabernet sauvignon actually looked a little over-cropped at this point. I'm putting the finishing touches on a pre-harvest report that…

SURU 2008 Riesling

By Lenn Thompson, Founder and Editor-in-Chief It makes perfect sense that Russell Hearn, winemaker at Pellegrini Vineyards and co-founder (with his wife Susan) of the new SURU label would buy riesling grapes from the Finger Lakes to make his first SURU riesling.  It is where the best rieslings in America are grown and made, after all. And, if the wines I've already tasted from the 2008 vintage are any indication, it could be a banner year for Finger Lakes riesling. SURU 2008 Riesling ($15) stays true to its Finger Lakes beginnings. It is a delicate, focused wine with light floral…

Welcome Bacchus Wine as a New York Cork Report Sponsor

By Lenn Thompson, Founder and Editor-in-Chief You may have noticed the new banner on the right side of the site already, but I wanted to formally announce the site's newest sponsor, Bacchus Wine in Rochester, NY, a shop (both online and off) that stocks a wide array of New York State wines. We've got a few other plans for this partnership up our virtual sleeves, but for now, please welcome the site's newest sponsor and check out their selection of New York wines, which is the largest I've seen online.

The NYCR Tasting Table (August 28, 2009)

By Lenn Thompson, Founder and Editor-in-Chief I'm finally getting caught up on all of the notes I've already taken on a slew of New York wines. Here are some quick-hits for wines that for one reason or another won't be the subject of full reviews here on the site. Bouke 2008 Rose ($16*) Fruity nose of strawberry and raspberry. Very juicy on the palate with strawberry jam and crushed raspberry. Very well balanced. Crisp acidity. Simple but satisfying. Rating:  (2.5 out of 5 | Average-to-Very Good) Martha Clara Vineyards 2008 Pinot Grigio ($17*) Austere and dusty on the nose with…

Keuka Lake Vineyards: Hybrids Providing More Mileage In Dry Style

By Evan Dawson, Finger Lakes Editor This is apparently a controversial or surprising thing to say, but I'll say it anyway — the writers and editors for this blog like hybrid wines from New York state. I have voluntarily purchased vignoles. I have consumed an entire bottle of Cayuga without convulsing. I do not believe that hybrids cause sterility, senility or loss of agility. There is, however, plenty of room for hybrids to improve. One way that some local wineries are trying to get more mileage from their hybrids is by going with a much dryer style. That's the plan…

SURU 2008 Shiraz Rose

By Lenn Thompson, Founder and Editor-in-Chief Typically, syrah grown on Long Island ends up bottled with "syrah" on the label, staying true to the grape original name in Franc. This North Fork rose from Russell (and Susan) Hearn's new label, SURU, uses the name "shiraz" instead, which only makes sense given the fact that Russell hails from Australia. It's not just shiraz though, it's a blend of 84% shiraz, 7% cabernet franc, 6% riesling, 2% chardonnay and 1% petit verdot. That large shiraz component definitely makes it stand out among Long Island roses. Medium-dark pink in the glass, the nose…

Shaw Vineyard: Reds Against the Machine (and a Little Green Too)

By Jason Feulner, Finger Lakes Correspndent (Note: this story is part two of a two-part series highlighting some unique production choices at Shaw Vineyard.) Shaw Vineyard just released its 2005 reds this month. In the Finger Lakes, that fact would normally be the story in and of itself, but the true story starts in 2004 when Steve Shaw called the Europress California office to order a specialty-built Rauch A-8 Crusher/De-stemmer. "I tried a French de-stemmer that had some very limited variable options," winemaker and owner Steve Shaw remembers. “It just didn’t work well as I wanted. I called Europress to…

New York Cork Report Q&A: Erica Ridley, General Manager, Three Brothers Winery

By Lenn Thompson, Founder and Editor-in-Chief I still haven't tasted a single wine from Three Brothers Winery, but I've been in touch with Erica Ridley, who serves as general manager there, for months — all because of Twitter. She's one of a growing handful of Finger Lakes wine industry types to get on Twitter and really engage with customers (and the press). Erica has a degree in dietetics from SUNY Oneonta, grew up in the Finger Lakes and has lived in the region her whole life. She's also a vegetarian, but we won't hold that against her. And now, on…

How to Improve New York Wine & Food Classic

By Evan Dawson, Finger Lakes Editor and Lenn Thompson, Founder and Editor-in-Chief This year it's different. See, every year we write about the New York Wine & Food Classic and the results on this blog. It's important because it's the largest competition that focuses only on the wines of New York State. This blog is the best source for information on those wines. We have to write about "the Classic." But that doesn't mean it's not frustrating to see how it's organized and run. In fact, it is frustrating to watch from afar because we are so passionately interested in…