By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief You don't see much viognier on Long Island and what is grown here usually ends up as a small percentage (20% or less) of local white blends, especially at Bedell Cellars, where it plays a supporting role in three different wines. But at Martha Clara Vineyards, it's bottled by itself every year, making for a unique opportunity to taste this grape. Martha Clara Vineyards 2008 Viognier ($18) bursts with white flowers on the nose with layers of honey, peach, cantaloupe and lemon balm. Medium-to-full bodied, the palate is peachy and floral with a little tropical fruit…
Posts Written OnMarch 2010
Winter Pruning in the Niagara Wine Region Part 1
By Bryan Calandrelli, Niagara Regional Editor There are certain things you can learn from drinking wine and reading about winemaking or wine science. In my experience though other aspects like viticulture and canopy management can really only be grasped working hands-on the vineyard. I’ve gained some basic knowledge in the last few seasons here but there is so much more for me to learn before I go planting a small vineyard. My idea behind this video and future videos is to demonstrate basic methods of vine management during the season with at least three wineries using different trellis systems. Each…
Southampton Imperial Porter
By Kevin Burns, Beer Columnist Located in Southampton, Long Island, the Southampton Publick House has been producing award-winning beers for over a decade. The brewery has signed on with Pabst brewing in hopes of improving their marketing and distribution as well. Brewmaster Phil Markowski specializes in farmhouse ales, but also makes delicious beers in a variety of styles, including this, the first porter they've bottled. Southampton Ales & Lagers' Imperial Porter poured a dark brown/blackish color with a thumb width of tan head. The aroma is rich, with lots of malty chocolate notes. The body is deep, with a smooth, full mouthfeel, lots…
The New York Cork Club’s March 2010 Selections
This month's selections: Red Newt Cellars 2007 Sawmill Creek Cabernet Franc and Lucas Vineyards 2008 Dry Riesling By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief Today I'm happy to announce our New York Cork Club selections for March: Red Newt Cellars 2007 Sawmill Creek Cabernet Franc and Lucas Vineyards 2008 Dry Riesling. If you read this site, you've probably already seen the reviews (here and here) so I won't go into the notes again, but I will say that I'm proud to have each in the club. Not familiar with the New York Cork Club? You can read about it, but the quick and…
Technical Sheets for TasteLive Finger Lakes Pinot Noirs
By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief So that participants have ready access to the technical/winemaker's notes on our five wines, we've uploaded them to the site. Atwater Estate Vineyards 2007 Pinot Noir Damiani Wine Cellars 2008 Pinot Noir Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards 2008 Pinot Noir Heart & Hands Wine Company 2008 Pinot Noir Ravines Wine Cellars 2007 Pinot Noir We'll see you tomorrow night at 8:00 p.m. ET, so make sure that you join us on Twitter and on the Finger Lakes Wine Country TasteLive Site.
At Jamesport Vineyards Empty Local Wine Bottles = Free Tastings and Discounts
By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief All those empty wine bottles at your house? They could mean free and discounted wine. If you're like me — and I know many of you are — you've got a lot of empty wine bottles to deal with, many of them local. At my house, we're diligent about recycling (and I hope you are too) but Jamesport Vineyards has launched a program that might change where we do your recycling. Bring your empty Long Island wine bottles to Jamesport and depending on how many you lug with you, you can get free tastings and discounts…
Les Howard to Host Barrel Tastings at Pindar Vineyards
By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief When Pindar Vineyards hired Les Howard as its new winemaker in the summer of 2008, I wrote on this site that "If Les is given the freedom to make the wines that he wants to make, we can expect a sharp increase in the quality of wines coming out of Pindar's winery, which would be a very good thing." His now-sold out 2008 Viognier was among the best whites to come out of the North Fork's largest producer, but it's time to see if he's been able to up the ante with their reds as well.…
Breaking Bad: Growers Hope Heat Wave Won’t Spark Early Budbreak
By Evan Dawson, Finger Lakes Editor Photos courtesy Heron Hill Winery Don't blame the growers. Yes, they are like the real-life manifestation of Goldilocks, complaining when things are a little too cold or a little too hot. Yes, they are like your annoying friend who is never satisfied with a date, or a menu or a movie. But they are only taking up for their vines, and in New York state, vines are easily dissatisfied. And so it is with consternation that growers look to the upcoming forecast. Kids will be playing, golf balls flying, grills firing, but growers will…
What We Drank (March 29, 2010)
This is what our editors and contributors are drinking.. Evan Dawson: Johnson Estate 2006 Chancellor (Chautauqua - Lake Erie) Every wine region needs to identify what it does best. It's a process that can take many years. I wonder if the Erie-Chautauqua region has found their most reliable red in Chancellor. This hybrid makes wine with an opaque color that either evokes Leon Millet or Mega Purple — either way, it's dark. But it's soft and approachable on the palate. An oaked Chancellor can wear the wood on its sleeve; I'm told this version was aged in stainless steel, but…
Reminder: TasteLive this Wednesday with Finger Lakes Pinot Noir
By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief Just wanted to most a quick reminder in that our third a series of Finger Lakes Taste Live events will take place this Wednsday, March 31 at 8:00 p.m. ET. I'll be moderating for Finger Lakes Wine Country (FLWC) in conjunction with their newly launched TasteLive page. This time around, we're going to be tasting five pinot noirs: Atwater Estate Vineyards 2007 Pinot Noir Damiani Wine Cellars 2008 Pinot Noir Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards 2008 Pinot Noir Heart & Hands Wine Company 2008 Pinot Noir Ravines Wine Cellars 2007 Pinot Noir Pinot noir is showing great potential…