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…
Posts Written OnMarch 29, 2010
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…
Damiani Wine Cellars 2008 Syrah
By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief The differences between this Finger Lakes syrah and the one I reviewed a couple weeks ago might be the simple result of vintage variation — 2007 was far hotter than 2008. Not that this wine is completely underripe, mind you. It's just not as ripe as the 2007. It has some nice qualities, but it isn't going to convince anyone that syrah is anything more than a bit player in the region. Black pepper dominates the nose, with spicy, earthy notes over top of restrained black cherry and blueberry fruit. After being open for a day,…