This is what we've been drinking… Evan Dawson: Chateau Montaud 2009 Cotes de Provence Rose For $8, this wine is an absurd value. For its regular list price of $12, it's still very, very good. I picked it up on sale at our local store when oppressive summer heat staged an encore. It turned out to be an excellent match for our food and the weather. I tend to think wine and weather is overly discussed, but I'm fully on board with rose in summer. And for all of the wonderful rose made in NY state these days, it's nice…
Posts Written OnAugust 2010
Will Hurricane Earl Hit Long Island Wine Country?
By any measure, the 2010 growing season has been an outstanding one for Long Island grape growers. Across the island, I'm hearing reports from vineyard folks saying that the grapes are anywhere from 10-20 days ahead of schedule. They're further ahead than in 2007, often lauded as the region's best ever vintage. In 2010, it's been about more than just hot days — cloud cover and the UV rays they can filter have made an impact too. Rich Olsen-Harbich, winemaker at Bedell Cellars, told me a few weeks ago "Not only have we been hot and sunny, but the sunny…
The Science of Biodynamics, Part 3: Organic Viticulture in Long Island
An earthworm heads back into the soil (source: schizoform on Flickr) I think we can all agree that sustainability in viticulture is important. I mentioned in my first post that our discussion about the science of biodynamics cannot leave out organic viticulture. I asked Alice Wise, viticulturist at the Long Island Horticultural Research and Extension Center (LIHREC) about some of the nuts and bolts of organic viticulture in Long Island. NYCR: What are the primary challenges of organic viticulture in regions like Long Island? AW: The goal is economically viable yields of high quality fruit – no matter what the…
Middle Ages Brewing Company Druid Fluid
I credit our science editor, Tom Mansell, for putting me firmly in a barleywine-craving mood with his What We Drank this week. The powerful, intense style is gloriously complex and balanced when done right, and the perfect answer to a long day or week as it reduces the world and all its problems to the need for a nice cigar and bed. Druid Fluid from Middle Ages Brewing Company pours a light one-finger head and orange-amber hue into a snifter glass, where it maintains light lacing. The nose is vague orange flavors and a hint of cream puffs but mostly…
Long Island Merlot Alliance 2007 Merliance
The Long Island Merlot Alliance (LIMA) was formed in 2005 with the goal of developing quality standards in the production of Long Island merlot and to establish Long Island as the leading region for merlot in the New World. To date, the going has been slow with that mission. Though I know the group has done extensive research and analysis, little of it has been published or shared publicly. Still, the group has released several vintages of Merliance, a cooperative, 100%-merlot wine made using two barrels from each member winery. It's an interesting — and challenging — concept for a…
The New York Cork Club’s August 2010 Selections
It's still summer and this month's New York Cork Club selections reflect my still-strong preference for white wines this time year. They are Lieb Family Cellars 2008 Pinot Blanc and Red Tail Ridge Winery 2008 Dry Riesling. If you haven't herad of the New York Cork Club (NYCC), it's pretty simple. We've partnered with BacchusWineOnline.com to create a wine club that features only wines made in New York — making them more accessible to people around the country. We can't ship to every state, shipping laws being what they are today, but we can ship to a lot of them.…
Hudson-Chatham Winery 2009 Empire Reserve White
It was almost a year ago that I wrote about Empire Red, a new wine from Hudson-Chatham Winery that combines the key three red grapes — baco noir, merlot and cabernet franc — from each of New York's largest wine regions, the Hudson Valley, Long Island and Finger Lakes respectively. Co-owner Carlo DeVito and winemaker Steve Cascles haven't stopped there though, recently releasing Hudson-Chatham Winery 2009 Empire White ($15), the white wine sister to Empire Red. Made with 33% seyval blanc from the Hudson Valley, 33% riesling from White Spring Winery on Seneca Lake and 33% sauvignon blanc from Long…
What We Drank (August 24, 2010)
Evan Dawson: Pichon Lalande 1975 Pauillac We wanted to open something special with a friend on a recent visit, and we're fortunate to have a local source for excellently stored aged Bordeaux. The most fascinating aspect came in wondering whether a wine of this profile will ever be made again. That's because 1975 was, as I understand it, a vintage that produced hard and severe tannins, and the top wines were oppressive in their youth. These days, even the top wines around the world are carefully managed to offer an opportunity to drink young. Yes, tannins can be burly in…
Catapano Dairy Farm Fresh Chevre
One of the things I look forward to the most during the in spring and summer months is the abundance of fresh chevre that is available. The bright and creamy texture coupled with basil, heirloom tomatoes, and a grind of fresh black pepper… it doesn’t get much better than that in my book. Conversely, there is a part of me that is always a little sad as we move into late fall and winter, the goats move into the barn, and that fantastic cheese is taken away for another year. Goats generally mate during the September and October months, and…
Peconic Bay Winery Goes Solar
One of three solar panels recently installed at Peconic Bay Winery (Photo courtesy of Peconic Bay Winery) Peconic Bay Winery's new solar panels aren't the first in wine country, but they are among the largest. At a ribbon-cutting ceremony this afternoon, the winery will unveil a solar electric generating photovoltaic (PV) system that will produce approximately 47,826 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity annually saving the winery $8,895 in annual electricity costs at today’s rates. The 180-panel PV system cost $327,760, but Long Island Power Authority (LIPA), through its Solar Entrepreneur Program, provided a significant rebate of $97,830 which helped to…