Posts Written OnAugust 2010

We Won’t Participate as Judges in Wine Competitions: Here’s Why

Just a few wines to be tasted at this years Indy International Wine Competition Photo courtesy of Dave Falchek It’s official. We are done judging big, blind, medal-focused wine competitions. We did not arrive at this position without much thought and discussion. Ultimately, we believe that transparency and clarity are core values that should permeate the wine world — from the creation of wine, to the marketing of wine, to the writing about wine. Everything that happens in those areas should relate in some way to answering this question: Is this providing more transparency and clarity to the consumer, or less? We have decided that medal-focused competitions…

Freedom Run Winery 2007 Estate Pinot Noir

If Long Island has merlot and the Finger Lakes have riesling, then the Niagara U.S.A. region just might have pinot noir. It's of course way too early in this budding region's development to anoint any single grape as royalty, but Niagara pinot noir certainly shows promise. And just like every other New York wine region, differences in growing season conditions have a profound impact. Vintage matters in New York. It certainly did when I sat down to taste two vintages of estate pinot from Freedom Run Winery in Lockport, NY. Today, we'll focus on the Freedom Run Winery 2007 Estate…

Reminder: Angelman Syndrome Benefit at Roanoke Vineyards, September 12

Don't forget about our Angelman Syndrome benefit at Roanoke Vineyards on September 12. You can learn more aobut Angelman Syndrome but there isn't a cure today and as with many other syndromes, diseases and disorders, there is never enough money to fund research. We'll be hosting a wine tasting event at Roanoke Vineyards on Sunday, September 12, 2010 from 1 – 5 p.m. to raise money that we'll donate through the Angelman Syndrome Foundation). Shinn Estate Vineyards will also be taking part in the event as our guest winery. Tickets are $35 and have been selling better than I ever…

Brooklyner-Schneider Hopfen-Weiss

This is one of two collaboration beers between brewers Hans-Peter Drexler of legendary Bavarian brewery Schneider and Brooklyn Brewery brewmaster Garrett Oliver. The version with the Brooklyn label is widely available but I found a Schneider label bottle and had to try it. The idea is that each brewed the same beer in the other brewer's brewery, but with different hopping to assert some terroir. Yup, I just dropped the T-word. It's not a New York beer per se, but it's a New York brewer and a pretty interesting concept. This weiss pours a gorgeous cloudy tangerine color, with a…

Op-Ed: Towns, Don’t Crush the Grape Growers (Ron Goerler, Jr. and Steve Bate, Long Island Wine Council)

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…" The famous opening line from Charles Dickens' classic "A Tale of Two Cities," set in 18th-century Europe, would appear to be an appropriate description of the opportunities and challenges currently facing wineries in the towns of Southold and Riverhead. On the one hand, the outlook for the Long Island wine region has never been better. Our producers are now receiving the recognition they deserve for creating wines of exceptional quality. Important critics are routinely giving our products high ratings. Last year a coalition of the most prestigious wine…

Blue Point Brews For the Birds

There's still at least one "BP" that isn't destroying the world. Blue Point Brewing Company, creators of multi-award-winning Toasted Lager, has responded to the Gulf oil spill disaster the best way they know how: by crafting a beer dedicated to our feathered friends affected by the crisis. It's been dubbed Toxic Sludge, and the proceeds from its sale will support the Delaware-based bird rescue organization Tri-State Bird Research and Rescue. The spill, caused by an explosion on April 20 of this year, has widely affected wildlife, but Blue Point president Pete Cotter explains his particular sympathy for the plight of…

The Science of Biodynamics, Part 2: Moonstones OR Gravitas Vos Liberabit

The phases of a lunar eclipse, by tizianoj at Flickr A key tenet of biodynamics is the influence of celestial bodies (e.g., the sun, moon, and planets) on agriculture.  While no one will deny the influence of the sun, it's not clear exactly what the moon might be doing to affect grapegrowing and winemaking. Take the case of Aleš Kristančič of Movia in Slovenia. Thanks to glowing reviews and a high-profile section of Sergio Esposito's book Passon On the Vine, Movia has gained cult status for wine consumers. Kristančič is a very popular speaker around the world and is consulted…

Is This the Best Wine in New York State?

The 2010 Governor's Cup award did not go to a Long Island red, or a Finger Lakes riesling. It went to a sparkling riesling, and a sweet one at that. For the second time in three years, Swedish Hill Winery has captured the Governor's Cup. Organized by the New York Wine and Grape Foundation, the judging brings writers and industry professionals to Watkins Glen. They taste more than 800 wines. The Governor's Cup is the single most powerful award given to a New York wine. That's because it instantly sells wine. More than a big magazine or a New York…

This Might Be the Weirdest Wine List Ever

My wife and I had lunch at the Village Tavern in Hammondsport on Tuesday, and we encountered a mind-bending wine list.  The Tavern is well known for its long selection of aged Finger Lakes wines. Lenn and I have both written about it in the past. The good news is that the Tavern has ideal storage and a staff that pledges to taste the wines periodically to make sure they're still showing well. But this most recent visit revealed an even longer – and frankly, more bizarre – list than I remember seeing at the Tavern. Start with the by-the-glass…