Posts Written OnDecember 03, 2012

From the Outside In: International Impressions of Finger Lakes Wines

While I’m only nearing my two-year anniversary as a New Yorker, I feel a strong sense of local pride (perhaps it stems from my upbringing as a proud Texan). I support my local farmers markets, have helped out with harvest on Long Island, and have driven my fair share of miles on the Seneca Wine Trail. I have introduced my parents to New York riesling (proving two things: that riesling isn’t always sweet, and that New York makes good wine) and have a stash of age-worthy 2009 riesling hidden away for future enjoyment. But what do non-American, non-local, non-inherently-prideful, somewhat-skeptical folks think about Finger Lakes wines?…

Continue Reading

In Wake of Sandy, Brewery Ommegang Collaborates with Barrier Brewing Company

I’ve heard many stories of breweries and beer professionals coming together to help those affected by Hurricane Sandy, and I’ve always found beer people to be generally awesome people, so I wasn’t surprised to learn that Brewery Ommegang was lending a hand to a brewery in need. After Sandy struck in early November, Ommegang put out a notice to breweries affected by the hurricane, offering to help any way they could. “We, fortunately, escaped the worst of the storm,” says brewer Phil Leinhart. Other breweries weren’t so lucky, including Barrier Brewing Company in Oceanside, New York, which suffered massive damage…

Continue Reading

Hudson-Chatham Winery 2011 Leon Millot

As I taste more wines made from hybrid varieties — particularly red ones — I’m starting to think that the problems I’ve had in the past with these wines is not so much a grape problem, but rather a winemaker/winemaking one. For many years, the winemaking talent in regions reliant on hybrids (mainly because they are on the viticultural fringe) has been a bit lacking when compared to the world’s top regions. Wines like baco noir and DeChaunac weren’t very good, sure, but neither were the wines made from merlot, chardonnay and riesling. I was talking this over with a…

Continue Reading