Posts Written OnJune 2014

Port Jeff Brewing Company Party Boat IPA (Now in a Can)

On Wednesday, Port Jeff Brewing Company, nestled alongside Port Jefferson Harbor, released its first batch of Party Boat IPA in 12 oz. cans — the first time the brewery has brewed and canned a beer on Long Island. Why IPA in cans you might ask? Well, besides avoiding degradation of the beer from UV light exposure and lower costs than glass — it just feels right. We’re almost programmed to drink beer from a can.  Man buys can, man opens can, man drinks beer. Before the explosion of craft beer, you didn’t have to think about beer as much while…

5 Questions with… Conor Harrigan, Jamesport Vineyards

If you’ve been to the North Fork recently and stopped in at Jamesport Vineyards chances are you likely saw Conor Harrigan behind the counter. Harrigan, who works in the tasting room at Jamesport, has been serving thirsty winery goers and educating them on the exclusively estate grown portfolio for the past year. Harrigan has been working in the industry since 2009 and has held varying roles in retail and at a few prominent North Fork wineries. This week, the New York Cork Report sits down with Harrigan in our “5 Questions With…” series. What was the first bottle of wine…

Introducing “Finger Lakes Wine By the Numbers”

Earlier this year, NYCR set out to gather data on the Finger Lakes wine industry to get a better understanding of several aspects of the industry. The method was simple: we gathered data from industry, winery and reseller websites regarding the wines from Finger Lakes producers that were being offered online. Admittedly, it was not a scientific data collection, and the information was only as accurate and complete as the sites provided. But we did gather data on more than one hundred wineries and nearly two thousand wines, which provided a significantly large sample size for our review. And because…

Heron Hill Winery 2012 “Morris Vineyard” Reserve Pinot Blanc

Heron Hill Winery 2012 “Morris Vineyard” Reserve Pinot Blanc ($18*) offers a delicate nose of Bartlett pear, mango drizzled with lime juice and green melon. Medium bodied and showing a bit of mid-palate sweetness, the palate is dominated  by green apple and tropical fruits. That residual sugar brings nice weight and a nice nudge of acidity drives a juicy finish that lingers with subtle sweetness and distant lemon verbena herbal note. Producer: Heron Hill Winery AVA: Finger Lakes Harvest Date(s): September 11, 2012Brix: 21.5 ABV: 12.5% RS: 1.48% TA: 6.1 g/l pH: 3.26 Production:  235 cases Release Date: October 4, 2013 Price: $18* (3 out of 5, Very good/Recommended)

Playing Some La Crosse

La Crosse is a grape from the cold climate quiver that is a pet favorite of mine. Having worked with it in the Cornell trial vineyard and in and the home winery for a few vintages, I’m intrigued by what smells and tastes like potential. It’s yet another of the Elmer Swenson-propagated diaspora of hybrid vines which offer options and hope to winemakers who grow and press  in places that are USDA Zone 5 and below. A complex hybrid offspring of Seyval Blanc, and named for the Wisconsin city on the Mississippi,  it offers some improvements upon its parent, and…

Kelby James Russell 2013 Dry Rosé

  The label certainly tells you who made this wine. Red Newt winemaker Kelby Russell put his name right on the label of Kelby James Russell 2013 Dry Rosé ($16), which was made at Red Newt from 100% cabernet franc grapes. White cherries and red raspberries dominate the nose with a hint of watermelon and notes of black pepper, cabernet franc dusty earthiness and a squirt of lime. Fresh and balanced, the medium-bodied palate is driven by red berry fruits with another sprinkling of pepper and woodsy, savory spice. A bit of red apple peeks through on the medium-short finish,…