Posts Written OnJuly 31, 2014

Roanoke Vineyards 2010 Cabernet Franc

roanoke-vineyards-2010-cabernet-franc

Long Island merlot is often — and consistently — delicious. But when Long Island cabernet franc is done well — which is almost always the case at Roanoke Vineyards — it is much more distinctive and compelling. At it’s best, Long Island cabernet franc combines forward, ripe fruit with savory notes — often herbs but sometimes mushrooms or leaf tobacco — and restrained oak that frames rather than overwhelms the grape’s varietal character. Usually there is a freshness too, which makes it one of my go-to wines for the dinner table. Of the 2010 cabernet francs I’ve tasted, Roanoke Vineyards 2010 Cabernet France ($34) best exemplifies my personal local…

Fracking is Not Coming to the Finger Lakes. Here’s Why.

fracking

Hydraulic fracturing, known as fracking, is not coming to the Finger Lakes. The process to extract natural gas from shale formations deep below the surface of the earth is almost certainly a dead idea in a large part of New York State. The reason is a concept known as “home rule.” A few weeks ago, the state’s highest court upheld the rights of towns and municipalities to pass their own localized fracking ban or moratorium. The decision is a bit more complicated than that, but it essentially is an endorsement of home rule as a legal concept. Towns that pass…