Posts Written OnApril 2015

Boundary Breaks Vineyard 2013 No. 239 Dry Riesling

It’s not always easy to know who made any individual wine at Boundary Breaks. They work with a few Finger Lakes winemakers and there isn’t any indication on the bottle or on their website which wines were made where, but Boundary Breaks Vineyard 2013 No. 239 Dry Riesling ($20) was made by Peter Bell at Fox Run Vineyards. Flinty and citrus blossom notes bring a bit of complexity to a nose that is driven by sweet lemons and just-ripe peaches. Citrusy and quite fruity and forward, the palate is juicy, with a bit of perceived sweetness even though it’s labeled…

Weekly New York Wine News — April 13, 2015

Photo via Alexandra Doniger, Assistant Winemaker, Hector Wine Company This week in New York wine news…changes that are happy, sad and historical on Long Island. While Upstate — dollars for wine support, and dollars that detract. NEWS Edible East End – 3/30/2015 Going deep into Long Island’s glacial soils, with a very cool visualization of how the island was formed by the retreating ice sheet. NorthForker – 4/7/2015 Long Island wine loses another long-time fixture as Robert Pellegrini passes away at age 76. Wyoming County Free Press – 4/7/2015 New York State provides $1.4 million in funding to support agricultural product research and…

Brewery Ommegang Hop House Belgian Pale Ale

If it seems like I review some breweries’ offerings more than others here at the NYCR, I do. There are breweries, some large, some small, that are obvious standouts in my eyes. It may seem implicit, but when I’m at the beer store I almost always (try to) buy beer that I know I’m going to like. If I buy and review a beer I really dislike, it was probably by accident. Brewery Ommegang is one of the breweries that I can rely on to never put out crappy beer. I’m not saying every beer they make is great, but they…

Palaia Vineyards is a Family Affair, Where Wine and Celebration are a Way of Life

Jan Palaggi from Palaia Vineyards They say wine, women and song are inseparable. Add a few good men and we have the family affair of Palaia Vineyards in Highland Mills, NY. I just visited with Jan Palaggi, self-proclaimed queen of the operation that she and her husband Joseph founded thirteen years ago. We explored the property, winery and event spaces and tasted some wines. Before sharing my impressions of the wine let me say that while making great juice is a big part of the Palaia family tradition, music, good food and festive events are too. Together they make a delightful experience to…

Dr. Konstantin Frank 2014 Gruner Veltliner

I’ve been lucky when it comes to Gruner Veltliner, one of the great grapes of Austria. Through friends who have worked for various importers over the years, I’ve been introduced to some incredible renditions — expressive wines of intensity, balance and flat-out deliciousness. With that as context, I’ve been a bit let down by most New York Gruner. I used to chalk it up to young vines, poor picking decisions and winemakers getting their footing with it in the cellar. I still think that’s true in some cases, but I’ve also been guilty of not allowing the grapes to express what…

Weekly New York Wine News — April 6, 2015

Early Spring at Hudson-Chatham Winery. (Photo via owner Carlo DeVito) There’s a slew of New York wine news this week, including interviews with winemakers, changes at the SLA, competition wins, and industry innovations. NEWS Terroirist – 3/27/2015 This week’s winemaker interview is with August Deimel from the Finger Lakes, Keuka Spring Vineyards. Westfield Republican – 3/27/2015 Mazza Chautauqua Cellars / Five & 20 Spirits and Brewing is now the first outfit in the state of New York to bat the cycle, producing beer, wine and spirits. Examiner.com – 3/30/2015 William Dowd reports on awards at the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition and…

It’s Back: The New York Cork Club — New York’s Best and Most Interesting Wines Delivered to Your Door

This is a happier Friday than usual at NYCR headquarters. Why? Because the New York Cork Club — our New York wine club — is back. We’re thrilled to be partnering with The Cellar d’Or in Ithaca, NY to bring the club back. For those of you who were members of the club when we were working with the now-closed New York wine superstore Empire State Cellars, we’ve simplified and scaled back the club significantly. Every month, I’ll pick two wines that will never exceed $60 plus shipping and we’ll send them to you. It’s really that simple. In the…