Browsing CategoryTasteCamp

TasteCamp EAST 2010 Interview: Sue Guerra | New Jersey Monthly

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor When Sue Guerra, who writes On the Vine for New Jersey Monthly, expressed interest in attending TasteCamp, I had absolutely no idea who she was. None. Now, after spending a couple days with her, tasting (and drinking) wine with her, I'm glad she reached out and pushed her way into the TasteCamp experience — it was a better event because we had her with us. Beyond her impressive palate, she has a great sense of humor and lives an interesting life as a dual citizen of the United States and Italy.  And now, our TasteCamp…

Guest Post: A Drier Style of Riesling at Ravines Wine Cellars (Rick Van Sickle, Wines In Niagara)

By Rick Van Sickle, Wines In Niagara Photos by Morgan Dawson Reflecting back on what truly was a startling discovery of New York’s Finger Lakes wine region during TasteCamp EAST 2010, one aspect of the vino-soaked weekend that I will never forget was our visit to Ravines Wine Cellars. If I had to pick an experience that changed my mind about how I perceived Finger Lakes from what little exposure I’ve had it would be the very instant that Morten Hallgren (pictured at right) began talking to our group in his no-surrender tone in defense of his wines — not…

TasteCamp EAST 2010 Interview: Neil Miller | Stressing the Vine

  By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief Neil Miller's blog Stressing the Vine is one that I've been a fan of for some time, so when he expressed interest in attending TasteCamp, I was excited. It's always fun to meet fellow bloggers — especially ones so focused on local wines and food — and Neil did not disappoint. I found him to have a very well-tuned palate and to be both entusiastic but pragmatic about local wines.  And now, our TasteCamp 2010 Q&A with Neil: Was this your first visit to Finger Lakes wine country? No. Had you ever had any Finger…

Guest Post: Heart & Hands Wine Company: A Passion for Pinot at Cayuga Lake (Richard Auffrey, The Passionate Foodie)

By Richard Auffrey, The Passionate Foodie It was Sunday afternoon, the final event of TasteCamp 2010, and palate fatigue ran rampant among the attendees. There had already been 200-300 wines available for tasting over the weekend and I was not sure I could handle any more. Snow flurries whipped through the air and I faced a six-plus hour drive home. Plus, my GPS couldn't seem to locate the Heart & Hands Wine Company. After a phone call, I was able to find the winery and join the rest of the TasteCamp crew. And soon, all of the troubles of the…

Pumped Up With Petrol: TDN and Riesling

By Tom Mansell, Science Editor At TasteCamp, bloggers were generously treated to many library selections of riesling.  Peter Bell guided us through two vertical tastings of Fox Run Vineyards rieslings (one pictured at right), of the dry and semi-dry persuasion. Bob Madill poured a library flight at Sheldrake Point Vineyard, and the Tierce brothers poured three years of Fox Run, Anthony Road, and Red Newt rieslings (and their collaborative effort, Tierce Riesling).  The oldest variations poured for the masses dated back to 2001.   One character in particular that stands out in many aged rieslings from around the world is…

Guest Post: Hermann J. Wiemer Stands Out at TasteCamp 2010 (Remy Charest, The Wine Case)

Hermann J. Wiemer winemaker Fred Merwarth discussing his winemaking philosophy By Remy Charest, The Wine Case This may not come as that much of a surprise to those familiar with the Finger Lakes, but the region does make really great riesling. For participants in the second edition of Tastecamp EAST, however, this three-day, three-lake stint in the region was a great opportunity to confirm that the region indeed lives up to its reputation in that respect: just like merlot in Long Island – Tastecamp’s first destination, last year – the Finger Lakes' flagship grape consistently delivers. Throughout the weekend, we…

TasteCamp Takeaway: To Continue Climb, Finger Lakes Must Close the Gap

By Evan Dawson, Finger Lakes Editor Photos by Morgan Dawson Photography It took no more than seven minutes for me to see one of the defining stories emerging from TasteCamp East 2010. There in the Heron Hill Winery tasting room, with several dozen writers from around the country, a gap came into view. It was so wide, so severe, that it could not be ignored. And if the Finger Lakes is going to continue its climb to wine world prominence, the gap will have to close. Specifically, I'm talking about the gap in quality from the top producers to the…

TasteCamp EAST 2010 Interview: Joe Roberts | 1WineDude.com

Joe Roberts tasting Lamoreaux Landing rieslings, while John Witherspoon (r) stares blankly By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief Photo by Neil Sjoblom Joe Roberts, also known as 1WineDude in the wine blogging world, was one of the first people to sign up for TasteCamp — this year and last. He's enthusiastic about tasting wines from around the world and even talks up some of his local Pennsylvania wineries if you corner him (I have). He's also a fellow Pittsburgh Steelers fan, so he'll continue to be invited to events. So, without further ado, here is his TasteCamp 2010 Q&A: Was this your…

Heart & Hands Wine Company TasteCamp Finale: Finger Lakes Pinot Noir In Its Purest Form

Owner Tom Higgins addressing TasteCamp attendees before the tasting. by Bryan Calandrelli, Niagara Region Editor Last Sunday TasteCamp 2010 came to a close with a memorable visit to Heart &Hands Wine Company on the east side of Seneca Lake. We’d all heard about this boutique winery that specializes in pinot noir but most of us had never had the opportunity to experience unfinished wines in the barrel room with owners Tom and Susan Higgins leading the way. As a home winemaker, I was once again using this opportunity to ask some of the questions that build up over a season…

TasteCamp 2010: A Very Wiemer Saturday

By Julia Burke, Niagara Correspondent When a winemaker asks if you need to be anywhere, the answer should probably be “no.” When that winemaker is Fred Merwarth (pictured above left) of Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard, the answer is always “no.” Of the many surprises I encountered at my very first TasteCamp, this was perhaps the best – the fact that the head winemaking staff at one of the most famous and respected wineries in the Finger Lakes took time out of his day to personally take us through a flight of young and aged Wiemer wines was exciting enough for…