Posts Tagged“featured”

A Trip to the West Side (of Keuka Lake)

Well, I’m once again the midst of my annual month-long break from alcohol –– but that doesn’t mean I can’t still enjoy a trip to Finger Lakes wine country. In need of a road trip and eager to take advantage of Wednesday’s lovely weather, I hopped in the car and headed to Keuka Lake for a long overdue visit. (Note: to the tasting room servers’ credit, I didn’t get a single stare or snide comment when I asked for a spit bucket, which I’ve heard can be a problem at many wineries. I thus managed to taste responsibly and maintain my detox.)…

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Merlot Bud Break at Shinn Estate Vineyards (April 6, 2012)

What was mere speculation and conjecture just a few weeks ago is now a reality on the North Fork. Shinn Estate Vineyards’ David Page sent me this photo this morning of bud break in their estate merlot vineyard, marking what appears to be the earliest bud break Long Island wine country has ever seen. The grape-growing process is a marathon, not a sprint, but the North Fork is certainly out of the gate early. Now local growers get to stress over nighttime low temperatures for the next month or so, hoping to avoid crippling frosts that could decimate their crops. Hopefully we’ll get…

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Artisanal Cheese Pairing Event at Peconic Bay Winery

As a cheese geek I am continually preoccupied with the age-old question that plagues the majority of the cheese obsessed here in NY and elsewhere.  “What makes the better cheese pairing?  Wine or Beer?”  I am clearly not alone in this as a sold-out crowd was on hand at the Artisanal Cheese wine and beer pairing event this past weekend, hosted by Peconic Bay Winery. Working with The Village Cheese Shop in Mattituck, and Greenport Harbor Brewing, the staff at Peconic Bay chose 4 different cheeses and subsequently paired them with complementary beer and wine.  This is a pretty perfect…

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Thoughts from a New Father: On Rhys, Riesling, and Teaching Kids to Respect Alcohol

Our son Rhys was about 16 hours old when he tasted his first wine — roughly a quarter of a drop of Champagne, sucked off the end of my pinky — in our hospital room. Our family toasted his arrival, and I attempted to plant a tiny seed that might someday germinate into true appreciation of wine. There is a difference, of course, between wine appreciation and alcohol consumption. I’ve been thinking about how I’ll approach the subject when Rhys grows in age and maturity. Lenn and Nena Thompson have offered my wife and me a nice blueprint for guiding…

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Cornell to Fill North Country Trial Vineyard Tech Position

Just in from the Cornell Cooperative Extension Northeast NY Commercial Fruit program, is announcement of an open position at the cold hardy hybrid wine grape trial vineyard in Willsboro, NY.  I’m well acquainted with the vineyard, having volunteered there for a few years, and I’m deeply connected to the area, due to family ties, and a lifetime of summers in the town.  Were I in a different place in my life now, or if this was 15 years ago, I would not even be sharing this information. Rather I would be doing everything I could to assume the position myself,…

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Villa Bellangelo: A California Family Brings New Ownership, New Winemaker, Lofty Goals and a Sense of History

A small cluster of vines dating to 1866 is, one would assume, the proudly held evidence of some European estate’s history. Given the relatively short history of winemaking in the Finger Lakes, such a cluster of vines might seem out of place on Seneca Lake. That is exactly why Chris Missick loves this little piece of local folklore. Because the vines are real, and so are his family’s dreams of building something new and exciting around them. Chris Missick looks like he was cut out of a piece of granite, and the photo of him holding a rifle while sitting…

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Across the Border: The Quest For the Holy Grail — Ontario Pinot Noir

Perhaps it’s fitting that the first all-pinot-noir flight at this year’s Expert’s Tasting at Brock University’s Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute (CCOVI) was named after Monty Python’s classic film. If transcendent pinot noir is indeed the life-giving juice that flows from a cup then there are many out there spending their lives and fortunes looking for it, even though most everyone else already thinks it lies in Burgundy. Luckily my own quest to attend this year’s tasting was fulfilled, and I sat down with winemakers, wine writers, sommeliers and industry supporters to take a journey through several flights of…

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Gerry Hayden Named “Best Chef, Northeast” Finalist in James Beard Awards

For the second year in row, Chef Gerry Hayden of The North Fork Table & Inn in Southold on the North Fork of Long Island is a finalist in the James Beard Foundation Awards as “Best Chef, Northeast.” He’s one of five finalists for the award, up against Jamie Bissonnette of Coppa in Boston, Tim Cushman of O Ya in Boston, Matthew and Kate Jennings of La Laiterie in Providence, and Eric Warnstedt of Hen of the Wood in Waterbury, Conn. Almost upon opening, NFT has been where Nena and I dine on our splurge nights.We’ve never had anything but…

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NYCR Artisan Dinner with Anthony Nappa Wines April 5 at Orto

After taking a bit of a winter break, we’re happy to announce the next in our series of New York Cork Report Artisan Dinners — this one with Anthony Nappa Wines at Orto, Chef Eric Lomando’s new restaurant in Miller Place. Nappa, who many of you know as the former winemaker for Shinn Estate, has been making wine under his own label for a few vintages now. He brings a diverse winemaking background — having made wine in New Zealand, Southern Italy, California and Massachusetts — and has a bit of a cult following for his white pinot noir, named Anomaly. Join us…

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Empire State Cellars Wine Club: March 2012 Selections

The March shipment of the Empire State Cellars Wine Club will ship this week, so it’s time to tell you about the picks. Admittedly, I had a little help with the wines this time around… thanks to our annual Wines of the Year tasting back in January. Many of this shipment’s wines won “Wine of the Year” for their region and style. One even won our overall New York State Wine of the Year. If you’re not familar with the club, you can learn more here. “Hello New York” Wines Keuka Lake Vineyards 2010 Semi-Dry Riesling: Ripe, forward and apple-y, this well-balanced riesling is…

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