Posts Tagged“featured”

Long Island Vineyards Could See Early Bud Break in 2012

The earliest anyone can remember seeing bud break in Long Island vineyards was mid-April in 2010 — a vintage that ended up being one of the longest and warmest on record. Bud break in 2010 was about two weeks earlier than average. But, after a mild winter and with temperatures currently in the upper-50s and 60s this week — Long Island vineyards coudl see bud break even earlier in 2012. “The potential for an early budbreak this year appears higher than normal. If the weather continues to trend the way it has over the winter season it is increasingly likely that an early…

Favorites from New York Drinks New York at Astor Center

In New York City, local is sought after like a taxicab in the rain. Overused words like “artisanal” and “heritage” bring self-proclaimed locavores to eateries around the city (and even to BROOKLYN) thinking they’re dining on delicacies that are both in season and produced close to home. Despite the marketing many have adopted to capitalize on this movement feeling cliché by this point, eating local is a great thing. So why doesn’t this fervor extend to alcoholic beverages? Those who aren’t familiar with New York State wines are surprised to learn that we are third in wine production nation wide…

New York Drinks New York — Reader Report: Len Dest, Former Director Long Island Merlot Alliance

By Len Dest, Former Director of Long Island Merlot Alliance We participated in the New York Drinks New York on Monday 12 March at the Astor Center in Manhattan. The event was a great success with significant “to the trade” activity in the afternoon and, for the 350 lucky members of the public (sold out) in the evening, a great sampling of the wines of New York. Approximately 40 wineries from each region of New York participated in the pours, with strong participation from the Finger Lakes producers. In discussions with both owners and winemakers from the Finger Lakes region, it…

The Finger Lakes Come to Astoria, Queens — Winegasm Brunch

Sunday, in my fair neighborhood of Astoria, Queens—on a day more reminiscent of a sunny Spring afternoon in May—a wee gathering of Finger Lakes winemakers met at Winegasm, a local wine bar I’ve only hit up once in its 4-year tenure. After seeing their support for New York wines, however, and despite its rather unfortunate name, I’ll be headed back to support them. The space is charming and rustic, with a massive skylight flooding the wooden tables and a winelist that gives a few nods to our New York brethren. Popping bottles at the long, wooden communal table were principals…

The Piggery Deli and Butcher Shop: Making Meat Cool Once More in Ithaca

Piggery-Ithaca

“Do you want to meet the butchers?” Heather asked me as we rounded the corner of the kitchen. In the middle of next room two men intricately worked knives into the ribs of a pig, severed in half and propped on a table. Its skin was carnation-pink, and its bones were clean as a whistle and creamy white. Yes. I wanted to meet the butchers. Heather Sanford and Brad Marshall never intended to run a full-scale butcher shop and deli in one of the Finger Lakes’ most vegetarian-friendly towns. They started their organic pig farm seven years ago with the…

The Most Important Store in the State: Buzz Growing for Empire State Cellars

It is unusual for a single wine store to become such a focus for an entire state. More unusual still when the store is not located in New York City. Since returning home from the Wines of the Year weekend on Long Island, no fewer than three wine industry professionals from the Finger Lakes have asked me, “Did you go to Empire State Cellars?” Or, “What was it like?” Or, “Was it as cool a place as I’m hoping it is?” They are intrigued by the idea of the only wine store in the state that offers exclusively New York…

Not Your Average Riesling: The Story Behind the 2011 NYCR Finger Lakes Riesling of the Year

To understand why the Hermann J. Wiemer 2010 Dry Riesling Reserve is such a special wine, it’s important to understand that not all rieslings are created equally. Nor are all wines created easily. Winemaking at Wiemer is more difficult, more patient, more risk, more reward. There is perhaps no better wine to exemplify this than the NYCR Finger Lakes Riesling of the Year. “For me, the 2010 Reserve is the finest riesling I’ve made,” says winemaker Fred Merwarth. That’s an extraordinary statement for a winemaker who prefers euphemism to hyperbole, and who has built a prolific portfolio in 10 short…

At 171 Cedar Arts, Real Culinary Education by Finger Lakes Chefs

By Rochelle Bilow, Finger Lakes Food Correspondent Most celebrity chefs guard their secrets closely, denying consumers and fans their recipes and techniques. And why should they share? It’s their repertoire, after all. There’s a certain unspoken fear in the restaurant world that if clients can replicate dishes on their own, the banquettes and bar stools will slowly empty as home ovens steadily warm to a roaring fire. The chefs in the Finger Lakes believe otherwise. For years, a core group of culinary professionals in the region have been teaching specialized and themed classes to laypeople, unraveling the mystery and mystique…

Is Wine Tasting a Family-Friendly Endeavor?

By Tracy Weiss, New York City/Long Island Correspondent Photo by Erika Bocknek A wine tasting experience is a sum of its parts. As I sip and swirl and slurp, the wine can only be enhanced or diminished by the elements around me. The silent quaint town of Bouzy on Easter Sunday brought the liquid gold of Paul Clouet’s Grand Cru to legendary status. A simple table wine in Barcelona was elevated when paired with tapas in a rustic café and shared with the restaurant’s owner. I’m the oenophile who remembers more than the notes or structure or acidity after sampling.…

Scenes from the 2012 Long Island Nano Cask Festival

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor At beer events, including the 2012 Long Island Nano Cask Festival last weekend, I’m often introduced as “A wine guy who likes beer too.” I’m not even sure that’s accurate anymore. I drink nearly as much beer as I do wine. There’s little I like better after a long day tasting wine than a couple pints — preferably of a hoppy, bitter-but-barely-balanced IPA. With beer, I know what I like and don’t like, but I don’t know anywhere near as much as the talented NYCR beer team — including our Long Island Correspondent, Donavan Hall,…