New York Cork Report

Red Newt Prepares to Launch Deb Whiting Foundation with Kick-off Dinner Event this Friday

By Evan Dawson, Finger Lakes Editor

Seats still remain for what Red Newt Bistro is billing as "the wine and food event of the season." This Friday, December 2, Red Newt Bistro host a special dinner that will raise funds for the new Debra Whiting Foundation.

The cost to attend is a $100 donation to the foundation.

"Debra was a woman of passion," says Dave Whiting, owner of Red Newt Cellars and Bistro. "We were passionately in love, and she worked, breathed, and lived with a passion. This event is an expression in so many ways of what Debra lived and breathed while she was alive, and for me is a reminder of her legacy that each one of us has the privilege to share."

For the menu, Red Newt Bistro chef Brud Holland is teaming with Samantha Buyskes of Simply Red Events and Culinary Center.

The theme corresponds to one of Deb Whiting's favorites: Five Times Swine. (Each course will have a pork theme, but vegetarian options are available.) 

The money generated by this dinner will help launch the foundation, which has lofty goals. "I can't bear to think of looking at the Finger Lakes as the region that it is becoming without Debra continuing to be a part of it," Dave Whiting explains. "We would have rather had her here in person, but it's essential that the drive and spirit that her life embodied carry on in her absence."

The Debra Whiting Foundation will launch with several initiatives:

Scholarships

Scholarship venues will be offered at local high schools to encourage and fund students who decide to pursue further education in culinary and/or local agriculture programs.

Internships

An infrastructure will be built to enable and facilitate rich internship opportunities for students enrolled in college or university level culinary programs. The focus of these opportunities will be to bridge the disconnect that often occurs between what is prepared for the plate and where it came from. Connecting the farm to the table builds the appreciation of local cuisine, farms and families.

Apprenticeships

Offered to culinary professionals not currently enrolled in other educational programs. This multidisciplinary apprenticeship will focus on the integration of farm, table, farmer, chef and community. Engaging the apprentice in multiple aspects and situations of farm production, food processing and restaurant preparation will build an appreciation of the “what, how and why” of the locavore approach to cuisine and agriculture.

The dinner event begins at 6:30 on Friday, December 2. In lieu of attending this event, the foundation is graciously accepting donations.

Purchase tickets online

Five Things I Learned From a Night of Bartending

By Evan Dawson, Finger Lakes Editor

There is so much to learn from a single night of tending bar. On a recent Saturday, I was one of several bartenders for a charity fundraiser in Rochester. It was a farm-to-table event put together by the fine folks at Breathe Yoga, and it featured local food and all Finger Lakes wines.

I recruited the wine donations, then tended bar myself. Here's what I learned.

1. People like red wine, and Finger Lakes reds are plenty passable for the masses

I divided the red wines into two main groups: lighter-bodied reds (mostly pinot noir) and bigger-bodied reds. Pinot was popular, but many consumers just wanted something dark. The surprise smash hit of the night was Keuka Spring Vineyards' 2010 Miller's Cove Red, which poured the darkest color of the many wines we featured. It was gone quickly. Only once did someone taste a Finger Lakes red and decide they didn't want it. These were, for the most part, not discerning customers; they just wanted a standard red. This is not typically a regional strength, but it says something about the quality of the winemaking when consumers are almost uniformly satisfied. 

2. People know variety much more than anything else

Actual conversation with a guy who appeared to be around 40:

Him: I'd love a zinfandel.

Me: These are all Finger Lakes wines, and these producers don't specialize in reds quite that style.

Him: Oh, gotcha. Then I'll take a malbec.

I don't bring this up to poke fun. I think this is a symptom of the pernicious by-the-glass lists that plague this country. So many restaurants serve a shiraz, or a zin, or a merlot. No other information for the customer needed.

3. Many casual consumers still assume that riesling means "sweet"

Over and over, when I mentioned there was plenty of good riesling, people would say, "Okay, but do you have anything that isn't quite so sweet?"

This opened up a nice window for conversation and education. But I was surprised that riesling still carries a training-wheels stigma for some consumers.

4. Man, do people drink a lot of freaking chardonnay

Siiiiiggghhhhh...

5. Those who want to be educated make up a small percentage of consumers, but they're thirsty for knowledge

Most people just wanted a glass of wine, and it hardly mattered what we were pouring. But those that wanted to learn really wanted to learn. They were interested in vintage variation, which grapes worked well locally, which producers were strongest, etc. There are opportunities with this crowd, and I hope the wine industry continues to cultivate their passion.

Riesling Hour to Celebrate 2010 Finger Lakes Rieslings

By Evan Dawson, Managing Editor and Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

It's not exactly Bordeaux's En Primeur, but in some small way, there are echoes of the vintage launch events that are celebrated around the world. Finger Lakes winemakers have never coordinated their efforts enough to create such an occasion. It has taken the energy of Finger Lakes Wine Country to shepherd the region, and the result is the forthcoming Riesling Hour, scheduled for next Thursday at 6 p.m.

 

Will it work? Hard to say. Unlike other regions, this event does not serve as the actual release or first tasting of the previous vintage. Many wineries have had their 2010 rieslings out and available to the public for weeks or even months. Most that participate in this event did not hold their wines for this moment.

 

And yet this event will offer a more comprehensive look at a single vintage than ever before. In bars, restaurants and private homes across the state, writers and friends and enthusiasts will taste a wide range of 2010 rieslings.

The NYCR will co-host two semi-public tastings for Riesling Hour -- one in Rochester and one in Peconic on the North Fork of Long Island.

The Rochester Riesling Hour event will begin at 6:00 at Chocolate & Vines on University Avenue. Space is already filling up, so you're asked to RSVP with Evan if you'd like to attend.

The Peconic Riesling Hour event will take place at The Winemaker Studio on Peconic Lane and also begin at 6 p.m. If you'd like to attend, please RSVP with Lenn. In honor of Riesling Hour, Anthony Nappa and Sarah Evans, proprietors of the Studio, are featuring the rieslings they pour and sell -- most made from Finger Lakes fruit -- this weekend as well. Visitors can taste five rieslings for $5 and purchase a bottle of each for $75.

We hope you're join us -- either at one of these tastings or at your own personal Riesling Hour. Let's celebrate the 2010 Finger Lakes rieslings.

July 11: NYCR New York Artisan Dinner With Heart & Hands Wine Company

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

To build on the success of the first of our "New York Beverage Artisan Dinners" at Luce & Hawkins, we knew we wanted to do a wine dinner -- but not just any wine dinner.

And, I think we're doing something pretty different -- by featuring a Finger Lakes winemaker and his wines.

Tom Higgins, co-owner and winemaker at Heart & Hands Wine Company on Cayuga Lake in the Finger Lakes is traveling to the North Fork on July 11 to share five of his pinot noir-based wines as we enjoy a four-course meal prepared by Chef Keith Luce.

This very well may be the first-ever Finger Lakes wine dinner in Long Island wine country.

If you're not familiar with Heart & Hands Wine Company, you've probably not been a NYCR reader for very long and you probably haven't read Finger Lakes editor Evan Dawson's book yet either (why not by the way?).

Simply stated, Higgins is making some of the most exciting pinot noir-based wines in the state, if not the entire East Coast. Heart & Hands is small, producing fewer than 2,000 cases per year, and while Higgins does make some (very good) riesling, the pinots are the stars of the portfolio and make the winery a real jewel in the region.

Dinner will start at 7 p.m. on July 11 and will offer a rare opportunity to taste these wines on Long Island, and we're thankful that Higgins has been enthusiastic about taking part in our dinner series. He'll be pouring his 2009 Brut Rose, 2009 Pinot Noir, two 2008 single-vineyard pinot noirs and a 2008 Barrel Reserve Pinot Noir.

Seats are $75 (including tax and gratuity) and we only have 40 seats available for this dinner -- which I expect to sell out fairly quickly.

If you'd like to join us, please email me asap to reserve your spot.

Images from the Sold-Out Book Launch Party at the NYWCC

By Evan Dawson, Finger Lakes Editor
Photos by Morgan Dawson Photography 

Can you see how much fun we had on Saturday?

We were overwhelmed with the turnout for the official book launch event at the New York Wine and Culinary Center for Summer in a Glass. That's Fred Merwarth of Hermann J. Wiemer on my left and Johannes Reinhardt of Anthony Road Wine Company on my right.

Johannes and Fred kept the crowd entertained with stories of their personal journies (if you haven't heard it, you must ask Fred about Hermann's fib when Fred first went to work for Wiemer). There was a moment when the room burst into applause in support of Johannes and his quest to earn permanent status in this country. And the quality of the questions from the audience when it came to winemaking was off the charts.

I'm told they had to turn some people away -- the room was packed, and the staff did a fantastic job. We enjoyed food from the NYWCC, and this was the wine list:

1. Hermann J. Wiemer 2006 Cuvee Brut
2. Hermann J. Wiemer 2009 HJW Vineyard Riesling
3. Hermann J. Wiemer 2009 Magdalena Vineyard Riesling
4. Anthony Road 2008 Semi-Dry Riesling
5. Hermann J. Wiemer 2008 Cabernet Franc
6. Anthony Road 2007 Martini-Reinhardt Selection Cabernet Franc
7. Anthony Road 2008 Pinot Gris Bellaria dessert wine

As you might guess, the wines were cheered at every step. 

If we missed you Saturday, see you soon at one of the events found on this page.

Our thanks to Chrys Baldwin, Shannon Brock, and the staff at the NYWCC. 

And our thanks again to Fred and Johannes for giving their time and energy to make for a truly memorable event.

Summer in a Glass Book Events: Quite Possibly the Most Fun You Can Have with Wine and Bound Books

By Evan Dawson, Finger Lakes Editor

I truly believe we're well on our way to shocking my publisher, Sterling Publishing, when it comes to interest in the Finger Lakes wine scene.

That's not to say Sterling doesn't believe in my book. Obviously they do, but we want to show them that their modest expectations can be greatly exceeded.

And there are some big events coming up that will be one heck of a good time.

They're listed below, and the list of events grows almost daily it seems.

If you choose one, I hope you'll choose to join us at the New York Wine and Culinary Center for the official book launch party on Saturday, April 23 from 4-6 p.m. Winemakers Fred Merwarth of Hermann J. Wiemer and Johannes Reinhardt of Anthony Road Wine Company will be telling stories, talking about how I conned them into letting me write the stories of their lives, and pouring wine for the attendees.

That's not to say the other events won't be awesome. I'm truly excited for all of them. I just want to kick off with a strong opener to generate some momentum for the rest of the year.

I hope you can join us!

Friday, April 8
Roc City Uncorked
Rochester Riverside Convention Center
7pm
90 wineries, 30 restaurants, bakers, and brewmasters will offer tastes to the public. You can say hi to Evan and pick up a copy of Summer in a Glass!
Tickets: $50, available at Wegmans

Saturday, April 23
The New York Wine and Culinary Center, Canandaigua
4-6pm
Official book release party
$50
Join Evan and winemakers Johannes Reinhardt of Anthony Road Wine Company and Fred Merwarth of Hermann J. Wiemer. Attendees will enjoy a sparkling wine reception, signed copy of the book, tasting of wines related to the book, and discussion with the dynamic Johannes and Fred!

Thursday, May 5
 Barnes & Noble, Greece, NY
7pm
Book signing

Friday, May 20
The Aurora Inn, Village of Aurora, Cayuga Lake
Heart & Hands theme dinner
Featuring the owners of Heart & Hands, Tom and Susan Higgins
Details TBA

Saturday, May 21
Heron Hill winery, Keuka Lake
1-4 pm
Featuring Heron Hill owner John Ingle
Vertical tasting of Ingle Vineyard Riesling

Saturday, June 4
Fox Run Vineyards, Seneca Lake
Featuring Fox Run winemaker Peter Bell and assistant winemaker Tricia Renshaw

Wednesday, June 15
Union Square Wines, New York City
6pm-8pm
We’ll taste wines, discuss the people in Summer in a Glass, maybe sign some books, and have a wonderful time at a very cool place. Join us!

Thursday, June 16
Brooklyn Winery, Brooklyn, NY
Tasting and talking with the winemakers from Anthony Road Wine Company
Johannes Reinhardt’s story is central to Summer in a Glass. Anthony Road has a strong relationship with Brooklyn Winery, and for this event we’ll taste wines and have a wonderful interactive discussion on the future of wines in New York!

Saturday, June 18
Sheldrake Point Vineyard, Cayuga Lake
Featuring Sheldrake Point winemaker Dave Breeden
1:30 pm
Attendees receive a book, boxed lunch from Simply Red Bistro, and wine tasting with the author and winemaker. Evan will read a few select passages from the book to illustrate points. We expect some lively debate!
Ticket price TBA

Saturday, July 18
The Finger Lakes Wine Festival, Watkins Glen
Stop by and visit Evan during the festival, or – better yet! – get a ticket to the VIP Riedel Experience, where Evan will help present wines and talk about the book! This is sure to be one of the premier wine events of the summer.

Saturday, August 6
Red Newt Bistro, Hector, NY (Seneca Lake)
Dinner and book discussion
Featuring winemaker David Whiting, chef Deb Whiting, and assistant winemaker Brandon Seager

Friday, August 26
Damiani Wine Cellars tasting room, Seneca Lake
7-9 pm
Reception, book discussion, wine tasting and art exhibition

 

Wine, Swine, Dine Event Aims to Energize Slow Season in the Finger Lakes

By Evan Dawson, Managing Editor

This is, by any measure, the down season in the Finger Lakes wine industry. Vines are hibernating, tourists are less numerous. But Damiani Wine Cellars on southeast Seneca Lake is hoping a weekend event will enliven the local scene.

This Sunday, from 1 to 4 in the afternoon, Damiani will host Wine, Swine, Dine. The free event combines wine tasting, food and local art.

"The farmers and artisan food crafters will have their goods available for sale, so the event will have a kind of farmer's market vibe," says Amy Cheatle, tasting room manager of Damiani Wine Cellars.

The food will come from Autumn's Harvest Farms, The Piggery, Finger Lakes Farmstead Cheese, Queen Bee Confections, and Preliminaire Chocolat, among others.

Damiani recently opened a new tasting room and often features local artists. Christin Boggs' art will be on display, and it focuses on the local food movement.

Cheatle says fusion events like this one will only become more common in tasting rooms like Damiani's. She hopes the lack of an admission fee will help boost attendance on what might otherwise be a slow Sunday.

A Different Side of the Finger Lakes Wine Festival: The VIP Experience

By Tom Mansell, Science Editor

Photos courtesy of Brian Reider

Last year, I went to my first Finger Lakes Wine Festival with high expectations. It was going to be an opportunity for me to taste wines from Finger Lakes wineries I'd never or rarely visited. I'd also be able to taste wines from Niagara and the Hudson Valley, too.

That Saturday, the festival was a teeming mass of people. Hot, sweaty and cramped under the tents in 90+ degree heat and tasting wines sitting in ice-cold water baths was not at all what I had in mind. 

Sunday was perfectly pleasant, though, with far fewer attendees. The most enjoyable part of the festival however occurred after hours, when winemakers and owners gathered in the "Riesling Room" in an informal setting to taste reserve bottles, swap stories and generally relax after a long, hot day of pouring wines. 

This, I thought, was the wine experience I was looking for: a chance to really taste top wines and talk to winemakers. Into the evening after these tasting sessions, industry folks brainstormed about how to make the festival more inviting for the wine-savvy crowd.

On by blog Ithacork, I summed the 2009 weekend up in three parts. My conclusions and plan for returning in 2010: on Saturday, make an effort to get to seminars and other special events that were being offered and taste down on the front lines on Sunday when it would be less crowded.

This year, I pretty much stuck to my plan, though Saturday was much better than expected: I was privy to the Riedel VIP Experience.

Those who ponied up $175 (or somehow weaseled their way on to the media list...) were offered the following:

• Total access to all Festival events (including the Brewer's garden)
• Access to a 90-minute tasting session with Georg Riedel, featuring Finger Lakes wines in Riedel glassware
• Riedel Vinum XL tasting set (retails for $123 on the Riedel website) 
• Reserve bottle of Finger Lakes wine
• Exclusive “after-hours” access to festival wineries on Saturday
• VIP tasting with 15 participating wineries and the winemakers and vintners on Saturday
• Other goodies like an exclusive wine claim process/redemption, reserved parking, and a ride in the pace car

So from noon until 5 p.m. on Saturday, one could stay in the air-conditioned media center, away from the crowds, and taste special selections of Finger Lakes wines, many of which were poured by winemakers/owners. Bingo.

Riedel Tasting: Spotlight on Finger Lakes Wines

The first element of the VIP experience was a "personal sensory evaluation" with Georg Riedel. I'm not going to mention all of the pseudo-scientific mumbo-jumbo that underpins the claims Riedel makes about how glassware affects wine aroma and taste. That's for another post and possibly another forum altogether. 

Suffice it to say that Riedel holds a tightly-controlled and carefully orchestrated tasting, which involves pouring wines from glass to glass in a choreographed ballet of smelling, tasting, nodding in agreement and gasping in amazement.

My never-ending skepticism aside, there's no denying that Riedel makes world-class glassware and it was great to see Finger Lakes wines filling that glassware. It was also great to see Finger Lakes wines showcased in such a way to a VIP audience, which included international journalists from the prestigious Circle of Wine Writers.

The wines (and the glasses that held them, all from the Riedel Vinum XL line):

• Dr. Konstantin Frank 2008 Dry Riesling (Riesling Grand Cru)
• Atwater Estate 2007 Chardonnay (Montrachet)
• Heart and Hands Wine Company 2007 Barrel Reserve Pinot Noir (Pinot Noir)
• Lakewood Vineyards 2007 Cabernet Franc (Cabernet Sauvignon)

Interestingly, two of the wineries selected also feature Riedel glassware in their tasting rooms. The wines for this tasting were selected by Jill Day, regional manager for Riedel USA and between 9 and 12 wines were submitted for consideration for each of the four grape varieties.

All the wines showed well in the glassware (as expected). Midway through the tasting, there came effusive praise from Riedel for the Heart and Hands 2007 Barrel Reserve Pinot. When he smelled and tasted it, he was quite obviously temporarily knocked off his game. It was clear that he was truly surprised by the quality of this Finger Lakes pinot as his polished delivery was stopped in its tracks while he complimented winemaker Tom Higgins on a job well done.

VIP Tasting: Great food and great wines in a relaxed atmosphere

After the Riedel tasting and a short breakdown period, the VIP wine tasting began. Leather couches and cocktail tables, light piano jazz and outstanding hors d'oeuvres prepared by local chef Deb Whiting (Red Newt Bistro) set the mood. Fifteen of the top Finger Lakes producers (selected by Finger Lakes Wine Country) were there to pour some nice wines for the VIPs for three hours.

"The winery response was amazing and there was a waiting list in addition to the 15 represented," says Finger Lakes Wine Country president, Morgen McLaughlin. "To have [Hermann J.] Wiemer, Shaw and Lamoreaux Landing pour at the event (when they weren't part of the rest of the Festival) speaks to the support from the wine industry and the top wineries in the region for a VIP Experience." 

If you make a list of who you think are the elite producers in the Finger Lakes, many on that list were in attendance at the VIP tasting. I'll leave a complete list of attendees in the comments section.

Standout wines for me in the VIP tasting (some of which were new releases or very recently bottled):  Lamoreaux Landing 2009 Dry Riesling (fruit leaping out of the glass), Shaw 2009 LiBella Pinot Grigio (bold tropical fruit), Heron Hill 2007 Blaufränkisch (strawberry showing through still generous oak), Red Newt 2007 Viridescens (dark fruit kept in check by firm acid and tannin structure), Hermann J. Wiemer 2008 Gewürztraminer (effortlessly balanced fleshy fruit, floral notes, and acidity).

The evolving VIP experience

It was clear that the organizers of the event used consumer and industry feedback to tailor a VIP experience.  Kudos are due to FLWC and Watkins Glen International, the engines of these improvements. Not insignificant in this change is the new president of WGI, Michael Printup. A slick businessman and admitted wine enthusiast, Printup has big ideas for integrating "the Glen" with wine country, including the recent planting of some St. Croix grapevines on the track.

Special events were not limited to those able to drop 175 bucks though. 

Like every year, the NYWGF and the NY Wine & Culinary Center sponsored free seminars on Finger Lakes wines and culinary seminars featuring wine pairings. Down on the track, the "Riesling Room" from 2009, which offered samples of a spectrum of high-quality Rieslings, expanded to become the "Vintner's Room" in 2010, offering 20-minute seminars on different types of wine from winemakers and owners, with special tastings offset from the main tasting tents.

The most disappointing aspect of the VIP tasting was the attendance. While the room was packed for the Riedel tasting, not everybody stayed for what was arguably the real meat of the VIP experience. Even the Vintner's Room, filled to capacity on Saturday, was packing up early on Sunday. 

And speaking of packing up early, almost no wineries stayed open past 5 p.m. for "exclusive after-hours access." Whether this was a miscommunication between security and vendors or an understandable case of "let's get the hell out of here," the Festival was a ghost town at 5:15.

The Festival has (obviously) developed a bad rap among wine cognoscenti over the years. The organizers need to overcome that stigma in order to convince people that a VIP experience is something worth attending.  

Is a huge name like Riedel required to make that happen? $175 is pretty steep, and many wine lovers (if they're anything like me) already have a plethora of wine glasses to begin with. Perhaps a slightly cheaper experience, without the added cost of expensive glassware and airfare for Austrian hucksters, could attract more wine enthusiasts while keeping out the riff-raff.

One thing is clear here, though. The Festival itself is not a static entity that "is what it is" and has no intention of courting wine-savvy consumers and trade folk. This year, the organizers made a valid first attempt at an experience that caters to more discriminating tastes. While it may not have been very well attended, it was a legitimate step in the right direction. Labeling the Festival as nothing but a "drunkfest" is simply no longer valid.

Though truthfully, I did feel a bit bourgeois up there in the media center, far from the madding crowd below.  I guess that's what being a VIP is all about.

(Full disclosure: I attended the VIP experience with media credentials. I did keep the Riedel glassware and I intend to evaluate, experiment and debunk the heck out of it. I did not accept the complimentary "reserve" bottle of Finger Lakes wine.)

The Finger Lakes Wine Festival Deserves Our Attention

Wine tasting at the Schulze Vineyards & Winery table.

By Bryan Calandrelli, Niagara Region Editor

The annual Finger Lakes Wine Festival draws tens of thousands of visitors to the region, pumping money into the local economy while helping to promote and support one the country’s largest wine industries.

So why don’t we take it seriously?

To come away with a well-rounded story about this year’s Finger Lakes Wine Festival, I should’ve gotten a VIP pass and media credentials. I should’ve had time to go the vintner’s room and participate in the various seminars and tastings. I would’ve needed the whole day to tour the tables to find the best wines of the show. Unfortunately I was again working on the other side of the table and was extremely limited in terms of how I experienced the event.

The fact is I had a blast writing last year’s post, poking fun at the toga party and the how porta-potties can provide metaphorical symbols of what I think of certain wine styles but I realize that there’s much more to the festival than quirky observations.

In the lead up to this year’s festival I thought it needed a fair shake so I intended to show both the good and the bad with video as the medium but with my vantage point being so narrow, it didn’t take long for me to realize that I wasn’t seeing the best of the event. A quick look back at my video clips reveal funny yet unappealing snippets of inappropriate clothing, ice cream being eaten out of tasting glasses and crowded tasting tents.

I was reminded that I was basically reinforcing the opinion that this festival isn’t for fine wine lovers so I’ve temporarily scrapped it. So for now I want to clarify some of the misconceptions I have helped create in the past.

Yes, the festival is crowded and noisy enough that having meaningful conversations with the winery employees is not easy…on Saturday. Luckily Sunday feels like there are only half as many attendees so getting around and having satisfying tasting experiences is absolutely possible and is on par or better than many other events I’ve been to, including Food Network-sponsored wine tastings.

The idea that wineries only bring uninteresting and inexpensive bulk sweet wines is also inaccurate. It seems like more than 75% of the wineries bring some dry wines, including riesling and cabernet franc. This year I tried Tocai Friulano from Ventosa Vineyards, McGregor’s Rkatsiteli-Sereksiya and Cabernet Franc-Lemberger from Anthony Road. I was personally selling a $25 Pinot Noir and McGregor was tasting and selling their $50 Black Russian Red.

The assumption that the serious wine producers don’t participate is also isn’t true. Fox Run, Dr. Konstantin Frank, Chateau Lafayette Reneau, Red Newt and Atwater are just a few of several respected wineries that attend and obviously benefit from selling wine there. Sure, there’s no Wiemer or Ravines table, but two wineries do not represent a whole region.

The perception that the crowds can be unruly or misbehaved is not deserved as the overall party atmosphere is not much worse than what I’ve seen in tasting rooms on a Saturday afternoon, it’s just on a larger scale. For the most part even the most extreme tasters are still positive and trying their best to allow everyone to enjoy themselves.

There were a surprising number of dry wine drinkers at my table. We poured through more pinot noir than anything else and the biggest seller was a cabernet-merlot blend. Sure there were plenty of sweet tasters but they didn’t speak for everyone.

I do admit that the Finger Lakes Wine Festival will never replace actually going to a winery, meeting the winemaker or walking through the vineyards, but not everyone who supports the industry needs to do that.

The truth is, the event features wine as a collective experience of tens of thousands of people from all walks of life. If nothing else, the festival serves as a reminder that wine doesn’t have to be just for the few, but in reality is for the many. It deserves a hat tip for its success and interest it creates in New York wine. 

What Niagara Brings to the Finger Lakes Wine Festival

Yours truly with the staff of Schulze Vineyards & Winery at last year's Finger Lakes Wine Festival

By Bryan Calandrelli, Niagara Region Editor

Niagara region wineries don’t often get the chance to pour for large audiences and even if they did, most don’t have the volume of wine that they can just pour away as samples.

Luckily the annual Finger Lakes Wine Festival is open to any New York State winery that wants to brave the crowds and take advantage of the opportunity to hand sell their wines to thousands of eager drinkers in Watkins Glen, NY. This year there are seven Niagara wineries representing the region.

Last year I worked the festival with Schulze Vineyards & Winery and got to see the spectacle unfold from behind the table. Aside from learning how to survive the festival I really got a feel for what people were demanding in terms of varieties.

This year I’m going back to help out Freedom Run Winery with their first trip to the event so I thought I should give the New York Cork Report’s readers some info on what to expect if they are seeking out Niagara wines next weekend.

If you are looking to taste some sweet wines from the region you have should visit Vizcarra Vineyards, Niagara Landing and Honeymoon Trail. Vizcarra is a one-stop shop for farm produce, baked goods, livestock petting, grape and fruit wines, and now, beer, but you can probably expect just wine from them at the festival as I’m not sure the vendor pass covers goats.

Niagara Landing, the oldest winery in the region, makes the whole spectrum of wines from dry to sweet but they are mainly known for the latter, including Rosebud Rosé, which I can only describe as their “Red Cat.” My advice would be to try their baco noir and vidal ice wine.

Honeymoon Trail in my opinion is the sweetest winery of the group and has won more medals than anyone for stuff like Diamond and Niagara. Being that the overwhelming demand is for sweets on the first day of the festival, they will probably be swamped with tasters.

Spring Lake Winery should be interesting as they supplement their estate riesling and late harvest riesling with California-made wines like cabernet sauvignon and merlot. I can vouch for the rieslings and if you just need some velvety tannins and chocolaty reds then you’ll find that in their non-estate offerings.

Leonard Oakes Estate Winery is a must-visit as they are making some of the most dynamic wines in the region from hybrid and vinifera grapes. Their double-gold winning Frontenac will be there as well other solid hybrids like Vignoles, Traminette and their red and white blends. Vinifera lovers should try their cabernet and riesling as they are always elegant and their vidal ice wine I consider one of the best in the state.

Schulze Vineyard & Winery’s lineup of wines is probably the most suited to the festival’s tasting environment.

Who needs Red Cat when they make a sweet red blend called Ruby? This stuff seriously spread through the crowds like a pandemic last year. Their Crackling line of tank-carbonated wines like Niagara and Mon Cheri stand out as unique even in the sea of sweets they are among at this event. Anyone who wants perfectly balanced off dry wines should try their vidal, cab franc rosé and cab franc nouveau. Once again like Niagara Landing and Leonard Oakes, they make an excellent vidal ice wine, so drink up.

Finally if you want to come by and discuss me being a cheerleader of Niagara wines, you can do it in person at the Freedom Run Winery table. I will be pouring a few sweets but mainly dry reds from their estate vineyards. I warned the owners that dry reds aren’t exactly the most popular wines at the festival but the opportunity to get more people to realize that they can be done well in Niagara is reason enough to bring them.

As far as must-trys, the 2008 Estate Pinot Noir (New York Cork Report’s Niagara red wine of the year) is one. I also think that the 2008 Estate Cabernet Franc and Cab-Merlot are worthy of the most finicky palates.

So if you’re heading to the festival, check a few of these places out. I realize Niagara County may not be on your destination list this summer so take advantage of the fact that we are coming to the Finger Lakes. And seriously stop by and see me if you can. I’ll be the one not wearing a toga, not drinking wine out of glass that blinks purple and green and not singing the Red Cat song.

TasteCamp 2010 Visuals: I'm On a Boat

With the passage of time we'll be able to give it a fuller evaluation, but for now, I'd vote for this photograph as the Best Picture Ever Taken.

The man in the tuxedo, proudly displaying a magnum (what, no methuselah?) of Red Cat, is our Science Editor, Tom Mansell. 

See, if you missed TasteCamp 2010, you might not have had the opportunity to join us for the Saturday night after-party on The Boat. Perhaps more will be said of this. Perhaps it should pass quietly into legend. But the bottom line is: We were on a boat, climbing buoys, in our flippy floppies. You were likely at Kinko's, straight flippin' copies.

Recovering From a TasteCamp Weekend

 By Evan Dawson, Finger Lakes Editor

This week, we'll have plenty to say about a fascinating and successful weekend here in the Finger Lakes. While our palates un-nuke and our brains re-solidify, we'll be posting occasional photos to illustrate the events and memorable locations.

This shot shows Damiani Wine Cellars grower Phil Davis, leading a vineyard walk on Saturday morning. The photo fails to capture how steep this particular vineyard site is. It was an educational and physical workout. 

Cheers, stay tuned, and rest well, fellow TasteCamp folks. 

What Should You Expect From Finger Lakes Wine?

By Evan Dawson, Finger Lakes Editor

I would guess I'm not the first to break this news, but, anyway, here it is: 

The Finger Lakes ain't the Mosel. 

This weekend, several dozen writers will make their first journey to the Finger Lakes. And this month, several tens of thousands of people will make their first journey of 2010 to the region. It is reasonable for everyone to ask what they should expect from Finger Lakes wine.

May is a little thing called Riesling Month around here, but let's be honest: In the Finger Lakes, every month is Riesling Month. Sure, you could squeeze in a month for pinot noir or cab franc or gewurztraminer, but there is a reason that Finger Lakes producers will showcase their riesling this weekend. 

In the weeks to come, we're going to write more about the top producers of riesling and what a Finger Lakes regional profile now looks like. But I'm holding off on that, because I don't want to sway the views of incoming writers. There is already enough confirmation bias in the world of wine.

But I do want to preempt any discussion -- any consternation -- that Finger Lakes riesling does not closely match its cousin from Germany, or Alsace or elsewhere. Just recently we saw a well-publicized wine writer lament that his first taste of Finger Lakes riesling wasn't a dead ringer for a German bottling he liked. 

Hey, even the German winemakers in the Finger Lakes understand that our terroir is different.

And yet, there most certainly is an emerging style to go with a prominent sense of place in the wines. We've conducted large blind tastings with riesling from around the world. It's remarkable how riesling reflects its home, and picking out the Finger Lakes is no less challenging than finding a German product. Any variety of grape will bring similarities, but perhaps more than any other, riesling adds the layers of place so effectively.

Even a Finger Lakes cab franc stands apart from, say, a Loire version (and certainly one from California). Now, I would argue that a Finger Lakes cab sauv stands out as well, but not for reasons of place or terroir. Not every planting decision is a perfect one in every region. 

To those who argue that a worldwide benchmark is the best way to compare wines, I say: There's a compelling point there. Burgundy will always be the zenith of pinot noir. But comparing a Russian River pinot or a Finger Lakes pinot to a Burgundian pinot will only take you so far. Accounting for terroir is essential.

Cheers to what will be a fascinating weekend, month, and ongoing conversation. Let's let Mosel be Mosel, Alsace be Alsace, and the Finger Lakes be the Finger Lakes. And let's be open to the strengths and weaknesses of all. 

Celebrate Finger Lakes Riesling Month with Riesling Hour Tonight

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief

You're going to hear it a lot, so get used to it -- May is Riesling Month in the Finger Lakes.

Tonight at 8 p.m. as a part of  the month-long celebration, Finger Lakes Wine Country has organized "Riesling Hour" a virtual tasting happening via Twitter and Facebook.

It's similar to TasteLive, but scaled down, and easier to take part in. To participate one only needs to open a bottle of a Finger Lakes riesling -- from any producer or vintage -- with friends or family at 8 p.m. 

Then simply log on to your Twitter profile and post some comments and pictures on the wine using the #FLXwine hashtag. 

If  you aren’t on Twitter, you can visit FLXtwits.com to follow the action (including a live stream of the Riesling Hour goings on at Red Newt Cellars). Or, you can log on to Facebook and visit www.facebook.com/FingerLakesWineCountry to post comments, photos or videos from your riesling tasting experience.  

We're tasting a lot of riesling these days at NYCR headquarters, so we'll probably log on and join the fray. Should be a fun event.

Mansell to Ignite Ithaca with Wine Science

By Tom Mansell, Science Editor

Tonight at 7 p.m., at Ithaca geek haven Pixel Lounge, a unique and interesting gathering of ideas will occur. 

According to the website...

IGNITE ITHACA is a high-energy evening of 5-minute talks by people who have an idea–and the guts to get onstage and share it with their hometown crowd. Run by local volunteers who are connected through the global IGNITE network, IGNITE is a force for raising the collective IQ and building connections.

Some of the scheduled talks include:

• “Grand Theft Faust — Illegal File Sharing at the Dawn of Print”
• “Ithacka: Why Ithaca Needs a Hackerspace”
• “Childhood Dreams: Why They Are Important”
• “Sacred Cows - Anatomy of a Recycled Logo Project”

I'll be giving a 5-minute talk on appreciating wine science and some of the biases that we can encounter when enjoying and purchasing wine, with a heavy shout out to New York State wine, of course.

Once the event's over, I'll try to get a video of the talk up on here.

If you're in Ithaca, come to Pixel at 7 to have your mind blown by all kinds of crazy Ithacan ideas.

News and Notes (March 23, 2010)

Some announcements and happenings from around New York wine country. If you have news that you'd like to be considered for this almost-weekly column, please let us know via email.
 

Finger Lakes

Vineyard Training Series at Damiani Wine Cellars
Damiani Wine Cellars is offering a five-part vineyard training designed to allow participants to "follow a vineyard from dormant vine pruning to harvest." Grower Phil Davis will lead the sessions, which are slated to run 90 minutes each. The first is April 3 and will provide a vineyard tour and lessons on pruning. Later sessions will focus on trellis work, shoot thinning, and harvest preparation.

Participants will have the chance to work with native grapes as well as noble European varieties like Pinot Noir. Sessions costs $25 each or $110 for all five courses. Damiani, located on southeast Seneca Lake, will limit the group to 15 people.

Long Island

Martha Clara Vineyard to Offer Viticulture/Winemaking Course
Martha Clara vineyard manager Jim Thompson and winemaker Juan Micieli-Martinez have announced a program they are calling "Vines to Wines." During this five-session seminar, participants will learn about what it takes to grow grapes on Long Island and will maintain their own block of merlot that will be harvested in the fall and made into wine.

It kicks off on April 24 and costs $1,200 and includes three cases of merlot from the block participants maintain throughout the season and a wine dinner at the the end of the last session. Visit the MCV site for more details.

Sherwood House Vineyards to Open Second, Year-Round Tasting Room
If you've visited Sherwood House and tasted their wines in the tiny, un-heated shack smack dab in the middle of their vines and wished they had a tasting room that was open year round, wish no more. Owners  Barb and Charles Smithen have just approval for  the opening of their second tasting room at 1291 Main Road in Jamesport.

The grand opening is this Saturday (March 27) from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The original "tasting cottage" will open for the season in May.

Three Sisters Project Prepares for April Launch

By Evan Dawson, Finger Lakes Editor

Full disclosure: Lenn and I were approached in the planning stages about how this project might work.We offered some basic feedback but removed ourselves from the process. 

An ambitious new collaboration will launch in April, and it unites New York State's three largest wine producing regions. The Three Sisters Project will link "sister wineries" from Long Island, the Hudson Valley, and the Finger Lakes.

Each sister winery will sell one another's wine in the tasting room and will seek to educate customers about the unique qualities of the individual regions.

“Interest in local foods and wine have never been hotter. We think this is a great opportunity," said Carlo DeVito, co-owner of Hudson-Chatham Winery in the Hudson Valley. "This has been a great way to work with our sister wineries, share information, try new styles, introduce new wines into our tasting rooms, and get the word out on New York state wine.” 

For the inaugural Three Sisters Project, there are two separate sets of sister wineries. Participating wineries include:

• Lieb Family Cellars and Macari Vineyards from Long Island
• Benmarl Winery and Hudson-Chatham Winery from the Hudson Valley
• Fox Run Vineyards and Anthony Road Wine Company from the Finger Lakes

The participating wineries are still finalizing the list of wines to be poured at each location. 

“The major thing with New York wines is building awareness,” said Matthew Spaccarelli, owner of Benmarl Winery. “The quality and consistency is already in place. This program is a great way to showcase what the wineries throughout New York are producing.” 

DeVito has said that if the project is successful, it's possible it will be repeated in the fall and in future years.

But what will it mean to be "successful"? If participating wineries can sell one another's wines with regularity while providing new information for consumers about other New York regions, that will qualify. 

The theme fits the larger ethos that has become so pervasive in New York winemaking, which is the value of collaboration. In April we'll find out what kind of impact it can have on consumers.

Bubbly! Brings Finger Lakes Sparkling Producers Together

By Tom Mansell, Science Editor

On Saturday night in Watkins Glen, the corks were popping and the bubbly was flowing.

Bubbly, a unique event organized by Finger Lakes Wine Country, featured 16 sparkling wine producers from around the Finger Lakes pouring about 28 different sparklers. It also included the up-and-coming Finger Lakes Distilling, which brought cassis and raspberry liqueurs for tasting and mixing with sparkling to create Finger Lakes Kirs Royales. The event took place in the ballroom of the plush Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel along the shore of Seneca Lake.

Food offerings included lots of rich creamy goodies (e.g., tortellini alfredo) to pair with the refreshing acid of the wines, and of course, chocolate-covered strawberries.

The atmosphere was casual and congenial and featured many winemakers and winery owners pouring their own wines (and more importantly, answering technical questions from yours truly). It was a great opportunity for one-stop tasting of many of the sparkling wines that the region has to offer.

But it wasn't all champagne wishes and caviar dreams; I was there on business. In sampling the wines and talking to the winery staff I took home a few ideas about the current state of Finger Lakes fizz.

The Finger Lakes region is making many different styles of sparkling wine. 

From the fruit-forward short-aged wines to the yeasty, toasted marshmallow notes that come with long aging on the yeast lees, producers were pouring a diverse array of flavors. As Evan Dawson mentioned last week, some producers stick with traditional Champagne grapes: pinot noir, chardonnay and pinot meunier, while others have branched out. 

I enjoyed the light, fruity profiles of Lucas Vineyards' Extra Dry (NV), made with Cayuga White, and Atwater Estate's 2006 Cuvee Brut , which blends Chardonnay, Riesling, and Gewürztraminer (though the traditional varietal character of Gewürztraminer was not immediately present, possibly due to early harvest of the grapes for sparkling).

Some of the longer tirage (aging on lees) wines of the evening were real standouts for me, including Lamoreaux Landing 2006 Blanc de Blanc (3 years tirage), Château Frank 1999 Prestige Cuvée (more than 5 years tirage, and, incidentally, NYCR Finger Lakes Sparkling Wine of the Year), and Red Tail Ridge 2006 Blanc de Noirs (1 year tirage, but 3 years in bottle). These tended to show more complex flavors like strawberry, and the toasty aromas characteristic of yeast autolysis.

In discussing with the winemakers, I found out that almost every method of sparkling wine production was represented. Many claimed "méthode champenoise", even if it didn't appear on the label. That is, second fermentation in bottle, riddling (periodically turning and inclining the bottles) over the tirage duration, then disgorging and perhaps adding a dosage of sweetness. This method, also called the traditional method, is also very labor-intensive as in most cases riddling is done by hand.

Larger producers like Pleasant Valley use the Charmat method (secondy fermentation in tanks, then bottling under pressure). I even heard the transfer method (fermentation in bottle, then disgorging into a tank, filtering, and re-bottling under pressure) mentioned. These methods may be cost-effective, but they require equipment that is only economically feasible on much larger scale.

Lakewood Vineyards has an interesting concept in its Candeo, a "Prosecco-style" white that is force-carbonated and sealed with a crown cap. This greatly reduces the cost and labor associated with production.

Small producers are getting in the game by sharing equipment at bigger facilities.

Some obstacles to sparkling wine production in the Finger Lakes have been discussed on this blog previously, including the time and labor required, the capital investment (both the initial cost for equipment and the capital tied up in laying down wine for 1-3 years before release). 

In addition, the Federal Tax and Trade Bureau taxes sparkling wines at a rate over three times higher than that of standard still wine. Given these hurdles, it might seem difficult for smaller producers to make any sparkling at all. Cooperation, here, seems to be the name of the game.

Heart & Hands Wine Company, which produced just 45 cases of its knockout Brut Rosé 2008, uses equipment at Glenora Winery for the disgorging process. According to Steve DiFrancesco, winemaker at Glenora, some of their production spills over (so to speak) to the facilities at Pleasant Valley when Glenora is overwhelmed. 

Lakewood's forced-carbonation experiment takes place using equipment at Bellwether Cidery on Cayuga Lake.

Sharing equipment benefits both parties, since borrowers can make use of expensive machinery for less than the high initial cost required and the owners can recoup some of their investment by loaning out equipment.  A similar model is in place for some wineries that own other big-ticket items like mechanical harvesters.

Why are we still using "Champagne"?

It was an interesting moment when I realized that Château Frank and Pleasant Valley were pouring right next to each other at Bubbly. The histories of these two producers are quite different, but they do have one thing in common: both of their sparkling wine labels carry the word "Champagne."

For years, large producers have used geographical indicators like Chablis, Burgundy, etc., to create an association of their product with the fine quality wines of Europe, regardless of the fact that pinot noir and chardonnay might be substituted with Concord and Thompson Seedless.

Even recently, some Finger Lakes bottles have carried the label "Johannisberg Riesling."

To the uneducated consumer, these words are familiar and connote "fine wine," but to consumers who know even a little bit about wine, they can be patronizing, if not downright insulting. The surprising part here is that while the presence of names like this conjure in me the image of jug wines and low-quality brands, Château Frank produces excellent sparkling wine. A producer of this quality doesn't need to rely on the term.

The fact that some terms like this may be "grandfathered" in since producers have been using them for so long is irrelevant. If we want to establish ourselves as a world-class sparkling region on our own merit, then use of these geographical indicators is inadvisable and unnecessary.

Recently, Long Island wine producers signed the Joint Declaration to Protect Wine Place & Origin, agreeing to "work together to bring the necessary awareness and advocacy to bear to ensure these names are protected and respected." Perhaps it is in the best interest of quality Finger Lakes producers to do the same.

Overall, my Bubbly experience gave me an opportunity to look at a variety of sparklers from across the region. I love sparkling and it will be great when an event like this draws 30 or 40 sparkling producers.  On paper, the Finger Lakes has an ideal climate for sparkling wine production, but production is hindered by economic hurdles. 

To those producers bold enough to make some of the delicious wines I had at Bubbly, cheers.

New York Wine News & Notes (February 16, 2010)

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief and Evan Dawson, Finger Lakes Editor

This week we have three news items of note -- one from each of the three main wine regions in the state. Of course, the Long Island item is about beer, not wine.

Finger Lakes

A Party to Celebrate Finger Lakes Sparklers
Finger Lakes producers continue to spotlight their sparkling wine in a new event at the Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel. Sixteen wineries and one distillery will pour three dozen sparkling wines and sparkling beverages at Bubbly! The Finger Lakes Sparkling Wine Party.

The event runs this Saturday night from 6-9 p.m. and according to Finger Lakes Wine Country, this is the largest group of local sparkling wine producers ever assembled. Tickets are $40 per person and $75 per couple.

Hudson Valley

Winemaker Brown Leaving Benmarl Winery
Benmarl Winery winemaker Kristop Brown has announced his intention to leave the Hudson Valley to pursue winemaking opportunities in Washington state. Though he doesn't have a job lined up, Kristop told me in an email this morning that he has several interviews lined up this week and that he plans to finish his enology degree at Washington State University. "The head of the department is Thomas Henick-Kling, formerly of Cornell and he has convinced me of the quality of the program there," he said.

Kristop said that he'll "miss the artistic freedom I was afforded at Benmarl and the opportunity to tend to vines and make wine" because he knows that he probably won't have that at a larger winery out in Washington. But, he also thinks that "Washington does have more opportunity than the Hudson Valley for a winemaker at this point in time. I feel like it's the frontier of winemaking and viticulture in the United States right now and I want to be a part of it."

Something tells me that the Hudson Valley hasn't seen the last of Kristop though. He added that "The experience of having worked in more than one wine region will be beneficial even if one day I decide to return to New York."

Long Island

Southampton Bier de Mars to be Released in Manhattan
On March 2, Southampton Publick House will release its new Bier de Mars at an invite-only event at Manhattan's The Pony Bar from 6 - 8 p.m., followed by a public launch from 8-10 French for “March Beer,” is a little-known specialty beer that originated in northern France. It was traditionally brewed in late winter when the fermentation cellars were at their coolest, resulting in a crisper, cleaner taste.

Southampton Biere de Mars is brewmaster Phil Markowski’s classic interpretation of an authentic French farmhouse-style Biere de Mars. “Our version is brewed with a blend of wheat and barley malts and a generous amount of continental hops. It is cool fermented and aged to give it a clean, smooth, lager-like character,” says Markowski.

Previously only bottled in 750 ml bottles, this year's edition will only be bottled in standard 12-ounce bottles.

An Introduction to Long Island Merlot

By Jason Feulner, Finger Lakes Correspondent

Despite my relationship to Lenn and this blog, my encounters with Long Island wine have been ad hoc: a wine here, and a wine there, but never a firm introduction to what the region has to offer. With this in mind, I jumped at the chance the other day to attend a Long Island Merlot dinner at the New York Wine and Culinary Center in Canandaigua.

The event was held in cooperation with the Long Island Merlot Alliance, an organization dedicated to the research and promotion of quality merlot production within the Long Island wine community. The Merlot Alliance currently has seven member wineries and hopes to attract more since most if not all Long Island wineries produce merlot.

 This event was my first wine dinner at the Wine and Culinary Center, and it was tremendous experience. Head chef Carlo Peretti (pictured at right) is a delightful host and his display cooking was engaging and fun.

Our courses consisted of Montauk Scallops with Beet Iced Mignonette, Long Island Duck Breast with Braised Apple and Cabbage Slaw, Pan Roasted New York State Bison Fillet, and for dessert a Raspberry Chocolate Pot de Creme.

All of the food was excellent.

At a typical dinner I would have been satisfied with the scallops, duck, or bison by themselves, but in this case I reveled in all three. In addition, the chef paired these dishes nicely with the lineup of Long Island merlot.

Clovis Point winemaker John Leo (picutred at right) provided tasting commentary with some support from Donnell Brown, executive director of the Merlot Alliance. Overall, the lineup of wines offered was extremely interesting. It consisted of no outright show-stoppers but each wine provided some inherent quality and a few stood out from the rest.

Within the group, the 2004 Clovis Point excelled for being very much a balance of the various styles presented, a middle-of-the-pack wine not in quality but in terms of it emphasis on fruit vs. oak, the straight merlot flavor vs. other blended varietals.

The Merliance 2006 merlot, a 100% merlot blend of the merlot lots of the LIMA member wineries, stood in contrast to the rest with its fruit-forward, simple taste highlighting the qualities of merlot as its own grape. In a completely different style to the Merliance, the 2004 Sherwood House utilized a Bordeaux-style blend to create a subtle, earthy wine balanced with the flavors of cabernet sauvignon and petit verdot.

One of the tasting treats offered by Pellegrini was their 1997 merlot, a wine that was probably just past its peak but nonetheless had all the beautiful elements of a well-aged, quality red, providing bright fruit with dusky flavors and textures.

A 2007 McCall Vineyard merlot was still in bottle shock, yet the warm vintage seemed apparent and this wine seems ready to expand its profile once it has a little more time in the bottle.

With dessert we tried a 2007 Raphael Merlot Port, a wine that didn't blow me away but provided for a lovely after-dinner drink. The idea of a merlot port-style wine intrigues me and I think the flavors work to some degree--I hope to taste such a wine again.

I left the wine dinner with two main conclusions: Namely, wine dinners at the Culinary Center come highly recommended (they hold them very often, usually with winery-specific themes), and Long Island merlot provides a diverse lineup of styles. If this small lineup is any indication, merlot can find expression in a variety of ways within Long Island. The merlot grape seems to provide an excellent anchor in terms of defining Long Island reds and the terroir that produces them.

Uncork New York: Sip, Savor and Shop @ City Winery on December 6

There have been rumors about this event swirling for weeks, but as of today it's official -- Sip, Savor & Shop, a showcase for New York wine and food, will take place on Sunday, December 6 from 2 to 6 p.m.

More than 35 wineries from across New York State will be joined by farmers and food producers, as well as several local restaurants, to present a taste of New York and celebrate the holiday season. Over 100 wines from Long Island, the Hudson Valley, the Finger Lakes, and other regions, will be available for tasting -- and most uniquely be available for sale as well.

My guess is that more wineries will sign on leading up to the event, but wineries that have already comitted included Anthony Road Winery, Chateau Frank and Dr. Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars, Chateau LaFayette Reneau, Damiani Wine Cellars, Heron Hill Winery, Keuka Lake Vineyards, Shaw Vineyard, Standing Stone Vineyards, Wagner Vineyards, and White Springs Winery from the Finger  Lakes, Bedell Cellars, Bouké Wines, Brooklyn Oenology, Castello di Borghese, Duck Walk Vineyards, Laurel Lake Vineyard, Lieb Family Cellars, Long Island Meadery, Macari Vineyard & Winery, Martha Clara Vineyards, Medolla Vineyards, Onabay Vineyards, One Woman Wines & Vineyards, Palmer Vineyards, Raphael Vineyard, Scarola Vineyards, Sherwood House Vineyards, Sparkling Pointe, and Wolffer Estate Vineyards & Winery from Long Island, and Benmarl and Brotherwhood Winery from the Hudson Valley.

Tickets are $45 and include wine and food sampling, as well as a souvenir wine glass. They can be purchased from the City Winery website.

The New York Cork Report will be involved in this event somehow as well. I'm hoping to have something more to announce in the next week or so.

This long over-due celebration of New York's bounty is sponsored by the New York Wine & Grape Foundation in conjunction with other organizations focused on local wines and foods including City Winery, the “Edible” publications, Finger Lakes Wine Country Tourism Marketing Association, Long Island Wine Council, Pride of New York (Department of Agriculture & Markets), and Wine & Food Associates.

Ithacork Video: The Finger Lakes Wine Festival

Our science editor, Tom Mansell from Ithacork, just posted this video from his visit to the Finger Lakes Wine Festival over the summer.

He offers some follow-up commentary here and here as well.

Finger Lakes Wine Festival Love, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Fruit Bomb

By Bryan Calandrelli, Niagara Correspondent

Perhaps the only thing crazier than attending the Finger Lakes Wine Festival as an attendee is actually pouring wine at it. Now, I’d conceded that the crowds, party atmosphere and prevalence of sweet wine kept me from attending in the past, and I would never want to be the ringleader for a team of winery employees planning the logistics of participating in the festival. But, when I was given the opportunity this year to pour for a local winery, I just couldn’t pass it up -- especially because all I had to do was show up and do what I was told.

At any rate, I still had to deal with the general mayhem.

A survivor’s guide to working the festival:

1. Give in to the urge to stop in for a tasting at a winery or two on your way down. It’s just not healthy for any of us to drive by dozens of wineries and not stop in and get at least one tasting.
2. If you are told you are working a toga party the first night of the festival, accept it as fact. Togas do make occasional appearances at parties where people carry oversize plastic mugs, goblets and glasses full of sweet wine.
3. Upon realizing that the main restroom facilities of a festival will be porta-potties, prepare your metabolism to take advantage of the pristine condition they are in first thing in the morning. Remind yourself later that day that even a strategically thrown Red Cat bottle in a porta-potty doesn’t call for taking an ironic photo while inside.
4. Get comfortable with poaching. If you see people waiting in line to get a taste of something, don’t be afraid to let them know they can get some immediately if they step up to your table. Sorry Glenora!
5. Accept the fact that some people just want to taste the “sweetest thing you got”. Do not try and change the world, pour them what they are looking for and make a quick sale if you can.
6. If your coworker encourages you to step away to get a few tastes, take him or her up on it. With the crazy non-stop auction on acid atmosphere there, you may not get a second chance to take a break. Don’t be a hero.
7. Embrace the viral social phenomenon that occurs every time the sound of glass breaking pierces the steady drone of wine banter and take part in yellowing “ohhhh” along with your neighbor. By the end you’ll be guessing how far away the clumsy attendee is by the Doppler effect caused by the uproar.
8. Don’t assume another pourer knows what you mean when you say they should check a bottle for taint. It doesn’t matter if they are big enough to rent eight tables and rightfully state that they were the first to successfully grow vinifera in the region, the person pouring may not be trained to sniff out bad corks.
9. If you see an open bottle behind a table, it must have been uncorked for people like yourself. If they say it’s just for trade and media, you respond, “That’s what I hoped you say!” and stick your glass out.
10. Do not expect an after party sponsored by Riedel at a swanky lakeside mansion with shot girls and chocolate fountains after the festival. From what I can tell there’s not much nightlife in the Finger Lakes and chances are most of the workers are exhausted from dealing with the masses.

Cabernet Franc: What We Learned From 656 Glasses of Wine

By Evan Dawson, Finger Lakes Editor

Photos by Morgan Dawson

When the demonstration room at the New York Wine & Culinary Center filled up at 10 a.m. on Tuesday morning, 328 glasses of cabernet franc lit up the amphitheater like strands of single-color Christmas lights. It was a bit daunting for the 42 winemakers, winegrowers, industry professionals, newspaper writers, retailers and bloggers.

And that was just the first flight.

When the event (get some back story) finally ended three hours later we had tasted through 13 Finger Lakes 2007 cabernet francs, 3 Loire Valley cabernet francs, one Long Island cabernet franc, and 5 Finger Lakes 2007 reserve cabernet francs. Wine writer Holly Howell even brought her own gift for the group, a 2002 Loire that was just beautiful.

On this blog and in other forms of media we'll be hearing from retailers -- who have to sell the wine -- and writers who will share their own ideas. And I'm sure we'll hear from industry professionals. Here are some of my takeaways from an undeniably successful event:

Finger Lakes cabernet franc has a recognizable style.

It was pretty remarkable to see that the participants had no trouble discerning which wines were from the Finger Lakes and which were not. Cabernet franc has a local identity, which is important.

It's not always good, though. Some of the wines gave off odd, citrusy flavors (others referred to this as a persistent sour cherry note), and some of the wines still lacked depth and weight -- even from a ripe vintage like 2007. But the best of the group were balanced with bright cherry, black pepper, and grilled herbs, and the very best added layers of mouthfeel that extended the finish of the wine.

The top-scoring wine was the Ravines Wine Cellars 2007 Cabernet Franc, and its appeal was best summarized by Fox Run assistant winemaker Tricia Renshaw. She remarked, before seeing the bottle revealed, "This is a delicious wine with great mouthfeel." 

Can it be coincidental that the top-scoring wines were among the lowest-cropped wines? Yes, under-cropping can be an issue, but as one winemaker pointed out during the event, "The lower the yield, the more weight cabernet franc seems to have. You can't get that mouthfeel with over-cropped vines." 

One winemaker confessed to me, in confidence, that recently they weren't careful and ended up with 7 tons per acre of cabernet franc. "Not only was the wine not very good, but there was a huge amount of it!" he said.

Local winemakers do not seem to enjoy wines from other regions.

This statement is a little broad-sweeping and probably a touch unfair, and maybe it will get some backlash, but I can't help it.

The bottom two wines based on score were the 2005 Charles Joguet Chinon (Dioterie cuvee, $36) and the 2005 Domaine des Vallettes Bourgueil ($12). The other non-FL wine, the Shinn Estate Vineyards 2007(Long Island), finished in the bottom half of the scoring pack.

Ah, but break down the numbers: Retailers and writers rated the Chinon and Shinn in the top 6 wines, while wine industry professionals had them way down the list.

Having now tasted the Shinn, I can say that I find all the hype for this wine to be absolutely justified. That's why I couldn't figure out why the majority of local wine professionals didn't care for it, and I wonder if there's a bit of "house palate syndrome" going on.

Granted, this is a small sample size to choose from. The Chinon bore some Brett character, and some in the audience said it was over-the-top. I simply hope that local professionals don't equate foreign wines with lesser quality -- simply because they're different.

(I also make this assertion based on my exposure to many industry professionals who have rarely tasted wines from other regions. Many of the best local winemakers seek out wines from around the world, but I also see some who don't seem to be curious or interested in wines that are not from the Finger Lakes).

Getting retailers and winemakers together is a wonderful idea and should happen more often.

How often do we complain about retailers' lack of knowledge about Finger Lakes wines? Well, these events will break down that barrier. Some of the most astute comments came from the retailers who have to sell the wines. By the time we all left, many people were wondering why an organization like the New York Wine and Grape Foundation had never put together an event like this before.

We'll do more of them, and I'd like to see retailer seminars. When they meet the people who grow and make the wine, they can take that experience right back to the consumer. It makes a difference. An enormous one. Which leads me to...

How the hell do you sell Finger Lakes cabernet franc? 

This tasting made it pretty clear that cabernet franc is just about an ideal food wine. That's not a pejorative, either. Some writers damn a wine with the faint praise that "perhaps it's a nice food wine," which is another way of saying, "This plonk can't stand on its own." That's not the case with Finger Lakes cabernet franc, but can you sell a wine by marketing it as a food wine?

I think you can. "The key word is balance," said Ravines winemaker Morten Hallgren. "We're not trying to overwhelm people with this wine. It's about balance." 

It made me envision a poster hanging in a retail shop. There's a high-wire with a bottle of Finger Lakes cabernet franc holding a rod and staying upright. Down below in the net is a pile of "off-balance" bottles. There is a simple slogan: "Don't lose balance with dinner tonight. Choose the right wine."

But Gavin Sacks of Cornell pointed out a larger challenge: cabernet franc is not a hedonistic grape compared to consumer favorites like cabernet sauvignon. And, as Gavin says, "A good rule in business is that you don't want to have to educate your customers about a product. You want it to be easy for them."

One thing that's easy for customers is oak. That could explain why the Keuka Spring Vineyards 2007 Cabernet Franc was loved by retailers and writers -- but not by wine professionals. It has a sweet leading edge, and in the KSV wine shop the description highlights that oak flavor. "Ultimately we have to make wine that people want to buy," notes winemaker Mark Wiltberger.

Sadly, cabernet franc is not ever going to be an easy sell. But it's worth the work to bring it to more tables. I love the grape, and while I don't love everything coming out of the Finger Lakes, there is real evidence that cab franc has a strong future here -- if anyone takes the time to buy it.

Note: If you're interested in the top half of the scores from Tuesday, they're listed below.

1. Ravines Wine Cellars 2007 Cabernet Franc

T2. Shalestone 2007 Cabernet Franc

T2. Billsboro 2007 Cabernet Franc

4. Red Newt Cellars 2007 Cabernet Franc

5. Keuka Spring Vineyards 2007 Cabernet Franc

T6. Hermann J. Wiemer 2007 Cabernet Franc

T6. Anthony Road 2007 Lemberger / Cabernet Franc

8. Damiani 2007 Cabernet Franc

Preparing to Examine 2007 Cabernet Franc From the Finger Lakes

By Evan Dawson, Finger Lakes Editor

Tomorrow is an exciting and important day for cabernet franc and the Finger Lakes.

I've helped to organize a cabernet franc tasting at the New York Wine & Culinary Center (NYWCC). 16 wines will be tasted -- some from the Finger Lakes and some from other cabernet franc-producing regions.

The wines will be divided into two flights of 40 minutes each. We will then reveal the wines and their scores from the participants.

Following the tasting, the NYWCC will serve a sure-to-be excellent lunch, where we'll pour a non-blind flight of reserve cab francs from the Finger Lakes.

We expect nearly 40 people in attendance, with a combination of winemakers, industry professionals, writers, bloggers and retailers. In fact, the following writers will attend and participate, so you can seek out their coverage as well:

• Don Cazentre, Syracuse Post-Standard
• Jennifer Baskerville-Barrows, Cookin' in the 'Cuse, Edible Finger Lakes
• Holly Howell, multiple publications
• Rob Lane, Finger Lakes Weekend Wino, Mountain Home Magazine
• Tom Mansell, Ithacork
• Neil Miller, Stressing the Vine
• Thomas Pellechia, VinoFictions
• Tom Tucker, Balloon Juice

The creator of this concept is Neil Miller, publisher of the blog Stressing the Vine. He and Anthony Road assistant winemaker Peter Becraft have worked extremely hard on this event, and we hope it accomplishes the following:

1. Exposes more writers and retailers to Finger Lakes cabernet franc from a strong vintage
2. Provides some insight into how this vintage is showing -- not only in comparing winery to winery, but in comparing Finger Lakes wines to highly regarded cabernet franc from other regions
3. Allows winemakers the chance to communicate with one another and with members of the media and retail trade

I imagine some critics might argue that we're cherry-picking an excellent vintage while ignoring other lesser vintages. Not so. While it's true, we're trying to see how cabernet franc fares when the weather is nearly ideal, this is hardly cherry-picking. That's because we're not saying this is what cab franc will be every single year; we're saying that this was an excellent year, so let's see what Finger Lakes potential truly means for the grape.

And while '07 was a strong vintage, it's not crazy to think we could see similar heat again (2009, er, notwithstanding).

It's also quite possible that the participants will find the '07 vintage to be a letdown. Warm weather is no guarantee for great wines. Growing practices continue to lag in many vineyards and winemaking technique varies from place to place.

The NYWCC has been more than generous in providing space, glassware and expertise for this event. While we don't assume it will be a definitive answer regarding that varietal and that vintage, it will certainly be instructive.

And, I'm guessing, a hell of a lot of fun.