New York Cork Report

EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT: Bedell Cellars Winemaker's Dinner at Jewel on March 18

On Sunday, March 18, Bedell Cellars will co-host its next winemaker's dinner, this one at chef Tom Schaudel's newest restaurant, Jewel at 5 p.m.

The five-course menu will be paired with winemaker Rich Olsen-Harbich's wines.

Schaudel has long been an advocate of and champion for Long Island wines, and it's great to see a wine dinner such as this so far west on the island.

Seats are $85 per person and $70 for wine club members. Call (631) 722-0500 for reservations.

 

 

Bedell Cellars Winemaker's Dinner Menu
March 18, 2012 at 5 p.m.

Reception
2007 Blanc de Blanc

Blue Claw Crab/Lemon Aioli/Avocado Mousse/Passion Fruit-Mango "Soup"
2010 Taste White

Pan Seared Salmon/Rose Braised Red Cabbage/Rose-Mustard "Veronique"
2011 Taste Rose

Risotto/Game Hen/Chanterelles/Bacon/Spinach
2010 Syrah

Roasted Filet Mignon/Green Peppercorns/Scallion Potato Mash/Satur Farm's Baby Carrots
2010 Cabernet Franc

Selection of Artisan Cheeses
2002 Reserve Merlot

Sparkling Pointe and Pork Belly Benedict Take Over at Wading River's La Plage

By Dave Seel, Long Island Food Correspondent

It seems every time I decide to eat at La Plage, I can’t remember how to get there. It’s somewhere near Wading River by the beach, hence the name “La Plage,” but the exact route I take always seems to allude me. Eventually though, I do happen upon Sound Road that winds me to the small restaurant.

For years now, Chef Wayne Wadington has been making waves across the North Shore with his eclectic, French-inspired cuisine. Clean, straightforward and always delicious, Wadington's food is based upon fresh, seasonal ingredients. Recently, my wife and I visited for their Valentine’s Champagne Brunch with Sparkling Pointe, Long Island’s sparkling wine-only winery.

While I have yet to visit Sparkling Pointe’s North Fork tasting room, I’ve become a fan of their sparkling wines from various tasting events around the region.

We started the brunch off with their 2007 Brut. A pale sparkling wine, it has a wonderful, balanced texture with notes of apple and pear. This was paired with gougeres as an amuse bouche. Unfortunately, the small puff alone did little to “amuse” our palate. The flavor was a bit milder than I like in gougeres. However, this mild cheese taste did help to highlight the wine, and thus served its purpose. 

We both chose the homemade lobster ravioli as our next course. I always jump at the chance to try a chef’s homemade pasta and Chef Wadington’s did not disappoint. Homemade pasta has a wonderful soft, delicate texture when made well. The ravioli melted in our mouths, giving way to delicious buttery lobster. The tomato-based sauce, created with a homemade seafood stock, had a nice creamy, briny taste that complemented the lobster perfectly.

The course was accompanied with Sparkling Pointe’s 2006 Blanc De Blancs. A beautiful golden color, this wine surprisingly held up to the brininess of the sauce and its almond, pear, and buttery notes paired perfectly with the lobster.

The best moment of the meal arrived with my main course: Berkshire pork belly eggs benedict. I still have dreams of this dish. Seriously. I do.

Crisp, smoked, maple-syrup glazed pork belly topped with perfectly poached eggs and a rich hollandaise sauce. It was eggs benedict-meets eggs with bacon, taken to a whole new level. Again, the dish was simple, but the flavor was astounding.

 

My wife’s main course was a bit more befuddling. She ordered the char-grilled yellow fin tuna salad Nicoise style. Hoping to receive a beautiful Nicoise salad topped with a piece of lightly grilled tuna, she was disappointed to see the tuna had been “mayonnaised”. Coming from a mid-western family who puts mayo on everything, she was less than thrilled. So I shared my glorious pork belly with her, which turned out to be enough for both of us.

 

I ate the rest of the salad, which was actually quite good. The grilled flavor of the tuna made it through the mayo and it was a fresh addition to the richness of the pork belly.

The main course was paired with one of Sparkling Pointe’s top wines, their 2002 Brut Seduction. Again, I was impressed when this sparkling wine stood up to the richness of my pork dish. With notes of ginger and apple, the velvety mouth feel gave a light, but flavorful complement to the savory and sweet pork belly.

We finished off the meal with a passion fruit ice cream sundae and a final tasting of Sparkling Pointe’s NV Cuvee Carnivale. The cuvee is a slighty sweeter-style sparkling wine, which generally I’m don’t prefer, but was a nice touch with our dessert. The citrus and floral notes paired well with the sweet vanilla and fruit flavors of the sundae.

Finishing with an espresso, we chatted with Sparkling Pointe winemaker, Gilles Martin. We learned Martin is now working on a 100% pinot sparkling wine to be released in the coming months. He is also hosting many tasting dinners across the region as well as at the Sparkling Pointe tasting room. It’s indicative of their commitment to making sparkling wine accessible to many palates.

After the meal, we took a short walk on the beach to take in the whole experience. The reminiscence of sparkling wine combined perfectly with the salty air of the Long Island Sound. One of the wonderful aspects of La Plage is the reflection of its place along the water in its cuisine. Alongside the beach, it merges the sea and land on a plate bringing the flavors of French cuisine and Long Island ingredients to life. Whether visiting for brunch or dinner, it’s a wonderful spot for an adventure…if you can find it, that is.

EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT: Bedell Cellars Winemaker's Dinner at Jamesport Manor Inn on March 2

On Friday, March 2, Bedell Cellars will co-host a winemaker's dinner at The Jamesport Manor Inn at 7 p.m.

The menu, prepared by Executive Chef Michael Mandleur and paired with wines by winemaker Richard Olsen-Harbich, is below.

Seats are $70 per person and $65 for wine club members. Call (631) 722-0500 for reservations.

 

 

 

 

 

Bedell Cellars Winemaker's Dinner Menu
March 2, 2012 at 7 p.m.

Slow-braised barbeque pork belly with Michigan cherries, hazelnuts and frisee

Bedell Cellars 2007 Blanc De Blanc

Peconic Bay Oysters on the half shell with lemon granite and cocktail sauce

Bedell Cellars 2010 Chardonnay

Braised “Bone In” beef short ribs with parsnip puree, roasted cipollini and red wine reduction

Bedell Cellars 2010 Cabernet Franc

Valhrona dark chocolate terrine with crème anglaise and pistachio nuts

Bedell Cellars 2010 Syrah

Kevin Zraly at Bedell Cellars Sunday, October 16 at 2 p.m.

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

This Sunday, October 16 at 2 p.m., Bedell Cellars will host wine educator, wine author, and recent 2011 James Beard Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award Winner, Kevin Zraly for a talk and tasting.

Zraly will offer his perspective on the wine industry after 40 years working in it, focusing on how far the United States has come in wine -- of course discussing Long Island in particular.

A Q&A and book signing opportunity with Zraly’s newest release Complete Wine Course 2012 Edition will follow.  Books will be available for purchase ($27.95).  Each guest for the lecture will be provided with a tasting glass of 2008 Bedell Cellars Musée and 2009 Gallery wines to accompany the lecture.  

This is a free event and a great opportunity to meet and talk to one of the most prolific and important wine educators in America.

A previous edition of his Complete Wine Course was one of the first wine books I ever read when I was younger. It provides a great overview.

Call the winery at 631.734.7537 or email Molly@bedellcellars.com to reserve your spot.

NYCR Artisan Dinner With Paumanok Vineyards Chenin Blanc a Sold-Out Success

By Mark Grimaldi, Director, Marketing and Events

Wednesday night's sold out New York Cork Report Artisan Dinner, featuring Paumanok Vineyards chenin blanc, at Luce & Hawkins was one for the books. 

With several members of the Massoud family in attendance, Kareem and Charles (pictured right) took the stage, along with Chef Luce to give a play-by-play for each individual course. Kareem and Charles have a great way of playing off of each other, taking turns adding their thoughts on the vintages and wines. 

Chef Luce, always eloquent, really lets you know just how far he goes to make sure that every wine is paired perfectly with only the freshest and most special local ingredients.

The Vertical Pairing in order of tasting:

2008 Chenin Blanc: A beautiful wine, drinking at it's peak right now. Kareem and I went back and forth about how it shared many old world (Loire) characteristics, displaying a perfect mix of primary and tertiary qualities. It had its ripeness but it's backed up by a stony minerality. It bordered on a demi-sec style, with some residual sugar that offered a richness, but the acids cut right through it bringing the wine back to being perceivably dry to many. 

Completely elegant from front to back, it had a deeper color, showing that even under screwcap, the wine aged gracefully. An absolute wonderful chenin, making me wish that the Massoud's could hold back a good amount of production so that consumer'scould  experience this wine at it's peak in the tasting room.

This was paired with three poached "Naked Cowboy" oysters from Blue Island Shellfish Farms, a local oyster company on the south shore of Long Island. Chef Luce served them sitting in a bath of Thai spices, coconut milk and sliced melon to compliment the tropical fruits and melon notes he often finds in Paumanok's chenins. The "sweetness" of the chenin was perfect with the subltle Thai spices of the dish.

2010 Chenin Blanc: We all know that 2010 was a very warm year here on Long Island, and the wines are RIPE. The 2010 was no exception. But nonetheless Kareem and his brothers kept impeccable balance in this wine from vineyard to bottle with an acidic backbone to slice through the ripe fruit. A riper-style chenin, it still shows some of the baby fat and racy characteristics of a young white wine.

This was paired with utter ridiculousness -- a house-made oversized ravioli, stuffed with foie gras and lobster.  Not just a little bit of lobster, but HALF of a lobster tail.  On top were two slices of poached rabbit.  This dish practically got a standing ovation from the dining room. 

2009 Chenin Blanc: This wine completely shifts gears. With 2009 being a cooler vintage, I think that local whites really shined. This was my favorite of the three recent vintage chenins. It was vibrant and racy. Like a laser beam. You stick your nose in the glass and you are brought right to the North Fork of Long island. It was salty, and wreaked of the sea, seashells, oysters. Though lean compared to the others, it was so elegant. The fruit and acids were perfectly integrated and unfolded like a storybook from back to front on your palate.  If I were blinded on this wine, I would never even think Chenin.  This was amazing Long Island Chablis.  Take that comparison as you may, but I mean it as an utter complement.

This was paired with local duckling that Chef Luce had prepared two ways.  One roasted medium rare with a crisp skin, and the other house-cured and sliced, rolled up and tucked nicely next the roasted breast, surrounded by local beets, honeyed yuzu pepper, and smoked walnuts that Japanese chef Minoru Suzuki had a hand in preparing.

The highlight of this dish for me was the Matsutake mushrooms that Chef Luce had sent directly from his forager friend in the pacific northwest. The Matsutake is one of the most sought after mushrooms in the world, and he managed to get the first of the season. This was not like any mushroom I had tasted. It grows as a companion to pine trees, and is not earthy like the typical mushroom is. It was eaten raw, and had a fresh, clean, herbal, subtle pine note to it. An excellent complement to the richness of the duck.

1994 Late Harvest Riesling:  Some issues unfolded the day of the dinner that were quickly solved.  Kareem had miscounted how many bottes of 1993 Late Harvest Chenin he had, and could only find two, so we went with the 1994 Late Harvest Riesling as a substitute.  Not a problem! 

This wine was ALIVE. It was dark gold in color and did not drink in a cloying, dessert style.

Again, it was backed up by high acids, cutting through the sugars, making it just sweet enough to have with Chef Luce's local orchard fruit crumble with cinnamon, basil, and white chocolate-corn ice cream (which by the way was 100% sweetened by the chocolate and sugars from the corn).  The wine had plenty of honey, caramel and nutty notes.  A really special bottle shared by the Massoud's that was absolutely delicious. It gives some insight into what their current late harvest/icewine Riesling could be like with age.

1993 Late Harvest Chenin Blanc:  To our surprise, Charles brought those last two bottles to share with everyone anyway.  As a joke, Chef Luce brought out about 40 eyedroppers filled with the '93 to each guest so they could have a small taste of it before the dessert course. But luckily, there was some left over that we poured from bottle after dinner. 

The '93 was dark, almost caramel in color, exhibiting the typical nutty, caramel, honey notes of older dessert wines. It was certainly alive, but did not show as well, in my opinion, as the '94 riesling.  Nonetheless a superb wine made by Charles that is one of the highlights of my Long Island wine drinking experience.  It is so rare that wineries held back inventory in the 80s and 90s, so being able to taste these wines was extremely rare and such a treat.

Thank you to The Massoud Family for sharing these wines with us and for Chef Luce and staff for an impeccable evening. 

Please stay tuned for more announcements on dinners, including next month's dinner with Greenport Harbor Brewing Company!

Local Food and Wine Celebrated at 2011 HARVEST East End

By Dave Seel, Long Island Food Correspondent

Saturday night was a cool one. Fall was definitely in the air for the 2011 HARVEST East End Fall Tasting. White tents gleamed against a slightly overcast sky on the fields next to Mecox Bay Dairy.

The event, presented by Food & Wine and organized by the Long Island Merlot Alliance and the Long Island Wine Council, raised over $30,000 for East End Hospice, Group For The East End, and The Peconic Land Trust. It also offered those attending to taste some of the wine and food from the region's growing wineries and restaurants. As 1770 House Chef Kevin Penner put it, "This kind of thing wouldn't have happened ten years ago. With more producers out here each year, it's an exciting time to be out [on the East End]."

And exciting, it was.

Long Island wine was definitely the centerpiece for the event with some of the region's best wineries lining the walls of the intimate tent. A definite highlight were the barrel tastings from the 2010 vintage of Long Island Merlot and a few other varieties.

Winemakers all agree this is an incredible vintage to watch as that summer's dry heat gave the fruit good depth and some some wonderful characteristics. Macari Vineyards' merlot barrel sample was exceptional and I'm excited to see how it develops. Russ McCall continues to make some fantastic merlots, my wife's favorite, and Shinn Estate Vineyards Nine Barrel sample was very promising.

I was also really excited to try Channing Daughter's orange-hued Ramato -- an orange wine made from pinot grigio grapes -- which drank clean and crisp. Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to try Channing Daughter winemaker Christopher Tracy's newest project, a Lagrein wine from a Northern Italian variety, which he brought as his barrel tasting. Perhaps I'll have to trek out to the winery to give it a try.

Sprinkled throughout the winery's tables was food from some of the East End's top restaurants.

From Love Lane Kitchen's Local Duck Sausage with Plum Compote and Miso Mustard to Noah Schwartz's Pipes Cove Oysters with a Lemongrass Mignonette, local ingredients were highlighted and elevated by regional chefs. Fresno's Chilled Heirloom Tomato Soup with a Lobster Salad was a definite fan favorite, and South Fork Kitchen's Local Fluke with Yuzu, Meyer Lemon, and Cucumber was yet another indication that chefs are taking advantage of local foods found only a few miles from their restaurants. 

The talk around the food was all about the excitement of having more and more locally focused food purveyors.

David Page, of Shinn Vineyard, raved about Noah's McCall beef tartare served at the event's Shinn Estate 10-Mile Dinner the night before. "You can just feel the vitality in that meat! It's like nothing else..."

As dusk slid into evening, the tents lit up across Mecox Bay, beacons of the East End's evolving culinary landscape.

The festival was a brilliant time for all to celebrate the place and people that have created this wonderful gastronmic experience. It will be exciting to see how these chefs and winemakers continue to push this community in new and progressive ways in the future.

There are good things happening on the East End and if you haven't made it out here yet, it's time you took the trip.

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.

Rescheduled for September 21: NYCR New York Artisan Dinner With Paumanok Vineyards

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

We have rescheduled our New York Cork Report Artisan Dinner with Paumanok Vineyards for Wednesday, September 21 at 7 p.m. at Luce & Hawkins in Jamesport.

We'll be joined by winemaker Kareem Massoud, who will be pouring a mini-vertical of his family's chenin blanc -- with the added treat of the 1993 Late Harvest Chenin Blanc.

Chef Keith Luce has put together an incredible four-course menu to pair with the wines:

Coconut- and chili-plumped oysters, lemon-ginger salted shaved melon
Paumanok Vineyards 2008 Chenin Blanc

Poached rabbit and lobster-foie gras ravioli
Paumanok Vineyards 2010 Chenin Blanc

Roasted beets and duckling "prosciutto" smoked walnuts and honeyed yuzu pepper
Paumanok Vineyards 2009 Chenin Blanc

Orchard fruit crumble, cinnamon basil, white chocolate-corn ice cream
Paumanok Vineyards 1993 Late Harvest Chenin Blanc

Seats are $95 (plus tax and gratuity) and we only have 40 seats available for this dinner -- which I expect to sell out.

If you'd like to join us, please call the restaurant at (631) 722-2900. Your payment information will be taken when you call and we will have a 48-hour cancellation policy.

POSTPONED: NYCR New York Artisan Dinner With Paumanok Vineyards

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor 

Because so many people are without power and are cleaning up after the weekend's storm, we have decided to postpone our dinner at Luce & Hawkins scheduled for tomorrow Wednesday, August 31 at 7 p.m.

We haven't set a new date yet, but once we do, we'll make sure you know about it.

August 31: NYCR New York Artisan Dinner With Paumanok Vineyards

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

The next in our series of New York Cork Report Artisan Dinners will take place once again at Luce & Hawkins on Wednesday, August 31 at 7 p.m.

This time around, we'll be joined by winemaker Kareem Massoud of Paumanok Vineyards, who will be pouring a mini-vertical of his family's chenin blanc -- with the added treat of the 1993 Late Harvest Chenin Blanc.

Chef Keith Luce has put together an incredible four-course menu to pair with the wines:

Coconut- and chili-plumped oysters, lemon-ginger salted shaved melon
Paumanok Vineyards 2008 Chenin Blanc

Poached rabbit and lobster-foie gras ravioli
Paumanok Vineyards 2010 Chenin Blanc

Roasted beets and duckling "prosciutto" smoked walnuts & honeyed yuzu pepper
Paumanok Vineyards 2009 Chenin Blanc

Orchard fruit crumble, cinnamon basil, white chocolate-corn ice cream
Paumanok Vineyards 1993 Late Harvest Chenin Blanc

 

Seats are $95 (including tax and gratuity) and we only have 40 seats available for this dinner -- which I expect to sell out.

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

 

Photos From 2011 Roanoke Vineyards Winemakers' Smackdown

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

I spent a beautiful pre-rains Saturday evening at Roanoke Vineyards this past weekend to attend the latest in their series of "Smackdown" events; events where wine industry folks blind taste wines head-to-head while attendees taste along with them.

It was great fun to see old friends, make new ones and meet journalist and author George Taber (pictured above center), who hosted the evening.

Blind tasting is hard. Very hard. And also extremely humbling. But, the panelist seemed to have fun with it, engaging playful trash talk throughout the evening.

Rather than give a blow-by-blow or sip-by-sip account, which I don't think would be that interesting for anyone who didn't attend, I thought I'd simply share some pictures from the evening.

The crowd getting ready to begin tasting.

 

Around 120 people attended this year's event.

 

The U.S. tasting team (from left to right): Christopher Tracy, Channing Daughters Winery; Louisa Hargrave, VinGlorious; and Michael Cinque, Amagansett Wine and Spirits.

 

Team Europe (from left to right): Miguel Martin, Palmer Vineyards; Roman Roth, Wolffer Estate Vineyards and Pascal Zugmeyer, Z Wine Guy.

 

As the tasting wound down, a beautiful evening became a perfect night.

NOFO Rock and Folk Fest Kicks Off Tomorrow

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

NOFO Rock and Folk Fest, the second annual two-day music festival will kick off at Peconic  Bay Winery tomorrow at 11 a.m.

My family and I had a great time at last year's event and we look forward to attending again on Sunday.

I'll admit to not knowing many of artists performing over the two days, but for me, it's barely about the music itself -- it's more about friends and family and enjoying a day in wine country, sipping local wine and beer, listening to music (any music) in a family-friendly environment.

For those more in the know, the lineup includes: Foghat, Elvin Bishop, Corky Laing & The Memory Thieves, John Sebastian, Commander Cody, Gordon Gano & The Ryans, Lance Lopez, John Eddie, Jon DiVello Band, Brian Ritchey, The Lone Sharks, Nancy Atlas, Miles to Dayton and Sunrise Skyline.

Tickets are $48 for one day or $80 for a weekend pass. Student & senior citizen discount available. 

A portion of festival proceeds supports youth music education through the East End Arts Council {501C3}. 

For tickets, visit the NOFO Rock and Folk Fest Site.

If you go on Sunday, come say hello. I'll be the one chasing the 4 year-old around.

 

Taste of Two Forks Brings 23 Local Wineries and 39 Local Chefs Together

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

This Saturday evening, I'll be making the drive down to the Hamptons to attend the inaugural Dan's Taste of Two Forks event at Sayre Park in Bridgehampton.

Organized by Dan's Papers (full disclosure: I'm their wine columnist) and hosted by celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson, the event will bring together top chefs and wineries from both the North and South Forks under one 'roof.'

The idea isn't a new one -- it isn't that different from the HARVEST EAST END event that launched last fall -- but this is sure to be a fun evening and they have certainly gotten many of the East End's top restaurants involved -- nearly 40 in total -- including some of my favorites like 1770 House, Estia's Little Kitchen, Love Lane Kitchen, Luce & Hawkins, and new favorite Southfork Kitchen. (See the full list of participating chefs/restaurants)

On the liquid side of things, there are 23 wineries participating and Southampton Publick House will be pouring their often-terrific beers.

Tickets are $150 per person ($225 if you want VIP access, which opens at 6:30 p.m.), which may not seem like a great value, but when you consider how much a dinner out would cost you at most of the restaurants taking part, it's reasonable.

I hope to see you there.

Dan's Taste of Two Forks
When: 7:30-10:30 p.m. Saturday,
Where: Sayre Park, Bridgehampton
Tickets: 631-227-0188 or danstasteoftwoforks.com

Some Pictures from Our Heart & Hands Wine Company Dinner at Luce + Hawkins

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

By any measure, last night's NYCR Artisan Dinner at Luce + Hawkins -- featuring the wines of Heart & Hands Wine Company -- was a success. The packed house enjoyed an incredible meal prepared by chef Keith Luce and his kitchen team, and I'm pretty sure that everyone came away excited about what Tom and Susan Higgins are doing with pinot noir in the Finger Lakes.

I'd like to thank everyone one for coming -- especially Tom and Susan who made the trip to Long Island wine country just for this dinner and were on their way out of town early this morning.

We don't do a lot of photo essay-type posts here on the site, but there were some great sights last night worth sharing:

The menu

 

Local yellowtail sashimi with spicy tomato water and basil seed caviar. Paired with 2009 Brut Rose.

 

Tom Higgins addressing the sold-out dining room.

 

New potatoes with housemade chevre, charred corn, sweet peas and mushroom syrup. Paired with 09 Pinot Noir.

Porcelet -- suckling pig stuffed with sausage -- with southern-style beans and oven-roasted tomatoes. Paired with 08 Barrel Reserve Pinot Noir

Lemon curd and local berries topped with buttermilk cream and apricot-saffron-white pepper sorbet. Paired with 09 Riesling.

 

Seats Still Available for Heart & Hands Dinner at Luce & Hawkins

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

We still have a few seats available for our next "New York Beverage Artisan Dinner" at Luce & Hawkins on Monday, July 11 at 7p.m.

Tom Higgins, co-owner and winemaker at Heart & Hands Wine Company on Cayuga Lake in the Finger Lakes will present his 2009 Brut Rose, 2009 Pinot Noir, two 2008 single-vineyard pinot noirs and a 2008 Barrel Reserve Pinot Noir -- with a four-course meal prepared by Chef Keith Luce, all for $75.

Get all the details here.

If you'd like to join us, send me an email. These are wines you won't want to miss.

UPDATE: Chef Luce just emailed the menu over.

Tuna sashimi, spicy tomato water & basil seed caviar

House-made chevre, new potatoes, charred corn, sweet peas-mushroom syrup

Aquebogue duck breast, sour cherry and rose geranium marmalade, sage biscuit

Whole porcelet, sausage stuffed, southern-style green beans roasted cherry tomatoes.

NoFo berries, lemon curd & saffron-apricot, white pepper sorbet

G. Love to Headline July 4 Event at Jedediah Hawkins Inn

By Mark Grimaldi, Director, Marketing and Events

On Monday, July 4, Luce & Hawkins Restaurant at the Jedediah Hawkins Inn in Jamesport will host an event that is sure to be talked about for quite some time: a 90-person ticketed event featuring local food, beverages and  music. 

Events similar to this have been done on the North Fork for years, but this event is different than anything else done.

Having been a professional musician in between being a James Beard and Food & Wine award-winning chef, Chef Keith Luce has always thought that music and food  go hand in hand, and it has long been his desire to bring this combination to life at the restaurant and inn. 

With my help and some other connections, they were able to get G. Love to sign on as the headlining act for a very special event on July 4. I work with Love’s sister, who imports French wines through Daniel Johnnes Selections and Michael Skurnik Wines. So I made a phone call to her and Love’s management. It wasn’t easy, but we made it happen. 

The music lineup will start in the early afternoon with two opening acts, Bryce Larsen, a top-seven Finalist on American Idol season 9 and John Divello, who is set to release a studio album and is opening for the famous blues guitarist, Johnny Winter next month.

That's just the music -- which is pretty awesome. Chef Luce will be going above and beyond, as he usually does, with the food. He'll serve whole, roasted animals, local seafood and produce.

On hand will be the wines on tap of Gotham Project, with their very own Charles Bieler (of Three Thieves with Joel Gott, and Bieler Rosé fame) manning the custom kegging machine. They will be pouring Finger Lakes riesling as well as a North Fork chardonnay.  Beers will be served by local south shore brewery, Great South Bay, who will be pouring their main beers as well as some small batch beers brewed just for the event.

Only 90 tickets were available when the event was first announced, but it's almost sold out.. 

Call the Inn at (631) 722-2900 and purchase your tickets with Tom or Michael. They will mail you your tickets once you make your reservation or you may come and pick them up.

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.

Nappa to Re-Open The Tasting Room as The Winemaker Studio

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

Long Island's only co-op tasting room will re-open soon, but it's going to look quite different from The Tasting Room, which was closed by then-owner Theresa Dilworth at the end of February.

Anthony Nappa, winemaker at Shinn Estate Vineyards and proprietor of Anthony Nappa Wines, and his fiancee Sarah Evans -- who is chef de cuisine at North Fork Table -- will re-open the space as The Winemaker Studio. They hope to open sometime next month once all of the licensing is sorted out.

Previously, the space served as a common tasting room for smaller and virtual wineries who didn't have North Fork tasting rooms of their own -- producers like Medolla Vineyards,  Schneider Vineyards and Brooklyn Oenology (which now has a tasting room in Brooklyn).

Nappa and Evans are taking the concept in a slightly different direction, featuring private label wines made by local winemakers, as well as a "a rotational list of wines encompassing all the local wineries and winemakers," said Nappa in an email.

Front and center will be Nappa's own line of wines, including Anomaly (a white pinot noir), Luminous (riesling), Nemisis (pinot noir) and Spezia (Gewurztraminer).

The Winemaker Studio will also re-open with wines from Wollfer Estate winemaker Roman Roth's private label, Grapes of Roth, Pellegrini Vineyards winemaker Russell Hearn's SuRu label and Leo Family Wines, from Clovis Point winemaker John Leo.

The wine industry can be extremely competitive, but Nappa and Evans think that collaborative projects like this are the way to succeed. "When you work in an industry with a community doing things cooperatively just makes good sense," he told me.

The co-op tasting room concept has opened and closed a couple times already, but Nappa doesn't worry about it being a bad location or idea. He said "I don’t think any location is a bad location if you can make it a destination. I hope we can and offer a unique experience and lineup of wines. As well as showcase the people behind the wines and bring that connection directly to our customers."

Anthony and Sarah would like to invite members of the local wine industry to an open house on Wednesday, June 1 from 5:30-8 p.m. to see the space, taste some of the wines that will be available and meet some of the winemakers involved.

The Winemaker Studio by Anthony Nappa Wines
2885 Peconic Lane, Peconic NY 11958
774-641-7488

Run for the Roses in Long Island Wine Country in May

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

I received a press release from the Long Island Wine Council today about this year's Run for the Roses Festival and wanted to pass it along the list of participating wineries and the specials they are running for the month.

I was disappointed, however to learn that there is no longer a charity component to this program, which raised money for CancerCare last year.

According to Steve Bate, executive director of the Council, "Participating wineries are being asked to contribute to the Wine Council’s marketing funds at the end of the promotion, based on the same formula as in the past: $1 per bottle of rosé sold."

There are some terrific pink wines being made on Long Island and they are worth exploring and drinking all spring, summer and fall.

It's just too bad that a program that used to raise money for a charitable cause is now raising money for the Council.

"Come to Long Island Wine Country this weekend to enjoy our RUN FOR THE ROSÉS FESTIVAL. Throughout the month of May, try our newly released ROSÉ wines, pick your favorites for the summer, and take advantage of SPECIAL OFFERS at participating Long Island wineries and partner businesses... 

Winery offers include:

Castello di Borghese:
ALL SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS IN MAY: Choose any Tasting Flight at Castello di Borghese and we will include an additional complimentary taste of our 2008 Rosé Fleurette.

Comtesse Therese Winery & Bistro:
During the month of May, receive a free order of escargots with the purchase of a bottle of Rose wine.

Clovis Point:
Every weekend in May, receive a free tasting of our Cab Franc Rose.

Croteaux Vineyard:
The only vineyard exclusively making "Rosé on Purpose". Taste "six" new 2010 vintage Rosés in a Country French Garden. You'll think you're in Provence, tasting exquisite Rosés while listening to French music. Book singing every Saturday in May: Paula Croteaux, "Farmhouse Kitchen Favorites" cookbook. Meet the owner/author of Croteaux Vineyards and Farmhouse Kitchen Cooking School. Open in May: Saturday/Sunday noon to 5pm. Memorial Day: Friday/Saturday/Sunday/Monday noon to 5pm

Diliberto Winery:
On Saturdays and Sundays in May beginning May 7 we will be celebrating "Rose, Arugula and Rossini": On Saturdays we will have a thin crust homemade pizza demo using Prosciutto and Arugula to pair with our 2010 Rose', with live Italian music, On Sundays we will have a homemade pasta demo featuring different pasta's and sauces to pair with our 2010 Rose' along with live opera music.

Duck Walk North and South:
During May, receive a free tasting of the 2010 Duck Walk Rose

Harbes Family Farm and Vineyards:
During the month of May, Harbes will be showcasing our Rosé wines.

Jamesport Vineyards:
Weekends from May 7 to 22: Enjoy special pairings of locally cured meats and cheeses with our East End Rose.

Jason’s Cellar:
During the month of May, Jason’s will be featuring our Rosé wines.

Lieb Family Cellars:
Enjoy a "chocolate and charities" tasting Mother's Day weekend and complimentary tastes of rose' and white Merlot throughout the month of May.

Macari Vineyards & Winery:
May 14: Vertical Tasting of Macari Rosés: 2008, 2009 & 2010 for $3.

McCall Vineyards:
McCall Vineyards will be featuring its 2009 and 2010 Pinot Noir Rosé throughout the month of May.

One Woman Vineyards:
Celebrating the month of May with a $100 case sale on our Rose!

Pellegrini Vineyards:
Throughout May: receive a complimentary tasting of our rosé with each flight purchased during the month.

Pindar:
Throughout May, Pindar is pleased to offer free tastings of our 2005 Pindar Cuvee Rare Rosé.

Sparkling Pointe:
Throughout the month of May: complimentary tastings of our 2007 Topaz Imperial

Waters Crest Winery:
May 28, 3 – 5 pm: Long Island vs. Provence: Rosé blind tasting - three Long Island wines verses three French wines.

Wolffer Estate Vineyards:
We are offering an all-Rose tasting flight during the month of May, featuring the Wolffer Estate Rose 2010, "Grandioso" Rose 2010 and "Noblesse Oblige" Sparkling Rose 2007."

The NYCR and Luce & Hawkins Present... an Evening with Paul Dlugokencky, Blind Bat Brewery, May 23

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

For several years now, I've allowed an idea for a series of local beer, wine and spirit dinner macerate in my mind. I wanted them to be somehow different from the dinners already happening -- because where's the value or fun in doing something that is already being done?

First and foremost, I wanted these dinners to celebrate a person rather than a winery, brewery or distillery. The artisan behind the local beverages needed to be the star. Front and center.

Next, I wanted the dinners to be as affordable possible -- to make them accessible to people who enjoy quality, local food and wine but maybe can't afford $100 per plate.

And lastly, I wanted the food to be creative and the menu be crafted with the chosen beverages in mind. No cookie-cutter menus with "Insert White Wine Here."

And when I met Keith Luce, chef at Luce & Hawkins in Jamesport, a while back, I knew I had met a brother in arms in the eat and drink local movement. These dinners would finally have a home -- outside of my own brain -- and a chef willing to make it happen.

Keith and I -- along with mutual friend and local 'wine guy' Mark Grimaldi -- are pleased to announce the first in this series, an evening with Paul Dlugokencky, founder and brewer at Blind Bat Brewery in Centerport on Monday, May 23 at 7 p.m.

Paul is a true pioneer in the craft brewing revolution underway on Long Island today. Throughout the evening, Paul will discuss his beers and brewing style as we enjoy a three-course meal and five of Paul's small-batch beers -- including his first-ever honey-basil ale.

Seats are $55 (including tax and gratuity) and we only have 40 seats available for this dinner.

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

NYCR Wine Tasting Event at Peconic Bay Winery to Benefit Autism Research: The Final Auction Lots

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

We're working to sort though all of the last-minute preparations, but our event tomorrow afternoon -- to benefit The Cody Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities at Stony Brook University -- is going to be a great time for our attendees.

Tickets are still available, but today I wanted to post our final auction lots for our silent auction:

• Channing Daughters Winery: Case of Mosaico
• Clovis Point: 6-pack of 2007 Reds
• Heron Hill Winery: Red Wine Gift Basket
• Hunt Country Vineyards: Mixed Case of Riesling
• Jamesport Vineyards: Wine Four-Pack
• Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars: 4-Pack of Single-Vineyard Rieslings
• Luce-Hawkins: 3-Course Long Island Wine Dinner for 2 and 25% off a room for the night
• McCall Vineyards: Case of 2009 Rose
• Macari Vineyards: Case of Half Rose and Half Early Wine
• North Fork Table and Inn: Gift Certificate for Lunch
• Palmer Vineyards: VIP Tour and Tasting with Winemaker for 8 People
• Raphael: Boxed 3-Year Vertical of First Label Merlot
• Roanoke Vineyards: Boxed 3-Year Vertical of Gabby's Cabernet Franc
• Robibero Family Winery: Mixed Case of Wine
• Scrimshaw: Lunch Gift Certificate
• Sheldrake Point Vineyards: Ice Wine Gift Box
• Shinn Estate Vineyards: Mixed Case of Wine
• Wolffer Estate Vineyards: Bottle of 2005 Christian’s Cuvee

If the weather forecasters are to believed, we're going to have a gorgeous spring afternoon on the North Fork tomorrow, come out and join us, have some food and wine -- and support this important charity!

To order tickets: Call Valerie Hallock at Peconic Bay Winery 631-734-7361.

Tickets Still Available: April 30: NYCR Wine Tasting Event at Peconic Bay Winery to Benefit Autism Research

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

Tickets are still available for our charity wine event on April 30 from 1-4 p.m.

We are partnering with Peconic Bay Winery and Lacrosse for Autism  to benefit The Cody Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities at Stony Brook University.

You can get all the event details in our previous post.

Our silent auction continues to grow as well. So far we have lots including:

• Channing Daughters Winery: Case of Mosaico
• Clovis Point: 6-pack of 2007 Reds
• Heron Hill Winery: Red Wine Gift Basket
• Hunt Country Vineyards: Mixed Case of Riesling
• Jamesport Vineyards: Wine Four-Pack
• Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars: 4-Pack of Single-Vineyard Rieslings
• Luce-Hawkins: 3-Course Long Island Wine Dinner for 2 and 25% off a room for the night
• McCall Vineyards: Case of 2009 Rose
• Macari Vineyards: Case of Half Rose and Half Early Wine
• North Fork Table and Inn: Gift Certificate for Lunch
• Palmer Vineyards: VIP Tour and Tasting with Winemaker for 8 People
• Raphael: Boxed 3-Year Vertical of First Label Merlot
• Roanoke Vineyards: Boxed 3-Year Vertical of Gabby's Cabernet Franc
• Robibero Family Winery: Mixed Case of Wine
• Sheldrake Point Vineyards: Ice Wine Gift Box
• Shinn Estate Vineyards: Mixed Case of Wine
• Wolffer Estate Vineyards: Bottle of 2005 Christian’s Cuvee

Tickets are $40 with a significant portion of that going directly to the charity. Join us for an afternoon of fun and enjoy $2 glasses of wine (every penny going to charity), an array of wine-friendly snacks, 10% off bottle purchases and a silent auction.

To order tickets: Call Valerie Hallock at Peconic Bay Winery 631-734-7361.

Tickets Now Available: April 30: NYCR Wine Tasting Event at Peconic Bay Winery to Benefit Autism Research

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

Tickets are now available for our charity wine event on April 30 from 1-4 p.m.

We are partnering with Peconic Bay Winery and Lacrosse for Autism  to benefit The Cody Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities at Stony Brook University.

You can get all the event details in our previous post.

Tickets are $40 with a significant portion of that going directly to the charity. Join us for an afternoon of fun and enjoy $2 glasses of wine (every penny going to charity), an array of wine-friendly snacks, 10% off bottle purchases and a silent auction.

To order tickets: Call Valerie Hallock at Peconic Bay Winery 631-734-7361.

April 30: NYCR Wine Tasting Event at Peconic Bay Winery to Benefit Autism Research

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

On Saturday, April 30 from 1-4 p.m. the New York Cork Report, Peconic Bay Winery and Lacrosse for Autism are partnering for a wine-tasting event to benefit The Cody Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities at Stony Brook University.

I first met the founders of Lacrosse for Autism -- a local non-profit that raises money for autism research -- in September at our Angelman Syndrome event, and when my wife Nena and I were deciding what charity we'd like to benefit with our next event, it was a no-brainer.

Tickets for the event are $40 with a significant portion of that going directly to the charity. Attendees will enjoy an afternoon of $2 glasses of wine (every penny going to charity), wine-friendly nibbles by Luce-Hawkins, 10% off bottle purchases and access to our silent auction -- which already has some outstanding lots finalized

• Channing Daughters Winery: Case of Mosaico
• Clovis Point: 6-pack of 2007 Reds
• Heron Hill Winery: Red Wine Gift Basket
• Hunt Country Vineyards: Mixed Case of Riesling
• Jamesport Vineyards: Wine Four-Pack
• Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars: 4-Pack of Single-Vineyard Rieslings
• Luce-Hawkins: 3-Course Long Island Wine Dinner for 2 and 25% off a room for the night
• McCall Vineyards: Case of 2009 Rose
• Macari Vineyards: Case of Half Rose and Half Early Wine
• North Fork Table and Inn: Gift Certificate for Lunch
• Palmer Vineyards: VIP Tour and Tasting with Winemaker for 8 People
• Raphael: Boxed 3-Year Vertical of First Label Merlot
• Roanoke Vineyards: Boxed 3-Year Vertical of Gabby's Cabernet Franc
• Robibero Family Winery: Mixed Case of Wine
• Sheldrake Point Vineyards: Ice Wine Gift Box
• Shinn Estate Vineyards: Mixed Case of Wine
• Wolffer Estate Vineyards: Bottle of 2005 Christian’s Cuvee

Comtesse Therese, Martha Clara Vineyards and Waters Crest Winery will also be donating auction lots. If you're a New York winery, restaurant or other organization that would like to donate to the cause, please let me know.

Peconic Bay Winery has also generously offered to donate $100 for every attendee who signs up for their wine club.

I'd also like to thank American Tent Company for donating a tent for our event.

To order tickets: Call Valerie Hallock at Peconic Bay Winery 631-734-7361.

Roanoke Vineyards Hosts its Own "March Madness"

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor
Photos courtesy of North Fork Patch and Roanoke Vineyards

With events like The Judgment of Riverhead and its "Smackdown" series, Roanoke Vineyards has been putting on some of the North Fork's more interesting winery events for a while now. These are events that are easy to appreciate and enjoy -- for both the creativity behind them and the fact that they aren't all about Roanoke Vineyards wines.

On Saturday, sixteen local wine lovers -- including fellow bloggers/journalists -- Henry Powderly and Michael Gorton -- competed in the "March Madness Smackdown Tournament" a bracket-style blind taste-off for a seat on the expert panel at the April 2, 2011 edition of Smackdown. If you're unfamilar with the Smackdowns, they are an hybrid event-contest that asks a panel of Long Island winemakers, vineyard owners and experts to taste a series of wines blind and try to identify them. The person able to identify the most, wins, but non-panel attendees simply get to taste the same wines as the experts.

The winner of the tournament was Andrew Rockwell, Laboratory Director at Premium Wine Group (pictured right), who also happens to be crafting a 2010 cabernet franc of his own -- but that's another story for another day.

Andrew will join a panel that already includes Kareem Massoud, winemaker at Paumanok Vineyards, Kelly Urbanik, winemaker at Macari Vineyards, Tracy Ellen-Kamens of Grand Cru Classes and Louisa Thomas Hargrave, who co-founded Long Island wine country with Hargrave Vineyard.

The 3rd Smackdown will take place April 2 at 6 p.m. in the Jedediah Hawkins Gallery with food by chef Keith Luce from Luce-Hawkins. You can get the details online, or call the Smackdown Hotline at 631.727.4161

I'm hoping to attend myself...with a big "GO ANDREW" sign in tow.