Memorial Day in New York Wine Country: What Are YOU Doing?
Posted
May 24, 2012 by Lenn Thompson in
Features
Memorial Day is the unofficial beginning of the “busy season” throughout New York wine country. To kick things off, most wineries have special events, offers and even sales going on this weekend.
The goings on are too numerous and diverse to list, frankly.
So, we want to hear from you — what will YOU be doing in New York wine country this weekend? Where will you taste? Where will you go to listen to music or eat barbecue?
Let us know, and you just might help someone else decide what they want to do too.
Visiting the Tall Ships in Greenport Saturday.
Stopping by Sparkling Pointe on Sunday. Long Island wines from the cellar all weekend.
No drinking and driving - beware the checkpoints!
We’re going to be in the Finger Lakes all next week. I hope we don’t come back with 8 1/2 cases like we did a couple of years ago (the car still hates me for that) but how can we not buy? Plus I hear Red Newt has a new vintage of Sawmill Creek Vineyard Riesling.
Hey Paul…new to the finger Lakes. We like all reds….any suggestions?
Our favorites for reds in the Finger Lakes are (in no particular order) Shalestone, Damiani, Red Newt, Shaw, Billsboro, Sheldrake Point, Dr. Frank, Ravines. Of course, you need to explore the others and decide for yourself.
Damiani is hands down my favorite for reds, with Ravines as a close second, but really all of the wineries Ed listed have great reds. Damiani and Ravines are (IMO) the #1 and #2 pinot noirs in FLX. (I have not tried Heart and Hands - I’ve heard theirs is excellent as well.)
Not mentioned: Hosmer over on Cayuga Lake, also, has an EXCELLENT Cabernet Franc and a great Lemberger, too. However, Damiani has my favorite Lemberger.
As he said, though, everyone has their particular favorites, so you definitely need to make your own decisions.
Ravines makes a terrific Meritage (I’m hoarding several bottles of the ’07) and Pinot Noir (my wife loved the ’08), and despite what Lenn wrote a couple of weeks ago we really like their Keuka Village Red. Damiani make several really nice reds too, as do Anthony Road, Shaw, Heart & Hands, Red Newt, Standing Stone, and Dr. Frank (I liked their 2nd-label Salmon Run Meritage a couple of years ago). Shalestone is sort of our white whale - they are never open when we’re around, and we’ve never been able to get there. Los of people also like McGregor’s wines too, although they’re not to my taste. You’ll just have to try ‘em all!
Will not be in NY Wine Country this WE. But we will be in Vermont enjoying the private label North Fork wines recently blended by Peconic Bay Winery for Hildene, “The Lincoln Family Home” in Manchester Village. Also, plenty of PBW Riesling, Steel Chard and the last of the 2005 Cab Franc on hand.
We won’t make it up to NY this weekend but I’m hoping to visit 2 or 3 wineries in the Brasndywine Valley (SW of Philly)
Ed
My mom just bought a house, so we’ll be hauling furniture today. However, for National Wine Day yesterday (!) we drank a 20 year old Vidal Blanc from Stoutridge.
We have tentative plans to go sit on the patio at one of our favorite local beer bars* later today, if the weather is nice (and it is supposed to be!).
*This is my term for a bar that prides itself on having craft beer on tap. We have a few we like locally; but this one has, hands down, the best outdoor patio AND we can walk to it.