New York Cork Report

7 Questions with....Regan Meador, Assistant Winemaker, Osprey's Dominion Winery

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

I have yet to meet Regan Meador, assistant winemaker at Osprey's Dominion Winery -- in person at least.

As is so common these days, he and I got acquainted via Twitter before he left his white collar job in Manhattan for good and moved to the North Fork to make wine. We keep saying that we're going to meet up for a glass or a pint or five, but it hasn't happened yet.

In the interim, I've asked him our standard set of seven questions...

What event/bottle/etc made you decide that you wanted to be in the wine industry?
It’s a collective of experiences that led me here. But the seminal moment came after days and years in finance, the music business and then advertising and marketing, one day I found myself monitoring a focus group for a client, a major beer brand, and I couldn’t help but notice how disinterested our group was with what we and everyone else in the business was selling. My own disinterest made this even worse. I was tired of selling people crappy beer. I was tired of selling people on something I had no hand in actually making. I was tired of just selling people. I wanted to get my hands dirty. That night I enrolled in courses at U.C. Davis, months later I quit my job and now here I am.

What (and where) was the first bottle of wine you remember drinking?
It was an unknown bottle of California Merlot in 1990 (which puts me at around 10 years old); a bottle that was stolen from my parents (sorry, Mom and Dad) along with a few cans of Miller Light (you’re welcome, Mom and Dad). My accomplice ended up drinking the beer and I couldn’t get enough of the wine. I still remember sitting in the middle of that field, the taste of that wine.

Which of your current wines is your favorite and why?
I’m digging through our few Carmeneres. It’s such a bastard varietal: a dream one year, only to turn around and give you the business the next, but one of my favorites.

What has surprised you most about being a member of the New York wine community?
First let me caveat that I’m new here, but for me it’s the dichotomy. On the one hand it’s incredibly gracious and collaborative, yet at the same time it can be quite competitive and cagey. I find this to be a beautiful thing… it can push a region forward, it makes things interesting, it’s healthy.

Other than your own wines, what wine/beer/liquor most often fills your glass?
I have a consistency problem when it comes to alcohol. I’ve been drinking/thinking/dreaming about Languedoc lately. I like its incongruity, the rough edges. Just had a bottle of Roanoke’s 07 Blend 2 that greatly saddened me once it was finished. As for not wine, a rare pleasure is Compass Box’s Peat Monster on cold nights.

Is there a 'classic' wine or wine and food pairing that you just can't make yourself enjoy?
Chardonnay... with anything.

Wine enjoyment is about more than just the wine itself. Describe the combination of wine, locations, food, company, etc. that would make (or has made) for the ultimate wine-drinking experience.
It’s that rare special crescendo during a dinner party, at a bar with a perfect stranger or just on the couch with a friend or loved one, that occurs right around the middle of the third glass. Where the conversation hits that perfect pitch, that moment of clarity, where world problems are solved, famine is cured, love is discovered. Where everything makes sense…. until we oblige that fourth glass and forget it all…

7 Questions with....Erin Flynn, Marketing Manager, Dr. Konstantin Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

If you're active in social media channels like Twitter and Facebook, you may have noticed that one of New York's best-known wineries, Dr. Konstantin Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars, has become extremely active on them. That's the work of Erin Flynn, who joined Dr. Frank in May.

Erin is a Finger Lakes native but didn't stay home to work in the wine industry right away.

After earning her bachelor of arts degree from Nazareth College and as Master's degree in management from Keuka College, Erin moved to Washington D.C. to work in politics and as a lobbyist.

As you're read below, that just wasn't meant to be.

And now, our seven questions...

What event/bottle/etc made you decide that you wanted to be in the wine industry?

I am one of those people who thought I knew what I wanted to be in life only to discover that I was meant for a different purpose. Believe it or not, I began in politics. After my undergraduate education, I moved to Washington, D.C. where I was first a legislative intern for Senator Chuck Schumer and later a registered lobbyist.

I guess some things in life are just meant to be. As a native of the Finger Lakes, I was passionate about the region and its wines and discovered that I lost a part of myself when I moved away. Two things were the straws that broke the camel’s back leading me back to the Finger Lakes. First, I fell in love with my husband who is also a native of the Finger Lakes and second, the hustle and bustle and dirty political atmosphere of D.C. caused me to reevaluate where I wanted to be in life.

My gut instinct told me that the skills I developed in politics could be translated into a career in the Finger Lakes. On a whim, I decided to “go for it” and heard of a marketing opening at Swedish Hill Winery. From there everything fell into place and my skills blossomed in the marketing arena. Now I have translated those skills into my current position at Dr. Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars.

What (and where) was the first bottle of wine you remember drinking?

The first bottle of wine I remember drinking was a Rioja while studying abroad in Valencia, Spain. I am still intrigued by La Rioja and hope to one day take a trip through the region.

Which of your current wines is your favorite and why?

Right now, my favorite wine is our newly released 2010 Gewürztraminer. 2010 was an outstanding vintage in the Finger Lakes and this wine is a brilliant example. Rieslings, gewürztraminer and grüner veltliner are just some of our specialties here at Dr. Frank. Our 2010 Gewürztraminer is loaded with aromas of basil, tangerine, orange blossom and candied bananas.

What has surprised you most about being a member of the New York wine community?
The collaborative nature of the Finger Lakes region in particular has surprised me. I feels good to be part of a community that is working towards a unified goal. For me, that feeling is magnified by working at historical Dr. Frank Wine Cellars. I am still in awe working here daily and seeing how Konstantin’s legacy has played out in the New York wine industry.

Other than your own wines, what wine/beer/liquor most often fills your glass?

Mostly, I’m a wine lover through and through, so that is almost always in my glass. When I’m not
enjoying Finger Lakes wine, I’m partial to Chilean wines. My favorite liquor is whiskey and that
probably has something to do with my Irish heritage.

Is there a 'classic' wine or wine and food pairing that you just can't make yourself enjoy?

I have yet to meet a wine and food pairing that I don’t enjoy. Even if I don’t like particular style of wine, I appreciate that wine’s attributes. I’m a real foodie, so I will eat almost anything. Add a glass of wine with that food and I’m a happy camper.

Wine enjoyment is about more than just the wine itself. Describe the combination of
wine, locations, food, company, etc. that would make (or has made) for the ultimate wine-
drinking experience.

The ultimate wine drinking experience for me is sitting down with my friends in the Finger Lakes wine industry who are equally passionate about wine. Recently, I started a wine tasting group for female Finger Lakes wine professionals. We try to meet once a month and feature a different wine each time. Each person has to choose a region and then we blind taste through all of the bottles.

My rule of thumb is that we have to include at least one bottle of New York wine in the tasting. As a group we have learned a lot -- particularly how our regional wines compare to other wines in the world.

NYCR Q&A;: George Romero, Roanoke Vineyards

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

If you've visited Roanoke Vineyards over the past several years, you've probably met George Romero. He's hard to avoid. He's a fixture behind the tasting bar and outside on the patio, often seen pouring wines for and chatting up customers.

More often than not, I get to Roanoke when they first open on Saturday morning and -- almost without fail -- George is there cleaning the floors and preparing the tasting room for the throngs of red wine lovers to follow. Yes, he's a man of many talents.

He's also an interesting and gregarious guy -- the type of person who brings texture and complexity to Long Island wine country. He's just type of person we like to talk to for our NYCR Q&A and ask him our set of questions:

What event/bottle/etc. made you decide that you wanted to be in the wine industry?

I think it’s more important for me to address why I’ve stayed in the wine industry. I’ve found that I’ve basically engulfed myself in the culture of the East End Long Island. Every year the wine gets better and better. For me, it’s been about what to taste next.

If I had to pick a bottle that made me fall in love with the Long Island wine, I would say Roanoke Vineyards 2005 Merlot. Simply amazing.

What (and where) was the first bottle of wine you remember drinking?

The first bottle of wine I had was an epic fail. It was a red wine and I drank it like a beer. Enter the instant hangover.

After a five-year vacation from wine, I gave it another swirl when I started tending bar. At that point I became a vampire seeking more blood. I started seeking out wine. Like anything in mass, there was some serious trial and error narrowing down regions and wine that I enjoyed. What most people call wine tasting, I prefer to call research.

Which of your current wines is your favorite and why?

Although I take enormous pride in all of our wines, if I had to chose just one current wine from the Roanoke Vineyards lineup, it would have to be the 2007 Blend 2. With a dominant cabernet franc presence accompanied by merlot and cabernet sauvignon, it truly highlights the three grapes that Roanoke grows. Its deep earthy flavors are strong enough to pair with a heavy sauce, yet gentle enough to side with pork or seafood.

We are extremely blessed to have an amazing family in the Pisacanos who meticulously put care into every detail of the business, as well as having the very talented and very creative Roman Roth as our wine maker.

What has surprised you most about being a member of the New York wine community?
What’s surprised me the most is how friendly my colleagues have been. With so many vineyards and wineries out there and so many people working at them, it’s such an amazing atmosphere when we’re all together. You would think there would be competition and bragging rights among us, but there’s not.

Earlier in the year, I created a group on Facebook called “Pour People.” In a few short months it’s grown to over 100 members. It’s been an amazing way for us to stay abreast on all the happenings at each winery and to get to know each other more as friends.

Other than your own wines, what wine/beer/liquor most often fills your glass?

I’m a big fan of Macari’s Dos Aguas, Lenz 2005 Merlot/Malbec -- when you can find it -- and Jamesport
continually produces great sauvignon blanc.

With beer, I try to stay local and support the local breweries when I can. There are so many similarities with craft beer and wine making. There’s a certain sense of freedom to be able to make things you enjoy as opposed to making things to supply a demand.

As for liquor? Bourbon, ‘nuff said!

Is there a 'classic' wine or wine and food pairing that you just can't make yourself enjoy?

Not really. For the most part I try to be creative at home or when out and about when it comes
to pairing. I think the thing that keeps wine and food interesting, is coming up with new pairing
ideas. I’m not opposed to having chardonnay with a nice steak.

Wine enjoyment is about more than just the wine itself. Describe the combination of
wine, locations, food, company, etc. that would make (or has made) for the ultimate wine-
drinking experience.

It’s great to see that Long Island is embracing the wine culture of the east end. This has become evident in the opening of many fine restaurants from Riverhead to Orient Point.

For me, the ultimate experience would include great company. I rather enjoy being around company that have varying wine backgrounds, whether it be novice or professional and everything in between. The knowledge and experience that can be acquired is something that I embrace. The venue would have to provide a cozy environment, the kind of place where anybody would feel welcome. I’m not a fan of the super high-brow establishments that judge you right away based on how you’re dressed. I enjoy the more family-style places where good conversation is as important as the meal and wine.

Also, listening to the winemaker discuss the challenges and hardships of making an excellent wine is great educational research, but the highlight for me is when I get to hear the chef discuss why he chose a particular meal for a particular wine. It’s an excellent window seat to the mind of culinary genius.

7 Questions with... Jerol Rickard, Tasting Room Manager, Lenz Winery

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

The Lenz Winery in Peconic has a new tasting room manager. His name is Jerol Rickard and he brings experience in project management, market research and litigation to the job -- experience that should serve him well running the tasting room at one of the North Forks classic wineries. 

He brings a unique perspective on wine as well, having grown up in California wine country. A member Lenz wine club before joining the company, he's also keenly familiar with the portfolio and in local wine in general.

And now, he answers our set of seven questions...

What event/bottle/etc made you decide that you wanted to be in the wine industry?

I grew up in Northern California, in the Bay Area, and Napa and Sonoma were right in my backyard. On weekends, visiting wineries was always a choice on the list of activities.

On a trip to Napa for a friends 30th birthday we visited Andretti Winery. As we were all gathered on the terrace with our wine glasses in hand, toasting to his birthday with a glass of 2001 sangiovese, I was taking in the scenery, the rolling hills, and the vines in the distance and thought “Man, this is the life; I could do this every day.”

What (and where) was the first bottle of wine you remember drinking?

In 2001 my mother bought me a Napa Valley Wine and Dine train ride for Christmas.

During that train ride we stopped at Grgich Hills Family Winery and were given a glass and cellar tour. After the cellar tour, we were able to purchase a bottle (although I do not recall which bottle I bought, I did take note that it was the first bottle I ever purchased.) of wine to open during the dinner portion of the train ride.

Which of your current wines is your favorite and why?

There are so many wines that I enjoy at Lenz, after all I was a wine club member prior to working at the winery.

If I had to choose one and only one it would be the cabernet sauvignon. I know that merlot and chardonnay are always among peoples favorites at Lenz and on Long Island but Eric Fry does a tremendous job with the cabernet sauvignon, and it was that wine alone (2006 vintage) that ultimately made up my mind to sign up for the subscribers program.

What has surprised you most about being a member of the New York wine community?

What most surprised me would have to be the sense of community and support from other industry people, employed at Lenz and all the other wineries on the North Fork. Just the other day I was at a BBQ where there was a mixture of winery owners, winemakers, managers and tasting room staff, all in one spot enjoying each other’s company. It was a great thing to be a part of.

Other than your own wines, what wine/beer/liquor most often fills your glass?

If it isn’t wine it would be a Scotch on the rocks, however, often times it is wine. Some of my favorites are Italian wines, such as Zinfandel/Primitivo, Sangiovese, Nebbiolo etc.

Is there a 'classic' wine or wine and food pairing that you just can't make yourself enjoy?

I am a huge fan of red wine with an appreciation of white wines, except for sweet wines. Anything slightly syrupy is definitely not on my list of cravings.

Wine enjoyment is about more than just the wine itself. Describe the combination of wine, locations, food, company, etc. that would make (or has made) for the ultimate wine-drinking experience.

Recently my partner (who is also in the industry) and I have been involved with a blind tasting group. We meet once a month to taste different wines organized by the host of the night. It is a blind tasting, meaning that we do not know the maker of the wines, so it pushes you to really get in to the wine and test your senses.

At the end of the night being among friends, enjoying and learning (in most cases) about new wines, eating food specifically paired with the different wines is both educational and enjoyable, making it, in my opinion an ultimate wine drinking experience.

Q&A;: Debbie Huneken, Tasting room Coordinator, Channing Daughters Winery

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

Debbie Huneken, Tasting Room Coordinator at Channing Daughters Winery in Bridgehampton, is a local.

She was born and grew up in Southampton, spending summers riding her bike and fishing, two activities she still enjoys in her free time. She is also an active runner and triathlete recently completed her first marathon in Prague.

Debbie attended the Hartford Art School at the University of Hartford where she studied fine art, graphic design and print media.

I know her as the knowledgeable -- and always smiling -- person pouring wines in the tasting room.

Today, we bring back our Q&A series -- after a 3 month hiatus -- with Debbie as our interviewee:

What event/bottle/etc made you decide that you wanted to be in the wine industry?
My first real “ah ha” moment was over some really bad Chinese food with Larry Perrine of Channing Daughters winery. It was November (2006?) and he was explaining Beaujolais Nouveau, carbonic maceration and “fresh wine.” I needed to know more.

Cut to a few weeks later and I am working in the tasting room at Channing Daughters.

What (and where) was the first bottle of wine you remember drinking?
I’m not gonna lie. I was in college. Most bottles were under $8 and there were a few boxed wines that made their way into my mini fridge in my dorm room in the early days.

Which of your current wines is your favorite and why?
If you ask me tomorrow my answer will change based on factors such as mood, food weather etc.

But my go to wine as we move into the spring/summer is anything from our Tre Rosati program. They pair well with anything or nothing at all.

What has surprised you most about being a member of the Long Island wine community?
I’m always a little surprised at how many people don’t know there is a booming wine region here on Long Island. I’m also pretty amazed at the diversity between each winery. There are no two wineries doing the same thing.

Other than your own wines, what wine/beer/liquor most often fills your glass?
If made with fresh lime juice, as opposed to the sugary mix, I love a good margarita.

Is there a 'classic' wine or wine and food pairing that you just can't make yourself enjoy?
I do not believe there is a right or wrong pairing as far as food and wine goes. I always thought a big buttery California chardonnay was the “right” thing to pair with buttery lobster until I tried it with Kareem’s (Kareem Massoud, winemaker at Paumonok Vineyards) Chenin Blanc.

The searing acidity in the chenin blanc cut right through the richness of the lobster and butter and gave the rich meal some lift. You can pick both your lobster and chenin blanc up at the Hayground Farmers Market on Friday afternoons during the summer which is very convenient.

Wine enjoyment is about more than just the wine itself. Describe the combination of wine, locations, food, company, etc. that would make (or has made) for the ultimate wine-drinking experience.
One of my most memorable wine drinking experiences was on a recent trip to Italy.

My fiance and I were at an outdoor café in Piazza Unità d'Italia in Trieste enjoying a bottle of local ribolla gialla and some assorted olives and crisps. This is the largest main square in Italy to be open on one side to the water and if you squint you can see Slovenia across the Adriatic Sea.

It was the beginning of lent and there were celebrations going on in the square. Kids in costumes were throwing confetti and chasing pigeons. This was all happening against the architecture of the 1800s. Pretty memorable bottle of wine.

Q&A;: Paul Deninno, Owner and Winemaker, Bashakill Vineyards

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

The IT-to-wine career path isn't unique to Paul Deninno, Bashakill Vineyards' owner and winemaker, but his mechanic-to-IT-to-wine journey is a new one for me.

Paul grew up in Mahwah, NJ, and graduated from Bergen Catholic High School, later attending Bergen Tech before spending seven years as an auto and diesel mechanic.

But, after suffering a crane accident on the job, he changed careers -- for the first time -- attending night school for computer science. He then spent the next seven years as an IT manager, during which time in 2001 he moved to Wurtsboro, NY.

As is the case with otech-turned-wine folks, he felt unsatisifed in the tech sector, so he followed a dream and opened first commercial winery in Sullivan County, NY.

And now, our standard set of questions:

What event/bottle/etc made you decide that you wanted to be in the wine industry?

It was a combination of an interest in agriculture, an unsatisfying job, the loss of a parent, and then a trip to Napa that sealed my fate. I was then lucky enough to have already moved to a site that had great soil and a micro-climate suitable for growing grapes.

What (and where) was the first bottle of wine you remember drinking?

At an early age, we had wine with dinner. It was always the same table wine called, “Villa Armando Rustico,” a jug wine for $14 a gallon and had an alcohol of 16%! Back then, I thought it tasted great, but in retrospect I don’t know how we drank so much of it.

It’s pretty funny how your taste can change over the years.

Which of your wines is your favorite and why?

My new favorite is our estate red wine blend called,“Bald Eagle.” It is a blend of a new hybrid grape called Marquette, and a New York hybrid grape called Noiret. It is a 60/40 blend of our organically-grown grapes.

These two varieties really complement each other. In 2009, I made a test batch off of a small crop on the young vines and was blown away by what they produced. This year, I received a full crop with a more favorable growing season. The wine is in the barrels and progressing beautifully. I am really excited for 2010.

For a white wine, I would say our Vignoles, which we call "Osprey." It is a semi-sweet wine with flavors of pineapple and honeysuckle, which is normally found in this particular hybrid.

What has surprised you most about being a member of the Hudson Valley wine community?

I was really surprised to learn about the vast resources we have right here in our own area. I believe one of the Hudson Valley’s most invaluable resource are our own local wineries, especially for those who want to get into the winery business. You would be surprised at how helpful they are and how they can point you in the right direction.

We are also so lucky to have Cornell University so deeply invested in helping expand our wine industry. Cornell really taught me the correct way to produce high-quality wines. I wouldn’t be where I am at if it wasn’t for them.

Other than your own wines, what wine/beer/liquor most often fills your glass?

A few of my favorite red wines are California’s Pride Mountain’s Cabernet Sauvignon, and Quintessa’s
biodynamic blend; I am always looking for new wines from organic vineyards to taste. For white wines,
I recently have been drinking a lot of Damiani’s Sauvignon Blanc from the Finger Lakes. Most Vignoles
from the New York regions provide a great tasting wine.

For beer I think my all time favorite is a Belgium beer, called Westmalle Dubbel, but I also drink a lot
of Magic Hat. I occassioanlly barter with one of my friends, who is an organic home brewer of various
beers. I always like trying different craft beers. New York hosts a lot of great breweries.

Is there a 'classic' wine or wine and food pairing that you just can't make yourself enjoy?

No matter how hard I've tried, I can never appreciate good cheeses except for fresh mozzarella. It sounds strange, but I am probably the only vintner who does not like cheese. As far as wines, I enjoy most of the
classics but there are a few varieties that I don’t favor. Wine is definitely subjective because we all
have different palates, so I won’t speak disfavorably about them.

Wine enjoyment is about more than just the wine itself. Describe the combination of wine, locations, food, company, etc. that would make (or has made) for the ultimate wine-drinking experience.

My ultimate wine-drinking experience is a ritual in the summer, especially at the end of a hot summer day.

We start off with a kayak ride on the Bashakill, accompanied by a chilled glass of Cayuga White. The views on the water are breathtaking, not the mention the wide-array of wildlife right in front of you.

By the end of your glass on the water, you are ready to head in for an outdoor dinner cooked over a wood fire. Depending what we are grilling in our fire pit, I will either open one of our cabernets for beef or lamb or our Lemberger or Gewurz for pork or fish. Another favorite thing is to invite friends over and fire up our brick oven for some homemade pizza and wine. Flavor from cooking with wood cannot be beat!

Q&A;: Andy Marshall, Assistant Marketing Manager, Hunt Country Vineyards

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

I first "met" Andy Marshall, the assistant marketing manager and jack-of-all-trades at Hunt Country Vineyards via Twitter. Since that initial introduction, we've had numerous discussions on nearly as many topics in recent months and I thought him the perfect person to resuscitate our Q&A series with, after all, there are more than just winemakers and winery owners behind the wines you drink.

A December 2005 graduate of Keuka College, Andy holds a B.S. Business Management with a minor in Computer Technologies. He's also Hunt Country’s resident vegan, and has been helpful in developing and promoting the winery’s vegan-friendly initiatives. 

Personally, I like Andy because he's a guy with ideas and opinions -- and he isn't afraid to share them.

Now, on to our standard set of questions:

What event/bottle/etc made you decide that you wanted to be in the wine industry?

No one thing made me want to be in the wine industry. Hunt Country Vineyards was actually my first job out of college. 

What made me decide to stay in the wine industry was my very first harvest in 2006. Our cellarmaster was out sick one day and they needed someone to climb inside a tank and shovel out the sediment in the bottom of the tank after fermenting some red wine juice. I thought, “why not?” and volunteered. Standing knee-deep in wet, aromatic grape skins I realized that this had to have been one of the most entertaining moments in my working career and decided to keep at it. 

Almost five years later I’m still enjoying myself; plus, the industry discount doesn’t hurt. 

What (and where) was the first bottle of wine you remember drinking?

It was in December 2005 in Ball Hall, Fourth Floor, Keuka College, Keuka Park, NY. It was Da Vinci Chianti and I was a  21-year old college student at the time, but I’m still a wine drinker and even go for Chianti from time-to-time, so I guess it wasn’t too bad!

Which of your current wines is your favorite and why?

My favorite of our current wines, with the pinot gris out of stock, is the Valvin Muscat. I’m a big fan of rich, spicy (the hotter the better) foods.

The Valvin Muscat pairs beautifully with Thai dishes. There’s nothing more delicious than a glass of chilled Valvin Muscat and a steaming bowl of my specialty -- Thai carrot and coconut soup.

What has surprised you most about being a member of the Finger Lakes wine community?

I think the thing that has surprised me the most is the sense of community. Everyone looks out for one another and really pull together to help each other out. We’re known to have fundraisers to support other winery workers when catastrophic things have happened in their lives. 

It’s nice to be counted among their numbers.

Other than your own wines, what wine/beer/liquor most often fills your glass?

It's a toss up -- either Grey Goose Vodka, neat, straight from the freezer or Crown Royal and Coke.

Is there a 'classic' wine or wine and food pairing that you just can't make yourself enjoy?

Not technically a wine and food pairing, but I just don’t get the whole Port and cigar thing. It ruins a perfectly good cigar.

Wine enjoyment is about more than just the wine itself. Describe the combination of wine, locations, food, company, etc. that would make (or has made) for the ultimate wine-drinking experience.

Tough call. There are a lot of moments that would be pretty cool, but the ultimate? I’m a sports nut so I’m thinking, sitting at the 50-yard line at the Super Bowl while watching the Indianapolis Colts (sorry Lenn, not the Steelers) make the winning field goal while enjoying a glass or two (maybe a bottle) of wine.  

TasteCamp EAST 2010 Interview: Sue Guerra | New Jersey Monthly

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

When Sue Guerra, who writes On the Vine for New Jersey Monthly, expressed interest in attending TasteCamp, I had absolutely no idea who she was. None.

Now, after spending a couple days with her, tasting (and drinking) wine with her, I'm glad she reached out and pushed her way into the TasteCamp experience -- it was a better event because we had her with us. Beyond her impressive palate, she has a great sense of humor and lives an interesting life as a dual citizen of the United States and Italy. 

And now, our TasteCamp questions:

Was this your first visit to Finger Lakes wine country? Yes.

Had you ever had any Finger Lakes wines before? And if so, what was your impression of them? I have had the Hermann Wiemer Dry Riesling and always recommended it to customers when I worked retail because it was closer to a German style riesling at half the cost.

After tasting a larger sampling of the wines being produced in the Finger Lakes, what is your impression now? I was really psyched that the region, which is already known for great rieslings has so much potential for other varieties (i.e. pinot noir, sparkling wines, some of the cabernet francs) in that cold-climate, food-friendly style I enjoy most (read: not jammy, over-oaked fruit bombs)--and best of all is that I can drive there. Now trying to talk 17 year old son into applying to Ithaca College!

What, in general, impressed you the most? I found it really interesting that each winemaker has their own approach and that approach runs the gamut from highly interventionist (chaptalization, filtration, Brett eradication etc.) to more natural (although probably not by the most strict definition) yet by and large the wines are highly drinkable and in a style that is so food friendly. Some obviously stood out above the pack but all of the winemakers and growers were so dedicated -- which I guess they have to be when they are freezing their asses off harvesting grapes in the cold and snow.

Also, perhaps it's the spoiled "proximity to NYC" brat in me but I was pleasantly surprised with the food scene up there.

What, in general, underwhelmed you the most? The Meritage bends. Maybe I am just bored with cabernet blends in general but does the world really need more of those? Some of the straight cab francs were interesting and there was a pretty interesting blend with cab franc (and Blaufrankisch?) at dinner the first night. I don't have my notes in front of me so I have to look that one up.

What tasting or vineyard walk was and will be the most memorable for you? Loved the Damiani Vineyard walk but the Heart & Hands Wine Company visit was the most memorable even though I had to run out early.

I can't wait to see what they do when they start harvesting their own pinot noir from atop that limestone outcrop.

After so much online interaction with the attendees, which person surprised you the most in person? Not one person but the collective whole. It was a brain trust of wine geeks of the highest order!!!

If you had to pick one, what would your wine of the weekend be? Tough question. Can I pick three? Jeez. The pressure is unbearable. OK...my three picks would be the Ravines Cabernet Franc 2007, the Heart and hands 2007 Reserve Pinot Noir and the Weimer 2007 Magdalena Vineyard Riesling.

TasteCamp EAST 2010 Interview: Rick Van Sickle | WinesofNiagara.com

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief

Just like last year, we're going to publish short Q&As with TasteCamp attendees to find out about their individual experiences at the event, starting with Rick Van Sickle.

Rick, who will be launching WinesofNiagara.com this week, was one of of the people I was most looking forward to meeting last weekend at TasteCamp. 

Prior to last Friday, my only interaction with Rick had been via Twitter (he's @rickwine) where he enthusiastically Tweets about the wines of Ontario. Local wine geek? Absolutely. He's one of us.

He brought some local wine to our BYOB dinner on Saturday night -- a cab franc and a riesling -- and both impressed. Enough that I'm going to seek out more Ontario wines.

And now...the questions:

Was this your first visit to Finger Lakes wine country? Yes, strictly for wine tasting. Have been there to vacation.

Had you ever had any Finger Lakes wines before? And if so, what was your impression of them? Many years ago. My impression is not printable here. Very poor quality, sickly sweet hybrid grape wines.

After tasting a larger sampling of the wines being produced in the Finger Lakes, what is your impression now? Very impressed. The quality wineries are finding a stride and making what the microclimate delivers: Crisp rieslings, finesse cab franc, potentially great pinot noirs and sparkling wines and a sprinkling of other interesting varietals.

What, in general, impressed you the most? The rieslings and cab francs. The rieslings, in particular, were outstanding world-class wines with a style that is consistent with the top wineries.

What, in general, underwhelmed you the most? The number of wineries producing crap wines and crap hybrid horrible wines. There should be a move toward a quality assurance that wineries have to adhere to.

What tasting or vineyard walk was and will be the most memorable for you? The Ravines Wine Cellars tasting and Argetsinger Vineyard walk where his top wine grapes are grown. Fascinating owners and winemaker who is steadfast in his beliefs. And perfectly matched to his grower.

After so much online (Twitter, blogs, etc.) interaction with the attendees, which person surprised you the most in person? Would definitely say @lenndevours ... he's a lot nicer in person and not as mean looking as his avatar (this is just between us, right?)

If you had to pick one, what would your wine of the weekend be? Hermann J. Wiemer Magdalena single vineyard riesling. The older the better, preferably the 2003.

Q&A;: Kitty Oliver, Marketing and PR Director, Heron Hill Winery

Heron Hill's Kitty Oliver with her son Augustus

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief

This edition of NYCR Q&A focuses on someone I consider a leader in social media promotion on the New York Wine world -- Kitty Oliver from Heron Hill Winery.

Kitty joined the Winery in January 2009 after working in design, marketing and PR at one of the most esteemed architectural firms in Los Angeles as well as teaching graphic design at Finger Lakes Community College. Since joining Heron Hill, she has embraced social media as a way to get the word out about Heron Hill's wines and -- in my opinion anyway -- really "gets" it. She's a real person on Twitter, expertly mixing her real personality with her job promoting the winery.

Kitty is a native to Keuka Lake, went to high school in Penn Yan then got her Associates in Graphic Design in Pittsburgh then finished her Bachelors in Santa Monica, CA. She's been married for 4 years and had her first son, Augustus last year and is expecting another baby this June.

And now, our standard questions:

What event/bottle/etc made you decide that you wanted to be in the wine industry?
When you grow up on Keuka Lake, the local wine industry is just something that you become acquainted with along the way. It's a way of life; wine is a staple in everyday activities and celebrations. Some of those times become ingrained, creating memories that get associated with wine. I think about the first time I went to a winery on Keuka as a kid -- my family tasted wine and the kids tasted grape juice. That's a special occasion for a young one!

Many other life events included wine as the celebratory component. Opening a bottle of Krug Champagne when my grandfather turned 80. When my brothers and I first swam across the lake together and the family celebrated with BBQ, roasted sweet corn and local wine. My dad gave me a special bottle he had made years prior and saved for the day that I graduated college. The most recent celebration was toasting with local sparkling wine for my son's first birthday. Wine is always marking an occasion and if it's not marking an occasion, it's creating one.

What (and where) was the first bottle of wine you remember drinking?
My grandfather used to make wine and I remember sampling his handiwork. Mostly I remember the labels, "Sycamore Point Wine", named after the huge bark-flaking Sycamore tree on the point at his cottage. I still have some unused labels, but I don't think any of the wine survived.

Which of your current wines is your favorite and why?
Right now, I'm expecting our second child so there is no current day-to-day favorite. I do (did) enjoy Heron Hill's 2006 Ingle Vineyard Cabernet Franc.

The 2009 summer never really warmed up to strictly white wine drinking weather for me. I generally stayed with reds and continued with them into the early fall. The Ingle Vineyard Cabernet Franc has a cedar, woodsy taste that I really enjoy. It's relaxation in a bottle for me and there is nothing better than enjoying a glass of that on my deck on a late summer night.

I love Keuka Lake Vineyard's Leon Millot when it's in stock. This wine is opaque, almost black in the glass and voluptuous. I found myself stopping by quite a bit on my way home during the summer to stock up.

What has surprised you most about being a member of the Finger Lakes wine community?
The sense of community, that continues to grow over the years, is amazing. We're a region of partners, working together, sharing ideas and helping each other out.

There's definitely a network of PR/Marketing folks that easily bounce ideas off of each other -- whether it's a question about the logistics of social networking, recommending a good press contact or simply talking current Finger Lakes wine events. I know I'm among helpful colleagues that can direct me in the right direction if I need it. This also applies to the wine writers that are devoted to getting the word out about Finger Lakes wines.

Yes, this is my career and I'm making contacts, but more importantly, I'm making great friends.

Other than your own wines, what wine/beer/liquor most often fills your glass?
I love a vodka martini with green olives. I believe they were invented with moms in mind...

Is there a 'classic' wine or wine and food pairing that you just can't make yourself enjoy?
I don’t spend too much time obsessing about pairings so I had to spin this a bit to make it more my style and talk about a pairing that I recently fell in love with -- Port and chocolate.

On a recent road trip to Erie, PA I discovered my all time favorite dessert pairing. We visited a handful of wineries and were on the hunt for a delicious Port. Mazza Vineyards Port stopped the search. It's aged in bourbon barrels and has an intense but satiny style. We bought a few bottles and went back into Erie but on our way back decided to stop at Romolo Chocolates.

I don't eat a lot of sweets but do enjoy a square of dark chocolate on occasion. They had a hot chili dark chocolate and I just knew that the Port and spice would go perfectly. This is a match made in heaven. I've been ordering the Port and chocolate online ever since.

Wine enjoyment is about more than just the wine itself. Describe the combination of wine, locations, food, company, etc. that would make (or has made) for the ultimate wine-drinking experience.
We built our home in 2009, and the site and floor plan was geared for gatherings and get-togethers. I love getting people together at our house for eating, drinking, cooking and playing the occasional game of frisbee.

I love cooking, but I enjoy it more when people bring dishes to pass. It brings character and diversity to the table (and gets me out of the kitchen for the prior week). I usually set up huge tables (read: coarse milled 15' oak planks on top of saw horses) on the deck and invite enough people to help fill it with food!

People bring wine from the store, some bring local brews and some bring homemade wine. Whatever is brought into the equation makes for a good outcome. There are so many "ultimates" concerning wine. Wine with old friends, wine with family, wine with the husband in front of the fireplace, wine after a kayak or snowshoe. It's a reward, celebration, topic of conversation and staple in a good life.

Q&A;: John Ingle, Owner, Heron Hill Winery

John Ingle, working the harvest in his namesake vineyard

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief
Photo courtesy of Heron Hill Winery

By the time John Ingle, owner of Heron Hill Winery on Keuka Lake, graduated from the University of Denver in 1971, he was reading organic gardening magazines regularly and had been bitten by the “back to the earth” bug. After marrying his wife, Josephine, after graduation, they went looking for their promised land. Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Alberta, British Columbia, Washington and Oregon all received consideration but they landed in John’s backyard – Seneca Point, Naples, New York.

There they lived in a two-room cabin with a woodstove while they helped their neighbors with the grape harvest. Something about the work struck the couple as the “good life.”

The next spring the Ingles planted 20 acres of grapes, including chardonnay, riesling, and seyval blanc. John cleared the land – a tangle of poison ivy – and planted some 12,000 vines. They pounded posts, strung wire and battled weeds and pests. And, after four years of nurturing the vineyard, John was ready for harvest.

Unfortunately, at that time, New York State was experiencing an excess of grapes and as a result, the Ingles could find little or no market for their crop. To solve the problem, they built Heron Hill Winery on Keuka Lake.

Being next door to Walter Taylor’s Bully Hill Winery and Dr. Frank’s Vinifera Wine Cellars made it seem like a good location. And it seems that it has been

2010 marks the 33rd anniversary of Heron Hill.

Now, onto our standard set of questions:

What (and where) was the first bottle of wine you remember drinking?
It seems like just yesterday, late August of 1969, Denver, Colorado.

I had just re-started my college career as a transfer student at the University of Denver. I had chosen this location for it’s obvious recreational opportunities as well as because several of my friends were in attendance there. It also provided me with what I hoped would be ample elbow room and freedom from the perceived restraints of my ever-present parents.

One of my friends was having a back-to-school party in his yard. There were young, happy faces all around, the brilliant Colorado sun was shining down upon us, energy-laced music of that period pulsed in the backyard. The stage was set for great things.

Across the room I saw a lovely diminutive honey-blond and had a surging sensation of place. This was a person who would be a player in my life.

As the pace quickened with the pulse of the music, the Ripple wine entered the picture – a case of white and a case of red – both nicely chilled. Being a beer drinker, this was new to me, but so was a lot there. I ventured a taste, I think it was the white, not bad! I didn’t know enough to analyze the product as I so often do now in my daily wine consuming adventures. It was good, the sun was good, the music was good, it was all good. And still only the first day of school.

The lovely young lady has been my loving wife for over 38 years and we both look back at our days at DU as some of the best in our lives. We don’t drink much Ripple anymore though…

What event/bottle/etc made you decide that you wanted to be in the wine industry?
I'm chasing an old wooden wagon down a sun-drenched vineyard row, carrying a 30-pound box of just-picked grapes. It comes to me that there are tens of thousands of people in vineyards around the world doing the same thing and have been for thousands of years! It's a vintage. It's a life.

Which of your current wines is your favorite and why?
We currently are enjoying our 2007 Ingle Vineyard Unoaked Chardonnay. It's light bodied and refreshing for pre-dinner situations – perhaps with some goat cheese dabs on homegrown organic carrot or pear rounds.

Family farmed and sustainably grown for over 30 years, our seven acres of chardonnay include a higher elevation, 2-acre vineyard that holds it's acidity well and yields a steely, mineral-driven, Chablis-type chardonnay quaff. This crisp style wine leads well into a dinner red, perhaps a snappy "Northern Style" pinot noir.

What has surprised you most about being a member of the Finger Lakes wine community?
The single thing that has surprised me most about the Finger Lakes wine industry is how long it is taking to really get a foothold in the wine world. In the last forty years, I planted my vineyard in 1972, we have come so far from "foxy" to "world-class" and yet have been passed by so many other wine regions on the ladder to success. It is baffling.

Other than wines made from your fruit, what wine/beer/liquor most often fills your glass?
We enjoy Bordeaux and Burgundy, often purchasing futures, but for a break from wine it will be vodka, preferably made from potatoes, on the rocks. Glacier is a favorite.

Is there a 'classic' wine or wine and food pairing that you just can't make yourself enjoy?
We have a pretty flexible attitude about wine pairings. We enjoy a light bodied, off-dry, low alcohol white before dinner, usually a riesling, pinot grigio or unoaked chardonnay with assorted cheeses and crackers and our homegrown organic crudités.

Following a couple glasses of that, we invariably switch to red for dinner. It would be pinot noir or possibly a medium-bodied cabernet franc – Chinon or Finger Lakes, with fish or chicken often grilled or sautéed. For beef, venison or tomato-based sauces we look for merlot, cabernet sauvignon or syrah.

We believe that if you enjoy the wine and you enjoy the food, together, it's a match. We find very few wines or foods that are not acceptable.

Wine enjoyment is about more than just the wine itself. Describe the combination of wine, locations, food, company, etc. that would make (or has made) for the ultimate wine-drinking experience.
I envision the sun shining warmly on a small group of friends gathered comfortably around a table on the terrace at Heron Hill Winery. We're looking out over the vineyards, Keuka Lake and the distant hills with a gentle breeze carrying light jazz music through the air.

The enticing aromas of grilled chicken and vegetables stimulate the appetite while a crisp, refreshing glass of riesling beckons from the center of the table. One taste leads to another as the wine slowly warms and the bouquet of flavors are released increasing waves of enjoyment. 

Q&A;: Vinny Aliperti, Winemaker Atwater Estate Vineyards, Co-owner/Winemaker Billsboro Winery

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief

Vinny Aliperti started his winemaking career here on Long Island at Wolffer Estate, known back then in 1997 as Sag Pond Vineyards, working with winemaker Roman Roth and winemaker Rich Pisacano just as the new winery was being constructed.

He spent spent three years there and then moved, with his wife and "youngins," to Geneva, NY to take a job with Hermann J. Wiemer as an associate winemaker for the 2000 harvest. In early 2001 he joined a new winery, Atwater Estate Vineyards, as assistant winemaker and since 2003 has served as head winemaker there.

In 2007, Vinny and his wife Kim opened Billsboro Winery.

And now, our standard set of questions:

What (and where) was the first bottle of wine you remember drinking?
First taste of wine was either my dad's homemade rose or Carlo Rossi cut with water at the dinner table when I was around 12

What event/bottle/etc. made you decide that you wanted to be in the wine industry?
When I started at Wolffer I spent most of my time in the chilly wind-swept vineyards and occasionally was needed in the winery. One day upon entering the tank room I was immediately struck by its intoxicating smell and the revelation that winemakers generally avoid working out in the elements.

Which of your current wines is your favorite and why?
Atwater's 2007 Syrah, which was made with fruit grown at Sawmill Creek Vineyards on Seneca Lake.

We planted some at Atwater a few years ago and thought while we wait for it to come online we'd try to get acquainted with Finger Lakes syrah. As luck would have it our first attempt was rendered from a stellar growing season.

Working with a new variety naturally generates curiosity and a sense of discovery, for only a handful of Finger Lakes syrah have been vinified over the last ten years.

What has surprised you most about being a member of the Finger Lakes wine community?
I knew moving here from the Big Apple promised us an overall improvement in our quality of life...little did I expect how much opportunity awaited. There aren't too many places left where one with modest means can set up their own winery with their employer's blessing in such a beautiful setting.

Other than your own wines, what wine/beer/liquor most often fills your glass?
I, like most winemakers, adore beer...the hoppier the better.

Is there a 'classic' wine or wine and food pairing that you just can't make yourself enjoy?
I'm good with the "classics"

Wine enjoyment is about more than just the wine itself. Describe the combination of wine, locations, food, company, etc. that would make (or has made) for the ultimate wine-drinking experience.
Wine is by nature a social beverage...friends, wine and live music...now that's livin'!

Q&A;: Matt Spaccarelli, GM and Co-Winemaker, Benmarl Winery

Matt Spaccarelli in the cellar at Benmarl Winery in Marlboro, NY

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief
Photo courtesy of Benmarl Winery

Matt Spaccarelli is new to the wine business, but has immersed himself in every aspect of Benmarl Winery's operations, now serving as the general manager and co-winemaker with Kristop Brown. Born just across the river in Hopewell Junction, Matt attended Fordham University where he was "completely convinced that track & field was my true major." He still holds the school record in the decathlon.

He was still at Fordham when his parents bought Benmarl in 2006, but he worked there part time until he graduated in 2007 with a BA in political science with a concentration in public policy. Upon graduation, he joined the new family business full time as general manager and assistant winemaker. Since then he's moved up to co-winemaker with Kristop.

This year he added president of the Shawangunk Wine Trail to his resume. All by the age of 26.

And now, onto our standard questions:

What (and where) was the first wine you remember drinking? Growing up I remember sipping wine out of my grandpa’s glass. He would always have a jug of something red under the table and I would sit on his knee as he smoked his filterless Lucky Strikes. As for the first wine that I remember having a glass (more like a paper cup) of was a Portuguese red called Borba. Again, it was with my grandfather.

What event/bottle/etc made you decide that you wanted to be in the wine industry?
Besides my family becoming involved with Benmarl, I don’t think that there was a single event or bottle that made me fall in love with the wine industry. I think it was more of a series of events starting with my upbringing, making wine in the garage.

After that, it was my introduction to agriculture (especially local agriculture) by my brother Stephen, followed by my study of public policy at Fordham University. It is a combination of these and many other events (and wonderful bottles of wine) that have pushed and pulled me into not only winemaking, but the culture, politics and lifestyle that surround it.

Which of your current wines is your favorite and why?
We just bottled our 2008 Hudson River Region Cabernet Franc and it seems to be very promising. We decided to bottle this wine unfined and unfiltered and it has pushed it into a direction that I would like to see all of our wines go, more terroir driven. As our vineyards mature and as we get more vines in the ground, I hope to grow more wines that reflect not only who we are, but where we are from as well.

I think that this wine is our first step in that direction.

What has surprised you most about being a member of the Hudson Valley wine community?
I would have to say that it is the “community” of the Hudson Valley Wine Industry that has surprised me the most. We are realizing more and more that without regional attention we have little opportunity to gain recognition for the quality wines that are being made here. Because of that, we work together in grass roots efforts to push each other forward. It’s less of a competition then it is a group effort. It is everyone’s awareness of our potential and willingness to cooperate that has been most surprising.

Other than your own wines, what wine/beer/liquor most often fills your glass?
I would say that it is a 50/50 split between wine and beer, with an occasional gin and tonic on a hot day or rye whiskey when its cold out. There is not a style of wine or beer that I truly dislike. Perhaps it’s the winemaker in me that finds something interesting about them all. However, I do tire quickly of “fruit bomb” and high alcohol new world wines, hopped up IPA’s or Russian Imperial Stouts. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoy them from time to time, but I guess it’s a balanced beverage that most often fills my glass.

Is there a 'classic' wine style or beer and food pairing that you just can't make yourself enjoy?
Foie gras. The flavor is just not that interesting to me. Combine that with the practice of farming foie gras and it is not enjoyable. I am by all means an omnivore. I consume farm-raised meat as well as self-harvested wild game, but for me foie gras crosses the line of excessive.

Wine enjoyment is about more than just the wine itself. Describe the combination of wine, locations, food, company, etc. that would make (or has made) for the ultimate wine-drinking experience.
No matter how good the food, how fine the wine, or how beautiful the setting is, the company you keep is paramount. Without good company it is difficult to enjoy anything.

Secondly, it is the process that can also make the wine drinking experience enjoyable. A fine meal and wine paring at a restaurant is wonderful, however I prefer cooking at home using ingredients from the garden and meat harvested on the estate. The more you are invested into the experience, whether it be harvesting the food your self or know the farmer that raised it for you, crafting the wine in your own cellar or understanding the philosophy behind the wine you choose to drink, the greater the enjoyment.

Q&A;: DJ Swanson, Head Brewer, Greenport Harbor Brewing Company

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief

DJ Swanson, head brewer at Greenport Harbor Brewing Company, should be inspiring for anyone working in a corporate job who has dreams of following his or her passion and making a career of it.

DJ started homebrewing about 15 years ago, when he bought homebrew supplies from Carl Burnham, the head brewer at Union Station Brewery in Providence, RI.

At the time, Burnham knew about DJ's interest in brewing professionally and in September of 2000 he hired DJ away from his accounting position at a finance company. A little over a year later, DJ was offered the head brewer position at John Harvard's Brew House in Lake Grove, NY, where he worked for almost five years.

After a brief break from brewing, during which he worked in pharmaceuticals, DJ then spent a year distilling professionally on Long Island before joining the new brewery in Greenport last April.

And now, our standard set of questions:

What (and where) was the first beer you remember drinking?
I was always the kid sneaking sips from my dad's beer -- usually Old Milwaukee. My first brewery visit was as a Boy Scout on a camping trip in New Hampshire. I loved the smells and the tanks. Can you imagine stopping at a brewery with a bunch of 10 year-olds today?

I really started to explore good beer at the Mews Tavern in Wakefield, RI after I turned 21. They had 69 taps and always something new to try.

What event/bottle/etc made you decide that you wanted to be in the beer industry?
My wife and I went to Fenway Park for a Red Sox game and did lunch across the street at Boston Beer Works. They were brewing the day we were there and I knew I had to try brewing my own. That first batch was good and it all went from there. An interesting journey from Boston to Greenport!

Which of your current beers is your favorite and why?
I waver between the Disorient IPA and the Black Duck Porter. It depends on my mood but they are both, I think, so flavorful without being over the top. I try to brew the kind of beers I'd want to drink.

What has surprised you most about being a member of the New York beer community?
It has changed so much since I've been here. I really love the diversity and camaraderie of it, especially here on Long Island. It's a great group of brewers and really the whole beer scene on Long Island is full of great people.

Other than your own beers, what wine/beer/liquor most often fills your glass?
If I'm buying beer I usually reach for one of three breweries: Sierra Nevada, Smuttynose or Allagash. There are so many good ones but those are my standbys.

Is there a 'classic' beer style or beerand food pairing that you just can't make yourself enjoy?
Hefeweizen! I can appreciate them, but I'll never like them. People have tried but can't make me.

Beer enjoyment is about more than just the beer itself. Describe the combination of beer, locations, food, company, etc. that would make (or has made) for the ultimate beer-drinking experience.
One of my favorite experiences is sitting outside at the beginning of fall in the back yard with a fire going, making some s'mores with the kids and some friends and a growler of Black Duck Porter. Low-key and relaxing and the beer and everything went together perfectly!

Q&A;: Adam Ehmer, Slave to the Grape, Roanoke Vineyards

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief

I first met Adam Ehmer over a year ago at the first "quarterly" LENNDEVOURS wine bar event at Roanoke Vineyards where he pours in the tasting room and, of late, helps out in other facets as well.

While most of his background is in academic ecology and biology, and he only joined the wine industry a little bit more than a year ago, right around when we met.

His job at Roanoke started as a part-time, weekend "gig" while he was instructing courses at SUNY Southampton, but now he's postponed teaching to focus more on wine and the local agriculture. 

This fall he got a little taste of harvest by picking grapes with co-owner Rich Pisacano and his crew and worked a few days in the Wolffer Winery with Roman Roth and his crew. 

Adam is hoping to get more experience in the vineyards, winery and cellars, and is also training to be certified as a sommelier through the Court of Masters.

And now, our standard set of questions:

What (and where) was the first bottle of wine you remember drinking? It doesn't get any more undignified: I split a jug of Carlo Rossi with my best friend at a bluegrass festival in Eagletown, Indiana, very close to where I grew up.  The wine itself was not memorable, but it was a memorable night of my youth! We sat at a campfire with some excellent musicians and sang along to all the songs we knew, until the jug was empty and we were in no condition to sing anymore.

What event/bottle/etc made you decide that you wanted to be in the wine industry? I credit Rich and Soraya Pisacano, the owners of Roanoke Vineyards, for their generosity and for sustaining a business that is a great place to work. I'm used to the freedom and flexibility of academia, and at Roanoke its not all that different!  

These are talented and knowledgable people that are passionate and dedicated about the wine they craft.  Their passion and enthusiasm is matched in our tasting room by the fans of our wine. These customers are not just excited about our wines, but they are also supportive of the region in general. I hear good things all the time; listening and responding to that feedback is an important part of my job that I take very seriously.

Which of your current wines is your favorite and why? I've been a fan of cabernet franc since we released our first in the 2006 vintage. The Gabby's 2006 was a knockout. We just released the 2007 vintage, and it's killer. I'm still trying to get a handle on my preference among those three, but honestly I think that there are reasons to love them all. 

I enjoy cab franc because of its nuance and character and its versatility with food pairings. It has a good balance of tannins, flavors and natural acidity. I think those characteristics also make it a fine wine to drink on its own.

What has surprised you most about being a member of the Long Island wine community? What surprises me most is how often people are surprised by the quality of wines from Long Island. People that have lived in this area much longer than me are just now finding out that there are world-class wines in their backyard. Some of that arises from the fact that the region itself is small and isolated at the tip of the island, and that overall production and distribution are relatively limited. At the same time, small production and limited distribution is part of what creates excitement and demand for very fine wines like those produced at Roanoke Vineyards.

Other than your own wines, what wine/beer/liquor most often fills your glass? I'm training to become a sommelier, so one of my goals is to drink both Old World and New World wines of major varieties, make comparisons and taste them blind. I've been into 'value'-priced reds from Italy's Piedmont and Portugal, New- and Old-world viognier and sauvignon blanc....  the toughest job is finding the time and getting all my friends together to share all the wine! I also still enjoy the George Thorogood trio of bourbon, scotch and beer, but I don't drink them as often any more.

Is there a 'classic' wine or wine and food pairing that you just can't make yourself enjoy?  I still need to taste beluga caviar and Krug champagne or a classic vintage Sauternes with Foie Gras before I die.  So if anyone wants to help me out with that, Roanoke Vineyards is located at 3543 Sound Ave Riverhead, NY.  

I'm usually there all weekend!  But on the other hand, I don't want to eat or promote the eating of too many classic pairings that include endangered or mistreated animals.

Wine enjoyment is about more than just the wine itself. Describe the combination of wine, locations, food, company, etc. that would make (or has made) for the ultimate wine-drinking experience. I forage and cook with my girlfriend and our friends all the time.  

The highlights of summer included clamming by canoe in North Sea Harbor and enjoying the clams raw and grilled on the half shell with Roanoke's blend of barrel- and tank-fermented Chardonnay. Another night my neighbor gave me a bluefish that we grilled and had along with Gabby's Cab Franc! Then one day while I was mowing, I found Boletus growing under pine trees in my yard!  My girlfriend made a Thai Tom Yum soup with those bolete mushrooms and I made sweet and spicy coconut-curried pork skewers that we paired with Roman's Grapes of Roth Riesling. We finished that meal off with a Spatlese riesling from the Mosel and local sweet corn on the cob 'Mexico-City-street-cart-style', with limes and chiles! It was a weird fusion of local foods and distant styles, but it was amazingly delicious.  

This fall we made a brown butter sauce with a variety of wild mushrooms, squash ravioli, and roasted cauliflower, pepitas and currants that we had with a Dolcetto d'Alba. And most recently we made a meal with our friends that featured carrot ginger parsnip soup, a salad of arugula and dandelion with Forelle pear, Roquefort, walnuts and a blackberry vinaigrette, crabcakes, and a rack of lamb with roasted carrots and broccoli. It was a fun feast that we paired with a dry Vouvray for the crab and Cortes de Cima, a Portuguese red blend with the lamb, then we ended up opening a Borghese cab franc and Gran Vecco Malbec from Argentina just to keep things going!

Q&A;: Lindsay Stevens, Winemaker, King Ferry Winery/Treleaven Wines

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief

Lindsay Stevens, winemaker at King Ferry Winery/Treleaven Winess grew up in the Finger Lakes region and she went to college there as well, earning her bachelor’s degree in Food Science, concentrating in Fermentations, in the fall of 2004 at Cornell University just before they began enrolling students into their Enology curriculum.

During her years at Cornell she worked part-time in the vineyard and tasting room of Sheldrake Point Vineyards.

After completing her schooling, she served as the full-time cellar assistant at Sheldrake for two years.

In August 2007, Lindsay moved on to King Ferry where she continues the winemaking traditions set forth by owners Peter and Tacie Saltonstall.

And now, our standard set of questions:

What (and where) was the first bottle of wine you remember drinking?
When I would go visit my father and step-mother at their house on the east side of Cayuga Lake for holidays, they would always offer us kids our own bottle of Cayuga Ridge Winery’s Cranberry Frost. Thanksgiving and Christmas seemed extra special because we each got to drink a grown-up drink out of a real wine glass.

What event/bottle/etc made you decide that you wanted to be in the wine industry?
At college, I discovered that I really loved the Finger Lakes region and I wanted to remain in the area because my family was here.

I was hard pressed to come up with a job path that I would enjoy and also be able to stay in the area. Then it hit me, why not wine? At the time Cornell was just beginning to develop the Enology curriculum. I took all the courses that were offered at the time that would become part of the major. I was their guinea pig for the curriculum. The only classes that I couldn’t take were the ones that they hadn’t hired faculty for yet. The Food Science Department at Cornell was great in allowing me to tailor my studies with the intention of going into winemaking.

Which of your current wines is your favorite and why?
My favorite wine is the 2008 Dry Riesling. It’s estate bottled so it has a defined identity. Crisp, refreshing, with mineral, candied lime and white grapefruit zest. The Dry is a stellar example of the 2008 vintage, where rieslings virtually made themselves.

What has surprised you most about being a member of the Finger Lakes wine community?
I think the great part about the Finger Lakes wine community is that it doesn’t really just include wineries and vineyards; it’s bigger than that. It’s about serving and selling our wines at the Ithaca Farmer’s Market, the Syracuse Farmer’s Market and the Green Markets in New York City because that makes the wine more accessible to people. It’s about seeing Finger Lakes wines being offered at restaurants and at liquor stores not because of obligation but because the wines are competitive with world wine markets on price and quality and because customers ask for them. The wineries and vineyards are just a part of the personality that makes the Finger Lakes Region a destination for travelers and what makes it great to call the Finger Lakes region home.

Other than your own wines, what wine/beer/liquor most often fills your glass?
It’s not really alcoholic but it’s kind of cool, and definitely the drink I drink everyday: My husband roasts his own coffee using an air popcorn popper. We order the green coffee beans from www.sweetmarias.com We get the 8 pound sampler pack and most varieties that they send are from single grove small farmer operations that they source from all over the globe. It’s great stuff and I can see a lot of similarities in coffee and what we do with single vineyard wines.

If you need an alcoholic selection: in the wintertime, my guilty pleasure is a slightly above room temperature snifter of Kelt VSOP Cognac and some Reese’s peanut butter cups. It’s an unconventional pairing, but one of my go-to desserts when it’s cold outside.

Is there a 'classic' wine or wine and food pairing that you just can't make yourself enjoy?
I am not very fond of pairing sweet desserts with sweet dessert wines. Most of the time the dessert gets lost and overwhelmed by the complexity and richness of the wine. I much prefer dessert wines with cheese, something robust enough to match and complement instead of cover up the flavors.

Wine enjoyment is about more than just the wine itself. Describe the combination of wine, locations, food, company, etc. that would make (or has made) for the ultimate wine-drinking experience.
My favorite wine drinking experience isn’t at a fancy restaurant (although I don’t mind that either) it’s at my mom and step-dad’s house. They live just past Greek Peak Ski Resort in Virgil, NY.

It’s usually a lazy weekday dinner that usually includes an evening of any number of us kids and mom and dad grazing while standing up in the kitchen.

We start with opening up a bottle of wine from either King Ferry Winery or Long Point Winery where my husband, Dan is the vineyard manager. Depending on the time of year the menu can vary. In the summer, the menu typically includes home made chicken spedies (we prefer the Salamida Original State Fair Spedie Sauce) and corn on the cob from Fall Creek Farm. They pick the corn on a regular basis during the busy parts of the day so it is super sweet and not starchy at all. It’s like dessert you put butter on.

We’ll have a baguette with local Lively Run goat cheese and caramelized onions, it’s serve yourself and usually the onions come right out of the pan using the bread, no utensils required. There is a big bowl of melon, and a green salad that gets put together after you have had your fill of cheese bread and onions. Dinner is usually finished up by 9 or 9:30pm, about when you are ready to go out and sit on a rocking chair on the porch to finish the rest of your wine.

Q&A;: Hans Walter-Peterson, Viticulture Extension Specialist, Finger Lakes Grape Program, Cornell University

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief

With these weekly Q&A posts, we typically talk to a winery owner, winemaker, vineyard manager or someone else employed by an individual winery. This week, we pose our questions to Hans Walter-Peterson, someone who, though he doesn't work for a winery, is very much a part of the Finger Lakes wine community.

He works for Cornell University as the Viticulture Extension Specialist for the university's Finger Lakes Grape Program. What does that mean exactly? It means that Hans helps grape growers with vineyard site selection and establishment, selection of grape varieties, rootstocks and training systems, pruning, canopy and crop load management, soils, vineyard nutrition and water management.

Before coming to the Finger Lakes, he held the same position for the Lake Erie Regional Grape Program, located in western New York, for six years.

Hans holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota and a Masters degree in Viticulture from the University of California – Davis. In between earning those two degrees, he  worked as an environmental planner and policy analyst for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.

Hans’ professional experience in grape and wine included working at a small, premium wine shop in St. Paul and at a small winery in Stillwater, Minnesota where he did everything from crushing grapes to cleaning tanks to pruning vines, and learned that while growing grapes and making wine isn’t nearly as sexy as most people think it is, it can still be a lot of fun. 

And now, our standard set of questions:

What (and where) was the first bottle of wine you remember drinking?

The first wine I remember trying was probably sauvignon blanc from Woodridge. My parents always had that wine around when company came over for work parties, friends arrived from out of town, or something to sip while they were cooking.

What event/bottle/etc made you decide that you wanted to be in the wine industry?
I worked as an environmental policy analyst for the state of Minnesota for about 8 years in the 1990s, and decided I didn’t want to look the way my colleagues did after being there for 25 years. I had a biology degree, I enjoyed wine, so why not study grapes? So I ended up getting a weekend “cellar rat” job at St. Croix Vineyards in Stillwater to see if the industry was something that really would interest me. In the midst of cleaning tanks, pruning, harvesting, burying vines for winter protection, racking tanks, bottling and all of the other craziness that goes on at any winery and vineyard, I realized that this was an industry I wanted to be a part of.

Which current Finger Lakes wine is your favorite and why?
Are you trying to get me in trouble here?

There are so many that I could pick, but one of the wines that sticks in my mind is Keuka Lake Vineyards Vignoles. Most Vignoles that I have tasted tend to have more apricot, peach or tropical fruit flavors to them. This version, however, really surprised me with its bright acidity that brought out some different citrus and bright fruit flavors that I wasn’t expecting. It’s one that I think demonstrates the ability of hybrids to make some excellent wines here in the Finger Lakes.

What has surprised you most about being a member of the Finger Lakes wine community?
As the extension viticulturist in the region for about 2 1/2 years now, I’ve been really impressed that so many growers and winemakers around here are always looking for new information and new ideas on how to do a better job in the vineyard and in the cellar. I really think this bodes well for the future of the industry in the region. I also really appreciate the fact that there is so much collaboration and sharing of information between members of the industry. While they are certainly competitors in one sense, many of them also recognize that their success lies in the success of the region as a whole. And that’s really fun to be a part of.

Other than Finger Lakes wines, what wine/beer/liquor most often fills your glass?
My wife and I are big fans of Navarro Vineyards in the Anderson Valley of California, and Cline Cellars in Sonoma (yes, once in a while I like a big fruity Zin bomb).

When I’m in a beer mood, I’ll usually end up with Southern Tier Brewing’s IPA or Ithaca Beer Co.’s Cascazilla – I am a self-confessed hophead.

Is there a 'classic' wine or wine and food pairing that you just can't make yourself enjoy?
Red wine and chocolate just doesn’t work for me for whatever reason. Maybe I haven’t been exposed to the right combination yet, but I just don’t go for them together. I tried port and a cigar after a dinner once as well – never again. Why ruin a perfectly good port?

Wine enjoyment is about more than just the wine itself. Describe the combination of wine, locations, food, company, etc. that would make (or has made) for the ultimate wine-drinking experience.
Mine is actually coming up at Thanksgiving. My family is coming out to spend the holiday with us this year, and we always spend part of Wednesday and most of Thursday cooking, drinking, playing and laughing as we prepare dinner together. Sitting around the table on that Thursday afternoon, with great food, great wines and our family around us – those are the kinds of experiences that I always remember, and are what I will be truly thankful for this year.

Q&A;: Wendy Dunst, Grape Grower, Piranha Vineyards

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief

This week's Q&A is our first from someone in the western New York wine region. Today, we chat with grape grower Wendy Dunst.

From 1999 to 2001, she and her husband Rick converted a Concord vineyard to a three acre wine grape vineyard in the heart of the Lake Erie region in Sheridan, NY. 

Operating under the name Piranha Vineyards, Wendy and Rick grow pinot gris,  shiraz, cabernet sauvignon and carménère. They are also  accidental growers of pinot noir due to a mix-up in the nursery, growing just enough to fill a single barrel.

Wendy has been known to “work for wine” in the tasting room at the winery located conveniently across the street from her house, Liberty Vineyards & Winery, which also buys much of the Piranha fruit.

When she's not pursuing all things wine related, Wendy works as an admissions officer and recruiter for SUNY Fredonia Graduate Studies. 

And now, our standard set of questions:

What (and where) was the first bottle of wine you remember drinking?

My folks were wine drinkers, so there was always something interesting to try around the house. Even as a teenager, I loved dry red wines. I couldn’t tell you exactly which wine I drank first, but I know it was a Sangiovese. There was also plenty of Blue Nun around, but I didn’t touch THAT stuff!

What event/bottle/etc made you decide that you wanted to be in the wine industry?

Fox Run Vineyards 2000 Pinot Noir. I was just learning about the New York wine industry and thought that, if pinot noir THAT good could be made in New York state, I wanted to be part of it. Sadly, I haven’t yet had another Finger Lakes pinot noir that has entranced me as much as that 2000 vintage.

Which of the current wines made from your fruit is your favorite and why? 

Hard to pick a favorite as I change my mind from time to time. It’s a toss-up between the Liberty Vineyards 2008 Syrah and their 2008 Pinot Noir.

What has surprised you most about being a member of the western NY wine community? 

The amount of knowledge one must have to simply grow the grapes, much less the skill involved in making them into wonderful wines. I’m constantly learning new things -- and that makes me happy. I truly cherish the connections with like-minded people, and especially traveling with people more knowledgeable than I.

Other than wines made from your fruit, what wine/beer/liquor most often fills your glass? 

I love Finger Lakes wines, and have been enjoying Wiemer’s and Red Newt's rosé and Ventosa's Tocai Friulini when I can get them. I’m a big fan of wines that accurately represent the grape in the glass. Channing Daughters wines always seem to fit this requirement and I especially enjoy their pinot grigio and Mosaico wines. I’ve enjoyed Conundrum in the past, but recent vintages have been less tasty than earlier vintages.  Vineland (in Ontario) is another favorite. Their whites are very clean and well made. I love red wine, too, but drink mostly stuff made from our grapes. Oh, and I adore great zinfandel but can barely ever find one to get passionate about.

Is there a 'classic' wine or wine and food pairing that you just can't make yourself enjoy?  

I rarely drink Chardonnay with seafood, simply because I’m not a fan of most Chardonnay.  Other than that, I find most traditional pairings to work well.  I mostly love discovering new pairings, especially combinations you don’t think will play nicely together.  It’s always a treat to discover something new.

Wine enjoyment is about more than just the wine itself. Describe the combination of wine, locations, food, company, etc. that would make (or has made) for the ultimate wine-drinking experience.

The ultimate wine-drinking experience is very laid back for me. It involves adventurous friends, a variety of wine and food, eating outside -- preferably near water -- and plenty of time to taste and share. I love harvest dinners or other parties where all the participants are interested in sharing their wine experiences and I love blind tastings. I love traveling to other regions and tasting with local experts.

Q&A;: Nancy Irelan, Co-Owner and Winemaker, Red Tail Ridge Winery

Nancy Irelan and Mike Schnelle, co-owners of Red Tail Ridge Winery (Photo courtesy of Red Tail Ridge)

By Lenn Thompson, Editor-in-Chief

Red Tail Ridge Winery, situated on the west side of Seneca Lakes in the Finger Lakes, is a winery that has gotten a lot of press lately, both for the construction of its LEED-certified winery building or its wines. I have yet to meet owners Nancy Irelan and Mike Schnelle (they are at the top of my list for my next visit to the region) but I was able to track Nancy down to take part in our almost-weekly Q&A series.

I say almost weekly because, well, it's harvest season and getting winery folk to sit down in front of their computers isn't always easy this time of year.

Nancy and Mike moved to the Finger Lakes from California in 2005 to develop their new vineyard and winery in the Finger Lakes. Nancy has over 20 years of experience in the wine industry and was most recently at E&J Gallo Winery where she served as Vice President of Enology and Viticulture Technology. 

She now offers technical consulting and contract services to the wine and food industry, and serves as the Research Director for the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Pierce’s Disease Research Program. She is a member of several grape and wine industry organizations and currently serves as an Adjunct Professor in the Cornell Food Science Department.

And now, our standard questions:

What (and where) was the first bottle of wine you remember drinking?
Boone's Farm Country Quencher. I was 21 and vacationing on a lake in New England with my friends. We were canoing on the lake at midnight, under a full moon.

What event/bottle/etc made you decide that you wanted to be in the wine industry?
I was working as a chemist at DuPont and applying for graduate school at various institutions. While looking into possible research assistant positions, I stumbled upon an opening in the Viticulture and Enology Department at UC Davis. 

Given how little was really known about grape physiology/genetics/biochemistry at the time (in comparison to other, more well-studied plants -- tomato, peppers, etc.) it sounded like a really neat challenge. So I took the plunge.

Which of your current wines is your favorite and why?
OK...this is a really tough question. Its like asking a mom which of her kids she likes the best. 

In reality it depends on what my mood is, what I'm eating (or not eating). and who I'm with. 

Ok, Ok...I guess I'd have to say my 2006 Blanc de Noirs. I love bubbles.

What has surprised you most about being a member of the Finger Lakes wine community?
The amount of rock-picking required on an annual basis. Clearly the rocks are procreating during the winter. They are pretty prolific, so every spring thaw we are once again harvesting rocks in the vineyard to protect the vineyard equipment. 

Kidding aside, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the level of collaboration between winery principals, growers and winemakers. Michael and I feel very fortunate to be members of such a hard-working and dedicated community.

Other than your own wines, what wine/beer/liquor most often fills your glass?
My husband's homemade Pilsners. It takes a lot of really good beer to make great wine.

Is there a 'classic' wine or wine and food pairing that you just can't make yourself enjoy?
No. But if you asked me pair a wine with liver, I'd have to decline.

Wine enjoyment is about more than just the wine itself. Describe the combination of wine, locations, food, company, etc. that would make (or has made) for the ultimate wine-drinking experience.
For me, the experience is crystallized by the people you are with. Sure location and food enhance the experience further. For the sake of time I'll provide one example: Taking a lunch break from snow skiing with good friends in the Sierra Mountains--drinking vintage riesling with sausage, cheeses and smoked trout.

Q&A;: Paul Brock, Winemaker, Lamoreaux Landing

By Lenn Thompson, Long Island Editor and Editor-in-Chief

Paul Brock is the winemaker at Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars on the eastern shore of Seneca Lake in New York's Finger Lakes region.

He has an M.S. in Enology and Viticulture from Cornell University and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. 

Prior to Lamoreaux Landing, Paul made wine for Ravines Wine Cellars and Keuka Lake Vineyards in the Finger Lakes, and Whitehaven Wine Co. in Marlborough, New Zealand. 

He is a graduate of the American Wine Society Judge Certification Program and holds an Advanced Certificate in Wine and Spirits through the Wine & Spirit Education Trust of London, England. 

And now, our standard questions:

What (and where) was the first bottle of wine you remember drinking?
I had a dishwashing job when I was in high school. One night I “borrowed” a bottle of wine from there to bring to a party. Turns out that I wasn't as cool as I thought… the wine ended up being cooking sherry (an early adopter of the screw-cap).

What event/bottle/etc made you decide that you wanted to be in the wine industry?
I was working as a patent examiner in Washington D.C., locked up in an office all day pushing paper and talking with lawyers on occasion. My wife-to-be challenged my ability to appreciate wine. I read a highly respected wine book ("Wine for Dummies"). I liked what I read and over breakfast one Sunday morning in January 2001 we came up with a five year plan to join the wine industry in the Finger Lakes. My background in chemical engineering helped me understand and get excited about winemaking. I couldn’t get enough information. Our plan has worked out perfectly so far.

Which of your current wines is your favorite and why?
Truly I like them all. If I had to pick a favorite, I would say our chardonnay mostly because I enjoy making it and the idea of making it. 

We have a wide selection of grapes from five vineyards, use multiple cooperages and I have numerous blending opportunities with 100+ barrels and several tanks each year. We only make two chardonnays, our regular vintage chardonnay and our reserve. Both come out of the same program. The regular chardonnay is racked after 10 months in the barrel while the reserve remains on the lees in barrel for an additional six months. I always say that these are the wines that we put the most time into. Stirring, topping and testing barrels from harvest till the following July or December lets us really get to know these wines as they develop. We had 120 barrels, divided into 18-plus lots this past vintage. 

The reality is that chardonnay is the number one wine varietal in the world. I feel it is often overlooked in the Finger Lakes as we have the potential to make a world-class chardonnay, but few producers are putting a lot of effort into them.

What has surprised you most about being a member of the Finger Lakes wine community?
The answer is in the question. The community as a whole has surprised me.

I am extremely impressed by the amount of information we are all willing to share with each other. As a winemaker I feel comfortable talking with many other winemakers for advice or to borrow supplies if what I need is not on hand.

Other than your own wines, what wine/beer/liquor most often fills your glass?
Genesee Cream Ale. It is highly underrated, a local beer (Rochester) and goes great with a wide range of food. We like to call it our house beer, and the riesling of mass-market beer. I also drink other wines from across New York all the time.

Is there a 'classic' wine or wine and food pairing that you just can't make yourself enjoy?
Not really. I am open to all wine styles as long as they are well made. I can usually find some aspect of a pairing to appreciate. Just the other night I was drinking an otherwise salty and undistinguished Swiss wine paired with duck hearts and gizzards. It was delicious.

Wine enjoyment is about more than just the wine itself. Describe the combination of wine, locations, food, company, etc. that would make (or has made) for the ultimate wine-drinking experience.
I love being outside on a nice day with my wife, two wine glasses and a well thought out meal made with local ingredients to pair with the wine. Whether we are at a concert, camping or just enjoying a picnic down at Seneca Lake State Park its about as good as wine enjoyment can get for me.

Q&A;: Derek Wilber, President and Winemaker, White Springs Vineyards

By Lenn Thompson, Long Island Editor and Editor-in-Chief

This week's Q&A is with Derek Wilber, president and winemaker at White Springs Winery on Seneca Lake.

Derek is a native of the Finger Lakes and has been in the grape and wine business since his dad dragged him in kicking and screaming as a teenager. 

A graduate of Cornell University with a degree in Fruit Science, he became a commercial winemaker in 1984 and since then has worked for a large winery, a start-up winery and wineries in between. Since February, 2006 he has been president and winemaker of White Springs Farm Estate Winery in Geneva, New York. 

He lives in the house he grew up in with his wife, Donna and their two boys, Dana and Baird.

And now, our standard set of questions:

What (and where) was the first bottle of wine you remember drinking?

When I was a young teen, my father closed his small clothing store in Penn Yan and began managing a grape farm owned by a friend of his. I began working there after school and became intrigued with grape growing. 

My first bottle of wine or samples were the wines produced from the grapes produced by this traditional Finger Lakes farm in the 1970s. Wines made by the Taylor Wine Company in Hammondsport. That was our primary purchaser, native grapes mostly. I worked for my dad full time for a year out of high school and my fondest memory at the time is of the two of us coming home in the winter after being outside pruning all day and having a glass of sherry by the fire before dinner. The warmth of both the sherry and the fire after being out in the cold was a great way to end the day.

What event/bottle/etc made you decide that you wanted to be in the wine industry?

I had decided after a year in Florida that I wanted to be a vineyardist and enrolled at Cornell to study agriculture. The bottle of wine that piqued my interest in vinifera-based wines was a inexpensive French white that I can’t recall where it was from or who produced it. It was something I could afford to drink regularly and I knew that that style of wine was something I wanted to help make. This was 1975 when I was being taught that such wines were risky and marginal at best in the Finger Lakes.

Which of your current wines is your favorite and why? 

My favorite current wine is our 2007 Gewurztraminer. First because 2007 was a nice vintage for the variety and second because it really goes well with the fresh herbs coming out of our kitchen garden at the moment.

What has surprised you most about being a member of the Finger Lakes wine community? 

A lot of things don’t surprise me about the Finger Lakes wine community -- its sense of camaraderie, resilience and enthusiasm. What does surprise me is its growth over the last few years where you now really have to work to get to know everyone.

Other than your own wines, what wine/beer/liquor most often fills your glass? 

I am not a drinker of wine on its own. The great majority of the wine I drink is directly with a meal. I’ll have a beer just as I am starting dinner to quench my thirst. I will have the beer while I am slicing and dicing but once I begin to cook I switch to the wine of the night. 

Is there a 'classic' wine or wine and food pairing that you just can't make yourself enjoy?  

The pairing I can’t enjoy is anything with curry. I know that at the right level it can be a great match with riesling but I will drink the wine and let my wife have the curry.

Wine enjoyment is about more than just the wine itself. Describe the combination of wine, locations, food, company, etc. that would make (or has made) for the ultimate wine-drinking experience. 

It is as much about the time and place as the wine a lot of the time. Just before Labor Day in 2004 (I think) I had just bottled our 2002 dry reds at Swedish Hill and brought a couple of bottles to a neighbor’s house for an evening picnic. The wine had been bottled that day and hadn’t had time to get bottle shock yet. 

We sat at the picnic table on a breezy star-filled night had dinner and then began arguing about politics and culture. Our kids fell asleep on the ground as we drank the wines and talked late into the night. I don’t know or care whether the wines showed well or not but the combination of the wine, the night, the company and the realization that it was the last social event before harvest began made it a memorable night.

Q&A;: John Leo, Winemaker, Clovis Point

By Lenn Thompson, Long Island Editor and Editor-in-Chief

John Leo, winemaker at Clovis Point, was worn in the Hudson Vally region of New York and grew up around wine -- his Italian maternal grandparents made it in their basement.

He got into the wine business, after graduating from Syracuse University, in the "selling end" of the business, working at retail shops and restaurants in Manhattan and at Louis M Martini winery in St Helena, California.

After two years in the Hudson Valley working for a winery that had to close up shop, he came to Long Island in 1994 to take a position with Sagpond Vineyards (now Wolffer Estate). After three years working in the vineyard, he moved to Pellegrini Vineyards where his main jobs were in sales and administration. Premium Wine Group opened in 2000, and it was then that John made the jump into winemaking and he's been there since.

He joined Clovis Point in 2004.

And now, our standard set of questions:

What (and where) was the first bottle of wine you remember drinking?

My grandfather's basement-made red wine was on the table at every meal when we went to visit. I remember enthusiastically sipping the dark purple wine... first mixed with cream soda and -- eventually in my young teens -- on its own.

What event/bottle/etc made you decide that you wanted to be in the wine industry?
After growing up with wine on the table, I spent a college semester in Spain and, though still a teenager, was treated like an adult at every cafe and bar. The idea that wine naturally should accompany food, and that every other family in Spain seemed to be making the stuff gave me the confidence to jump in.

Which of your current wines is your favorite and why?
Of the currently available Clovis Point releases the Vintner's Select Merlot is the most complete and satisfying, but my favorite right now is the main line Clovis Point Merlot.

At five years old it is drinking beautifully-- easy but not simple-- and I'm proud of taking young fruit from a new vineyard with no track record and coming up with a merlot (with plenty of cab franc) that is so pretty in the glass.

What has surprised you most about being a member of the Long Island wine community?
Many things have surprised me since I joined the Long Island wine scene in 1994. Most notably, the large number of dedicated and competent people in the community. From the vineyard managers who are constantly studying and improving their craft to winemakers doing the same to sales and marketing people determined to stand behind the local wines, there is a lot of talent for such a small industry. T

hen add in a committed group of owners, still struggling with the economics and relative lack of attention, and I'm constantly impressed with the East End's potential.

Other than your own wines, what wine/beer/liquor most often fills your glass?
Wine is my daily drink. My wife and I share a bottle of wine every night with her creative cooking. We enjoy variety, so from a wide selection of Long Island wines to New Zealand sauvignon blancs, Aussie reds, South American malbecs and carmenieres, to the EU classics to our West Coast cabs, zins and pinots we drink it all in. While I occasionally buy a case of one particular wine, it's the mixed case that keeps me happy.

Is there a 'classic' wine or wine and food pairing that you just can't make yourself enjoy?
I like all well-made wine -- from Champagne to Retsina. But I can't enjoy overpriced wine. Knowing the cost of growing and producing wine in general, and the higher costs incurred in a small and expensive region like Long Island, I get really cranky about wines costing upwards of $100 because they are frequently pawns of supply and demand marketing games and rarely meet expectations for greatness.

If I pay that much money (and more importantly if I ask that much money for a wine I've made) for a bottle then I expect deep, balanced, exceptional wine. So often that is not what's in the bottle.

Wine enjoyment is about more than just the wine itself. Describe the combination of wine, locations, food, company, etc. that would make (or has made) for the ultimate wine-drinking experience.
I would love to think the ultimate wine-drinking experience could very possibly be a daily event -- good conversation around a table of interestingly spiced dishes with family, with friends, with strangers and a wine good enough to provoke notice and compliments.

A casual meal bringing together these elements has been just as satisfying an experience for me as an organized and formal tasting of the famous few. And the idea that tomorrow could be just as enjoyable is something very appealing to look forward to.

Q&A;: Ian Barry, Winemaker, Swedish Hill Winery

By Lenn Thompson, Founder and Editor-in-Chief

Ian Barry, winemaker at Swedish Hill Winery (as well as sister wineries Penguin Bay and Goose Watch) was studying English literature at SUNY New Paltz in 1997, when he answered a job posting placed by Adair Vineyards in the Hudson Valley.

What started as a summer job soon took him to Oregon to make pinot noir, Washington to make full-bodied reds, back to New York as assistant winemaker Heron Hill Winery, and finally to Swedish Hill in 2006, wherehe  joined as assistant winemaker. After successfully running the 2006 harvest, Ian was promoted to head winemaker in the spring of 2007 and he's still there today.

Ian met his wife Tricia in the spring of 2006, just a week after she had relocated to the Finger Lakes from San Francisco. They were married in July 2007 and their first boy, Declan Gunther Barry was born in June of 2009.

The happy family lives in Burdett NY with a Chihuahua named Abe and three insane cats.

And now, on to our standard Q&A questions:

 What (and where) was the first bottle of wine you remember drinking?

Growing up I had the occasional sip of my parents' Gallo Hearty Burgundy or Liebfraumilch, followed by drinking my fair share of local Hudson Valley wine when I was in college at SUNY New Paltz. 

But the first real wine I remember taking things to the next level was a  1996 Chateau Latour. I was lucky enough to get a job as a wine buyer right after college and was at a trade tasting at Castle on the Hudson in Tarrytown, NY. The day was coming to an end and the sales rep who was pouring the Latour filled my glass half full. 

I remember sitting on the patio watching the sunset on the Hudson and just swirling and sniffing that wine for at least an hour as it opened up and revealed its layers. 

Definitely an "Ah-ha" moment.

What event/bottle/etc. made you decide that you wanted to be in the wine industry?

For me it was a summer job that turned into a career. Marc Stopkie had just purchased Adair Vineyards in New Paltz and he was looking for a summer helper. I remember being nervous about the interview, knowing nothing about wine and thinking of wine as kind of and elite product I would never fully understand. 

Marc turned out to be one of the most approachable, down to earth people I've ever met and really allowed me to see all aspects of the business. From there I was hooked and spent more time learning and reading about wine than I did my major. I continued working there after I graduated college and eventually realized I could make a career out of wine.

Which of your current wines is your favorite and why? 

Making over 70 wines for three unique wineries gives me a lot to choose from. 

Right now I'd have to say it's the Goose Watch Pinot Noir Brut Rose. It's the perfect summer wine -- light and bubbly with great forward fruit and just a hint of sweetness. It's been perfect on these humid summer days we've been having lately.

What has surprised you most about being a member of the Finger Lakes wine community?

For me the most surprising thing is the depth of experience of the winemakers here. I moved here after working at wineries in Oregon and Washington and thought this experience would be unique here, but that couldn't have been farther from the truth.

There are winemakers here who have trained and worked in France, Germany, Italy, Hungary, Australia, Chile and New Zealand. And those are just the ones I'm aware of. Winemakers here are a cultured group and the depth of knowledge 'm surrounded by is truly humbling.

Other than your own wines, what wine/beer/liquor most often fills your glass? 

I'd have to say it's Heron Hill wines. My brother Brian is the assistant winemaker there and we're always sampling each others newest creations and offering each other feedback.

Is there a 'classic' wine or wine and food pairing that you just can't make yourself enjoy?

I'll probably get a lot of crap for this, but I have to say that the red wine-and-chocolate thing just doesn't work with me. I can't wrap my palate around it. I love red wine and I love fine chocolate, but combining them just doesn't work for me.

Wine enjoyment is about more than just the wine itself. Describe the combination of wine, locations, food, company, etc. that would make (or has made) for the ultimate wine-drinking experience.

As a winemaker my knee-jerk reaction when tasting wine is to be critical of it. I often find myself looking for the "bad" in a wine before I can enjoy the "good." 

I think the best wine-drinking experiences I've had are the ones when I forget to be a critic and just let myself enjoy the wine for enjoyment's sake, regardless of what the wine is. These usually involve last-minute informal gatherings of close friends coupled with simple cuisine. Less stress equals more enjoyment!

New York Cork Report Q&A;: Erica Ridley, General Manager, Three Brothers Winery

By Lenn Thompson, Founder and Editor-in-Chief

I still haven't tasted a single wine from Three Brothers Winery, but I've been in touch with Erica Ridley, who serves as general manager there, for months -- all because of Twitter. She's one of a growing handful of Finger Lakes wine industry types to get on Twitter and really engage with customers (and the press).

Erica has a degree in dietetics from SUNY Oneonta, grew up in the Finger Lakes and has lived in the region her whole life.

She's also a vegetarian, but we won't hold that against her.

And now, on to our standard Q&A questions:

What (and where) was the first bottle of wine you remember drinking?

Of course something cheap and sweet, which I wouldn’t touch now. Probably Lambrusco. And I thought I loved wine then.

What event/bottle/etc made you decide that you wanted to be in the wine industry?
When I graduated from Oneonta State with a dietetics degree I was on my way to Missouri for a Master’s in Exercise Nutrition.

I was looking for a job to keep me busy and out of trouble during the summer. I found an ad for a small winery on Seneca Lake who needed tasting room help. Believe me when I tell you that when I pulled down the driveway and saw Nagy’s Newland Vineyard’s tiny shack tasting room I considered driving away and not showing up for my interview. I got out of my car and walked up the stairs and decided I definitely didn’t want an interview…

As I was turning around the winemaker and previous owner of the property Dale Nagy was walking up the stairs to greet and interview me. It was too late.

Later I met Dave Mansfield the owner of Three Brothers Winery who purchased Nagy’s and was building his wineries next door. That summer as I worked in the small shack, which I grew to adore for its charming ambiance (and by that I mean Hawaiian and Christmas décor and Jimmy Buffet music) the excitement was contagious. As I was attempting to talk myself into leaving for Missouri (a place I had never been to and wasn’t too sure I would like) Dave was talking me into staying at the winery. I decided to apply for the management position at Three Brothers Winery and have been at home ever since.

The excitement and growth opportunity paired with the passion that industry professionals have for the Finger Lakes is what made me want to be a part of the wine industry -- a decision I have yet to regret.

Sorry for the long winded answer. Wow.

Which of your current wines is your favorite and why?
Sauvignon blanc. They bottled it special for my wedding this weekend. It’s one of those wine’s that you are just so impressed and proud that it came from your business.

What has surprised you most about being a member of the Finger Lakes wine community?
This is a tough question. I think I will reserve the right to just comment that I am surprised by the Finger Lakes Wine Community almost daily. Sometimes good and sometimes bad.

Other than your own wines, what wine/beer/liquor most often fills your glass?
Vodka: a martini with 3 olives. Wine: Billsboro Winery 2008 Chardonnay or Damiani Wine Cellars 2007 Meritage (my new favorite).

Is there a 'classic' wine or wine and food pairing that you just can't make yourself enjoy?
I can’t get into cabernet franc. It has a pencil eraser taste to me that I just can’t get over.

Wine enjoyment is about more than just the wine itself. Describe the combination of wine, locations, food, company, etc. that would make (or has made) for the ultimate wine-drinking experience.
Enjoying Wine with a view of the lake in good company is the ultimate wine experience that I am blessed to be able to have often.

Q&A;: Josh Wig, General Manager, Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars

Today's Q&A subject (standing), harvesting cabernet franc

This is a Q&A that I've been looking forward to doing for several months now. Why? Well, it's kind of a funny story really.

I've been writing about Finger Lakes wines for a few years now, but until maybe a year or so ago, I didn't really know very many of the players. A few winemakers here. A few winery owners there. Maybe some marketing folks. But one day, I was looking on Lamoreaux Landing's website for some information about them and I noticed "Josh Wig - General Manager" and thought to myself "Hey, I went to college with a Josh Wig. We were even in the same department (biology) but it can't be him, can it?" 

Turns out that it is the same Josh Wig, who as he puts it was "Born a farmer. And, after a brief foray as a warrior and nuclear engineer, with any luck will die a farmer and lover of nature."

What (and where) was the first bottle of wine you remember drinking?
My grandmother took me back to her home island of Lefkada in Greece as a high school graduation present. I spent the whole summer with my cousins. They drank large quantities of Vertzami and Robola, surfed all day, and hung out in the discotheques all night. I'm not sure if it was the wine or the topless beaches that made the biggest impression on me at the time, but that summer was definitely good preparation for college.

What event/bottle/etc made you decide that you wanted to be in the wine industry?
Growing up on the family farm, I was brainwashed into thinking that everyone worked 16 hours a day out in the elements, enjoyed eating the dirt and diesel mist that rolled up from the tractor, and got up at 4 a.m. the next day to do it all over again.

It was a hard-yet-rewarding upbringing that has always left me longing to get back to the land. This was the perfect opportunity to get back to my roots, while still providing the constant challenges associated with production, marketing and sales of the most engrossing agricultural product that I have consumed to date.

Which of your current wines is your favorite and why?
Our 2007 T23 Cabernet Franc has to be at the top of this list. While cab franc is by far my favorite grape, this wine takes the varietal to whole new level for me. Why go through all of the trouble to grow good fruit, if you're just going to beat it to death with a stick?

This wine will always take me back to my first harvest in the Finger Lakes.

What has surprised you most about being a member of the Finger Lakes wine community?
I have been very impressed with the educational culture and the members' general propensity to share their ideas and methods with their neighbors.

Other than your own wines, what wine/beer/liquor most often fills your glass?
Maker's Mark -- straight, rocks or Manhattan.

Is there a 'classic' wine or wine and food pairing that you just can't make yourself enjoy?
I haven't found one yet!

Wine enjoyment is about more than just the wine itself. Describe the combination of wine, locations, food, company, etc. that would make (or has made) for the ultimate wine-drinking experience.
Having my wife's family and my family all at the 20-foot long picnic table under a Seneca Lake sunset, and serving an entire meal that we harvested: venison burgers, grilled asparagus, sauteed mushrooms, swiss chard, strawberry rhubarb pie and of course T23! For me, wine is all about bringing people together.