-- I go on vacation to Florida for some sun and Florida has record low temperatures while I'm there. Of course, their low temperatures are only in the 40's overnight and the 60's during the day, but Floridians act like it's 10 below zero. I'm running around without a coat and they call me crazy. Anyway, it was good to get away for a while, but it's good to be back home.
-- Here is a great story on the man who founded the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition.
--Here is an article on how the new Immigration Reform Bill may affect Finger Lakes wineries.
-- Here is a nice story about a Finger Lakes dairy farm.
-- A California writer praises Finger Lakes Riesling (specifically 2005 Treleaven Dry Riesling)
-- The Rochester Winos sounds like a club I'd like to join.
-- For those of you out of state, here is a nice list of New York wineries and what states they are licensed to deliver to.
-- I'll be making the rounds at the wineries this weekend, so I'll report on Monday.
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
On Vacation, Next Post- March 30
The Weekend Wino is heading to Florida for a well-deserved vacation to get rid of the winter blahs. I'll be back in a week with more posts. In the meantime, please check out my archives (lower right) for posts you may have missed and check out my links at the right. Thanks for reading my blog! Talk to ya in a week.
Sunday, March 19, 2006
Finger Lakes Wine News & Notes
-- I attended some portions of the Wineries Unlimited trade show last week. My thanks to Richard Leahy of Vineyard & Winery Management magazine for his hospitality. Here is a good wrapup of the event by Sandra Silfven of The Detroit News. A lot of Finger Lakes winemakers were on hand and the keynote speech by Ernst Loosen, Decanter's Man Of The Year, was about the New Rise of Riesling around the world.
--Jeff Richards new wine column is about the upcoming Golden Nose event presented by the Seneca Lake Wine Trail. A certain blogger may be in attendance.
-- Here is a good article on the similarities of Italy's Tuscany region to the Finger Lakes.
--Here is a good article on the wine industry boom in the Finger Lakes.
--Sheila Livadas' current winery profile is about Arbor Hill Grapery located on the west side of Canandaigua Lake.
-- The new Spring "Life In The Finger Lakes" magazine is now out with good articles on Letchworth State Park and notable women from the Finger Lakes, as well as their usual awesome photography.
-- There's an interesting wine harvest diary at decanter.com
--Jeff Richards new wine column is about the upcoming Golden Nose event presented by the Seneca Lake Wine Trail. A certain blogger may be in attendance.
-- Here is a good article on the similarities of Italy's Tuscany region to the Finger Lakes.
--Here is a good article on the wine industry boom in the Finger Lakes.
--Sheila Livadas' current winery profile is about Arbor Hill Grapery located on the west side of Canandaigua Lake.
-- The new Spring "Life In The Finger Lakes" magazine is now out with good articles on Letchworth State Park and notable women from the Finger Lakes, as well as their usual awesome photography.
-- There's an interesting wine harvest diary at decanter.com
Thursday, March 16, 2006
Finger Lakes Winemaker Q&A
This Q&A is with Peter Bell, winemaker at Fox Run Vineyards. Before coming to Fox Run, Bell crafted wine for wineries in Australia and New Zealand and then went on to Dr. Franks Wine Cellars in 1990. He was hired at Fox Run in 1995 and has helped Fox Run to become one of the premier wineries in the Finger Lakes, producing world class wines with a "Minimal Intervention" approach. Peter is a tireless promoter of Finger Lakes wine and he has earned the respect as one of the finest winemakers in the region.
WW: Briefly describe Your Philosophy of Winemaking.
PB: To gently guide grapes from the vine into the bottle.
WW: What is your favorite thing about making wine?
PB: Being able to show up at work and do what I love and be paid for it.
Is this a dream?
WW: If you were dropped on an island and could have any 3
wines, what would they be?
PB: 1. Any Finger Lakes Dry Riesling the ultimate refresher.
2. Fox Run Tawny Port, because a tiny thimbleful would go such a long
way.
3. A bottle of Champagne, to open when the ship came to rescue me --
and I wouldn't need a corkscrew!
WW: Do you prefer real cork, synthetic cork, or screw cap and why?
PB: We use all three. Corks are great in most cases, but screw caps are the
future.
WW: What advice would you give to anyone wanting to become a winemaker:
PB: Become an organ donor. The world needs more Hammonds and Wurlitzers.
Then we'll talk.
WW: What wine tasting advice would you give to someone visiting the Finger
Lakes for the first time?
PB: Spit, don't swallow. It's going to be a big day.
WW: What makes the Finger Lakes area special to you?
PB: Those long, finger-shaped bodies of water.
WW: What is the wine you are most proud of making and why?
PB: My Ports . I have about 20 barrels of Port and they are all different.
WW: What new wines are in the works for your winery?
PB: Our next bottling of Fox Run Tawny Port, late this summer.
WW: Who are your 3 favorite Finger Lakes winemakers?
PB: This would be like choosing my favorite child. I have immense respect
for everybody here.
WW: What are your 3 favorite Non-Finger Lakes wines?
PB: Pol Roger Champagne, Tio Pepe Sherry, Hardy's McLaren Vale Grenache.
My address for deliveries is...
WW: If you had to be something else besides a winemaker,
what would it be?
PB: A university lecturer (in wine science, of course).
WW: Who has been the most important person to you in your
development as a winemaker and why?
PB: Thomas Henick-Kling, Professor of Enology at Cornell University, and
Scott Osborn, President of Fox Run: Both heroes of mine.
WW: Who is your favorite musical artist or band?
PB: How about my favorite 50 musical artists...
My thanks to Peter Bell for answering my questions. If you are visiting the Finger Lakes, be sure to visit Fox Run Vineyards, located on the west side of Seneca Lake.
WW: Briefly describe Your Philosophy of Winemaking.
PB: To gently guide grapes from the vine into the bottle.
WW: What is your favorite thing about making wine?
PB: Being able to show up at work and do what I love and be paid for it.
Is this a dream?
WW: If you were dropped on an island and could have any 3
wines, what would they be?
PB: 1. Any Finger Lakes Dry Riesling the ultimate refresher.
2. Fox Run Tawny Port, because a tiny thimbleful would go such a long
way.
3. A bottle of Champagne, to open when the ship came to rescue me --
and I wouldn't need a corkscrew!
WW: Do you prefer real cork, synthetic cork, or screw cap and why?
PB: We use all three. Corks are great in most cases, but screw caps are the
future.
WW: What advice would you give to anyone wanting to become a winemaker:
PB: Become an organ donor. The world needs more Hammonds and Wurlitzers.
Then we'll talk.
WW: What wine tasting advice would you give to someone visiting the Finger
Lakes for the first time?
PB: Spit, don't swallow. It's going to be a big day.
WW: What makes the Finger Lakes area special to you?
PB: Those long, finger-shaped bodies of water.
WW: What is the wine you are most proud of making and why?
PB: My Ports . I have about 20 barrels of Port and they are all different.
WW: What new wines are in the works for your winery?
PB: Our next bottling of Fox Run Tawny Port, late this summer.
WW: Who are your 3 favorite Finger Lakes winemakers?
PB: This would be like choosing my favorite child. I have immense respect
for everybody here.
WW: What are your 3 favorite Non-Finger Lakes wines?
PB: Pol Roger Champagne, Tio Pepe Sherry, Hardy's McLaren Vale Grenache.
My address for deliveries is...
WW: If you had to be something else besides a winemaker,
what would it be?
PB: A university lecturer (in wine science, of course).
WW: Who has been the most important person to you in your
development as a winemaker and why?
PB: Thomas Henick-Kling, Professor of Enology at Cornell University, and
Scott Osborn, President of Fox Run: Both heroes of mine.
WW: Who is your favorite musical artist or band?
PB: How about my favorite 50 musical artists...
My thanks to Peter Bell for answering my questions. If you are visiting the Finger Lakes, be sure to visit Fox Run Vineyards, located on the west side of Seneca Lake.
Monday, March 13, 2006
Finger Lakes News Nuggets
-- President Bush will be visiting the Finger Lakes area tomorrow (Tuesday, March 14) with a visit to Canandaigua. Maybe the Prez will stop by the Finger Lakes Wine Center at beautiful Sonnenberg Gardens to sample some Finger Lakes wine. Of course, he would have to spit. You can't drink on duty when you are Commander In Chief. But I hear that his daughters have been known to sip a glass or two or three...
-- My secret Finger Lakes informant "Deep Vine" tells me the name of Red Newt's new refreshing Niagara will be 'Blue Newt White' and "Deep Vine" says that Lakewood Vineyard's 2005 Rieslings are outstanding. In fact, I've been hearing that overall both the Reds and Whites of 2005 will be some of the best produced in the Finger Lakes. Of course, we will have to wait for most of the reds.
-- Don't forget, if you want a chance to rub shoulders with the winemakers of the Finger Lakes and learn how to judge wine, then you'll want to attend the Golden Nose Wine Judging Weekend, a Seneca Lake Wine Trail event. Tickets are still available but I hear they are going fast.
-- Here's some news from our neighbors at Fulkerson Winery:
Recently released wines:
2004 Cabernet Sauvignon- 0%rs, $16.00, 8 months in French Oak, Generous
Fruit forward aromas of blackberries with a touch of leather and tobacco
carry through to a fruity tart taste edged with vanilla that ends on a
serious tannic note.
2004 Vincent- 0%rs, $9.00, 12 months in older French & American Oak,
Awaken your palate with this dense puple red. Nice plum and tea leaf aromas
with a mouth filling juicy taste followed by a kick of tart elderberry. Enjoy
with chicken cacciatore, spicy foods and "a rich Italian"...!
Centennial- 9.8%rs, $14.00, A wine produced for our 200th anniversary
on the farm. So good we brought it back for the 201st year! A candied wild
cherry aroma with a touch of mint followed by a sweet pomegranate tropical
taste.
Notes:
Fulkerson Winery has been busy bottling many wines from the 2004-2005
harvest's. Bottled and soon to be released in the coming months
are: 2004 Reserve Red, 2004 Pinot Noir, 2004 Cabernet Franc,
2004 Gewurztraminer, 2005 Traminette, 2005 Ravat 51 and the Sunset
Blush (Catawba) from '05.
We are soon to run out of the following varieties, so come and get them
while you still can: 2003 Vidal Ice Wine, 2002 Gewurztraminer, 2003
Reserve
Red, 2003 Chardonnay, 2004 Dry Riesling and 2004 Johannisberg Riesling.
The Fulkerson family and staff would like to pass on their heart felt
condolences to the Frank family and the staff at Dr. Frank's Vinifera Wine
Cellars & Chateau Frank for the passing of Willy Frank, one of the Finger
Lake region's great leaders in the wine industry.
-- I received news of a new wine made by not one winery, but three; an unprecedented collaboration by 3 of the Finger Lakes top wineries. I can't wait to try it. Here is the press release:
Anthony Road Wine Company, Fox Run Vineyards and Red Newt Wine Cellars are proud to announce the debut of Tierce, a 2004 Dry Riesling, marking a new collaborative effort in Finger Lakes winemaking. Tierce Dry Riesling will be released on May 5, 2006, kicking off the Riesling Month celebration.Peter Bell of Fox Run, Johannes Reinhardt of Anthony Road and David Whiting of Red Newt, each contributed a portion of Riesling wine, made from fruit grown on the slopes of Seneca Lake, to create 100 cases of a single wine. "This wine pulls together not only the unique vineyard expressions of Seneca Lake, but also the individual philosophies of the participating winemakers," commented Dave Whiting, winemaker and co-owner of Red Newt.Peter, Johannes and Dave not only decided what blend to create, they also chose to seal the bottle with a screw cap because this type of closure works well for wines with delicate aromas, such as a Riesling. Fox Run's winemaker, Peter Bell, noted that, "Screw caps with Riesling wines are quite clearly the way of the future. Corks, natural or synthetic, have a tendency to affect the wine¹s aroma."Fox Run's owner, Scott Osborn, stated, " This is a new level of collaboration among Finger Lakes wineries. In the past, wineries and winemakers have shared information, but this marks the first time three Finger Lakes wineries have worked together to produce and market a wine.""The wine reflects the passion of the three winemakers and opens the door to a new Riesling experience" commented Johannes Reinhardt, of Anthony Road, when asked about this team effort.
--Don't forget to visit my links on the right side of the page. And if you want to receive monthly updates on Finger Lakes news and events, just fill out the form at the bottom of this page.
-- My secret Finger Lakes informant "Deep Vine" tells me the name of Red Newt's new refreshing Niagara will be 'Blue Newt White' and "Deep Vine" says that Lakewood Vineyard's 2005 Rieslings are outstanding. In fact, I've been hearing that overall both the Reds and Whites of 2005 will be some of the best produced in the Finger Lakes. Of course, we will have to wait for most of the reds.
-- Don't forget, if you want a chance to rub shoulders with the winemakers of the Finger Lakes and learn how to judge wine, then you'll want to attend the Golden Nose Wine Judging Weekend, a Seneca Lake Wine Trail event. Tickets are still available but I hear they are going fast.
-- Here's some news from our neighbors at Fulkerson Winery:
Recently released wines:
2004 Cabernet Sauvignon- 0%rs, $16.00, 8 months in French Oak, Generous
Fruit forward aromas of blackberries with a touch of leather and tobacco
carry through to a fruity tart taste edged with vanilla that ends on a
serious tannic note.
2004 Vincent- 0%rs, $9.00, 12 months in older French & American Oak,
Awaken your palate with this dense puple red. Nice plum and tea leaf aromas
with a mouth filling juicy taste followed by a kick of tart elderberry. Enjoy
with chicken cacciatore, spicy foods and "a rich Italian"...!
Centennial- 9.8%rs, $14.00, A wine produced for our 200th anniversary
on the farm. So good we brought it back for the 201st year! A candied wild
cherry aroma with a touch of mint followed by a sweet pomegranate tropical
taste.
Notes:
Fulkerson Winery has been busy bottling many wines from the 2004-2005
harvest's. Bottled and soon to be released in the coming months
are: 2004 Reserve Red, 2004 Pinot Noir, 2004 Cabernet Franc,
2004 Gewurztraminer, 2005 Traminette, 2005 Ravat 51 and the Sunset
Blush (Catawba) from '05.
We are soon to run out of the following varieties, so come and get them
while you still can: 2003 Vidal Ice Wine, 2002 Gewurztraminer, 2003
Reserve
Red, 2003 Chardonnay, 2004 Dry Riesling and 2004 Johannisberg Riesling.
The Fulkerson family and staff would like to pass on their heart felt
condolences to the Frank family and the staff at Dr. Frank's Vinifera Wine
Cellars & Chateau Frank for the passing of Willy Frank, one of the Finger
Lake region's great leaders in the wine industry.
-- I received news of a new wine made by not one winery, but three; an unprecedented collaboration by 3 of the Finger Lakes top wineries. I can't wait to try it. Here is the press release:
Anthony Road Wine Company, Fox Run Vineyards and Red Newt Wine Cellars are proud to announce the debut of Tierce, a 2004 Dry Riesling, marking a new collaborative effort in Finger Lakes winemaking. Tierce Dry Riesling will be released on May 5, 2006, kicking off the Riesling Month celebration.Peter Bell of Fox Run, Johannes Reinhardt of Anthony Road and David Whiting of Red Newt, each contributed a portion of Riesling wine, made from fruit grown on the slopes of Seneca Lake, to create 100 cases of a single wine. "This wine pulls together not only the unique vineyard expressions of Seneca Lake, but also the individual philosophies of the participating winemakers," commented Dave Whiting, winemaker and co-owner of Red Newt.Peter, Johannes and Dave not only decided what blend to create, they also chose to seal the bottle with a screw cap because this type of closure works well for wines with delicate aromas, such as a Riesling. Fox Run's winemaker, Peter Bell, noted that, "Screw caps with Riesling wines are quite clearly the way of the future. Corks, natural or synthetic, have a tendency to affect the wine¹s aroma."Fox Run's owner, Scott Osborn, stated, " This is a new level of collaboration among Finger Lakes wineries. In the past, wineries and winemakers have shared information, but this marks the first time three Finger Lakes wineries have worked together to produce and market a wine.""The wine reflects the passion of the three winemakers and opens the door to a new Riesling experience" commented Johannes Reinhardt, of Anthony Road, when asked about this team effort.
--Don't forget to visit my links on the right side of the page. And if you want to receive monthly updates on Finger Lakes news and events, just fill out the form at the bottom of this page.
Saturday, March 11, 2006
Finger Lakes Wines Do Well In Florida Competition
-- A few weeks ago, I touted Torrey Ridge Winery's Delaware wine-
( We opened a bottle of Torrey Ridge Delaware this week and I remembered why we had purchased it. In my experience, most wines made from the native Delaware grape are too grapey for my taste. But this white wine moderates that grapiness and sweetness with a crisp acidity that really makes a good and balanced wine. So, if you are a fan of native grape varieties, I'd recommend the Torrey Ridge Delaware.) Well now the Florida State Fair Wine Competition judges have bestowed a Double Gold award to Torrey Ridge for their Niagara wine. Obviously, Torrey Ridge is doing wonderful things with native grapes just when many have dismissed native grapes as sweet, grapey, and lacking balance or complexity.
Finger Lakes wineries fared very well at the Florida State Fair Wine Competition, snaring a total of 119 medals. Here are the Gold and Double Gold medal winners:
Torrey Ridge Winery Niagara- Double Gold
Torrey Ridge Winery 2003 Traminette- Gold
Hosmer Winery 2004 Cabernet Franc- Gold
Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars 2004 Semi-Dry Riesling Estate Bottled- Gold
Sheldrake Point Vineyard 2004 Petite Dry Rose- Gold
Sheldrake Point Vineyard 2004 Riesling Ice Wine- Gold
Swedish Hill Winery Svenska Blush- Gold
Swedish Hill Winery Viking Red- Gold
( We opened a bottle of Torrey Ridge Delaware this week and I remembered why we had purchased it. In my experience, most wines made from the native Delaware grape are too grapey for my taste. But this white wine moderates that grapiness and sweetness with a crisp acidity that really makes a good and balanced wine. So, if you are a fan of native grape varieties, I'd recommend the Torrey Ridge Delaware.) Well now the Florida State Fair Wine Competition judges have bestowed a Double Gold award to Torrey Ridge for their Niagara wine. Obviously, Torrey Ridge is doing wonderful things with native grapes just when many have dismissed native grapes as sweet, grapey, and lacking balance or complexity.
Finger Lakes wineries fared very well at the Florida State Fair Wine Competition, snaring a total of 119 medals. Here are the Gold and Double Gold medal winners:
Torrey Ridge Winery Niagara- Double Gold
Torrey Ridge Winery 2003 Traminette- Gold
Goose Watch Winery 2004 Melody- Gold
Hosmer Winery 2004 Cabernet Franc- Gold
Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars 2004 Semi-Dry Riesling Estate Bottled- Gold
Sheldrake Point Vineyard 2004 Petite Dry Rose- Gold
Sheldrake Point Vineyard 2004 Riesling Ice Wine- Gold
Swedish Hill Winery Svenska Blush- Gold
Swedish Hill Winery Viking Red- Gold
Thursday, March 09, 2006
A Sad Day For The Finger Lakes
-- I just heard the sad news that Willy Frank of Dr. Frank Wine Cellars passed away in Florida on Tuesday from a stroke. Willy was 80 years old. He was a tireless promoter of Dr. Frank wines and of Finger Lakes wines and a first-class individual. He took over the winery founded by his father, Finger Lakes wine pioneer Dr. Konstantin Frank, and molded it in to a world-class wine company. The entire Finger Lakes wine industry owes a debt of gratitude to Willy and his father. Here is the Star-Gazette article. Tonight, I will raise my glass to toast a wonderful winemaker and man. Here's to you Willy Frank- Heaven has a new winemaker
extraordinaire!!! I'd like to read any memories or comments you may have about Willy Frank.
extraordinaire!!! I'd like to read any memories or comments you may have about Willy Frank.
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
Wine Blogging Wednesday
First I'd like to thank Jathan at wineexpression.com, our host for this months WBW, for forcing me well out of my wine comfort zone of United States wine and into France's Rhone wine region. Being a wine simpleton at this stage (but wanting to learn), I knew nothing about French wine and have, in fact, found it somewhat baffling with labels in a code that I had not the knowledge to crack(I guess learning some French would help). But this exercise gave me the impetus to learn more, and learning more about wine was one of the reasons that I started this blog.
After researching what I was to look for and what was available in my area, I chose an E.Guigal 2001 Cotes du Rhone Blanc for $12.99. The price was right and it was from the right place. I had no preconceived notions of this wine and had no idea whether it was dry or off-dry. The wine is a blend of 33% Rousanne, 25% Clairette, 25% Viognier, 15% Bourbolene, and 2% Grenache Blanc, meeting this WBW's stated requirements of a Rhone blend.
The wine was a pale straw color and exhibited very faint hints of mineral and petroleum and not much else. At first sip, I noted bitter tastes of mineral and petroleum-alcohol that overpowered the fruit, with hints of oak and pepper. Not a very good first impression. Since I have had other white wines that started out of the bottle like this, but then benefited greatly from some air time, I decided to let my glass sit for a while. I asked this question before, but I will ask all of you more experienced wine people again- Should white wine be decanted? In searching the internet, I can find very few references to decanting white wine but, in my experience, some white wines really evolve for the better after some air time.
And such was the case for this wine. After about 20 minutes, the heavy petroleum-alcohol had mellowed and revealed hints of butter, citrus, and even vanilla, actually reminding me of a Chardonnay. But still the petro-alcohol was over the top. Perhaps the 13% alcohol was too much for my taste. As time went by, the wine got a little better for me, but it would not be a wine that I would buy again.
In searching for other reviews of this wine, I could hardly believe that I was drinking the same wine as other reviewers. Most also rated it average, but they noted tastes of pear, honeysuckle, pineapple, green apple, and papaya that just were not there for me. Perhaps 5 years was too long for this wine or perhaps I just got what I paid for- a low-priced wine. So, in summary, this wine was just ok for me, but this WBW did force me to learn much more about French wine than I knew before. And to me, that is success. For the pursuit of knowledge is always a noble thing. Thanks Again Jathan!!!
Monday, March 06, 2006
March Wine Events
-- The Seneca Lake Wine Trail has their 'Cruisin The Tropics' Weekend March 25 & 26 to beat the winter blues and start Spring off early. Participating wineries will be pairing tropical foods with wine and the wineries will each have a tropical theme. Think of it as Jimmy Buffett meets the Finger Lakes. Get your tickets now because these events usually sell out quickly.
-- The Cayuga Wine Trail has their 'Meet The Winemakers' Weekend March 18 & 19, where participating wineries on Cayuga Lake give you special tastings and the winemakers discuss and answer your questions about their wines. This is a unique opportunity to meet with the winemakers of your favorite wines.
-- Hunt Country, Heron Hill, and Dr. Frank wineries are having their Spring Break weekend March 25 & 26 featuring wine tastings and live Classic Rock music to welcome the Spring in. This event is free at all 3 wineries.
-- The Cayuga Wine Trail has their 'Meet The Winemakers' Weekend March 18 & 19, where participating wineries on Cayuga Lake give you special tastings and the winemakers discuss and answer your questions about their wines. This is a unique opportunity to meet with the winemakers of your favorite wines.
-- Hunt Country, Heron Hill, and Dr. Frank wineries are having their Spring Break weekend March 25 & 26 featuring wine tastings and live Classic Rock music to welcome the Spring in. This event is free at all 3 wineries.
Friday, March 03, 2006
Finger Lakes News Droplets
-- Sheldrake Point Vineyard's award-winning ice wine was served in The White House last month.
-- Congratulations to Mike Rusinko, the new president of the Finger Lakes Tourism Alliance.
-- 3 articles on tourism in The Finger Lakes- Brad Phillips, director of marketing at Hazlitt talks about the winery perspective, Molly McCarthy at the Star-Gazette writes about the future of Finger Lakes tourism, and Larry Wilson at the Star-Gazette writes on the success of Finger Lakes Wine Country's ad campaign.
-- Wine tasting bloggers give Chateau Lafayette Reneau Riesling high marks.
-- Here is a good review on a book about the Iriquois Confederacy that once inhabited The Finger Lakes.
-- Wagner Vineyards has some beer and wine specials and special events this month.
-- Don't forget to visit the websites listed at the right side of this page for more wine info.
-- Congratulations to Mike Rusinko, the new president of the Finger Lakes Tourism Alliance.
-- 3 articles on tourism in The Finger Lakes- Brad Phillips, director of marketing at Hazlitt talks about the winery perspective, Molly McCarthy at the Star-Gazette writes about the future of Finger Lakes tourism, and Larry Wilson at the Star-Gazette writes on the success of Finger Lakes Wine Country's ad campaign.
-- Wine tasting bloggers give Chateau Lafayette Reneau Riesling high marks.
-- Here is a good review on a book about the Iriquois Confederacy that once inhabited The Finger Lakes.
-- Wagner Vineyards has some beer and wine specials and special events this month.
-- Don't forget to visit the websites listed at the right side of this page for more wine info.
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Finger Lakes Winemaker Interview
Readers of this blog have been asking me for more in-depth postings about Finger Lakes wine and winemakers and now, through the generosity of the fine winemakers of The Finger Lakes, I will be posting Q&A's with Finger Lakes Winemakers.
My first Q & A is with one of the premier winemakers in the region, Thomas Laszlo - Vice President of Winemaking Operations at Heron Hill Winery. Laszlo crafted top-notch wines with wineries in Canada and Hungary, before coming to Heron Hill in 2002, and he is especially praised for his ice wines.
WW: Briefly describe Your Philosophy of Winemaking:
TL: Attention to detail in the vineyard and the winery. Intervene only when
intervention will yield the best results.
WW: What is your favorite thing about making wine?
TL: It is a great creative outlet. I enjoy pushing the boundaries of
winemaking science with creative intuition.
WW: If you were dropped on an island and could have any 3
wines, what would they be?
TL: Chateau Pajzos 2000 Tokaji Aszueszencia, J.J. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr
1990 Riesling Auslese, Heron Hill 2003 Estate Riesling Icewine
WW: Do you prefer real cork, synthetic cork, or screw cap and why?
TL: Real cork. I like the feel and texture of cork. I like to see how cork
ages and changes in bottle after decades yet still seals the wine perfectly.
WW: What advice would you give to anyone wanting to become a winemaker?
TL: Drink a lot of different wine all the time for 4 solid years. During this
time read all that you can about viticulture and winemaking. Look to
apprentice under somtimes difficult, opinionated winemakers who are at the
top in their class.
WW: What wine tasting advice would you give to someone
visiting the Finger Lakes for the first time?
TL: Taste all the whites and know that Riesling is World Class in the Finger
Lakes. Taste the red wines and keep an open mind. Do not compare to other
red wine growing regions. Find out what is special in our reds.
WW: What makes the Finger Lakes area special to you?
TL: The best terroir for Riesling in North America and maybe the best in all
of the New World. Scenic and undisturbed.
WW: What is the wine you are most proud of making and why:
TL: Heron Hill Riesling Reserve Dry and Icewine from our Estate vineyard
planted in my birth year: 1968. Intense MINERAL!
WW: What new wines are in the works for your winery:
> 2005 Ingle Vineyard Select Late Harvest Chardonnay (Botrytis affected)
2005 "Old Vines" Riesling (youngest 32 years and oldest 38 years), 2005 Late
Harvest Muscat
WW: Who are your 3 favorite Finger Lakes winemakers?
TL: Herman Wiemer, Morton Hallgren, Peter Bell
WW: What are your 3 favorite Non-Finger Lakes wines?
TL: Chat.Calon Segur (3rd Growth St.Estephe) Chat. Lafite-Rothschild,
Egon Muller Scharzhof Riesling, Saar,Germany
WW: If you had to be something else besides a winemaker, what would it be?
TL: Master Carpenter
WW: Who has been the most important person to you in your
development as a winemaker and why?
TL: My Wife. She introduced me to winegrowing in Niagara,Ontario during
college. She has always supported and sacrificed for my pursuit in winemaking.
WW: Who is your favorite musical artist or band?
TL: Grateful Dead
WW: Who is your favorite movie actor?
TL: Clint Eastwood
WW: Any other comments you would like to add?
TL: Every now and again when you have some extra cash buy a really top notch
wine of pedigree and prepare a simple Sunday meal around it and enjoy with
one to three other persons.
Once again, Thanks to Thomas Laszlo for taking the time to answer my questions. Heron Hill is a first-class operation and is a must-see winery for anyone visiting the Finger Lakes. For more information on Heron Hill Winery, visit their website and see my blog post (Look in November archives at right side of page) on my visit there last year. Stay tuned for more winemaker Q&A's.
My first Q & A is with one of the premier winemakers in the region, Thomas Laszlo - Vice President of Winemaking Operations at Heron Hill Winery. Laszlo crafted top-notch wines with wineries in Canada and Hungary, before coming to Heron Hill in 2002, and he is especially praised for his ice wines.
WW: Briefly describe Your Philosophy of Winemaking:
TL: Attention to detail in the vineyard and the winery. Intervene only when
intervention will yield the best results.
WW: What is your favorite thing about making wine?
TL: It is a great creative outlet. I enjoy pushing the boundaries of
winemaking science with creative intuition.
WW: If you were dropped on an island and could have any 3
wines, what would they be?
TL: Chateau Pajzos 2000 Tokaji Aszueszencia, J.J. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr
1990 Riesling Auslese, Heron Hill 2003 Estate Riesling Icewine
WW: Do you prefer real cork, synthetic cork, or screw cap and why?
TL: Real cork. I like the feel and texture of cork. I like to see how cork
ages and changes in bottle after decades yet still seals the wine perfectly.
WW: What advice would you give to anyone wanting to become a winemaker?
TL: Drink a lot of different wine all the time for 4 solid years. During this
time read all that you can about viticulture and winemaking. Look to
apprentice under somtimes difficult, opinionated winemakers who are at the
top in their class.
WW: What wine tasting advice would you give to someone
visiting the Finger Lakes for the first time?
TL: Taste all the whites and know that Riesling is World Class in the Finger
Lakes. Taste the red wines and keep an open mind. Do not compare to other
red wine growing regions. Find out what is special in our reds.
WW: What makes the Finger Lakes area special to you?
TL: The best terroir for Riesling in North America and maybe the best in all
of the New World. Scenic and undisturbed.
WW: What is the wine you are most proud of making and why:
TL: Heron Hill Riesling Reserve Dry and Icewine from our Estate vineyard
planted in my birth year: 1968. Intense MINERAL!
WW: What new wines are in the works for your winery:
> 2005 Ingle Vineyard Select Late Harvest Chardonnay (Botrytis affected)
2005 "Old Vines" Riesling (youngest 32 years and oldest 38 years), 2005 Late
Harvest Muscat
WW: Who are your 3 favorite Finger Lakes winemakers?
TL: Herman Wiemer, Morton Hallgren, Peter Bell
WW: What are your 3 favorite Non-Finger Lakes wines?
TL: Chat.Calon Segur (3rd Growth St.Estephe) Chat. Lafite-Rothschild,
Egon Muller Scharzhof Riesling, Saar,Germany
WW: If you had to be something else besides a winemaker, what would it be?
TL: Master Carpenter
WW: Who has been the most important person to you in your
development as a winemaker and why?
TL: My Wife. She introduced me to winegrowing in Niagara,Ontario during
college. She has always supported and sacrificed for my pursuit in winemaking.
WW: Who is your favorite musical artist or band?
TL: Grateful Dead
WW: Who is your favorite movie actor?
TL: Clint Eastwood
WW: Any other comments you would like to add?
TL: Every now and again when you have some extra cash buy a really top notch
wine of pedigree and prepare a simple Sunday meal around it and enjoy with
one to three other persons.
Once again, Thanks to Thomas Laszlo for taking the time to answer my questions. Heron Hill is a first-class operation and is a must-see winery for anyone visiting the Finger Lakes. For more information on Heron Hill Winery, visit their website and see my blog post (Look in November archives at right side of page) on my visit there last year. Stay tuned for more winemaker Q&A's.
Sunday, February 26, 2006
News & Notes
-- Calling all wineries from around the world, don't forget that the deadline of March 27, 2006 is fast approaching to submit your wine for entry into the 2006 Finger Lakes International Wine Competition with judging being done April 1-2 in Rochester NY. Last year's event attracted over 1600 wines from around the world.
-- Lenn at LennDevours blog clued me in to an interesting feature on the Appellation America website. They have descriptions of grape varieties paired with artistic renderings of those grape personality profiles. They also have a good reference page for the Finger Lakes appellation. You can also submit your own descriptions of grape varieties that do not have descriptions yet. I submitted a description for one of my favorite Finger Lakes grapes, the Traminette grape developed at Cornell University-
Traminette-> You are the daughter of that spicy bad girl of grape royalty, Gewurtzraminer and that dependable hard-working gentlemen Seyval Blanc. You have your fathers balance and strong backbone, but you have your mothers zest for life. You are a perfect spring garden of floral scents whipped by the winds of enchantment. You are the Princess Diana of the grape world. On the outside, you may appear to be the quiet and obeying wife, but on the inside there is a fire that longs to seduce anyone who ventures to know you.
-- Glenora Wine Cellars is running some wine specials: Monarch Cabernet – a fruit forward, easy drinking red, $8.99 for a 1.5L or $6.99 for a 750ml. Catawba – light, refreshing and grape flavored, $9.99 for the party size 1.5L.
Or if you need a little incentive to re-stock your wine cellar, order a full case of wine (either on line or by phone) and use coupon RESTOCK06 and they'll take an extra 5% off your purchase. (That’s a total of 20% per case!) Also, in their recent newsletter, they answer a question that has been on my mind, what with the unusual winter weather in the Finger Lakes this year:
"How are the vines doing, is the question that we often hear at this time of year as many of our friends and customers are concerned if the winter has caused damage to the vines (actually the fruiting buds.)
Each grape variety has a different tolerance to cold temperatures ranging from 0 degrees Fahrenheit for a variety such as Merlot to minus 5 to 10 degrees for Riesling and Chardonnay, to a minus 15 for many of the native varieties.
Unfortunately it not quite as clear cut as just being a “temperature only thing.” Other factors that can impact a vines’ ability to withstand winter cold temperatures would be the stresses of the previous growing season (heavy crop, lack of rain, and disease pressure). Probably the biggest potential for bud damage is an extreme rapid change in temperature. We are definitely walking the tightrope now with respect to “some possible bud damage” to “significant bud damage.” Our weather pattern this past week has been one that could create issues for us. Temperatures reached a high of 55 degrees last Thursday night then started to decline. By Sunday morning we were at 7 degrees. We will be cutting buds to check for damage this week. Keep your fingers crossed!" The Weekend Wino will certainly be saying a prayer for the vines!
--Sheila Livadas at FingerLakesWine.com writes her latest Finger Lakes winery profile on Atwater Estate Vineyards, located on the east side of Seneca Lake.
-- Lenn at LennDevours blog clued me in to an interesting feature on the Appellation America website. They have descriptions of grape varieties paired with artistic renderings of those grape personality profiles. They also have a good reference page for the Finger Lakes appellation. You can also submit your own descriptions of grape varieties that do not have descriptions yet. I submitted a description for one of my favorite Finger Lakes grapes, the Traminette grape developed at Cornell University-
Traminette-> You are the daughter of that spicy bad girl of grape royalty, Gewurtzraminer and that dependable hard-working gentlemen Seyval Blanc. You have your fathers balance and strong backbone, but you have your mothers zest for life. You are a perfect spring garden of floral scents whipped by the winds of enchantment. You are the Princess Diana of the grape world. On the outside, you may appear to be the quiet and obeying wife, but on the inside there is a fire that longs to seduce anyone who ventures to know you.
-- Glenora Wine Cellars is running some wine specials: Monarch Cabernet – a fruit forward, easy drinking red, $8.99 for a 1.5L or $6.99 for a 750ml. Catawba – light, refreshing and grape flavored, $9.99 for the party size 1.5L.
Or if you need a little incentive to re-stock your wine cellar, order a full case of wine (either on line or by phone) and use coupon RESTOCK06 and they'll take an extra 5% off your purchase. (That’s a total of 20% per case!) Also, in their recent newsletter, they answer a question that has been on my mind, what with the unusual winter weather in the Finger Lakes this year:
"How are the vines doing, is the question that we often hear at this time of year as many of our friends and customers are concerned if the winter has caused damage to the vines (actually the fruiting buds.)
Each grape variety has a different tolerance to cold temperatures ranging from 0 degrees Fahrenheit for a variety such as Merlot to minus 5 to 10 degrees for Riesling and Chardonnay, to a minus 15 for many of the native varieties.
Unfortunately it not quite as clear cut as just being a “temperature only thing.” Other factors that can impact a vines’ ability to withstand winter cold temperatures would be the stresses of the previous growing season (heavy crop, lack of rain, and disease pressure). Probably the biggest potential for bud damage is an extreme rapid change in temperature. We are definitely walking the tightrope now with respect to “some possible bud damage” to “significant bud damage.” Our weather pattern this past week has been one that could create issues for us. Temperatures reached a high of 55 degrees last Thursday night then started to decline. By Sunday morning we were at 7 degrees. We will be cutting buds to check for damage this week. Keep your fingers crossed!" The Weekend Wino will certainly be saying a prayer for the vines!
--Sheila Livadas at FingerLakesWine.com writes her latest Finger Lakes winery profile on Atwater Estate Vineyards, located on the east side of Seneca Lake.
Friday, February 24, 2006
Finger Lakes News Flakes
-- We opened a bottle of Torrey Ridge Delaware this week and I remembered why we had purchased it. In my experience, most wines made from the native Delaware grape are too grapey for my taste. But this white wine moderates that grapiness and sweetness with a crisp acidity that really makes a good and balanced wine. So, if you are a fan of native grape varieties, I'd recommend the Torrey Ridge Delaware. I tried to access the Torrey Ridge website, but it is under construction. Hopefully, they'll have a great new website soon. If you are visiting wineries on Seneca Lake, make sure to visit Torrey Ridge, with one of the newest and grandest tasting rooms in the Finger Lakes. And don't forget to walk around the corner to Earle Estates Meadery for a unique wine tasting experience of mead, or honey wine.
-- I came across this Vintage Chart from Wine Enthusiast magazine that shows their vintage ratings for Finger Lakes wine. They rate the 2001 vintage for both reds and whites as the best in the 12 years of ratings listed.
-- I have not read it yet, but the February issue of the new wine magazine for women, Wine Adventure Magazine, has an article on Touring & Tasting in the Finger Lakes( subscription required).
-- If you are looking for something fun to do this weekend, check out the Beat The Blues weekend at Dr. Frank's, Heron Hill, and Hunt Country wineries on the west side of Keuka Lake. Beat the winter blahs with live Blues music and great wine.
-- The battle for direct shipping continues. Tom at Fermentations and Free The Grapes are keeping the pressure on for states to allow direct shipping of wine, to benefit consumers and the small family-owned wineries.
-- Here is an excellent article on the way that acidity acts in wine and on our palates.
-- If you are planning a trip to the Finger Lakes, check out Finger Lakes Wine Adventures for a customized wine tour.
-- I came across this Vintage Chart from Wine Enthusiast magazine that shows their vintage ratings for Finger Lakes wine. They rate the 2001 vintage for both reds and whites as the best in the 12 years of ratings listed.
-- I have not read it yet, but the February issue of the new wine magazine for women, Wine Adventure Magazine, has an article on Touring & Tasting in the Finger Lakes( subscription required).
-- If you are looking for something fun to do this weekend, check out the Beat The Blues weekend at Dr. Frank's, Heron Hill, and Hunt Country wineries on the west side of Keuka Lake. Beat the winter blahs with live Blues music and great wine.
-- The battle for direct shipping continues. Tom at Fermentations and Free The Grapes are keeping the pressure on for states to allow direct shipping of wine, to benefit consumers and the small family-owned wineries.
-- Here is an excellent article on the way that acidity acts in wine and on our palates.
-- If you are planning a trip to the Finger Lakes, check out Finger Lakes Wine Adventures for a customized wine tour.
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
Finger Lakes News & Notes
-- Don't forget, it's Mardi Gras on the Cayuga Wine Trail this weekend. Participating wineries will have wine and food samples and prizes and, if you dress up in your best Mardi Gras costume, you have a chance to be named King or Queen of Cayuga Mardis Gras.
--Jeff Richards latest wine column tells of Bully Hill's new limited release wines comemmorating the Eldridge Park Carousel.
-- From this article, it looks like the Finger Lakes Scenic Railway "Blues and Brews" Train is a lot of fun. They are having another one on March 18. Here is their website.
--If you are looking for Producers of Fresh Produce, Meats, and Dairy Products in the Finger Lakes area, The Finger Lakes Culinary Bounty website has a good directory.
-- Here is a fascinating article on the year they had snow on the 4th of July in the Finger Lakes.
-- If you are a Grape Grower or interested in growing grapes, don't miss the Finger Lakes Grape Growers Convention and Trade Show March 3 & 4 at the Waterloo Holiday Inn.
-- A nice primer on the Riesling grape in this article. Unfortunately, only a very brief mention of Finger Lakes Riesling.
-- In trying to find out what all the fuss is over Robert Parker, the notorious wine critic who it seems can make or break a wine, I came across this interview(I don't know when it was written). From this interview, he seems like an ok chap to me.
-- Don't forget to sign up at the bottom of this page for my new monthly newsletter filled with Finger Lakes news, wine specials, and events.
--Jeff Richards latest wine column tells of Bully Hill's new limited release wines comemmorating the Eldridge Park Carousel.
-- From this article, it looks like the Finger Lakes Scenic Railway "Blues and Brews" Train is a lot of fun. They are having another one on March 18. Here is their website.
--If you are looking for Producers of Fresh Produce, Meats, and Dairy Products in the Finger Lakes area, The Finger Lakes Culinary Bounty website has a good directory.
-- Here is a fascinating article on the year they had snow on the 4th of July in the Finger Lakes.
-- If you are a Grape Grower or interested in growing grapes, don't miss the Finger Lakes Grape Growers Convention and Trade Show March 3 & 4 at the Waterloo Holiday Inn.
-- A nice primer on the Riesling grape in this article. Unfortunately, only a very brief mention of Finger Lakes Riesling.
-- In trying to find out what all the fuss is over Robert Parker, the notorious wine critic who it seems can make or break a wine, I came across this interview(I don't know when it was written). From this interview, he seems like an ok chap to me.
-- Don't forget to sign up at the bottom of this page for my new monthly newsletter filled with Finger Lakes news, wine specials, and events.
Sunday, February 19, 2006
Finger Lakes News Waves
-- After a top-secret meeting at an undisclosed location with my Finger Lakes inside source "Deep Vine", I can tell you, my dear readers the following classified information. But you must all promise me that you won't tell anyone else: Highland Cellars/Hickory Hollow is coming out with a ready-to-drink Pinot Noir that will be value-priced, and also you should take a look at their new website. Fulkerson Winery is almost out of their Vidal Ice Wine, so get it while you still can. And Deep Vine says, Get your tickets now to enjoy the fun and wine at Savor Syracuse, April 13 at The Landmark Theatre in Syracuse.
-- A taste of Austria opens up in Lodi. Now I know what a Heuriger is.
-- Sheila Livadas' newest winery profile is on Chateau Lafayette Reneau. Mrs. Wino & I had a romantic stay at their Bed & Breakfast a few years ago and we really enjoyed our morning walks through their vineyard and down to the lake. A first-class operation by any measure.
-- The new 2006 Steuben County Travel Guide is out. You can order your copy by calling
607-936-6544.
-- If you are a biker, Bike Magazine has named The Finger Lakes Trail at Letchworth State Park as one of the best, least-known bike trails in the country. The 22 mile trail takes mountain bikers along the rim of the Genesee River Gorge.
-- According to this study, all that wineries have to do to sell more wine is play the right music. Who knew it was that easy?
-- If you are interested in what goes on at a winery, here is a good winery blog.
-- All you professional winemakers out there look out for all of us amateurs when we get a WinePod, the new Home Personal Winery. Thanks to Tom at Fermentation for posting about this.
-- Don't forget to check out my wine links on the right side of the page.
-- A taste of Austria opens up in Lodi. Now I know what a Heuriger is.
-- Sheila Livadas' newest winery profile is on Chateau Lafayette Reneau. Mrs. Wino & I had a romantic stay at their Bed & Breakfast a few years ago and we really enjoyed our morning walks through their vineyard and down to the lake. A first-class operation by any measure.
-- The new 2006 Steuben County Travel Guide is out. You can order your copy by calling
607-936-6544.
-- If you are a biker, Bike Magazine has named The Finger Lakes Trail at Letchworth State Park as one of the best, least-known bike trails in the country. The 22 mile trail takes mountain bikers along the rim of the Genesee River Gorge.
-- According to this study, all that wineries have to do to sell more wine is play the right music. Who knew it was that easy?
-- If you are interested in what goes on at a winery, here is a good winery blog.
-- All you professional winemakers out there look out for all of us amateurs when we get a WinePod, the new Home Personal Winery. Thanks to Tom at Fermentation for posting about this.
-- Don't forget to check out my wine links on the right side of the page.
Thursday, February 16, 2006
Finger Lakes Valentines Wines
Mrs. Wino (Honey, I hope you don't mind being known as Mrs. Wino, but I guess it's too late to ask now) and I celebrated V-Day by pulling a couple of Finger Lakes wines from our cellar and enjoying them after we savored Mrs. Wino's perfectly cooked New York Strip steaks topped with caramelized onions. We opened a Vidal Blanc from Barrington Cellars. Barrington Cellars is a small, family-owned winery tucked up in the eastern hills overlooking Keuka Lake. We always enjoy our visits to their tasting room. The Vidal Blanc, $7.75, 6.5% Residual sugar, 11.25% alcohol, exhibited nice clean floral and mineral scents and opened up on the palate with a citrus start, sweet pear in the middle, and ended with an earthy mineralness for a very nice semi-sweet taste for Valentines Day.
The other wine we opened is one of our favorite Rieslings from one of the finest wine (and beer) making operations in the Finger Lakes, Wagner's Semi Dry Riesling. I know, I know, Dr. Frank and Hermann Wiemer are the Riesling kingpins just across Seneca Lake but Wagners Semi-Dry ($11.99, 2.5% Residual sugar) fits my palate perfectly with a touch of citrus/lime, a touch of melon sweetness, and the perfect balance of sweetness and acidity for me. Wagner Vineyards is always a favorite stop. There is so much to see and do. Wine tastings and purchases (usually by the case for me & Mrs. Wino), beer tastings and purchases from their microbrewery, unique wine items in their gift store (I got a fabulous wine barrel-style wine rack there a few years ago), great food with an amazing view from the Ginny Lee Restaurant, a very interesting winery tour, summer weekend entertainment on the deck of the unique 8-sided main building, rousing up the ornery geese in the pond, or just enjoying a glass of vino as you let your mind drift into the sparkling waters of Seneca Lake. I guess you can tell. I am a fan of Wagner's. And, as I held Mrs. Wino's hand on Valentines Day, these 2 Finger Lakes wines swept our minds off to a breezy summer day on the deck staring at the diamond water and the whispy white clouds in an azure blue sky. Ahhhh, I just can't wait for spring!
Monday, February 13, 2006
Finger Lakes News Drippings
--It's not too early to think about your spring/summer vacation to the Finger Lakes. To see all that the Finger Lakes has to offer, check out Finger Lakes Wine Adventures- It's not just a wine tour, It's a Personalized Wine Adventure. Don't Drink and Drive. Leave the driving to Finger Lakes Wine Adventures and let them create a Personalized Fun & Educational Experience for you!!! Just click on the link above or at the left side of the page for more information.
--Fox Run Vineyards is having the following wine events this weekend: Friday, Feb 17- Food and Wine pairing at 43 Phila Bistro in Saratoga Springs.- Call 518-584-2720 for info.
Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 18 & 19- Cabernet and Kisses at Fox Run Vineyards featuring their 2002 Cabernet Franc.
-- Sheila Livadas at FingerLakesWine.com writes her winery profile on Seneca Shore Wine Cellars. As I've written before, they make one of my favorite buttery, silky Chardonnays.
-- Here is some more information on the 19,000 square-foot New York Wine and Culinary Center now being built in Canandaigua.
-- Geneva On The Lake resort is hosting a series of free Finger Lakes wine tastings and culinary demonstrations. Call 315-789-7190 for times. The schedule is:
Feb. 24- Anthony Road Wine Co.
March 10- Hermann J Wiemer Vineyard
March 24- Red Newt Cellars
April 28- Standing Stone Vineyards
-- Travel writer Rudy Maxa writes about the Cayuga Region.
-- Here is everything you wanted to know about that Finger Lakes staple, Grape Pie.
-- The winner of Geneva's bicentennial slogan and logo is announced.
--If you want to receive monthly updates about Finger Lakes news, events, specials, and discounts, just fill out the form at the bottom of this page.
--Fox Run Vineyards is having the following wine events this weekend: Friday, Feb 17- Food and Wine pairing at 43 Phila Bistro in Saratoga Springs.- Call 518-584-2720 for info.
Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 18 & 19- Cabernet and Kisses at Fox Run Vineyards featuring their 2002 Cabernet Franc.
-- Sheila Livadas at FingerLakesWine.com writes her winery profile on Seneca Shore Wine Cellars. As I've written before, they make one of my favorite buttery, silky Chardonnays.
-- Here is some more information on the 19,000 square-foot New York Wine and Culinary Center now being built in Canandaigua.
-- Geneva On The Lake resort is hosting a series of free Finger Lakes wine tastings and culinary demonstrations. Call 315-789-7190 for times. The schedule is:
Feb. 24- Anthony Road Wine Co.
March 10- Hermann J Wiemer Vineyard
March 24- Red Newt Cellars
April 28- Standing Stone Vineyards
-- Travel writer Rudy Maxa writes about the Cayuga Region.
-- Here is everything you wanted to know about that Finger Lakes staple, Grape Pie.
-- The winner of Geneva's bicentennial slogan and logo is announced.
--If you want to receive monthly updates about Finger Lakes news, events, specials, and discounts, just fill out the form at the bottom of this page.
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
News & Notes
-- Amberg Wine Cellars is offering special Wine and Chocolate Gift Baskets for Valentines Day. They are also having a sale on their Pegasus, Red Baron, & Traminette wines.
-- Four Chimneys Winery is offering a Valentines discount of 15% off of all internet wine orders through Feb. 14.
--The newest winery profile by Sheila Livadas is about Americana Winery, located on Cayuga Lake.
--A new "Cheesery" called Finger Lakes Farmstead Cheese Co. has opened in Trumansburg near Cayuga Lake. What's better to go with Finger Lakes wine than Finger Lakes cheese. Here is a good article about it.
-- Four Chimneys Winery is offering a Valentines discount of 15% off of all internet wine orders through Feb. 14.
--The newest winery profile by Sheila Livadas is about Americana Winery, located on Cayuga Lake.
--A new "Cheesery" called Finger Lakes Farmstead Cheese Co. has opened in Trumansburg near Cayuga Lake. What's better to go with Finger Lakes wine than Finger Lakes cheese. Here is a good article about it.
Sunday, February 05, 2006
Finger Lakes Valentines Ideas, Events, and Other Ramblings
--The Grapery online store has put together some special Valentines Day Wine and Chocolate gift packages to romance your Valentine with.
-- Casa Larga is having its Fire and Ice Festival, Sunday Feb. 12 from Noon to 6pm featuring Ice Wine tours, Ice Sculptures, and their Ice Wine Fiori Delle Stelle.
-- The Keuka Lake Wine Trail is offering two special weekends of Be Mine With Wine on Feb. 11 & 12 and Feb. 18 & 19. as participating Keuka Lake wineries offer up special romantic food and wine pairings. The Seneca Lake Wine Trail is having their Chocolate and Wine weekend on Feb. 11 & 12 with participating wineries offering up special wine and chocolate pairings. Also, many Cayuga Lake wineries are planning special Valentines weekend events (see Schedule here).
--2 wineries offering romantic evenings of food, wine, and music are Chateau Lafayette Reneau on Feb. 10 and Knapp Vineyards on Feb. 11.
--For a list of other February events happening in the Finger Lakes, see the Events Calendar at www.FingerLakesWineCountry.com
-- My secret Finger Lakes wine info source, who I'll call "Deep Vines" (remember Deep Throat from Watergate) tells me that Red Newt Winery is coming out with a new wine on the sweeter side (not yet named) this spring made from Niagara grapes. Deep Vines also says Penguin Bay Winery (formerly Finger Lakes Champagne House) has a great lineup of wines featuring an outstanding dry red named Maroon Four (a Shiraz-style blend). And Cornell has developed 2 new red grapes that are designed for the Finger lakes cooler weather. More news from Deep Vines as I get it.
-- More on the Great Wine Shipping Debate from Pennsylvania in this article. It seems that, due to recent court actions, Pennsylvania which has had one of the most restrictive shipping policies, now has no shipping regulations at all as they wait for the Pennsylvania legislature to come up with new laws. The author of this article was successful in about half of his attempts to have wine shipped to Pennsylvania. The best quote in the article is from a California winery owner who says "If I were in the gun business, I could ship to any state... but not with wine". How true.
--Fox Run Vineyards winemaker Peter Bell was featured last month in Dan Bergers Vintage Experiences newsletter as one of 22 winemakers who has added to the fine wine scene, but who have not received proper recognition. Twenty-two winemakers were profiled and only two from the Finger Lakes Region were featured, Peter Bell and Derek Wilber. Dan Berger states in his article "At Fox Run, Peter's Rieslings and Cabernet Francs make him a superstar on the rise." Owner Scott Osborn stated " We are incredibly proud of another great recognition for Peter Bell. Peter is committed to the highest levels of excellence and this recognition only proves that further. We are also very happy that two of the top listed winemakers reside and work within the Finger Lakes Region." Also, Fox Run owner Scott Osborn will be featured this week in an online interview (podcast) on www.thewinescout.com
-- Ontario County, located in the northern Finger Lakes region, has been named "Best Place To Live In Rural America" by Progressive Farmer magazine. Just one more reminder that the Finger Lakes region is one of the most beautiful places in America. But a lot of us already knew that.
--If you are producer of local Finger Lakes food products, you will want to be included in the "Guide To Foods Priduced In The Finger Lakes". Click here to read how to get listed.
--In off-wine topics, Who is telling all these people on American Idol that they are good singers? To combat this problem, I've come up with a new bumpersticker "Friends don't let friends who can't sing go on American Idol". Also, The Super Bowl's today and I was thinking about the halftime show with The Rolling Stones. I really hope their are no "wardrobe malfunctions" because that would just be nasty.
-- Casa Larga is having its Fire and Ice Festival, Sunday Feb. 12 from Noon to 6pm featuring Ice Wine tours, Ice Sculptures, and their Ice Wine Fiori Delle Stelle.
-- The Keuka Lake Wine Trail is offering two special weekends of Be Mine With Wine on Feb. 11 & 12 and Feb. 18 & 19. as participating Keuka Lake wineries offer up special romantic food and wine pairings. The Seneca Lake Wine Trail is having their Chocolate and Wine weekend on Feb. 11 & 12 with participating wineries offering up special wine and chocolate pairings. Also, many Cayuga Lake wineries are planning special Valentines weekend events (see Schedule here).
--2 wineries offering romantic evenings of food, wine, and music are Chateau Lafayette Reneau on Feb. 10 and Knapp Vineyards on Feb. 11.
--For a list of other February events happening in the Finger Lakes, see the Events Calendar at www.FingerLakesWineCountry.com
-- My secret Finger Lakes wine info source, who I'll call "Deep Vines" (remember Deep Throat from Watergate) tells me that Red Newt Winery is coming out with a new wine on the sweeter side (not yet named) this spring made from Niagara grapes. Deep Vines also says Penguin Bay Winery (formerly Finger Lakes Champagne House) has a great lineup of wines featuring an outstanding dry red named Maroon Four (a Shiraz-style blend). And Cornell has developed 2 new red grapes that are designed for the Finger lakes cooler weather. More news from Deep Vines as I get it.
-- More on the Great Wine Shipping Debate from Pennsylvania in this article. It seems that, due to recent court actions, Pennsylvania which has had one of the most restrictive shipping policies, now has no shipping regulations at all as they wait for the Pennsylvania legislature to come up with new laws. The author of this article was successful in about half of his attempts to have wine shipped to Pennsylvania. The best quote in the article is from a California winery owner who says "If I were in the gun business, I could ship to any state... but not with wine". How true.
--Fox Run Vineyards winemaker Peter Bell was featured last month in Dan Bergers Vintage Experiences newsletter as one of 22 winemakers who has added to the fine wine scene, but who have not received proper recognition. Twenty-two winemakers were profiled and only two from the Finger Lakes Region were featured, Peter Bell and Derek Wilber. Dan Berger states in his article "At Fox Run, Peter's Rieslings and Cabernet Francs make him a superstar on the rise." Owner Scott Osborn stated " We are incredibly proud of another great recognition for Peter Bell. Peter is committed to the highest levels of excellence and this recognition only proves that further. We are also very happy that two of the top listed winemakers reside and work within the Finger Lakes Region." Also, Fox Run owner Scott Osborn will be featured this week in an online interview (podcast) on www.thewinescout.com
-- Ontario County, located in the northern Finger Lakes region, has been named "Best Place To Live In Rural America" by Progressive Farmer magazine. Just one more reminder that the Finger Lakes region is one of the most beautiful places in America. But a lot of us already knew that.
--If you are producer of local Finger Lakes food products, you will want to be included in the "Guide To Foods Priduced In The Finger Lakes". Click here to read how to get listed.
--In off-wine topics, Who is telling all these people on American Idol that they are good singers? To combat this problem, I've come up with a new bumpersticker "Friends don't let friends who can't sing go on American Idol". Also, The Super Bowl's today and I was thinking about the halftime show with The Rolling Stones. I really hope their are no "wardrobe malfunctions" because that would just be nasty.
Friday, February 03, 2006
Bits and Pieces
--Developers and conservationists square off in Hammondsport about land for a park in honor of hometown hero Glenn Curtis in this article.
--I missed it, but Hunt Country Vineyards was featured on NBC's Today Show last month spotlighting their ice wines. It's always good to see national recognition for a Finger Lakes winery.
--Found this interesting wine travelog through Europe and America from Aussie blogger Martin Fields.
-- Wine collectors take note- Tea may be the new liquid investment as this article shows.
-- Congratulations to Holly Howell, who has been named Director of Education at the new New York Wine & Culinary Center, scheduled to open this summer in Canandaigua.
--Here is a list of Wine Festivals around the country this year.
-- The fight for fair wine shipping laws continues at the Fermentation blog and at
the Free The Grapes website.
--See more great photos of the Finger Lakes here and here and here.
--I missed it, but Hunt Country Vineyards was featured on NBC's Today Show last month spotlighting their ice wines. It's always good to see national recognition for a Finger Lakes winery.
--Found this interesting wine travelog through Europe and America from Aussie blogger Martin Fields.
-- Wine collectors take note- Tea may be the new liquid investment as this article shows.
-- Congratulations to Holly Howell, who has been named Director of Education at the new New York Wine & Culinary Center, scheduled to open this summer in Canandaigua.
--Here is a list of Wine Festivals around the country this year.
-- The fight for fair wine shipping laws continues at the Fermentation blog and at
the Free The Grapes website.
--See more great photos of the Finger Lakes here and here and here.
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Wine Blogging Wednesday
This months Wine Blogging Wednesday topic hosted by Dr. Vino is to write about "wine shops that feel the love", being that it's Valentines month and all. The wine shop that I love to frequent is The NYStateWine Tasting Room & Wine Gallery in beautiful downtown Watkins Glen NY, just a short walk from Seneca Harbor at the south end of Seneca Lake in the heart of Finger Lakes wine country. The Tasting Room is a cozy place, with a 27-foot copper-topped tasting bar along the one wall and racks of Finger Lakes and other New York wines along the back and far side wall, with wine gifts and accessories toward the front. Store manager Carman Massey, your charming hostess and confirmed Dead Head (Grateful Dead Fan to the uninitiated), pours the tastings and answers your questions with a smile. They have a tasting menu of about 5 or 6 wines that changes weekly and you can buy wine by the glass or bottle. The place just has a really friendly and warm feel to me. I always feel welcome there. They also have entertainment on the weekends featuring blues, bluegrass, and rock. Banjo Boris is one of my favorites and he even let me play his banjo on a break one time. They actually close for the winter, so I will have to wait for spring to visit again. And I can't wait! But you can still order wine from their website www.nystatewine.com (I tried to upload a picture of the store, but Blogger was not cooperating). So if you are in the area, be sure to stop in and maybe you'll see me playing my guitar. I keep threatening Carman that I am going to bring my guitar in.
Sunday, January 29, 2006
News and Notes
-- Lenn at LennDevours Blog and at Long Island Press reviews Fox Run Vineyards 2003 Reserve Chardonnay.
--The New York Wine and Grape Foundation are preparing to move from Penn Yan into the new New York Wine and Culinary Center in Canandaigua. Does anyone know when the Center is scheduled to open?
--Looks like another successful Wine On Ice Wine Festival. I couldn't make it, but it sounds like it was a lot of fun.
--Winegeeks.com has created a Google map for the Finger Lakes wine region. It uses satellite imagery and you can zoom in on the map for more detail.
--It's Fiori month at Casa Larga Vineyards, a month-long celebration of Fiori Delle Stelle, their award-winning Vidal Ice Wine. See the Calendar of Events here.
--I just made plans to attend the Wineries Unlimited Wine Trade Show on March 12-15 in Lancaster PA. Finger Lakes wineries will be well-represented (see Program Guide) with seminars by Art Hunt from Hunt Country Vineyards, Chris Stamp from Lakewood Vineyards, John McGregor from McGregor Vineyards, John Santos from Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards, Thomas Laszlo from Heron Hill, Peter Staltonstall from King Ferry Winery, Steve DiFrancesco from Glenora Winery, and Peter Bell from Fox Run Vineyards. I know many of the Finger Lakes winery owners and winemakers will be attending and I hope to be able to meet as many as possible.
--The New York Wine and Grape Foundation are preparing to move from Penn Yan into the new New York Wine and Culinary Center in Canandaigua. Does anyone know when the Center is scheduled to open?
--Looks like another successful Wine On Ice Wine Festival. I couldn't make it, but it sounds like it was a lot of fun.
--Winegeeks.com has created a Google map for the Finger Lakes wine region. It uses satellite imagery and you can zoom in on the map for more detail.
--It's Fiori month at Casa Larga Vineyards, a month-long celebration of Fiori Delle Stelle, their award-winning Vidal Ice Wine. See the Calendar of Events here.
--I just made plans to attend the Wineries Unlimited Wine Trade Show on March 12-15 in Lancaster PA. Finger Lakes wineries will be well-represented (see Program Guide) with seminars by Art Hunt from Hunt Country Vineyards, Chris Stamp from Lakewood Vineyards, John McGregor from McGregor Vineyards, John Santos from Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards, Thomas Laszlo from Heron Hill, Peter Staltonstall from King Ferry Winery, Steve DiFrancesco from Glenora Winery, and Peter Bell from Fox Run Vineyards. I know many of the Finger Lakes winery owners and winemakers will be attending and I hope to be able to meet as many as possible.
Thursday, January 26, 2006
Finger Lakes Winery Website Rankings
As I've said in previous posts, I believe that, in general, Finger Lakes winery websites have room for improvement. Mike Duffy at www.winerywebsitereport.com has been kind enough to send me his Top Twelve rated Finger Lakes winery websites. Mike bases his ratings on over 20 different website elements including Branding, Compatibility, Contact Info, Domain Name, Current and Past Information, Media Kit, A variety of Navigational elements, Newsletter, Obstructions, Personalization, Responsiveness, RSS, Search Rank, Shipping Info, Site Search, Trade Marketing Materials, and Visual Appeal. Keep in mind that Mike is still evaluating about 20 wineries in the Finger Lakes and the following rankings are based on the evaluation of 61 wineries. So, drum roll please.... Here are the Top Twelve:
Numbers 12 thru 8 all tied with a score of 51 points are:
--Knapp Winery- www.knappwine.com
--Casa Larga Vineyards- www.casalarga.com
--Atwater Estate Vineyards- www.atwatervineyards.com
--Arbor Hill- www.thegrapery.com
--Anthony Road Wine Company- www.anthonyroadwine.com
Numbers 7 and 6 tied with 52 points:
--Thirsty Owl Wine Company- www.thirstyowl.com
--Swedish Hill Vineyard- www.swedishhill.com
Numbers 5, 4, and 3 all tied with 54 points:
--Hosmer Vineyard- www.hosmerwinery.com
--Dr. Franks Vinifera Wine Cellars- www.drfrankwines.com
--Chateau Lafayette Reneau- www.clrwine.com
Number 2 with a score of 58 points and runner up that will be able to perform all duties of the number one winery website in case number one is unable to fulfill its duties:
--Heron Hill Vineyards- www.heronhill.com
And The #1 ranked Finger Lakes winery website with 65 points:
--Sheldrake Point Vineyard- www.sheldrakepoint.com Congratulations to Sheldrake Point Vineyard!!! One of the things that I really like about their website is that they make great use of pulldown menus on their home page to easily navigate a large number of pages with very little clutter. And then each page is well-written and detailed with good graphics. Well Done!!!
To put the point scores in context, www.winerywebsitereport.com has evaluated over 2800 winery websites and the average score is around 48, with the highest score being 83.
In addition to winerywebsitereport.com's top ten above, I'd like to give recognition to some other websites that I feel do a good job in most or all of the following areas that are important to me: Keeping News and Event Pages updated, Attractive layout and design, an easy to navigate store to purchase merchandise, Descriptive tasting notes, Newsletter Signup, Winery History & Personal stories of the wine and people of the winery, and Wine Education pages:
--Lakewood Vineyards- www.lakewoodvineyards.com
--Fox Run Vineyards- www.foxrunvineyards.com
--Standing Stone Vineyards- www.standingstonewines.com
I have seen that some wineries are updating and remodeling their websites, so I will post again as they appear. The bottom line, in my opinion, is that a website is as important a marketing and branding and customer retention tool as a wine label or a tasting room or any form of advertising that a winery does. As a winery, you wouldn't skimp on the design of your wine label or the construction of your tasting room, so why should the internet portal to your brand and products be treated with any less diligence. I see way to many static websites or websites with news and events that have not been updated in years. It may be true that not as many people will actually buy product from a website, but it is also a fact that people do a large amount of their pre-buying research from browsing websites. So please, for the sake of your customers and potential customers, get those websites updated and make them a real reflection of your passion for making great wine and your pride in your products. Sell me. I want to buy!!!
Once again, Thanks to Mike Duffy at www.winerywebsitereport.com. If you are interested in finding out how to improve your website, visit his website.
If you have a favorite Finger Lakes winery website, please leave me a comment and let me know why you like it.
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Blog Housekeeping
I have added a few things to the blog that will hopefully enhance it. I have added an RSS Feed Link for those of you who would like to get new posts as soon as they are posted via RSS. The link is located on the right sidebar below the "I Power Blogger" button. Also, I have added a Form at the bottom of the page for those of you who would like to sign up to receive free monthly updates on Finger Lakes wine info, events, new releases, specials and discounts. Or you can use the form to make comments or suggestions. Thank You to all of you who stop by and share my interest in The Finger Lakes area and its wines and wineries!
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
Wine News Droplets
-- Sheila Livadas at FingerLakesWine.com writes her latest winery profile about those Nautie women at Lucas Vineyards.
-- Jeff Richards at the Star-Gazette writes about a new winery on Cayuga Lake, Cobblestone Farm Winery, and about some Kat Knapps, and some cider.
-- Tickets are now on sale for the 2006 Finger Lakes Wine Festival - July 14 to 16 - at Watkins Glen Racetrack. Discount tickets are available now through June 23. Over 70 New York state wineries, live music, arts, crafts, food, camping, and lots of fun!!!
-- McGregor Vineyard Winery, overlooking Keuka Lake, kicks off their vineyard's 35th anniversary with their annual Robbie Burns Day Celebration this Saturday, January 28 from noon until 5pm. This celebration in honor of Robert Burns, the great poet of Scotland, features Scottish food, bagpipes, poetry, and of course McGregor wines. Cost is $10 per person/$19 per couple.
-- Here's an interesting interview at Bloggasm with the owner of a small California winery, Dover Canyon Winery.
-- So you think you want to plant a vineyard. Here are some things to think about from Ohio winery Kinkead Ridge.
-- I guess it had to happen. A new reality series for PBS called "The Winemakers" is now casting for contestants who will compete to win the opportunity to launch their very own wine label. It will be filmed in California's Paso Robles wine region and is scheduled to air in 2007. If you are interested in being a contestant, contact Doc City Productions at casting@doccitytv.com
I can only imagine what challenges they will be asked to do. Maybe the Fermentation Tank High Dive. Or maybe Speed Pruning. And at the end, maybe they'll say "The vines have spoken, You are the weakest grape. You must now leave the vineyard immediately. Goodbye!"
-- Jeff Richards at the Star-Gazette writes about a new winery on Cayuga Lake, Cobblestone Farm Winery, and about some Kat Knapps, and some cider.
-- Tickets are now on sale for the 2006 Finger Lakes Wine Festival - July 14 to 16 - at Watkins Glen Racetrack. Discount tickets are available now through June 23. Over 70 New York state wineries, live music, arts, crafts, food, camping, and lots of fun!!!
-- McGregor Vineyard Winery, overlooking Keuka Lake, kicks off their vineyard's 35th anniversary with their annual Robbie Burns Day Celebration this Saturday, January 28 from noon until 5pm. This celebration in honor of Robert Burns, the great poet of Scotland, features Scottish food, bagpipes, poetry, and of course McGregor wines. Cost is $10 per person/$19 per couple.
-- Here's an interesting interview at Bloggasm with the owner of a small California winery, Dover Canyon Winery.
-- So you think you want to plant a vineyard. Here are some things to think about from Ohio winery Kinkead Ridge.
-- I guess it had to happen. A new reality series for PBS called "The Winemakers" is now casting for contestants who will compete to win the opportunity to launch their very own wine label. It will be filmed in California's Paso Robles wine region and is scheduled to air in 2007. If you are interested in being a contestant, contact Doc City Productions at casting@doccitytv.com
I can only imagine what challenges they will be asked to do. Maybe the Fermentation Tank High Dive. Or maybe Speed Pruning. And at the end, maybe they'll say "The vines have spoken, You are the weakest grape. You must now leave the vineyard immediately. Goodbye!"
Sunday, January 22, 2006
Liquid Wisdom
Here's my tasting notes on a couple of wines that I have had recently. First, a Hickory Hollow 2002 Chardonnay. Hickory Hollow is our nearest winery neighbor on Seneca Lake and a relatively new winery, opening in 2003. Hickory Hollow encompasses 23 acres and is owned by Bruce and Suzanne Kendall, Peter and Cindy Oughterson, and Ed Woodland and Theresa Cholewa-Woodland. Peter Oughterson is the winemaker. The winery's slogan is "Liquid Wisdom" and Peter has a lot of that. Peter grew up on the farm next to the vineyards of Finger Lakes icon Hermann Wiemer and he worked with Hermann for many years. The beautiful woodsy tasting room is one of my favorites and it comforts me that it is only a few minutes away to find excellent wine. The 2002 Chardonnay shows a straw color and opening aromas of mineral and petroleum. At first taste, I found it smoky tasting with bits of sweet vanilla and spicy oak and hints of nutty butteriness with a somewhat overwhelming petroleum bitterness that was a little unsettling. As I worked on the computer, I left the glass alone for about 15 minutes. When I tasted the wine at this point, it opened up with new tastes of butterscotch and citrus and the petroleum heaviness had subdued greatly, leaving a host of wonderful flavors of smoke, spice, nut, citrus, butter, and butterscotch. All which led me to this thought- Maybe more White wines should be decanted. I seem to only ever hear of reds needing decanted to open up the wine. It was very obvious to me that this wine presented amazing complexity only after it had breathed for a time. I Googled for "decanting white wine" but only found a few vague references. I am far from a wine expert, so I appeal to all the wine experts out there- Should some White wines be decanted?
And now the first Idaho wine I have ever tasted,
Sawtooth Winery 2004 Chardonnay. My wife was at a Jewelry Party and this was being served and she liked it so much, she asked the hostess if she could take the rest for her hubby to taste. She is so good to me. Her hubby liked it very much. In researching this wine, I learned that Idaho has a long wine history dating back to the late 1800's, but like other wine regions such as the Finger Lakes, wine production came to an abrupt halt during Prohibition and the regions winery rebirth and growth has been fairly recent. Sawtooth Winery is located in Idaho's Snake River Valley and they have won many awards for their wines. The 2004 Chardonnay is a smooth-drinking Chardonnay the way I like it and very similar to Finger Lakes' Seneca Shore Chardonnay, which is one of my favorites. It was very buttery and not overly dry, with just the right balance of vanilla and oak for me. So now I know that Idaho is not just for potatoes anymore.
It just amazes me how many areas of the U.S. that you would not normally think of as wine regions are making great wine. I was watching the Fine Living channel on cable, which is one of the few channels that has good wine shows, and I watched Andrea Immer's 50 Wines, 50 States, where she picks her favorites from all 50 states. I believe this is an old show, but Dr. Franks Riesling was her favorite from New York and she had a nice segment where she chatted with Willy Frank in Central Park.
Click here to see the list. Of course the problem is being able to purchase these out of state wines. I wish the state governments could get over their hangups about shipping wine between states. Tom Wark at the Fermentation Blog and the Free The Grapes website have good info on the ongoing battle for wine shipping. As for Andrea, I really like her because, even though she is extremely knowledgable about wine, she is not pretentious and snobby like a lot of wine experts and you can tell that she is a fan of the small family winery and value wines. Andrea's website is here.
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
Winery News
-- One of the newest wineries in the Finger Lakes, Ventosa Vineyards on the northeast shore of Seneca Lake, is bringing a bit of Italy to the Finger Lakes. Ventosa is Italian for "windy" and you can feel the lake breezes as you take in the beautiful view. They have 21 acres of vinifera grapes and their wine offerings include Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Vino Rosso (a blend of Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir, and Sangiovese), Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Saggio (a Bordeaux style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot). Spring 2006 releases will include a semi-dry Riesling, 2004 Chardonnay, and Vino Bianco (a blended white).
-- Glenora Wine Cellars has announced the release of 2 wines- a 2004 Syrah ($18.99) that winemaker Steve DiFrancesco describes as having cherry flavors and intense black spice, along with elegant French Oak. This is the first Syrah that Glenora has released since the 2000 vintage. The other new release is a semi-dry Blanc de Blancs Sparkling wine ($13.99) described as having bright citrus and vanilla flavors.
-- Fulkerson Winery has announced the release of 2 wines- a 2004 Dornfelder ($16.00), a Dry Red aged in French Oak for 8 months and their 2005 Matinee ($16.00), described as having heavenly mint aromas followed by dazzling sweet, yet light, tastes of green melon, kiwi, and citron (8% Residual sugar). Fulkerson is also offering discounts for Bargain Bash this week on their 2003 Caleb, 2003 Chardonnay, and 2004 Diamond (20% off single bottles and 25% off cases).
-- Glenora Wine Cellars has announced the release of 2 wines- a 2004 Syrah ($18.99) that winemaker Steve DiFrancesco describes as having cherry flavors and intense black spice, along with elegant French Oak. This is the first Syrah that Glenora has released since the 2000 vintage. The other new release is a semi-dry Blanc de Blancs Sparkling wine ($13.99) described as having bright citrus and vanilla flavors.
-- Fulkerson Winery has announced the release of 2 wines- a 2004 Dornfelder ($16.00), a Dry Red aged in French Oak for 8 months and their 2005 Matinee ($16.00), described as having heavenly mint aromas followed by dazzling sweet, yet light, tastes of green melon, kiwi, and citron (8% Residual sugar). Fulkerson is also offering discounts for Bargain Bash this week on their 2003 Caleb, 2003 Chardonnay, and 2004 Diamond (20% off single bottles and 25% off cases).
Monday, January 16, 2006
Prejean Winery Wins Silver Award
I was just looking at the results for The San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition that took place last week and I see that Prejean Winery on Seneca Lake won a Silver Medal for their 2004 Riesling. Congratulations to them!!!
Here are the results in the Riesling category.
Here are the results in the Riesling category.
Saturday, January 14, 2006
Finger Lakes Wine-derings
-- I've been hearing rumors that UPS is finally actually shipping wine from out of state wineries, who have the proper approval and license, directly to New York customers. The last I had read, UPS was approved, but the logistics of what documentation UPS would need to have the customer sign when receiving a shipment of wine had yet to be worked out. If there are any New Yorkers out there who have received a shipment of wine (legally) from an out of state winery, please leave a comment or email me.
-- Lenn over at LennDevours is taking a survey to see if there is interest in a publication that would provide information specifically on all the wine regions of New York state. If you have an interest in New York wine, and I assume you do since you are here, please take the survey.
-- I stumbled on to a website by Photographer Jim Emery that has some good photos of the Finger Lakes area and from all over the country. I love good photography and a lot of Jim's photos are truly stunning.
-- I find the process of how real cork is made fascinating. A cork oak tree must be at least 25 years old before the first harvesting of the bark, which cork is made from, can be made and then the bark can only be harvested every 9 years. The harvesting or removal of the bark from the tree must be very precise because if the cut is too deep, the tree can be killed. The tree grows only in Portugal, Spain, and North Africa. Here is more info on cork.
-- I had hoped to ride the Rochester high-speed ferry to Toronto this year, but that will not be happening now that funding for the ferry has been cancelled by new mayor Robert Duffy because the ferry was losing too much money. Some say the ferry was never given a fair chance, but I think most agree that the city could simply not afford to operate the ferry with the losses it had produced. Here are comments about the decision from the Rochester Business Journal. Hopefully, a private company will take over operating the ferry and make it profitable.
--Remember to get your tickets for the upcoming Wine On Ice wine event on Jan. 27 & 28 at First Arena in Elmira NY. Wine On Ice features 32 Finger Lakes wineries presenting tastings, along with other vendors and entertainment.
-- If any of you are looking to buy a Finger Lakes winery and have 1.75 million dollars to spare, have I got a deal for you. One of my favorite wineries on Seneca Lake, Logan Ridge, is for sale. It is one of the most beautiful wineries in the Finger Lakes with a great view overlooking Seneca Lake and a fantastic restaurant and beautiful tasting room. I'd buy it, but all my cash is tied up in investments that I can not liquidate at this time. Yeah, right.
-- The wines that I have been drinking lately have actually been Non-Finger Lakes wine. I've had a very good Chardonnay from, believe it or not, Idaho- Sawtooth Winery and some German Rieslings. But there's a lot of winter left and the cellar is stocked with my favorite Finger Lakes wine to get me through.
-- Lenn over at LennDevours is taking a survey to see if there is interest in a publication that would provide information specifically on all the wine regions of New York state. If you have an interest in New York wine, and I assume you do since you are here, please take the survey.
-- I stumbled on to a website by Photographer Jim Emery that has some good photos of the Finger Lakes area and from all over the country. I love good photography and a lot of Jim's photos are truly stunning.
-- I find the process of how real cork is made fascinating. A cork oak tree must be at least 25 years old before the first harvesting of the bark, which cork is made from, can be made and then the bark can only be harvested every 9 years. The harvesting or removal of the bark from the tree must be very precise because if the cut is too deep, the tree can be killed. The tree grows only in Portugal, Spain, and North Africa. Here is more info on cork.
-- I had hoped to ride the Rochester high-speed ferry to Toronto this year, but that will not be happening now that funding for the ferry has been cancelled by new mayor Robert Duffy because the ferry was losing too much money. Some say the ferry was never given a fair chance, but I think most agree that the city could simply not afford to operate the ferry with the losses it had produced. Here are comments about the decision from the Rochester Business Journal. Hopefully, a private company will take over operating the ferry and make it profitable.
--Remember to get your tickets for the upcoming Wine On Ice wine event on Jan. 27 & 28 at First Arena in Elmira NY. Wine On Ice features 32 Finger Lakes wineries presenting tastings, along with other vendors and entertainment.
-- If any of you are looking to buy a Finger Lakes winery and have 1.75 million dollars to spare, have I got a deal for you. One of my favorite wineries on Seneca Lake, Logan Ridge, is for sale. It is one of the most beautiful wineries in the Finger Lakes with a great view overlooking Seneca Lake and a fantastic restaurant and beautiful tasting room. I'd buy it, but all my cash is tied up in investments that I can not liquidate at this time. Yeah, right.
-- The wines that I have been drinking lately have actually been Non-Finger Lakes wine. I've had a very good Chardonnay from, believe it or not, Idaho- Sawtooth Winery and some German Rieslings. But there's a lot of winter left and the cellar is stocked with my favorite Finger Lakes wine to get me through.
More Info On Bargain Bash 2006
I just wanted to pass on more info on Bargain Bash 2006, happening at participating Seneca Lake wineries from today, Jan. 14 through Jan. 22
Here are some of the deals being offered:
-- Anthony Road Wine Company is offering their 2003 Sweet Dream- a dessert style vignoles for $5.99 per bottle (originally $16.99)!!! Get em while they last!
-- Glenora Wine Cellars is offering their Monarch Cabernet for $6.99 (750ml) or $8.99 (1.5L) and their Catawba for $11.99 (1.5L). They also have some great specials on books, music, and Christmas decorations and a winter special is on at The Inn for a Sunday night stay for only $69!
-- Lamoreaux Landing has their former DTH ornaments at half price!
-- Miles Wine Cellars is offering 20% off gifts and 40% off Christmas gifts and on their Willow and Wisteria wines, they are offering 15% off 3 bottles and 25% off 12 bottles!!!
-- Nagys New Land Vineyards is offering free wine tastings and a 5% discount on wine purchases up to 5 bottles, 10% discount on 6 to 11 bottles, and a 15% discount on 12 bottles or more!!!
It's a good time to stock up before the REAL winter weather hits!!!
Here are some of the deals being offered:
-- Anthony Road Wine Company is offering their 2003 Sweet Dream- a dessert style vignoles for $5.99 per bottle (originally $16.99)!!! Get em while they last!
-- Glenora Wine Cellars is offering their Monarch Cabernet for $6.99 (750ml) or $8.99 (1.5L) and their Catawba for $11.99 (1.5L). They also have some great specials on books, music, and Christmas decorations and a winter special is on at The Inn for a Sunday night stay for only $69!
-- Lamoreaux Landing has their former DTH ornaments at half price!
-- Miles Wine Cellars is offering 20% off gifts and 40% off Christmas gifts and on their Willow and Wisteria wines, they are offering 15% off 3 bottles and 25% off 12 bottles!!!
-- Nagys New Land Vineyards is offering free wine tastings and a 5% discount on wine purchases up to 5 bottles, 10% discount on 6 to 11 bottles, and a 15% discount on 12 bottles or more!!!
It's a good time to stock up before the REAL winter weather hits!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)