LENNDEVOURS

Evan Dawson Becomes LENNDEVOURS' Finger Lakes Editor

By Lenn Thompson, Founder and Editor-in-Chief

Long-time readers of this blog will remember the days when there was one lone voice represented here -- mine. When this blog was founded over 5 years ago, that was the intent, the goal really -- somewhere for me to share my passion for wine, particularly New York wine.

What once was a solo performance has become a bit of a chorus with new voices bringing texture and layers to my coverage of New York wines. LENNDEVOURS has evolved and grown to become the premier source for real, unbiased news, commentary and reviews of New York wines.

That evolution continues today. I'm happy and excited to announce that Evan Dawson, who has attacked the Finger Lakes beat for LENNDEVOURS with intrepid energy and vigor over the past several months has agreed to expand his role.

Effective immediately, he will assume the role of Finger Lakes Editor for LENNDEVOURS.com. Evan has more than earned it with the great video and writing he's been contributing over the last several months.

There are more announcements coming, but I'll give you a hint for one of them -- visit NewYorkCorkReport.com.

For now, let's re-welcome Evan. He never left, but I think we're going to see even more top-notch coverage from the Finger Lakes.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Coming Later Today: Finger Lakes Pinot Tasting

By Evan Dawson, Finger Lakes Editor

Last night a group of Finger Lakes winemakers brought their own 2007 pinots together to find out how the vintage is showing.

Organized by Tom Higgins of Heart & Hands Wine Company and hosted by the Stonecat Cafe on Seneca Lake, the Finger Lakes wines were tasted blind with other Pinots from Burgundy, California and Oregon. It was an enlightening experience and a full story is coming later today.

Maybe I Could Be a (Part-Time) Vegetarian

By Lenn Thompson, Editor and Founder

This is a quick (phone camera) picture of the dinner Nena cooked tonight. On the bottom is local, organic Swiss chard from our CSA share this week. Topping that chard is a pork chop that was crusted with rosemary, oregano and chives from our own garden, with some balsamic vinegar onions on top.

What you can't see is the CSA-sourced baby summer squash sauteed with garlic scapes and a little butter.

So what does this all have to do with me mentioning being a vegetarian? Well, as I was devouring (you know, like the name of my blog) this terrific meal, I said to Nena "You know, this time of year, with the fresh, local produce like this, I don't even need the meat, no mater how good it is."

And you know what? It's true. I'm a well-documented omnivore-bordering-on-carnivore. But wow, maybe my vegan friends and vegetarian wine-blogging friends aren't so insane. I could be a summer-time vegetarian I think.

I'm not saying it's going to happen, but it could. If bacon was vegetarian.

Storm Chasing in Niagara Wine Country

 

By Bryan Calandrelli, Niagara Correspondent

As if grape growing in true cool climate areas wasn’t hard enough with extreme winter temperatures, early and late frost dangers and a constant battle with humidity, time after time severe storms add to the risk with hail outbreaks that can spoil an otherwise great vintage.

The vineyard pictured above is owned by Schulze Vineyards & Winery in Burt, NY. These very same vines took a nasty hit from hail last year and left grower Martin Schulze with his share of damaged fruit. Martin, who came over from Germany as a child, has been tending to vineyards here for over thirty years. He’s as meticulous as anyone I’ve met and he consistently grows clean fruit even in the toughest years, but last year nature had other plans for his crop.

The storm cell in this photo luckily passed to the south of his vineyards last week. There was a clear signature of a hail within these clouds as portions of them had that green glowing color that usually indicates frozen water.

As much as I love to witness severe weather, I was crossing my fingers that our local vineyards escaped any significant hail. Luckily I haven’t heard of any damage.

Southern Tier unearthly Imperial India Pale Ale

By Kevin Burns, Beer Columnist

Southern Tier's unearthly is an Imperial India Pale Ale that checks in at a huge 11% ABV. Southern Tier states that unearthly offers and "an uninhibited infusion of hops."

unearthly poured a semi-hazy, golden-orange color with almost no head.

The aroma has some really ripe fruit, with a huge blast of hops. The body is creamy and smooth, with a decent amount of malt and strong sweetness from fruity esters. The hops start to show through in the middle and become stronger leading to an extremely hoppy finish that thoroughly dries out the palate.

Overall, this is a a very, very good beer. unearthly is a wonderfully balanced, excellent example of what an "Imperial" beer can and should be. The beer is smooth, has plenty of flavor and the alcohol is barely noticeable.

When pairing food with this beer, one needs to think big. The body and flavors in this body are huge so a dish with big, robust flavors is needed. My recommendation is any sort of Indian food with meat included. I would personally lean towards either green curry or spicy vindaloo with chicken.

The label reccomends that unearthly should be served at 42 degrees which is a little colder than most craft brews but is the perfect temperature for this beer. The beer started to become a little harsher as the temperature warmed and the flavors fell apart a little. Nonetheless, this is just a great beer from Southern Tier.

Producer: Southern Tier Brewing Company
ABV: 11%
Price: $7.99 (22 oz. Bottle)
Rating: (4 out of 5 | Delicious, Distinctive )

What We Drank (June 30, 2009)

I think this might be the most interesting edition of What We Drank so far. We've got big names, big wines and then wines of elegance and restraint. And for the first time, not a single New York wine.

From Bryan Calandrelli: Chateau Montelena 2004 Chardonnay

In today’s market place there’s a growing number of so-called celebrity wines. In this case the wine itself has become a celebrity thanks to “Bottle Shock” the movie. A friend of mine opened this 2004 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay from the Napa Valley recently and I was lucky enough to get a taste of a recent bottling of the wine that made history at the Judgment of Paris.
 
I got a nose full of butter and vanilla with a touch of green apple with a few swirls of the glass. Full bodied mouth-feel on this one, as it wasn’t shy in the flavor or texture department. While there were some memorable notes and flavors, they seemed layered. I didn’t find them to be as cohesive as you’d expect in a major league chardonnay. In fact it was similar to the movie, some memorable performances but overall not a blockbuster by any definition.

From Evan Dawson: Luca 2005 Malbec, Altos de Mendoza

Just for a moment, let's agree to unfairly overgeneralize, cool? I'm just about done with "value" Malbec from Argentina. "Value" is apparently Spanish for "obstreperous oak missile" or "offensively extracted." But that's where my Malbec dollars have been spent, and as a result, I have no good idea of what the personality of Malbec is when grown in Argentina.

You can now imagine my whelming -- nay, overwhelming -- sense of satisfaction in finding an Argentinian Malbec with character and verve. Granted, this bottle of Luca is $35, and it's a world away (literally and figuratively) from Auxerrois and Cot. But it's a new-world wine that mollifies its oak and allows rich fruit to unfold. On night one it was like adding a pinch of grilled sirloin to blackberry ganache. On night two it was like drinking a black forest cake. But the flavors were constantly evolving, rich but not garish, powerful but not burly. You know that guy who shakes your hand and goes in for the fake body blow? He makes you recoil instinctively as you anticipate the punch? I hate that guy, and that guy is found in a lot of new-world reds, but not this one. This wine, clocking in at 13.5 ABV, is a firm, sincere handshake. And that's appreciated.

From Sasha Smith: Paul Jaboulet Parallele 45 2008 Rosé

Saturday afternoon my husband smoked a pork shoulder and we invited a few friends over for Carolina-style pulled pork sandwiches. I wasn’t much in the mood for beer, so opted for a bottle of 2008 Paul Jaboulet Parallele 45 Rosé instead. It was the wine equivalent of watermelon: clean, refreshing, and somewhat neutral. The pork, a smoky, spicy delight, completely overwhelmed it.

Every summer I try to find to find the perfect go-to rosé (last year Mas de Gourgonnier was a favorite) and while I enjoyed the Parallele 45, I’m in the market for something with a bit more oomph.  A Garnacha, perhaps?

From Lenn Thompson:  Damien Coquelet 2007Chiroubles "Vielles Vignes"

Last week, Nena and I had a few friends over to taste six West Coast pinot noirs as a part of TasteLive. Most were good-to-great, for a few sips, but after that, they were too fleshy, and (some) a little too vanilla-y. Where was the elegance?

One wine left the flavor of Werther's Originals candy in my mouth. Not in a good way.

As we started to wind down with the pinots and I was pondering what I wanted to drink the rest of the evening, I opened this Chiroubles. And it was the first bottle emptied.

If you don't know where Chiroubles is, it is right next to Fleurie and Morgon, two of the better-known areas of Beaujolais. This $20 gamay is elegant and definitely Old World, showing restrained blackberry-cranberry fruit with violets, black peppercorns and an amazing undercurrent of gravel and minerals. The acidity is damn near perfect and the finish is long. I only have one bottle left (and supposedly only 35 cases made it to the United States). Every time I have a Beaujolais like this, I wonder why no one in New York is doing anything interesting with the gamay grape.

Q&A: Bob Madill, General Manager, Sheldrake Point Vineyard

By Lenn Thompson, Editor and Publisher
Today's Q&A subject is Bob Madill, general manager at Sheldrake Point Vineyard on Cayuga Lake in the Finger Lakes region of New York.

Bob was part of the team that founded Sheldrake Point in the spring of 1997 and he's a fellow tech marketeer, having spent over 20 years in international high tech marketing and sales, as well as work within the wine industry in Ontario, Canada.


What (and where) was the first bottle of wine you remember drinking?
In the late 1950s we moved from a remote British Columbia coastal town to Montreal.

There my parents purchased what become a summer property on the St. Lawrence River not far from the Ontario border. Late in June and early July, it became the habit of my mother to serve fresh, local Quebec strawberries with Mateus Rose at our frequent gatherings of friends and family. Fun, fresh and informal. Also quite delicious.

What event/bottle/etc made you decide that you wanted to be in the wine industry?
My move towards the wine industry was more of the gravitational pull of a love of physical work combined with curiosity and engagement with the rejection of the values evident in the computer industry after two decades.

I entered as an amateur seeking clearer, more transparent language for understanding and expressing what I was tasting and remain with that focus.

Which of your current wines is your favorite and why?
Why would one who loves color choose but one? At any given moment I have a half dozen wines open so that I might taste and reflect and discern. At one end of the spectrum I love our 2006 Reserve Riesling for its austere statement, linearity and precision. On the other, our 2008 Gewurztraminer for its blowzy, passionate expression of a vintage.

What has surprised you most about being a member of the Finger Lakes wine community?
That I have found my metier in the company of a few other like-minded souls.

Other than your own wines, what wine/beer/liquor most often fills your glass?
The one that I am offered by friends and circumstances. Although I confess a particular joy in a sound glass of Burgundy of either color.

Is there a 'classic' wine or wine and food pairing that you just can't make yourself enjoy?
I am not fond of oysters so Muscadet can be given short shrift. Unfair I know but there you are.

Wine enjoyment is about more than just the wine itself. Describe the combination of wine, locations, food, company, etc. that would make (or has made) for the ultimate wine-drinking experience.
There is nothing like the loquacious mayhem of a summer picnic with close friends to bring out the very best in serendipitous, anarchic explorations of wine, food and opinions. Step into the Luncheon of the Boating Party.

Shinn Estate Vineyards 2008 Rose

By Lenn Thompson, Editor and Publisher

This isn't another one of those "rose is making a comeback" pieces, but dry rose is one of the under-appreciated pleasures of cool climate wine regions. The natural acidity that cool evenings and long, slow growing seasons retain is key.

In the Finger Lakes, there are more dry roses (in addition to the sweet ones) being bottled every year, but here on Long Island, dry rose has been a part of many wine programs for years.

Sometimes, they are made by blending red and white grapes, but some of my favorites are made primarily with Long Islands signature (for now, anyway) red grape -- merlot. Shinn Estate Vineyards 2008 Rose ($16) is one such merlot-based wine.

Co-owner Barbara Shinn, who manages the winery's vineyard, grows a specific clone of merlot specifically for the production of this wine each year.

A light cherry red in the glass, the nose is fruity and savory at the same time with red cherry and strawberry fruit aromas accented by a sprinkling of dried oregano and hints of earthy, dried leaves.

Medium-light on the palate, this well-balanced summer sipper shows bright, clean red berry flavors with a minerally, earthy edge. The mid-palate is just a little creamy and the surprisingly long finish is dry, with nice palate-cleansing acidity.

Grape(s): 75% merlot, 25% cabernet franc
Producer: Shinn Estate Vineyards
AVA: North Fork of Long Island
Price: $16
Rating:  (3 out of 5 | Recommended)

(Ratings Guide

June 28: Jamesport Vineyards Wine, Beer and Oyster Festival

  If you read this blog, there's a good chance that you like local beer, wine and seafood. This Sunday, from noon to 5:30 p.m. Jamesport Vineyards will have all three (along with music from Reckoning) as a part of their first of three Wine, Beer and Oyster Festivals.

Admission is free and wines from Jamesport Vineyards, beer from Blue Point Brewery and oysters from local purveyors will be available for purchase.

Jamesport Vineyards is well known for its seafood-friendly sauvignon blanc,and Blue Point makes some terrific beers (I like their Hoptical Illusion a lot).

And remember, 10% of all sales on Jamesport's East End series of wines goes to the Southold Project in Aquaculture Training (SPAT) program, a program that teaches East End residents how to grow their own shellfish.

What We Drank (6/23/09)

This week's What We Drank is pretty diverse, with a couple New York wines, a classic chardonnay from Burgundy and one of least-flavorful beers in the world. Sadly that beer is my contribution.

From Bryan Calandrelli: Louis Jadot 1999 Le Montrachet

Having Old World wine geek friends has its benefits too these days. This is a bottle I would never have swooned over and it's a wine that my New World attention span wouldn't have recognized over any of the other of those Jadot selections on the shelf. It takes an educated eye to pick out this vineyard, Montrachet, and realize that its perhaps one of the most respected white wine vineyards in the world.

This was heavenly with tempting aromas of green apple and buttered toast. What made this wine so memorable had to be its seamless balance, weight and mouth-feel. I can only describe the texture as silk drapery in a weightless environment. Sounds silly, but this wine just felt perfect. Who knows when I'll get to taste another wine with such pedigree and worth.

From Evan Dawson: McGregor Vineyards 1991 Late Harvest Gewurztraminer

Some restaurants show real interest in the local wine scene. Some even carry a wide-ranging library. At the Village Tavern in Hammondsport, we enjoyed three Finger Lakes bottles that were more than a decade old: a '98 McGregor Black Russian, a '93 Dr. Frank semi-dry Riesling, and a '91 McGregor late-harvest Gewurztraminer.

The aged whites were nearly orange in color and, while on the way toward Oxidation Town, they were still obstinately showing their gorgeous aged qualities. We were loathe to even finish the Dr. Frank, as we didn't want to extinguish the beautiful wine created by winemaker Peter Bell. And when the general manager brought a bottle of the late-harvest Gewurztraminer -- on the house! -- we were gratified but harbored low expectations. Lo and behold, like the Riesling that preceded it, this bottle was still slaying. But the biggest surprise was the '98 Black Russian, which didn't even hint at rust-colored edges in the glass. It simply looked young. The Village Tavern wine list is one to be admired, and there will soon be a video post to further explain their philosophy.

From Jason Feulner: Heart & Hands Winery 2007 Brut Rose

Upon a visit to Heart and Hands Winery on Cayuga Lake, owner and winemaker Tom Higgins suggested to me that his 2007 Brut Rose (100% pinot noir) would pair well with fresh local strawberries and an Arbor Hill cabernet sauvignon chocolate sauce (which he sells in the tasting room). I purchased some strawberries down the road and brought all the ingredients home for a delightful dessert pairing to share with my wife.

The brut rose itself tasted of strawberry with strong honey notes and a bit of cherry, backed by refreshing acidity. The Arbor Hill chocolate wine sauce, also made in the Finger Lakes, was very good and certainly worth a try for those who like a bright chocloate accompaniment to their fruits or dessert.

From Sasha Smith: Beaux Frères 2006 "Beaux Frères Vineyard" Pinot Noir

After last week’s Jeremiah Weed episode, I wanted to class it up a bit this time around. Fortunately I was able to do so—and on someone else’s dime. (See, classy.)

On Saturday I helped a friend throw a BBQ to benefit a charity he started. He snuck a few choice bottles out of his cellar and we dipped into them throughout the afternoon. I’m not going to strain credulity here and say that the 2004 Kistler Pinot Noir plus potato salad represents a magical food wine pairing, or that the char of a Costco burger really brings out the smokiness of the 2006 Boekenhoutskloof Chocolate Block, an intense Rhone blend from the Western Cape. But I can say that all the wines were very, very good, particularly the 2002 Beaux Frères Pinot Noir Beaux Frères Vineyard, which I liked best of all: silky elegance and red fruit, with a lovely thread of acidity racing through it. And guess what? It didn’t taste half bad with a hot dog.

From Lenn Thompson: Michelob Ultra

For Father's Day, Nena bought me a ticket to attend what was supposed to be the final round of the 2009 U.S. Open on Sunday. That was exciting enough, but then I remembered that Long Island wines would be served at the tournament. Even better, I thought, I won't have to drink crappy beer or wine.

Unfortunately, those local wines (and other Long Island-grown ingredients) were not available to the average fan. I walked all over the course, from concession stand to concession stand, looking for them.

I have a friend who was lucky enough to be in a corporate tent. He got to drink the Bridge Vineyard wines. Obviously it was great to have the local wines served, but it sure would have been nice (and more in line with the spirit of Schummer's press conference) had the wines been available more widely. Sadly, I had to drink this crap all day.

Ithaca Excelsior! Series TEN

By Kevin Burns, Beer Columnist

Ithaca TEN is an "imperial American Extra Special Double Red Ale" that was created to celebrate the Ithaca Beer Company's 10th anniversary.  The beer was released in March of 2008 as part of the Excelsior! series and is described by the brewery as an "exploded version of CascaZilla".  In 2008 at TAP-NY, Ithaca TEN was awarded the gold medal of the F.X. Matt Memorial Cup as the best beer in New York State.   

The bottle is labeled Batch# E!011.

TEN poured a light brown color with a small, pen-width, tan head. The nose had quite a bit of rich malt, with a decent amount of hops underneath and a few hints of alcohol. The body is heavy on dark malt up front with a real sweetness.  The body has great depth, and the dark fruits (figs, dates?) really steal the show. Like the nose, the alcohol is noticeable and grows more apparent as the beer warms. The hops show through in the finish, leading to a short, yet substantially dry finish. 

Overall, this is a nice imperial beer. It has a big flavor, but is not overly heavy. The body is bold but well balanced. This limited release is worth a try and has me eagerly awaiting Ithaca's ELEVEN. 

Producer: Ithaca Beer Company
ABV: 10.1%
Price: $12 (750mL Bottle)
Rating: (4 out of 5 | Delicious, Distinctive )