LENNDEVOURS

Exploring Finger Lakes Riesling @ the Astor Center (May 8)

You'd think after almost a week in the Finger Lakes, I'd be ready for a break from their riesling. You'd be wrong though. This Thursday, I'm taking the train into Manhattan to attend a media and trade tasting hosted by the Finger Lakes Wine Alliance at the Astor Center.

Joshua Greene, editor of Wine & Spirits magazine will lead a guided tasting of 10 2006 Finger Lakes rieslings and discuss the effects slate, snow and deep-water lakes had on the wines. The 10 wines will be those from Buttonwood Grove, Treleaven/King Ferry, Dr. Konstantin Frank, Standing Stone, Chateau Lafayette Reneau, Red Newt Cellars, White Springs, Fox Run, Hermann J. Wiemer and Sheldrake Point.

There will also be a walk-around tasting of twenty-two Finger Lakes wineries showcasing their 2006 and 2007 Rieslings.

The 2007 harvest, which everyone's favorite wine magazine, Wine Spectator, scored an A-, is one of the best vintages in history for the Finger Lakes. The additional wineries featured in on Thursday include Ravines, Anthony Road, Lakewood, Wagner, Fulkerson's, Atwater, Rooster Hill, Casa Larga, Swedish Hill, Thirsty Owl, Hazlitt's, and Glenora. Four of the Finger Lakes top chefs from the Inn at Glenora Wine Cellars, Fox Run, Red Newt Bistro, and Simply Red Bistro will be preparing Riesling-friendly foods including locally raised pork, rabbit, venison, beef, ramps and cheese.

It should be a fun event. And yes, I know that I'm behind on my Finger Lakes postings...but they are coming. I promise.

Savor Syracuse: An Accidental Riesling Tasting

By Jason Feulner, Finger Lakes Correspondent

Last night, my parents-in-law graciously invited my wife and me to a Syracuse charity event that raises money for the Food Bank of Central New York. Savor Syracuse, as it is called, was held last night at the Hotel Syracuse, an early 20th-Century gem that is no longer functioning as a hotel but serves as a tremendous event venue with a fantastic decor.

The event is simple: local restaurants and other institutions prepared and served food at various stations, and you go around and taste.

We went to this event two years ago and at that point it was heavy on the food and had maybe one or two wineries pouring wines. The rest of the drinks at that event were beer or from wine sales reps who were pushing their client's wines from California, Australia, etc. Basically, there wasn't much going on in the local drink department.

Much to my surprise, when I walked in this year,  I saw more wine than food and it was all Finger Lakes wine! 

Here before me were wineries like Standing Stone, Lamoreaux Landing, Fulkerson, Heron Hill, Dr. Frank's, Prejean, and several more. It was something akin to a tasting event that was not even labeled as such and so I quickly took advantage of the circumstances and started the rounds.

I was not equipped to take detailed notes, but I'll leave you with some of my overall impressions. 

New York Wine and Culinary Center Set to Offer WSET Courses

The New York Wine and Culinary Center in Canandaigua, has announced its 2008 schedule for Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) programs.

WSET is one of, if not the single, most well-known wine certification programs in the world and it's great that these courses are becoming increasingly more available to people outside of major cities.

The Center became a WSET Approved Program Provider in February 2007 offers Foundation-, Intermediate- and Advanced-Level programs in their Education Theater.

The 2008 schedule is below the click.

April 25: Pellegrini Wine Dinner at Park 54 (Clifton Park, NY)

I know that I have a fair number of Albany-area readers, so I wanted to mention this upcoming wine dinner next Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. at 54 Park in Clifton Park.

Pellegrini Vineyards will be pouring their wines along side a delicious-sounding menu:

Roasted baby artichokes, black pepper-Parmesean zabaglione
Wine: Pellegrini Vineyards Eastend Select Rose

Pan-seared halibut, preserved-lemon nage, asparagus
Wine: Pellegrini Vineyards 2005 Chardonnay

Roasted quail, spring vegetable bread pudding
Wine: Pellegrini Vineyards 2002 Merlot

Mixed microgreen salad

Beef filet, goat-cheese gratin, red chili sauce
Wine: Pellegrini Vineyards 2001 Vintner’s Pride Encore (a Bordeaux-style blend)

Coffee Blossom honey creme brulee
Wine: Vintner’s Pride Finale

I've long been a fan of Pellegrini's wines and they are pouring some of their good stuff here, which is nice to see. They maket heir Finale ice-style wine with Gewurztraminer and Sauvignon Blanc grapes that were frozen in a commercial freezer. Not "true" ice wine in the traditional sense, but one of my favorites .

It looks like Pete DeMeo will be representing Pellegrini at the meal. Pete is a great guy who knows his wine. Tell him I said hello if you go.

Dinner costs $70 per person, plus tax and tip. Reservations are required; call 518-688-1548.

New York Wine & Culinary Center Announces Gold Medal Month

For the month of October, The Tasting Room at the New York Wine & Culinary Center will be pouring wines that won gold, double gold or best-in-class at the New York Wine & Food Classic earlier this year.

This is a great opportunity to taste some of New York's best wines. Tasters will be able to choose among seven different tasting flights (listed below) and beginning Saturday, October 7, a special tasting of the Governor’s Cup winner, Hermann J. Wiemer Dry Riesling 2005 will be available.

Flight 1: Empire Tasting ($6)

• Peconic Bay Merlot 2001, Long Island
• Mazza Chautauqua Riesling 2005, Lake Erie
• Doc’s Draft Hard Cider NV, Hudson River Region
• Honeymoon Trail Diamond NV, Niagara Escarpment
• Lakewood Borealis Ice Wine 2005, Finger Lakes

Flight 2: Dry and Semi-dry Whites ($7)

• Fox Run Reserve Chardonnay 2004, Finger Lakes
• Corey Creek Reserve Chardonnay 2005, Long Island
• Heron Hill Ingle Vineyard Johannisberg Riesling 2004, Finger Lakes
• Mazza Chautauqua Riesling 2005, Lake Erie
• Cayuga Ridge Riesling 2005, Finger Lakes

Flight 3: Dry Reds ($8)

• Keuka Spring Lemberger 2005, Finger Lakes
• Merritt Estate Chambourcin 2004, Lake Erie
• Waters Crest Cabernet Franc 2004, Long Island
• Chateau Lafayette Renau Cabernet Sauvignon 2002, Finger Lakes
• Peconic Bay Merlot 2001, Long Island

Flight 4: Sweet and Fruity ($5)

• Swedish Hill Cayuga White 2005, Finger Lakes
• Anthony Road Tony’s White NV, Finger Lakes
• Goose Watch Rose of Isabella 2005, Finger Lakes
• Arbor Hill Rhine Street Red NV, Finger Lakes
• Honeymoon Trail Diamond NV, Niagara Escarpment

Flight 5: Specialty and Dessert Wines ($6)

• Doc’s Draft Hard Cider NV, Hudson River Region
• Wolffer Estate Late Harvest Chardonnay 2005, Long Island
• Lakewood Borealis Ice Wine 2005, Finger Lakes
• Torrey Ridge Scarlet Red NV, Finger Lakes
• Baldwin Strawberry Wine NV, Hudson River Region

Flight 6: Mini Empire Tasting ($4)

• Peconic Bay Merlot 2001, Long Island
• Mazza Chautauqua Riesling 2005, Lake Erie
• Lakewood Borealis Ice Wine 2005, Finger Lakes

Flight 7: New York Harvest Juices ($3)             

• Red Jacket Orchards Apple Cider, Finger Lakes
• Knapp Farms Cherry Juice, New York
• Glendale Farms Grape Juice, Finger Lakes

The Tasting Room hours are Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.

Non-alcoholic options are also available. For more information, please visit www.nywcc.com.

June 10 @ Paumanok Vineyards: Oysters and Vin Blanc

This Saturday, Paumanok Vinyeards is hosting "Oysters and Vin Blanc" at its tasting room from 2 -5 p.m.

I'm not much for oysters, but I've long been a fan of Paumanok's whites -- including their oyster-friendly chenin blanc, steel fermented chardonnay and sauvignon blanc (which is in its second vintage I believe).

Stop by, enjoy some local oysters with local wine.