LENNDEVOURS

Brooklyn Uncorked 2008: May 14 @ BAMCafe

Do you live in the greater New York City area and want to get your mouth around a wide array of local wines (and beers) without loading up the car and driving out to the North Fork of Long Island?

If the answer is yes, Brooklyn Uncorked 2008 is for you.

On Wednesday May 14, the Long Island Wine Council, Edible Brooklyn and Edible East End will welcome 30 Long Island wineries, and several local breweries, food purveyors and restaurants to BAMCafe (30 Lafayette Avenue, Fort Greene, Brooklyn) for this year's edition of Brooklyn Uncorked.

The event runs from 4-8 p.m. and tickets are $50.

Last year's event was a lot of fun, and based on the huge success (it sold out and was packed) they've decided to expand the event into BAM's lobby so that more wineries can participate along with local breweries like Blue Point Brewery, Brooklyn Brewery, Heartland Brewery, Sixpoint Craft Ales and Southampton Publick House.

The wineries pouring at the event include Bedell Cellars, Bridge Vineyards, Castello di Borghese, Channing Daughters, Clovis Point Wines, Corey Creek Vineyards, Duckwalk Vineyards, Jamesport Vineyards, Jason’s Vineyard, Lieb Family Cellars, Lenz Winery, Long Island Meadery, Macari Vineyards, Martha Clara Winery, Old Field Vineyards, Osprey’s Dominion, Palmer Vineyards, Paumanok Vineyards, Peconic Bay Winery, Pelligrini, Pindar, Raphael, Roanoke Vineyards, Shinn Estate Vineyards, Vineyard 48, Waters Crest Winery, and Wölffer Estate Vineyards,

There will also be cheeses from Stinky Bklyn and Whole Foods Market, Long Island potato chips, tasty sorbet from Wine Cellar Sorbets, freshly pressed coffees from Bodum, and natural sodas from Grown-up Soda (GuS).

Last year there was a dire need for more food, so it's great that restaurants from the neighborhood will be serving samples as well, including Bonita, Flatbush Farm, iCi (where I had a pre-event lunch last year), La Maison du Couscous, Little D Eatery, Palo Santo, Smoke Joint (where I had a post-event dinner last year), and Stonehome Wine Bar, as well as Great Performances caterers. Music will be provided by WLIU radio. Glasses are courtesy of Reidel.

I'm definitely going to be at this event, so if you're going to go, please make sure you let me know.

I also may have a couple tickets to give away here on LENNDEVOURS. I just need to work out those details.

You can get more information and order tickets via Edible Brooklyn's site.

Paumanok Vineyards and Wollfer Estate Announce Mediterranean Cruise in Summer 2009

Most wineries put on a plethora of events every summer. You have your live music in the vineyard. You have the wine dinner at a local restaurant.

Now, thanks to Wolffer Estate and Paumanok Vineyards, you have a 10-Night Mediterranean Cruise on Oceania Cruises' Insignia with stops in Greece, Malta, Italy, France, Morocco and Spain.

The cruise will take place June 24 - July 4, 2009 and cabin prices begin at $3,349 per person, which may seem a little steep, but it includes round-trip air to Europe and all of your meals on the boat, which means that by 2009 this could be quite a deal, And, if you book by August 1, 2008 you get receive free prepaid gratuities,  a $250-$330

Space is extremely limited, so the cruise is only open to members of the two wineries' wine clubs.

Learn more about the cruise and if you want to join the wine clubs to get in on this trip, visit Wolffer's website and/or Paumanok's.

 

LENNDEVOURS/canvas Magazine "Drink Local" Wine Event a Success

(All photographs courtesy of Alex M Wolff Photography)

Saturday night's LENNDEVOURS/canvas Magazine wine event went off without so much as a hiccup, let alone a hitch. We had more than 70 people show up (a great turnout), the food was delicious and the wines were equally so.

I'd like to thank Melissa from Lieb Family Cellars, Janel from Macari Vineyards, and Joann and Janet from Raphael for bringing and pouring their wines. They were extremely well received as I heard when I "worked the room" chatting with those in attendance.

Also, a hearty thank you to Chris and the crew from Whole Foods Market for bringing some terrific food. My favorites were the lamb mini-pitas and the aged Gouda, but it was all delicious.

I'd also be remiss if I didn't thank Tom and Matt of Footprint Media/canvas Magazine for co-hosting the event. Their gallery (which doubles as their office during the week) is the perfect little space for an event like this I think.

Everyone had a great time and I hope we get to do more of these events. Thanks to all you you who came as well...let me know what you thought of the event and how we can make the next one better.

LENNDEVOURS/canvas Magazine "Drink Local" Wine Event is Saturday Night

There are still tickets available for  the wine event I'm co-hosting with canvas Magazine this Saturday night at Footprint Art Gallery in Huntington, NY.

Join us for terrific local wines from Raphael, Lieb Family Cellars and Macari Vineyards and food pairings provided by Whole Foods Market. It promises to be a lot of fun. 

In addition to great wine and food, there will be live music and a raffle that benefits the Coalition Against Child Abuse and Neglect.

Tickets are $25 in advance, $30 at the door.

Buy tickets today and I hope to see you there. Please make sure that you stop by and say hello.

Reminder: LENNDEVOURS/canvas Magazine Wine Event, March 1

I know that several of you have already signed up, but I wanted to remind all of you that on Saturday, March 1 at 5 p.m., I'll be co-hosting a wine event at at canvas' Footprint Art Gallery in Huntington, NY.

Three North Fork wineries will be pouring local wines with food from Whole Foods Market.

The three participating wineries are Raphael, Lieb Family Cellars and Macari Vineyards. I'm still working with Whole Foods on the final pairings, but I'll post them once they are finalized.
 

In addition to great wine and food, there will be live music and a raffle that benefits the Coalition Against Child Abuse and Neglect.

Tickets are $25 in advance, $30 at the door.

Buy tickets today and I hope to see you there. Please make sure that you stop by and say hello.

March 1: LENNDEVOURS/canvas Magazine Wine Event

I've been toying around with the idea of hosting a Long Island wine event for some time. But now, through my affiliation with canvas Magazine, it's becoming a reality.

On Saturday, March 1 at 5 p.m., join me, three North Fork wineries, and Whole Foods Market at canvas' Footprint Art Gallery in Huntington, NY for a local wine tasting with light food pairings.

The three participating wineries are Raphael, Lieb Family Cellars and Macari Vineyards, and they'll be pouring a variety of wines along side some food from Whole Foods.

In addition to great wine and food, there will be live music and a raffle that benefits the Children's Fund.

Tickets are $25 in advance, $30 at the door. Buy tickets.

I really hope that this event is a smashing success...if it is, we'll be able to do more of them with different wineries.

Buy tickets today.

November 29: Organic Wine Tasting at Huntington Cinema Arts Centre

Please join canvas Magazine and the Long Island Sierra Club for an organic wine tasting on November 29 from 6:30-9:00 p.m. at the Huntigton Cinema Arts Centre (423 Park Avenue).

For a $25 donation, you can taste 12 (5 whites and 7 reds) "green" wines, nibble on some snacks from Whole Foods, listen to live jazz, and the
mingle with like-minded people..

You can either pay at the door, or send you $25 check to Long Island Sierra Club, PO Box 210m Syosset NY 11791-0210.

For more info or to rsvp, contact Long Island Sierra Club Chairperson Frank
Morris at frankmorris@ecologicinvestor.com or 516-410-8461.

Christopher Watkins Live @ Roanoke Vineyards This Saturday at 7 p.m.

Christopher Watkins is a man of many talents. You might know him as our resident poet laureate here on LENNDEVOURS. Or, you might know him as the operations manager and tasting room czar at Roanoke Vineyards.

Still other people know him as a poet who has done several residencies to focus and hone his craft.

But, do you know Preacher Boy? That's Christopher's alter ego and he's an accomplished roots/blues/americana singer and songwriter.

He'll be taking Chris' place at Ronaoke this weekend, combining with Will Scott, another accomplished musician to entertain tasting room visitors. Normally, the LENNDEVOURS crew would be there, but we're heading upstate tomorrow for Nena's family reunion. If you can, you should definitely check it out. The performance, not the reunion.

Get the details.

July 30: Winemaker Dinner With John Levenberg, Bedell Cellars/Corey Creek Vineyards

On July 30th at 6 p.m., Mora's Fine Wine and Spirts will host a winemaker's dinner with John Levenberg, winemaker at Bedell Cellars and Corey Creek Vineyards at Bliss restaurant in East Setauket.

I've met John on a few occasions and he is a young, energetic winemaker with great, diverse experience. He's also a lot of fun and I'm sure this dinner will be as well. The menu is:

Bay Scallop Risotto
Bedell Cellars “Main Road White” NV

Watermelon and Feta Salad
Corey Creek Vineyards 2006 "Domaine CC" Rose

Roasted Breast of Long Island Duck with White Bean Ragout and Cabernet Franc Reduction
Corey Creek Vineyards 2006 Cabernet Franc

Pot Roast and Pasta Sheet Millefeuille
Bedell Cellars 2005 Merlot and Bedell Cellars 2005 "Taste Red" Meritage

Flourless Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Glaze
Bedell Cellars Raspberry Dessert Wine

Seating is limited to 50. Price per person is $79.99 + tax which covers everything. Reservations must be prepaid. Sign up at www.moraswine.com.

On the East End This Weekend (July 7 & 8)

There are a couple festivals tomorrow that are worth checking out:

Lenz Winery's 18th Annual Chardonnay World Classic
Saturday, July 7 from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m.
Taste over 90 chardonnays from all of the major wine regions of the world including Long Island, California, France, South Africa, Australia, and many more.

Enjoy a selection of artisanal cheeses and hors d'oeuvres chosen specifically with chardonnay in mind.

Tickets: Lenz Subscribers:  $35; General Public:  $50

Website: www.lenzwine.com
Phone: 800.974.9899
Email: office@lenzwine.com

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Martha Clara Vineyards Anything But Chardonnay & Merlot Festival
Saturday, July 7 from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Sample over 50 different wines from 17 East End vineyards and become acquainted with the diverse body of exceptional varietals other than chardonnay and merlot. The evening will also include food and live music.

Tickets are $45.00 in advance $50 at the door.

Website: www.marthaclaravineyards.com
Phone: 631-298-0075
Email: info@Marthaclaravineyards.com