A Day in The Life

I was about to take the hummingbird feeder down for the season but it looked like the level of nectar was lower so I left it out.  Low and behold...

We noted the abundance of rust color on "her" but thought it was a young female Ruby-Throated that hadn't migrated yet.

With the help of Cornell Lab of Ornithology, "she" was ID'd as a Rufous Hummingbird, out of range.  Normally found in the west, she seems to have found herself off course and in our backyard!

She loves to preen and sun herself in the Virurmun next to the feeder.

We have her hooked up with feeders and hope she stays all winter so stay tuned!

Garden Trials (and Tribulations)

I have a confession.  I am a terrible garden planner.  Actually, I'm a pretty good planner, it's the execution where my skills are lacking.  I always end up with way too many seedlings and have to abandon my well thought-out garden plan just to fit everything in.  


This year I decided to call it research.  I planted everything we had to conduct my own garden trial - to determine which varieties do well for us and which ones just aren't worth the trouble.


We ended up with 18 varieties of heirloom tomatoes and six varieties of peppers, among other things, and the preliminary results are in.

Costa Rican Pepper

Alma Paprika Pepper

San Marzanos - lots of blossom end rot

Cherokee Purple

Brandywine Pink

Heirloom white cucumber

Speckled Roman - several plants are affected by blight

Summer Squash - borer got one plant so far (fingers crossed on the others)

Figs

Tomatillos

Red Pear Tomatoes - first harvest on the third try

Nasturtiums - nope, I haven't tried them yet!

A Wandering Mind

The flat of leeks that I started from seed sat on the patio for several weeks, guilting me into planting them.  It's not that we don't like them, we love them, but they're a pain in the ass to plant.  As I painstakingly teased the roots of each little plant from the other, I was transported back to another time.  A summer afternoon, my grandmother sitting in the living room watching her "stories" while eating a tomato and lettuce sandwich with mayo.  She always made one for me, despite my daily protestations that I didn't like them.  I usually pulled off the iceberg and fed it to Roscoe, my big orange tabby, and ate the rest.

I grew up in humble surroundings but I never wanted for anything.  I was an only child and took a lot of abuse for it.  My mom would have given anything for me to have whatever it was that I wanted so when I wanted a horse, a horse I had.  All I wanted was to spend every waking moment with Pokie, my Appaloosa pony that kicked big-horse ass in every show!  My parents sacrificed a lot of time (and money) to make sure that I was able to do just that.

So, I guess it should have come as no surprise to anyone that I decided to go to an agricultural college.  Yet, most of my friends and family didn't understand.  "Animal husbandry?"  "What?  Are you going to marry a cow?"  "You're going to go to school with.....farmers???"  "You're a smart girl; we thought you'd make something of yourself."  "What are you going to do with a degree in agriculture?"  To be perfectly honest, I wasn't sure.  Maybe I chose the field because it was in my comfort zone but, whatever the reason, I knew it was where I wanted...no, needed to be.

Back to today and the bigger picture.  When and how did we become a people so far removed from our environment?   When did agriculture become something so foreign to us that our children have no idea where their food comes from?  When did "farm" become a four-letter word?

My back is sore and my shoulders are sunburned; my hands are filthy and my nails are a mess; and I'd give anything to have one of my grandmother's sandwiches again.

A Pleasant Surprise

It's drink-it or dump-it (or give-it-to Dad) time here on the ranch.  We have been trying to reorganize the cellar and pull out bottles that, for whatever reason, we seem to have developed a bias against.  


Today's gamble:  Thirsty Owl 2005 Chancellor.  This poor bottle has two strikes against it from the start - it's Chancellor and it's from Thirsty Owl.  


As you may recall, we have a strange relationship with Thirsty Owl  The Owl and the One-eyed Cat so it should come as no surprise that we would have some preconceived notion that this one was a dog.  It sat on the "drink now" rack for several years with a sticky note on it that read "decant".  We brought the bottle in on several occasions, saw the decant note, and quickly banished it back to the garage.  Today was the day.  I put my big girl pants on and it was time to open this puppy.  


For those unfamiliar with Chancellor, it's a cold-hardy, highly productive, French hybrid, native to France, and once used to produce quality reds and rosés.   It has virtually disappeared from its homeland after being the most planted hybrid.  It is now being grown in the cooler regions of the eastern U.S. and in Canada.  Some say yippee but we say usually say, "why"?


So, how was the Owl?  It was dark and mysterious; medium bodied, and almost inky in color.  The unapproachable acidity started to really mellow after about six hours of decanting.  Initially, the nose was all Chancellor but with time, it became plum jam and cedar with a little bit of earth.  The wine continued to evolve throughout the evening.  As the tannins softened, a lot of nice dark fruit and hints of coffee came through on the palate.  The finish was earth and mushroom, with menthol and a hint of sweet vanilla.

It was a very confusing wine but I now understand why we bought it.  It's not a wine that I particularly loved but I also didn't hate it; it was fascinating.  Could it have gone longer?  The way it evolved over the tasting period tells me yes.  

The take-away?  If you can get it and you have 12 hours to decant, go for it.  It will be nothing less than a really interesting tasting experience!

Is Change Always Bad?

We seem to be creatures of habit - more so than I ever would have imagined.  I find that even in our wine travels, we tend to settle into a routine and only occasionally do we stray.  I guess I shouldn't be too surprised about that.  If you ask my Partner-in-Crime, he will tell you that change is bad.  At times I have to agree and change on the wine trails has not always been good to us.

We were enjoying the drive to Billsboro on a beautiful Finger Lakes morning and, having completely zoned out, drove past their driveway.  While turning around, we saw a sign for a winery that was new to us, Lacey Magruder.  Change is bad, so we turned around and went to Billsboro but with Lacey Magruder on our minds.  After spending some time with the good people of Billsboro, we decided to live dangerously and try something new.  Off we went to Lacey Magruder!

Named for the grandparents of the owners, Lacey Magruder sits high on a hill in a beautifully restored 1830 post-and-beam barn.  The decor is eclectic and, from the deck, the view of Seneca Lake is impressive.  We had the pleasure of spending some time with Jim and Ruth Hundertmark, the husband and wife team that made their dream a reality.  Originally from Maryland but loving the Finger Lakes, Jim took a wine making course from Jim Law, winemaker extraordinaire of Linden Vineyards in Virginia, and they sold their home in Maryland and took the plunge.

They had just opened for what will be their first full season and Jim is currently offering six wines on the tasting menu - three whites, three reds.  The first is their 2009 Lot No. 1 Cuvee, an interesting blend of Muscat, Gewurztraminer, Chardonnay, and Riesling.  I was kind of intrigued with this one.  Nice floral notes on the nose, crisp and clean on the palate with hints of grapefruit.  It's bright and minerally and a really nice surprise.  Not being a huge Chardonnay fan, I don't have much in the way of notes, but I can say that the 2009 Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay had a nice mouth feel without being overly oaked.  The last of the whites was the 2009 Barrel Reserve Chardonnay.  This one had a little more oak but the fruit was still predominate.  Nicely balanced with a touch of mineral on the finish.

The red line-up started with the 2009 Proprietary Red.  A Bordeaux blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc, it had soft tannins and nice cherry notes.  The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon showed nice fruit on the nose but is still drinking young.  It's spicy with firm tannins, and  I'd like to try it again in a year.  Finally, we tried the NV Vintner's Red.  Another Bordeaux blend, this one 51% Cab Sauv, it has a little more body than the Proprietary Red but it also has .6 to .8% RS.  Dark fruit characteristics and nicely balanced.

All in all, the wines are pretty solid and we look forward to seeing what they do in the future.

Some of our Favorite Things

When the calendar turns to March, our thoughts turn to the Damiani-Stonecat Winemaker's Dinner held, conveniently for us, at Magnolia Place B&B.  We were fortunate enough to be able to attend again this year and we were not disappointed.

The evening started with a cocktail hour and the Damiani 2010 Bollicini, a bright, minerally, and refreshing Cayuga-based Proseco.  It was paired with two crostini: an aged French muenster with brandy-braised golden raisins; and a pear and fennel crostini with warm local (Lively Run) chevre.  Both were delicious and worked beautifully with the Bollicini, but I think the muenster was my favorite.  The only problem was my inability to juggle the raisins which insisted on rolling off of the crostini and onto to the carpet!

The first course was my favorite pairing of the night.  The 2010 Gewurztraminer was served with a pan seared mustard-crusted haddock with a lemon-caper beurre blanc served over spicy greens.   The nose on the Gewurzt was roses leading to peach on the palate and spices on the finish.  It was a beautifully balanced dish that was in perfect harmony with the haddock!

Course two paired the 2010 Lemberger with a chevre and mushroom tart with Stonecat's bacon and a black currant port reduction.  I am not a fan of Lemberger but the earthiness of the mushrooms worked perfectly to bring out the beauty of the Lemberger.

The third course was all about showcasing the 2010 Reserve Syrah.  The dish, dubbed the "Double Date", consisted of a cardamom and maple-cured pork loin with a raspberry beurre blanc "spooning" with duck confit in sour cherry compote.  The pork was tender and delicious and the duck was succulent and the Syrah is unbelievable.  It's young but it's a huge, kick ass wine with some serious aging potential and I can't wait to check on it in a year or so.

Finally, the dessert course: "Opera" by Christian Thiron.  A gorgeous, delicate layered pastry composed of cake, espresso butter cream, and Belgian chocolate ganache served on a salted caramel sauce.  It was heavenly and it might very well be the best dessert I ever had.  The pairing?  It was a cellar secret...and shall remain so...

The Finger Lakes, Damiani Wine Cellars, Magnolia Place B&B, Stonecat Cafe - some of our favorite things and people, all wrapped up into one awesome evening!

The Sweetheart of the Cellar

My introduction to Gewurztraminer occurred on a trip to San Francisco back in the late 80's.  I was going to a conference and my good friend Patti-Jo asked if I wanted company.  Hell yeah!!  While I had survived this meeting a couple of times before, the thought of having some relief from a week with 10,000 dietitians was awesome!

The time we had for sightseeing was limited to a couple of days before and after the conference and a few hours during the week.  We made a list of the must-see's and crammed as much as we could into the time we had.  There was Lombard Street, Fisherman's Warf, Muir Woods, the bobcat, the naked guy in Golden Gate Park, and of course, a day trip to wine country.  We visited Sebastiani Vineyards and Buena Vista Winery in Sonoma before heading up into Napa.  I think the only stops we made there were   Mondavi, just to smell the roses (quite literally), and a convenience store in Healdsburg before  heading back to the city and the dreaded dietitians.  Despite the few stops, we each brought home a case - a story my dad still loves to tell!

Twenty-five years later, I still vividly remember two of the wines we tasted.  Both from Sebastiani, the first was a Cherryblock Cabernet Sauvignon, now their flagship wine, the one that they feel best expresses their terrior; the second was a Gewurztraminer they called "Kellerschatz".  From German, it translates to "cellar treasure" but they referred to it as the "sweetheart of the cellar".  

Which brings me to this:  I have a love-hate relationship with Gewurztraminer.  It's floral and it's spicy and if those two components are not in the right proportion for me, I can't handle it but, when it's right, it's like Bloomer Creek 2008 Tanzen Dame Second Harvest Vintner's Select Gewurztraminer.

It is a straw yellow color, with honey notes and the perfect balance of fruit and spice.  Beautifully soft on the palate, this wine is delicate and lovely and everything a Gewurz should be - to me, anyway.  

And Now For Something Completely Different...

I look back on my college years with fondness.  I can honestly say that they were some of the best times of my life, some of which I don't remember, but that's not the point.  There was GS, our intramural football team (don't ask); our (almost) championship win in intramural volleyball (if only we had stopped one beer earlier); and our nights in the dairy barn collecting manure for analysis (yes, there was beer involved in that, too).  There was biology, biochemistry, microbiology, anatomy and physiology, genetics, and agronomy.  We drove tractors, sheared sheep, docked tails, drew blood from cattle, went to slaughter houses to practice AI, and castrated pigs (I can hear a collective gasp).

Since that time, there have been so many changes and advancements in farming  that I truly believe that I would need to go back to college to re-enter the industry.  One of these changes involves the genetic engineering of crops.  Known as GMOs (genetically modified organisms), GE (genetically engineered), or GM (genetically modified),  biotech companies have found a way to alter the genetic make-up of crop seeds - crops grown for both livestock and human consumption.  


Genes are being inserted into the seed to make crops resist insect damage, and not be harmed by herbicides.  For example, entire crop fields can be sprayed with glyphosate (Roundup) with only the "weeds" killed and the food crop remaining unaffected.  There are "Roundup Ready" alfalfa, soybeans, sugarbeets, cotton, and canola.  This may be an advancement, but is it an improvement?  Herbicide use was up 383 million pounds from 1996 to 2008.  It seems to me that Roundup-tolerant crops would lead to Roundup-resistant weeds much like our over use of antibiotics has led to antibiotic- resistant bacteria.

Another example is seed that produces the Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxin.  Bt is a soil-dwelling bacterium, frequently used as a biological pesticide.  It kills caterpillars.  GM potatoes were first planted in the US in 1995 quickly followed by corn and cotton.  In 2009, the company who developed this seed confirmed that  Bt-resistant pests had developed.  That didn't take long, did it?  And how does all of this affect wildlife populations?  Is there any connection between GM crops and Colony Collapse Disorder, identified in 2007?  That's a question for minds sharper than mine.


The biotech companies claim that it's the future of farming; it's the only way we will be able to feed the planet going forward.  So, we're going to eradicate hunger?  I doubt that.  Let's face it; hunger is fundamentally a social, economic, and/or political problem.  The root cause of hunger is not a lack of food, but a lack of access to food; it's the inability to purchase food, or the land on which to grow it. 

What a slippery slope!  We're losing genetic variability.  Predator and prey must evolve to coexist.  We're talking finicky pure bred dog vs robust mixed breed - ever heard of hybrid vigor?  Over the centuries, heirlooms, old varieties, and land races have evolved and adapted to micro-climates, diseases, and pests.   The locally adapted and varied seed stock that farmers have created over time have been essentially wiped out.  Every farmer is painfully aware of crop failure.  Anyone remember the Irish Potato Famine?


Is it good for the planet?  GM seed is designed to be co-dependent; to be used with synthetic herbicides and fertilizers, both requiring fossil fuels.  In some cases, a particular gene exists in the seed but a chemical application is required in order for it to express itself in the plant.  Guess who sells that chemical...

Where does that leave the organic farmer?  Can organic remain organic?  Can organic crops be grown without the threat of cross-pollination from GM crops?


It's frightening.  The control of food production is swiftly being transferred from the farmer to the seed companies.  Six companies control 98% of the world's seed sales.  Farmers who buy GM seed are required to sign an agreement not to save and replant seed, meaning that they must purchase it from a biotech company every year.  In fact, having identified them as significant competitors, one  leading company allocates $10M of its budget to investigate and prosecute seed-savers.  To make matters worse, smaller seed companies are being bought up by these biotech companies further limiting the seed sources.  Sometimes it's done just to take seed off of the market!  

Are GMOs safe for human consumption?  They better be because it's estimated that they are present in approximately 70% of processed food in the US.  But, where's the research?  Most of it has been blocked by patented technology and limited access to seed.  In addition, the biotech companies have successfully prevented the publishing of existing studies.  Thirty countries have implemented significant restrictions or outright bans on GMOs yet right now in the US, crops are being genetically modified to adapt to climate change, and to be heat, drought, and flood tolerant.

Do you want to know what's in your food?  I do!  The FDA must act by March 27 on a petition filed by a coalition of some 300 companies, organizations, and doctors, to to protect the consumer's right to know what is in their food and require that all genetically engineered foods be labeled.  

It sure seems like it takes little to get a product on the market and a lot to get it taken off.  Folks, we need to get this one right...the first time.

Like a Spring Flower

While I freely admit to being fickle, one FLX winery we faithfully visit is Sheldrake Point.  Interestingly enough, we were first introduced to SPV by my dad and his wife.  The interesting part is that neither of them were really into wine, so we found it kind of odd that they would make it a point to plan a weekend to attend the Hudson Valley Wine Festival.   Their first foray into the world of wine tasting, at a "fest" no less!   They survived their baptism by fire and brought us a bottle of Sheldrake Point Merlot. 

Not being huge Merlot lovers, we graciously accepted our gift, and, although we looked askance at it, we admired its pretty label.  The bottle went into the cellar until we could no longer resist its siren song.   We opened it and we liked it; we really, really liked it!  We liked it enough to drag ourselves from our firmly entrenched routine on Seneca Lake and schlep over Cayuga on our next trip and, as they say, the rest is history.

Fast forward to 2012 and the Sheldrake Point 2007 Pinot Noir.  This delicate, old world style Pinot is drinking beautifully!  This is such a pretty wine with lovely strawberry notes and just a hint of oak.  It's medium bodied with soft, silky tannins, ripe cherry, and perfect bright acidity.

I keep coming back to two words - delicate and pretty.  We really enjoyed this one!

Sometimes, Time Really IS on Your Side

"What shall I open, Dear"?  That's usually the question of the night but this time, it was posed mid-morning.  "I was thinking a Leidenfrost", my PIC announced.  Hmmm.....but would we have enough time to decant it to drink tonight?  Of course, if it's not ready, we could always have it tomorrow....

Ah, Leidenfrost.  Although founded in 1990, Leidenfrost is no newcomer to the FLX wine scene.  Located on the southeastern shore of Seneca Lake,  the Leidenfrost family has grown grapes and produced wine in Hector, NY since 1947.  This is not a stop we always make when we are in the region as we seem to have a strange relationship with the wines.  Planning is not one of our sterling qualities and we've found that you have to plan ahead for some of these gems.  Having said that, I must share our first experience with them.

About five or six years ago, we were traveling through the region with friends from California.  To add to our wine tasting experience, they had the idea to do a quasi-horizontal Pinot Noir tasting.  They brought two bottles with them - one from Oregon and one from California -  to try along side of a FLX Pinot.  We had dinner at Stonecat and the restaurant staff suggested a Leidenfrost Pinot to battle it out with the others.  We ordered our meals, and with twelve wine glasses on the table, we began. 

As expected, all of the wines evolved in the glass over time but could a FLX wine really hold up to the west coast big boys?  Let me tell you - the Leidenfrost  showed beautifully compared to the others.  I'd be lying to say that I remember which one was my favorite (crap - I'd be lying to say that I remember the other two wines) but we were so impressed with the Leidenfrost, we were there the next day for a tasting and to pick up a couple of bottles.

Over the years, we have found that the wines can be kind of tough to drink; sometimes they seem unapproachable because they take forever to open up.  We asked John Leidenfrost about that one day and he attributed it to the fact that the wine doesn't see any air.  From this, we learned to be patient and hold John's wines and when we do open them, we decant, decant, decant! 

Time has been this wine's friend.  This Leidenfrost 2004 Cab Franc went into the decanter late in the morning and wasn't poured for about five hours.  It's bursting with cherry and has silky tannins - it's like a chocolate-covered cherry.  Too bad we don't have more and...it was gone before dinner hit the table.

Clean Up - Aisle 6

Posts have been few and far between over the past few months but things have been a bit crazy in the Good Life world.  In addition to the usually holiday nonsense, we suffered the loss of a parent and a dear friend, within the span of two weeks, which kind of put a damper on things...to say the least. 

My mother-in-law didn't drink...ever...although she did accidentally take a sip one night and promptly spit it back into the glass -  my PIC's glass!  That doesn't mean that we haven't been working our way through the cellar so, in the spirit of my good friend Donna, who was always up for a drink and a good time, let's start clearing out the backlog.

We'll start with Penns Woods 2007 Ameritage.  This deep garnet wine had some oak on the nose but  not in a woody way at all.  The firm tannins mellowed in the glass with some time but there was something on the palate that I found somewhat unpleasant and a hint of latex squeaky toy on the finish.  It was kind of surprising because we have enjoyed several of their wines.  It wasn't cooking wine but we didn't enjoy it as much as we have other Penns Woods wines.  Also from Penns Woods, we tried the Lacrima Dolce dessert wine.  There must have been something about it that we liked when we tasted it at the winery but it is sitting in the pan sauce section of the refrigerator.  This wine is overwhelmingly banana - not something that I look for in my dessert wines - but some may find it pleasant with the right pairing.

Speaking of dessert wine - there's Atwater and Billsboro, from the Finger Lakes, and Pearmund from Virginia.  The Billsboro Apres, a late harvest Vignoles, is one of our very favorites - loads of mango and tropical flavors, honey and a hint of vanilla.  My PIC cannot handle Chardonnay but we both love Atwater 2008 Chardonnay Ice.  It's honey and peach with a beautiful balance of acid and sweetness.  Finally, was the Pearmund 2009 Late Harvest Mt. Juliet Petit Manseng.  White chocolate on the nose, creamy on the palate, and honey on the finish.  Perfectly sweet but not cloying.

And then there's Shalestone Vineyards Beyone Rose.  We first tasted this at the event to celebrate the life of Deb Whiting and we immediately knew that we needed more!  75% Pinot, 25% Syrah, it's a non-rose rose.  It's a gorgeous ruby color with black cherry and subtle spice on the palate - we cannot get enough of this.  It's equally good chilled or at room temperature.....and probably sold out as of this writing!

Some winners, some losers.  I think I'll call it a night.  Stay safe and among friends!!

Little Cheddar Goldfish and the Castle on the Hill

When we were out this Fall visiting a couple of Bucks County wineries, the folks at Crossing Vineyards suggested we make a stop at  Buckingham Valley Vineyards and Winery.   It's a family owned and operated winery and the first self-serve tasting we have ever encountered!  Seriously?  Like a kid in a candy store....like a pig in mud...we were as happy as a clam at high tide! 

We got our glasses and instructions and were set loose in the tasting room.  The bottles were lined up at the edge of the tasting bar, if that's what it would be called in this situation.  We found six reds (Cab Sauvignon, Chambourcin, Chacellor, Dechaunac, Merlot and Diego Red), six whites (Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Vidal Blanc, Seyval Blanc, Riesling, and Niagara), and six fruit wines available for tasting.  Here's what I want to say:  The crackers were REALLY good!!

We made a hasty, but polite exit and headed to Sand Castle Winery.  Thanks to Penny we made it before closing.  The building is impressive but more in a banquet hall/wedding/Bar Mitzvah kind of way.  In jeans, we were feeling a little bit under-dressed but we quickly shook that off and headed for the Tasting Room.

There were 11 wines on the tasting menu, starting with the 2005 Johannisberg Dry Riesling, a middle-of-the-road, Alsatian-style Riesling.  Some mineral on the nose, green apple and little acidity - well-balanced, but not acidic enough for me - definitely a crowd pleasing kind of wine, though.  The 2005 Chardonnay Private Reserve and the 2006 Classic Chardonnay were not my cup of tea.  I found something on the nose unpleasant, but I'm not a huge Chard fan, anyway.

The NV Dry Rose, a blend of the Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay Classic, was light and fruity.  It came across as almost sweet on the palate but I can see it as another middle of the road, crowd pleasing summer sipper.  We next tried the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon which neither one of us remembers much about.  The NV Claret was a little too sweet for our taste and we both passed on the Cuvee Blush when it was described to us as slightly sweet.

The 2005 Johannisberg Riesling had mineral and a hint of petrol on the nose with tropical fruit on the palate.  3% RS and beautifully balanced.  The 2003 Late Harvest Johannisberg Riesling, another beautifully balanced wine.  Loads of honey, peaches, and tropical fruit.  13% RS and enough acidity that it's not cloying.  The tasting ended with the Alpine Spice, a mulled wine...apres ski, but not for me.

All in all, not a total bummer of a day.  We took a couple bottles of the 2005 Dry Rielsing and a couple of the LH Rielsing so stay tuned!