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!
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Thursday, April 5, 2012
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.
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.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
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.
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.
Friday, February 24, 2012
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.
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!
Friday, February 17, 2012
Sometimes, Time Really IS on Your Side
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.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
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!!
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!!
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Little Cheddar Goldfish and the Castle on the Hill
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!
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