A day with the winemaker at Kings Garden Vineyards

Posted on October 7, 2010 by

A few weeks ago, my girlfriend Katy and I attended the Canandaigua Wine Walk. Some of the things I enjoy about events like this, other than tasting wine, are learning about new wines and wineries, meeting people, and getting an opportunity to experience something out of the ordinary.

One of the benefits of being a wine blogger is that people in the industry engage me differently when I introduce myself as the Finger Lakes Wine Guy. I routinely hand out my business cards when I go to wineries and wine tasting events to promote my blog. This opens up opportunities because the wineries realize my blog can provide another channel for them promote their wines. This was the case with the Canandaigua Wine Walk. I happened to be at the wine walk because Don Stevens, the organizer of the event, invited me after reading one of my blog posts which I promoted on the Downtown Canandaigua Merchants Association’s Facebook page. After handing out business cards at the Wine Walk, it was no surprise that I received an invitation to visit Kings Garden Vineyards, one of the wineries at the event. What was a surprise is what a uniquely informative and enjoyable experience the visit turned out to be.

Kings Garden Vineyards is located on State Route 414 in Lodi, NY on the east coast of Seneca Lake in an area known as the “banana belt” for its unique micro-climate which is particularly suited for growing grapes. It is owned and operated by the husband and wife team of Mike and Corinne Oleksyn. Corinne had sent me the invitation after her son gave her my business card after the Wine Walk, where he was pouring wine. Corinne offered to give me a tour of the winery and to participate in a barrel tasting with the wine maker, her husband Mike. This sounded like a great opportunity and I eagerly accepted Corinne’s invitation.

Katy and I arrived at the winery around 11:30 last Saturday morning. Corinne was pouring wine for a couple of customers so Katy and I had a look around while we waited for an opportunity to introduce ourselves. The tasting room is a fairly new building with single tasting bar, a couple of bathrooms, and a modest deck off to one side. It’s located on a large piece of property that is also home to the winery, a quarter mile behind the tasting room. The view of the lake is fantastic from the deck which makes it a great spot to enjoy a bottle of wine with some bread and cheese. The customers Corinne was waiting on had left which gave her the opportunity to introduce herself and to start the tour. She started off by telling us a bit about herself and the winery and then led us out to the deck where we continued to get acquainted. Corinne pointed out the fact that there were no grapes growing on the lot with the tasting room yet and that their vineyard is located a few miles down the hill. She also pointed out the winery up the hill where her husband was working and where the bulk of the tour would take place. She offered to drive us up to the winery but Katy and I decided to walk up, which seemed surprising to Corinne. She stayed behind to mind the tasting room while she waited for her assistant to show up. Katy and I walked the short distance up the hill, taking in the magnificent view on the way.

Mike greeted us as we approached the building and he jumped right into the tour. He started by taking us to the back of the building to show us where the grapes come in and are crushed and de-stemmed. The machines can be adjusted to control how much stem to leave or the level of crush to achieve. He then brought us inside where a one ton container of Pinot Noir grapes was fermenting. We saw the “cap” of grape skins floating on top that has to be “punched down” several times a day so the flavors contained in the skins are mixed with the juice. Mike offered Katy and me a taste of the juice in this raw, fermenting form. It had a very grapy flavor with a bit of sparkle and was very different than what it will become when it finishes the process. We also tasted a Chardonnay juice before it was inoculated with yeast. This was the best grape juice I ever tasted. Mike explained many details of the wine making process including sugar content and percent alcohol, balancing acidity, variations in yeast strains, and much, much more. It’s amazing how much information is in his head. Part of the winery looked like a science lab with beakers, test tubes, funnels, and various instruments for measuring sugar content, acidity, etc. The geek in me found this all very interesting.

The tour continued as Mike started to take samples from the barrels. We sampled many wines including Pinot Noir, Cab Franc, and Syrah. We tasted from American and French Oak barrels. We tasted wine made from free run juice and from pressed juice. Free run being the juice that comes out of the grape when crushed. Pressed juice is extracted by pressing the grapes to coax the juice out. There were blends of free run and pressed. Other variations in the process include the toast of a barrel and the type of yeast used to ferment the wine. Barrels are charred which gives them a smoky character. The amount of char is the described by the level of toast. Barrels can be lightly toasted or heavily toasted. The toast greatly affects the character of the finished wine. The oak species also makes a difference in the wine. American oak barrels tend to produce wines with more of a bite while the wine produced in French oak barrels tends to be smoother. Variations in yeasts strains make a difference in the character and flavor of the wine. I mentioned to Mike that many wines I taste have a grapefruit flavor. He said that Sauterne yeast tends to impart a grapefruit flavor in the wine. Oh, I better not forget to mention the variations in the grapes themselves. Grapes that grow on one end of a row of vines can be very different from the grapes on the other end of the row. Some grapes on the same vine receive more sun than others. To put it another way, if you take two tons of grapes of a specific variety, each ton from different sections of the vineyard, crush the grapes the same way, collect free run and pressed juice, ferment with the same strain of yeast, and place the juice in similar barrels, you will end up with each barrel being noticeably different from the rest. Start adding variability in the crush or type of barrel used and the differences will be greater yet. We tasted a free run Syrah aged in American oak and it had a very distinctive smoky, nutty, coffee flavor. We then tasted a Syrah made from a blend of free run and pressed juice in French oak which was rather neutral. Finally we tasted a free run Syrah in French Oak that had a pepper finish. The trick or better yet, the art is to take all these barrels and blend them to achieve desirable characteristics and consistency that you can bottle in reasonable quantity. You may blend the various barrels of the same variety or you may blend different varieties. Blending is an art unto itself and there is a lot of experimentation that takes place to come up with the best blends. The French call this “the marriage”. The French have colorful terms for practically everything.

We headed back down to the tasting room after the winery tour to taste the finished product. By this time there were several customers coming and going which kept Corinne and her tasting room assistant quite busy. Katy and I were a bit hungry so I broke out some brie, a baguette, and some grapes for a snack while Mike lead us though a traditional tasting. By this time I stopped taking notes and simply enjoyed the wine. We went though the entire lineup and I definitely found several favorites which included the 2008 Syrah, Kings Cab, the 2005 Chardonnay, and the 2008 Pinot Noir.

We couldn’t leave without visiting the vineyard, which is located a few miles down the hill from the tasting room. We said goodbye to Corinne and Mike took us down for a quick look at the vineyard. The quick look turned into an hour tour of the vineyard. Mike went over all the details of grape farming from planting, pruning, spraying, trellis repair, leaf removal to expose grapes to the sun, and harvesting. He explained all the perils that the grapes face including pests, weather, deer, turkey, woodchucks, etc. We tasted all the varieties of grape and even tasted some grapes “infected” with the Botrytis fungus. The word “infected” in this case is not a bad thing because this fungus is actually desirable. It causes the grapes to become partially raisined, which concentrates the sugars and makes a sweet, rich wine. Of course the French have a term for this as well. They call it Noble Rot.

If Katy and I didn’t have commitments that evening, I think we would have ended up spending several more hours with Mike and Corinne at Kings Garden Vineyards. We had a wonderfully fun and informative day and we gained a new appreciation for how much work goes into making great wine. Our conversations were not only about wine but our backgrounds, hobbies, the Finger Lakes, and many other topics that were weaved into our discussions of wine and wine-making. I look forward to visiting Kings Garden again to sample their new wines and to take Mike and Corinne up on their invitation to participate in some blending experiments. Most of all, I look forward to spending more time with our new friends. They are wonderful hosts and provide a great wine tasting experience. Be sure to stop in and say hello if you find yourself traveling in the area. You won’t be disappointed.

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Canandaigua Wine Walk

Posted on September 10, 2010 by

Last Saturday was a cool, fall day.  I spent the morning doing chores around the apartment and was looking forward to going to the Canandaigua Wine Walk with Katy in the afternoon then heading over to Seneca Falls to meet my family at the Saint Anthony’s festival afterwords.

The Wine Walk is a reoccurring event sponsored by the Canandaigua Merchant Association and is designed to get people familiar with the shops and restaurants on Main Street.  The carrot in this case is Finger Lakes wine.  It’s apparently effective since there was a respectable turn out for the event judging from the lines I saw at each stop along the walk.  If you’re not familiar with Canandaigua, Main Street is also Route 332 which is a four lane highway that leads from the New York State Thruway to Routes 5 and 20, the other major highway running east and west through the region.  There’s a tree lined median that divides Main Street with street-side parking and wide sidewalks that make it inviting to stop and shop or grab a bite to eat.  I have to say that for all the times I’ve been to Canandaigua, I’ve never stopped at any of the places on Main Street.  I’ve always headed straight to the lake, bypassing the Main Street merchants along the way.  Perhaps this is common and is a motivating factor behind the Wine Walk.

Our first stop was Artiques Heirlooms and Art.  We parked on the street a few car lengths away and immediately saw the purple balloons identifying the shop as a Wine Walk participant.  The entry fee is $5 per person which covers the cost of a wine glass and the tastings.  There were eight participating merchants, so this was a bargain considering tastings typically cost a dollar or two at the wineries.  I was put back at first by the length of the line for the tasting which ran forty or more feet though the store and out into the street.  I almost asked for a refund because I wasn’t much in the mood for long lines.  I had imagined the wineries setting up outside on the sidewalk where there would be more room.  It seemed a bit crowded inside to accommodate so many people.

We decided to skip this stop for the time being and headed across the street to try our luck at Pulp Nouveau Comix who teamed up with Kings Garden Vineyards from Seneca Lake for the wine walk.  I’ve never heard of this winery so it was a treat to try something new.  I was happy to see that the line was quite a bit shorter and moved along rather quickly.  This was partly due to the wineries limiting their tastings to four wines.  Katy and I perused through some of the comics while waiting in line.  I never knew there were so many different comics.  I knew there were more titles than Super Man, Wonder Woman or The Hulk, but didn’t imagine Jack of Fables, a western themed comic.  Apparently the West wouldn’t have been wild without Jack of Fables.

Our next stop was Pickering Pub and Fulkerson Winery, also located on Seneca Lake.  Pickering Pub is your typical neighborhood pub complete with sports on TV, a full pub menu, and a friendly local crowd.  It was rather busy for a Saturday afternoon.  They put out a platter of tasty Chicken Quesadillas for the wine tasting crowd.  The quesadilla tasted just like what I make at home, which means I liked it a lot.  I took a look at the menu and it had typical pub fare including an array of appetizers, burgers, sandwiches, and salads along with an assortment of dinner items including beef, fish, and pasta.  I would definitely consider coming back the next time I’m in town looking for something to eat.

Bubuli and 1852 Hazlitt Vineyards was next on the list.  Bubuli is a chic women’s clothing store that would definitely be of interest to my daughter.  While I didn’t pay much attention to the clothes, I did pick up a tip for dinner.  More on that later.  I’ll also let you check out their website to get a feel for what they offer rather than trash their business in a futile attempt to describe it.  Pesky Y chromosome.  Hazlitt was set up outside in back of the store which gave the wine crowd a bit more elbow room, although the line here was short for some reason.  I think it just worked out that way with traffic flow.

G. Jones Furniture featured Pittsford’s Dolce CupCakery who offered an array of bite sized cupcakes to sample.  Katy and I both had a Key Lime cupcake.  The cake didn’t taste much like key lime, but the frosting did. It was good; I just wish I was able to sample more.  Maybe I should have asked.

Leonard Oakes Estate Winery paired up with Finger Lakes Gallery & Frame.  Leonard Oakes was the only non Finger Lakes winery on the walk.  They are located in Medina, NY which is a canal town between Brockport and Lockport.  The line grew long again in the gallery.  This was fine because I knew the lines were moving fast.  This also gave Katy and I a chance to chat it up with other wine walkers, including Don Stevens, the event organizer.  It also gave me a chance to look around at some of the wonderful photographs displayed in the gallery.  I immediately recognized the work of John Francis McCarthy who happens to be one of my favorite photographers.  He had a couple of prints of the Canandaigua water front that were stunning.  John Francis knows how to capture the mood and many dimensions of his subject by shooting in the most interesting light conditions.  I wish I could take one photograph as good as his.  The gallery was quite large and had a wide range of pieces on display as well as a full frame shop.  I could have spent another hour in there easily.

We had time for two more stops on the walk, Simply Crepes with Wagner Vineyards and Anthony Road Wine Company at Artiques Heirlooms and Art, our first stop where we bought our wine glasses.  There was one more destination, the Lumberyard Grill featuring the beers of Custom BrewCrafters from Honeoye Falls, but we didn’t have time for that.

I’ve been to the Pittsford and Rochester Simply Crepes locations so I was familiar with their menu.  They make delicious sweet and savory crepes with an interesting assortment of fillings.  They had crisp cinnamon crepe pieces with a sweet cheese spread followed by crisp savory crepe pieces with a roasted red pepper spread.  It may have been a roasted red pepper hummus.  Time was just about up after we left Simply Crepes.  We had just enough time to pop into Artiques to taste a couple of Anthony Road’s wine but didn’t have a chance to look around in the shop.  Next time.  Yes, there will be another Canandaigua Wine Walk in our future.  I’m sure Katy would agree

It was 7:00 and we were hungry.  We headed out towards Seneca Falls when my sister called and said they were on their way home because it was cold, damp, and the kids were getting tired.  I thought about going anyways because I was looking forward to a bowl of giblets, you have to try the giblets, but decided it was better to turn around and eat dinner in Canandaigua.  I overheard the ladies in Bubuli mention Rio Tomatlan as being a fantastic Mexican restaurant, and suggested it to Katy for us to try.  She eagerly agreed.  The restaurant is located just off Main Street so it was convenient to get to.  There was a parking lot just across the street which was also convenient.  The restaurant was busy, which was a good sign.  We ordered a couple margaritas and took a seat at a small table near the bar while we waited for our dinner table.   The margaritas were good but not exceptional and they were a bit pricey.  The complimentary chips and salsa were very good.  Both were obviously freshly made.  The chips were thick and crunchy.  The salsa was full of fresh diced tomatoes, not saucy like jarred salsa.  There was plenty of garlic, onion, and cilantro.  For dinner, Katy ordered a combination plate with chicken, beef, and pork which was served with Rio Tomatlans Rice and refried beans.  Katy liked the flavor of the meat dishes but said the chicken and beef were dry and over cooked.  I had the Mole Poblano, a traditional Mexican dish with chicken, rich chocolate pepper nut sauce served with a poblano pepper rice and corn tortillas.  The mole was some of the best I’ve ever had.  It had rich, complex flavors and a deep brown color I expect.  My chicken was dry and over cooked as well.  It detracted from the dish somewhat, but the mole was so good you could have served it with beef jerky and I wouldn’t have complained too much.  I also prefer the dish served with a whole chicken breast rather than pieces of chicken.  I also like it topped with sesame seeds.  Okay, now I’m being picky.  Did I mention the mole was fantastic?  I will definitely go back for more.  Oh, I almost forgot the desert.  I was about to suggest Flan but Katy overheard the people at the next table order Tres Leches and said I had to try it.  Tres Leches is cake saturated with a delicious blend of three different types of milk with a Mezcal whipped cream, coconut, fruit and a hibiscus flower sauce.  It was fantastic.  It dissolved in your mouth as soon as it hit your tongue which was a very interesting feeling on top of the delicious flavors.

You might have noticed I didn’t write about the wine at all.  I figured I would focus on the merchants and the experience rather than the wine this time around.  Sometimes it’s not about the wine.  The wine complimented the experience rather than being the experience itself.  I did take notes on the wine and would summarize the tasting experience by saying each winery put their best grape forward for the event.  There was a good variety of wines presented which were very representative of the styles of wine found throughout the Finger Lakes.  Hazlitt and Leonard Oakes were my favorites of the day with consistently excellent wines.  I’m sure I’ll visit these wineries in the coming months to give a full review of their wines.  I hope the next wine walk features different merchants so I get to discover something new about the beautiful city of Canandaigua.

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Finger Lakes Wine and Culinary Event at Lyons Mansion

Posted on September 8, 2010 by

Since I’ve started my blog, I’ve had the opportunity to meet many people associated in one way or another with Finger Lakes Wine. I’ve met winery owners, wine makers, tasting room managers, tasting room staff, and every day people who simply enjoy wine. One new acquaintance is Jeff Arnold, founder of Discover Rochester and the Finger Lakes Wine Trail Card. Discover Rochester is a Facebook page and soon to be launched online magazine dedicated to all things Rochester. Finger Lakes Wine Trail Card is a Finger Lakes wine discount card that entitles the bearer to discount wine purchases at over thirty five Finger Lakes Wineries. As part of these endeavors, Jeff hosts various wine related events including limo tours, social mixers, and wine tastings. Katy and I invited a couple of friends to join us at one of these events; a wine and culinary tasting at Lyons Mansion on East Avenue, home of the Rochester Academy of Medicine. This event featured wines from Shaw Vineyards, Billsboro Winery, and Fox Run Vineyards. Also featured were the culinary creations of Chef Carlo Peretti, executive chef at the New York Culinary Center in Canandaigua. Chef Don Antinore added colorful commentary throughout the night in introducing the wineries and Chef Carlo. Chef Don was recently inducted into the American Academy of Chefs’ Hall of Fame.

Lyons Mansion is one of East Avenue’s grand mansions and was home to the prominent Lyon family until 1938 when it was donated to the Rochester Academy of Medicine. It provided the perfect setting for the wine and culinary event. The large, wood paneled parlor is flanked by a library, dining room, and sun room and provided ample space for the guest to mingle while we enjoyed our wine and hors d’oeuvres. There is also a mezzanine overlooking the parlor that is accessible through a hidden door off the main staircase.

The first hour of the wine tasting was dedicated to white wines with the second hour dedicated to reds. We started the tasting with Shaw Vineyards. Steve Shaw and his son Steve Jr. were pouring their 2007 Riesling and their 2009 LiBella Pinot Grigio. The Shaw label is used for their serious, premium wines while the LiBella Label is marketed to more relaxed wine enthusiasts. This dual label approach is not new to me. Dr. Franks on Keuka Lake has Salmon Run as a second label. Heron Hill Winery brands some of their wines with the Ingle Vineyard label. The Riesling had 3.2% residual sugar that was balanced with a fair amount of acid that made it drink like a 1.5% RS wine. That is to say, it tasted a lot drier than the sugar numbers would suggest. I found this very interesting. It goes to show that numbers don’t always tell the whole story. I enjoyed the crisp lemon finish of the 2007 Riesling as well. The Pinot Grigio at 1.4% RS tasted slightly sweeter than the Riesling. It was light bodied with a crisp clean fruit flavor. Steve Jr. pointed out that the Pinot Grigio is the first Finger Lakes wine to be listed by K & L Wine Merchants, a high end California wine retailer. We also sampled Shaw’s 2006 Gewürztraminer.

Next we visited the table featuring Billsboro and Fox Run wines. Noel Uzemack represented both wineries. Noel is an instructor at the New York Culinary Center. He poured a 2009 Pinot Gris and a2009 Riesling from Billsboro along with Fox Run 2009 Dry Riesling and 2007 Reserve Chardonnay. The Pinot Gris was dry, with medium body with plenty of citrus flavor up front. The Billsboro Riesling at 2.5% RS tasted sweeter than Shaw’s Riesling and also was very fruit forward with a slight tart finish. The Fox Run Riesling was light, dry, with a slightly tart, lemon finish. The Reserve Chardonnay was bone dry with a light oak flavor achieved by fermenting and aging in oak barrels.

We circled back to Shaw when the red hour started where we tried the 2005 Merlot and the 2005 Cabernet Franc. Both of these wines are aged three years in oak, which Steve Jr. told me is unique in the Finger Lakes. The fruit is also hand picked. No beating up the grapes while making these wines. The Merlot was light in fruit and body and was very smooth. The Cab Franc was medium bodied with hints of plum and cherry. Billsboro offered a 2008 Cabernet Syrah and a 2008 Pinot Noir while Fox Run offered a 2007 Pinot Noir and a 2007 Cabernet Franc/Lemberger blend. Both the Billsboro and Fox Run Pinot Noir were comparable to Shaw’s. I particularly enjoyed the peppery finish of the Cab Franc/Lemberger.

Hors d’oeuvres were served throughout the evening. There was an assortment of artisan cheeses served with crackers, pâté, a fruit conserve, and a jalapeño pepper jelly. There was also watermelon cubes topped with goat cheese, smoked sausages, and salmon with goat cheese. Chef Carlo gave a cooking demonstration where he prepared pan seared scallops over pickled cabbage slaw. I’m sorry I didn’t take better notes on the food since it was delicious. This was due in part by me focusing on the wine and taking pictures and not paying enough attention to the food. I hope Chef Carlo forgives me. If I get the opportunity I will ask him for details.

Jeff did a great job organizing the event, the wineries brought excellent wines for us to sample, Chef Carlo served up an array of wonderful appetizers and gave a great cooking demonstration, and Chef Don provided entertaining and informative commentary. I’m looking forward to more wine tasting events by Finger Lakes Wine Trail Card.

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Finger Lakes Riesling Festival

Posted on August 25, 2010 by

Cool, rainy weather might have kept patrons away from the farmers market and arts and crafts booths at the 2010 Finger Lakes Riesling Festival, Sunday August 15, but it didn’t keep wine lovers from visiting the wine garden where over two dozen Finger Lakes wineries featured their best Rieslings. I can imagine that the crowd was heavier the day before, when the weather was picture perfect, but this probably meant longer waiting times to sample wines.

When Katy and I arrived in Canandaigua, a light rain was falling and there was a thick blanket of fog over the lake. I stopped at the city pier to take a couple of photographs and get my bearings on where to find the wine garden. It wasn’t clear where to park or which direction to go. We drove around a bit and found an attendant who directed us to parking and the wine tent. The rain picked up as we walked by vendors trying to stay dry and struggling to keep their small tents from blowing away. Katy was struggling with the umbrella and I was trying to grin and bear it. When we reached the ticket booth and thought I had found some shelter from the rain, a stream of water poured off the roof of the tent an went straight down my back. I stepped back a foot and relented to the rain as the stream poured on top of my head. Now I didn’t have to worry about getting wet anymore.

With so many wineries present, I thought we should pick our top six to visit first and then make a second round if time and our palettes permitted. We decided to target wineries we haven’t been to recently. Heron Hill Winery was first on the list since we missed them at the Cortland Arts and Wine Festival a few weeks earlier. Anthony Road Wine Company is a favorite of mine, as is Dr. Frank’s Vinifera Wine Cellars, so they were definitely on the list. Katy and I had a good experience at Damiani Wine Cellars and Standing Stone Vineyards a few years ago while touring Seneca Lake as well as Imagine Moore Winery last year at the Wine and Chocolate Festival in Rochester.

With our list in hand, we headed for Heron Hill. Heron Hill offered their 2007 Ingle Vineyard Riesling, their 2008 Dry Riesling, and their 2008 Semi-dry Riesling. The Ingle Vineyard Riesling was a dry, medium bodied wine. It was well balanced with plenty of fruit and a crisp, lemon note. The Dry Riesling had grapefruit characteristics which I find common in dry Rieslings. It was not as crisp and refreshing as the Ingle Vineyard Riesling. The Semi-dry Riesling was more fruit forward than the Dry Riesling but otherwise had similar flavors and characteristics as the dry. The Ingle Vineyard Riesling definitely stood out as our favorite of the three.

Anthony Road offered their 2009 Dry Riesling, their 2009 Semi-dry Riesling, and their 2009 Semi-sweet Riesling. The Dry Riesling had floral hints while the Semi-dry had a distinctive peach flavor up front. Both were full bodied with a lot of structure which showed itself in mouth feel and taste. The Semi-dry was slippery on the tongue as well. Katy preferred the Dry Riesling. It was a toss-up for me. Both were very interesting and different than many of the Rieslings I’ve had recently. The Semi-sweet Riesling was very good with plenty of fruit but it didn’t compare in body and flavor to the other two wines from Anthony Road.

By time we arrived at Damiani Wine Cellar’s booth, the rain was coming down full force and water was filling up the ground under the tent. Within a few minutes we were ankle deep in water. Katy grimaced as she sloshed through the mud and water. I already admitted defeat and drugged through the slop. Damiani offered one white, their 2009 Semi-dry Riesling. This was full bodied with the slippery mouth feel we experienced with Anthony Road’s Semi-dry. Amy, the winery representative, said she believes the slippery feel is due to the fining agent used. She said glycerin based fining agents are more viscous than other agents which accounts for the feel. This makes sense to me. Amy offered us a taste of their 2008 Meritage as well. This was a surprise for a Riesling festival, but I wasn’t going to be rude and turn her down. I know, what a guy. The Meritage had a deep red color with a smokey, nutty flavor. It had wonderful aromas and body that you would expect from this style of red. What a treat.

We deviated from our list a bit as we passed King Ferry Winery. They lured us in with their 2008 Dry Riesling, 2008 Semi-dry Riesling, and their 2008 EIS Late Harvest Riesling. The Dry Riesling was light in body and fruit and was clean and crisp. The Semi dry was light and fruitful and a bit bubbly. The EIS was super sweet, like Riesling candy in a glass. I would love it over ice cream, but not to drink, since my residual sugar limit is around 3.5% to 3.8%. The EIS is well above that.

Standing Stone offered a 2008 Dry Riesling that had distinctive mineral characteristics with hints of apple. Their 2009 Riesling was a semi-dry wine with classic Riesling body and fruit flavors. It was perfectly balanced as well. This wine scored 88 in Wine Spectator. I can’t say I know how to interpret that number since some of the other wines I tasted so far didn’t have a Wine Spectator score were as good or better. I wonder what their scores would be. Standing Stone’s 2008 Ice Riesling was very sweet as expected but stood out with butterscotch and toffee flavors. I bet it’s great on pancakes.

Imagine Moore had their 2009 Semi-dry Riesling that had peach fruit up front with a light, sweet finish. We also sampled their 2008 Traminette which was light and spicy.

We couldn’t pass by Zugibe Vineyards without stopping for a taste of their wines. Katy and I have grown very fond of this winery. Their 2008 Dry Riesling had earthy, mineral characteristics. The 2007 Riesling had wonderful pear and vanilla notes and was perfectly balanced. The 2008 Semi-dry Riesling had classic grapefruit flavors often found in Rieslings without the bitterness that sometimes follows. We enjoyed all three wines but particularly enjoyed the 2007 Riesling which was another favorite of the day.

Finally, we finished our rounds at Dr. Frank’s where we sampled the 2009 Dry Riesling, the 2009 Salmon Run Riesling, and the 2009 Semi-dry Riesling. The ’09 Dry was full bodied on the mouth and light on fruit. The Salmon Run was sweeter which brought out the fruit flavors. By time I tasted the Semi-dry, my taste buds were saturated so it was difficult for me to pick up the subtle flavors but I can say it tasted excellent. I’ll have to put Dr. Frank’s at the top of the list next time so my palette will be fresh.

We tasted a few other wines after Dr. Frank’s but didn’t take notes because by this time my palette had enough.  I suppose we could have tried one wine at each booth rather than several wines at a few, but I think our strategy worked out just fine.

Our soggy feet needed to dry so Katy I walked along the lake to take in the view. The weather had cleared so it was an enjoyable walk. Afterwords we grabbed a bite to eat at MacGregors’ Grill and Tap Room then topped that off with ice cream at Scoops.

One thing about living in the Finger Lakes is that you can’t let the weather get in the way of having a good time and enjoying the day, especially in the summer. We have our share of beautiful weather but there are times when it just doesn’t cooperate the way you would like. This certainly proved to be true this day. The rain dampened the air but not the spirit of the festival.

Canandaigua is a beautiful city with wonderful lake views, plenty of shops and restaurants, and is home of the New York Wine and Culinary Center. Put it on your list of must see places in the Finger Lakes.

Our favorite wines of the day include Heron Hill’s 2007 Ingle Vineyard Riesling, Anthony Road’s 2009 Dry and Semi Dry Rieslings, Standing Stone’s 2009 Riesling, Zugibe’s 2007 Riesling, and Dr. Frank’s 2009 Salmon Run Riesling. What were your favorites?

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Cortland Arts and Wine Festival – The Afterparty

Posted on August 23, 2010 by

A few weeks ago, Katy and I attended the Cortland Arts and Wine Festival, in Cortland, NY. The festival featured almost twenty New York State wineries and over thirty artisans displaying their work. Read a full review of the festival here. After the festival, it was time to get something to eat. Cortland is my home town so Katy and I invited my family to meet us at Brix Pubaria on Main Street, a short walk from the festival. I was excited to try this restaurant since my cousins are partners in the business and my cousin Shannon is the head chef. There has also been a lot of buzz about the restaurant around Cortland so I would have wanted to try it even without the family connection. I love what they did with the space. The building had been the home of several restaurants in the past. Brix renovated from the ground up and they did a great job paying attention to the smallest details. The large double bar is located in the center of the restaurant with dining areas on each side. The bar was well staffed and had an extensive selection of wine, beer and liquor. There’s a pizza oven and dining bar in the back where you can watch the pizza chefs create their masterpieces.

Brix specializes in brick-oven pizza and baked pasta dishes. They offer a variety of other pub fair as well including chicken wings, salads, and sandwiches. We ordered a few appetizers for the table including Roasted Garlic & Honey Mustard Chicken Wings, Rosemary Pizza and Loaded Hot Garlic Chips. The appetizers came out quick and were delicious. The chicken wings had a nice coating of garlic-mustard sauce and were golden brown but were a bit over done. The pizza featured fresh house made mozzarella, fresh rosemary, roasted peppers and garlic, and goat cheese. The thin crust was cooked perfectly and the combination of toppings worked great together. The Loaded Chips were made with fresh cut Idaho potato chips, warm garlic-herb parmesan butter, smoked Gouda & mozzarella, apple wood smoked bacon, chives, onions, cilantro, and a spicy BBQ cream. With these ingredients, how can you go wrong? Some restaurants serve house made chips that are soft or soggy. Not Brix. The chips were thick and crunchy, which is the key. For entrees, I had the Crown City Chicken Riggz, rigatoni pasta with marinated chicken, peppers, spicy tomato cream, and fresh mozzarella. The rigatoni was cooked al dente, as you would expect. There was a generous amount of chicken and the spicy tomato cream sauce was light and flavorful, not heavy like some cream sauces can be. Katy had the Prima with Spicy Tomato Sauce that included baby spinach, Roma tomatoes, mushroom blend, broccoli, onions, mozzarella, over a whole wheat penne pasta. The pasta and vegetables were cooked just right. Katy thought the Spicy Tomato Sauce could have been a bit spicier. There were nine of us at the table so it was a bit busy for me to take everything in but I know we all enjoyed the food and the company. Other favorites at the table included the East End Stomp and the B.o.B Mac-N-Cheese. I should mention the prices were very reasonable and the service was excellent. The wait staff was friendly, attentive, and very helpful.

After dinner Katy and I headed to Virgil and Greek Peak Mountain Resort where we spent the night at Hope Lake Lodge. The lodge is located on Route 392, right across the street from the ski center. The lodge main entrance is protected by a large portico where you are greeted with full valet and bell service. The main lobby is a large, rustic great room with a huge stone fire place and chimney in the center. A restaurant and bar are located to the left with the front desk and hallway to the rest of the lodge to the right. It is certainly what I would expect a mountain lodge to look like. There are five floors that hare home to a spa, conference center, exercise room, children’s activity center, and of course, the guest rooms. On the back side of the lodge is the Cascades Indoor Water Park. Condos are available either by booking like a traditional hotel or though fractional ownership. With fractional ownership, you purchase a one-quarter share in a condo which entitles you to thirteen weeks of deeded ownership and use of the lodge facilities. There are 149 condo units with nine styles to choose from.

Our condo was a one bedroom loft that sleeps up to six people. The loft featured a queen size bed and had a bathroom with a shower. The main level had a living room complete with a gas fireplace, sofa with pull out sleeper, a Murphy bed, and dining table. Also on the main level was a kitchenette with a stove, refrigerator, microwave, coffee maker, sink, dishwasher, and was adequately stocked with dishes, cups, glasses, and silverware, and utensils. A full bathroom was just off the kitchenette and a balcony with a view of the ski slopes was located off the living room. The accommodations were very comfortable with plenty of room for four people. It would be a bit tight for six people with the Murphy bed and pull out sofa opened but roomy enough otherwise. The rustic décor followed the theme of the rest of the lodge and was very cozy. The only problem I had was getting the gas fireplace to light. There were no written directions to be found and a call to the front desk didn’t help either. I didn’t press it because it was plenty warm without it but definitely would have needed help if I had my heart set on sitting in front of the fire after a long day of skiing.

The room included six tickets to the Cascades Indoor Water Park which we took advantage of by inviting my brother, sisters, and nephews to join us for the evening at the park. The 41,000 square foot park features several water slides appropriate for toddlers to adults, a wave pool, a multi-level activity zone with a 500 gallon deluge bucket, activity pool, wading pool, indoor/outdoor hot tubs, and an outdoor pool. There were plenty of chairs to lounge around in while you watch the fun and well staffed with life guards so you don’t have to worry about the kids. There was plenty of water action for everybody. I even tried out the three story water tube which twisted its way down in the dark. It was fun to be 12 years old again. My only complaint is that the hot tubs were small and oddly shaped. It would be nice if they were a bit larger and had one reserved for adults only, something I’ve experienced at other resorts. The outdoor pool was a good size and well heated. I bet its great in the winter.

Katy and I enjoyed breakfast on the balcony the next morning. Even though the lodge was busy with guests, it was very quiet and peaceful on the balcony. The Virgil Hills are beautiful. I wish we had more time to explore the lodge. There’s the Acorn Grill, a traditional family restaurant, the Bobcat Lounge offering a fully stocked bar and light menu fare, and the Edgewater Café located next to the water park for grabbing a quick snack while at the park. Waterfalls Spa offers complete spa packages including manicure, pedicure, facials, massage, teeth whitening, the list goes on and on. I’m sure you could find something to pamper yourself there. Just up the hill from the lodge is Hope Lake Park where you can find a guarded swimming beach, canoe rentals, fishing, a pavilion, and picnic facilities. There certainly is a lot to do all year around.

If you’re planning a Finger Lakes vacation, definitely check out Hope Lake Lodge and Greek Peak Ski center. Be sure to stop for a bite to eat at Brix Pubaria as well.

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Cortland Arts and Wine Festival

Posted on August 14, 2010 by

Growing up in Cortland, I never thought of it as being a Finger Lakes community, even though my family made many trips each summer to Skaneateles Lake which is less than a half hours drive from my parent’s home on Miller Street. When I thought of the Finger Lakes, communities like Ithaca, Geneva, and Watkins Glen always came to mind, and rightfully so, since they are certainly in the middle of the Finger Lakes region. When I saw an advertisement for the Cortland Arts and Wine Festival which proclaimed Cortland as the Eastern Gateway to the Finger Lakes, it made me stop and think for a minute. I realized that Cortland is within a half hour drive of four Finger Lakes, Cayuga, Owasco, Skaneateles, and Otisco Lakes. Ithaca has only two lakes within that distance. One could argue that Syracuse deserves this title, since it’s a much larger City, but certainly Cortland qualifies as well. Cool. I grew up in the Finger Lakes region and didn’t even know it.

As I mentioned, I saw an ad for the Cortland Arts and Wine Festival so my girlfriend Katy and I decided to go and see what it was all about. The festival was held on the Cortland Court House grounds last Saturday (August 7th). There were sixteen advertised wineries scheduled to be at the event, although there was at least one no-show, Heron Hill Winery. I noticed because I was looking forward to tasting some of their wine. Katy and I enjoy Heron Hill wine and it’s been a while since we’ve had some.

I tasted at least two wines from each winery and for the most part enjoyed them all. There were three wineries that stood out in the crowd as having noticeably exceptional wines; Cascata Winery at the Professors Inn, Long Point Winery, and Zugibe Vineyards. I found myself lingering at the tasting tables of these wineries, eager to try the next wine. I’ve visited each of these wineries in the past four months and remember having a great experience at each. It was no surprise that these were my favorites at the festival. I’ve written about Zugibe and Long Point in recent posts and plan to visit Cascata again before the summer is over to do a complete review of their wines. I have to visit with the professor’s husband, too. Let’s just say he’s quite a colorful character and adds a lot of fun and humor to the wine tasting experience. My favorite wine of the day was Long Point’s 2007 Zinfandel. This rich, complex wine had bold blackberry and spice flavors and a smooth finish. It stood head and shoulders above the other reds offered at the festival.

My least favorite wineries at the festival were Thousand Islands Winery from Alexandria Bay and Pazdar Winery from Scotchtown, NY which is located downstate. I found the wines from Thousand Islands to be very light bodied and flat in flavor and character. Pazdar’s wines were quite different from any of the other wines at the festival. They were very sweet which isn’t my style and the blends didn’t seem to work very well together. I asked the winery representative, who I believe is the winemaker, about the blends but he wasn’t willing to share information about the types of grapes used and how they were blended. I call them mystery wines but the mystery left me confused rather than intrigued.

We didn’t have much time after the wine tasting to enjoy the rest of the festival. There were several vendors and artist exhibits along with local musicians playing throughout the day. We did get a chance to have a hot dog before the tasting and bought some kettle corn afterwards. We even had a few minutes to stop at a few artist booths where I bought Katy a pair of earrings for our 5th anniversary. Overall it was a very enjoyable festival, one that I would certainly attend again in the future.

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Head-to-Head Wine Tasting – Finger Lakes vs. Washington State

Posted on August 6, 2010 by

After a hot afternoon in the sun at a company picnic, I went to my girlfriend Katy’s house to relax for the evening. When I arrived, she offered me a glass of Zugibe Vineyards 2008 Finger Lakes Dry Riesling. I usually like my Rieslings semi-dry but for some reason I was really enjoying this dry Riesling. Katy purchased the wine because she preferred it to the other Rieslings we tasted at Zugibe a few weeks ago. The 2008 Dry Riesling is clean and crisp with a distinctive lemon citrus finish. The bright lemon note is what I liked best about it. It was light and refreshing. Katy poured herself a glass, which finished the bottle.

When I was ready for another glass of wine, she produced a bottle of Chateau Ste Michelle’s 2009 Riesling and suggested we compare it to Zugibe’s Riesling. Chateau Ste Michelle is located about an hour north east of Seattle and is recognized as one of Washington State’s leading wineries. The first thing I noticed about the 2009 Riesling was that it had a grapefruit finish as compared to the lemon finish of Zugibe’s Riesling. The grapefruit finish wasn’t as bright and refreshing as the lemon finish. It was also slightly bitter, which stood out significantly at first but was less noticeable as I finished the glass and started my second.

While I enjoyed the Chateau Ste Michelle Riesling, I found myself wishing Katy had another bottle of Zugibe’s Riesling. I definitely preferred Zugibe’s, as did Katy. It would be interesting to repeat the tasting as a blind tasting to see if we come to the same conclusion. I think Katy and I will have to give it a try.

Posted in 1. Wines | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment