Finger Lakes Women for WineSense

Monday evening August 17th was the first meeting of the newly established Finger Lakes Chapter of Women for WineSense and the New York Wine and Culinary Center was the perfect spot to host this inaugural event. The excitement was contagious in a room full of Who's Who of women in the Finger Lakes wine industry. NYWCC Wine Educators Tricia Renshaw and Cheryl Pitti kept the enthusiasm going as they shared their knowledge.
Tricia Renshaw began with an in-depth look at wine  - the chemical make-up, components and descriptors. Cheryl Pitti reviewed the six S's of wine tasting: sight, swirl, smell, sip, swallow/spit and savor.  Who knew that our nostrils switch every 20 minutes or so, so we always have one that can smell better than the other? Or that womens' sense of smell is better than mens and that it is associated with our better memory? Next we practiced those skills on our first two wines: Chateau Frank Brut 2008 and Boundary Breaks 198 Riesling 2011. As we were swirling, smelling and savoring, Executive Chef Andrew from the NYWCC sent out the first food pairing, Green Beans with Pork Belly Lardons.  We tried each wine with the pairing and took notes.  I preferred the Chateau Frank Brut as I felt it brought out the brininess of the pork, but everyone has their own tastes (due to their unique tastebuds and memory as Tricia told us), so others preferred Boundary Breaks 198.  There is no right answer- just personal preference!

Parallele 45, Cote de Rhone 2014 from Southern France and Dr. Frank's Gruner Veltliner 2014 were paired with Basil Spaetzle with White Wine Butter Sauce (which was out of this world)! The Parallele 45 pairing magnified basil, cheese and nutmeg characteristics while the Gruner Veltliner emphasized basil/grassy characteristics much like a Sauvignon Blanc.

Squash and Zucchini Pizza (made with Water Buffalo mozzarella) was paired with Billsboro Sauvignon Blanc 2014 and Castello Monaci Acante Fiano 2014 from Salentino Italy. The Sauvignon Blanc was really smooth and savory with the basil and cheese on the pizza, while the Acante Fiano illuminated the vegetable characteristics.  The Acante Fiano was very different - kind of funky, but we were told it pairs wonderfully with seafood in southern Italy.

Lastly, McGregor's Dry Rose of Pinot Noir 2013 and Damiani's Chardonnay 2013 were paired with Salmon with Berry Chutney.  Cherry characteristics were exemplified by the Rose, while the chardonnay, which spent three months in French oak barrels, gave a delightful mouth feel.

What a great evening and learning experience!


I went online today and became a member of the Finger Lakes Women for WineSense (www.womenforwinesense.org). The Finger Lakes Chapter will be meeting every third Monday of the month.  Next month I believe will be at Finger Lakes Community College's new Viticulture Center in Geneva.(read about the new center at http://www.mpnnow.com/article/20150128/News/150129723/?Start=1). I hope you will join me there!

Once in a Blue Moon….the 25th Anniversary of Fox Run Vineyards!

Last night was the Glorious Garlic Festival Dinner - a celebration of the 25th Anniversary of Fox Run Vineyards. And what a celebration it was!  The weather couldn't have been more cooperative - 70's and low humidity - blue sky, blue lake and after dark, the blue moon overhead! We gathered in a big white tent at the top of the vineyard.

The all-locally-sourced menu featured glorious garlic delights by Chef Brud Holland.  Winemaker Peter Bell paired each course with one of his outstanding wines from Hedonia to Port, Riesling to Rose! Accompanied with music by the fabulous Gap Mangione, it was the perfect evening!

We had a little "bubbly" to get the celebration started. The 2011 Blanc de Blancs paired beautifully with various Finger Lakes artisan cheeses, house-made Riesling sausage, Verjooz pickled vegetables and of course, roasted garlic bulbs! Hedonia cocktails were also available.

Garlic and onion Tartlets on Remembrance Farm arugula accompanied by Fox Run Riesling vinaigrette paired easily with the 2011 Reserve Riesling.  This Riesling was sooo delicious - the quintessential Finger Lakes Riesling!

Next the trifecta - Autumn Harvest beef tenderloin, strip loin and brisket with roasted garlic spread, a delightful cherry balsamic drizzle and Church Street produce "little creamer" potatoes paired with the 2012 Lemberger. Perfect portions and cooked to perfection (not easy when you are serving 140 or so people!
Next was the delicate 2014 Rose of Pinot Noir with FLX Summer Caesar salad made with sunflower shoots, Reed Road Sweet corn, a creamy garlic dressing and garlic croutons.
Honey Cured, Smoked Rainbow Trout was the next course paired with the 2012 Reserve Chardonnay from the Kaiser Vineyard and last but not least dessert including, but not limited to, roasted garlic ice cream!

I apologize that I didn't take "food shots" but I did get the blue moon and Scott and Ruth (Fox Run owners) dancing.  I'm also sorry I didn't get a shot of Peter Bell dancing - he's so elusive! Is he in the background?

Congratulations to Scott and Ruth Osborn, and Albert and Kathy Zafonte, Fox Run's owners, Chef Brud Holland, Winemaker Peter Bell and the great staff who took care of everyone so wonderfully!  The evening was perfection!

Keuka Lake Vineyards

     With the four walls closing in on us after this frigid, long winter, Jim and I decided to investigate some new-to-us wineries. Last Saturday

we set out to do just that. We stopped by Keuka Lake Vineyards in Hammondsport, NY on the recommendation of Sebastien Leseurre from Domaine LeSeurre Winery.
     Keuka Lake Vineyards is located on the south west shore of Keuka Lake near Dr. Frank, Bully Hill and Heron Hill Vineyards. It is the old Taylor Wine Co. land now owned by Mel Goldman. The tasting room is actually the barn on the old Taylor vineyard land; the original Taylor homestead is right across the street. Mel came in as we were having a tasting with the extremely knowledgeable and personable Leandra Morris, Tasting Room Manager.
     We started the tasting with the 2012 Dry Riesling, Falling Man Vineyard, which earned 91 points in Wine Spectator! This complex Riesling has minerality, citrus and honey/flower characteristics.  Definitely something special to try! The other Rieslings include the 2012 Estate Dry Riesling, the 2013 Evergreen Lek Dry Riesling and the 2013 Semi-Dry Riesling. Both Jim and I agree that our favorite was the Evergreen Lek with it's green apple and peach notes along with the citrus.  It was enjoyable to have the opportunity to compare and discuss them with Leandra and Mel. Next we sampled the Vignoles. The Vignoles grape is a hybrid grape originating in France (comprised of either Pinot Noir or Chardonnay and a hybrid Seibel variety). The 2013 Amber Vignoles is what some refer to as an Orange Wine. This was a really fun, deceptive wine. The nose gave every indication that it would be somewhat sweet, but it hit the palate dry and spirit-like (scotch/whiskey).  It changed and morphed on the palate- quite a shocker! The next tasting was the 2013 Gently Dry Vignoles, a much more traditional Vignoles and great summer-sipper with fruit and pineapple essences. The final Vignoles we tried was the 2011 Vignoles and Friends which is semi-sweet and lighter.  (We bought one for our daughter who likes sweeter wines, as this comes across initially on the sweeter side, but the acidity lingers).
     On to the Reds! We enjoyed the KLV Red and the 2014 Leon Millot Nouveau. This is a first Nouveau for the vineyard. These grapes were harvested in September and spend little time in their stainless tanks before being released in November! Nicely fruit forward and smooth, this pleasant wine  has its own cult following! Next we compared the 2012 and 2013 Cabernet Francs. Because of the difference in the growing seasons, these two vintages are very different, but delicious.  Mel told us that it is about a 50/50 split on which people prefer: the deep color and robust spiciness of the 2012 or the lighter colored, complex 2013. We both actually liked the 2013, feeling that it is a slightly better compliment for different foods. Lastly, we sampled the 2013 Hammondsport, a blend of Pinot Noir and Leon Millot grapes in a delicious port-like wine.
     Mel asked us to do a blind sampling of a white wine to determine which Riesling it most resembled. (I believe there was confusion about which Riesling barrel it was pulled from). We thought it most reminded us of the Falling Man Vineyard Riesling due to the mineral notes. I wonder what it actually was!
     We were impressed by all the wines we sampled and we totally enjoyed the time spent with Leandra and Mel. Keuka Lake Vineyards is definitely on our return-to list so we can sample the chocolate and wine flight they also offer!

The Burning of the Canes at Fox Run Vineyards!

We went to Fox Run Vineyards this past Saturday ( March 14 ) to attend the Burning of the Canes.  This symbolic event (accompanied by a feast) ushers Spring into the vineyard.  The canes that were pruned following the fall harvest are burned to celebrate the previous year's work and the upcoming year. With the mounds of snow from our historically below-average temperatures of February finally melting, bonfire pits to warm our outsides, and wonderful food by Chef Brud Holland to warm our insides, the event was just the right thing to chase away the winter blues. Great music by Rob and Gary accompanied the food as well as lots of Riesling -even hot mulled!

Let me take a minute to describe the food Brud Holland prepared.  There was the Wine Barrel Smoked Sausage that you could dunk in maple syrup or top with Brud's own outrageous mustards.  Check out the photo of the unique wine barrel smoker!  Accompaniments included pan-fried potatoes cooked on a special grilling table made by Sam Castner, homemade apple sauce, Potato Chowder with Lemburger Cheddar Croutons, marshmallows for roasting, hot chocolate, Mulled (Riesling) Wine, and Cayuga Creamery Salted Caramel and Marshmallow Ice Cream!

Fox Run owner Scott Osborn tells us that because there were no freezing/thawing events during February, the snow cover acted as an insulator, therefore reducing any negative impact on the vines.  Now if we can get through March and April without any temperature dips as the buds break, the vintage will be off to a good start.


I hope so because Winston is quickly becoming a wine connoisseur!