Hunt Country Vineyards and the elusive Gus spotting

Sunday was such a beautiful day , a great day to take advantage of by hopping in the car to check out the Keuka Lake wineries. This weekend was Keuka Lake's World Tour of Food and Wine. (Don't panic if you missed it, they will have another one on April 19-20th!) . We stopped in Hunt Country Vineyards just a mile west of Branchport upon the recommendation of fellow "pack" members, Lorri and Dave. We were not disappointed. This 6th generation of winemakers produce award winning (and very delicious) wines. But before I get to the wines, I want to tell you about Gus. As we pulled into the parking lot, we could see an amusing cut out caricature of grape stompers. If you look closely you can see that in the barrel with the man and woman are 2 Bernese Mountain dogs! Thus the winery's mascot - 8 year old Gus the Bernese Mountain Dog. We didn't see Gus when we arrived so asked where he was. We were told that Gus had just had his bath and couldn't be allowed back out in the mud. He was hanging out on the porch of the homestead. However, as we were leaving, we were lucky enough to have a "Gus spotting." Gus saw us looking at him and quietly, stealthily slipped off the porch and started inching his way toward us. But, knowing he was on the brink of getting in trouble, he hesitated. At that moment, with the zoom camera, we snapped that elusive Gus photo! So there you have it - a rare Gus spotting!

Now about the wines at Hunt Country. I am sipping a glass of Alchemy as I write this. It is a delicious red wine combination: 45% Cab Franc, 40% Cab Sauv and 15% Noiret. Noiret is a peppery grape that Cornell is test-growing. It adds a really nice little zing to this wine. The other wines we tried were as follows:
Dry Riesling 2006 ($13.99) Very delicious, crisp and dry.

Pinot Gris 2007 ($15.99) Nice and light - this one will only get better with age.

Champagne Chardonnay ($13.99). What a delightful, light champagne at a really great price! You could drink this everyday!
Valvin Muscat 2007 ($14.99) A new white, apricot-y and smooth.

Semi-Dry Riesling 2007 ($13.99) - good, but personally, I like the Dry Riesling better. This one has 2% residual sugar,

Cabernet Franc 2005 ($21.99) Very dry - great aroma. A delicious Cab Franc only sold at the winery, but worth the trip. The Finger Lakes are doing Cab Franc's better and better.
Alchemy ($13.99) As stated above, really nice. This one tastes better after breathing a bit!

The "before and after dinner wines" were a real treat:

Late Harvest Vignoles 2007 ($19.99) I really liked this sweet wine. It would go great with blue-veined or cranberry cheeses. Excellent.
Ruby Port ($14.99) This was a real surprise treat, especially when paired with dark chocolate.

Vidal Blanc Ice Wine 2006 ($39.99) Very good and very sweet!

We really enjoyed chatting with Pat, our server and with Joyce Hunt, the owner. This is a trip worth taking.

(And as you can see, this winery helped me out with my problem mentioned in the previous post!)

It's all in the details

My house was absolutely euphoric this morning! You might think it was because the sun has been shining for 2 days in a row (even though it's 27 degrees outside) or because Spring is on the way and robins are arriving. But no, it was because Jim read in this morning's paper that Jamie Lee Curtis is posing "shirtless" for AARP magazine! Wow. That got his attention right away! As a new AARP, he is ecstatic - going on and on about what a GREAT group these AARPS are and aren't I jealous I'm not "in" with them? I don't know how I can keep him contained until the magazine comes out Monday with Jamie Lee on the cover!

OK, let's look a little closer at the story. It says Jamie Lee is shown "sporting silver hair and wading in water up to her chest" on the May/June AARP magazine cover. Come on, what will they really be showing... her shoulders? Sorry Mr. AARP, we don't want any of you "cool" members having a heart attack when you get your AARP magazine! Reading further, it says the Jamie herself won't be an AARP until November 22nd! Snap! She's YOUNGER than me, has gray hair and is hiding under water! Now I'm feeling pretty darn good about myself until the teenage daughter brings me down by pointing out that I got the short straw in the important female attribute gene pool. Poor me. Poor Jim. Damn those details!

On the plus side, a winery that pays meticulous attention to detail is the Vineyard of Hermann J. Wiemer. We visited his winery on the west side of Seneca Lake late last summer and had a wonderful chat with Laura who served us the wines. The tasting room is located off the retail shop in an enchanting old stone and wood barn on the property. It was cool and shady inside, although you could wander out on a sunlit stone patio. We were the only ones there initially, so we got the chance to try some wines that we might not have had the opportunity to in a large group. Fred Merwarth is the current winemaker, but Hermann J. Wiemer is still very involved and checks the vintages daily. The winery produces small lots which enables the winemaker to have the best control of the final product. As a legend in Finger Lakes wine development, Hermann J. Wiemer's Vineyard has won many, many awards. Check out their website at http://www.wiemer.com/ for more information and to sign up on their e-mail list.

Here's what we tried:

1999 Chardonnay. It was sold in limited quantities until gone, but was at its peak last summer. Really nice - bold.

Cabernet Franc - dry and delicious. It was in the top 3 of 100 in international wine competition.

Gewurztraminer - tasted of peaches and melon. Yumm. I really like Gewerz.

2006 Dry Riesling described by Laura as"heaven in a glass". And it was! .9 percent residual sugar - crisp!

2006 Reserve Dry ( 1.5% residual sugar)

Semi-Dry Riesling (2.4% rs) sweeter with a nice finish.

Late Harvest (3.4% rs) Yumm.

I loved everything I tasted, but the best was yet to come. We were able to taste the ....

Trochenbeerenauslese ($50.00 a bottle). Wow - this was the nectar of the Gods!

Finally, we sampled the 2003 Select Late Harvest Riesling- at 13% residual sugar it's honey taste just lingered.

It is well worth a trip to the Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyards to sample the wines. You will understand the meticulous care and attention to details that make this winery stand out!

Updates and Ramblings

I have been very bad about updating. Let's see, there were the college FASFA forms, Rory's surgery, Bryn AND Jim's big milestone birthdays. I turned around and it is March! By the way, Rory is doing fine. Of the 2 tumors on his liver, one was benign and the other a slow growing cancer. We are hoping that the other spots on his liver are also the slow growing kind and that we will have much more time in the pleasure of his company! He was a real trooper (6 days at the vets) and is back to rough housing with Maggie.

Maggie will be 3 this month, and we're still waiting for our female "Marley" to settle down. Case in point: the dog is very talented in the barking department. She can bark with a bone, stick, 5 pound dumbbell, sock or just about anything else in her mouth. The other day she was out in the back yard barking and barking. I was going to call her in before the neighbors started complaining, when I notice a deer standing in the thicket about 10 feet from her, staring at her. There's our Maggie sitting in the snow, stick in mouth, barking at the deer, tail wagging, as if to say "look at me, look at my cool stick - let's play!" The deer-statue must have stood there staring at her for a good 5 minutes before she snorted ("you're nuts") and ran off -much to Maggie's disappointment. Fortunately our girl doesn't let things get her down (combined with her memory lasting about 1/17th of a second), and she came bounding happily back to the door.

Did you notice in this morning's D&C, the article about the Wine Spectator scoring several of Seneca Lake's 2006 Rieslings? The ratings were as follows:

Anthony Road's semi-dry Riesling - 89 points
Atwater Estate's Riesling - 88 points

Chateau LaFayette Reneau Johannisberg Riesling- 88 points

Fox Run Reserve Riesling - 88 points

Red Newt Reserve Riesling - 88 points

White Spring Riesling - 87 points
What a real honor for those Seneca Lake wineries to be among the top rated wines!

Here are some upcoming wine events in March (thanks to http://www.localwineevents.com/). By the way, March is a great time to hit the wineries because there are usually smaller crowds and you can often get some quality chatting time with the people there.

St. Patrick's Irish Weekend
Mar 15, 2008 (Sat) to Mar 16, 2008 (Sun) @ 9:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Place: Cobblestone Farm Winery and Vineyard
Romulus
Cost: Free Admission
Wine Event
Join us for a St. Patrick's Irish Weekend. Enjoy award winning wines paired with complimentary Irish fare such as Irish stew and scones.more: http://www.localwineevents.com/Finger-Lakes-Wine/event-172014.html

Finger Lake International Wine Competition
Mar 28, 2008 (Fri) to Mar 31, 2008 (Mon) @ 9:00 AM - 5:00 AM
Place: The Crowne Plaza Hotel
Rochester
Cost: No cost
Wine Event
The fastest growing wine competition in North America. WINERIES; You are cordially invited to enter THE 8TH ANNUAL FINGER LAKES INTERNATIONAL WINE COMPETITION TO BENEFIT CAMP GOOD...more: http://www.localwineevents.com/Finger-Lakes-Wine/event-158119.html

World Tour of Food and Wine I
Mar 29, 2008 (Sat) to Mar 30, 2008 (Sun) @ 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Place: Nine wineries surrounding Keuka Lake
Penn Yan
Cost: Fee $20 per person in advance, $25 per p...
Combo Event
Join us for an inspiring event of food and wine pairings on quaint and charming Keuka Lake. Each winery has selected a country or regional food to feature along with fine wines. As...more: http://www.localwineevents.com/Finger-Lakes-Wine/event-159452.html

Cruisin' the Tropics Weekend
Mar 29, 2008 (Sat) to Mar 30, 2008 (Sun) @ 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Place: Wineries along the Seneca Lake Wine Trai...
Watkins Glen
Cost: $25 per person/$18 for designated driver...
Combo Event
Pull out your tropical shirts, put on your sunglasses, go sockless in your boat shoes, wear your favorite beach hat, and join us for a weekend of relaxation in the tropics . . . ju...more: http://www.localwineevents.com/Finger-Lakes-Wine/event-159723.html

Enjoy!

February Finger Lakes Wine Events

Upcoming Wine Events (some events have no cost listed. Please contact the wineries to find out about costs):

Casa Larga Vineyards - Sweetheart's Saturday
Feb 09, 2008 (Sat) @ 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Place: Casa Larga Vineyards
Fairport
Celebrate Valentine’s Day with your sweetheart at Casa Larga! Our Wine Shop will be offering a variety of special treats in honor of the holiday, including samples of our Blanc de...more: http://www.localwineevents.com/Finger-Lakes-Wine/event-153251.html

Celebrate Chocolate & Wine Weekend
Feb 09, 2008 (Sat) to Feb 10, 2008 (Sun) @ 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Place: Wineries along the Seneca Lake Wine Trai...
Watkins Glen
Cost: $25/person or $18 for designated driver
Enjoy a self-guided tour around beautiful Seneca Lake. Pick up your gift item at your assigned starting winery then start sampling chocolates, or foods prepared with chocolate, ...more: http://www.localwineevents.com/Finger-Lakes-Wine/event-159728.html

Cobblestone Farm Winery Sweet Sensation Weekend
Feb 09, 2008 (Sat) to Feb 10, 2008 (Sun) @ 9:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Place: Cobblestone Farm Winery and Vineyard
Romulus
Cost: None
Celebrate Valentine’s Day with your loved one. Enjoy fine wines paired with complimentary tasty treats such as cheesecake, apple pie, and chocolate brownies. more: http://www.localwineevents.com/Finger-Lakes-Wine/event-165233.html

Fire and Ice Ice Wine Festival - Casa Larga Vineyards
Feb 10, 2008 (Sun) @ 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Place: Casa Larga Vineyards
Fairport
Cost: $12; $10 for Club Members
Ice Wine takes the stage at this annual event! 2008 marks the 12th year for Fire and Ice™, the celebration of Casa Larga's Ice Wines. Each year, this festival draws hundreds of i...more: http://www.localwineevents.com/Finger-Lakes-Wine/event-153252.html

Casa Larga Vineyards - Fiori Wine Enthusiast's Dinner
Feb 29, 2008 (Fri) @ 6:00 PM - 9:30 PM
Place: Casa Larga Vineyards
Fairport
Join Casa Larga for an elegant evening of celebration! The dinner is part of a month-long celebration of award winning wines, including Fiori Vidal and Fiori Cabernet Franc ice wi...more: http://www.localwineevents.com/Finger-Lakes-Wine/event-153253.html

Then LIFE steps in...

Wow. I just re-read the last blog and realized how quickly things change. How wonderful that warm, content, Christmasy-cozy feeling of the last blog entry. Then the wind blew in changes - changes that have yet to fall out and settle. It all started with that beastly blast of wind and the flying pieces of siding, branches and whole trees (not to mention it was TRASH DAY)! After surviving days of electrical ons and offs, life again settled into the quiet routine of work, school, home. Little did we know event number two was just lurking around the corner. Sitting down to an Instructional Council meeting, my cell rang and I heard those dreaded words that every parent hopes they'll never hear... "I was in a car accident Mom." Thankfully, no one was hurt badly (except the cars) but it was a hair whitening, palpitation producing experience! Watching the other car being towed away, flashers flashing, police sweeping the glass, I knew it could have been much worse. So we deal and move on from event number two. Event three started inconspicuously but gained momentum throughout the month. Our Logo/Poster-boy Golden, Rory, went in for his rabies shot and a possible "lump" was uncertainly found. Bringing him back for a second "feel" a week later and it still was as clear as mud. Blood work, however revealed high liver enzymes (not a good sign and indicative of a fast acting cancer), but an ultrasound would possibly clarify things. Meanwhile Rory is acting just fine - chasing Maggie, jumping on the bed.... The ultrasound showed what looked to be a healthy liver, kidneys and heart, but a very large mass possibly coming off his spleen. It was important to get him in to have it removed or it could burst and he could bleed out. Long story short, as he lay on the table, the vet called to say it was indeed coming off the liver (with other bumps evident on the liver) and what did I want to do. GULP. Rory has had the large (size of 2 grapefruits) growth removed as well as part of his liver. He has been at the vets for 5 days now and we're hoping to pick him up tomorrow. The good news is that every time I call, they re-iterate how they can't believe this dog just went through major surgery. I hope we bought him some time and I really hope our run of 3's is over!

I will add a review of the Hermann J. Weimer Vineyard in the next blog posting as well as some upcoming events And I will keep you posted on Rory's progress.

Golden toasting by a cracklin' fire!

Here are the promised photos of the new room. Rory especially loves the warmth of the fire. This is pure dog contentment!

It was an exceptionally busy holiday season this year. Between births, birthdays, a graduation and Christmas, it has been quite a December!

Our family seems to have a tradition of having birthdays as close to Christmas as possible! On December 23rd my nephew George turned 8 this year. December 24th another nephew, Adam, turned 26. On January 3rd, Adam's daughter Noel will be 7. And we have a new Christmas blessing -Adam's newest daughter, Mia Rose, was born on December 18th! What a tiny, sweet delight she is. She slept peacefully through the presents, the food and all the hoopla! Her parents report that she sleeps pretty well through the night also. How lucky is that?

We have so much to celebrate this New Year. A friend who has just completed radiation treatments for cancer, a child whose college applications are all mailed, a new room for wine tastings in the new year, many dear friends with whom to celebrate throughout the year, and lots of great wines from the 2007 growing season to taste! Our New Year's resolutions will center around New York State wines. Jim and I hope to take a course in February offered at the New York Wine and Culinary Center in Canandaigua that will give us an internationally recognized certification from the Wine and Education Trust of London, England. We will also keep up our tradition of wine tasting parties throughout the year as well as excursions to the wineries to bring the best wines back to you.

In the mean time, we'll sit back with a glass of Standing Stone's Cab Franc and enjoy the room, the warmth of the fire and the company of our goldens.

So, raise your glass for a toast to 2008. May it be a fabulous, memorable year!

Chateau Lafayette Reneau

The snow is falling as we sit by a warm fire enjoying a glass of Seyval Chardonnay from Chateau Lafayette Reneau. Yes, the "Porch Room" is done and the fireplace installed. What better way to enjoy the winter than to look out from a toasty-warm room with a glass of wine! I'll post photos soon, I promise. (It could be a good wine-tasting room.....)

Chateau Lafayette Reneau (established in 1985) is located on the East shore of Seneca Lake in Hector, NY and produces a wide variety of premium wines. This delightful Seyval (51%) Chardonnay (49%) blend is light, fruity, yet has a subtle oak/chardonnay flavor, too. A unique twist on a chardonnay that goes down easy and is easy on the wallet ($9.49 at the winery)!

When we were at Chateau Lafayette Reneau this summer we sampled 15 wines for $4.00 and met Jenny the winery cat! We enjoyed the 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon ($17.99) which had a smooth cherry and smokey flavor that should age well. We also liked the 2006 Dry Riesling (surprise!), the Seyval Chardonnay and the Pinot Noir Blanc (referred to as "a giant step above White Zinfandel" and a real deal at $9.49).

The setting was gorgeous (especially so now with snow on the ground) and the staff was fun. I don't know how the wine server remembered all the details about each of the wines while serving them all to various small groups in random order around the bar. She was amazing.

Chateau Lafayette Reneau will be among the wineries on Seneca Lake celebrating the Bargain Bash - Saturday through Sunday, January 13th - 21st, 2007, 10:00am-6:00 pm. This Seneca Lake Wine Trail Event is open to the public and a good way to stock up on the wines you like to help you through the rest of the snowy, cold winter!

Tom Turkey and Standing Stone Vineyards

What wines did you serve with your Thanksgiving dinner? We opted for a Gewurztraminer and a Cabernet Franc with dinner and a tasty late harvest vignoles as our dessert wine. I chose the white wine, a 2006 Gewurztraminer from Casa Larga Vineyards. Light and slightly spicy, it really complimented the big bird and all the trimmings. Jim, the red wine lover, chose a 2006 Cabernet Franc from Standing Stone Vineyards. This cab franc is delicious - light and dry, lots of cherry/fruitiness, and a smooth finish. We tried a piece of dark chocolate with it tonight - it tasted like chocolate covered cherries! Really wonderful!
This wine took us back to when we visited the Standing Stone Vineyards this past summer. Located on the east side of Seneca Lake near Hector, NY, Standing Stone has a spectacular view of the Lake! Now I sit here writing in 28 degree weather with snow on the ground, but the day we were at Standing Stone was one of those 90 degree days. We walked from the stifling heat into the cool, cottage-like tasting room. Outside the tasting room is a huge deck overlooking the lake. The owners do it all - landscaping, serving people and bottling their wines. We sampled their 2005 Reserve Chardonnay, the 2006 Gewurztraminer, the 2006 Riesling, the 2006 Cabernet Franc and the Vidal Ice Wine. All were very, very good, but the Cabernet Franc ($17.99) and Gewurztraminer ($18.99) were our choices to bring home.
We haven't tried the Gewurztraminer yet- we're saving it for a Gewurztraminer tasting/rating one of these days. But the Cab Franc was the perfect addition to our Thanksgiving table! Yum!

Mayers Lake Ontario Winery and Vineyards

Wow! Another stunning fall day! We have been so blessed this fall with the warm weather and stunning fall colors... AND everything I read says that this year's grape harvest is the best in many years. I can't wait to start tasting the '07 wines!

Jim and I took a few minutes out of our weekend to visit a small winery close to us - Mayers Lake Ontario Winery and Vineyards located at Mayers Cider Mill. Mayers makes their wine currently in Webster, but grows their grapes on land in Hilton, NY. They are planning on building the beautiful winery in Hilton that they depict on their labels. We had visited Mayers this summer to purchase beer-making supplies (they have wine making supplies and classes also!) and knew they were working on the new wine tasting room and deck. The room is quaint - nicely decorated with a small wood bar, tables and shelves. They offer polo shirts and baseball caps with their logo as well as unique wine bottle bags and other wine paraphernalia. We both started out with a delicious semi-dry Riesling (of course). I went on to sample the Pinot Grigo (appropriately light and smooth) and the Pinot Noir (light, fruity with a nice finish). Jim sampled the Oaked Chardonnay (nice and oak-y!) and the Cabernet Franc, which he especially enjoyed. They also offer specialty wines (reds and whites), a Blush Chardonnay, a nice middle-of-the-road-in-sweetness Cayuga wine, and sweeter Niagara and sweet Riesling wines. As new wines are bottled, they are added to the sampling list. If you are up North in the Webster area, it is well worth the stop (pick up some cider while you're there, too!). We are eagerly anticipating the opening of the new winery in Hilton when it is complete. We'll keep you posted!

"Best of Show" Newsletter

It's finally here - our "Best of Show" Newsletter - the super-informative newsletter in which we champion New York State wines to help you with your wine selection needs. This first issue will spotlight the "Best of Breed" Rieslings and you will want to lap them up! Now is the time to stockpile those Rieslings to pair with your Thanksgiving turkey! Your guests will howl about your wonderful selections much like Maggie howls for her latest love - Friz (as in frisbee).

When you sign up to subscribe to the semi-annual e-newsletter we will also include you in exclusive notifications of hidden treasures and limited offerings. What a deal for $5.00! Please send a note with your name, e-mail address and payment to:

Finger Lakes Wine Retrievers

PO Box 8105

Webster, NY 14580