Author Archives: Tracy

Madeira: Perhaps a true desert island wine

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Courtesy Vinho Madeira - IVBAM

 

OK, yes, I wrote about desert island wines previously, but what if you were truly stranded on a desert island? You certainly wouldn’t have temperature-controlled wine storage available to you and eventually your wines would spoil in the heat. But what about a wine that was designed to withstand the heat and would even continue to improve on the voyage to said desert island? Madeira — a wine created to survive the long sea voyage from Europe to the New World– would be the perfect wine for such circumstances. 

Madeira is a volcanic island off the coast of Portugal and is the home of Madeira wine. Here, Tinta Negra Mole, Sercial, Verdelho, Bual and Malmsey (aka Malvasia) are grown on the steep slopes of the island. All, but the Tinta Negra, are white grape varieties.  The wine itself owes its taste and character to its fortification (through the addition of a neutral grape-based spirit similar to Port or Sherry) and its prolonged exposure to the heat. The fortification interrupts the fermentation process and, depending upon when it occurs, generally prevents some of the sugar from being converted into alcohol, thereby creating a wine with some sweetness. 

Four styles of wine — dry, semi-dry, semi-sweet and sweet — are produced, corresponding to the grape variety used. Sercial is the driest style, followed by Verdelho and Bual, with Malmsey being the sweetest. However, despite being labeled as “sweet”, these wines are drier than you might think and can actually pair nicely with savory foods, such as cheeses, wild game and nuts, as well as, if not better than, desserts. 

After the fortification, the wine is subjected to high temperatures in either a heated, concrete vat (an estufa) for several months or through prolonged storage in oak casks in naturally warm rooms (canteiros) over several years, recreating the conditions found when the wine was shipped over lengthy distances. Given the slow and steady process, the Canteiro method is considered to be of higher quality and thus generally reserved for the Sercial, Verdelho, Bual and Malmsey grapes, while Tinta Negra Mole are most often heated in Estufagem. A minimum of 85% of the grapes must be from the named grape variety if it is stated on the label. 

With its ability to withstand the heat, Madeira would do well in the sans-refrigerator environment of the desert island. For those of us on Manhattan island (hot right now, but fortunately, not under desert conditions) as well as elsewhere in the United States, Madeira is a perfect wine to enjoy now. And, as some of my colleague, Rebecca Chapa, has pointed out, it is timely too, as George Washington toasted the first Independence Day back in 1776 with a glass of Madeira. 

A June tasting, sponsored by the Madeira Wine, Embroidery and Handcraft Institute (IVBAM), showcased some of the top Madeira producers, including Blandy’s, Broadbent, Henriques & Henriques, Justino’s, Pereira d’Oliveira and Vinhos Barbeito. Here are a few tasting notes from that event: 

Henriques & Henriques 10 Years Old Verdelho, Portugal
Dating back to 1850, Henriques & Henriques is the largest independent producer and shipper of Madeira. Medium mahoghany in color with aromas of honey, burnt orange and oxidation, this wine is off-dry with rich flavors of orange peel, honey and raisin that linger in its long length.  

Vinhos Berbeito Historic Series Malmsey New York Special Reserve, Portugal
Established in 1946 by Mario Barbeito, this Madeira producer has a shorter history than many other firms, but has created an historic series based on the styles of wine preferred by various colonial cities. Colonial New Yorkers preferred a richer style of wine compared to their colleagues in Charleston and Savannah, with coffee, toffee and raisin notes on the nose and medium-sweet palate, culminating in long length. 

Broadbent Madeira Malmsey 10 Years Old, Portugal
Bartholemew Broadbent imports Madeira wines under his own label. This sweet wine has aromas of burnt sugar, oxidation and dried oranges, with flavors of spice, dried fruits and dried herbs on the palate. 

D’Oliveira Reserve Sercial 1969, Portugal
A small producer, Pereira d’Oliveira is known for its large stocks of old and rare wines. This older vintage is still showing some color with notes of burnt sugar and honey. It is dry with oxidized notes, honey and spice on the palate. 

Blandy’s Madeira Vintage Bual 1968, Portugal
Blandy’s was named for a soldier who landed on Madeira in 1808 and eventually settled on the island as a general trader in 1811.  This vintage wine is pale in color, but still shows hues of mahoghany. The nose is rich and deep with notes of caramel and burnt sugar. On the palate, it is medium-sweet, with a hint of oxidation, caramel, burnt orange and treacle flavors that persist.

Greek wines embraced by NYC and its wine stores

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It used to be that one had to venture to Queens’ Greek neighborhood to find a decent selection of wines from Greece and similar countries. These wines were sold almost expressly for ex-patriots who wanted a taste of wine from the old country in their new homeland. However, Greek wines have become more visible in the wine world, due to the increased focus on quality and influx of new, young winemakers.

In northern Greece, up and coming winemakers Evripidis Katsaros from Katsaros Estate; Thrassos Giantsidis from Estate Gerovassiliou; and Annegret Stamos from Biblia Chora are establishing high quality reputations both at home and broad. Their dry and windy area produces mostly whites, but, beautiful red wines are also being made.

With training in Bordeaux, Giantsidis has applied French winemaking techniques to indigenous grape varieties, while Katsaros has experience in Burgundy. Annegret is originally from Germany, bringing yet another unique perspective to the region. Wines produced in this region have good acidity, but less so than the same grape, such as Assyrtiko, grown in Santorini. While import markets clambor for Greek varieties, the local market wants the diversity of international varieties as well, which accounts for the use of both in these wines. The importer advised that these wines may be found at Acker Merrall & Condit, among other outlets in New York City. For more information on these wineries, visit Cava Spiliadis.

As further evidence of the increased interest in Greek wines, Chelsea Wine Vault has just announced the addition of a new Greek wine section. Their recent newsletter highlighted a number of wines including a nice range of affordable reds and whites. The store has not yet added “Greece” to its search by region function, but it is likely an oversight soon to be corrected. Chelsea Wine Vault will host a Greek wine class on July 13, 2010 from 6:30 – 8:00 PM at the store. Tickets are $45/ person and may be purchased online.
75 Ninth Avenue, at 16th Street, New York, NY

In addition, Picada y Vino  will offer a free tasting this weekend of a Greek wine and a Lebanese wine: Saturday, June 26, 2010 from 4:00 – 7:00PM. Wines include Greece’s Domaine Tselepos Mantinia Moschofilero 2008 (a white produced from 100% Moschofilero) and Lebanon’s Château Kefraya Les Bretèches (a red blend of Cinsault (70%), Cabernet Sauvignon (10%), Syrah (5%), Grenache (5%), Tempranillo (5%), Carignan (3%) and Mourvèdre (2%). These two featured wines will be 10% off, all day. 327 Fifth Avenue, Brooklyn, NY, 11215

A Truly Winederful Evening

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The Four Seasons was the scene for a beautiful event on June 7, 2010 — the Wine Media Guild’s annual Hall of Fame dinner. Members and their guests began the evening on the Grill Room’s balcony, with a festive sparkling wine reception after checking in with Ron Kapon to pick up their nametags made by yours truly.

A formal sitdown dinner followed the reception, held in the private room above the Pool Room with over 90 guests in attendance. As usual, attendees were invited to bring a bottle or two of wine from their cellar to share with their table. A wide range of wines were tasted throughout the evening from rare treasures and oddities to more common bottles, but all bringing immense drinking pleasure. We were especially pleased with our Marc Morey Chevalier-Montrachet 2000, which was showing beautifully. Unfortunately, our Bedell Cellars C-Block Merlot in magnum was a bit faded.

Just before dessert was served, the awards were presented to: Dan Berger, Michael Broadbent (accepted by his son, Bartholomew) and Karen MacNeil (accepted by John Gottfried),  inducting them into the Hall of Fame.  André Simon was inducted posthumously. In addition, scholarships were presented to three students at New York City College of Technology, as selected by the WMG Scholarship Committee. The students will be able to use their scholarships to further their knowledge with additional coursework in wine at school. 

The wine continued to flow as guests lingered with friends and had fun tasting leftovers on various tables. Kevin Zraly made a surprise appearance at the end of the evening, arriving just in time to taste a bit before we all headed home, eagerly anticipating next year’s dinner.

Grand Cru Grapevine: For the Cellar (June 2010)

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Season has arrived, keeping us busy with public classes, private group tastings and lots of fun wine events. Some recent highlights included a presentation on Long Island wines to wine club, It Was a Good Year, based in Poughkeepsie, NY; a presentation of our From Vine to Wine class held in conjunction with the Town of Riverhead’s Department of Recreation; and a jaunt “Around the Wine World in Six Glasses” for a bachelorette party in East Hampton. We return to the Hamptons for another bachelorette party this month. 

We also had the good fortune to visit to the Finger Lakes wine region in early May as part of Lenn Thompson’s TasteCamp East. This three-day extravaganza provided us with a fast and furious overview of this great wine region, which neither of us had truly visited despite Tracy having gone to Cornell University for school. If you get a chance to visit yourself, we highly recommend the trip. 

Of course, for most of you, a much shorter trip will bring you to the haven that is the East End of Long Island, which has ramped up for 2010 and welcomes your visit. If you do head out our way, be sure to stop by to visit our vineyard and take a wine class. We will also be delighted to show you our new solar array, which is our latest step in going off the grid and being green.

Coming with a group? We can customize a private class or event for you to enhance your visit to the region – choose from our regular wine tasting classes or add a cheese tasting component to broaden your knowledge even further. We await you… 

Drink wisely and well,
Tracy Ellen Kamens, Ed.D., DWS, CWE
CEO: Chief Education Officer
       and
Jared Michael Skolnick
COO: Cork Opening Officer  

FOR THE CELLAR
While most wine is consumed within 48 hours of purchase, there are good reasons to cellar your wine. No, that New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc likely won’t improve with age, but, many other wines will continue to develop in the bottle, revealing even more nuances and complexity upon opening. As they say, patience is a virtue, and truly, a well-aged wine can be a rewarding experience.  

Which wines will age?
First, know that a vintage date is not akin to a freshness date – buying wine is very different from buying milk. An older wine is not necessarily a bad thing and in fact can be even better for having aged. That being said, wines that are intended to be enjoyed for their crisp acidity and fresh fruit flavors are best enjoyed young and should not be aged. Accordingly, keep tabs on your fresh, aromatic whites, roses and fruity reds and plan to drink them within three years of release.

Similarly, most white wines are meant to be enjoyed in their youth. However, high quality Chardonnays, Rieslings, Semillons and Chenin Blancs can develop nutty, toasty, honey and other more developed aromas and flavors that come through after the fresh fruit has faded.  Red wines with good tannins are likely to be ageworthy due to their structure and, in fact, highly tannic wines generally require some ageing for the tannins to soften and become more enjoyable on the palate. As with their white counterparts, vibrant fruit will become more subdued as secondary and tertiary flavors come to the fore with dried fruits, earthy and herbal notes taking their place. In general, a wine with ageing potential will have enough fruit, acidity and structure. If these elements aren’t sufficiently present in the beginning, they will fade too quickly as the wine ages and the aged wine will be lacking on the palate. In addition, sugar and alcohol are great preservatives, so wines with high sugar contents and fortified wines can age beautifully such as Sauternes; Ports; and Auslese, Beerenauslese and Trockenberenauslese Rieslings. 

Proper storage conditions
If you are laying down your own wines, be sure to store them under proper cellar conditions. Wines should be stored in consistent temperature between 50oF-70oF with some humidity to keep the corks moist in an area that is free from vibration and not exposed to light. Bottles with corks should be laid horizontally, to further aid in keeping the corks moist. If buying older vintages at an auction or retail, it is important to consider the storage conditions under which the wine has been since its departure from the winery. Whether ageing them yourself or buying aged wines, well-stored wines, with good providence, are more likely to be sound, although even under the best circumstances, there are no guarantees. 

When to drink your aged wines
Deciding when to drink your aged wines is both an art and a science. Typically, if you have a case of a particular wine, you will likely drink a few bottles too soon and a few bottles too late and the remainder during the wine’s peak. It’s a  good idea to check out vintage charts to see when wine experts, who are often tasting wines throughout the ageing process, think they are ready to drink (or if they think they are too young or too mature).

Serving older wines 
Once you have selected to drink an older wine you should expect a few things such as sediment. The tannins and pigments will precipitate out of solution, falling to the bottom of the wine. Accordingly, older wines frequently need to be decanted. In addition, like leaving an apple slice on the counter, wines (especially white wines) will oxidize a bit with time and thus will change color. White wines will become darker, heading toward brown while red wines will lose color, shifting toward brick and orange tones. Finally, corks on older wines may be very fragile, thus, an Ah-So opener might be a better way to go than the usual cork screw. 

Whether you prefer the vibrancy of newly released wines or the complexity of aged wines, open a great bottle and enjoy! 

 Tasting Notes 

  To further illustrate the discussion above, this month’s tasting notes include several of the same wines from different vintages, highlighting the changes that come with age. 

Bott-Geyl, Pinot d’Alsace 2005, Alsace, France, $16.00
We featured this traditional blend of Pinot Auxerois, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir in our December 2008 newsletter. Now at five years old, it is showing some beautiful aged characteristics with the citrus and floral notes have given way to honey and toast. However, the wine’s richness and acidity are still very present.

Anthony Road Winery, Semi-Dry Riesling 2008, Finger Lakes (NY), USA, $15.00
This is their off-dry Riesling offering with approximately 21-25 g/l of residual sugar. Floral aromas dominate the nose while the off-dry palate provides vibrant acidity and peach/stone fruit flavors that linger throughout the wine’s long length.  

Anthony Road Winery, Semi-Dry Riesling 2001, Finger Lakes (NY), USA
The same wine as the Riesling 2008, but with seven years of bottle ageing, the wine shows developing aromas of petrol. The palate is now drier and the ripe fruit has faded into notes of honey, toast and lime. The long length persists. 

Beronia Gran Reserva 2001, Rioja, Spain, $22.00
Produced from 88% Tempranillo, 8% Graciano and 4% Mazuelo, the wine was aged for a minimum of 24-36 months in oak plus an additional 36 months in bottle to quality for the Gran Reserva label. Aromas of smoke, spice, herbal and bright berry greet the nose. The palate provides red fruit and leafy flavors and good, tannic structure.Nearly the same wine as the one above, this wine was produced from 100% Tempranillo. Its nose reveals dried fruits and herbal aromas, while the palate is dry with medium+ acidity. Flavors of herbs, red fruit and spice are beautifully developed.Another 100% Tempranillo wine, this is a good (or rather bad) example of what happens when you wait too long to drink your wines. Tasted right after the 1982 Gran Reserva, it was clear that this wine was past its prime with limited fruit and bitter notes on the palate. In contrast, the 1982 had a slightly oxidized nose, but still showed some flavors of bright fruit, dried herbs and dried flowers.

Beronia Gran Reserva 1994, Rioja, Spain, $53.00

Beronia Gran Reserva 1981, Rioja, Spain, $55.00

White & Red from the Med

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I’ve been travelling around the Mediterranean lately, all without leaving home. Recent wine events took me from Israel and Turkey to Greece. While these aren’t the first places that come to mind when thinking about wine-producing countries, they each have a long history of viticulture and vinification and I was impressed with both the producers I met and the wines I tasted.

I kicked off the tour at a seminar debuting ROM from Israel. This wine is a joint project between Yarden’s winemaker Victor Schoenfeld and Zelma Long. Zelma was initially brought in to help with viticultural issues, but as she and Victor got to know each other better, a wine collaboration seemed to be a natural progression. This new wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah. Participants at the event had the opportunity to first taste through barrel samples of the individual wines, which truly illustrated how the three grapes come together to create a much greater whole. We next tasted three different vintages of the wine — 2006, 2007, and 2008, which highlighted the evolution of the wine in bottle. With limited production and its association with Zelma Long, this wine is likely to achieve a strong following.

Skipping across town instead of across the sea, I dined at Le Cirque with producers from Kavaklidere, Turkey’s largest winery, along with Mehmet Yorukoglu, president of House of Burgundy, the winery’s importer. Showcasing both indigenous and international varieties, the wines included a nice, crisp rose (Egeo Rose 2009) produced from Cal Karasi, Syrah and Grenache, with whites featuring Sauvignon Blanc, Narince and Chardonnay and reds made from Kalecik Karasi, Okuzgozu and Bogazkere. Working with French oenologist, Stephen Derencourt, the winery has seen significant growth and, more importantly, a signficant focus on quality, over the past several years. The wines were impressive, with a nice range of aromas and flavors distinguishing each wine.

The final stop on my tour was northern Greece with lunch at Marea with Evripidis Katsaros from Katsaros Estate; Thrassos Giantsidis, export manager from Estate Gerovassiliou; and Annegret Stamos, export manager from Biblia Chora. This dry and windy area produces mostly whites, but, over lunch, attendees tasted a wide range of both white and red wines. With training in Bordeaux, Gerovassiliou’s winemaker Evangelos Gerovassiliou has applied French winemaking techniques to indigenous grape varieties; similarly Katsaros has experience in Burgundy. Wines produced in this region have good acidity, but less so than the same grape, such as Assyrtiko, grown in Santorini. While import markets clambor for Greek varieties, the local market wants the diversity of international varieties as well, which accounts for the use of both in these wines.

Stellakaya’s winemaker a rising star at the Home of the Stars

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The first time Ntsiki Biyela tasted wine it was a shocking experience for her and she was initially decided that she didn’t like it. The problem was that Ntsiki had just moved 1,000 miles from her hometown in Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa to pursue a bachelor’s degree in oenology at Stellenbosch University. Recruited to the program as a result of her high marks in high school science by South African Airlines, Ntsiki didn’t really know much about the career on which she was embarking. Her only previous experience with alcoholic beverages was with brewing a traditional beer made from corn, but she was willing to stick it out and learn.

Once Ntsiki had begun the program, she was asked if she wanted to switch majors, but by that time it was too late. She had started to enjoy her coursework as well as working with Delheim winery to gain hands-on experience. And, of course, she learned to appreciate the taste of wine. Her perseverance paid off as she joined Stellekaya as junior winemaker in 2004 and then taking over the winemaking in 2005, becoming South Africa’s first black female winemaker. In 2009, she was named Landbouweekblad Woman Winemaker of the year.

Stellakaya, which means “Home of the Stars” specializes in red wines. A relatively new winery, Stellakaya planted 15 ha in 2005 and thus, currently buys in its grapes from neighboring vineyards. Grapes are carefully handpicked and left in cold storage overnight to adjust acidity levels due to the heat and wines are aged in French oak. Borrowing from the winery’s star theme, the blended wines are named for various constellations such as Cape Cross, Orion and Hercules.

Stellakaya Cape Cross 2004, Stellenbosch, South Africa
A Cape Blend of Merlot (50%), Pinotage (30%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (20%), this wine has aromas of meat, berries, earth and smoke. Its dry, medium to full-bodied palate shows notes of smoke, blackberry and meat, along with ripe tannins.

Stellakaya Orion 2005, Stellenbosch, South Africa
This wine’s blend is Bordeaux in style, bringing Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc together. Notes of blackberry, plum, euclyptus and slight oak greet the nose, while flavors of rich, ripe blackberry, vanilla, spice and oak pervade throughout the wine’s long length.

Stellakaya Cabernet Sauvignon 2005, Stellenbosch, South Africa
Produced from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon (at least the Technical Sheet doesn’t say otherwise), this wine is aged for twenty months in French oak, 60% of which was new. The full-bodied wine displays typical aromas and flavors of blackberry, euclyptus and pepper, with firm tannins.

Another misstep for Yellow Tail?

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Back in February, [yellow tail] made news when it announced that it would be making a sizeable donation to the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). Unfortunately, it wasn’t the kind of publicity they were hoping for. Instead of being seen as a charitable act, many in the agricultural community were outraged by this decision and called for people to boycott Yellow Tail. The problem was that the HSUS was not the pet-loving, animal shelter organization that Yellow Tail thought it to be. Rather, the HSUS has taken a firm stand on ending “factory farming” which is why the ranchers were so up in arms when they heard the announcement. After a contentious war waged on the social media battlegrounds, Yellow Tail backed down and withdrew the remaining balance due on its pledge, lesson learned.

Beyond Yellow Tail’s specific actions, it appears that familiarity breeds contempt. Yellow Tail’s success as a top wine brand has made it a ubiquitous target for wine writers and others. Many of the articles covering the debate about Governor Patterson’s proposal to permit grocery stores in New York state to sell wine lament that such a move would result in a lowest common denominator selection of wine on the shelves, chief among them, Yellow Tail. The backlash is further emphasized in other contexts, as readers of various wine columns are admonished to drink ABY…anything but Yellow Tail… and are urged to think outside the big Australian bottle.

But, is this criticism fair? Does Yellow Tail deserve this treatment? Clearly, some consumers must like drinking Yellow Tail or it wouldn’t have grown to become the big brand it is known to be. In fact, accoring to Beverage World’s April 2010 issue, Yellow Tail ranked #2 in Top 10 U.S. Wine Brands based on U.S. dollar sales for 2009.

Obviously, a lot of people are buying Yellow Tail wines, but how does Yellow Tail do when tasted blindly against other wines? This is precisely the question posed at a recent Yellow Tail event. Last week, Doug Frost, MS, MW presided over a blind tasting in which Yellow Tail Reserve wines were tasted in blind flights with a competitive set of wines. The invitation, sent to a select audience of sommeliers and wine writers, asked invitees if they could spot which wine was the Yellow Tail wine among a photo of paperbag-wrapped bottles.

The small-scale events were held in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago and New York, with John Casella, Managing Director for Yellow Tail, in attendance as well. So what happened? How did the wines fare in this context? Unfortunately, I wasn’t there to find out first hand, but early reports indicate that it may not have been the slam dunk that Yellow Tail had hoped it would be.

On May 10, Bottlenotes’ The Daily Sip hit my in-box and suggested that I, “Try This Wine at Home–If You Dare,” with the additional headline, “The scariest blind tasting ever?” Author Bayard Collins explained that he and the other participants had, “sip[ped], spit [and] cringe[d]” during the tasting and further noted that although no official score was kept, the Yellow Tail wines were the least favorites with one exception — the Mollydooker Maitre’d Cabernet Sauvignon. Bayard admitted that some of the tasters did like the Yellow Tail wines and advised that some of his readers might like it too, yet added the snide comment that liking Yellow Tail “wasn’t “a crime (that we know of).”

Another participant, Marisa D’Vari of A Wine Story, also wrote of her experience at the tasting. While Marisa wrote favorably about the event, it is what she didn’t say that is more revealing than what she did. The only reference to the actual tasting experience was her statement, “It was interesting to compare these (mostly) Australian wines in terms of style…” but she never fully states her own impressions of the wine,  merely noting that, “The wines were created to be great tasting wines that went well with many foods.”

Such results are unfortunate because Yellow Tail is not, as it would seem to be painted, inherently evil. While Bayard is certainly entitled to his opinion and preferences, his snarkiness may dissuede some of his readers from enjoying Yellow Tail. For wine writers and sommeliers who have the opportunity to taste a broader range of wines and at much higher price points (generally not on our own dimes), we can be a bit jaded, but for the majority of consumers with little to no wine knowledge, Yellow Tail and other wines might be perfect. With its size and access, it can create a consistent product from year to year. Yes, many wine lovers enjoy vintage variation, but my guess is that the majority of consumers like to know what to expect when they open a bottle of wine and, if they liked the wine last time, expect that it will taste the same the next time they buy it and this is an area where Yellow Tail delivers.

I was beginning to think that the blind tasting event might have been a total misstep for Yellow Tail when I received the following e-mail from one of the participants yesterday, “Thank you very much for the kind invite…Always discoveries and surprises.” The participant still leaves a lot of things unsaid, but as this was a brief thank you note, it will be interesting to see what he or she might say further in print or online. Moreover, there were quite a few others who have as yet been silent, but that may change. The full effect of the event  likely won’t be known for some time, but I applaud Yellow Tail’s efforts for making such a bold move. Misstep or not, they continue to walk forward, head held high.

NB: For the record, it should be stated that I consult for W.J. Deutsch & Sons, the company that imports Yellow Tail, on occasion, most recently working with Doug on the above event. However, the views expressed in this post are entirely my own and are not influenced by my connection with the company.

TasteCamp East 2010 – A view from the vines

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Argetsinger Vineyard on Seneca Lake, Finger Lakes wine region

I spent this past weekend at TasteCamp East, which turned out to be a great event and a nice return “home” for me.

This was our first full participation in TasteCamp East since last year’s event was held on Long Island and, as residents of the region, felt that it would be duplicative to attend the various tastings. However, we did host the Saturday night dinner, which permitted us to meet most of the participants.

When we learned that the 2010 TasteCamp East would be held in the Finger Lakes, we were excited to be visiting all of the wineries. I attended Cornell University in Ithaca, NY, which is located within the Finger Lakes wine region, but had not really explored the region.  My sole exploration took place during Senior Week when I took a half-day wine tour offered by the College, which took us to Taylor and Bully Hill.

I credit these initial winery visits with whetting my appetite for wine at that time in my life and, in fact, found myself hosting a wine party that following summer. Each guest was asked to bring a bottle of wine, which I supplemented with a visit to our local wine store. I felt like a kid in a candy store, not knowing what anything was, but excited to be picking up a wide range of wines to expand my knowledge and palate. Even my mother was caught up in the wine frenzy that summer, foresaking White Zinfandel in favor of Pinot Grigio. And, with that, the world of wine was suddenly open…

Fast forward to this weekend’s festivities, which found us visiting wineries along Keuka, Seneca and Cayuga Lakes and tasting wines produced from vinifera and hybrid grape varieties. As an additional backdrop to the weekend, the Wine Century Club, an organization that lauds the diversity in grapes, celebrated its birthday on Friday, May 7. I was very impressed with the majority of the wines tasted and enjoyed the opportunity to meet a number of the winemakers, winery owners and vineyard managers, along with other winery employees.

While the focus was on wine, I met several people connected to Cornellover the course of the weekend and was pleased to hear of the positive impact that Cornell has had on the industry, both through the advice given by the Experimental Station in Geneva as well as its graduates, most of whom pre-dated the formal Viticultural program. My alumni pride, coupled with nostalgia for the area, prompted a brief  campus visit on the way out on Sunday evening, where I stood “far above Cayuga’s waters” remembering the day I first fell in love with Cornell.

NY Tabletop Show shows off the latest in stemware

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The New York Tabletop Show was in full swing last month, with showrooms opened to journalists and buyers alike to display the latest and greatest in flatware, china and stemware.

Riedel, the company that pioneered varietally-specific glasses and then gave us the more casual dishwasher-friendly stemless “O” line was touting its boxed sets of stemware. Sold in pre-packaged kits, consumers will save 25% off retail when buying in bulk. For fans of the “O” line, Riedel has launched a new line — Swirl — which is a slightly modified design from its initial stemless design. However, the swirl-like shape of the glasses makes them very comfortable to hold and adds surface area to the decanter, increasing its functionality in aerating wine. Riedel also debuted a new glass especially designed with fruit-forward, New World wines in mind. Among its more artful pieces, Riedel has expanded its use of color in its decanters, which now are available in a wide range of shapes and designs and both functional and stunning.

Opening just in time for the weeklong event, Eisch launched its first U.S. showroom. Eisch is probably best known for its drip-free (No Drop Effect ©) decanters, saving white tablecloths everywhere, but the new showroom provided an opportunity to see a much broader array of merchandise. Among Eisch’s more intriging products is its Sensis plus glass technology, available in a number of its stemware lines. The special Sensis plus treatment during manufacture permits the wine to “become more harmonious and complex, with better balance and greater elegance,” eliminating the need for a decanter in many cases. In a side by side comparison by the author of a Pinot Noir (one in a Sensis plus glass and one in a regular glass), the Sensis plus glass pulled out more fruit from the wine, while a Chardonnay in a Sensis plus glass seemed more nuanced. Eisch also boasts a range of glasses designed in conjunction with author and publisher Ronn R. Wiegand, one of the few people in the world to hold both the MS (Master Sommelier) and MW (Master of Wine) titles.

Eisch glasses are available at Bed, Bath, & Beyond and, like Riedel, may also be found in high-end department stores. In addition, most of Riedel’s products may be purchased directly from their website or head to Edison, NJ, from May 5-7 for Riedel’s spring sale.

Desert Island Wine List

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You see a fair number of discussions where wine lovers are asked to name their “desert island wine” — the one wine they would take with them if stranded on a desert island. Similarly, in the April 2010 issue of the tasting panel magazine, San Francisco bartender Jeff Burkhart was asked about his desert island cocktail. His reply? “Hendrick’s gin and tonic. Purely for medicinal reasons: lime for scurvy, tonic for malaria and gin for courage.” Burkhart is very practical. However, in most cases, the responses feature a single wine type, i.e. Champagne or a specific wine.

Frankly, I’d like to think that I am too smart to find myself stranded long term, plus, how can you plan to be stranded — I think there is an oxymoron in there somewhere (or maybe just a moron?). But, whole television series have been devoted to just that problem — the classic Gilligan’s Island and the current-running, Lost. Now that I think about it, I think the Howells had a never-ending stash of liquor, much more than one might think to take on a three-hour tour.

Anyway, if I were to purposely go to a desert island (perhaps I’ve met my Waterloo and will need to spend some time in exile?), I intend to plan far in advance and have decided that my palate preferences are just too varied to be content with only one wine. Accordingly, in my preparations, I will ensure that proper storage and service will be addressed and that corkscrews, decanters and appropriate stemware will be on hand. Moreover, I plan to bring a full wine menu of my selections that I hope will provide me with tasting joy during my stay on said island.

Here is my list, what’s yours?

Sparkling Wines
Juve y Camps, Cava Reserva de la Familia (current vintage), Penedes, Spain – an everyday sparkling wine I can drink without impunity
Nicolas Feuillatte, Palmes d’Or 1996, Champagne, France – a prestige cuvee to enjoy on special occasions
Banfi, Braquetto d’Acquis, Piedmont, Italy – my favorite dessert sparkler

Still Whites – I figure I’ll be eating a lot of fish; it is an island after all.
Pewsey Vale, Riesling (current vintage), Eden Valley, Australia
Benjamin de Vieux Châteaux Gaubert, Bordeaux Blanc 2005, Bordeaux, France
Drouhin, Bourgogne Blanc (current vintage), Burgundy, France
Drouhin, Grand Cru Bougros 2008, Chablis, France
Bott-Geyl, Pinot d’Alsace (current vintage), Alsace, France
Hidalgo Manzanilla Sherry La Gita NV, Jerez, Spain

Still Reds
WillaKenzie Pierre Leon Pinot Noir (current vintage), Willamette Valley, OR
Fonbel, Bordeaux Rouge 2001, St.-Emilion, France
La Rocquette, Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2007, Rhone Valley, France
Produttori del Barbaresco, Nebbiolo 2006, Lange, Italy

Spirits – OK, I’m cheating, but even wine lovers crave a cocktail now and then.
Tequila – To me, Margaritas are the quintessential cocktail for a tropical setting.
Vodka – Purely for its versatility, although I can borrow from Burkhart’s practicality and use it as an anti-septic if necessary should I find myself having a Magyver moment.
Cognac – Perfect in cocktails (the classic sidecar) or for sipping on its own.