Tag Finger Lakes

Swedish Hill Glogg

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Swedish Hill Glogg

Swedish Hill Glogg

      Winter has arrived in Western Pennsylvania and if its “Opening Act” is any indication of what is to come we can expect a long, cold and snowy season.  When I think of a summer wine I naturally think of Rosé and when I think of a winter wine my attention turns to Glögg.  Swedish Hill Winery, in the heart of the Finger Lakes Wine Region, makes an outstanding spicy and aromatic Glögg ($10.99) flavored with extracts of cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and ginger imported from Sweden.  Glögg is served warm and for a traditional Swedish touch Swedish Hill Winery provides this recipe on their website: 1 bottle of Glögg, 1/2 cup raisins, 1/4 cup maraschino cherries, 1/4 cup slivered almonds and 1 sliced orange.  Heat-do not boil-do not use aluminum pot-can use crockpot on low setting to heat wine. If you want to make your Glögg from scratch there are lots of recipes available online.

Standing Stone Vineyards Riesling Release

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Ripe grapes of Riesling.

Ripe grapes of Riesling. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

     I received a press release from the Standing Stone Winery that proudly announced the release of their Old West Block Riesling.  This is a single yeast Riesling named after the oldest vineyard on their property that was planted in 1972 by Gold Seal Vineyards.  Marti Macinski and her husband Tom take great pride in making the best Riesling and Gewürztraminer possible from the ground up in the Finger Lakes Region.  In 2012 due to the increased production from the Old West Block vineyard they were able to harvest enough grapes to produce a truly artisanal single vineyard bottling.  The grapes were picked at 22.5 Brix and the wine was bottled with a R.S. of 1.4%, 3.00pH and a total of 7.4 g/l.  After reading the tasting notes I was left the with the impression that this Riesling has aromas of apricots and pears with a flavor palate of ripe fruit complemented by a hint of white peach, smoked tea and white pepper in the background.  The finish is long and lingering but bright due to its lively acidity.  Standing Stone Winery made only 129 cases of Riesling  with the grapes harvested from the Old West Block and of the first 129 cases only 50 remain, that means it is in short supply and with single bottles priced at $18.99 it won’t last long. 

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Garlic Festival at Fox Run Vineyards

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Photo: Fox Run Vineyards

Photo: Fox Run Vineyards

Fox Run Vineyards will be holding their 21st Annual Garlic Festival on August 3rd & 4th from 11 a.m. till 5 p.m. each day.  Free parking and free admission will be provided for all guests at the winery on 670 State Rte 14 Penn Yan, NY.  Thursday August 1st will feature a free concert by the West Coast Celtic rock band Town Pants that will start around 6 p.m..  Please bring your lawn chairs but leave your coolers at home because food, drinks and of course wine will be available for purchase starting at 5 p.m..  More information can be found at foxrunvineyards.com or by calling 800-636-9786.

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Riesling Paradise

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  •       When someone asks me what I think is the best “All Purpose Wine” I laugh and give them my best answer “Riesling”.  It may sound too simple but when you consider the range of styles, producers, regions, and choices from very dry through sweet culminating in excellent dessert wine, the answer is actually a very complex one.  This wine is extremely food friendly and you can easily find a Riesling that will pair well with any cuisine.  You probably heard the saying “There’s an app for that” and when it comes to food pairings it can be said “There’s a Riesling for that”.  Riesling is produced globally by a host of very fine wineries but the frontrunners in quality have always been from the French Alsace Region, Germany and Austria.  Australia also markets some nice Riesling but anyone that has followed this blog knows I favor the Finger Lakes Region of New York and their world-class Riesling.  I have listed below a few favorites that should give you a good start on your search but there are plenty of others waiting to be discovered . 
  • Keuka Lake                      Seneca Lake                                Cayuga Lake
  • Ravines                             Herman R. Wiemer                   Swedish Hill
  • Dr. Frank’s                       Three Brothers                           Knapp
  • Heron Hill                        Belhurst Castle
  •                                             Standing Stone
  •                                             Lamoreaux Landing
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Chateau Ste. Michelle Wine Dinner

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     Seven Springs Mountain Resort will be hosting the Chateau Ste. Michelle Vineyards Wine Dinner in their Slopeside restaurant at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday March 20th, 2013.  This dinner will feature a wine pairing for each course from the Chateau Ste. Michelle winery.  I have posted the menu for your convenience.  Reservations can be made by calling 800-452-2223 ext.6000.  Seven Springs Mountain Resort is at 777 Waterwheel Dr. Seven Springs, Pa 15622. ChateauSteMichelle

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Free Finger Lakes Travel Magazine

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Photo Courtesy Finger Lakes Wine Country

Photo Courtesy Finger Lakes Wine Country

     Anyone considering a possible trip to the Finger Lakes Region of New York should request this informative free guide.  Simply go to the website www.fingerlakeswinecountry.com and select “Plan” from the toolbar then scroll down to the submission form or click on the picture of the magazine, if you prefer the human touch you can call Morgen, Christina, Teresa or Ginny at 800-813-2958 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday thru Friday.  While you are on the site consider subscribing to any of the free e-newsletters offering a wide spectrum of topics that will interest any visitor.  The current 2012 digital issue of Finger Lakes Wine Country Magazine is also available for download from this site as well as a free Finger Lakes Travel app for your mobile device, which can prove to be invaluable while exploring the region.  The information that you can obtain from the magazine and website can be very helpful but the real fun begins when you visit and begin discovering something new around ever turn.

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Winter at Standing Stone Winery

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Wine Barrels Photo Courtesy Standing Stone Winery

Wine Barrels  Photo Courtesy Standing Stone Winery

I have just heard from Martha Macinski or Marti as she is known to everyone in the Finger Lakes.  She updated me on the happenings around the Standing Stone Winery that she and her husband Tom have owned since 1991.  They have just finished pressing frozen grapes to make Riesling Ice and Vidal Ice.  The grapes are not picked frozen but are picked as late harvest and then frozen commercially so that they may be pressed to make Ice wine.  The Riesling Ice 2012, Vidal Ice 2011 and the Riesling 2012 are all ready and will be bottled in early March.  One of the nice things about stopping by the tasting room during the winter is that there are fewer people visiting so Marti and her staff will have more time to talk and share details about the wine.  The vineyard crew is busy fixing any trellis components that have broken over the previous growing season.  Pruning will start in February and after that task is completed the vines will be tied up before bud break in the spring.  There was some concern that the recent spike in temperatures would reduce the snow cover that protects the vineyard during the winter but the cold nights and the return of normal winter weather prevented any damage to the vines.  Marti made me laugh when she told me that ” You would be surprised how much work it is to taste 10 barrels of Standing Stone Saperavi.”  I know it is a tough job but I guess someone has to do it :-).  They will be bottling some 2010 and 2012 wines in April and May with the 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon and the Merlot being of reserve status and reportedly delicious!  Thanks to Marti for keeping me informed on the latest news from Standing Stone Winery which is on the eastern shore of Seneca Lake in Hector, NY.  If you want more info you can visit the website www.Standingstonewines.com or go to their Facebook page.

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Thanksgiving Wine

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Assortment of wine from Domaine Chandon in Yar...

Assortment of wine . (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

     Thanksgiving is only a week away and the menu is set but the wine list will remain fluid until the last-minute. White wines are the traditional choices because they pair wonderfully with Thanksgiving fare.  A dry Chardonnay with a light oak aging is always a sure bet but a fruity unoaked offering might be a more interesting choice.  Sauvignon Blanc is also a good pick with its lively acidity or if you want to spur some dinner table wine talk try a Gewürztraminer, White Burgundy or even a Viognier.  If your guests like a little sweeter wine try a White Zinfandel to satisfy their tastes.  Reds are hard to blend with the flavor palate of this holiday meal but if you must uncork a bottle of red I suggest trying a light bodied wine with fine tannins and the best choice for that is Pinot Noir.  We will be pouring three New York  white wines from the 3 Brothers Winery in the Finger Lakes Region, a 2010 1st Degree Medium Dry Riesling and a 2010 2nd Degree Medium Sweet Riesling along with a 2011 Stoney Lonesome Estates Grüner Veltliner. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.

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Standing Stone Vineyards

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Tom and Marti Macinski Photo Courtesy: Standing Stone Vineyards

     I recently received an e-mail from Marti Macinski to keep me up to date on activities at Standing Stone Vineyards.  Marti and Tom Macinski have owned and operated Standing Stone Vineyards since 1991.  They have steadily increased the yearly production from 800 cases in that first vintage of 1993 to about 8000 cases last year.  They are officially done picking grapes with great results and have some of their wine fermenting while sitting on the lees.  Their Cabernet Sauvignon is starting to ferment and needs punched down four times a day.  Tom is looking for volunteers that want to learn some winemaking skills while helping to basket press the Cab.  Even if you are not up for a hands- on winery experience you can always stop by the tasting room that is open every day and while you are there don’t miss the chance to sample the bread and the many dips. 

Standing Stone Vineyards 9934 Route 414 Hector, NY 14841  (607) 582-6051  www.standingstonewines.com   Blog   http://www.standingstonewines.wordpress.com

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Free Finger Lakes Travel App!!!

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Map of the Finger Lakes region of New York, wi...

Map of the Finger Lakes region of New York, with major cities, highways, and airports marked. Created from public domain sources: NASA World Wind (USGS Maps), Image:New_York_State_Route_104_map.png, and http://www.lrb.usace.army.mil/brochure/images/new%202003/letch-park%20map2.gif. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

     Anyone that is contemplating a trip to the Finger Lakes Region of New York should get moving and make plans now.  I say this from personal experience that the next several weeks are the perfect time to visit wine country.  When you visit in the fall you will get to enjoy the excitement of the harvest while being surrounded by a landscape that is alive with the vibrant colors of autumn.  A free travel app is available to help visitors enjoy many of the local attractions.  The app can be found at http://FLWC.MOBI./  Driving around the area is easy because the roads are well-marked especially with signs that direct you along the wine trails.  Tourists using a GPS can find numerous wineries preloaded in the “Points Of Interest” or “Attractions” setting of the unit.  You can find just about anything you need to know for your trip online so why wait because winter will be here before you know it.      

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