PALATE Wine Tasting Video

Our friend, Lenn Thompson, who is the editor and publisher of LENNDEVOURS was recently in Finger Lakes Wine Country for a few days of PALATE. One of the exciting things about PALATE is the chance to taste and interact with some of the region's best winemakers. One of the week's highlights was a comparative tasting featuring winemaker Vinny Aliperti. Vinny is the winemaker for Atwater Estate Vineyards and also makes the wines for his own winery, Billsboro.

Here is a video clip from LENNDEVOURS featuring Lenn Thompson and Vinny Aliperti.

Pick Your Favorite Cover for the New Finger Lakes Wine Country Travel Guide!

We are asking friends and fans of Finger Lakes Wine Country to choose the new cover of our travel guide.

Here are the two options:

#1
























#2



Leave your comments below and vote in the poll on the right. Thanks for your help!

Cheers,
The Finger Lakes Wine Country Team

Finger Lakes Wine & Chocolate Pairings for February

In keeping with featuring new guest bloggers to the Finger Lakes Wine Country blog, we are pleased to have Shannon Brock of the New York Wine and Culinary Center to be a seasonal contributor. She will be offering food pairing suggestions with some of the best Finger Lakes wines. Here are her recommendations for February...

Do you like wine? Do you like chocolate? Maybe you’re planning a romantic night of wine & chocolate pairing with your sweetheart this month. Wine and chocolate are two of the most delectable substances on earth. But finding the right pairing can require lots of research.

For the past two years, we have been offering a wine and chocolate pairing class at the New York Wine & Culinary Center in Canandaigua. It is purely recreational and fun, but I can’t help noticing several patterns that have emerged in people’s preferences.

First of all, dark chocolate is becoming more popular. While the bitter 70% and 80% cacao varieties remain a bit too much for people, the 60% used in our classes is a favorite. This is good news, since dark chocolate has the highest level of antioxidants and the lowest level of fat (compared to white and milk chocolate). Many excellent dark chocolates are available from local chocolatiers Carymo in Penn Yan and The Tea Chest in Corning.

The second thing I’ve observed from our classes is that most people do NOT like dry red wine paired with chocolate. The manufacturers that sell chocolates “specially made” for Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, and Merlot should take note. In our classes, people generally like the most intense and sweet wines with chocolate. This is probably because chocolate has a very strong taste and can easily overwhelm wine.

Here are some Finger Lakes wines you should consider for best results when pairing chocolate this February:
1. Port and other fortified wines. These wines have higher alcohol and higher sweetness than most wines, so they don’t get overwhelmed by chocolate. Recommended producers include: Fox Run, Goose Watch (which make a rare white port), Hazlitt, Lakewood, and Red Newt.
2. Berry wines. Many wineries produce excellent non-grape wines that are intense and wonderful with chocolate. Recommended producers include: Hosmer Raspberry Royale, Cobblestone Winery Cherry Wine, Montezuma Dragonfly (black currant wine), and Torrey Ridge Scarlet Red (cranberry/raspberry/honey wine).
3. Native grape wines. Sometimes our native grapes (i.e. Concord, Niagara, and Catawba) get a bad rap. But some excellent quality examples continue to be produced in the region and go so well with chocolate. Recommended producers: Swedish Hill Country Concord, Torrey Ridge Blue Sapphire, Hazlitt Brambleberry, Lakewood Borealis (an ice-style wine from Concord), and Arbor Hill Rhine Street Red.
4. Sweet sparkling wines. Dessert-style sparkling wines are rare, but are excellent with chocolate. Recommended producers: Swedish Hill Spumante Blush, Glenora Raspberry Spumante, Hazlitt Lame Duck.

Have fun! And please share your results. Which wine do you like best with chocolate? Do you have other recommended producers to add to my list?

This article was submitted by Shannon Brock, wine coordinator at the New York Wine and Culinary Center.

Begin planning your trip now to Finger Lakes Wine Country.

Ravines and Wiemer Receive Some Good Coverage

Recently we exhibited at the Boston Wine Expo along with a few friends: The Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel, Wagner Vineyards, Ravines Wine Cellars, Dr. Frank's, Goose Watch, and Swedish Hill. "The Passionate Foodie" came by and tasted many of these wines. Here is his latest posting on the Ravines' wines.

Wiemer Vineyard is one of the top producers of Riesling in Finger Lakes Wine Country. Here is a recent article from Wine Spectator online about Wiemer and winemaker & owner Fred Merwath.

A Sneak Peek of our New Travel Guide!

We are so excited for the upcoming 2009 travel season in Finger Lakes Wine Country. We recently relaunched our website and the matching travel guide will arrive the end of March. Here is the sneak peek...

The Latest Wine Country Insider News!

Click here for the Wine Country Insider Valentine's Special of Buy One, Get One on the PALATE passes.

The Latest PALATE Video

Learn more about PALATE week coming to Finger Lakes Wine Country.

The Passionate Foodie: Boston Wine Expo: Finger Lakes Wines

The Passionate Foodie: Boston Wine Expo: Finger Lakes Wines

Learn More About the PALATE Pass in Finger Lakes Wine Country!

Learn more about the PALATE Pass in Finger Lakes Wine Country. The weeklong showcase of wine, food, and art includes wine and spirits education seminars, winemaker dinners, barrel tastings, museums visits, big wine and beer tasting, and shop promotions. The excitement begins on Monday, February 16, 2009. We are thrilled to have many wine writers, educators, and bloggers leading the seminars and tastings including LENNDEVOURS editor Lenn Thompson. Tickets are only $50 per person.

Sunset on Seneca Getaway Package Featured in the New York Times

There are many unique and affordable getaway packages in Finger Lakes Wine Country this winter. One in fact includes a stay at Sunset on Seneca, one of the region's most highly rated Bed & Breakfasts, and a session with a life coach. A great way to relax and refocus for 2009.

Here is the link to read the complete article in the New York Times.

Discover more places to stay in Finger Lakes Wine Country.

Finger Lakes Wine Notes from The Weekend Wino

We are pleased today to announce a new contributor to the Finger Lakes Wine Country Travel Blog. Rob Lane writes for his own blog and is intimately familiar with more Finger Lakes wineries than almost anyone I know. We thought his insight and experience would provide visitors to Finger Lakes Wine Country a more behind the scenes view of our region. Look for additional contributors in the coming months covering topics including arts and culture and the quickly developing restaurant and food scene. Let's give Rob a big Finger Lakes welcome!

Hello, my name is Rob Lane, aka The Finger Lakes Weekend Wino, and I have been invited to write a regular column here at Finger Lakes Wine Country - Finger Lakes Wine Notes from The Weekend Wino. My thanks to Morgen McLaughlin for the invite.

First a little about myself. I have been obsessed with Finger Lakes wines for many years now and last year alone, I visited over 90 Finger Lakes wineries and tasted over 700 Finger Lakes wines. I write a monthly Finger Lakes Wine & Dine column for Mountain Home magazine and my website, is devoted to news, reviews, and discussion about the Finger Lakes and Finger Lakes wine. I am also a winemaker, wine educator, and a musician, singer and songwriter. I perform at many Finger Lakes events featuring songs from my CD "Songs of The Finger Lakes". Music permeates every aspect of my life including wine, so I will often use lines from songs to help describe what the wine portrays to me.

My goal is to write about the top wines and excellent values that I discover in my yearly aim to visit all of the over 100 wineries in the Finger Lakes. In my wine evaluations, I focus on structure, balance, and depth and complexity of aromas and flavors of each wine. I will also present wines that I believe are a good value. I do not rate wines. I am not a wine critic. I write about what I like. I try not to have any bias towards dry or sweet or red or white. If I believe that a wine is one of the best I have tasted based on my experience, then it will be here. I am not paid to do this. I do it because it is my passion. Now let's get to the wines.

In this post, my focus is on Chardonnay. When one thinks of Finger Lakes white wine, one obviously thinks of Riesling. However, the same stylistic aspects that Finger Lakes winemakers bring to their Rieslings is, in my opinion, also a reason why the Finger Lakes can make great Chardonnay. Chardonnay has been so over oaked and buttered over the past few decades that I believe many wine drinkers have become tired of that style. Well, for those of us wanting to actually taste the Chardonnay fruit in Chardonnay again, help has arrived in the Finger Lakes.

On the east side of Seneca Lake in a most uniquely beautiful Greek Revival building, Mark Wagner, owner of Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars, wants us Chardonnay lovers to again taste the elegance and structure of the actual Chardonnay grape with two current Chardonnay offerings that are great examples of what Finger Lakes Chardonnay can be.

2006 Reserve Chardonnay, $24.99, This wine had a lot to live up to with its 2005 predecessor winning Best In Class against all of those California Chardonnays in last years San Francisco International Wine Competition, but it proves itself wonderfully with beautifully integrated oak and buttery tones with a kiss of citrus revealing the juicy Chardonnay fruit. Soft but with elegant structure. A perfect wine for an elegant meal with the one you love. "How could I dance with another when I Saw Her Standing There". I hear this wine is selling fast so get it while you can. Tasters Guild Double Gold Medal Winner.

2006 Chardonnay, barrel fermented, $12.99, nice toasted oak with abundant fruit expression and some tropical hints. Balanced and firm on the tongue. This is one of the best Chardonnays around for under $15. A great value! Try with chicken, fish, or pork in light or medium weight sauces" or just on its own. "I get a Peaceful Easy Feeling and I know you won't let me down". 87 Rating from Wine Enthusiast magazine.

So there you go. My first Wine Notes for Finger Lakes Wine Country. All of you who have sworn off Chardonnay can now give it another chance with these two selections. I welcome your comments. Until next time, I'll be on the Trail for Excellent Finger Lakes wine. -FLWW

Thanks Weekend Wino! We look forward to more notes from your tasting travels. Meet The Weekend Wino in person during PALATE week at Shaw Vineyards on Saturday, February 21. Order your tickets now.

To discover more Chardonnay producers in Finger Lakes Wine Country visit our winery database and search by Chardonnay.

Watch a clip of grape crushing at Lamoreaux Landing.