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  The Sparkling Pointe – 2018 Topaz Impérial Brut Rosé is an excellent enjoyable apéritif that also pairs well with dinner.   We savor this sparkling wine as an apéritif before dinner while preparing and plating the meal.   In the glass, the wine presents a matte coral-pink color accentuated by a robust effervescent stream (Fig 01).   The nose is enticed with the delicate aromas of Strawberry and warm Bing cherry.   The palate is greeted with Hibiscus, peach, a zesty lemon acidity, and notes of warm toast.   Next, the taste reflects the blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier, then resting two years on the sur lie before disgorgement.   Then, finally, the tiny bubbles burst forth, preparing the palate for the forthcoming meal.   The Sparkling Pointe 2018 Topaz Impérial Brut Rosé is a fine meal-opening wine and, better still, is available in magnum to ensure a continuous pour through the dinner.       #longislandwineries #vineyardviews #wineryvibes #liwine #lich

  An aperitif before dinner is a fantastic thing and a custom I was introduced to while in Paris.  Today we served a Sparkling Pointe - 2014 Seduction Blanc De Blancs (Fig 01).  The 2014 Seduction Blanc De Blanc is a well-aged sparkling with the nose and palate reflecting that maturity.  Notes of apple, pear, and toast greet the nose, followed by tiny creamy mousse bubbles enhancing the palate of baked apple and lemon peel leading to a pleasantly long finish.  The Seduction Blank De Blanc is the perfect opening act to a fine meal.   #longislandwineries #vineyardviews #wineryvibes #liwine #licharacter #longislandwine #northforkwineries #longislandwinery #longislandnorthfork #northforker #discoverlongisland #topwineries #northforkwinetrail #liwinecountry #liwine #lisustainablewinegrowers #nywinegrapefdn #nofo #sparklingpointe   FIG 01 - SPARKLING POINTE 2014 SEDUCTION BLANC DE BLANCS 16 SEPT 2022

  Time to crack open some of the wine we have picked up over the last few weeks.  The summer weather is still with us, and seafood abounds, so the first choice is a Kontokosta Winery 2019 Sauvignon Blanc.  The wine is bright shimmering gold in the glass with light notes of tropical fruit on the nose (fig 01).  The subtle hint of peach and melon complimented with well-balanced acid, much less than a New Zealand Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc.  Overall, a perfect match for fresh raw oysters and clams.  For more details on how the wine came to be, see the winemaker note (Fig 02).  #longislandwineries #vineyardviews #wineryvibes #liwine #licharacter #longislandwine #northforkwineries #longislandwinery #longislandnorthfork #northforker #discoverlongisland #topwineries #northforkwinetrail #liwinecountry #liwine #lisustainablewinegrowers #nywinegrapefdn #nofo #kontokostawinery FIG 01 - KONTOKOSTA WINERY 2019 SAUVIGNON 15 SEPT 2022 FIG 02 - KONTOKOSTA WINERY 2019 SAUVIGNON WINEMAKER NOTES

  We continue to enjoy the wine we collected over the past few years and rotate older vintages up from the cellar.  Fortunately, we are long on sparkling wine inventory, so we continue the new tradition of having a post-General Hospital/pre-dinner aperitif of Sparkling wine.  Exploring the cellar, one of the older bottles of Sparkling wine is from Lieb Cellars .   The sparkling wine is a 2011 Reserve Sparkling Pinot Blanc ; after dusting it off , the bottle was in excellent condition.  Surprisingly, the cork held all this time and opened with the classic sparkling wine pop.  2011 Reserve Sparkling Pinot Blanc is impressive; we had a 2013 a few weeks ago that was fine, but to find a bottle 11 years old in the cellar and still in excellent condition is remarkable.  The Pinot Blanc filled the glass with good effervescence and finished with a rich, full head, better than the 2013 Sparkling Pinot Blanc.  The nose is crisp with notes of toast, citrus, and green apple with a pale golden color

  Channing Daughters Winery is one of the few wineries on the South Fork of Long Island.  However, it is genuinely an outstanding winery for growing unique varieties of grapes and some very distinguished wines.  The fall wine club is two bottles (Fig 01), one white and one orange spanning nine grape varietals with seven in each wine.  Our 2018 Meditazione is comprised of 45% Chardonnay, 40% Sauvignon Blanc, 10% Tocai Friulano, 4% Pinot Grigio, and 1% Muscat Ottonel. The Heart is made from 29% Muscat Ottonel, 21% Chardonnay, 20% Pinot Grigio, 18% Tocai Friulano, 6% Gewurztraminer, 5% Pinot Bianco and 1% Malvasia.  The heart is bottled with 12 different labels from 12 artists.  Both wines have a rich and complex development, so the Winery should describe the wines directly.  The 2021 Heart wine is fully explained in figure 02, and the 2018 Meditazione is in figure 03.  The wines look fascinating, and we look forward to trying them shortly.  #longislandwineries #vineyardviews #wineryvi

  It is a perfect day to hang out with some friends and neighbors by their firepit, so we wander across the street and bring two bottles of Sparkling Pointe with us to share.  First was the Sparkling Pointe 2017 Brut Nature , an easy, enjoyable sipping wine.   The description provided by the winemaker captures our experience with the wine and follows in italics .   “Made principally from aged reserve wines and wines from 2017, a balanced proportion of 1/2 Pinot and 1/2 Chardonnay, a soft effervescence, and no dosage creates a distinct character in this Brut Nature.   The bouquet displays subtle notes of field flowers, Bartlett pear, and citrus zest.   The palate, elegant and precise, with over three years aging, has developed a softer style hinting at mature acidity, with a crisp, dry finish.   Technical Data: Varietals: 55% Chardonnay, 22% Pinot Noir, 23% Pinot Meunier, 274 Cases Produced, 3+ years aging sur lie, Disgorged 10.14.21, Alcohol 12.5%, pH 3.15, TA 9.21 g/l, Dosage 0 g/

  We are over-stocked with sparkling wine, so we decided to try to have a sparkling wine apéritif before dinner.  So today, we poured a Sparkling Pointe 2017 Blanc De Blancs wine, a fine opener for any meal; light and creamy with just the right amount of acid to excite the palate for dinner to follow (Fig 01).   The best description of the wine is directly from the Sparkling Pointe winemaker notes in italics, along with some of the technical information about the wine.   “Of a bright gold color, this sparkling wine presents floral aromas of tree blossoms with notes of green apple and melon.   Flavors of lemon zest and doughy characters add to its crisp mineral edge.   Aged for 3 years on its fine yeast lees, its toasty flavors enhance its creaminess to the palate.   Striking in acidity and dry in style, it finishes elegantly on a lemon rind and biscuit note.   Technical Data: Varietal: 100% Chardonnay, 453 Cases Produced 3 years aging sur lie, Disgorged 4.15.21, Alcohol 12.5%, pH 3.

  The September club pick-ups continue with a quick stop at Sannino Vineyard .  Sannino Vineyard has been in the new facility for a while and continues refining and decorating it.  The last picture of the entrance is from earlier in the year but provides a sense of the place (Fig 01).  The indoor entrance foyer, wine bar, and seating area and bright and quite large, with the members’ lounge just off to the left of the main room providing room for all (Fig 02).  The outside patio is expansive with lots of seating but not over-packed with a bucolic view of the vineyard (Fig 03).  The club is a four-pack all 2019, including a Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and a red blend Francesco.  A perfect cross-section of favorites (Fig 04).  There is a standing request from some in the family always to pick up Sannino’s Spice Wine whenever we are passing by, so three bottles of this festive wine expanded the pick-up (Fig 05).  Of course, a club pick-up would not be complete without a ne

  Fall is in the air, so it is time for the next round of club pick-ups.  Our first stop was after a large lunch at Sound Avenue Bistro , so we passed on the opportunity for a glass of wine and did a quick pick-up.   Pellegrini Vineyards is friendly, always open, beautiful, expansive winery (Fig 01).  The tasting room is open and airy, with team members always available with a friendly greeting (Fig 02).  The club 6-pack this time ranged from library wines to the more youthful whites (Fig 03).   In keeping with club tradition, Pellegrini always encloses a letter discussing all the wines in the pack (Fig 04) and a delicious recipe to prepare and pair with the wine in the club pack (Fig 05).  In addition, of course, they always include the current wine menu if more is required to stock the wine cellar (Fig 06).  Overall, this is a fun club and winery that warrant us spending more time with them in the future.  #longislandwineries #vineyardviews #wineryvibes #liwine #licharacter #longi

  A new week a new expedition to wine country for a leisurely lunch, and a few quick club pick-ups with detailed posting for each stop to follow shortly (Fig 00).  The first stop was for lunch at an old friend, the Sound Avenue Bistro (Fig 01).   This time we sat outside by a small waterfall and pond, and the food was fantastic as always.   From lunch, it was on to Pellegrini Vineyards to collect the six-pack fall club (Fig 02).    The next winery is Sannino Vineyard for our four-pack club, and of course, we added on a three-pack of spiced wine.   Lastly was a long overdue visit to Long Island Spirits (LIV) to pick up some Vodka and the rough rider bourbon.  Overall, a well-paced 135-mile 5-hour lunch and club pick-up. #longislandwineries #vineyardviews #wineryvibes #liwine #licharacter #longislandwine #northforkwineries #longislandwinery #longislandnorthfork #northforker #discoverlongisland #topwineries #northforkwinetrail #liwinecountry #liwine #lisustainablewinegrowers #nywine

  To round out the food service at our Labor Day weekend gathering, we added to the menu a homemade Bucket-O-Shells, which are two large trays of mixed seafood cooked in a fragrant wine and garlic broth (Fig 01).   Overall, an easy dish to prepare, the most challenging part is the assembly of all the ingredients (Fig 02); the actual cook is quick and easy on a well-powered gas grill.  The most important is the approximately 18 - 19 Lbs.  of seafood.  In our case, the Seafood portion was generously supplied by friends and neighbors sourced from New Wave Seafood in Wantagh.   New Wave Seafood is an excellent source for all seafood; send them a list ahead of time, and they will have the order ready and waiting for pick-up.   All the base ingredients we chop, slice and seal in vacuum bags a few days in advance (Fig 03).   All the vegetables and chorizo sausage came from Stew Leonards in East Meadow, including the aluminum trays.   Also, do not skimp on the quality of wine and use a good

  The Labor Day weekend gathering looked to be the ideal place to try out the McCall Grass Feed beef compared to the more traditional beef, as all the people are well-developed carnivores.  We also tapped the cellar and had a fine selection of wine to pair with the beef and traditional steak sides.  There was also a large selection of seafood, but that will be the subject of a separate posting.  The beef weighed about 12 Lbs. before grilling (Fig 01) and consisted of  McCall Wines Grass Feed steak and some mid-western corn-finished beef via Stew Leonards .   The McCall steak is very dark and rich in color, with the mid-western corn finish notably paler in color.   Cattle ranching should not be surprising as Long Island has a long history of Cattle ranches, having the first one in the U.S. and dating back to the mid-1600 in Montauk.   However, McCall Beef Cattle has a unique history; starting to raise cattle in 2010, selecting a rare breed in the U.S., the Charolais Cattle , which

  Sunday, 04 September 2022, the day before Labor Day, is a warm sunny day, so a good reason to gather family and friends in the backyard for steaks, seafood, and wine.  To open the day, we started with a side-by-side tasting of two Pinot Niro’s from Seabold Cellars , the same vintage but different vineyards (Fig 01).   The wine was outstanding, and a follow-on post discusses everyone’s thoughts on the wine.   The beef was one of the two main Entrees and weight in at about 12 Lbs.   before grilling (Fig 02).   McCall Wines Grass Feed steak and some mid-western corn-finished beef via Stew Leonards .   Both grilled up fine and served medium rare (Fig 03).   There was a very noticeable difference between the two, with a separate write-up to follow.   The second entrée is a home concoction called a “bucket of shells” and is about 15 lbs of seafood (Thank you, New Wave Seafood ) steamed in white wine, garlic, and chorizo broth.   Accompanying the entrees are Sautéed Mushrooms , Caramelized