LIWINEDAD

  A few weeks ago, the 2022 futures wines were picked up, which included a three-pack of Roanoke Vineyards Gabby’s Cabernet Franc 2020.  Given that the three-pack is a 2020 vintage, one might wonder why the bottle we opened is a 2019 Gabby (Fig 01), the exact reason remains a bit of a mystery, but one can assume it was a simple mix-up (Fig 02).  The mix-up, notwithstanding the 2019 Gabby, is a fine wine that presented a bright red color with a bramble nose.  The palate is smooth fruit forward, predominantly dark cherry, bright acid, and smooth tannins.  The Gabby is a fine example of a Long Island Cabernet Franc and should be a good indicator of the 2020 Gabby soon to be opened.  #longislandwineries #vineyardviews #wineryvibes #liwine #licharacter #longislandwine #northforkwineries #longislandwinery #longislandnorthfork #northforker #discoverlongisland #topwineries #northforkwinetrail #liwinecountry #liwine #lisustainablewinegrowers #nywinegrapefdn #nofo #roanokevineyards   FIG 01 -

  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

  Last but far from least on this expedition is the pick-up of the Roanoke Vineyards (Fig 01, 02) Long Arc Futures.   The futures are a collection of wines selected many months ago in the hope that they would develop into fine wines by the time they are ready for pick-up.   #Roanokevineyards futures have never disappointed in the past, and we expect these wines to continue that tradition.   Back in February of this year, Roanoke provided a selection of wine, all of which were samples of the future wine we could choose.   This approach is not as fun as slipping into the barrel room with a wine thief in hand, but it is a close second.   Join by some friends and their kids (yes, over 21), we explored all the future wines at a Home Tasting Party and selected the ones we enjoyed the best.   The three selected included 2020 Roanoke Vineyards The Poet Site Specific™ Cabernet Franc (six pack), 2020 Roanoke Vineyards The Hill A Site Specific™ Field Blend (three pack), and 2020 Roanoke Vineyar

  A week later, we are back on the road again to grab lunch, explore a new winery and ranch then do two pickups.  Four stops and 183 miles later, we had delicious lunch and lots of wine to replenish our stock (Fig 00).  The first stop was at Barrow Food House , a wonderful place to have lunch, which we found, through Sparkling Pointe Vineyard .   A few weeks ago, Barrow Food House provided the Lobster Roll to the Sparkling Pointe Lobster Roll , North Fork Potato Chip , and Pearl Street Caviar pairing event at the end of August.   The Lobster roll (Fig 01) was so good that we needed to come and check out Barrow Food House , and it did not disappoint with a detailed posting to follow (Fig 02).      The next stop was a quick pickup at Terra Vite Vineyards , which we had missed the week before (Fig 03).   The next was a duel stop for a wine tasting (Fig 04) and to acquire a block of fresh free-range grass feed beef from a long Island Ranch (Fig 05).   Yes, Long Island has had cattle r

  Continuing on our expedition for the end of August and after gorging ourselves at the Sparkling Pointe Lobster Roll Event , we rolled on to Raphael Vineyards for a quick pick-up, followed by a stop at Verra Vite Vineyard , and finally, Roanoke Vineyard for a pick up only.   As always, the winery projects an air of calm relaxation, a place to chill with friends over a glass or two of fine wine (Fig 01, 02).   Today’s pick-up was for the fall club and consisted of 3 wines the Roanoke Vineyards 2019 Gabby’s Cabernet Franc, the Roanoke Vineyards 2020 Greater Than > , and the Roanoke Vineyards 2021 Site Specific ™ Ros é .   Roanoke, their customary tradition, provides a detailed booklet on the wines (Fig 03,04).   We assembled our wine (Fig 05) and were about to leave when persuaded to try a glass of the Roanoke Vineyards 2020 Macro Tulio .   Pausing for a tasting was a wise choice enjoyed by all while extending our visit to wine country just a bit longer.  All three wines will be

  Most time, our expeditions out to wine country involve Jo driving with me doing tuck, roll, and grab into all the wineries on the pickup list for the day; however, this trip was very different (Fig 00).  We were joined by friends Mary and Pete, with the first stop being Sparkling Pointe , not for a pickup but a Lobster roll event (Fig 01) which was so good it requires a separate blog posting just for the lobster roll alone.   After almost 2 hours of gorging on good food and sparkling wine, we roll on to 3 “quick” pickups.   Raphael Winery was first up, and we grabbed our 6-bottle club selection (Fig 02).   Following Raphael, we went to Terra Vite Winery & Vineyard for a pickup, but the wine was not yet available (My Bad), so we relaxed with an after-lunch bottle of Terra Vite’s 2021 Sauvignon Blanc (Fig 03).   From there, it was on to Roanoke Vineyards for our three bottles fall pickup, but we stopped for a quick tasting (Fig 04).  Overall, a fun-filled adventure to the #Nort

  Finally, stop number six for the day on the early June pick-up.   Roanoke Vineyards is a bit closer to a private club.   A tasting room on Love Lane ( Roanoke Vineyards Wine Bar ) is open to the public, and a member-only tasting room ( Roanoke Vineyards ) on Sound Avenue.  Roanoke limits the club membership size, so one needs to request membership, and then as slots open up, membership is granted.  There is no premium membership other than the standard commitment to buy wine about four times a year.  Given the wine, that is an easy goal to attain.   The summer selection included a 2021 Sauvignon Blanc, 2021 “the Wild” Chardonnay, 2021 Rose, and 2019 Single Acre Merlot (Fig 01).  With the club wines, Roanoke supplied a set of tasting notes that describe the wines perfectly (Fig 02).  Having sampled prior vintages of these wines, the expectations for this vintage is relatively high.  Of the four, the Sauvignon Blanc and the Single Acre stand out.  Most interesting is the note that the

  Summer is officially here, and it is time for the next wine club pickups and deliveries.   The summer pickup was structured as if we were on a ‘mission from God’(FIG 10).  The pickup runs covered six wineries, 152 miles in about 5 hours, retrieving fifty-four bottles of wine, including ten bottles for friends with some clubs in common with us.  First, of course, we needed the SUV to fit everything, so Jo became the designated driver, and I did the tuck and roll at each winery to dart in, grab the wine, and go.  We made stops at Pellegrini Vineyards (Fig 01), Lenz Winery (Fig 02), Sparkling Pointe (Fig 03), Sannino Vineyards (Fig 04), Terra Vite Winery & Vineyard (Fig 05), and Roanoke Vineyards (Fig 06).   Deliveries from Kontokosta Winery (Fig 07), Raphael Winery (Fig 08), and W ö lffer Estate Vineyard (Fig 09) round out the early June 2022 Clubs.   Each club selection will be covered in a separate posting and the late June pickups. #longislandwineries #vineyardviews #wineryvib

  The first pick-up stop for the Mid-March pick-up expedition is at Roanoke Vineyards for their spring club portfolio.   Today's selection is one white and two red wines (Figure 1).   The white is a 2020 Rhyme and Meter Chardonnay .      Roanoke vineyards usually have two Chardonnays; the first is The Wild! , a steel Chardonnay fermented with wild yeast from the environment without touching Oak.   The 2020 Rhyme and Meter is a bit different and is closer in style to a French White Burgundy .   After steel fermentation, the wine spends some time in French Oak before bottling.   The exposure to Oak should smooth out the wine, refining the Acid and accenting the tropical fruit notes.   Next is a long-standing favorite, the 2019 Macro Tulio red blend that generally is around a 70/30 blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc.   This year is no exception as the wine came in at 68.2%/31.8% blend.   The Marco Tulio is a consistently fine red blend showing good fruit, good nose, moderate ta

  We have stopped at the Cooperage Inn several times before but only to pick up their Island famous NOFO Pot Pies .   However, today this stop was not only to pick up pies but for lunch as the first stop on our mid-March pickup expedition .   The restaurant is located on the north side of Sound Ave in Baiting Hollow and has a sizeable well-maintained parking lot connecting directly to the main entrance (Figure 1).   Inside is bright, cheery, and spacious.   Seating options include the dining room, bar, semi-enclosed patio, and outside dining spaces (Figure 2).   As this was the first stop of a six-stop pickup tour, we were early, and the door locked, but the team spotted us, greeted us warmly, and guided us to our table that included a nice view of the fishpond and front yard seating area (Figure 3). The menu is extensive, ranging from simple salads to robust entrees and daily specials (Figures 4, 5, 6).   After an opening round of cocktails, good Cosmopolitan, and unsweetened Iced