I hadn’t expected to begin my harvest weekend experience on Friday night.  I had arrived at the Inn B’Tween B&B just outside of Trumansburg in the late afternoon, my ears still ringing from my tradition (bad habit) of playing loud music on my solo road trips. I had checked in with Glenn, the business manager of Damiani Wine Cellars, on my way up and he told me that I would be working harvest alongside of Phil Davis, one of the co-owners of the winery and the manager of vineyard operations, for the weekend. It was Glenn that I had contacted about coming up to work harvest, after a terrific visit back in August.  Glenn had been enthusiastic from the start.  There was much to be done in the vineyards and the extra hands would be a great help.

Glenn suggested that I give Phil a call when I arrived in town. I got in, dropped my gear, got settled and made the call.  Phil said I could show up any time I liked the next morning and gave the address for the winery barn.  He me asked me what I had planned for the evening. I mentioned that I might head to Trumansburg for a bite then maybe catch some music in Ithaca.  Five hours on the road whetted my appetite and I was keen for some fresh air and a little exploration.  I figured that my harvest adventure with the Damiani team would start in the morning.

It was a gorgeous fall afternoon, so I jumped back in my car.  I decided my first stop would be Taughannock Falls. I had visited the falls (the tallest fall east of the Rockies. Yes, taller than Niagara Falls!) in the summer and winter, but I wanted to catch the autumn view before the sunset.  I made it to the lookout just as the sun was waning and marveled in the rocks and the falls framed by the gold leaves with the dark moody shadows of evergreens in the distance.  The falls seem to have a personality that shifts with the seasons.  There is something so majestic and melancholy about Taughannock in autumn. Buoyed by the crisp air and the sheer happiness of being up in one of my favorite places, I shot a quick picture of the falls with my phone and sent it to Phil.  “Hey, I made a quick run to the falls – well worth it! I am looking forward to tomorrow.”

I carried on to Trumansburg to stock up on my favorite coffee beans from Gimme Coffee and grabbed a cup at the shop, picking up one of the local newspapers.  I figured I might see what music was happening in Ithaca and head there to explore, when my phone buzzed.  It was a text from Phil. “Hey, I loved your photo of the falls. I was thinking… any interest in coming over this way?  I’m finishing dinner at the Stonecat.  We can share dessert and there’s music at the Cellar at Damiani and Two Goats."

Dessert? Music?  My arm can be easily twisted when music and food are on offer! I said I could head over to meet him at the Stonecat. I told him that I would be the forty-something woman with really short brown hair.  He told me he would be the sixty-something guy with the ponytail, eating on his own at the bench behind the entrance.

Phil Davis had the casual and easy presence of a man exactly in the place he is supposed to be.  When I met him at the Stonecat Café in Hector on Friday evening he was sitting at his preferred table reading the local paper with a glass of wine and piece of hazelnut torte. He invited me to join him, offering me the second fork.  “You have to have some, it’s delicious. Yeah, I’m a regular. Here most days and this is my table, particularly in winter – the bench is up against the heater.”

Conversation came easily. We talked a little shop – he told me about the grapes they were planning to bring in tomorrow and asked me a bit about my blog and wine background.  The conversation meandered to high level life stories -- mine in NJ and his having grown up in Hector.  He had left for a while and wandered (most locals do) but he had also come back (most locals do).  We talked about his views of NYC.  “Fun to visit – but could never live there. The noise. The smells. The sensory overload.”  Frankly, this is the best place on earth.  Last time a reporter from downstate came through I showed him these amazing secret falls with a swimming hole where we all still swim in the summer on my family’s property. The reporter was completely charmed by the spot.  I told him that he could describe the falls but that if he gave the exact location of the waterfalls, I would find him and burn his house down! Needless to say, the exact location is still only a locals’ privilege.”  

At least a few times in our initial conversation someone would stop by the table to say hello, shake hands, or give Phil a hug and ask him how harvest was going, to invite him to stop by the… you name it (bar, house, concert, restaurant, shop). I quickly came to understand that Phil was one of the proverbial ‘mayors’ of Hector - a local celebrity, one of the fathers and pioneers of the artisanal wine movement on the east side of Seneca lake, and a good friend to many.  In this initial conversation I also realized that, at least tonight, I was not the one doing the interviewing.  He was interviewing me, in a congenial way, deciding how much time and effort to invest.  After we finished the torte, he told me our next stop would be Damiani.  “This young guy, MADS is playing in the Cellar, let’s go.”  Happily, it seemed my interview was going reasonably well.

At The Cellar, MADS Jacobzen, a young Dylanesque musician with guitar and harmonica and accompanied by a bongo player was serenading a smallish crowd of twenty-somethings, many of whom also came up to say hello to Phil. MADS, himself, stopped over during a music break.  Phil asked the young vocalist what he was harvesting.  “Today it was amaranth,” he said.  We stood in the back and sipped a lovely Damiani sparkler in champagne flutes, which seemed, to me, an interesting contrast to the scene. “Most of these people here tonight are working the harvest or the farms around Hector – such great young people,” Phil explained.  I asked if they were from the area.  “Some are, many are not.  They come in for the harvest season and then they’re gone. They’re wanderers, you know?  A group of them are heading down to South America after this. Peru, I think.”  We both commented that it would be fun to be twenty-something and be heading to Peru.

Next stop was the Two Goats Brewing, a terrific brewpub, where most of the wine people and locals gather to let loose after long days of harvesting and production.  Everyone knew each other and everyone was talking tonnage and grapes  “Yeah, we brought in about 3 tons of Merlot today… You cold soaking your Gerwurtz?”  Phil made warm introductions.  More live music, but this time, louder and more dancing.  An Americana Folk-pop band named Black Mountain Symphony was playing, fronted by a talented vocalist with an amazing electric fiddle.  We joined the crowd to dance, cans of Magic Hat in hand.

It was closing in on 11:00 as we finished our beers.  He told me we had one last stop. “I want to show you something. Consider it your first harvest work of the weekend.”  I was intrigued. 

We hopped in his car and headed north a few miles to Peach Orchard Road, a small lane that drops of steeply west toward Seneca Lake from 414. Lining the road are several of the Davis family vineyards as well as the production barn behind Phil’s family home.  We parked the car on the side of the road next to one of the merlot vineyards.  I followed him down into a line of grape vines.  It was a clear night. Stars lit the sky and the rising moon cast a gentle glow on the tops of leaves and grape clusters.  He picked grapes from the west side of the vine facing us and put those grapes in my left hand.  He reached behind to pick grapes from the other side of the vine facing away from us on the east side, towards 414, and put those grapes in my right hand.  “Now, don’t look. Just taste each.”  I tried each grape, tasting the skins, the seeds, flesh and juice.  I could make out slight differences. The grapes closest to the lake were sweeter, seemed riper.  The ones facing the road had more water and the flavor was more muted, a little greener on the palate.  Phil’s voice became more animated.  “Tasting in the dark like this, when you have little to no visual clues to help you, THIS is the best way to taste for ripeness, for subtle differences and changes in the grapes, this is how to understand the grapes.”

We drove further down the road past the winery barn and stood in an open clearing just above the lines of Cabernet Sauvignon vines.  We tasted again. “These aren’t ready yet. I’d say at least another week. But the flavors are developing. They are going to be good, right?"  He paused as he tasted another grape. "Anyway, get ready for some good work tomorrow. Glad to have you.” The rising moon illuminated Phil’s wide smile, there in the dark. He radiated with a enthusiasm about this place: the land, the people, the grapes, the work, and the art of making wine.  I smiled back, broadly. We both turned and faced the lake, which shimmered in the distance just above the top of the line of the vineyard.  We ate handfuls of grapes in the dark.

As I stared out at the lake, I thought to myself, “Well, Amie, you will certainly remember this evening." I have no doubt that years from now, it will stand out as a one of those perfectly memorable moments - one that reinforced my love for wine, and my interest in the people who make it.  I thanked Phil for an amazing evening.  I was fairly certain that I had passed his ‘interview.’  It would be my turn to ask questions tomorrow.  I headed back to the B&B on a high, eager for morning.  Eager to roll up my sleeves and get to work.  This time I drove with no radio, no music at all. I drove back in silence with the moon, fully risen, keeping me company.  I smiled the whole way.


(Stay tuned for more in the next blog installment!)

Tomorrow is National Vodka Day. Okay, I know what you are thinking. These ‘National Days’ that celebrate a food or drink (ice cream, tequila, waffles, and hot dogs, among many others) are just a gimmick to sell product, like Hallmark invents holidays to sell cards. Fair enough. We buy the card and we celebrate. So, why not buy the food and drink products and celebrate too?  Who doesn’t love a good celebration? Especially a celebration of vodka, of all things?

So I’m joining the brazen marketing people in an act of promotion. Go out and buy yourself a high quality vodka or order a well-made vodka drink.  Support artisanal producers who are making terrific vodka, one of the most iconic and most versatile of all spirits. 

I chatted with Chris LoBrace, a manager/buyer for CoolVines, (a terrific local wine and spirit store in Westfield, NJ, with two additional locations in Princeton and Jersey City) about what three vodkas he would go out of his way for right now.  Here were his picks:

Reyka

One of the cleanest, yet mineral-driven vodkas ever. The "vodka holy grail" of being way easy to drink but not at all boring. Cool factor: They use glacier water for proofing and lava rocks for filtration. Way to go Iceland.


Try with: Ginger beer, tonic, or classic shaken martini

Caledonia Spirits Barr Hill Vodka

Super unique and approachable; Barr Hill vodka is made of 100% pure distilled honey by a beekeeper in Vermont. The floral qualities of the honey-base give the vodka an almost gin-like aroma, but the flavor and texture are very reminiscent of its true source.

Try with: Shaken with ice

Karlsson's Gold

On its own, one of the most "potato-ey" of potato vodkas. Often packaged with a Karlsson's pepper grinder to make a unique baked-potato martini. Bartender Tip: Karlsson's Gold infuses well. Rich, viscous vodkas like this always absorb the most flavor when making your own infusions so it's definitely a must if you need versatility.

Try with: Black pepper or infused with vanilla bean & pears

So get out there tomorrow and enjoy National Vodka Day. Have sip. Have a martini. National Vodka Day falls on a Saturday so there is no excuse not to imbibe.  Of course, I would suggest you drink in moderation because Sunday is World Teacher Day.  Don’t forget to buy a card.

September is here and in New Jersey (the current world HQ of Amie’s Winehouse) the leaves are only just beginning to turn with the shortening of the days. In the Finger Lakes, however, about 4 hours north, the leaves are resplendent with color and harvest is in full swing.  This is the ‘manic’ season for most wineries and winemakers.  Grapes are being picked, presses are working overtime, new releases are being bottled.  In small wineries across the country, every staff person is on deck and is wearing multiple hats, sorting grapes, affixing labels, packing shipments, working the tasting rooms. 

This is a far cry from the lazy dog-days of August, when I was last up in FLX. We had stopped into one of my favorite restaurants, the Stonecat Cafe for a late lunch and grabbed seats at the bar. As we ate, we found ourselves joining a wine related conversation with Joshua Carlsen, Stonecat’s Wine Director, who was tending the bar, and a soft-spoken gentleman sitting to my right. Josh was pouring tastes of a new imported Sicilian wine he had sourced for the restaurant for us and made introductions.  The gentleman was Justin Boyette, the Co-owner and winemaker of Hector Wine Company, and Forge Cellars. Justin invited us to stop in and visit with him at the winery to taste some of the wines he and his teams were producing.

As it turns out, the day we dropped in at Hector Wine Company and asked for Justin, he had just left to man a tasting event down towards Watkins Glen. Instead, we met with Alexandra Doniger, an enthusiastic young assistant winemaker to Justin, and the Director of Marketing at Hector Wine Company.  

As we began our tasting, Alexandra excused herself to take a call from a colleague working at a tasting room just up the road.  Apparently an intoxicated young woman had come in to their winery with what appeared to be her sober boyfriend, but they had denied the couple a tasting.  They were calling to give the Hector staff a heads up as they were fairly certain that the couple were heading towards Hector’s tasting room. “She’s got a blue striped dress and is slurring her words, you won’t miss her.”  Five minutes later the couple rolled in.  The young woman was practically draped over her boyfriend's shoulder, lids heavy.  Alexandra approached the couple and explained that they had received a call from the previous winery and that they would also not serve them.  With grace and finesse, Alexandra suggested that they consider calling it a day. 

What followed was an interesting and animated discussion about tasting room protocol and etiquette. “Tasting rooms look out for each other - we do communicate and share information, especially about problematic patrons, and obvious intoxication.  It really doesn’t matter that she had a designated driver.  We want people to enjoy themselves, to taste and to learn, but we take ‘poor behavior’ pretty seriously.  Yes, it is awkward to deny a visitor a tasting, and it doesn’t happen often, but sometimes we have to say no. Not only is it for the health and safety of the patron and everyone around her, it also reflects on our tasting room, all of the wineries around here, and on the Finger Lakes as a wine making region.”  Well done, Alexandra. 

A mental note: among the all different ‘hats’ staff have to wear in small wineries, add ‘occasional bouncer’ to the list.  It occurs to me that there might be a book, or at least an article with fun and interesting stories from ‘behind the wine tasting counter.’  The people the staff have met, and the crazy things that happen, a sort of tasting room staff "tell-all" piece. 

But I digress. 

We tasted several delicious and well-crafted wines produced by Justin and his team, both Hector Wine Company wines as well as wines from Forge Cellars, Justin's more recent winemaking venture and partnership with friends, Louis Barruol, and Richard Rainey.

The standout tasting for me that day at Hector's tasting room was Forge Cellars' Les Allies 2012 Pinot Noir.  Though I tasted it in mid summer, I knew immediately that I would want to drink it on a cool fall evening as the leaves are turning.  This is a lovely 100% Pinot Noir with ripe red fruit (cherry and strawberry) on the nose with red fruit and some exotic Asian five spice notes on the palette, giving it depth and intensity.  There is bright acidity that balances the fruit and spice.  It would make a wonderful wine with braised or roasted pork with stewed fruit – apples, cherries.  It would also pair well with a roast turkey, particularly the rich dark meat. 

I think this wine has aging potential; there is really just great 'substance' in this 2012 vintage. It has got that wow factor. Laying it down will help develop secondary savory notes and the add to the complexity and allure of this wine. That is, if I can actually wait that long.  And here’s the thing; tonight is a perfect cool autumn evening.  So, I think that at least one bottle of Forge Cellars’ Les Allies 2012 Pinot Noir is not going to see any more cellar time tonight.

If you want to get a picture of the outstanding winemaking that is taking place in the Finger Lakes, this short video captures it perfectly. The Forge Cellars owners share their passion for their craft, and their commitment to making wine that expresses the amazing potential of this “unique, cool-climate region." 

My next stop in the Finger Lakes was Bloomer Creek, owned and operated by Kim Engle and Debra Birmingham. I reached out to Kim and Debra to schedule a special visit on Friday, as Bloomer Creek’s tasting room is typically not open on the weekdays. When we were trying to figure out a time, the exchange went something like this:

Me:  How about Friday?  Would midday work?

Kim: Actually later would be better, the three of us are in the fields tending to the grapes during the day.  We think by 3:30 or so we should be reasonably cleaned up and presentable.

Wait, did they say ‘the three of us’?

Yes. Just three people. Essentially, Kim, Deb and one extra pair of hands manage the entire operation: grapes, to harvest, to winemaking, to bottling, to staffing the tasting room.  I was happy to hear that tending to the grapes takes first priority.

Their reply about setting up time for a tasting speaks to who they are and why their wine is so special.  Kim and Deb are farmers and artists first, retailers second. Truth be told, the wine sells itself. 

The Bloomer Creek tasting room is a lovely light-filled and airy carriage house with vaulted ceilings and exposed beams. Kim and Deborah built the structure themselves in 2007.  Their wines reflect the same labor of love and the deft hand of artists.  “My wife is the REAL artist,” he explained.  Kim and Deb were fellow Cornell students when they met.  Kim had spent time working on organic farms as a student. He landed a job at a vineyard, “which back then was not even producing wines yet.”  He fell in love with area and the grape growing and harvesting process. Deb, a painter and professional artist, joined Kim in the artistry of wine making.

As Kim poured his Vin d’ete Cabernet Franc 2011 for us, he continued, “some winemakers play it safe, they want to replicate something that works – that is the ‘same’, season after season. The wine is highly processed, manufactured wine. This kind of wine that isn’t 'alive' to me.  Here, we let grapes and the natural yeasts do their own work; we intervene very little in the process.  The whole idea is to let the wine be the best expression of the terroir -- land, the soil, the conditions and the fruit.”

For Kim and Debra, part of the joy of wine making is this ‘artists way’: allowing the process to unfold naturally, but with careful awareness of and attention to the details. They coax out wines that have a personality and are truly memorable.

And the Vin d’ete Cabernet Franc 2011 was exactly that - a memorable wine with personality.  This 100% Cabernet Franc had fruit aromas of red cherries and plums, and I could also pick up an herbal notes of thyme and delicate floral notes as well.  On the palate, a medium to light bodied wine, delicate for a Cabernet Franc, with bright acidity, raspberry and hints of black candied cherry fruit, very well balanced with deeper peppery, earthy notes on the finish.  The wine has seen very little oak and the tannins are soft and elegant.

Kim and I discussed the touch of carbonic maceration (often used in the production of Beaujolais), which contributes to the wonderful aromas and cherry fruit character.  The wine is unfined and unfiltered, as are all of Bloomer Creek’s wines.

What was an absolute pleasure to me was that there was nary a green note in this wine. I enjoy Cabernet Franc, but the downfall of many producers is ‘rushing it’ – with less careful harvesting methods that result in the use of some unripe grape clusters which give Cab Francs a green bite.

The Vin d’ete was was bright and lively as well as nuanced and delicate – is that possible? It was both easy to drink and also a bit enigmatic.  In fact, I might not have guessed it was a Cabernet Franc.  Kim’s inspiration for this wine is the cooler climate Cabernet Franc from the Loire Valley, a style that makes perfect sense for the Finger Lakes.  It was was a delight to drink and would be wonderful with food.  I picture this wine with a summer meal outdoors at a café; a green salad with fresh garden herbs and a simply roasted chicken would hit the spot.    

I am not the only fan, it seems. The New York Times’ wine critic, top Eric Asimov, gave high praise to Bloomer Creek’s Cabernet Francs as ‘deliciously fragrant peppery wines.’ The Wine Spectator gave it a 90 (if scores matter to you). The Bloomer Creek Vin d’ete Cabernet Franc averages about $20.00 retail, which is a terrific value, as it drinks like a much more expensive bottle of wine.   Kim and Debra really ARE artists. They take risks with their wines and the resulting alchemy is memorable. Their wines are produced in small quantities. If you can find the Vin d'ete Cab Franc 2011, or any Bloomer Creek wine, buy it. 

I am not in the practice of pulling out my ‘wine writer’ business cards out when I visit wineries. My natural tendency on visits is a ‘reverse wine snob’ approach. I tend to be low-key about my knowledge of and passion for wine. Let’s just say I am not in the habit of 'announcing myself' – it’s just not my style.

On our recent trip up to Ithaca and the Finger Lakes (FLX), one of my favorite regions for wine in the US, even though I had specifically set aside this day on the east side of Seneca Lake as a day for ‘Amie’s Winehouse business’ (that is, ‘Amie as wine professional' – tasting, taking notes, writing critiques and blogs) I had the bad habit of leaving my business cards in the car at our various winery stops.  My affable and gregarious boyfriend, however, kept me on point.  More than once in the course of a conversation, he made mention of my writing and insisted on running out to the car to get my cards for me. 

What I learned from this particular tasting day was the reward of announcing myself - not in a pompous way - just stepping more fully into my role as someone with solid wine knowledge and a viewpoint.  Each time I did this, we were treated very some special tastings.  Even better, however, were the rich conversations.  It was great to hear personal accounts, stories, and philosophies of the people connected with the wines, whether they make them, market them, or serve them.  These conversations reminded me of why I want to move up to this wine country eventually. I want to surround myself with like minded folks; people who are excited about art and science of grape growing and wine making; fellow passionate foodie types; people who love the four seasons, are active outdoors, enjoy the lake vistas, and are excited about the art and music culture that surrounds these lakes.  

People like Michael Cimino, who is the subject of the first of a three-part blog about the Finger Lakes and, more specifically, a few wineries in and around Burdett and Hector, NY, on the east side of Seneca Lake. This area is REALLY special.

FLX Fun Part I -- ‘Living the Dream’
Michael Cimino, Tasting Room Manager – Damiani Wine Cellars

Michael Cimino has a warm, easy manner that speaks to the fact that he is truly in his element as the new tasting room manager at Damiani Wine Cellars.  Our conversation began with literal shared common ground, having both spent years in New Jersey.  Michael told us he had ‘grown up’ in the food and beverage business in Northern New Jersey.  He got his start in the family business but ultimately wore many different hats over the past few decades.  Michael earned his Sommelier Society of America Certificate in 1993 and has served as a General Manager/Wine Director at an upscale restaurant in Park Ridge, NJ, as the Director of Food and Beverage at two elite country clubs in Alpine, NJ, and as the Sommelier/Food and Beverage Consultant for several NJ/NY restaurants, including a 5 year stint at a top rated Relais and Chateaux property in NY.  Michael has even authored a wine service education book and has been given multiple wine list honors by the Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast.  Yet, while his resume is impressive, it was not what captured my attention at all.  In fact, I wouldn’t have known much of this chronology from our conversation -- he made little mention of it (most of his professional history I learned through a bit of research after our meeting).

What struck me most about Michael was his sincere passion for the Finger Lakes area and his personal story on how came to be living and working there. “Many years ago I wanted to learn more about the growing and wine making process so I traveled up to work at the vineyards during harvest and the crush,” he explained to us. “I stayed at a small bed and breakfast called Maxsom’s B&B and the owner, Hilde, made me feel like family. I fell in love with this area -- the lifestyle, the countryside, the people. The pace appealed to the musician-artist in me, a side of myself that I wasn’t fully tapping in my restaurant consulting role 'downstate'.  I knew that eventually I wanted out of the ‘hustle’ of the restaurant business in the suburbs of NJ/NY.”   Michael continued his work in and around NYC, but had the idea that he would find his way up to the Finger Lakes eventually.  I shared with Michael that my boyfriend and I were also interested in coming north eventually and had talked about the idea of owning a B&B.

As he poured us another taste, he became more animated. “It is funny how things happen. As it turns out, when I came up some years later, I found out that the owner had decided to sell the B&B.  I couldn’t believe it. The 200 year-old inn I had stayed at while working the harvest was for SALE! It was a sign to me – it was time for me to follow that idea, seize the dream. So I bought the inn and reopened the B&B as Cottage Views last year.  We’ve got three rooms available, which we book all year.  My fiancé was able to continue her NJ based patient coordination job remotely, and we really are ‘living the dream,’ in wine and hospitality.” 

And what about Michael’s inner musician-artist side?  As it turns out, Michael is getting to share his love of music as well.  While the upper level of the Damiani tasting room is a bright and airy affair with regular rotating shows of local visual artists on the walls surrounding the tasting area, expansive views of the lake, and decks on which to enjoy a glass of wine, Michael is equally excited about the cozy lower level of the building. It has the casual wood-hewn feel of an intimate pub/wine bar with doors that opens onto a grassy hill with bocce courts at the ready, called ‘The Cellar.’

“Part of my vision for Damiani and what I am really working on right now,” Michael told us  “is making ‘The Cellar’ a destination for live music talent, locally sourced Finger Lakes food and, of course our outstanding wine. I am personally thrilled that we have a terrific summer music schedule with funk and blues every Thursday at 7pm and open mic night starting at 8pm. On Fridays we are featuring different artists and music styles from folk to jazz to rock—I even have Joey Molland from Badfinger coming up to share stories and play for us next week. With only 60 seats, it is going to be a really amazing and intimate show.” 

Curious about the space, we retired from the tasting room and made our way downstairs where we sat at the bar and Michael poured us each a glass of the Damiani 2010 Reserve Davis Vineyard Pinot Noir. We snacked on a charcuterie plate of two homemade chevres, fresh sweet peppers, olives. We also had handmade, tender, and perfectly seasoned salami from The Piggery, an outstanding Ithaca based butchery.  Michael excused himself to attend to a small group of industry people in for a celebration tasting. As it turned out, a local winemaker was getting married and Damiani was the winery of choice to host an afternoon tasting and discussion, by winemaker Phil Arras, of Damiani wines as part of the warm up before the rehearsal dinner taking place just down the road.

The pause gave me a chance to reflect on the Damiani 2010 Reserve Davis Vineyard Pinot Noir we were drinking, which opened up nicely as we ate and listen to the lively discussion at the tables behind us.  The wine had a deep ruby color with red fruit/cherry aromas, which became deeper and more jam-like as it opened.  There was red fruit and spice/vanilla on the palette with some earthy, savory, smoke and black tea on the finish, giving it some old-world Burgundian style complexity.  The wine had a full body and round tannins. It was great foil for our plate of treats. 

Michael returned to us, smiling, as we finished our wine. “When it rains it pours – either it’s quiet or crazy busy… but I really enjoy the bustle here,” he shared. “Listen, if you are up here again, come visit our house—even if you don’t stay, though you are always welcome. I’d love to show you some of the work we’ve done on it. If you DO decide to make your way here and follow YOUR dream…well, I hope you’ll stay in touch with us here at Damiani.  Don’t hesitate to me look up. ” Then Michael added, “and the good news is I can find you too, now that I’ve got your card!”  I smiled. I could tell that he was being completely sincere.  

Let me start here.  I am not much of a Tequila drinker.  There’s some history behind the reason, the details of which I will not go into, except that it involved particularly bad decision making one evening, decades ago, at a college party… and ended up in a 'quick spin' in a large industrial clothes dryer. 

The good news is that I have since gained an appreciation for this spirit, if not a love for it. Today is National Tequila Day so I thought I would give it a little nod on my blog.

Tequila is made from the hearts of the agave plant. Though it looks like a cactus, agave is actually related to the lily. The plant and the beverage are an integral part of Mexican history. The Aztecs prayed to Mayahuel, goddess of maguey (agave), who was followed everywhere by a cohort of 400 (apparently drunken) rabbits. The Olmecs called the fermented liquid from the agave as “a delight for the gods and priests.” The making of this fermented drink goes back at least two thousand years.

By Mexican law, the agave spirit called Tequila can be made ONLY from one particular type of agave, the blue agave and can be produced ONLY in specifically designated geographic areas, primarily the state of Jalisco in west-central Mexico. Tequila’s close cousin, Mezcal, is made from the fermented juice of other species of agave. It is produced throughout most of Mexico.

And what about the pesky worm?  It is only found in Mezcal, not Tequila. It is the larva of one of two moths that live on the agave plant. The reason for adding the worm to the bottle of Mezcal is obscure. The story that has some credibility is that the worm confirms that the spirit is high proof -- if the worm remains intact in the bottle, the alcohol in the spirit is high enough to preserve the pickled worm. Consuming the worm has been a rite of passage for generations of fraternity boys. Looking back, I think I would have preferred the worm over the dryer ride.  It should be mentioned though, top-quality mezcals do not typically include a worm in the bottle.

And the good stuff is seeing a rise in popularity. There are many adoring Tequila fans. Celebrities seem to be fueling interest in high end and artisanal/craft Tequilas: George Clooney is behind the Casamigos brand, Sean “Diddy” Cobbs is 50/50 partner in the DeLeon Tequila brand, and Justin Timberlake co-founded the super premium 901 Tequila brand. Hey, if these guys are drinking it and loving it,  maybe there ARE some magical powers in this elixir.  Happy National Tequila Day!

It is cherry season.  

One of my fondest memories is of a trip my family took out west one August.  We rented a minivan and road tripped through the parks in and around the Grand Canyon.  It was absolutely blazing hot most of the trip.  We joked about the line from the movie Biloxi Blues where Matthew Broderick, who is from New York, is training in Mississippi, and complains of the heat. He exclaims, this is ‘like, Africa hot!’  

We considered attempting to fry an egg on the minivan roof just for fun.  At one point, on a hike, I remember that my brother, Adam, decided to pee on a rock.  He was completely jazzed by the fact that his urine actually evaporated on contact!  

On our way through Capitol Reef, in what seemed like endless red rocks and desert scrub, we saw signs for a U-pick cherry farm.  What?!? A grove of cherry trees? We couldn’t believe our luck. We followed the signs, figuring that the shade of cherry trees would give us a much needed respite from the searing heat.  We made our way to the farm and, wouldn’t you know it, it was absolutely lovely in the dappled shade of the lines of mature trees in full fruit.  Everyone grabbed buckets and ladders and went to work.

I don’t think I have ever tasted cherries so sweet.  There was something magical about picking and eating these cherries that we found, completely improbably, in the middle of the desert.  There was something so amazing to the eye about the blue-red hue of the fruit and deep green of the leaves as a contrast to the hot red-oranges and stony colors in the parklands around us.  Of course, in our enthusiasm, we picked far more cherries than we could possibly eat.

Every year, when I see bags of cherries arrive at the grocery store or see the signs for the u-pick farms here in NJ, I rejoice.  Cherry pie happens to be my FAVORITE dessert.  I know when cherries come into season it means that it is well and truly summer, and I always think of that amazing trip and our cherry picking adventure as a family.

In order to honor one of my favorite fruits, I decided to venture away from wine and taste Cherry Street, a tart cherry infused hard cider from Bellwether Hard Cider www.cidery.com, based in Trumansburg, NY.   I discovered their tasting room on one of our wine tasting trips in the Finger Lakes. Bellwether makes a series of outstanding hard ciders which range from extremely dry champagne style, to semi-dry non sparkling ciders made with traditional English and French cider apples, to several lightly sparking ciders with some sweetness.

The Cherry Street is distinctive because it is made with both apple and tart cherries.  It has a really beautiful pinky gold hue and a bright aroma that reminds me of a simple, fresh baked cherry pie.  The cider is lightly sparkling and crisp and on the palette has apple and cherry notes. This cider would make a natural pairing with grilled pork sausages, or a chicken with a fruit/vinegar based marinade.  Cherry Street comes in the larger 750 ml bottles and runs about $12.50 per bottle.  To me, it’s like the BEST kind of ADULT soft drink! – refreshing, somewhat sweet, but not cloying and, well... it has some alcohol in it (5.5%)!  Let’s just say this cider went down easy.  On a hot day this would be absolutely gulp-able.

Thirty years ago, on June 25th, 1984, Prince released the album Purple Rain.  I was completely mesmerized. I remember that my mother’s cousin, a record producer, brought me several copies of the album in vinyl.  I can’t find the vinyl now, but I found, tucked away in a scrapbook of mine, the original poster that came with it.

There were two girl fan camps in those heady mid-80’s days – the girls who loved Michael Jackson and girls who loved Prince.  The MJ fans were cleaner cut, preppy types. They loved the loafers and that damn sequined glove. They wanted to be the girl in the Thriller video with the ponytail and the skirt.  Prince fans were a bit edgier, and moodier. They wanted to be Apollonia on the back of that motorcycle, thank you very much.  I was in the Prince camp.

So in honor of Purple Rain, I will admit a secret guilty pleasure.  Now and again I like to drink something completely frivolous. A drink that reminds me of my youth. Something simple. Something sweet. A drink that takes me back 30 years.  A drink that reminds me of being 16, and that thrill of the last days of school and the start of summer. Bartles & James anyone? A California Cooler? 

In the spirit of summer, my youth, and the anniversary of Prince’s iconic album, I thought it apropos to review New Hope Winery’s Blackberry Wine. 

The New Hope Winery is a small winery on the border of NJ and PA in New Hope, PA.  The winery has a rustic little tasting room which is a pleasure to visit and has a great live music series on Friday nights – line up this season includes James Maddock, BoDeans, Suzanne Vega and Raul Malo, among others.

I was prepared to be bowled over by sweetness based on the jammy, blackberry nose, but the wine, though definitely sweet, was not cloying or as viscous as I would have expected.  The wine is actually a lovely simple reflection the character of the fruit.  I can imagine sipping this with a dessert course – with cheesecake or vanilla ice cream, or even paired with a few cheeses (a brie for certain).  A reduction of this wine would be terrific with duck or even a roast pork. And yes, it would make a lovely “Purple Rain” spritzer – an adult Bartles and James, or California Cooler, if you will.

Today, I raise my glass of blackberry wine to Purple Rain, to memories of teen-dom, and to a lovely summer.

Gordon Ramsay's 'food drama' programming is occasionally interesting to watch, depending on your appetite for cranky, foul mouthed British restaurant moguls. On the other hand, Robert Ramsay Cellars (no Ramsay relation!) is always interesting to drink.  This wonderful small boutique winery was the very last stop of an extensive tasting day I had in the Woodinville Warehouse District, 30 minutes from downtown Seattle several months ago.

Generally speaking, the last tasting of the day often gets short shrift; taste buds are taxed and feet are tired. However, as soon as I sampled the wine I was energized. Robert Ramsay Cellars may have been my last stop, but it was as if I had it the proverbial wine jackpot.  I found my favorite wines of the day and some of the most memorable wine making of this trip to the westernmost wineries of Washington State by a completely chance wander into a tasting room next to where our car was parked.  

I thought I would kick off the Memorial Day long weekend by honoring my new 'home' state.  I went through the mental catalogue of all of the towns in which I have lived and I can say that I have lived in Maplewood, New Jersey longer (13 years) than I have lived in any other town in my childhood or my adulthood (the runner up is Brooklyn at 11 years). While Virginia was where I grew up, I have lived in the Tri-state area for more than half of my life.  I never would have thought it, but I have become fiercely proud of my newly adopted home state of New Jersey, much maligned as it is (and unfairly so, I might add).

Today I traveled out to Natirar Park, in the verdant rolling hills of Somerset County.  The park is a 404 acre property shared by the communities of Peapack/Gladstone, Far Hills and Bedminster, which was once the estate of Walter Graeme Ladd.  If I was blindfolded and brought here and was asked to make a guess of where I was, I would wager Virginia horse country, near my alma mater in Charlottesville. If you think New Jersey is that just a ribbon of 95 that takes you to other points north and south, venture to this part of New Jersey.  It is beautiful.  

But I digress. The park is the host to the Garden State Wine Growers Association Blues & Wine Festival, a three day celebration of the wine made right here in New Jersey.  Over 20 wineries from across the state set up tasting tents to share their products with the public.  A few interesting facts about the Garden State and wine: There are 48 licensed operating wineries in the state, and New Jersey is ranked seventh in the nation in total wine production in the US. The most popular varietals being grown are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Chambourcin (Red), and Chardonnay and Vidal Blanc (White).  More and more high quality dry style wines are being produced, though a considerable portion of NJ wine sales are non-grape fruit wines made from crops that thrive in the richer vegetable-worthy soils (hence the name Garden State) -- apple, blueberry, raspberry and cranberry wines still hold court.  More and more high quality dry wines are being produced in the Outer Coastal Plain AVA.  This area of Southern New Jersey has the majority of the wineries in the state due to the sandy, well drained soils and warmer temperatures.  There is another formal AVA, The Warren Hills, AVA.  Finally there are wineries that are not in the NJ AVAs, namely a few terrific wineries clustered in the Hunterdon County area. 

New Jersey wines received some world press in 2012 with the Judgment of Princeton.  On June 8th of that year, a blind tasting was conducted comparing red and white wines from New Jersey and Bordeaux and Burgundy wines from France at Princeton University as part of the American Association of Wine Economists. The tasting was modeled after the Judgment of Paris in 1976, a famous tasting in which California wines beat French wines.  Of the judges in Princeton, five were American, three were French and one was Belgian and they represented international critics, journalists and vineyard owners (top notch folks in the wine world). Each of the judges tasted ten wines of which six were from New Jersey.  New Jersey took three of the top four spots in the white wine category and ranked third highest in the red.  The Judgment of Princeton was considered a 'statistical' tie.

Although a few of my favorite wineries, Unionville Vineyards (Ringoes, NJ) and Hawk Haven Vineyards (Cape May) did not appear to have a tent at the festival, I was happy to see a few of my other personal top choices represented, namely Working Dog Winery (formerly Silver Decoy, in Hightstown) and Heritage Vineyards (Mullica Hill). In fact, it was Heritage's BDX 2010 Bordeaux style blend that took third place in the Judgement of Princeton.

The atmosphere at the festival was more relaxed summer party than wine tasting - light on discussion and heavy on the pouring.  I tasted a great deal of not so memorable wines (cranberry moscato, anyone?) but I had a few highlight tastes.  I really enjoyed the Heritage Vineyards Estate Chardonnay a lightly oaked (6 months on French Oak) Chardonnay with aromas of peach and vanilla, and pear and a bit of hazelnut on the palette with an elegant finish. I could imagine this Chardonnay with a nice chicken dish, maybe slightly sweet, peach/apricot glaze?) and some grilled peaches.   I also enjoyed Hopewell Valley's Barbera, a Northern Italian varietal.  This wine is a medium bodied red, with aromas of cherries and raspberries, and a balance of fruit and good tannins to give the wine nice structure.  This would be terrific with a grilled burger -- I'm thinking a lamb burger actually, served with homemade balsamic and herb Ketchup.  Easy drinking summer red, for sure. 

It was a enjoyable amble around the field tents, and the rolling hills framed an interesting sky, moving from blue with soft white pillows of clouds, to the deep gray blues of moments just before rain.  The music played even as the sky opened up for about twenty minutes or so, and festival goers, including this one, ran under wine tents - a perfect excuse to try just a few more samples.