Previous Issues of the Newsletter
Spring 2001
Lamoreaux Landing’s 1998 Cabernet Franc
Served at Governor’s MansionMark Wagner and Anna Holmberg special guests of Governor Pataki
Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars award winning 1998 Cabernet Franc had the notable distinction of being served with the main course at The Commissioners Holiday Gathering held annually at the New York State Executive Mansion in December. The wine was honored last fall with Best New York Red Wine and Double Gold Medal at the 2000 New York State Food & Wine Classic competition. Winery owner Mark Wagner and Anna Holmberg were among commissioners and other dignitaries who attended the dinner as guests of the Governor. It also took gold at the 2001 New World International Wine Competition held in California.
Riesling Celebration May 2001
Come join Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars and more than 40 other Finger Lakes wineries as we celebrate one of the area's premier grape varieties — the Riesling. Visit our lovely region and discover the rich flavors of Riesling, from the dry and semi-dry to the luscious late harvest wines. Participating wineries will present new releases, older vintages, wine and food parings, displays and seminars. Look for the distinctive "Riesling" flag flying at participating wineries.
On May 19 and 20 all the wineries will offer food and Riesling parings. No tickets are required. For more information, call Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars at 607-582-6011 or the Seneca Lake Winery Association at 877-536-2717. Don't miss the fun.
The Care and Feeding of Grapevines
It is only natural to think about things green in the spring of the year. It is a time we in the North look forward to with great anticipation. The grapevines begin to show luscious shades of green after their winter dormant season. This "rest period" is crucial to the health and vigor of the vines. As the daily temperatures reach an average of 50 degrees F, the dormant vine begins to grow the shoots that will bear this year's grape crop.
Along with adequate sunshine and warm temperatures, grapevines must have moisture, nutrients and proper soil drainage to grow a crop good enough to make a premium wine. The French call this combination of climate, soil moisture and nutrients set in the proper geography, terroir, pronounced (tair' waw)
Grapevines do best when they must send their roots deep into the ground for water and nutrients. This is the reason they are quite drought resistant compared to many other fruit crops. Having grapes that are "a little bit hungry and a little thirsty" seems to produce a superior crop to grapes that are in poorly drained, very moist, or excessively rich soils.
Of course our grapevines could not produce the quality grapes they do without human intervention, and lots of it. Pruning takes each person 24 hours of skillful labor to hand prune each acre of grapevines. Monitoring sugar and acid content and, most of all, grape flavors takes a knowledgeable staff to perform and interpret.
As we go through the 2001 growing season, we at Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars will continue to be vigilant in every aspect of getting our wine from our vineyard to your table for you to enjoy with family and friends in every season.
Mark Wagner, Proprietor
Vineyard Report
The 2000/2001 winter was what many are calling the first “normal” winter in many years. Temperatures and precipitation for most of the Northeast were about what is expected for the region. But after several years of milder and dryer than normal conditions for many of the snow belt areas of New York and New England, snow seemed to come on early and hard. The areas around Lakes Erie and Ontario were hardest hit. However, those of us in the Finger Lakes Region of New York managed to escape much of the heavy snow and cold, and experienced a relatively dry, warm winter.
The varieties that are more winter hardy are pruned first, during the months of December and January. The more tender varieties are pruned after February 1st when there is less likelihood of winter injury. We finish pruning these by April 1st. The canes produced by the vines last season look hardy and ready to grow and support what we hope will be another outstanding vintage here at Lamoreaux Landing.
From the Cellar...
Samuel Alexandre, Winemaker1,2 and 3! The first drops were draining under the press. It was the 19th of September and we were pressing the Pinot Noir for our sparkling wine. The harvest continued into early November. Today, most of our 2000 wines are almost done as they went through this complex alchemy, which is fermentation. The Reds and the Chardonnays are now gaining some more complexity by aging in oak barrels. The white wines such as Riesling and Gewürztraminer are keeping all the freshness of their varietal flavors in stainless steel tanks.
My first two 2000 vintage wines at Lamoreaux Landing are Gewürztraminer and Gewürztraminer Reserve. I invite you to come by and taste them. You will be surprised by the intensity of their aromas and amazed by the richness of their flavors. Both of these Gewürztraminer display a harmonious melody of tropical fruits with lychee nuts, apricots and pineapple notes floating on a velvety mouthfeel. After a blink of peach in the end, the finish is long and well balanced with this nice and characteristic touch of bitterness in the background that distinguishes a typical Gewürtz.
The Reserve has been fermented bone dry, but the intense fruit flavorslead you to think otherwise. Our standard Gewürztraminer is a bit sweeter, but is also a dry wine making them both very food-friendly. How about a pineapple cake and some exotic music to enjoy it? It is up to you! A votre santé!
New Art Exhibit
Lamoreaux Landing is very pleased to present watercolors by Ithaca artist Barbara Mink. Her very colorful works will be on display March through May 2001 at the winery. Describing her art, Barbara says, "I love flowers out of context, larger than life, and up close. This near-sighted view is my first step towards plumbing their depths." Barbara Mink teaches management communication at Cornell's Johnson Graduate School of Management and was just elected to her fifth term as Chair of the Tompkins County Board of Representatives. Her paintings have been displayed in and around Central New York.
Brut Bubbles Bedazzle
Our 1996 Brut won a Gold Medal at the 2001 Hilton Head Island Winefest International Wine Competition in February. The competition had over 750 entries from around the world. It also took Gold at the 2001 New World International Wine Competitin held in California.
Pairing Food with Wine from Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars
1999 Semi-Dry Riesling
Chicken Curry with Apricots
Serves 4Lamoreaux Landing's 1999 Semi-Dry Riesling works very well alongside this quickly prepared chicken curry with apricots. The wine's bright fruit and floral accents complement the aromas of curry, ginger, and garlic, while its slight sweetness brings out the apricots' many fruit flavors. Chicken breast would also taste fine in this recipe, with a shorter cooking time, but the thigh meat’s richer flavor works best with this wine.
Mix all ingredients except tomato paste and marinate beef 8 hours or overnight, bring daube to a boil in a heavy pot, then simmer covered for three or more hours, until the beef is cooked through. Drain beef, defat liquid, add 1/4 cup tomato paste, and boil sauce until thickened. Add beef and heat gently; taste for seasonings.
Roast Vegetables:
One hour before stew is done, pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Toss vegetables with oil and seasonings. Roast parsnips, carrots, onions, and 6 garlic cloves in a shallow pan for 45 minutes to an hour, stirring frequently, until well browned. Roast mushrooms separately with remaining garlic for 30 minutes, stirring often.
Divide vegetables into bowls and top with meat and sauce. Serve with sourdough bread, a simple salad, and Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars 1998 Cabernet Franc.
Grady Wells is a writer and radio producer living in Ithaca, N.Y.
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