Building Addition Brings More Space and Spectacular Views

If you have visited our winery at Lamoreaux Landing you know it combines a beautiful building and spectacular sights. You may also be aware of the prestigious award given in 1999 by the American Institute of Architects when our winery building was recognized as, "One of the Most Notable Buildings Built in New York State in the 20th Century." We are very proud of this award and the thousands of compliments we receive about our building and grounds each year from people who visit the winery.

As our business has grown we have found we need more space in our cellar for wine making and wine storage. We also needed additional wine tasting areas to accommodate the many visitors we have at the winery year-round. Because the scenery is so lovely, we decided to add a porch that allows an even more expansive view off our new tasting room. To accomplish the task of making changes to the building without detracting from its original Modern Greek Revival style we contacted Architect Bruce Corson, the person responsible for designing the original award winning structure.

This past summer and into the early fall we have made these additions to our winery building and we think it is more eye-catching than ever, both inside and out. We hope you will enjoy what you see as well as what you taste at Lamoreaux Landing. Your enjoyment and satisfaction has always been, and will continue to be, our mission. Come visit us to taste our award-winning wines and enjoy the views from our award-winning building.

Mark J. Wagner, Owner

From the Cellar - Holiday Entertaining and Gift Giving Ideas

There is no busier time at any winery than the grape harvest season. The newly harvested crop, once pressed, comes into our cellar and is put into oak barrels, stainless steel tanks or open-top fermentors for the all-important fermentation process. After careful handling and aging, from 6 months to several years depending on wine variety, the 2003 wines will be ready for you to enjoy. We expect some outstanding wines from our 2003 crop and will keep you posted on their progress. We have recently released some older vintages we would like you to try.

If you are a sparkling wine fan you will love our 2000 Blanc de Blanc. It is an effervescent Chardonnay fermented in the classic Champagne method and has a toasted almond, honeydew and citrus flavor profile. What would the holiday season be without some wonderful "stars in your glass?"

Several new releases from our 2001 harvest are sure to please you. Our perennial favorites, Merlot and Chardonnay, are particularly nice. The '01 Merlot is a classic Bordeaux style wine bursting with blackberry, plum and cherry aromas and flavors. It is a most approachable red wine with a lovely soft mouth-feel and flavors that linger. The 2001 Chardonnay is a full-bodied, white Burgundy-style wine filled with the flavors of apple and citrus. A nice oak background adds to its complexity. This wine is beautifully balanced with a pleasingly long finish. We are also offering our 2001 Chardonnay Reserve, which is a complex and buttery wine with a depth of flavor, that combines tropical fruit and toasty oak notes.

Two of our 2002 vintages are distinctive dessert wines that are both sweet and luscious. The 2002 Vidal Ice Wine is a sweet nectar full of ripe pineapple and pear flavors. The 2002 Riesling Ice Wine has an extremely intense golden raisin, apricot and honey character that makes this wine a dessert in itself. Both wines are perfect for your holiday entertaining or as gifts for someone special. Another very fine 2002 wine is our '02 Dry Riesling. It has aromas of honeysuckle and apple blossom. Peach, pear and a hint of citrus round out the flavors of this lively, crisp wine. It will pair beautifully with your holiday turkey or as an aperitif when guests drop by.

We invite you to stop by our winery soon and enjoy the fruits of our labor.

Vineyard Report - Late Harvest and Ice Wine Varieties Yield Sweet Results

Visitors to the winery during our growing season had the opportunity to see our gorgeous fruit hanging on the vines surrounding the winery building. Grapes are harvested depending on several factors. Each grape variety often ripens at a different time and the style of wine to be made from the grapes must also come into play. Late harvest wines are usually left on the vine longer than most, as their name implies. The resulting wine is notably sweeter than the wine made from grapes picked as soon as they are ripe. Ice wines are made from grapes that are left on the vine well after most of the harvest and after they freeze. Frozen grapes have extremely concentrated flavors and are very sweet because the freezing process freezes the water in the grapes and leaves the sugar and acid of the fruit unfrozen. We are pleased to offer our 2002 Vidal Ice Wine as well as our 2002 Riesling Ice Wine for you to enjoy.

As 2003 comes to a close we are getting ready for winter pruning. The vines will be dormant but our staff will be busy preparing the vineyards for the 2004 growing season.

A recent fall morning found Jim Wood driving a grape harvester in one of Lamoreaux's Riesling vineyards.

Food and Wine Pairing: Feta and Red Pepper Pizza
with Lamoreaux Landing 2000 Cabernet Franc
by Grady Wells

We enjoyed this extremely versatile barrel-aged wine with several dishes, including short ribs Provencal and Osso Buco, before discovering how well it goes with this fast vegetarian pizza. I have included my pizza dough recipe, but this will work equally well with purchased dough or a pre-made crust such as Boboli^TM. The Israeli feta sold at Wegman's grocery stores makes a big difference in this and other recipes.

Grady Wells is a radio producer and recipe developer who lives in Ithaca, New York.