new york wines

This holiday season I have opted to repeat my blog from last year because the films obviously remain classics and the pairings still apply.

It is the busy season at Premier, so I am just doing one large blog for the Holidays. I have listed 10 of my favorite Christmas movies with one bonus film many of you probably have never seen or heard of, but should take a look at. For each movie I have suggested a wine or spirit to go along with your viewing pleasure.

1. A Christmas Carol (1951): My favorite all-time Christmas movie with the incomparable Alistair Sim. It’s full of dark, brooding, Victorian London along with cheery snowy street scenes and lovely carols. A figgy and nutty Tawny Port like Niepoort Ten Year is just the thing to sip along with a slice of Christmas cake or pudding as you view this ideal Christmas movie.

2. A Christmas Carol (1984): My second favorite version of Dickens’ classic with wonderful set

Here is my list of some favorite wines for Thanksgiving. Most of these are old favorites, and all are interesting and worth your time. With a couple of exceptions, these wines will fall under $15.00 a bottle.

1. Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau 2016 / 750 ml.: A good vintage with a deep, dark, plum color and juicy, ripe flavors with a smooth finish. This light refreshing red should be served slightly chilled and works nicely the day after Thanksgiving when you build that monster of a turkey sandwich.

2. The Borell-Diehl 2014 Gewurztraminer Kabinett Pfalz: This wine should be of particular interest to you if you like some sweet with your spice. This wine is very aromatic, with rose, grapefruit, lychee, coriander. With ginger, citrus and golden apple notes on the mouth, this wine will be a winner for complex Thanksgiving flavors.

3. Domaine L’Enclos Moelleux 2015: This is a lovely, bargain-priced French white

Next Thursday marks the beginning of fall. Summer temperatures aside, there are definite earmarks that the season is upon us. Out in the hills, leaves are slowly beginning to turn and shadows are gaining length as the sun departs earlier in the evenings. Pumpkins are appearing on roadsides and apples are more prevalent at the grocer’s. Apples and autumn are inseparable. Crisp bites of Cortland and Macintosh apples, fresh, sweet cider and spice laden apple pies are all strong associations with fall.

From a region famous for well made wines going back several decades, Keuka Springs Vineyards has been making great wines for thirty years. Under the direction of the Wiltberger family, Keuka Springs is producing outstanding from a wide variety of grapes. 

Arrowhead Spring is another excellent winery that opted to journey down “the road not taken” that so many New York wineries have feared to venture.  Arrowhead has successfully created wines that for many years were not associated with New York, like Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, and even Syrah.  As with other wineries that have dared to follow this route, Arrowhead Spring has low yields which help to increase the flavor intensity of their wines.

For the next few weeks, I will be featuring a series on select wines from New York State Wineries that I believe merit special attention.  The wineries are located in the Finger Lakes Niagara regions. The focus will be on specific dry reds and dry to semi-dry whites (particularly Rieslings) that I would encourage wine lovers to try. I would also recommend they visit these wineries over the Summer or Fall.

Just a few weeks ago I had my first sip of Randolph O’Neill wines. I was very impressed with the four wines I tasted, but there were two that held my attention the most. The 2014 Cabernet Franc was delicious. In fact I was stunned that such a recent vintage could taste so complex and not finish with the annoying green pepper notes that often exist in the finish of young Cabernet Francs. This wine had all the earmarks of an outstanding Cab Franc with gorgeous dark berry and currant flavors, black pepper and spice notes.  Acidity is good but not overpowering as are

Today I begin the 3 part series on Halloween treats to pour. Because of the craze for all things Apple this time of year, I thought it only appropriate to step outside the wine world and offer up a cider. There are several varieties and even flavors of alcohol based (hard) ciders that range from sweet to very dry and still to sparkling.

Recently I attended a wine tasting where most of the sippers were from other parts of the country including Maryland, Virginia, California and more.  The wines they were drinking were from New York and nearly all the wines were dry and not generally associated with upstate New York. All the wines were well received, but one in particular stood out: the Arrowhead Spring 2012 Pinot Noir. 

St. Patrick’s Day is over and you have left over corned beef to eat but the thought of more beer to drink with it isn’t that appealing.   After all, you may have had plenty of beer in the last few days. In terms of leftovers, you opt for a corned beef sandwich with Swiss cheese and spicy mustard on rye.  A glass of wine might do the trick, but which one? 

This year I may be taking a more traditional route for our Thanksgiving pairing.  But I should mention that this is no ordinary Riesling offered at this price point. The Lamoreaux Landing 2013 Dry Riesling is a glorious wine we should definitely be thankful for.