SAMANTHA BRIX FILE PHOTO | Lenn Thompson, executive editor of the popular wine blog New York Cork Report, at a tasting at Empire State Cellars.
Where is the only place you have access to hundreds of bottles — and tastings — of wine grown and made in New York state? That’d be Empire State Cellars in Riverhead’s Tanger Outlet. The retail store, a second location of Peconic Bay Winery, has been holding “Meet the Winemaker” events featuring the men and women behind New York wine.
This Saturday, Miguel Martin, winemaker at Palmer Vineyard, will be at the Empire State Cellars’ tasting bar from 5 to 7 p.m. to guide a tasting of his wines. Other winemakers making appearances in the future are Gilles Martin of Sparkling Pointe on Feb. 9, Peter Bell of Fox Run Vineyards in Penn Yan, N.Y. on Feb. 11 and Russell and Susan Hearn, founders of SUHRU and T’JARA Wines on Feb. 16. Grab a tasting glass and meet them at the bar.
• The Giants are taking on (and beating!) the Patriots this Super Bowl Sunday. Don’t you want some Beer-Braised BBQ Brisket Grinders to nosh on while you watch the G-Men make their way to victory? Check out the recipe for those grinders and other easy football game-friendly foods.
• Valentine’s Day — and ensuring groans from single girls — is just around the corner. Lots of North Fork restaurants and wineries are having specials for the holiday, but here’s a list of Valentine’s Day specials at restaurants in New York City for those of you heading west.
• I had never heard of birch sap wine before I read this article in the Guardian, but now is the time to make it. Learn how here.
• The New York Cork Report just published a Q&A with the assistant winemaker at Osprey’s Dominion Vineyard in Peconic. Check it out here, and be sure to read our profile on the vineyard too.
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