Sparkling wine — local or not — comes in myriad styles. It can be made with any grape (though some are obviously better than others). It can be made in various ways —Methode Champenoise, Methode Ancestral, Charmat, etc. And within each of those techniques, there are many winemaker decisions that ultimately define what the wine will taste like. (more…)
If one were to build a Mount Rushmore of Long Island wine, there is little doubt that longtime Lenz Winery winemaker Eric Fry — and his signature beard — would be immortalized on it.
Over the course of his decades-long career making wine on the North Fork, Fry, who is planning to retire this year, has earned his reputation as one of the region’s top winemakers. (more…)
Two glasses of sparkling wine at Sparkling Pointe in Southold. (Credit: Randee Daddona)
Pop!
Champagne is all about fun. We love those cascading bubbles, that vivacious zing and the laughs that follow. It symbolizes celebration. But for a winemaker, champagne and other “methode champenoise” sparkling wines present winemaking’s greatest challenge. (more…)
Sparkling Pointe’s 2014 Brut. (Credit: Lenn Thompson)
Do me — and yourself — a favor and don’t reserve sparkling wine only for parties and special occasions. Sparkling wine makes any night (or heck, even morning) a celebration. And, with so many underrated local sparkling wines available, why not drink them more often? (more…)
Sparkling Pointe’s 2005 Brut Seduction. (Credit: Cyndi Murray)
Earning accolades from both Wine Enthusiast magazine and at this year’s New York State Wine & Food Classic, Sparkling Pointe’s 2005 Brut Seduction is northforker’s Wine of the Week. (more…)
Oysters served by Noah’s in Greenport at the first Local Oyster Showcase at Sparkling Pointe in Southold. Photo courtesy of Noah’s
Long Island’s oysters farmers and top chefs are coming out for a day of food and wine next Sunday at the third-annual Local Oyster Showcase at Sparkling Pointe Vineyards & Winery. (more…)
Photo by Rachel Young | Cassandra Santoro (center), Sparkling Pointe’s wine club and private events manager, pours the Southold winery’s 2009 Brut for Michael and Patricia Stebner of East Patchogue.
Once reserved for special occasions and celebratory toasts, sparkling wine is gaining popularity as an everyday drink — and the trend has infiltrated the North Fork, where wineries are noticing an uptick in sales of the bubbly stuff.
“This is our busiest season yet,” said Kelsey Cheslock, public relations and marketing coordinator at Sparkling Pointe in Southold. “We’ve seen such an increase in tourism.” (more…)