The North Fork Wine Country Rocks This Summer!

Johnny Winter- 1969

The North Fork Wine Country Rocks This Summer!
By Christopher J. Davies


The North Fork is rockin this summer! Peconic Bay Winery in Cutchogue is showing the world that in edition to making world-class wines, they have an ear for presenting legendary music performers!

Special Father's Day Performance by Legendary Guitarist Johnny Winter
Live at Peconic Bay Winery, Cutchogue

Sunday, June 19, 2011, 4pm-7pm
Limited tickets available at $40pp

Johnny Winter is one of my top ten favorite blues guitar legends. He has  played at Woodstock, he was a friend and colleague of Jimi Hendrix. Johnny is most famous for releasing the first version of Rock and Roll Hotchie Koo. His most successful record "Captured Live" is still available on Amazon.com and represents some of the most epic guitar licks recorded in the last century.

In recent year's, Johnny has played at two of Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival's. Winter is on a comeback and will tour extensively this summer in the US and Europe. To be able to see and hear him play in such an intimate setting as a winery, with wines by the glass is a rare opportunity.

For tickets visit: www.peconicbaywinery.com/




NOFO Rock & Folk Fest

The 2nd Annual edition has a stellar line-up of classic bands and performers. I have to say that this baby boomer almost lost it when I read that a senior weekend pass is available!

July 39 (SAT) & July 31 (Sun)
Saturday's line up is folkish featuring artists;
Elvin Bishop, John Sebastian, Commander Cody

While Sunday's line up is more rockin with Foghat & Corky Laing & The Memory Thieves (Mountain).


Ticket Pricing:
1 Day Pass - $48
Weekend Pass - $85
Student/Senior - $44
Student/Senior Weekend Pass - $80


For tickets visit: www.noforockandfolkfest.com


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Christopher Davies is the co-founder of Long Island Wine Country. COM, a premium level wine tour and event company established in 1999: www.longislandwinecountry.com



Christopher is a photo journalist and publisher of magazines and nationally syndicated columns about wine, food & travel. His latest project is the VinoTasting newsletter, which uncorks the best values in wine. Visit: www.vinotasting.com



Other links:
Christopher Davies Photography: www.daviesphotos.com
Denver International Wine Competition: www.denverwinecomp.com
Denver International Wine Festival: www.denverwinefest.com

Long Island Wine And Food Festival Debuts Friday June 25 to Sunday June 27

Long Island Wine And Food Festival Debuts Friday June 25 to Sunday June 27, 2010.
Story and photos by Christopher J. Davies

It has been a long time coming, but I am happy to see that East End wineries and restaurants have teamed up to showcase their delicious wines and foods. Timing couldn't be more perfect as Summer will be officially in bloom on Long Island's North Fork.

The Long Island Wine and Food Festival is a perfect event for tasting a wide assortment of Long Island wines at one location. Many of the producer's wines are limited production and not found at your local wine store in New York City.

The events take place over three days, making it ideal for staying on the East End at a B&B or hotel. My favorite town for staying the weekend is Greenport. There you can find several hotels and B&B's to fit your budget. Best of all the town is an old whaling village that has a nice selection of quaint shops and restaurants, including America's oldest family owned restaurant, Claudio's on the dock.

2010 Long Island Wine And Food Festival

Friday, June 25, 2010 Roanoke Vineyards, Riverhead VIP Kickoff Reception. 7-10pm

The VIP Kickoff Reception will be your chance to taste Local flavors prepared by aMano Osteria & Wine Bar and over four dozen Local wines. This is an intimate opportunity to meet some of the celebrity chefs preparing remarkable cuisine at Sunday's Grand Tasting. By purchasing a ticket to the VIP Kickoff Reception on Friday, June 25, 2010 you will also be allowed entry to The Grand Tasting on Sunday, June 27, 2010. Please keep your ticket for The Grand Tasting.


Saturday June 26, 2010- Various North Fork Wineries
Separate wine & food events will be held at 10 area wineries and an Art Exhibit at will take place at Mitchell Park, Greenport LI



The Grand Tasting
Sunday, June 27, 2010, 2-6:00pm
Mitchell Park, Greenport LI

Join over 50 Local wineries and restaurants at The Grand Tasting in the beautiful Village of Greenport. Mitchell Park will be the setting for the culmination of the Long Island Wine and Food Festival. You will enjoy unique wine and food tastings in a scenic seaside setting. Take a minute to sniff, sip, and swirl or a moment to learn techniques from some of Long Island's greatest chefs.

For details and tickets visit the official event website:
http://www.longislandwineandfoodfestival.com

Happy 36th Birthday Long Island Wine Country!

Famous signed barrels at Wolffer Estate









Laurel Lake Vineyards


Happy 36th Birthday Long Island Wine Country!

By Christopher J. Davies
Editor & Co-Founder
Wine Country International® magazine

Long Island Wine Country is now 36 years old, which in winespeak, makes it a
teenager in the world of wine. Touring Long Island Wine Country from New York City is relatively easily arranged. The region is just 90 miles east of Manhattan, which is about the same distance as San Francisco to Sonoma! So why travel to California, when you have a world class wine region in New York?

The region will always be considered boutique, because all combined Long Island Vineyards add up to just 3,000 acres of planted grapevines (One acre of land is home to between 900 and 1,300 vines). World-Famous Napa Valley, which produces just 4% of all California wine, has 45,275 acres planted in vineyards! With that said, Long Island Wine Country has a micro-climate that is almost an exact replica of Bordeaux, one of the most important wine producing regions in the world!

Long Island Wine Country (North Fork & Hamptons) is more like Bordeaux than any other place in America. That my wine loving friends is a VERY GOOD thing. If you like traditional Bordeaux varietal's like Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon and Petit Verdot...these are the grapes that ripen extremely well in the region.


To make great wine, you need great grapes. Long Island vintners and grape growers have spent millions to figure out how to grow the best grapes. Several vintners have even hired Michelle Rolland, the legendary "Flying Winemaker" from France to help guide them. Joseph Macari, Jr., President & Co-Owner of Macari Vineyards and Winery, has invested lots into organic grape growing techniques. For several years, Macari has retained Alan York, a biodynamic guru, who has worked with Benziger Family Winery and Fetzer in California. Having tasted Macari's wines lately, the results of this investment in the vineyards is noticeable in the glass.

On the South Fork or Hamptons, the late great Christian Wolffer's, Wolffer Estate Vineyard, Sagaponack, Long Island, has set the bar for Long Island's reputation for quality in the ultra-premium, luxury wine category, with it's Premier Cru Merlot($100 bottle). While all that knew him, were deeply saddened to learn of his death on New Years Eve 2008, as a result of a swimming accident, we are relieved that his family has vowed to continue his wine legacy.
Website: http://www.wolffer.com

Winemaking is a combination of science, art and good luck. The first two elements set the individual style of the winery. The third "good luck" applies to weather. Weather is the wild card for every vintner. Long Island is especially susceptible to wet weather conditions. Water, believe it or not, does not help the grapes grow better or bigger. They need very little irrigation and thrive on being stressed (having little water).

The 2007 Long Island grape harvest was by most accounts, the best harvest of this decade. Some vintners have reported a double digit increase in grape yields or tons of grapes harvest. The weather conditions last summer were hot and dry with cool nights. In comparison, 2006 was a much rainier, humid season. Many vintners lost a good percentage of their white grapes in 2006.And the 2008 harvest yield was full of conflicts and lower yields.

I am looking forward to tasting the wines from the 2007 vintage to see/taste for myself. The 2007 whites were released last summer. In general terms, I find these wines to be crisp and fruit forward.

Reds from 2007 will be aged mostly in expensive French Oak barrels for two to three years.So expect to start seeing them released in 2010.

Happy 36th birthday Long Island Wine Country.
I raise my glass to your promising future!