News 52 - Lakewood Vineyards

4024 State Route 14, Watkins Glen, NY 14891 • Phone: 877-535-9252
July 2014 • Volume 25 • No. 1
Don’t Miss Steak!
Summer may have been slow getting here this year, but now that
it has finally arrived, it’s time to dust off your grilling skills.
Whether you prefer the flamboyant right-handed aerial 360° or
the ever popular slow-hand spatula roll, you’ll need to be on your
steak flippin’ game for this summer’s Do It Yourself Steak
Dinners at Lakewood Vineyards. Don’t get caught with your
apron down. Check out the dates below and reserve some seats
for you and your friends. Price is still just $32/pp and includes a
Delmonico steak, baked potato, salad, roll, dessert and 1 bottle of
wine per couple. You can substitute chicken breast if you prefer,
but let us know when you call. The grills will be ready for you to
ply your grilling talents at 6:30pm. Kids are welcome too, with
hot dogs, burgers, and grape juice available
as a special option for just $10.
Dave & Erin on their wedding day.
Visit lakewoodvineyards.com for more details,
The Romance of Wine or just call us at (877)535-9252. Reservations
a must as space is limited.
By Chris Stamp
July 26th : Grill your steak to the ol’ time
As a life-long bachelor, my
fiddle tunes of George Harriger and Son.
brother Dave, our Vineyardist,
August 23rd : We’ll be stoking the coals
spent years listening to my
while Jimmy D sings Sinatra.
wife’s encouragement to attend
every social event in town.
Harsh Winter and Your Wine Supply
“Women aren’t going to just
drop out of the sky into the
Basking now in the long, warm Lakewood Vineyards, we were
vineyard” she told him. A
days of summer, it’s easy to
comparatively lucky. While
rational person would have to
forget the extreme harshness of some locales saw temperatures
agree. Dave, though, pretty
this past winter. For most
under -20°F this winter, our
much just stayed in the
people, except for the higher
coldest temperature was a
vineyard.
heating bills, it was simply an
relatively balmy -6°F. For the
Two years ago, we received a
annual inconvenience served up most part, our vines suffered
resume from a New York City
by Mother Nature. Although
only minor bud damage. We
woman inquiring about the
the cold has long since yielded
expect to see a slightly smaller
possibility of doing a harvest
to the changing season, its
crop this fall. Coming on the
internship. We receive many
effects are still visible in the
heels of last year’s slightly
such requests, but this
vineyard. Bud and trunk
larger crop, we count it as
particular one stood out in its
damage are the primary injuries simple vineyard karma. While
enthusiasm. In the summer of
inflicted by such a harsh winter. crop levels vary from year to
2012, we hired the “city girl”
These injuries result in effects
year, our warehouse is a
Erin McMurrough, to help us
ranging from reduced crop to
wonderful buffer, maintaining a
through harvest, thus
outright vine death, depending good supply of wine ready to
depositing her right into the
on the degree of cold and the
warm you in the winter and
vineyard. Dave and Erin’s
sensitivity of the vine. At
refresh you in the summer.
Continued on page #3
Summer Fun,
Sippin’ Away
By Chris Stamp
The other day I entered the winery lunch room
and found myself in the middle of a discussion
on summer wine cocktails. Frankly, I prefer to
drink my wine unadulterated. The thought of ice
cubes bobbing in my wine truly makes me cringe.
If you want to blend fruit juice and soda pop
with something, get some rum. I listened in for
some time on their preferred methods fro
desecrating good wine before declaring, “Our
wines aren’t mixers. They are balanced, tasty
beverages meant to be enjoyed as is.” It was
obvious there were other opinions in the room.
“Don’t be such a purist,” they scolded.
“Sometimes on a hot day, you want something icy
and fizzy and lower in alcohol.” “Then drink a
Bud Light” I grumbled. “Wine cocktails are way
better” they persisted. “Little doubt about that,”
I agreed, not being much of a light beer fan. As
the recipe swap went around the room, I had to
admit that some of them sounded pretty thirst
quenching. In case you are not a purist, here’s a
sampling of their summery suggestions.
Tracy, Chad & Tami take a break while planting
Sauvignon Blanc
Babes In The Vineyard
From the Loire Valley to New Zealand,
Sauvignon Blanc has proven itself capable of
producing exceptional food wine. Freshly
shucked oysters and goat cheese are two classic
pairings, but its versatility is wide ranging.
Characteristic herbal notes and zingy acidity
Tracy: “Candeo, passion fruit juice, ice and a
make it one of the easiest white wines to match
sprig of mint. Never use the little umbrellas.
with food. The big question at Lakewood is,
They get stuck in your throat.”
“How well will Sauvignon Blanc pair with our soil
and micro-climate?” It’s a question we hope to
Tami: “Put crushed mint leaves and a wedge or
answer over the next 5 years. This spring we
two of lime in the bottom of the glass, add ice,
planted 2 acres of baby Sauvignon Blanc vines in
Candeo and a splash of elderflower syrup.” I
deep gravel soil. The first test will be how well
asked her what you would do if you didn’t have
elderflower syrup. “Just drink Candeo,” she said. they survive our winters. Should they pass this
first hurdle, the next test might well be in your
wine glass. But that is still years away. You bring
Norrie: “1 bottle Lakewood Pinot Gris, 1 liter
the oysters.
Sprite Zero, raspberries, blueberries and 3 oz
Grand Marnier, over ice.” Then she added,
NY Wine Spotting
“Serves one.”
Did you know for each bottle or glass of local
wine you buy, 15 times more money is returned
Liz: “Ice cold Candeo, straight up. Shoes off.”
to the local economy than if you bought
“That’s arguably not a cocktail,” I protested. “It’s
Australian, West Coast or European wine? This is
just straight Candeo.” To which she replied,
one reason Michael Warren Thomas, Rochester
“Why would you try to touch up a Mona Lisa?” I
Radio host of Savor Life, created NY Wine
smiled in agreement.
Spotting, a grassroots movement to get more
local wine in local restaurants. To get the tools to
Warning: Only Lakewood Vineyards wines
promote Finger Lakes Wines every time you go
were tested. Anything else might cause an
out to eat, visit his web site at
explosion.
NYwinespotting.com
Monty Stamp Grape & Wine Education Fund
By Chris Stamp
My father, Monty Stamp, was a
visionary who believed in a
simple strategy: New York grape
and wine producers could reach their
greatest potential only if they worked
together. After his passing in 2007, a group
of his like-minded friends, led by John Martini
(Anthony Road Wine Company) spearheaded the
creation of the Monty Stamp Grape & Wine
Education Fund. After years of fund raisers and
donations, many from generous folks like you,
the fund reached a critical mass that will allow it
to continue in perpetuity. The mission of the
“Monty Fund” is to provide access to funding for
educational purposes that will attract and keep
interested individuals involved in the New York
grape and wine industry. The Fund awarded its
first scholarship this year to a very deserving
Wines
Price/Btl. #of Btls.
2012 Chardonnay
$12.99
2012 Dry Riesling
$12.99
2012 Gewurztraminer $14.99
2011 Carpe Vinum (1.5L)$12.99
2012 Riesling
$12.99
2012 Long Stem White $8.99
2012 Long Stem White (1.5L)$12.99
2012 Pinot Gris
$13.99
2012 Catawba
$8.99
2012 Niagara
$8.99
2012 Abby Rose
$8.99
2012 Vignoles
$9.99
2013 Valvin Muscat
$12.99
2013 Long Stem Red
$9.99
2011 Lemberger
$15.99
2011 Pinot Noir
$15.99
2011 Cabernet Franc
$15.99
2011 Res. Cab Franc
$29.99
2012 Borealis (375 ml)
$13.99
2012 Glaciovinum(375 ml) $13.99
2012 Port
$14.99
2011 Candeo
$12.99
Mystic Mead Wildflower $9.99
Seifu’s Tej
$9.99
2012 3Gen. Riesling
$19.99
2011 Blanc de Noir
$29.99
Wine Total:
Subtract 15% for orders of 12 or more btls:
UPS Charge (sales tax applies to UPS chgs):
Sub Total:
8% Sales Tax:
Total:
young man, Matthew Murphy, from Binghamton,
NY, a student at Cornell University studying
Viticulture and Enology. While we congratulate
Matt, we also encourage others with similar
aspirations to apply for this scholarship.
Additional information and an application form
can be found at
newyorkstatewinegrapegrowers.org
The Romance of Wine
continued from page #1
friendship blossomed and evolved, and this past
January, family and friends gathered in Chicago
to celebrate their marriage.
Besides being a newly minted part of the family,
Erin also heads up Lakewood’s wholesale efforts
around the state. We welcome Erin to the family
and to the family business.
Total
4024 State Route 14
Watkins Glen, NY 14891
(877)535-9252 Fax #: (607)535-6656
e-mail: [email protected]
Ask about becoming a Lakewood Loyal
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Shipping
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Must ship wine to an address where someone 21 or older can sign for
the package.
City, State, Zip:_______________________
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You must be at least 21 years old to order wine.
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UPS Charges:
$25.00/case (12 btls.), $17.00/half case (6 btls.)
See lakewoodvineyards.com for current vintages, descriptions and prices of our wines.
Contact us for availability of Lakewood Vineyards wines outside of New York.
We can be reached by phone (Mon. - Sat. 10-5, Sun. noon-5), fax or e-mail (anytime).
The Renaissance Continues
By Chris Stamp
For the last 25 years we’ve watched a large parcel
of land adjacent to our vineyards grow up with
brush. Much of that land was once productive
vineyards, but due to poor market conditions in
the 1980’s, the owner tore out the vines and
retired from grape growing. As grape growers in
the same sorry predicament, we couldn’t afford
to purchase the property at that time, even
though its proximity to our farm made it
attractive. In the many years hence, Lakewood
Vineyards has grown and so has our need for
high quality wine grapes. This spring we were
able to purchase the 113 acres and have begun
clearing the old vineyard lands as we look
forward to bringing them back into production. It
will be a long process of brush removal, ditching
and planting, but the transformation has begun.
More than a project, I sense a broader story. This
once well-tended vineyard, long abandoned due
to economics, left to decay for decades, is now
being resurrected. This is a process I witness
repeatedly as I drive the length of this lake.
Slowly, but surely, the old abandoned vineyards,
the ghosts of an industry once in crisis, that
haunted these shores are being planted anew. To
me, this project is symbolic of the entire Finger
Lakes grape and wine industry, as it moves into a
new age, discovering how great it can be.
Be A “Grouper” Hero!
Are you a card carrying Lakewood Loyal? If so,
don’t forget to take advantage of our
complimentary tasting offer: A free tasting for
you and up to five of your guests. Just flash your
Lakewood Loyals card and you’ll be a “Grouper
Hero”, able to treat 5 people in a
single bound! To review all the
special benefits bestowed upon
Lakewood Loyals, just visit our
website at
www.Lakewoodvineyards.com.
No poems can please nor live long which are written by water drinkers.
Horace 65-8 BC
4024 State Route 14
Watkins Glen, NY 14891
WATKINS GLEN, N.Y.
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