Wine & food, short & sweet ...

Mark your calendars for the Hudson Valley Wine and Food Fest at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds, Route 9, Rhinebeck.

Saturday, September 6, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday, September 7, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Food concessions. Music. Chef demos. Art and crafts vendors. Kids activities. And of course, wine from all over New York state to sample and purchase.
www.HudsonValleyWineFest.com for ticket prices and options.

On the fast track

One of the articles in the August issue of Hudson Valley Connoisseur looks at clubs for owners of FAST cars, where they can try out their machines legally and safely. If you're interested in watching fast cars, then you should head to the historic Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Connecticut this weekend.

This weekend (from August 29 to September 1), you can discover the glamour, glory and style of historic and vintage sports cars on the track, in the open paddock and during the prestigious Sunday in the Park Automotive Extravaganza at the Rolex Vintage Festival presented by BMW. Tickets range from $15-80. Lime Rock is at 60 White Hollow Road, Lakeville, Connecticut. 860-435-5000 or www.limerock.com

Friends & Neighbors

Local residents and legendary musicians Jack DeJohnette and Pat Metheny team with acclaimed bassist Larry Grenadier for two nights of music Thursday and Friday (August 28 and 29) in a benefit concert for the Tibetan Buddhist Monastery, Karma Triyana Dharmachakra (KTD), and Family of Woodstock, a service agency providing food, shelter, advocacy and counseling in Ulster County. Both shows start at 8 p.m. at the Bearsville Theater, 291 Tinker Street, Woodstock. Tickets at www.bearsvilletheater.com/events-calendar or 845-679-4406.

I'm writing this post ahead of time (as I was away earlier this week) so I'd suggest that before heading to Woodstock you should call first to make sure tickets are still available. This sounds like a great opportunity to see some world-class music in a wonderful venue.

Real time wine

The 2008 New York Wine & Food Classic competition took place this month at the Mohonk Mountain House. I caught up with the group on Wednesday August 20 during a special event to unveil a new Web site promoting Hudson Valley wines, and had a chance to finally meet (in person) Hudson Valley Wine Goddess (and Poughkeepsie Journal wine blogger) Debbie Lessner-Gioquindo. Now, the Internet is great (please -- keep reading our blogs!) but there's nothing better than having a real glass of wine with a new friend!

Santo Stefano Wine Club

Catching up with August -- it's been a busy month.

I was at the August 8 ribbon cutting ceremony/grand opening of the Santo Stefano Winemaking Club in Wappingers Falls ... My understanding is that it's a club where you can buy a membership and then oversee the blending of your own barrel of wine. It's based at a beautiful event facility. This looks like an interesting and fun activity to share with friends who are "into" wine or a unique gift for your favorite wine enthusiast -- and the wine we tasted that day was pretty darn good. :-)

Here's a video of that day.

Today I appreciate

Milkshakes from the 4H booth at the Dutchess County Fair in Rhinebeck. Yes, I know EVERYONE writes about these, but they really are *that* good. And today is the last day to get them (this year). Have fun at the fair if you go.

Fresh tomatoes from my garden, finally! Tomato sandwich for breakfast was heavenly!

The sunflowers lining the fields along Route 299 leaving New Paltz. I saw them last week when I was heading towards Rivendell Winery but didn't have time to take a photo, so you'll have to take a drive to see them for yourself.

Bright Horizons at Casperkill summer camp in Poughkeepsie. This is the third summer my child has spent here, and I'm still amazed at the super facilities, varied programs and especially, the wonderful counselors and counselors-in-training.

Whitecliff vineyards nabs honors ...

Whitecliff Vineyard in Gardiner won an award for its 2007 Traminette during the 2008 New York Wine & Food Classic competition, which took place this week at the Mohonk Mountain House. I caught up with the group on Wednesday during a special event to unveil a new Web site promoting Hudson Valley wines. But more about that later ...

I toured Whitecliff with Slow Food Hudson Valley last year and was impressed not only with its wines but also with its knowledgeable owners and especially, with its scenic location under the Shawangunk Ridge. I recommend it for a visit!

Debbie the Hudson Valley Wine Goddess has more on her blog about regional producers that did well during the Classic.

And here is the official press release:

Swedish Hill Winery from the Finger Lakes won the coveted “Governor’s Cup” trophy at the 2008 New York Wine & Food Classic competition, held on August 19 & 20 at the Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz, NY. The “Winery of the Year” award also went to Swedish Hill Winery.

The elegant Governor’s Cup, a large silver chalice, recognizes the “Best of Show” or top prize of all 775 entries in the Classic, known as “The Oscars” of New York wine. The “Winery of the Year” award is presented to the winery with the best overall showing based on the level and number of awards in relation to entries.

This year’s competition included 775 New York wines from the Long Island, Hudson Valley, Finger Lakes, Niagara Escarpment, Lake Erie, and other regions of New York State. The 2007 Vidal Blanc was also voted Best White Wine, and Best Vidal Blanc on its way to the ultimate award. Swedish Hill Winery received 2 Double Gold, 2 Gold, 11 Silver, and 7 Bronze awards on its way to that honor.

A new “Specialty Wine Champion” award was added this year to recognize consistent quality among the increasing number of wines made from fruits other than grapes, or honey. The 2008 winner was Earle Estates Meadery, with 1 Gold, 2 Silver, and 5 Bronze awards.

The awards were based on blind tastings by 25 expert judges—7 from California, 11 from New York, and 7 from other states. Judges included prominent wine writers, restaurateurs, retailers, and wine educators. Four-judge panels determined the initial awards, with top-scoring wines evaluated by all 25 judges for Best of Category and Governor’s Cup awards.

Celebrating its 23rd year, the Classic is organized by Teresa Knapp of the New York Wine & Grape Foundation, and is open to all 242 New York wineries from all regions. In 2008, a total of 14 Double Gold, 62 Gold, 198 Silver, and 266 Bronze medals were awarded. In addition, “Best of Category” and “Best of Class” designations were awarded to wines rated as the finest in various areas. Double Gold medals require unanimity among a panel’s judges that a wine deserves a Gold medal, whereas Gold medals require a majority vote.

The “Best of Category” awards, all eligible for the Governor’s Cup, went to Swedish Hill Winery NV Spumante Blush for Best Sparkling wine, Swedish Hill Winery 2007 Vidal Blanc for Best White wine, Anthony Road Wine Company 2007 Dry Rosé for Best Blush or Rosé wine, Bedell Cellars 2006 Musée for Best Red wine, Earle Estates Meadery Creamy Apricot for Best Specialty wine, and Casa Larga Vineyards 2005 Fiori Vidal Ice Wine for Best Dessert wine.

The “Best of Class” awards for different varietals or proprietary blends, which were tasted off for “Best of Category” awards, went to Swedish Hill Vineyards Spumante Blush wine for Best Native Sparkling wine, Lakewood Vineyards 2007 Dry Riesling for Best Dry Riesling wine, Hosmer 2007 Riesling for Best Semi-Dry Riesling wine, Paumanok Vineyards 2007 Semi-Dry Riesling for Best Semi-Sweet Riesling, Castello di Borghese Vineyard 2006 Chardonnay for Best Chardonnay wine, Macari Vineyards & Winery 2007 Sauvignon Blanc, Katharine’s Field for Best Sauvignon Blanc, McGregor Vineyard 2007 Rkatsiteli-Sereksiya,Estate Grown for Best White Vinifera Blend, Whitecliff Vineyards 2007 Traminette for Best Traminette, Swedish Hill Winery 2007 Vidal Blanc for Best Vidal Blanc, Rooster Hill Vineyards 2007 Silver Pencil for Best White Hybrid Blend, Arbor Hill Grapery 2007 Vergennes for Best Other Native White Varietal, Hickory Hollow Wine Cellars Liquid Wisdom for Best Niagara, Anthony Road Wine Company 2007 Dry Rosé for Best Blush or Rosé, Torrey Ridge Winery Blue Sapphire for Best Concord, Barrington Cellars Baco Noir for Best Baco Noir, Swedish Hill Winery Viking Red for Best Red Hybrid Blend, Red Newt Cellars 2005 Cabernet Franc for Best Cabernet Franc, Osprey’s Dominion 2005 Reserve Merlot for Best Merlot, Chateau Lafayette Reneau 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon, Estate Bottled for Best Cabernet Sauvignon, Bedell Cellars 2006 Musée for Best Red Vinifera Blend, Earle Estates Meadery Creamy Apricot for Best Mead, Heron Hill Winery 2006 Late Harvest Vidal Blanc for Best Late Harvest wine, and Casa Larga Vineyards 2005 Fiori Vidal Ice Wine for Best Ice Wine.

Complete results of the 2008 Classic will soon be posted under “New York Gold” at www.newyorkwines.org, which also includes Gold medal New York wines from other major competitions.

The Quad & the fair

Our area is going to be marking a major anniversary next year, the upcoming Hudson-Fulton-Champlain Quadricentennial as well as the planned opening of the Poughkeepsie Railroad Bridge walkway project. During 2009, communities along the Hudson River and Lake Champlain will mark the 400th anniversary (or quadricentennial) of Henry Hudson and Samuel de Champlain's voyages along the river and lake that bear their names and the 200th anniversary of Robert Fulton's successful steamboat voyage and establishment of steam commerce on the Hudson River.

Also, the Poughkeepsie Railroad Bridge Walkway Over the Hudson project is slated for a fall 2009 completion. The project, spearheaded by the nonprofit Walkway Over the Hudson, will connect communities on both sides of the river by providing public access for pedestrians, hikers, joggers, bicyclists and people with disabilities.

The Poughkeepsie Journal recently launched Hudson Happenings, a Web site about what's going on as the Hudson Valley gets ready to celebrate these events. The site has an events calendar and tourism info, as well as breaking news and feature stories, photos, podcasts, interactive Web features and videos about the river valley and its inhabitants, its history and its environment

A companion blog on the Hudson Happenings site, Quad Updates, will provide frequent bits of information about the events, including breaking news from some of the key people involved in that planning as well as a few folks here at the newspaper who are keeping tabs on what's going on.

Since I am involved with coordinating Quad info for the Poughkeepsie Journal, you're likely to see my name popping up frequently as the author of Quad Updates posts. Occasionally, I might write about the same things here on this blog and over there at Quad Updates.

Like last night, when during my visit to the Dutchess County Fair, I saw a Quadricentennial display in one of the main buildings. On the wall is a Hudson River mural celebrating the Quad created by resident-artists in the Fine Arts Program of the Northeast Center for Special Care in Lake Katrine. The Ulster County-based center serves those who are challenged by traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries and related conditions.

The charming and colorful mural depicts the Hudson River and several local landmarks in Dutchess, Ulster and Greene counties. (I photographed a small section of it, above.) It is tucked away in a corner of the building that houses the Grange cafeteria, but on the opposite end closer to the carnival rides. It's well worth checking out.

It's FAIR time!

When I am done with work today, I'll be heading out to the Dutchess County Fair, one of my favorite events each year! I'll be there with kids, so we'll be doing kid things (rides, rides, carnival games, rides, and fried fair food, of course.) 4-H milkshakes. Fried dough. Fried 'shrooms. Tomorrow we may regret it, but today we eat!

One exhibit I always try to see is the horticultural building, where amateur and pro gardeners strut their stuff. I LOVE to see what other gardeners are up to -- and if I can talk the kids into going along (or if I can sneak away), I'll get some photos of the floral exhibits to share on my gardening blog at poughkeepsiejournal.com tomorrow. (If not, I'm going back another day!) I also love the fairgrounds' landscaping, which has improved immensely over the past 10 years and is the work of the local Master Gardeners program, I believe.

By the way, those are my photos from last year's fair. The Poughkeepsie Journal just put up a gallery for folks to post their fair photos -- I LOVE looking through those. I believe the newspaper has a booth that has info to help folks post their photos.

See you at the fair!

Talking tomatoes

Great article at poughkeepsiejournal.com by my colleague Barbara Gallo Farrell about Amy Goldman, who is a longtime garden writer acquaintance of mine and who creates lovely books ... and coincidentally, I just got this note from Laura & the crew at Gigi's Trattoria in Rhinebeck: Celebrate the release of The Heirloom Tomato (Bloomsbury USA, 2009) by Rhinebeck's own Amy Goldman -- at Gigi Trattoria, from August 11th - 17th, enjoy Amy's delicious recipes on our daily lunch and dinner "specials". A limited number of signed books will available for purchase.

Today I appreciate

Fresh local corn and peaches from Migliorelli farmstand, on the east side of the Kingston-Rhinecliff bridge

Lifehacker.com (neat blog about time management tools and just fun things on the Web)

Fresh basil and tomatoes from my garden

Yo-Yo Ma -- Schumann Cello Concerto on my iPod. I don't think I will be able to visit Tanglewood this summer so it's the next best thing.

Nalgene drinking water bottles from the Filter for Good program partnership with Brita water filters. I bought a few for my family at the local Hannaford market. Quality bottle at a good price that came bundled with drink mix packets (though I might not use the packets myself, I do know someone else who will use them). Who needs to buy bottled water when you can tote your own?

Short & sweet

Had a late-night dinner at Terrapin Bistro in Rhinebeck last night ... the grilled Coleman natural beef hangar steak, bistro steak fries and horseradish steak sauce (their own -- tomato-based, I believe) were all delicious!

Cheers!

Cecelia Madden, the owner of Madden's Fine Wines & Spirits at 65 Broadway in Kingston, has invited everyone age 21 and over to a tasting of Whitecliff Vineyard's wines on Friday, August 15, from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. I toured Whitecliff during a Slow Food Hudson Valley event and I think its products are great. I especially like the Sky Island Red, which Whitecliff describes as "an elegant Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, and Cabernet Franc is full of body and soft flavorful tannins." Madden's, a beautiful new shop in the city's Rondout waterfront area, carries eight Whitecliff wines. There are also several good restaurants nearby -- this sounds like the recipe for a great night out!

Madden's is also having a tasting of Skyy Cherry Vodka, Skyy Grape Vodka, Smoking Loon Wine, and Hazlitt (New York) Wine from 5-7 p.m. Saturday, August 9. The shop's phone number is 845-340-wine.

Cheers!