On the Agenda: Southold Special Events Law Public Hearing

Southold Town Board will hear public comments on proposed changes to special events legislation in light of more activities at wineries and other sites around town.

Nearly three months after Southold Town’s Zoning Board of Appeals Chairwoman Leslie Weisman approached the Southold Town Board about changing special events code to evolve with “creative marketing strategies” that various business people are trying to put in place on the North Fork, the board is ready to hear from the public at a hearing on the issue Tuesday afternoon at 4:30 p.m. at Southold Town Hall. Southold Town’s special event permit currently only addresses issues associated with single, stand-alone events — like the NoFo Rock and Folk Fest held for the past two summers on the grounds of Peconic Bay Winery. Town zoning inspector Damon Rallis said in an earlier interview with Patch that the town didn’t anticipate a winery such as …

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Editor's Notebook

Wine Experts, Patch Editor Judge Waters Crest Culinary Contest

The duck dish with dry rosé wine ruled the day at Waters Crest contest — but the creamy striped bass dish with an Asian twist was darn good too.

I’m glad I skipped breakfast this past Saturday. During my first go as a judge of “Master Chef Challenge II” — a fine-dining culinary contest / wine tasting at Waters Crest Winery in Cutchogue Saturday — I had an afternoon of a lot of indulging ahead of me. Sitting with co-judges Pascal Zugmeyer, a native of Toulouse, France and expert on all things food and wine, and Macari Vineyards winemaker Kelly Urbanik, who was educated in viticulture in California, I felt a bit like the redheaded stepchild of the panel. But, I did have the following on my side: I worked for about five months at a wine bar years ago, I’ve worked with all sorts of chefs at various waitressing jobs, I’ve written about Long Island Wine Country for almost four years now…

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EVENT: Master Chef Challenge at Waters Crest Winery

Noted Long Island chefs will battle for approval from judges; North Fork Patch editor will be tasting.

With his Master Chef Challenge, Waters Crest Winery owner Jim Waters has found a way to pair Long Island culinary talent with his own brand of local wine — and attract new people to his winery. “It’s fun, we get to interact with customers and meet new people,” he said. “We just want to have a good time and taste the food with the wine.” The second-annual Master Chef Challenge will take place this coming Saturday from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Cutchogue winery. This year, chef Tom Fazio, chef at The Kitchen and Waterside Caterers in Northport, will take on chef Lia Stanco Fallon, executive chef and owner of Amarelle in Wading River. The panel of judges include local wine guru Pascal Zugmeyer, Macari Vineyards winemaker Kelly Urbanik, and North …

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Reader's Choice: Favorite Places to Spend Your ‘Staycation’

You don’t have to leave your home town to have a great break. So what local attractions top your itineraries?

Let’s face it, sometimes you just need a break and not a big vacation with hefty travel fees and the dilemma of getting that big pile of clothes into a way-too-small suitcase. In those cases, locals go the ‘staycation’ route, exploring the many attractions right in their home towns. And, let's face it — the North Fork, being a vacation destination itself — is full of options. This week let’s find out what local ‘staycation’ haunts are at the top of people’s itineraries. Reader's Choice is a new weekly feature where we ask you – our readers – to tell us your top picks on the businesses and local attractions that get your loyalty. Each Monday we’ll list our nominees recommendations. Did we leave your go-to spot off the list? Go ahead and add…

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Winery Bicycle Tours: Good or Bad Idea?

Groupon is offering a special on group bicycle rides to and from wine tastings on the North Fork — but would you do it?

A company called Vintage Bicycle Tours currently has a special on Groupon — the online source for daily deals of all kinds — for a “signature winery bike tour,” a five-hour, 12-mile tour through Long Island Wine Country, including stops at two wineries. The rides begin on May 19 and end Nov. 11. Riders leave the Mattituck train station at 11:30 a.m. and will end up sampling up to eight wines. Southold Town Board recently denied a permit for another for-profit bike tour planned for this fall through the North Fork in the middle of the night, citing safety concerns. But what do you think about a winery bicycle tour? Good or bad idea? Would you rather see winery hoppers in the backs of limousines? Let’s get the conversation started in the …

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Shinn Offers Daily Self-Guided Tours

Vintners set up markers to describe various aspects of their Mattituck vineyard.

Local vintner Barbara Shinn has announced that self-guided tours are now available at her Mattituck winery / bed and breakfast she runs with her husband, David Page, on Oregon Road. Markers describing an organic and biodynamic vegetable garden, how vines “turn sunlight into wine," a flock of Japanese Bantam chickens, wind and solar energy, and the winery’s crush pad are just a few stops along the way at Shinn Estate Vineyards — one of the more eclectic operations in Long Island Wine Country. Tours began April 27 and will be available this spring, summer, and fall, Shinn said. “It is perfect for a quiet walk through the vineyard,” she said. “Visitors 21 years and older can purchase a glass of wine and do the walk or conduct a tasting in the…

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Do You Drink Local?

There's no arguing that the local vino has its fans, but how deep does the juice run in the community?

Earlier this week in a drive along Sound Avenue we spotted new signs outside Martha Clara Vineyards in Riverhead asking passersby to "Drink Local." It's a common call-out found in areas that support robust local wine regions, and there's no denying that there is a very healthy community, living on the North or South forks or in other areas of Long Island, who live and breathe this credo. One Facebook group, Eat Long Island, Drink Long Island, is clear testament to this. But how deep does that run in the community at large? We'd love to find out. In the comments section below, let us know if you count yourself among the "Drink Local" crowd. If so, what are your favorites? Do you join wine clubs or hit the tasting rooms when either stocking …

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‘Long Island Sustainable Winegrowing’ Gets Certified

First sustainable vineyard certification program in the eastern U.S. takes shape.

For winemakers like Richard Olsen-Harbich, sustainable practices in local grape production are an essential part of creating quality Long Island vintages and in keeping the area eco-friendly. Which is why he and other local vintners have partnered to create Long Island Sustainable Wine Growing, Inc., a not-for-profit organization that “provides education and certification for sustainable farming practices in growing premium wine grapes on the East End,” according to a recent press release. “We are eager to strengthen the ecological leadership and social responsibility of the Long Island wine region,” said Olsen-Harbich, winemaker at Bedell Cellars. “This effort has been an important process for Long Island wineries to demonstrate they are …

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5 Things You Need to Know Today

5 Ways To Celebrate Earth Day 2012

The North Fork offers several ways to go green this weekend.

The North Fork is a very earthy place. And with Earth Day coming up on Sunday, the following organizations are offering these ways to pay tribute to Mother Nature: 1. New Suffolk Civic Association Annual Spring Road Clean-up, April 21 at 10 a.m.: Join your friends and neighbors for a little fresh air and exercise during a Saturday road clean-up starting at New Suffolk Beach. A pair of work or garden gloves and strong, comfortable shoes are recommended. 2. Celebrate Earth Day at Mashomack on Shelter Island, April 21 at 1 p.m: Celebrate Earth Day weekend on Shelter Island. Head to the Mashomack Visitor Center for food, stories, music. John Porcino, a storyteller and musician, will perform. A nature-themed scavenger hunt will also be held. 3…

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Early Bud Break Means an Early Harvest for Vintners

The vines are starting to bloom and local winemakers are feeling the pressure to prepare early for a fast harvest.

With only about 6 inches of rainfall in January, February and March combined, plenty of sunshine and a very warm and dry ground, local vintners are experiencing an early bud break, similar to those in 2010 and 2007. To Richard Olsen-Harbich, winemaker at Bedell Cellars in Cutchogue, getting an early start to the season is always a good thing. “It gives us more time during the summer for the grapes to ripen and take advantage of warm sunny days, and it also gives the fruit more time to mature before the cooler temperatures and unpredictable weather of late October and early November rolls in,” he said. Jamesport Vineyards winemaker Ron Goerler said that though an early bud break means feeling more pressure to get everything ready for the …

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