Supermarket Wine Time?

For the benefit of my non-United States readers, I need to explain that alcohol sales is controlled on the state level.  Hence, 50 states, 50 ways of regulating it.

In my 20's and 30's (back in the 70's and 80's), I was introduced to various state ways of regulation, thanks to my spouse's military service.  In Texas, at the Airman's Club, we could only drink beer with 3.2% alcoholic content.

In Kansas, where we were later stationed, you had to buy a membership in a restaurant to drink.  At first, there was also a card involved.  The bar or restaurant made you purchase a liquor card and they would punch out the value of the alcohol.  I can't remember all the details, because it's been too long.  Later in my Kansas residency, restaurants could offer reciprocal memberships, so if you bought a membership at one restaurant, it was good at a number of restaurants.

In Arkansas (where I lived for several years) I lived in a city that was located in two counties.  One county was wet.  One county was dry.  That got interesting.

When we visited Utah in the 70's, our liquor came in those little bottles that airlines would pour from.

Things have loosened up some (well, a lot) but can still get ridiculous. 

Iowa once had state liquor stores, but years ago, they dropped that and you can buy hard liquor in supermarkets.  Some states, like North Carolina and Vermont, still have state run liquor stores.

Speaking of Vermont, they don't permit happy hours (for example, two drinks for the price of one at certain hours of the day).

Meanwhile, in my home state, things are about to get interesting.

In my New York childhood, you couldn't buy wine in supermarkets.

Oh, wait.  You still can't.   This despite the fact that New York State is one of the top wine producers (currently number three) in the United States.  You can only buy wine (well, full strength wine) in liquor stores.  (On the other hand, you can't buy beer in New York liquor stores.  Got that?)

Now, there is a push to allow wine sales in grocery stores (but not in big box type stores like Wal-Mart and Target, or in gas stations or convenience stores).  See the sign above?  It was in front of a large New York based supermarket chain's local store.

New York is also one of the few states that don't allow any chain wine or liquor stores.  No Total Wine.  No Macadoodles.  Our liquor stores, which are independently owned (well, not all of them, which is a long story I won't get into), are afraid that many of them will go out of business if grocery stores get the right to sell wine.  I should note here, that unlike many other states, New York liquor stores can't sell food or liquor accessories, so this would make that hit worse.

Unlike the last attempt (in 2010), I have a feeling this "buy wine outside of wineries and liquor stores" push may be successful, because it is less broad than the 2010 bill.

Just in time for the senior citizen me, who rarely drinks.  Oh well.

What are your liquor laws like?

Jefferson (Wine and More) #AtoZChallenge

 When you hear the name Thomas Jefferson (the third President of the United States), you don't normally think of wine.  But if you like wine, you may very well know about the connection between Jefferson and the modern American wine industry.

Thomas Jefferson loved wine.  He was introduced to different types of wine during and after the Revolutionary War, both by Hessian  (German mercenaries fighting on the British side) prisoners of war and later, to French wine when Jefferson was our nation's first ambassador to France.  He built a wine cellar at Monticello, his home near Charlottesville, Virginia. 

Monticello, near Charlottesville, Virginia

Jefferson's dream was to take old world grapevines, grow them at Monticello and nearby, and make the European type wines he enjoyed, but the Vitis vinifera he tried to grow died from diseases such as black rot and from the ravages of a pest called phylloxera  (a relative of aphids) found in Northeast American soil.  Today, we know how to graft Vitis vinifera stock to roots that are resistant to this pest and wine grapes are grown in many regions of the United States.

Ironically, the area around Monticello is now a wine grape growing region, and the county Charlottesville is in has more than 40 wineries.

Enter the Jefferson Vineyards, which my spouse and I visited several years ago.  Here is an interior picture, complete with a bust of Jefferson.

Another interior shot with the chickens I love.

Dreams can come true, but not always in our lifetimes.

 

Jefferson's statue at the State House in Richmond, Virginia, the State Capitol.

Before I end this post, let's return to Monticello for a moment.  These are some of the gardens there today.  Back in Jefferson's day, these gardens and Jefferson's house and properties were tended by enslaved people.  There are many sad truths in the study of history that must be faced head on, and that is one of them.  More so now than in the past, the paradox of liberty (the author of our Declaration of Independence owning humans and even fathering children with a woman he owned) is examined.

I'll end with another view of Monticello.   It's well worth the visit, incidentally, whether you are a student of history, a student of agriculture or architecture, or just someone who wants to know more about our complex third President.

"J" day in the Blogging from A to Z Challenge.  My theme:   "From Florida to Vermont With Stops In Between"

Vittles and Vino #AtoZChallenge

If you are looking for my Music Moves Me post, please click here.  But I hope you'll stay here for some refreshments.  You deserve them!

It's "V" day in the Blogging from A to Z Challenge, and we A to Zers are Very tired.  We need refreshments!

No worries.  I am here to provide them.

Since my theme is "New York State" I wanted to start with a regional specialty in Central New York- stretch bread.  This is the Patisserie, in Skaneateles, New York, which (along with a couple of other places) sells stretch bread.  This is similar (but not exact) to Italian bread.

The bread was even the subject of a 2014 lawsuit, settled in 2019.

 Veggies are an important part of a balanced diet.  Let's check out one of New York's many farmers market.  This one is in Victor, New York. 

Time for some fruit.  Not much out there right now, but in Vestal, New York I saw this tree blooming recently.  I think it's an apple tree. 

Now, it's time to put the meal together.

Poughkeepsie, New York, is home to the Culinary Institute of America, where some of the best chefs in the world have been trained.  On a tour, I saw this work of art, called the Gastrotypographicalassemblage.  Here's the story behind it.

Some of the detail.

By now you must be getting hungry for some dessert.  These are for sale to the public when we visited in 2019.  I purchased a couple of cowboy cookies (don't tell my Weight Watchers coach) and boy, were they good.  Here's a recipe from former First Lady Laura Bush.  I have no idea how the CIA makes them.

I know you've been waiting for the wine course.  It's time!  This is part of the only wine tasting we went to in 2020, at the Lucas Vineyard on Cayuga Lake.  Due to COVID, it was held a little differently.

Samples in plastic, bottled wine, individual servings of crackers.  (The other item on the left is cheese curds, made, of course, in New York State.

I did promise you a couple of more pictures of the historic Pleasant Valley Wine Company and I'm here to complete that tour.  Ah, if only, we could have sat on that lovely dining room table just past the stairs.

But now, refreshments are over, and it's time to leave.  I hope you enjoyed these Views.

"V" day on the Blogging from A to Z Challenge.  My theme:  New York State.

Urbana #AtoZChallenge

People familiar with my theme (New York State) are probably asking, what's an urbana?

True, I could have done Utopian, for the Oneida Utopian Community - but I decided not to.  Or, I could have picked Utica but I've only been there once, and I didn't have my camera (pre cell phone) with me. Or I could have picked New York City and gone "urban".

I got to thinking - I have been blogging about New York State all this month and not once have I discussed any wineries.  That's about to change, with today's topic, Urbana.  

The Town of Urbana is in Steuben County, the same county as Corning (of Corning Glass fame).  In the Town of Urbana you can find the Pleasant Valley Wine Company near the Village of Hammonsport.

Pleasant Valley Wine Company (also known as Great Western) is the oldest "bonded" winery (this has to do with taxes) in the United States.  It dates from 1860 and consists of nine historic buildings, some of which also date from the 1860's. 

I can't remember the date on this building.

This one is dated 1891.

 Prior to COVID, tours of some of the buildings were available.  This wasn't your usual "here are the tanks, here's how we bottle the wine, etc." tour, either.  

Let's take a peek.

Of course, the property must have a grape fence.

Once you are inside, it's a glimpse of days gone by.  Note the end table. Elaborate parties used to be held down here.

Some more of the furniture.

This stained glass window says "Brussels 1897".

But, you ask, what about the wine?

Do you want me to blog about wine later in the week?  Why not?

Thank you for joining me on this quick tour.  Tomorrow, I will be posting my Music Moves Me post, so I can make room for "V" on Monday.

"U" day in the Blogging from A to Z Challenge.  My theme:  New York State.

Civil War Sunday - Brothers At War

Between 2011 and 2015 I featured a weekly Sunday "Civil War Sunday" feature.  I'm not a United States Civil War "buff" but I am interested in history in general, and the 2011-2015 sesquicentennial of the 1861-1865 war was an opportunity to learn more about a part of history that many of us need to study more.

Brother against brother...

The state of Virginia, which was one of eleven states to secede from our Union between December of 1860 (South Carolina being the first) and June of 1861 (Tennessee), had more battles fought within its borders than any other state. 

Now, in the present, Virginia is developing a wine industry.  At a winery I visited in January of 2017, spouse and I bought this bottle of sweet white wine.   I admit, it was as much for the label as it was for the wine inside.

The front - brother fighting brother, which was not uncommon, especially in a "border" state like Virginia.

It feels a bit strange that the bloodiest war in our history is commemorated by what locals call a "porch wine", one made to be sipped slowly while visiting with friends.  But the message on the back of the bottle is one our country had better heed, as we seem to slip closer and closer to an uncertain future.

We forget history at our peril.

Local Saturday - The Crooked Lake

Today, for much of the United States, weather is hot.  Even in upstate New York, it is hot and humid.

Right now, near Binghamton, New York, it is 87 F (30 C).  Hot, after several days of unseasonable cold, we are feeling the heat.  It's a great day for making solar tea and not doing too much gardening or walking.

The best thing to do is keep cool, and look at some pictures of cool nature.  Nice, cool, pictures.  So, let me show you some scenes from last weekend.

The Finger Lakes of upstate New York are a group of 11 lakes in upstate New York, running roughly north and south, formed by the scouring action of glaciers over a million years ago.  Now, breathe deep and think:  ice.  Nice, cool, ice.


They are narrow and long, shaped like fingers. 

Well, most of them are.  One of them, Keuka Lake, is more like a lopsided slingshot.  People in the area call it The Crooked Lake.

Several of the Finger Lakes have micro climes ideally suited for the growing of wine grapes, and there have been wineries along Keuka Lakes since 1860.

Overlook at Dr. Konstantin Frank Wine Cellars

On the west side of the lake, you find vineyards almost everywhere, it seems.

This area isn't quite local to me, but is less than a couple of hours away from where I live.  And, in this world of coolness last week, I found many people in lawn chairs, sitting and admiring the lake view with a glass of wine in their hand and a plate of cheese on a table next to them.

It looked so relaxing.  But I'm a bit too wound up when I travel, wanting to experience what the next stop along the road has to offer.

In a future post, I'll show you part of what we saw on the Crooked Lake.  And, maybe even offer you a Bath.

What do you like to do for relaxation?

Searching for Snow in All the Wrong Places

For those of my blog readers who heard of the great blizzard that hit parts of the eastern coast of the United States this weekend, you are probably thinking "Oh, AM lives in Upstate New York.  She should be entertaining us with beautiful shots of snow".

You would be wrong, because we are way below our normal snowfall total.

Not only that, we have barely any snow on the ground. But my readers want pictures of snow for tomorrow's Winter Wonders feature.  So, not wanting to disappoint my faithful readers, my spouse and I embarked, Sunday, on a quest to find snow.

Near Waverly, New York

My readers know how much I hate snow.  This January has been a dream come true - for me.  Not for several million other people, but I am sure our turn will come before spring.

First, we headed west.  Hardly any snow on the ground.  So we turned, and we started north. 

Here, the Catherine Valley trail crosses Rt 14 between Horseheads and Watkins Glen.  "One day" spouse and I will walk some of it.  Now, look carefully on the left.  You'll see green grass.

We must continue North, I said to spouse.

On the way north, we decided to visit some of New York's many excellent wineries.  No sacrifice is too much for my faithful readers.

Glenora Winery, the oldest winery on Seneca Lake, near Dundee, NY

Several sacrifices later, snow started to appear.  Encouraged, we continued north.

Finally, near Weedsport (named after the two merchants who helped to found the village, not the stuff you smoke) the sun set over snow. We were in the official New York snow belt.  It was about time. Finally, my quest was completed.

Now, I have to get ready for my phone call with Oprah (more on that tomorrow, maybe).  Yeah, that Oprah. Me and several million people, but that's a story for tomorrow.  A true Winter Wonder.

What was your weekend like?

Jabber Waulkie

Beware, my reader, of the Jabber Waulkie!

Today is "J" day on the Blogging from A to Z Challenge.  We are almost halfway through this annual April challenge, where bloggers must make a daily blog post (exclusing Sundays) in the order of each letter of the English alphabet.  26 days, 26 letters, 26 days of fun.

My theme is America the Beautiful and today I am bringing you to the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York - Seneca Lake, in particular.

Before I tell you about the Jabber Waulkie, I need to explain a little about the Finger Lakes.   These are a series of some 14 lakes, aligned north to south, and so long and narrow they look like fingers from above.  The arrangement of the lakes makes for a microclime that has milder weather than the surrounding parts of New York, and the clime is perfect for growing grapes.  Someone is even trying to get a tea plantation established, a post for another day.

As a result some of the Finger Lakes, such as Seneca (the "middle finger"), have become one of the premier wine making regions of the United States.   In some places along the the Eastern shore of Seneca Lake, you find winery after winery.  If there were sidewalks, you could practically walk (or stagger, after a while) from winery to winery.

And, there is something else about Seneca Lake.  It has its own monster, just like Nessie of Loch Ness and Champ of Lake Champlain.

Its name, supposedly, is Jabber Waulkie.  The Native Americans of the region claimed Seneca Lake was bottomless and had a monster.  In 1899, it was supposedly killed. Or not.  The lake is some 618 feet deep, and the bottom is below sea level, so who knows?

Seems all Internet discussions of Jabber Waulkie point to one winery in particular, JR Dill. What the heck.  I visited the winery, and had some Jabber Waulkie wine. (I liked it.)

Each winery has its own special touch.  At J.R Dill, their tasting bar has beautiful glass embedded in it.

I highly recommend visiting the Finger Lakes even if you aren't a wine drinker.  If you are interested, I can write some more blog posts about the region.

I wanted to close by giving shout outs to some fellow A to Z'ers.  I've found several interesting blogs in my A to Z journey.  These aren't all of them; hopefully will include some more links next week.

CollectInTexasGal (vintage photos and memories of growing up in Texas)
Rosie Amber
Hungry Enough to Eat Six (food blog, doing vintage cookbooks this month.
And, one I have to give an "R" rating to, but I enjoy this most hilarious (and, at times, raunchy, and totally inappropriate ) blog and its send up of Martha Stewart for the month of April.  The rest of the time she is...well, who she is.  Life by Chocolate.  (Hopefully, no one gets offended.)

Tomorrow-off day, will be my usual Civil War Sunday theme.  On Monday, off to somewhere with a K.

Do Wine and Chocolate Go Together?

It's the day before Valentine's Day and it's Friday the 13th. The pressure is on - I should be coming up with a post about love, or romance, or at least wine.

Ah, wine.  Either I've just gained a lot of readers for this post, or lost their interest.  So, up front, let me admit - I am no wine expert.  Or even close to it.  When people swirl a wine in their mouths and gush about the notes of peach, blackberry, tobacco, leather, heather, or whatever, I say "um, this tastes like - uh, wine."

So let's talk about chocolate, instead.

What goes better with Valentine's Day than chocolate? Wine.  The problem is, they usually don't go together.  Wine and chocolate don't mix.  Or do they?

Last night, we went to a wine and chocolate pairing seminar at a local liquor store.  I had low expectations but it was the promise of free chocolate that drew me in.  My previous experiences with pairing wine and chocolate had been disappointing.

Last year, for example, I decided to try a New York chocolate/grape wine, Chocolate Lab wine. I never did write my review of it because I was so disappointed.

This time, though, I would be trying something paired by a wine expert.

I sat next to a large wine glass, and six items arranged on a napkin.  There was (clockwise) a raspberry, a wafer of white chocolate, a chocolate covered almond, a piece of dark chocolate with raspberry flakes, a small piece of 72% cacao chocolate and a piece of dark chocolate infused with cinnamon.

The six pairings began.  The first wine was prosecco, a sparkling white wine from the eastern part of Italy.  It is sparkling wine, NOT Champagne.  The really nice thing about prosecco (besides its price) is that it is approachable  - a good beginner's choice.  I love prosecco.

This wine just isn't good with chocolate (told you so!), and, instead of chocolate, it was paired with the raspberry.  By tasting this combo, I learned why my previous experiences with wine and chocolate hadn't worked.  The wines were just too acid. And the chocolates were wrong.

Last night, I learned that chocolate can be paired with wine.  It's hard to do but, like all hard things, it has its rewards.  Above are my notes from my tasting.  (One note - the port "from 1727" - it was the company, not the port, that dated from 1727.)

In the past year, I've decided to be DIFFERENT (my word for 2015).  My early close encounters with wine were of the Manischewitz/Boone's Farm/1970's sangria kind, and, during the 40 years of my adulthood, I had never progressed past super-sweet.  I had never learned how to pair wine with food, either.

Last year, I decided to learn more about wine, and I've had a good time doing so, even taking two trips into Finger Lakes wine country for that purpose.   I've learned a little about wine (just enough to be dangerous), even though my drink of choice with food continues to be - believe it or not - flavored seltzer.

Still, I've just begun to learn just how complex the art of wine is.  I live just about an hour outside New York's wine country.  As our wine expert said last night, you could fling certain types of grapevines on the ground here, and they would grow.  Catawbas, Niagaras and Concords do quite well here.  Other grapevines need a lot more care, but wineries are popping up everywhere around some of the Finger Lakes.  On parts of Seneca Lake, you can almost literally walk from winery to winery, if you don't mind dodging cars.

This weekend, some wineries are doing chocolate and wine pairings.  Now, if only we could start growing cacao in the Finger Lakes, we would be all set.  Just think.  Native New York chocolate.

New York - The State of Romance.

Imagine that.

What food or beverage does your home area specialize in?