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Every year, the summer passes far too quickly and I always wish I had done more, and planned better, for all the wonderful events that happen out here on the East End during these golden months.
There are so many fabulous parties, concerts and fairs that it’s never possible to attend them all. As the Long Island wine industry matures, I have seen its events mature, too. Whether the events are focused on local talent, or have an international flair, they are now well planned, well executed, and well worth the price of admission.
This summer, there are a few major wine-related events on my calendar, and should be on yours, too.
The first, “Chefs & Champagne,” is a major, multifaceted weekend celebration to benefit the James Beard Society. As it has for many years, the main tasting event will take place at Wölffer Estate Vineyards in Sagaponack. This year, it’s on Saturday, July 23, from 4:30 to 10:30 p.m.
Last year’s honoree was Martha Stewart. This year, Emeril Lagasse will receive the coveted award and can be expected to bring to the evening some of the spirited repartee that has made his television show, “Emeril Live,” so popular.
Make no mistake, this is a celebrity event
par excellence
; great for people watching and even better for tasting specialties from leading chefs. Chefs love this event, and plan their summer get-togethers around it. Several, like Daniel Boulud of Restaurant Daniel, David Pasternack of Esca, Keith Luce of Luce & Hawkins and Marcus Samuelsson of Blue Parrot and Red Rooster fame, are themselves James Beard Award winners.
Champagnes from Nicolas Feuillate will be liberally poured (hint: get there early before the Cru Prestige runs out). There will also be copious tastes of Wölffer’s delicate and delectable bubbly, besides other still wines and beer from Stella Artois.
For reservations, visit jamesbeard.org/chefsandchampagne or contact the James Beard Foundation at (212) 627-2308.
Shortly after “Chefs & Champagne,” on August 13 comes an entirely different, super-entertaining wine-centered evening when Roanoke Vineyards in Baiting Hollow hosts its “Summer Winemakers’ Smackdown.” This is an audience participatory, seated, blind tasting with a panel of judges (including myself), all Long Island winemakers, offering opinions and guessing the identities of seven distinguished wines from the world’s leading producers.
Having participated in three other “Smackdowns,” I can say that, while this is organized with great efficiency and due reverence to the wines, the ultimate goal is laughter, camaraderie and gustatory pleasure.
Chef Keith Luce will offer tapas paired with the wines and George Taber, the only journalist present at the famous 1986 “Judgment of Paris” competition between French and California wines and the author of a book by that title, will be present to sign his book and add his comments to the judging.
For reservations, visit roanokevineyards.com or call 727-4161.
As summer fades inexorably into fall, and vintners gear up for harvest, the second annual “Harvest: Wine Auction and Celebration of Long Island’s East End” will be held on September 16 and 17, beginning Friday night with exclusive vintner dinners in beautiful private East End locations, cooked by leading chefs and sourced from within 10 miles of diners’ plates.
Saturday’s activities will include a number of “wine salons,” educational tasting seminars held at different wineries on the East End (with some taking place September 3 and 10). At Saturday’s main event, the “Harvest Moon Gala,” there will be a walkabout tasting of wines from members of the LI Wine Council and Merlot Alliance, with tastes of specialties from 20 local restaurants; a silent auction; dinner prepared by Tom Schaudel, Noah Schwartz and William Holden; a live auction of unusual travel and experiences; and historic Long Island wines.
This is the only East End event that unites the community around lovers of food and wine and supporters of the weekend auctions’ beneficiaries, East End Hospice, the Group for the East End and the Peconic Land Trust. Last year’s auction raised more than $75,000 for charity.
This year, the “Harvest” event will be held at the Ludlow family’s Mecox Bay Dairy and Fairview Farm in Bridgehampton, under tents on a beautiful meadow alongside Mecox Bay. When the full moon rises over the sea, I’ll be there to toast the success of “Harvest” 2011, to celebrate the abundance of our region and to bid a wistful adieu to summer.
For tickets to any of the “Harvest” events, visit harvesteastend.com or email info@longislandmerlot.com.
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