Bob Bates brought me the best birthday present ever- another bottle of that amazing Lemberger from Element Winery. It doesn’t end there. He brought its friends and family- Riesling, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir, Syrah and Red Table wine. He suggested I try the award winning Cabernet Franc first. I invited my parents over to enjoy it with me. I remember the Lemberger and knew this was something to share if it came from Christopher and Bob Bates at Element Winery. Why invite my father to taste this wine with me? For the past few years, my father organized a little group that gathers monthly over the winter to explore wine and food pairings. 5 or 6 couples rotate homes and themes in this potluck style dinner. My father also hosted wine pairing dinners throughout my teenage years. As a teenager, I played waitress and bus person to his dinners. (Sometimes I was also a cook and dishwasher). While neither of us is a Sommelier, we enjoy the exploration of wine as a hobby or passion, you choose the adjective. The point is we both like to try new wine and food. It is a part of our essence.
So we opened the Cab Franc and poured a 5 oz. glass, anticipating a decent New York red. After all, New York is not known for reds, or so I thought. In one sip, it was clear why this was award winning. Smooth and balanced.
Over the next few days, I opened the Pinot Noir and Lemberger. Bob and Christopher make reds that are so well balanced. No tannic aftertaste, not too sweet or too dry, just easy-drinking wines that can be enjoyed alone or with food. No longer do I need to look for Napa Valley or European reds. I’ll be looking right here at home in the Finger Lakes.
About Tracy Jong
Tracy Jong has been an attorney for more than 20 years, representing restaurants, bars, and craft beverage manufacturers in a wide array of legal matters. She is also a licensed patent attorney.
Her book Everything You Need To Know About Obtaining and Maintaining a New York Retail Liquor License: The Definitive Guide to Navigating the State Liquor Authority will be available next month on Amazon.com as a softcover and Kindle e-book.
Her legal column is available in The Equipped Brewer, a publication giving business advice, trends, and vendor reviews to help craft breweries, cideries, distilleries and wineries build brands and succeed financially.
She also maintains a website and blog with practical information on legal and business issues affecting the industry. Follow her, sign up for her free firm app or monthly newsletter.
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Tracy Jong Law Firm