Weekend in the Hamptons

Weekend in the Hamptons

October is the perfect time of year for a weekend in the Hamptons. The weather is cool and the mosquitoes and crowds are gone. Most of them, anyway. We were lucky to choose a beautiful weekend weather-wise. The sky was bright blue and the sun was bright. Our hosts prepared some wonderful meals for us.

For breakfast, we began with fresh fruit.

The berries and peaches were from a local farm stand. I ate most of the figs.

We followed that with fresh bagels.

For lunch another day

We had a last of the season tomato salad.

And locally grown corn

With fresh caught bluefish roasted with crispy potatoes.

The Bread was fresh and chewy

We ended with assorted Cheeses

Followed by coffee and honey cake cake topped with almonds

Sancerre “Les Baronnes” 2017 Henri Bourgeois made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc. The soil is clay and limestone. The wine is fermented in thermo-regulated stainless steel tanks at 15 to 18 degrees C and is aged on the lees at a cool temperature for 5 months before release. This is a crisp and fruity wine with citrus aromas and flavors with a touch of herbs, nice minerality, a long finish and pleasant aftertaste. The wine has hints of citrus fruit and a touch of herbs.

For a light lunch another day we had

A mixed salad with pomegranate seeds and a Zucchini Fritatta

Biscotti and honey cake ended our lunch on a sweet note

Whispering Angel Chateau d’Esclans   made from Grenache, Cinsault and Rolle (Vermentino) grown in the region of La Motte en Provence. Harvesting takes place from sunrise to noon. The grapes are sorted optically. Destemming and slight crushing at 7-8C to avoid oxidation takes place. Both the free run juice and pressed juices are vinified in temperature-controlled stainless steel. Batonnage takes place two times a week. The wine has hints of red berries, a touch of grapefruit and an undertone of orange peel.

One night we went out to a restaurant 1779 in East Hampton and sat in their lovely garden. It was a very nice dinner but the food pictures did not

turn out well. To drink, we began with

Tocai Friulano 2017 Long Island NY AVA Channing Daughters 100% Tocai Friulano from two vineyards, the Sylvanus Vineyard near the winery in Bridgehampton and the other the Mudd West Vineyard in Hallockville on the North Fork. The grapes are hand harvested, whole cluster-pressed and fermented and raised in 60% stainless steel barrels and 40% older French oak barrels for 8 months. The wine was bottled on May 16, 2018 so it has a little age before it was released. This is a medium bodied wine with hints of green apple, grapefruit, pears, almonds and a touch of spice.

Walter Channing lived close to Enoteca i-Trulli when I was the Wine Director there. He always ordered Tocai from Friuli-Venezia-Giulia and I enjoyed speaking with him. After a few visits he told me that he owned a winery on LI called Channing Daughters and he wanted to make a Tocai like Livio Filugia or Mario Scopetio did in Italy. After a while he stopped coming in and I believe he moved closer to the winery. When his Tocai was released I tasted it and was very impressed. I even visited the winery on two occasions and brought the wine. Most of this had to be over 15 years ago so I am writing from memory.

 Saint- Joseph “Offenus” 2016 J.L. Chave Selection made from 100% Syrah from vines 5 to 80 years old with an eastern exposure. The soil is granite. These organic vineyards are located in the communities of Mauves, Tournon and St. Jean-Louis. About 50% of the grapes are destemmed. Fermentation takes place in tonneaux and stainless steel tanks. The wine is aged in barriques and foudres for 18 months. This is a wine with hints of blackberries, cherries, spice, pepper, a touch of smoke and very long finish.

 After dinner and back at our friends’ house we drank  Bas Armagnac “Hors D’Age” Taillevent  by the fireplace.

I am now  @charlesscicolone.life for my website   This is the first time I am using it and I hope it comes out right