It's still a couple months away, but the first ever Long Island Restaurant Week has been announced. It will take place November 5 - 12 all over Long Island. Looking at the website, there just aren't many restaurants signed up yet. Hopefully that will change because this definitely has potential. Check their site as the week approaches, hopefully there will be more, and better, restaurants...

Long Island has more than its share of publications -- too many in fact (and this coming from a guy who writes or has written for several of them). So many of them are the same -- too many advertisements and too few interesting stories. Long Island's newest magazine, canvas , is a little different. For one, the production value is through the roof compared to so many of the ad-supported papers...

... teacher, however, and many Long Island vineyard managers have learned ways to weather the storms ... long and the almost twenty inches of rain that was dumped on the East End over eight days right ... , but many of the Island’s red grapes weren’t so lucky. That rain completely decimated some producers ... , and a little wind doesn’t hurt to increase transpiration and remove that water.” So love Long...

This week at Appellation America, you'll find my Q&A with Richard Olsen-Harbich , winemaker and managing director for Raphael. Rich has been working in the local wine industry for almost 30 years. The interview focuses on three main topics: Long Island's three AVAs (he authored them), the differences between the two forks, and the varieties (and styles) he thinks do best on Long Island. You...

Long Island entrant, winning "Best Merlot" and "Best of Show." * This fall, keep an eye out ... . * I've written about the Long Island Merlot Alliance before, and I'm happy to say that the member ... Vineyards, Shinn Estate Vineyards and Raphael. * The 2004 vintage of my favorite Long Island...

By Contributing Columnist Donavan Hall Over the last week or so, the weather on Long Island ... was the beginning of pumpkin season.  On Long Island "pumpkin season" means climbing into your car and creating an artificial traffic jam on Route 48 (the artery that feeds Long Island Farm ... with sign urging people to "pick your own."  It's also the time of year when Long Island's brewpubs...

... than merlot, Wolffer, and winemaker Roman Roth are devoted to Long Island merlot. They are a founding member of the Long Island Merlot Alliance and also create Long Island's most expensive merlot -- their Premier Cru Merlot ($125). One can easily argue the merits of both a $125 bottle of Long Island wine and the LIMA, but today we're talking about Wolffer Estate Vineyards' 2002 Estate...

Don't cry for me Argentina Long Island? Yes, there is malbec growing on Long Island -- and probably more than you realize. Once a major component in the wines of Bordeaux, this large, fairly ... of Long Island's meritage-style reds feature small amounts of malbec -- typicaly from 1 - 7 ... hints of cigar box. Medium, slightly chewy, tannins provide nice structure and the finish is medium long...

There aren't a ton of local producers making pinot noir here on Long Island. The heartbreak grape is difficult to grow anywhere, but with Long Island's humidity, I think it's even harder. I know of at least one winemaker...

The Lenz Winery has been making a lot of noise lately about its wines and how they rate against top-flight Bordeaux in professional blind tastings. It's an interesting marketing hook to be sure. The recently released Lenz 2001 Old Vines...