William Privitar had the most recommendations to our page and took home the grand prize of two bottles of Spice Wine and a Crockpot to help warm them up!

Stay connected to our Facebook and Twitter pages for a chance to win some awesome prizes. Plus we have monthly coupons just for our fans. We also love our fans and customers to give us feedback, so be sure to let us know if there is anything you’d like to see on there.

If you’re looking for some fall fun that beats fighting the crowds at the pumpkin farms, look no farther than ODV. We’ve got some great live music every weekend.

Then get in the Halloween spirit by making us your first stop on the holiday weekend! Live music October 29 with Sari Kessler from 1:30 p.m.  to 5 pm. We hope to see you here!

As separate entities, a meal and wine have different flavors, and when paired properly, they can reveal a finer flavor beyond what either could offer alone. The question becomes, how do you choose just one wine for appetizers, dinner and dessert that all of your guests will enjoy?

You may want to choose a different wine for each course or you can choose a well-rounded spirit to lead you through all three.

Our 2009 Carmenere is a medium-bodied red that shows good density with cherry and berry essence. It has notes of herb and tar. It is a firm, yet polished spirit, featuring smoke and tobacco on the finish. This wine pairs well with a beef stew, or a seasonal soup.

The 2010 Fume Blanc has been barrel fermented in oak barrels, 15% of which were new French Oak. It has a creamy finish with melon and citrus flavors. Our Fume Blanc would compliment your seafood or chicken dish for the night perfectly.

The 2009 Pinot Noir possesses goo weight and fine structure with bright aromas of red stone fruit, summer roses, violets, and undertones of light smoke, vanilla, cinnamon, and oak. The flavors are of red berries and delicate spice. It is indeed a versatile wine and may be paired with many poultry dishes, red meats, or soft ripened cheeses.

Lastly, but surely not least, our infamous Spice Wine is the perfect finish for any of your favorite fall meals. Place the whole bottle in a Crockpot of warm water, and enjoy. Nothing says autumn like the smell of Spice Wine in a glass.

If you have any pairing tips or suggestions, let us know on Facebook!

As much as we think we’ve perfected our Spice Wine recipe, if you’re feeling adventurous and would like to try some of your own, here are a few:

Alpine Style

Ingredients
1 bottle full-bodied red wine (Burgundy, Pinot Noir or Merlot)
3 tablespoons honey
2 cinnamon sticks
2 tablespoons cardamom seeds
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 sliced orange
1 sliced lemon
1/2 cup sugar

Instructions
In a large saucepan, combine the wine, honey, cinnamon sticks, cardamom seeds, lemon and sugar. Simmer for 15 minutes. Pour into mugs, and garnish with a cinnamon stick if you like.

Gluhwein

This recipe is very popular in the outdoor markets of Germany, especially around Christmas. This German variety is one of the most delicious of the hot spiced wine recipes.

Ingredients
3 cups wine
1 cinnamon stick
6 whole cloves
1/2 a lemon rind
2–4 tablespoons of sugar (depending on how sweet you like your wine)
Cardamom pod (optional)
Rum, brandy, schnapps or vodka (optional)

Instructions
In a large saucepan, combine wine, sugar, and spices, and cook over medium-low heat for one-half to one hour. Do not allow to boil. Note that a longer heating brings out a stronger cinnamon flavor. Serve, and add a shot of alcohol if desired.

Extra Spicy Version

Ingredients
4 cups red wine
4 ounces brandy
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 ounce lemon juice
1 cup orange juice
3–4 whole cloves
8–10 whole peppercorns
5 whole cinnamon sticks

Instructions
In a four-quart saucepan, combine all the ingredients but the wine, and bring to a boil. Cook for about ten minutes to reduce the amount by half. Reduce heat, and add the wine. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve, and serve hot. Garnish with a cinnamon stick if desired. When it comes to hot spiced wine recipes, this one is a must taste!

BeerAdvocate’s Top 50

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10. Dementia 13 ~ 1963, Francis Ford Coppolla

John Haloran has a fatal heart attack, but his wife Louise won’t get any of the inheritance when Lady Haloran dies if John is dead. Louise forges a letter from John to convince the rest of his family he’s been called to New York on important business, and goes to his Irish ancestral home, Castle Haloran, to meet the family and look for a way to ensure a cut of the loot. Seven years earlier John’s sister Kathleen was drowned in the pond, and the Halorans enact a morbid ritual in remembrance. Secrets shroud the sister’s demise, and soon the family and guests begin experiencing an attrition problem.

9. Phantom of the Opera ~ 1925, Rupert Julian

At the Opera of Paris, a mysterious phantom threatens a famous lyric singer, Carlotta and thus forces her to give up her role (Marguerite in Faust) for unknown Christine Daae. Christine meets this phantom (a masked man) in the catacombs, where he lives. What’s his goal? What’s his secret?

8. The Last Man on Earth 1964, Ubaldo Ragona

Dr. Robert Morgan (Vincent Price) is the only survivor of a devastating world-wide plague due to a mysterious immunity he acquired to the bacterium while working in Central America years ago. He is all alone now…or so it seems. As night falls, plague victims begin to leave their graves, part of a hellish undead army that’s thirsting for blood…his!

7. The House on Haunted Hill ~ 1959, William Castle

Millionaire playboy Fredrick Loren hosts a party for his 4th wife Annabelle Loren at the “House On Haunted Hill,” a house that has seen seven murders, Fredrick invites 5 guests: Lance Schroeder,a pilot, Ruth Bridges, a journalist, Watson Prichard, the owner of The House On Haunted Hill, Nora Manning, a worker for one of Fredrick Loren’s companies, and David Trent, a psychiatrist. Fredrick will offer each of them $10,000 to spend a night in The House On Haunted Hill. They all want the money. At midnight, the caretakers lock to doors, and the terror begins!

6. Dr Jeckyll and Mr Hyde ~ 1920, John Robertson

Based on the story by Robert Louis Stevenson, Dr. Henry Jekyll believes that there are two distinct sides to men – a good and an evil side. He believes that by separating the two men can become liberated. He succeeds in his experiments with chemicals to accomplish this and transforms into Hyde to commit horrendous crimes.

5. Night of the Living Dead ~ 1968, George Romero

The dead come back to life and eat the living in this low budget, black and white film. Several people barricade themselves inside a rural house in an attempt to survive the night. Outside are hordes of relentless, shambling zombies who can only be killed by a blow to the head.

4. Dracula ~ 1931, Tod Browning

After a harrowing ride through the Carpathian Mountains in Eastern Europe, Renfield enters castle Dracula to finalize the transferal of Carfax Abbey in London to Count Dracula, who is in actuality a vampire. Renfield is drugged by the eerily hypnotic count, and turned into one of his thralls, protecting him during his sea voyage to London. After sucking the blood and turning the young Lucy Weston into a vampire, Dracula turns his attention to her friend Mina Seward, daughter of Dr. Seward who then calls in a specialist, Dr. Van Helsing, to diagnose the sudden deterioration of Mina’s health. Van Helsing, realizing that Dracula is indeed a vampire, tries to prepare Mina’s fiance, John Harker, and Dr. Seward for what is to come and the measures that will have to be taken to prevent Mina from becoming one of the undead.

3. The Cabinet of Dr Caligari ~ 1919, Robert Wiene

A horror film that surpasses all others. Alan relates the story of traveling magician Dr Caligari and Cesare. Their arrival in a town coincides with savage killings. Secretly Caligari was an asylum director who hypnotizes Cesare to re enact murders. But the final reel contains something, which will leave an audience shattered. It blows away all your moral certainties and beliefs. This is the true power of its horror. To leave you vulnerable and uncertain of what you feel was secure and certain.

2. Nosferatu ~ 1922, F Murnau

An unauthorized production of Bram Stoker’s work (The legal heirs didn’t give their permission), so the names had to be changed. But this wasn’t enough: The widow of Bram Stoker won two lawsuits (1924 and 1929) in which she demanded the destruction of all copies of the movie, however happily copies of it were already too widespread to destroy them all. Later, the Universal studios could break her resistance against this movie. Count Orlok’s move to Wisburg (Obviously the real “Wismar”) brings the plague traceable to his dealings with the Realtor Thomas Hutter, and the Count’s obsession with Hutter’s wife, Ellen the only one with the power to end the evil.

1. M ~ 1931, Fritz Lang

A psychotic child murderer stalks a city, and despite an exhaustive investigation fueled by public hysteria and outcry, the police have been unable to find him. But the police crackdown does have one side-affect, it makes it nearly impossible for the organized criminal underground to operate. So they decide that the only way to get the police off their backs is to catch the murderer themselves. Besides, he is giving them a bad name.

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In the mood for a good ol’ BBQ? Pack your grub and bring it along! We now have three barbeques on the lawn for your use. Just make sure to call ahead to reserve.  You can also check out some of our barbeque pairing tips on our Facebook page to create the perfect meal!

We have live music every weekend.  Check out Take 3 on Sunday, September 11^th at 1:30 p.m., the great East End Trio on Saturday, September 17^th, and many more. The full list can be found on our website.

Be sure to check out some of our entries for the July Fan of the Month on Facebook and stay tuned for more contests to come. Our photo contest was a blast and we’ve got some great prizes in store for the winner!

None of that is actually true, but it is called Middle Road and while we hope you continue to use this wonderful road to visit Osprey’s at our Peconic headquarters for tastings, barbecues and more tasting, we did want to keep you apprised of some of the wonderful places that serve our wine that aren’t necessarily accessed by the great Middle Road.

Pepi’s Ristorante in Southold recently began offering Osprey’s wine to complement the fantastic italian cuisine that they are so famous for. Pepi’s has been a North Fork staple since 1999, so we’re very excited to be a part of their wine list. Make sure to order a bottle or two of ODV’s Fume Blanc or Regina Maris Chardonnay the next time you enjoy a meal at Pepi’s.

The Blue Inn at North Fork in East Marion sure doesn’t leave you guessing where it is. And that’s a good thing because it is not a place you’d want to miss. Formerly the Blue Dolphin, The Blue Inn is under new ownership and promises to be a can’t-miss attraction for years to come on the East End. Osprey’s wines are now being served at the Inn, so your excuses are minimal. It’s probably THE time of year to be out East, so make it happen! Wines being served at The Blue Inn include the 2009 Vin Gris Rosé, 2010 Gewurztraminer, 2009 Sauvignon Blanc and the 2008 Chardonnay.

For those of you not into leaving the five boroughs, let alone trekking out to the far reaches of Suffolk County (it really isn’t that far though), we have you covered. Sky Liquors in Bayside is officially part of the Osprey’s family. So all you dwellers of the 718 can avoid the drive, even if it isn’t really that far. We highly recommend trying it. It’s nice out here. Sky Liquors carries Osprey’s 2008 Chardonnay, 2009 Sauvignon Blanc, 2009 Vin Gris Rosé, 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon and 2007 Merlot.

Edelzwicker means noble blend and pays homage to the great wines of Alsace. Osprey’s Edelzweicker is a heavy Pinot Gris blend with Gewürztraminer and Riesling added for complexity and backbone. Fermented in stainless steel barrels, this wine has aromas and flavors of white peach, cut flowers and spice, with a crisp mineral finish.

Edelzwicker is best paired with shellfish, poultry dishes and fine aromatic cheeses (might we suggest Limburger?).

The 2010 Flight Edelzwicker is on sale now and available for tasting at our Peconic tasting room. Check us out (and like us) on Facebook to receive a special coupon for a discount on this hot-selling new release. Come on down soon as the Edelzwicker is sure to move.

• Prior to the Civil War, Ohio was considered America’s most important wine producing state.
• The art of wine making is believed to have been originated by the Mesopotamians around 6000 B.C.
• A case of wine holds 12 bottles.
• The use of cork as a seal for wine bottle dates back to the late 17th century – the corkscrew is a different story. This wonder of the wine-age was developed in the mid-1800s.
• Ever wonder how many grapes you have to squeeze to get a single bottle of wine – on average 800.
• The standard wine bottle holds 750ml of wine.
• If you’re planting a vineyard, use this formula: one acre of grapevines equals about 800 gallons of wine.
• Think you’ve tried every wine out there? Doubt it. There are more than 10,000 varieties of wine grapes.
• You don’t want to break a wine barrel. It’s quite a spill – each barrel holds 60 gallons of wine.
• Dom Perignon, the namesake of one of the world’s most noteworthy champagnes, was a blind monk.
• When the Viking Leif Ericcson traveled to America, the first things to catch his eye were all the grapevines. In fact, he named the place “Vinland.”
• Ohio is the eighth largest wine producing state, behind California, New York, Washington and Oregon.
• Americans import more wine from Australia than any other country. It finished ahead of Italy and France.
• Drinking Concord grape juice can significantly increase good cholesterol. (Nutra USA)
• Fresh Ohio grapes are available from August to October. Choose firm, plump grapes on pliable stems.
• Dry brittle stems are a sign of poor quality.
• Store grapes in the refrigerator in a perforated plastic bag, or in a location with low temperatures and high humidity. Grapes should last about two weeks if stored properly.
• 1-1/2 pounds of grapes yields approximately four cups of grapes.
• Grapes are the most valuable fruit crop in the United States.
• In 121 B.C. Roman Historian Pliny the elder rated a 200 year-old wine as a “vintage of the highest quality.”
• At the celebration party for the drafters of the US Constitution the fare included 50 bottles of Madeira, 60 bottles of Claret, and 22 bottles of Port.
• The largest wine bottle is known as a Nebuchadnezzar and holds 20 regular bottles of wine.
• Thomas Jefferson was the first wine steward of the White House and stocked the wine cellars of five U.S. presidents.
• One grapevine can produce enough grapes for ten bottles of wine.
• The average person eats eight pounds of grapes per year.
• The Armenians claim that Noah planted the first vineyard on earth in their country.
• “We could in the United States make a great variety of wines as are made in Europe, not exactly of the same kinds, but doubtless as good.” Thomas Jefferson
• When Mt. Vesuvius buried Pompeii in volcanic lava in 79 A.D., it also buried more than 200 wine bars.
• “Wine makes daily living easier, less hurried, with fewer tensions and more tolerance.” Benjamin Franklin
• The largest cork tree in the world is known as “The Whistler Tree.” Located in Portugal, it produces enough cork per harvest to close 100,000 bottles of wine.
• Grapes are easier to peel when they are frozen. Rinse frozen grapes in lukewarm water and the skins will split and slip right off.
• In ancient Babylon, the bride’s father would supply his son-in-law with all the mead (honey wine) he could drink for a month after the wedding. The period of free mead was known as “honey month” which we now call the “honeymoon.”

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How to Taste Wine: Inspecting the Wine

It is worth taking a good look at the wine, as it’s appearance can yield a lot of information. It’s best to view the wine against a white background, in order to avoid mistaking the colour. This doesn’t have to be anything technical – a white plate or tablecloth will do. Another good point to make is that the receptacles should be made of plain, clear glass – trying to gauge the intensity of a red wine through blue glass is notoriously difficult!

Colour: The colour of a red wine will give a clue as to the age of the wine. Many red wines start life as a deep purple colour, sometimes almost opaque. With time, however, the wines lose this youthful intensity, and begin to take on a paler, tawny, brick red hue. Initially this appears at the rim of the wine, but as the years go by the whole wine will take on this colour, fading to a brick red or brown. The colour of a red wine may give a clue not only to the age of the wine, however, but also to the grapes which have been used. This is because different grapes produce wines of differing intensities of colour. Pinot Noir tends to be pale, for instance, whereas many other red grapes, particularly in their youth, would be expected to be an inky purple-black.

Similar information may be gathered from inspecting a white wine, although the pattern of colour change as a white wine ages is different. A good example is Sauternes, the famous dessert wine of Bordeaux. This wine starts off a lemon gold colour, but unlike a red wine, which becomes paler as it ages, this wine deepens, turning a rich, golden amber. This colour change is gradual, occurring over many decades. As with red wines, the colour of a white wine will also give some clue as to the grapes used, and also from where the wine originates. Cool climate wines tend to be less richly coloured, hence Burgundian Chardonnay will be paler than an Australian example. Certain grapes have an almost characteristic hue, such as the green tinge of Riesling.

A youthful, deeply coloured Cabernet. © The Winedoctor

A much paler, fading Pinot Noir. © The Winedoctor

A pale, cool climate Chardonnay. © The Winedoctor

A richer, warm climate Chardonnay. © The Winedoctor

Legs: This little used tasting term refers to the oily droplets of wine that run down the inside of the glass after the wine has been swirled. It was used more frequently in times past as many believed that slowly forming, oily legs, reflecting either high alcohol content or the presence of sugars, were an indication of quality. Less exciting, weak wines would quickly form more watery legs. This is true to some extent, but today many tend to assess these qualities on the palate rather than with the eye.

Bead: With reference to sparkling wines, the bead describes the size of the bubbles generated by the wine. Champagne is said to generate a finer bead (smaller bubbles) than other sparkling wines, and I tend to go along with this. It can be useful when trying to identify wines blind. Some say that the quality of the bead can even be determined by holding the glass close to the ear, and listening to the fizz. This one I find hard to believe!

How to Taste Wine: Smelling the Wine

Swirl the glass to throw the wine up onto the side of the glass, thus increasing the surface area of wine in contact with the air. It is at the interface between wine and air that aromas are released, and thus increasing the surface area helps to make the aromas more apparent. The agitation of the wine, of course, also helps. To swirl effectively, don’t fill the glass too full – in fact less than half full is recommended. Be gentle, in order to bring the wine up onto the side of the glass without spilling it altogether. If you find you are spilling wine, and haven’t overfilled the glass, place the base of the glass on the table and using a few good circular motions on the table top to get the aromas going.

Once done, stick your nose in the glass a take a good sniff, and think about what aromas are coming up from the glass as you do so. Young wines will have primary aromas, relating to the grape variety. Such smells are often fruit related, and hence wines are described as smelling of blackcurrants, raspberries, and so on, or maybe simply as ‘fruity’.

As wines age more secondary aromas develop, which may be more earthy or animalistic. I believe that the bouquet of a wine is the most enjoyable part of the experience, more so than actually tasting it. The aromas generated by a glass of fine wine can be many, intertwined in a most intimate and complex manner. The aromas of a wine take on many different forms, and very rarely does a wine smell of grapes – but that is because the grapes most of us are familiar with are table or dessert grapes, which are quite unsuitable for making wine.

How to Taste Wine: At Last – Tasting the Wine!

There is a lot more to describe when tasting the wine than simple flavour. Flavours are often as expected following the detection of certain aromas. On the ‘palate’ (the term used to describe the characteristics of the wine detected in the mouth), however, other elements come into play. Detecting the absolute presence and relative quantities of these substances tells you about quality, ageing potential, how well the wine will drink with food, and so on. This empowers you to select good wines, and discard bad ones, as you analyse the wine and understand what it is you don’t like about them.

When you taste wine, it is important to realise that little of the flavour that can be sensed actually involves the tongue. Much more vital are the nasal chemoreceptors that are involved in smell. Aromas from the wine in the mouth pervade the upper airways, and it is sensations from the nasal receptors that we use to ‘taste’ the wine. (This is why it is difficult to taste foods when you have a head-cold). So breathe in and out through the nose as you taste, and if you feel like it, slurp some air in through the mouth over the wine. It will help to release the aromas, and probably raise a few laughs!

Pay attention to the way the wine changes as you hold it in the mouth. First impressions on taking the wine into the mouth may be referred to as the forepalate, followed by the mid and endpalate, leading up to the finish.

The finish describes the sensations derived from swallowing the wine. It will often be different to how the wine came across on the palate, so take note. The flavours may linger for a while on the palate after the wine has been swallowed, and this is referred to as the length. The more length a wine has, the more time you have to enjoy it, and it’s probably true to say that such wines are generally of better quality. Last of all, don’t forget to spit. Not necessary most of the time, of course, but at large trade tastings it is the only way to stay upright. And long term, of course, it protects the liver. If you do go to a large public tasting and are nervous about spitting, don’t be. Get yourself over the receptacle, don’t be afraid to lower your head towards it some way, and simply release the wine from your mouth, almost letting gravity do the job. As you get more confident you may be a little more directional in your technique, but don’t confuse confidence with inebriation. Even when spitting, some alcohol is absorbed via the mucous membranes of the mouth, and some via the small part that is inevitably swallowed.

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