Dance on Saturday 16th at Martha Clara Vineyard

Shorecrest Bed and Breakfast will be part of the North Fork Bed and Breakfast Association’s Summer Event, a celebration of tourism and agriculture which takes place this coming Saturday, July 16th.
I’ve been working hard in the Shorecrest garden getting it ready for the visitors who have bought tickets for the garden tour part of the day’s activities. Visitors with the garden tour ticket can start their day with a visit to the Cornell University Extension experimental gardens on Sound Avenue in Riverhead, NY. If you garden on Long Island and would like some great ideas on what will do well here, this is a good place to start. Do you have a sick plant or strange looking insects eating your veggies? These are the people to call or even send them a leaf in the mail; they will get back to you with an explanation and possibly a cure. Cornell is a great resource for both farmers and gardeners.
The tour of the gardens continues in the afternoon from 1pm to 4pm with visits to six bed and breakfast, each of whom will be hosting a local farmer or food producer. Sang Lee will have a stand at Shorecrest and we will be serving fresh mint tea and mint flavored lemonade using our own home grown mint leaves. From 4.30pm to 6.30pm, visitors can purchase tickets for a prix fixe dinner, choosing from one of 9 North Fork restaurants: The Old Mill Inn, Jamesport Manor Inn, The Portly Grape, Scrimshaw, Skippers, Sound View, and Porto Bello will offer their chef’s signature dishes to diners. To end the days with a bang, the NFBBA will be hosting a dance with the music of Trevor Davision at Martha Clara Vineyard from 7:15 to 10:30 p.m.
The bed and breakfast association is donating part of the profits of the summer event to Cornell Cooperative Extension, which supports gardening and agriculture on Long Island and is part of the association’s longstanding commitment to strengthen business on the North Fork while supporting agriculture and tourism.
Tickets can be purchased on line for all or just parts of the event through Brown Paper tickets. To find out more about activities throughout the year, check the association’s website at nfbba.org.
Related Topics: Cornell Cooperative Extension, Martha Clara Vineyards, and North Fork Bed and Breakfast Association

Vitalay Golovnev - awesome trumpeter

Long Island Winterfest and Jazz on the Vine continues to be a huge success as a forum for some great musical talent and enjoying North Fork wines. Weekends are busy for a Bed and Breakfast owner but I was able to take some time with two of my sons last Sunday afternoon to hop over to nearby Osprey Dominion winery and listen to the trumpet of of Vitaly Goloveny and a talented group of musicians on saxophone, bass and drums. It was a beautiful afternoon with just enough clouds to temper the strength of the sun that streamed through the large windows framing the tasting room. It is a large space and could have been an acoustic challenge but Vitaly tempered his playing of the trumpet skillfully to take the space into account and maintain a decibel level that was perfect for enjoyment of the sound. Winterfest continues through March 20th and a complete list of all musical performers and venues can be found on the Long Island Winterfest web site. You will find a quick  reference list for who is playing and where on last week’s Shorecrest Bed and Breakfast blog.

In the Vineyard: Wine making at the Sannino Vineyard

I have written in earlier postings about making my own barrel of wine with the Sannino’s Bella Vita vineyard. While the grapes we picked last fall continue their fermentation process in barrel, vat or bottle, this time of year starts a new growing season for the vines.

Netting that protected the grapes from hungry or just opportunistic wildlife has been removed and it is time to prune the vines.

Pruning is basically cutting off unwanted canes to allow the vines to produce a smaller and more intensely flavored crop the following year. This is done by cutting off approximately 90 percent of the past year’s cane growth, retaining only a few canes for fruit production in the upcoming season.

Vine before pruning with last years canes intact

Critical decisions are made during this process as to what parts of the vine are to be kept in order for the plant to be most productive. The photos illustrating the process here are of the same vine before pruning; leafless and then with most of the main canes removed except for four centrally located canes.

After pruning the main canes are laid along and tied to the first layer of wire

All canes have buds capable of producing the shoots, leaves and grapes for next seasons harvest. When pruning only four canes are kept to concentrate the growth of the plant and reduce the amount of fruit produced. The quality of the fruit produced this way is essential to the end product, a full rich wine. When pruning only the central canes are kept because they will allow the optimum amount of space between the main trunks, a consideration when planning for the most productivity in the vineyard. Only two of the four are needed but the additional two are left for insurance in case of damage during the next process.

As shown in the photographs, once pruned the vines are laid  on wires strung between posts and tied to them. One cane is directed to run left and the other right. There is some space left over between the trunks so a third cane is folded across the space.

Once canes have been put in place for the growing season they are called ‘Cordons’. The buds which will gradually swell, shoot and grow as the weather warms are spaced from 4 to 8 inches along each Cordon. Some buds will produce several shoots and  all but the largest and healthiest  will be removed to further concentrate the strength and vigor of the plant . The remaining shoots will then become next years canes and each canes will eventually bear one to three clusters of grapes close to the cordon as they continue  growing vertically.

Cane pruning as it is called is one of two most common methods on The North Fork. The other method is called Spur pruning. Spur pruning is the pruning style of choice for backyard vineyards and vines that are trained on fences and other simple trellises. The two methods can be used in the same field but only one would be selected as the average for the given variety or field.

More on pruning and progress in the vineyard and winery in our next ‘In the Vineyard’ blog post

Winterfest continues through March 20th and a complete list of events and venues is listed below:

FEBRUARY 19
S A T U R D A Y

BakithiKumalo

1:30 pm

Palmer Vineyards – Dida Pelled’s Trio

3 pm

Castello di Borghese – Bakithi Kumalo

3 pm

Waters Crest Winery – Pearl Street Band

4:30 pm

Baiting Hollow Farm Vineyard - Champian Fulton

4:30 pm

Martha Clara Vineyards - Rare Groove Band

Rare Groove Band

FEBRUARY 20
S U N D A Y

2 pm

Diliberto Winery - Jody Sandhaus Duo

2 pm

Macari Vineyards - Don Miller & “Bass Station”

3:30 pm

Raphael - Matt Wilson Quartet

3:30 pm

Pellegrini Vineyards – Bob Magnuson/Glenn Alexander

Don Miller

FEBRUARY 26
S A T U R D A Y 1 pm

Southampton Cultural Center – Inside the “Out” Side of Jazz – FREE!
Discussion with Ed Green; Moderator Steve Watson:

“Ellington, Jazz, the Opposites – and You!”

3 pm

Laurel Lake Vineyards – Monday Michiru

3 pm

Baiting Hollow Farm Vineyard – Janine DiNatale

4:30 pm

Sherwood House Vineyards - Ahmad Ali

4:30 pm

Martha Clara Vineyards - Groove Gumbo

FEBRUARY 27
S U N D A Y 2 pm

Raphael - Isaac Jaffe Quintet

2 pm

Bedell Cellars – Matt Marshak

2 pm

Brecknock Hall, Greenport - Hot Club of the Hamptons

3:30 pm

Osprey’s Dominion – Vitaly Golovnev

3:30 pm

Jamesport Vineyard - MEM3 (Ernesto Cervini)

MARCH 5
S A T U R D A Y

1:30 pm

Raphael – Morris Goldberg & OJOYO

3 pm

Waters Crest Winery – Oscar Penas Ethereal Ensemble

3 pm

Palmer Vineyards - Tim Siciliano Trio

4:30 pm

Osprey’s Dominion - Trevor Davison Quartet

4:30 pm

Martha Clara Vineyards – Benito Gonzalez

MARCH 6
S U N D A Y

2 pm

Sherwood House Vineyards – Ray Anderson Duo

2 pm

Laurel Lake Vineyards – Bernal/Eckroth/Ennis

3:30 pm

Raphael - Alex Sipiagin

3:30 pm

Baiting Hollow Farm Vineyard - Tessa Souter

MARCH 12
S A T U R D A Y 1 pm

Vail Leavitt Music Hall - Inside the “Out” Side of Jazz – FREE!
Discussion with Lara Pellegrinelli, Adam Schatz, Ken Druker. Moderator Bob Barta.
“Reaching the Audience: Jazz in the Digital Age”

3 pm

Baiting Hollow Farm Vineyard – Shenole Latimer Trio

3 pm

Diliberto Winery - Jane Hastay & Peter Martin Weiss

4:30 pm

Clovis Point - Willie Williams

4:30 pm

Macari Vineyards – Nelson Riveros

MARCH 13
S U N D A Y

2 pm

Pellegrini Vineyards – Shan Kenner & Raw Trio

2 pm

Sparkling Pointe - Susan Pereira & Sabor Brasil

3:30 pm

Jamesport Vineyard – Michael Jazz Trio

3:30 pm

Raphael - Jerry Costanzo Sextet

MARCH 19
S A T U R D A Y 1:30 pm

Raphael - Bob Cunningham Trio

3 pm

Martha Clara Vineyards – Sabroso Latin Jazz Ensemble

3 pm

Palmer Vineyards - Steve Salerno Trio

4:30 pm

Macari Vineyards - Kelley Suttenfield

4:30 pm

Jamesport Vineyard – Iris Ornig Trio

MARCH 20
S U N D A Y

2 pm

Bedell Cellars - Lauren Kinhan

2 pm

Sparkling Pointe - Beleza Sol

3:30 pm

Raphael - Mambo Loco

3:30 pm

Clovis Pointe - Marc Devine Trio

This last week got away from me once again; I’d intended to post far more information about events going on but between my summer neighbors who come to visit and enjoying my guests company I’ve been too  busy having fun. Time just flies but I am taking a couple of hours to catch up now.

Guests gather with the Innkeeper for a 'photo momento' of a great visit

Talking of guests, a group of charming young men that just visited last weekend sent me this  photograph taken of us all standing on my front steps – don’t we look as though we are about to break into song? They were only here a short time but loved their stay and managed to see a lot, driving out to Orient State Park after breakfast  on Saturday before sampling  the wines of 6 different vineyards and then taking the ferry from Greenport to Shelter Island for an early evening tour and dinner at Planet Bliss where the food was pronounced ‘delicious’. You can reach Planet Bliss at 631-749-0053 for exact hours & reservations.  Thanks Perry, Shawn, Darryl  and Johnnie for taking the time to share and sending the photos. I’ve been meaning to start a ‘guest  photo gallery’ and this will be a great star!.

The weather has continued to be glorious; the whole of the last weekend and most of last week the temperature was in the 80’s f with a gentle breeze. This was perfect for the many outdoor events that were available to be enjoyed in the Vineyards, farms, parks and towns of the North Fork.

The East End Arts Council continues to sponsor wonderful musical and art events in conjunction with wineries and other local and regional businesses. On Saturday evening I attended a BNY Mellon Winepress event concert at Castello Di Borghese winery in Cutchogue to listen to Hugh Prestwood and Friends. Members of the East End Arts Council were invited to a pre concert reception where Noah of Noah’s restaurant in Greenport prepared delicious appetizers.  I especially loved the goat cheese and beetroot ‘squares’ drizzled with his mom’s home-made honey  and pine nuts – yum, try it when you next visit Noah’s.  Noah’s is one of my favorite restaurants in Greenport and one I always recommend to my guests. I love the ‘small plate’ menu and they offer 3 and 5 ounce glasses of wine so you can conveniently pair different  wines with the various dishes you might wish to sample.

Hugh Prestwood

During the pre concert reception Castello di Borghese served their Pinot Noir 2006 Estate and Sauvignon Blanc 2008 Reserve which were both outstanding. The Shorecrest  Bed and Breakfast offers an exclusive discount card to guests of the BnB and rental properties which includes up to a 15% discount on quantity purchases of Castello Di Borghese wines and also a $5 discount off their ‘Wine Makers Walk’ tour. The tour takes you through the vineyard to their wine production facilities where you will learn about their Pinot Noir and other wines and get to taste them at various stages of development. Back in the tasting room after the tour you will taste the finished products. I’ve taken the tour and enjoyed it immensely. It is scheduled for Thursday  and Sunday afternoons at 1pm during August at a cost of $20, or $15 with your Shorecrest discount. Advanced booking required by calling the vineyard at (631) 734-5111.

The 'Subdudes' play at the NoFo Rock and Folk Festival

Also on Saturday and Sunday the NoFo Rock and Folk Festival, again sponsored in part by the East End Arts Council   was held at Peconic Bay vineyards in Cutchogue. The quality of the musical acts was outstanding and again beautiful weather blessed the event. There was a small village of tents set up in the fields amongst the vines where the concert was hosted housing vendors with lots of interesting wares and delicious food and drink, but apart from the music, the highlight of the event for me was learning to use a Hula Hoop! I’ve been attempting to do this since the 1950’s and finally learned how with the experienced help of  Amy Gabrielson, a Hula Hoop expert. She was there with the weighted hoops that she makes herself, and explained that getting the right size is very important. Maybe I can get Amy to come by for pre- breakfast Hula Hooping exercise on the beach. Low impact and great for the abs. Perhaps this could become a Shorecrest specialty as the NoFo Rock Festival will during future North Fork summers! Be sure and make a note on your calendar for next year so you don’t miss this fun event.

Woody Mann will be playing at Wine Press concerts on the North Fork

Hear Toby Walker at Duck Walk Winery

Also keep an eye out for future Winepress events this year. The next one is on August 14 featuring Woody Mann & Toby Walker at Duck Walk North Vineyard

You can bring the picnic dinner, blanket or chair and they’ll provide Grammy and Award Winning artists, wonderful wines and a spectacular setting, at a very reasonable cost.

The concert is from 6-8pm, rain or shine under the festival tent. They are also offering a Recession price roll-back, with tickets at only $15 per person in advance, $20 at the gate. Children under 12 years are admitted free.

You can save $5 per ticket if you buy online in advance with a credit card at eastendartscouncil.ticketleap.com  or call the winery, Duck Walk North, Southold at (631)765-3500 x104 or Duck Walk South, Water Mill (631) 726-7555 x104.

Duck walk also conducts tours of their facility, but please call for availability or to make an appointment.

More upcoming Events in August at the wineries

Castello Di Borghese Vineyard

Route 48 (Sound Ave) and Alvah’s Lane; P.O. Box 957
Cutchogue New York 11935

Saturday, August 7, 2010, 6:30pm
Comedy Night with Paul Corrigan

Head over to Borghese vineyards for an  evening of comedy and wine with XM Radio funnyman Paul Corrigan.  This fun evening is $15 at the door (cash only please).

Sunday, August 8, 2010, 2-4pm

Glenn Jochum in Concert

Glenn Jochum is a concert mainstay on the East End of Long Island, New York,
and has been playing for the past decade at local vineyards, street fairs,
restaurants, and  cafes.    Glenn will be performing a special concert under
the tent at Borghese Vineyard.  The concert is free.

Martha Clara Vineyards

6025 Sound Ave Riverhead NY 631 298 0075 www.marthaclaravineyards.com

STUMP TRIVIA on Thursday nights at Martha Clara

Ongoing events:

Winemaker’s Carriage Tours
Horse Drawn Carriage tours and wine tasting with the winemakers.
A minimum of 5 people required; $30 per person / $20 for Wineclub members
Tour is by appointment only. Call 631 298 0075 or book through Shorecrest BnB concierge services for our guests and special discounted price.

Trivia Night with STUMP TRIVIA
Every Thursday evening Starting August 5th at 7pm in the tasting room.
Thursday night Bingo was a hit, but it was the luck of the tiles! Test your brain as you taste the wine. A good time will be had by all!

August events at Martha Clara:
Fri August 6th
8pm Singles Mingle – Mardi Gras Dance Party
Mardi Gras themed Music & Dancing w/dj Phil
21 years old & over – $10 in advance +tax / $15 at the door +tax
Purchase tickets online by August 5th

Sat August 7th
11am Vines & Canines Vineyard Walk
Bring your dogs down to Martha Clara Vineyards and enjoy a walk through the vineyard
with winemaker Juan E. Micieli-Martinez

2-5pm Live Music – Keith Maguire (Classic Rock)

7pm Sunset Sails Wine Cruise
The HIT Sunset Sails Wine Cruise is back and ready to sail again!
A 1.5 hour sail on the beautiful scenic Mattituck Inlet & LI Sound with Captain Bob and the winemakers from Martha Clara Vineyards. Wine will be served along with light hors d’oeuvres.
Visit www.marthaclaravineyards.com for tickets and details

Sun August 8th
2-5pm Live Music – George Tebbitt

Ospreys Dominion

44075 Main Rd.,Peconic Long Island, NY 11958 • Toll Free: (888) 295-6188 • Local: (631) 765-6188

Ospreys Dominion  offers live music throughout the year. Below is their calendar for August:

August 6 – The East End Trio 6:00-9:00 PM

August 7 – The Lone Sharks 1:30-5:30 PM

August 8 – Below Average WB 1:30-5:30 PM

August 13 – Sara Kessler 6:00-9:00 PM

August 14 – Sahara 1:30-5:30 PM

August 15 – Nina et Cetra 1:30-5:30 PM

August 20 – George Tebbit 6:00-9:00 PM

August 21 – The Lone Sharks 1:30-5:30 PM

August 22 – Goombas 1:30-5:30 PM

August 27 – Woody Mack 6:00-9:00 PM

August 28 – The East End Trio 1:30-5:30 PM

August 29 – Lost Time 1:30-5:30 PM

For more details visit their website www.ospreysdominion.com/events

44075 Main Rd.,Peconic Long Island, NY 11958 • Toll Free: (888) 295-6188 • Local: (631) 765-6188

Corey Creek Vineyards, 45470 Route 25, Southold

Moonlight Mondays & Twilight Tuesdays
June – October 2010, Mondays & Tuesdays from 5-9pm and back by popular demand, Corey Creek Wine Bar will host late night Monday & Tuesday tastings. Come enjoy live music on Mondays & twilight tastings on Tuesdays from 5-9pm.

Live Music at Corey Creek and Bedell Cellars in August

Sunday, August 1st Joe Allegue Bedell Cellars

Saturday, August 7th Nina Et Cetera Corey Creek

Sunday, August 8th Old School  Bedell Cellars

Saturday, August 14th East End Trio Bedell Cellars

Sunday, August 15th Joe Allegue Corey Creek

Saturday, August 21st Dan Donnelly Corey Creek

Sunday, August 22nd Mike Taylor Bedell Cellars

Saturday, August 28th Dan Donnelly Corey Creek

Sunday, August 29th Joe Allegue Corey Creek

For an interactive map showing the location of all the vineyards on the North Fork with links to their websites visit the Area Attractions page on the Shorecrest Bed and Breakfast website.

Shorecrest looks forward to welcoming you to the North Fork soon!

Next Posting – 10 top favorite things to do in Southold and exploring the North Fork!

Vineyard Events
Sat 19th
2-5pm Live Music – Hank Stone (Folk/Rock)

Sun 20th
2-5pm Live – Music Alan St Jon(classic rock/pop

Look for us on

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6025 Sound Ave Riverhead NY   631 298 0075   marthaclaravineyards.com

Last Chance Animal Rescue Vineyard Hike at Palmer Vineyards

Vineyard: Palmer Vineyards
Time: 10:00 AM
Sunday, June 27th
Last Chance Animal Rescue Vineyard Hike

Babe in the Garden

10:00 AM
Join us in the morning for a 2 mile hike with Palmer Vineyards vineyard manager, Josh Carp. Josh will give us a brief vineyard tour while we get a bit of exercise. Don’t forget to bring your favorite fluffy friend.
Donations will be accepted to benefit Last Chance Animal Rescue, a charitable, not-for profit organization created to save the lives of animals. One of the main goals of the foundation is to rescue animals that are located in “KILL” facilities and underwrite the costs of relocating them to “NO KILL” facilities in hopes of finding them a forever family.
Dogs available for adoption will join us as well!

Time: Doors open at 10 AM Hike begins at 10:30, poop bags will be provided
Donation: $15 includes a free mimosa after the hike
For more information: www.palmervineyards.com

During your visit to Shorecrest Bed & Breakfast, enjoy a North Fork summer evening in July with music and wine at Diliberto Winery.  Be sure to pack a picnic or enjoy takeout from one of the local restaurants.  Then sit back and enjoy your evening while sipping on one on their award winning wines.  This is surely a way to relax after a stressful week of work in the city. 

Live music will be provided on the patio at Diliberto Winery on the evenings of July 24^th and 31^st from 6-9 P.M.  Guests will enjoy a delightful mix of folk rock, jazz, and soul sung by Jeanine Cullen.  Jeanine Cullen is a gifted singer, songwriter, and musician and has performed in the past with wonderful reviews.

A stay at the Shorecrest Bed & Breakfast is always enjoyable, especially when accompanied by music, wine, and a visit to a local winery.