The great blizzard of 2010 was not nearly as dire here in the Hamptons as in western Long Island and New York City. We has less snow but the winds seemed to be hurricane force at times with snow blowing around almost laterally. It’s hard for me to tell how much snow we had because of all the drifts and valleys. I tried a beach walk Sunday morning before the brunt of the storm arrived but it was almost impossible for me to follow the dogs as they advanced into the wind and sleet. We always head into the wind first and go as far as we can so the return lap is easier.
I had planned to open some special wines each day of the week to celebrate the holidays, but I decided to save the costly stuff and open a bottle of Bedell First Crush red for myself on Sunday. And it was just the right choice. A blend of mostly merlot with cabernet franc—two of Long Island’s foremost grapes—the wine offers lively fruit, a bit of spice, soft tannins and a more sophisticated balance than you’d expect from this producer’s least expensive bottle ($18). It was still a pleasure yesterday, on the second day after opening—an amiable companion for the blizzard and its aftermath.