Noah Schwartz Launches Winemakers’ Dinners

Greenport’s popular eatery Noah’s is celebrating harvest season with a Winemakers’ Dinner Series on Sundays at 6 p.m. through December 7.

A different vineyard will be featured each week and a representative from the vineyard will be on hand to discuss the wine pairings throughout the five-course, $95 meal.

Noah’s will serve a five-course tasting menu paired with wines from Bedell Cellars on Sunday, October 19, at 6 p.m. Winemaker Richard Olsen-Harbich will be present to provide guests with information on the various wines and pairings.

We chatted with Chef Noah Schwartz to find out more about his unique dinner series.

What do you find most appealing about the North Fork as a home for Noah’s?
You’re always surrounded with great agriculture, aquaculture as well as viticulture. Basically the terroir of the area is what attracted me.

What do you think sets noah’s apart in such a competitive area?
We have always focused on sourcing the best local ingredients for our unique menu and pairing them with a large selection of local wines. In fact we’ve recently expanded our wine program at the restaurant to offer even more local selections and flights to highlight what our area has to offer. We also always strive to ensure that our hospitality is unmatched and are proud to be able to offer guests all of this in the heart of downtown. Our motto is really: local, local, local! We believe there is something special about the North Fork and it’s our restaurant’s goal to be a showcase for the area.

Can you highlight some of your favorite dishes on the menu?
The menu changes seasonally. Right now one of my personal favorites is the goat cheese basil stuffed squash blossoms served with frisée, arugula and heirloom cherry tomatoes. I’m also a fan of the seared tuna tartare with avocado, jalapeño, cucumber, seaweed salad and soy vinaigrette. We’re sourcing the tuna straight from Montauk and it’s been a wonderful season.

When you’re not at your restaurant, where can we find you dining?
I like the Taqueria Mexico in Riverhead for authentic tacos.

Other favorite spots on the North Fork?
Grana for pizza and Blue Canoe when we want to sit outside.

What’s an ideal day on the North Fork for you?
Waking up early and paddleboarding with my son. Then biking to Lieb Cellars on Oregon Road with my family for lunch from our new food truck and some wonderful rosé.

How did the idea for the dinner series come about?
I wanted to pair our food with single wineries and experience the many different styles of regional wines with our foods. Also I wanted to offer people a unique setting to lean more about the wines of the North Fork. It’s an intimate group setting and having a winemaker from the vineyard on hand to answer questions throughout the meal is invaluable for our guests.

How did you pick the vineyards?
We started with the ones we work with frequently and have a personal relationship with ourselves. The North Fork is a small town and the vineyards were all very excited to get involved. It’s been a wonderful partnering experience and an excellent example of what we hold so dear about our community. It’s the people that make this place so special. We truly are a unique, tight-knit community and that was evident from the moment we started putting this series together. People who have attended will be the first to tell you it’s more than just a dinner—it’s an experience and that stems from the people who are involved.

Is there a dinner you’re particularly excited about?
All of them are very exciting! As a chef I’m particularly excited about the one with Sparkling Pointe because it’s challenging to pair every course with sparkling wine.

Noah’s is located at 136 Front Street, Greenport, For more information, call 631-477-6720 or visit chefnoahschwartz.com.