by The WineWench

Just to dispel a common misconception, Long Island actually is long. One hundred and eighteen miles from mouth to tail, to be exact. So if you know a girl with red hair from Long Island, chances are that — even though I grew up there — I don’t know her.

What I do know is that back during the last Ice Age, when Long Island was formed by the departing glaciers, something miraculous happened: The earth and mineral deposits left behind, the moderating effect of the sea, and the lingering autumn sun combined to make a microclimate that has been compared to Bordeaux — our very own terroir.

That it wasn’t discovered until the 1970s has made for little time to build a reputation. But I’m not the only one who’ll tell you there is no better place between France and Frisco to grow wine grapes. Louisa and Alex Hargrave of Hargrave Vineyard (now Castello di Borghese) were the first to plant vinifera here in 1972, the year I was born. That seems auspicious to me.

The relative immaturity of the region means that the nearly 30 wineries here — dispersed between the North and South forks of the Island’s easternmost end — are experimenting with just about every grape known to man. It’s an exciting time, a good time to get to know an area that is already producing some world-class wines. In another 30 years, you can say you got in on the ground floor.

If you’re planning a trip to Long Island wine country, you’ll need to drive, or at least rent a car. If you fly in, be aware that the vineyards cannot legally ship out of New York state. Hillary Clinton is hard at work trying to reverse this unfortunate restriction, so give her a break, okay? If you’re going to try and ship it yourself, find out what the restrictions in your home state are or, as the man at Mailboxes, Etc. told me, “disguise it really well.” The bottles I had my mom ship back made it just fine packed in bubble wrap, plastic baggies and newspaper, and stamped “fragile.”

I’m happy to report that you can take wine on the plane with you. The good folks at Islip’s Macarthur Airport told me I could bring on as much as I could carry. I managed 10 bottles in my two carry-ons this last time, cursing my puny girl arms the whole way.

Many of the wineries are open year round. And, although hours vary, in general, most tasting rooms are open 11–5 Monday through Saturday. I recommend making your visit either in early spring or early fall. The weather is less humid, you’ll pay less for your lodging, and you’ll have the tasting rooms mostly to yourself.




The North Fork — Among the Vines
The majority of wineries — some 26 of them — are located on the North Fork of the Island. Driving out there, you’ll pass miles and miles of scrub pine and see the sand along the roadside. In 1995, the Pine Barrens burned for most of the summer, consuming 3,000 acres. A friend of mine insists that she can taste the smoke in that vintage.

But as you move out and north of the Pine Barrens, the scenery changes. You almost forget you’re near the ocean. The flat earth, the roadside produce stands — you could be in Kansas. This is farmland. Open and clear, you can see the sky.

You could easily make a week out of wine tasting here, visiting four or five wineries a day. They speckle Route 25 and, to a lesser extent, 25A, from Aquebogue to Greenport. In the latter town you’ll find ideal lodging —The Greenporter (326 Front Street, Greenport, NY 11944; 631-477-0066; www.thegreenporter.com). This former motel was recently transformed into a boutique hotel and spa with a decidedly modern bent. The beautiful spare space of the rooms and their mid-century furnishings is refreshing after a day of driving and tasting, and an in-room spa service and dip in the pool will let you melt into the evening hours. Have dinner at La Cuvée, the hotel’s restaurant, where you can have fun pairing some of the same wines you have tasted during the day with the fresh local seafood.



Corey Creek Vineyards
Main Road, Southold, NY 11971
631-765-4168
www.bedellcellars.com
Michael Lynne, the co-CEO of New Line Cinema, owns Corey Creek, along with Bedell Cellars and Wells Road Vineyard. Further down the road you’ll find a tasting room for Bedell, but I like this one — it looks like a little beach house, perched up a slight incline and with a view out over the North Fork’s fields. Kip Bedell, the Bedell Cellars founder who has stayed on to oversee all the operations is known as “Mr. Merlot” out here, and the 2000 Merlot is distinctive and impressively balanced between its cherry flavors and unusual vanilla finish. I just happen to visit the week they are premiering their ’02 Gewürztraminer, which won’t be officially released until Memorial Day. The ’01 vintage won a double gold medal and was name “Best Gewürztraminer in the State” at the 2003 New York Wine & Food Classic, which is saying something considering the Finger Lakes entries that it was up against. This vintage is equally delightful, flowery on the nose, crisp and melon-tinged on the palate.

Lenz Winery
Main Road, Peconic, NY 11958
631-734-6010
www.lenzwine.com
There’s a pretty courtyard leading to this barn-style tasting room and a staff that definitely knows their wines. Unlike many Long Island wineries, which buy their grapes from various vintners, Lenz prides itself on growing all its own grapes on its own property. Their master wine maker, Eric Fry, is not one to leave anything to chance, and his exacting standards have lead to several big, French-style Chardonnays, a dry, spice-flavored, Alsatian-style Gewürztraminer and a Pinot Noir that could have stepped out of the Northwest. In blind taste tests, Lenz’s wines often beat out wines from those regions. If oak isn’t your thing, go for their White Label Chardonnay, which is stainless steel aged and has pleasant citrus flavors that make it seem almost effervescent in the mouth.

Pellegrini Vineyards
23005 Main Road, Cutchogue, NY 11935
631-734-4111
www.pellegrinivineyards.com
Pelligrini is possibly the most celebrated winery on the island. Their ’97 Merlot got a 90 from Wine Spectator (which has otherwise been notoriously tough on LI wines). They choose to leave many of their wines unfiltered, which gives a lot of character to the fruit. I go for the ’99 Cabernet Sauvignon, which is full of intense cassis and blackberry flavors and the ’01 Chardonnay, which has an interesting almond note as well as good acidity and a light flavor of apples.

Pindar Vineyards
Main Road, Peconic, NY 11958
631-734-6200
www.pindar.net
Pindar makes consistently drinkable, inexpensive wines, including a blend called Autumn Gold that serves as my house white. There is a huge tasting room here and a vast array of wines, but the atmosphere is very casual and fun. The big red blends — Pythagoras and Mythology —are good bets, as is the Sunflower Chardonnay, which is creamy without being overbearing.

Paumonok Vineyards
Main Road, Aquebogue, NY 11931
631-722-8800
www.paumonok.com
This may be my new favorite North Fork vineyard. The staff is warm, friendly and knowledgeable, and they are growing some of my favorite grapes — including a bright, well-balanced Chenin Blanc and an Alsatian-style Dry Riesling that smells like violets. Also worth a try is the 2000 Assemblage, which is made of 45% merlot, 45% cabernet sauvignon and 10% cabernet franc. It’s a big, multi-layered wine with a fantastic cocoa finish. When the staff member suggests Stilton with the Late Harvest Riesling, my mouth starts to water. I’ve found the fabled “nectar of the gods:” honey on the tongue and satisfaction in the belly.

Obviously, this is just a small sampling of the vineyards on the North Fork. If don’t have the luxury of spending a week, do a little research beforehand to see what you might like. The Long Island Wine Council (www.liwines.com) is a good place to start. Or, just drive the road and see where you end up — here, the journey itself really is a destination.

Click here to explore the south shore in part two.