New York is known for many things – Times Square, The Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, Bronx Zoo, “Sex and the City” – but wine? In fact, New York’s Long Island hosts some of the best vineyards on the east coast.
Just north of Manhattan is Long Island wine country and home of some of the nation’s most unique wines.
Bordered by the Atlantic Ocean and the Long Island sound, Long Island’s wine country produces award-winning wines thanks to the region’s moderate climate. After a weekend in Montauk at the Montauk Yacht Club, I hopped in the car with my girlfriends and headed down Route 27 to taste some of what Long Island has to offer.
Long Island wine country
Our first stop was at Wolffer Estate along Route 27. The Wolffer Estate is known for its rose wine, and to our surprise, you don’t have to be in the south of France to enjoy a rose! The vintage was crisp and clean, with the right depth of a good rose. The bottle was $10.99, a great price for a decent rose. The bonus: A bottle of apple wine, which is a great alternative to Reisling’s or ports as a dessert wine.
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I love the North Fork of of Long Island. The wineries having really come along over the last 20 years. Bedell is indeed one of my favorites (the Merlot is consistently rated high by Wine Spectator). Traffic gets a bit congested on the weekends, but if you pick one or two destinations and spend some time there, it’s worth it.