The Delicious Wines of... Long Island!

As a sommelier, I try to turn every vacation I take into a wine trip. Trips to Europe easily fit the bill. A recent excursion to Vancouver Island unveiled for me the shockingly delicious German-style wines produced in the region. Countless journeys down into Mexico’s Guadalupe Valley have introduced me to the generally underwhelming but, in my opinion, very promising burgeoning Baja wine industry. However, I was a bit hesitant to transform my most recent trip into a wine tasting expedition… I was venturing into the world of Long Island wines.

Sure, I’ve read the articles claiming Long Island is an AVA not to be overlooked. Lettie Teague’s pieces on wsj.com have intrigued me no less than the next adventurous sommelier. But regardless I had biases and low expectations, which I was positive would not be exceeded in the course of my Long Island winery visits. So I packed my bag (making sure I could muster up plenty of room for at least 12 bottles, just in case) and made my way to The Hamptons.

Here’s a little Long Island history. Wild grapevines were always a part of the flora on the island. In the mid-1600’s, settlers trained the wild vines up arbors, introducing viticulture quite early to the region. In the late 1700’s V. vinifera vines were brought over from Europe to the Prince Nursery Company on the Western tip of the island. Mr. Prince was a pioneer of American viticulture, producing one of the first texts on the subject entitled “Treatise on the Vine.” He studied the soils of Long Island and determined them to be prime grape-growing turf.

A member of the fourth generation of a family of Long Island nurserymen,
William Robert Prince (1795—1869) made a special study of the grape and
published the first comprehensive book on the subject in this country, A
Treatise on the Vine  (1830). Prince introduced one of the most successful
of the early hybrids, the Isabella grape.

Viticulture didn’t begin in earnest until the 1970’s. Since then many wineries have sprung up producing the typical Bordeaux varietals, more due to potential to sell these varietals than to their appropriateness for the climate and soil. Over time Merlot and Cabernet Franc were singled out as ideal for the region, as well as a little Syrah. Other more obscure grapes such as Lagrein, Blaufrankish, and Zweigelt are making their presence known but will need a bit more time to show their true colors in the Long Island terroir. As for whites, the ubiquitous Chardonnay is of course omnipresent, but some Gewurztraminer, Riesling, and Pinot Gris among others can be found here and there.

Neatly trained vines at Channing Daughters in The Hamptons AVA

The Long Island viticultural area today consists of three AVA’s: the all-encompassing Long Island AVA, The North Fork of Long Island AVA, and The Hamptons, Long Island AVA. The North Fork versus The Hamptons AVAs exhibits a slightly warmer climate; but in general, the climate for both regions is maritime with long warm summers coupled with cooling breezes off of the Atlantic and the Long Island Sound. These breezes keep the fall season temperate and protect the vines from icy winters. Soils here are very complex due to their glacial origin. Variations of loam and sand permeate most of the vineyard land, offering good drainage and nutrient levels.

So how are the wines? I visited a number of wineries and partook of quite a few bottles on my own. These wines are almost old-world in style, with excellent acidity, moderate alcohol, and piquant aromatics. They far surpassed my meager expectations. And I was very happy that I had left room in my bag for bringing back some samples… I returned to San Francisco with 11 bottles. 

I have listed below a few wines that really stood out to me. If you can’t make it to Long Island but would like to taste these wines, come to our tasting this Friday from 5-7pm. Some of the wines below along with a few others will be available. You won’t want to miss it…

 

2010 Wölffer Estate Chardonnay - From The Hamptons AVA, this crisp and clean Chardonnay surprised me with its precision. I had expected a flabby, uninspiring version for some reason, but this wine got my attention from the start. Delicate aromas of stone fruits with only a hint of rich butter were followed on the palate by a refreshing zing of acidity with mouthwatering lemon and peach accents. 

2010 Channing Daughters ‘L’enfant Sauvage’ Chardonnay – A natural ferment from The Hamptons. This Chardonnay is a perfect contrast to the Wölffer Estate example. More bold usage of oak here translates into a bigger, more upfront style. For those who enjoy good white Burgundies, this is the American wine for you.

2010 Wölffer Estate Cabernet Franc – A beautiful Cab Franc from The Hamptons. Dark berries, a touch of herbal intonations, and the once again refreshing acidity that seems to be characteristic of the region. 

2008 Channing Daughters ‘Sculpture Garden’ – A Bordeaux-style blend consisting of mostly Merlot. This wine is complex, structured, and delicious. Anyone claiming not to like Merlot should taste this wine blind…

 

2009 Shinn Estate Vineyards ‘Wild Boar Doe’ – 40% Merlot, 23% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Malbec, 15% Petit Verdot, and 5% Cabernet Franc, from the North Fork AVA. Cutesy name aside, the Wild Boar Doe is a serious, earthy, spicy Bordeaux-style red. One of my favorite reds I tasted on the island.

- Sarah