VinoDuo is Lisa & Gary. Engaged in Sonoma. Honeymooned in Napa. Vacationed in
Temecula (CA), Woodinville (WA), and other off the beaten path wine regions. We’ve married our love of wine with our passion for travel, visiting lesser-known wine regions throughout the United
States. We’ve got strong opinions about the pros and cons of each wine region and this is our forum for airing and sharing them.
Trip to the North Fork of LI
Who knew? Wine from Long Island is not an oxymoron (nor is whine from
Long Island, but that’s another story). We’ve lived in New England our
whole lives and never ventured to New York to try the bounty. Then the Wine Spectator arrived with a feature on NY wine regions, and we were hooked.
Lisa wanted to go to the Hudson River Valley, because the B&B’s are so damn cute there, but the wine seemed more promising in LI, so we opted for the North Fork. The South Fork is the Hamptons and we don’t have the right clothing, physique, or wallet for that place.
Who knew? You can get to the North Fork from Boston in 3.5 hours, which is like driving to Provincetown except you’re in another state with 30 wineries to choose from. Just a two-hour drive to New London then an hour and a half on a ferry. We disembarked at Orient Point and were on our way.
Note to cyclists: this would be a great weekend getaway. The roads are flat and wide and riders are everywhere. A designated bike lane marks the entire length of Route 48.
Note to wine lovers: be sure to scroll all the way down to the end of the alphabet! Our favorite wineries on Long Island begin with "V" and "W."
For information about the North Fork of Long Island wineries visit www.liwines.com.
Where We Stayed
Bayview Inn & Restaurant, South Jamesport
This was a compromise choice. Gary hates B&B’s, Lisa hates chain hotels. We selected the Bayview, which really does have a bay view if you crane your neck. The room was fine for one night but lacked any romance or ambiance. Let’s face it, when the Inn’s web site reads, “All rooms have air-conditioning, private baths, daily maid service and cable TV,” we shouldn’t have expected much (at least they didn’t say, “indoor plumbing in most rooms.) The shower curtain in the bathtub was moldy and you could hear the plumbing from other rooms and in the kitchen below. But it was convenient and, more importantly, had a great restaurant (see below.)
Where We Ate
Bayview Inn & Restaurant
If they were smart, they’d just call it Bayview Restaurant (with a few rooms available.) The food is outstanding; very sophisticated and full of flavor without being stuffy or pretentious. Lisa ordered two small plates for her entree, each a daily special. The ceviche was pungent and delicious; the crab cakes had the perfect crab to stuffing ratio. Gary had a delectable herb-crusted white fish (from Australia, the name escapes us) with nicely sauteed greens and couscous.
Where We Tasted (the best are starred)
Bedell Cellars
Jamesport Vineyards
Jason’s Vineyard
The Lenz Winery
Lieb Family Cellars
Macari Vineyards and Winery
Old Field Vineyards*
Peconic Bay Winery
Pellegrini Vineyards
Pindar Vineyards*
Vineyard 48*
Waters Crest Winery*
Bedell Cellars
The fact that Bedell's owner is a hot-shot movie executive with Lord of the Rings on his resume almost kept us away from Bedell. And the fact that it brags about “raising the bar for quality among Long Island wine estates” is annoying. Some of their stuff is good, but they get an F for attitude.
What We Bought
• Main Road White (Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Riesling)
• Raspberry Dessert Wine (no snickering—it’s “real wine” and delicious)
Jamesport Vineyards
A father-son operation producing 5,000 cases annually. A nice selection of red and white varietals, with superior whites to most of the Long Island producers.
What We Bought
• 2002 Melange de Trois (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc)
• 2005 Sauvignon Blanc
Jason’s Vineyard
We found Jason’s Vineyard wines at the Pindar Tasting Room—lucky for us because Jason’s doesn’t have a winery yet.
What We Bought
• 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon
• 2000 Meritage (red table wine)
The Lenz Winery and Vineyard
An example of us parting company with the Wine Spectator. The reviewers raved about several Lenz wines in the June 2006 article. We went. We tasted. We walked out empty handed.
Lieb Family Cellars
Lieb is an environmentally-friendly vineyard, eliminating the use of all pesticides. We only liked one of their wines enough to make a purchase, but we support their methodology and encourage others to follow.
What We Bought
• 2005 Bridge Lane Rosé
Macari Vineyards and Winery
See “Lenz”—same story.
The Old Field Vineyards
This former fruit farm switched to winemaking in the late 1990’s and has weathered the transition beautifully. It met the Lisa/Gary criteria in several ways: family owned and operated, a funky, unpretentious tasting room, and the owner in residence (is it just our luck or does everyone get to chat up the proprietors at these places?)
Tasting Room Ratings
Atmosphere: 3 Not exactly the point here
People/attitude: 10 Friendly and outgoing without being intrusive
People/knowledge: 10 The owners (Chris and wife Ros) are clearly hands-on
Palate cleansers: 6 Nothing memorable
Any free goodies?: No
What We tasted
• Chardonnay
• Blush de Noir
• Merlot
• Blanc de Noir
• Cab Franc
What We Bought
• 1998 Pinot Noir
• 2000 Merlot
Peconic Bay Winery
What We Bought
• Vin De L’Ile Blanc (Chardonnay, Riesling)
Pellegrini Winery & Vineyard
What We Bought
• 2001 Vintner’s Pride Encore (Red table wine)
Pindar
Pindar is the exception that proves the rule about tasting room size and wine quality. Their room is cavernous, with a great rectangular bar dominating the space. Tastings on all four sides of the bar; we secured a spot away from the crowds and were treated to an expanded tasting with some off-menu treats.
Tasting Room Ratings
Atmosphere: 7 Huge, but not chi-chi or tacky; very cool bar
People/attitude: 10 Very friendly people
People/knowledge: 8 Very knowledgeable staff
Palate cleansers: 8 Lots of cracker varieties
Any free goodies?: Yes; delicious cheese. Also available to purchase for picnics.
What We Tasted
• Chardonnay (They say their Sunflower Chard is “...oakey, vanilla, green apple, limestone, cookie dough scented chardonnay with plenty of length and weight in the mouth.” Lisa says the cookie dough was what closed the deal)
• Syrah
• Meritage
• Cabernet Sauvignon
What We Bought
• 2002 Sunflower Chardonnay
• Autumn Gold Blend (white)
• Pythagoras (Blend of Cab, Cab Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Malbec)
• 2001 Cabernet Port Gary is a huge Port fan and this topped his list. Chocolatey, plummy, yummy.
Vineyard 48
The former Bidwell winery was acquired by the Pipia family a few years back. We met Rose Pipia in the tasting room—a delightful hostess and smart saleswoman to boot! She grew up in Sicily in a family of winemakers and it shows. We did a tasting of pre-Pipia wines (the last of the Bidwell) and, let’s just say it’s a good thing they’ve moved on to other things. By contrast the first Vineyard 48 vintage had some fine specimens.
Tasting Room Ratings
Atmosphere: 7 Nice views of the vineyards beyond
People/attitude: 8 Great Loongisland accents and friendly people
People/knowledge: 8 Very knowledgeable staff
Palate cleansers: 6 Italian bread sticks; crackers
Any free goodies?: No
What We Tasted
• Sauvignon Blanc
• Chardonnay
• Riesling
• Merlot
• Cab Franc
• Meritage
What We Bought
• 2004 Chardonnay
• 2004 Reserve Chardonnay
• Vignetta 2004 Red table wine (cab franc, cabernet sauvignon, merlot)
Waters Crest Winery
Everything we love about small, family-run wineries. The owner/winemaker started Waters Crest in 2001 following his nightmarish experience as a volunteer fire fighter at the World Trade Center. We learned about the winery’s origins from Jim Waters himself, who took us on a tour of his production facility (which is, literally, in the back of the tasting room, which is in a strip mall!) and shared some promising 2006 releases with us—fresh out of the vat.
Tasting Room Ratings
Atmosphere: 3 (but who cares?)
People/attitude: 10 friendly, welcoming, happy
People/knowledge: 10 the tasting room employee was knowledgeable about current releases but was stymied by upcoming ones. Fortunately, the proprietor was on the premises and gave us a full overview
Palate cleansers: 10 2 different kinds of bread and crackers
Any free goodies?: YES! Chocolate to die for. Lisa was very happy.
What We Tasted
• Cab Franc
• Merlot
• Riesling
• Gewurztraminer
• Chardonnay
• Several 2005 releases that weren’t yet available
What We Bought
• 2003 Cab Franc
• 2005 Rose
• 2005 Chardonnay
• 2005 Riesling
• 2005 Night Watch (late harvest dessert wine)
Lisa wanted to go to the Hudson River Valley, because the B&B’s are so damn cute there, but the wine seemed more promising in LI, so we opted for the North Fork. The South Fork is the Hamptons and we don’t have the right clothing, physique, or wallet for that place.
Who knew? You can get to the North Fork from Boston in 3.5 hours, which is like driving to Provincetown except you’re in another state with 30 wineries to choose from. Just a two-hour drive to New London then an hour and a half on a ferry. We disembarked at Orient Point and were on our way.
Note to cyclists: this would be a great weekend getaway. The roads are flat and wide and riders are everywhere. A designated bike lane marks the entire length of Route 48.
Note to wine lovers: be sure to scroll all the way down to the end of the alphabet! Our favorite wineries on Long Island begin with "V" and "W."
For information about the North Fork of Long Island wineries visit www.liwines.com.
Where We Stayed
Bayview Inn & Restaurant, South Jamesport
This was a compromise choice. Gary hates B&B’s, Lisa hates chain hotels. We selected the Bayview, which really does have a bay view if you crane your neck. The room was fine for one night but lacked any romance or ambiance. Let’s face it, when the Inn’s web site reads, “All rooms have air-conditioning, private baths, daily maid service and cable TV,” we shouldn’t have expected much (at least they didn’t say, “indoor plumbing in most rooms.) The shower curtain in the bathtub was moldy and you could hear the plumbing from other rooms and in the kitchen below. But it was convenient and, more importantly, had a great restaurant (see below.)
Where We Ate
Bayview Inn & Restaurant
If they were smart, they’d just call it Bayview Restaurant (with a few rooms available.) The food is outstanding; very sophisticated and full of flavor without being stuffy or pretentious. Lisa ordered two small plates for her entree, each a daily special. The ceviche was pungent and delicious; the crab cakes had the perfect crab to stuffing ratio. Gary had a delectable herb-crusted white fish (from Australia, the name escapes us) with nicely sauteed greens and couscous.
Where We Tasted (the best are starred)
Bedell Cellars
Jamesport Vineyards
Jason’s Vineyard
The Lenz Winery
Lieb Family Cellars
Macari Vineyards and Winery
Old Field Vineyards*
Peconic Bay Winery
Pellegrini Vineyards
Pindar Vineyards*
Vineyard 48*
Waters Crest Winery*
Bedell Cellars
The fact that Bedell's owner is a hot-shot movie executive with Lord of the Rings on his resume almost kept us away from Bedell. And the fact that it brags about “raising the bar for quality among Long Island wine estates” is annoying. Some of their stuff is good, but they get an F for attitude.
What We Bought
• Main Road White (Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Riesling)
• Raspberry Dessert Wine (no snickering—it’s “real wine” and delicious)
Jamesport Vineyards
A father-son operation producing 5,000 cases annually. A nice selection of red and white varietals, with superior whites to most of the Long Island producers.
What We Bought
• 2002 Melange de Trois (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc)
• 2005 Sauvignon Blanc
Jason’s Vineyard
We found Jason’s Vineyard wines at the Pindar Tasting Room—lucky for us because Jason’s doesn’t have a winery yet.
What We Bought
• 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon
• 2000 Meritage (red table wine)
The Lenz Winery and Vineyard
An example of us parting company with the Wine Spectator. The reviewers raved about several Lenz wines in the June 2006 article. We went. We tasted. We walked out empty handed.
Lieb Family Cellars
Lieb is an environmentally-friendly vineyard, eliminating the use of all pesticides. We only liked one of their wines enough to make a purchase, but we support their methodology and encourage others to follow.
What We Bought
• 2005 Bridge Lane Rosé
Macari Vineyards and Winery
See “Lenz”—same story.
The Old Field Vineyards
This former fruit farm switched to winemaking in the late 1990’s and has weathered the transition beautifully. It met the Lisa/Gary criteria in several ways: family owned and operated, a funky, unpretentious tasting room, and the owner in residence (is it just our luck or does everyone get to chat up the proprietors at these places?)
Tasting Room Ratings
Atmosphere: 3 Not exactly the point here
People/attitude: 10 Friendly and outgoing without being intrusive
People/knowledge: 10 The owners (Chris and wife Ros) are clearly hands-on
Palate cleansers: 6 Nothing memorable
Any free goodies?: No
What We tasted
• Chardonnay
• Blush de Noir
• Merlot
• Blanc de Noir
• Cab Franc
What We Bought
• 1998 Pinot Noir
• 2000 Merlot
Peconic Bay Winery
What We Bought
• Vin De L’Ile Blanc (Chardonnay, Riesling)
Pellegrini Winery & Vineyard
What We Bought
• 2001 Vintner’s Pride Encore (Red table wine)
Pindar
Pindar is the exception that proves the rule about tasting room size and wine quality. Their room is cavernous, with a great rectangular bar dominating the space. Tastings on all four sides of the bar; we secured a spot away from the crowds and were treated to an expanded tasting with some off-menu treats.
Tasting Room Ratings
Atmosphere: 7 Huge, but not chi-chi or tacky; very cool bar
People/attitude: 10 Very friendly people
People/knowledge: 8 Very knowledgeable staff
Palate cleansers: 8 Lots of cracker varieties
Any free goodies?: Yes; delicious cheese. Also available to purchase for picnics.
What We Tasted
• Chardonnay (They say their Sunflower Chard is “...oakey, vanilla, green apple, limestone, cookie dough scented chardonnay with plenty of length and weight in the mouth.” Lisa says the cookie dough was what closed the deal)
• Syrah
• Meritage
• Cabernet Sauvignon
What We Bought
• 2002 Sunflower Chardonnay
• Autumn Gold Blend (white)
• Pythagoras (Blend of Cab, Cab Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Malbec)
• 2001 Cabernet Port Gary is a huge Port fan and this topped his list. Chocolatey, plummy, yummy.
Vineyard 48
The former Bidwell winery was acquired by the Pipia family a few years back. We met Rose Pipia in the tasting room—a delightful hostess and smart saleswoman to boot! She grew up in Sicily in a family of winemakers and it shows. We did a tasting of pre-Pipia wines (the last of the Bidwell) and, let’s just say it’s a good thing they’ve moved on to other things. By contrast the first Vineyard 48 vintage had some fine specimens.
Tasting Room Ratings
Atmosphere: 7 Nice views of the vineyards beyond
People/attitude: 8 Great Loongisland accents and friendly people
People/knowledge: 8 Very knowledgeable staff
Palate cleansers: 6 Italian bread sticks; crackers
Any free goodies?: No
What We Tasted
• Sauvignon Blanc
• Chardonnay
• Riesling
• Merlot
• Cab Franc
• Meritage
What We Bought
• 2004 Chardonnay
• 2004 Reserve Chardonnay
• Vignetta 2004 Red table wine (cab franc, cabernet sauvignon, merlot)
Waters Crest Winery
Everything we love about small, family-run wineries. The owner/winemaker started Waters Crest in 2001 following his nightmarish experience as a volunteer fire fighter at the World Trade Center. We learned about the winery’s origins from Jim Waters himself, who took us on a tour of his production facility (which is, literally, in the back of the tasting room, which is in a strip mall!) and shared some promising 2006 releases with us—fresh out of the vat.
Tasting Room Ratings
Atmosphere: 3 (but who cares?)
People/attitude: 10 friendly, welcoming, happy
People/knowledge: 10 the tasting room employee was knowledgeable about current releases but was stymied by upcoming ones. Fortunately, the proprietor was on the premises and gave us a full overview
Palate cleansers: 10 2 different kinds of bread and crackers
Any free goodies?: YES! Chocolate to die for. Lisa was very happy.
What We Tasted
• Cab Franc
• Merlot
• Riesling
• Gewurztraminer
• Chardonnay
• Several 2005 releases that weren’t yet available
What We Bought
• 2003 Cab Franc
• 2005 Rose
• 2005 Chardonnay
• 2005 Riesling
• 2005 Night Watch (late harvest dessert wine)
Going to North Fork sounds like a lot of fun with wine tasting and historical bed and breakfasts. There must be other historical homes as well to just walk around and see. I can't wait to try out your wine suggestions you mentioned. You both have a very interesting life working together the way you do.
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