Long Island – USA

About 100 kilometers east of New York City, in Long Island, at its furthest tip, is the third most well-known wine region in the United States. The island is 160 kilometers long and branches out at the east end. The northern half is called North Fork and the lower half South Fork. They have been growing grapes in this area since 1973. This region doesn't have very big wineries, moreso are small family wineries farming on about 20-30 hectares. Why I was especially eager to get to know this wine region, was because I believe it has many similarities to certain Hungarian wine regions. ...

The climate is quite similar, the varieties that are grown are almost the same as, lets say, those grown in Villány, the technology is almost identical, even the prices are eerily similar. Among the white wine varieties, the riesling is the most popular, they also have rosés, and red wine varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Syrah, and a little Pinot Noir. In Villány, the vintners believe--and they are supported in this by many wine critics--that the Cabernet Franc will be the variety that will put our wine regions on the map. Here, in Long Island, they expect the same from this same variety. So it is with this momentum that we headed out to discover the region, to discover exactly how similar we really are. Heading east on the 495 freeway from New York you will arrive in a small city called Riverhead, this is where the wine region begins. Off the 48 and the 25 that runs parallel to it, you will be able to reach almost 40 wineries. Trust me, you can't get lost, signs are everywhere. You can see on the map below that the wineries are close to one another. If you decide to stay at a lodging in the area, you should be able to approach all the wineries easily via bicycle. (the wineries that are circled are definately worth a visit!)

One of the interesting things of this region is that there isn't one single mountain, not even a hill. They grow their grapes on totally flat land. The weather is usually windy, thereby reducing disease. Bud break happens in the end of April/beginning of May and harvest begins in September and lasts till the end of November. The soil is loose, sandy, and silty. Though there isn't much need for it, many places have an irrigation system to get the needed nutrients in the ground. Biodynamism has established itself here as well. Compost, horse manure, and other bacteria are broken down and soaked in water and used to irrigate. The vineyards are nicely kept, and are often older, with vines 30-40 years old. The region itself has a small-town feel, there aren't many fancy hotels or big restaurants. There are, however, many old renovated houses that have been converted to bed and breakfasts. Most of the wine tasting rooms are converted old barns or some kind of utilty buidling located off the main property.

Our first stop was Paumanok winery. The tasting room is divided by a glass wall from the processing area, but you can catch a peek at the various phases of production, the stainless stell tanks, and other things used to make wine. They also have toasted oak barrels here as well. From the tasting room there is a nice view of the vineyard. Outside is a small patio which can can be great in the summer. We tasted four white wines here. There was a Chenin Blanc from 2007, 2007 and 2006 Chardonnay, a Sauvignon Blanc, and a Riesling. This winery is the only New York winery to produce Chanin Blanc. Of the red wines, we tasted Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and a few blends. We liked the 2004 Merlot best, which, interestingly enough, was not very full-bodied, instead it was fruity, clean, and had smooth flavors and nicely integrated oak tones. The Franc, the wine I was most eager to try, seemed not fully matured, but compared to "our" Francs, just one from not a lesser vintage. The flavors weren't quite a robust, I missed the jammy, sun-dried notes, a bit lighter in color, low in extract, aged in French oak.

The next winery was Jamesport Vineyards. Operating since 1981, this is the fourth oldest winery on the island. The wine tasting room is a converted cattle stable where you can also peer into the wine processing facility. It was interesting to see that hardly any two barrels came from the same place. Amongst them were also Hungarian barrels, but no one cooper seemed to have preference. But here we tasted a Riesling that absolutely had me floored! Sweet aroma of botrytised wine, intense tokay style with residual sugar and sharp acidity. Strong grape flavor with a little minerality and a long finish. We also tasted merlots from different vintages, followed by cuvées in all variations, and in the end, the prized Pinot Noir that has been sold out except for a small hidden stash also began to open up. It was superb and was our favorite. A bit darker than what you would expect from your average pinot, but true to its character in aromas, revealing earthy, mushroom, blackberry, leather, cigar... Very elegant style, light, with subtle spices such as paprika and green peppercorn. I was very impressed. Very few wineries make Pinot here, about five, but it would be well worth it because the outcome could be quite impressive.
The next winery was Lenz Vineyards where we tasted all the wines they had to offer starting with their rosé made from the the second press of their pinot noir, the first being lightly pressed. Light in color, a browish salmon, acidic in flavor, young, more like the base wine for champagne, but interesting nonetheless. And what a fantastic Cabernet Sauvignon we tasted from 2002! Dark in color, almost black in the middle, ripe fruity aromas of sour cherry and cherries, full bodied, large extract, very exciting, full mouthfeel, extra long finish. The top of the line here was a 2001 Merlot, called Old Vines Merlot. They harvest this from older vines about 30-40 years old. Dark but clear in color, unequivocal fruity flavor, full bodied, rich in tannins, sun dried aromas of blackberries, everything in perfect harmony, ending with a long, persistent finish. Another intersting thing about this wine was that it receive 90 points in a blind tasting where the famed Chateau Petrus Merlot received an 89. The big difference between the two is in the price. The Lenz Merlot costs $55 while the Petrus costs $600! This was one of our favorites here as well.
Our last stop of the day was Shinn Estate Vineyards. The winery is a converted stable where once two horses were housed. There are also lodgings available here amidst beautiful surroundings where you can relax and enjoy a good glass of wine. We started with a rosé here as well and wasn't too impressed. When it comes to rosés, Hungariand are simply better. The best wine here was their Cabernet Sauvignon with nice ripe flavors, full body, intesnse cherry flavor. Robert Parker gave it 89 points. They say here too not every variety reaches full ripeness, the best vintage recently was 2007, but that will only be available in a couple of years. Keep your eyes out for it!
All in all, the region produces good, clean, fruity wines, similar to Bock's 2007 Kadarka (my friend Viktor would really enjoy himself here). This small regions, of course, is overshadowed by the big California wines, they can't really compare in terms of quantity, but they can in quality. They are very much in the same shoes as us Hungarians.

Photos in the gallery!

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