September 2012

Long Island’s New Wine Wave

Long Island wine country is situated on the North and South Forks of Long Island—two scraggy tines of land that extend into the Atlantic Ocean. With its maritime climate and northerly latitude, the region’s vintners have long embraced comparisons to Bordeaux and other Old World wine regions. Yet, nearly 40 years since its first commercial vinifera vineyard was planted, a new era is emerging in an area once mainly occupied by potato farms and fishing villages. Amidst the pioneers who started it all, second-generation Long Island vintners, as well as new international winemakers, are choosing to stay and work on Long Island. Experimenting with an array of grape varieties and wine styles, many of the best winemakers are focused on producing artisanal, small-lot wines intended to express the island’s terroir. 

—Anna Lee C. Iijima


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