As you know, my posts here focus primarily on New Jersey wines and wineries (as well as an occasional NJ brewery or distillery). However, I also like to try new wines and new regions, and share these findings when I think the information that I find might be of interest to some of you. I recently had the chance to sample a few wines from Long Island (my first wines from this hot wine region that is not far from many of us who live in New Jersey).
Long Island Wines
Before discussing my favorites among several Long Island Wines I recently enjoyed, I’d like to mention just a few things for those not familiar with this wine region. This wine region has approximately 50 wineries, which fall into one of three AVAs (American Viticultural Areas): Long Island AVA and two smaller AVAs included within the Long Island AVA-North Fork and the Hamptons, Long Island (South Fork). The majority of the wineries are on the North Fork. Like the Finger Lakes wine region, the Long Island wineries benefit from the close proximity to water (the Atlantic Ocean, the Long Island Sound, and Peconic Bay). These bodies of water help to mitigate the extreme cold in the winter and the extreme heat in the summer. There is much to see and do in this beautiful area and the wine critics are increasingly singing the praises of the wines made here. In the course of writing this post, I discovered that Paumanok is the Native American name for Long Island. Speaking of Paumanok…
Paumanok Vineyards
The Paumanok Vineyards are located in Aquebogue, New York, in the North Fork AVA. The wine pictured above (and below) is my favorite in this tasting-the Paumanok Vineyards 2021 Chenin Blanc. I don’t often drink Chenin Blanc. It is not as common as many other white wines and more than a couple of those that I have tried in the past were sweet or off-dry. Not this one. The Paumanok is dry. It is a straw color and possessed a luscious soft, round, mouthfeel with apple and lime notes on the palate. It is probably the best Chenin Blanc I have tasted. The winery has won many awards since being established in 1983. I will definitely seek out this wine and hope to visit the winery in the near future.
RGNY
RGNY is located in Riverhead (also in the North Fork AVA in Long Island. The winery opened in 1983. The RG stands for Rivero Gonzalez, while the NY obviously stands for New York. This is a family owned wine company. The RGNY 2020 Viognier was a complex, aromatic version. It was dry, but conveyed tasty mango and almond notes with a soft, pleasing mouthfeel. This bottle could convert some Chardonnay fans. It is terrific and a wonderful version of an underrated variety.
Peconic Bay Vineyards
The Peconic Bay Vineyards is located in Cutchogue (also in the North Fork AVA). Their 2020 Riesling was a complete surprise. Having tasted numerous Rieslings from the Finger Lakes, a few New Jersey wineries, and the Alsace Region of France (bordering Germany), I did not expect this one to be on a par with the best of these. But I definitely thought that it was one of the best Rieslings I have had. It was aromatic and citrusy with subtle honey and pear notes and well-balanced acidity. The body had a bit more heft than many Rieslings I have tried, but it added to the soft and desirable mouthfeel.
Macari Vineyards
Macari Vineyards and Winery is located in the North Fork of Long Island. The Macari Vineyards 2020 Rose was a lovely bone-dry Rose, made with Malbec (33%); Cab Franc (32%); Petit Verdot (31%); and Merlot (4%). It is a light pink salmon color with a bit more body than expected for its 11.4% ABV. The wine offered hints of strawberry and well-balanced acidity. My wife and I both loved this one. We’re not alone. Robert Parker gave this vintage an 89. Macari will be a must stop for me in the near future.
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