Few people know this, but one of the attractions of Long Island is its vast expanse of vineyards, which is known as Long Island Wine Country. The area boasts of dozens of vineyards that produce different varieties of wines. So it comes as no surprise that Long Island is repeatedly named as the premier destination when it comes to wine tasting. Whether it is your first time or whether you have a refined tasting palette, the following are some Long Island wineries you have just got to visit at least once.
McCall Wines — 22600 Route 25, Cutchogue
While the shed-like tasting room at McCall Wines could seem a bit modest at first sight, there is certainly nothing modest about their estate-grown chardonnay, pinot noir and the merlot. The winery also happens to be the New York Wine and Grape Foundation’s “2013 NY Winery of the Year.” McCall’s is also probably one of the only wine producers of Long Island who seems to have figured out how to produce the best pinot noirs in Long Island.
Channing Daughters Winery — 1927 Scuttle Hole Road, Bridgehampton
Walter Channing, the founder, put quite some thought into the tasting room at Channing Daughters Winery. The tasting room offers a rustic feel with its French doors and brick floors. Here, you will get to taste some of the traditional Long Island varieties of wine, which include sauvignon blanc and chardonnay. Apart from that, visitors will also get to taste some exquisite wines from Italian grapes such as red refosco and tocai friulano.
Paumanok Vineyards — 1074 Main Road, Aquebogue
This 103 acre estate was established by the Massoud family back in 1983. Here, visitors will get to enjoy their favorite wines in airy tasting rooms, or enjoy their favorite vintages along with some cheese on the outdoor deck which overlooks the vineyard.
The hustle and bustle of New York City is simply mesmerizing. People travel from around the world just to experience the energy it gives off. But those who work day to day on those streets know the residents of the city that never sleeps could use a nap! So where do you go when you need to get out of the city and experience some R&R? Why not take a short trip up to the Long Island Wine Region!
Long Island is filled with quaint towns and picturesque houses. But it’s also home to some renowned wineries. These wineries are scatter between the North and South Forks of the Island. So how do you know which are worth the trip? Take a look at our top 5 must see Long Island Wineries and start planning your next trip!
The North Fork
1. Raphael’s Winery – Raphael Winery will make you feel like you’ve somehow transported from Long Island to a Tuscan Villa. The Winery is simply stunning. When you walk in, you see a round tasting room dotted by twinkle lights that overlooks sprawling vineyards. It’s not a surprise this winery is booked solid during wedding season! If the atmosphere wasn’t enough, the wines are lovely and the people(it’s family run) are even lovelier. Try the 2015 Chardonnay!
2. Lieb Cellars – Lieb’s tasting room is delightfully relaxing. No stuffy air of pretentious wine lovers here. The winery has a branch called Bridge Lane Wines, which specializes in serving their wines in Bottles, Boxes, and Kegs: The perfect equation for any summertime get together with friends. They describe these wines as “fruit forward, food friendly, and at a lower price.” With lots of events, including a Rose Crawl, and regular visits by food trucks, this winery is worth a visit. Try the Sparkling Rose!
3. Sparkling Pointe – What can we say about Sparkling Pointe! It’s a constant party. The owners, Tom and Cynthia, are fascinating lawyers turned wine makers who love Brazilian culture and host their own carnival every year. The sparkling wines are complex and unique and delicious. Quite simply, we want to move in there and never return to our real lives. Think about it! In the interim, go visit Sparkling Pointe and try their 2013 Brut Rose.
The South Fork
1. Channing Daughters Winery – Channing daughter is quite the uncommon winery. This is not the place to sit with a picnic lunch and listen to live music. But if you want to some serious tastings and meet some seriously cool people, this is the winery for you. The owner, Chris Tracy, is truly a visionary. His experimentation, from Orange Wines to creating seasonal Vermouth’s from the product of the land, is ever changing and fascinating. If you are interested in Italian wines, you want to check out Channing. They mirror their growing season and varietals around regions in Northern Italy with comparable climates.
2. Wolffer Estate – Wolffer’s outside patio is nothing short of breathtaking. We spent a sun soaked afternoon there and we did not want to leave! Rustic tables are scattered along a large open air patio that overlooks their sprawling vines. Vines that horses happen to meander through pretty regularly! If you’re looking for a winery that cares about the environment they work in, Wolffer is for you! Their sustainable farming practices are extensive. But If you’re just looking for a beautiful winery with good wines and live music on the weekends, they do that too! Their Summer in a Bottle is a staple at all Taste of Purple parties now. It’s crisp and light and the bottle is pretty enough to display long after the wine is gone. That’s our definite recommendation for this winery.
You’re ready for your weekend in Long Island! Happy Sipping!
high-quality for people across the country and beyond to enjoy. Because of this should outside of America’s more well-known winery destination, Napa Valley.
The Long Island wine region produces more than 500,000 cases of wine every year and features more than 50 reputable wineries, alongside 38+ tasting rooms for wine-lovers to visit. That said, with so many high-class locations for people to choose from, how is anyone supposed to select just one or two wineries to visit during their excursion to Long Island? And how can people be sure they’re booking a trip to the best possible winery in the area?
Our dedicated wine aficionados at Taste of Purple understand this concern well. They have dedicated themselves to helping make a choice easier for people by visiting a wide range of the most highly rated vineyards and wineries.
Related: South African Wine Country: A Regional Overview
Taste of Purple’s Top 3 Wineries on Long Island
A lot of people out there believe in saving the best for last when it comes to recommending top-quality destinations for people to visit, but we figured we’d start off by sharing our thoughts on three of the top wineries currently operating on Long Island based on overall popularity and customer reviews. We’ll also take a bit of time to explore some of the best wineries operating in specific parts of Long Islands in later sections of this article, but first, let’s get into what you should know about our top three choices!
Our team of experienced wine enthusiasts at Taste of Purple managed to enjoy a personal tour of the Channing Daughter’s Winery a little over a year ago in 2021. While we’ve had the pleasure of exploring many wineries across the country, this was one of our favorites. Throughout our trip, we had the opportunity to sample a wide selection of absolutely delectable wines while learning a lot about the winery’s history from its friendly employees.
Related: A Story of California’s Oldest Winery
At Paumanok Vineyards,
really the perfect place to get away from it all and just enjoy the flow of a tranquil existence, even for only a day.
Narrowing Down Our Search for Long Island Wineries
Now that we’ve taken some time to explore the top three wineries throughout Long Island let’s narrow down our search a little bit to talk about some of the other top wineries located in more specific areas of the Long Island community. We’ll first delve into our top picks for the North Fork area, followed by the South Fork.
While it doesn’t take long to travel throughout Long Island to get to whatever winery you want to explore- usually around three hours- we know that people are often tied to a time restriction when on their trips. So we want to make sure you know your options for great wineries when it comes to where you’ll be traveling!
When enjoying a delicious glass of your favorite wine, you may be surprised to learn about the benefits that a bit of aeration can provide to its overall quality and taste. Consider trying out one of our specialized pieces of glassware from Taste of Purple to learn how it can enhance your drink.