By Steve Hicks
I recently spent a week on Long Island and visited the Hamptons. It is conceivable that I was there with rest of the populace of New York City. I don’t know where all those people were sleeping, unless it was in their cars that were virtually stopped on all the roads. The intent of the trip was to visit relatives and see the sights. The sights now include wineries. There used to be a few bucolic settings with mom and pop owners. These wineries are now being sold for millions to the area’s big hitters and many new ventures are opening or in the planning stage.
The majority of the approximately 30 wineries are located on the North Fork on the east end of the Island about 100 miles from New York City. This skinny land mass lies between the Long Island Sound to the north and Peconic Bay to the south, with the Atlantic Ocean and the UK to the east. All this water tempers the climate; but they are north of Napa and not too far from the area of the “Perfect Storm.” They are subject to the vagaries of the weather and the grapes ripen at a later date, sometimes well into November. This is OK, providing there isn’t a lot of rain and the crops don’t rot. When weather is a problem there, you have good years and bad years, compared to California, where we have good years and great years.
When the length of the growing season is problematic, the big decision is which varietals will do best. I counted 11 different varietals that are now being bottled and I am sure there could be more. Merlot and chardonnay appear to have the largest production. This area is in its infancy and still feeling its way, but the trend is to the Bordeaux-style wine because of the similarity in climate.
The Raphael Winery is indicative of what is happening and the good things that will come. The only wine to be produced will be merlot. They have planted 60 acres of merlot with only a smattering of the other Bordeaux varietals that will be used exclusively for blending. They have concluded their experimentation and decided Bordeaux is the way to go. This is no different than California. When mature or diseased vineyards are removed, quite often a new varietal better adapted to the region is planted.
The Raphael venture is interesting for several reasons, not the least of which is the large amount of money being invested. The winemaker has 20 years of Long Island enology experience and the consulting winemaker is the director of Chateau Margaux. Margaux is one of only five classified first growths of Bordeaux. It doesn’t get any better; this will be a winery to keep your eye on.
I tried several chardonnays and they were easy to drink and enjoyable, but they didn’t taste like any chard I had ever tasted. The climate is different enough that replicating California or Burgundy is not going to happen often. I tasted three merlots from Wolffer. The ‘97 Hampton, selling for $20, was the best of the bunch. It was quite palatable but unique in that the taste was sweet and the finish bitter.
Presently, all of Long Island produces about 300,000 cases, about the output of one mid-size California winery. Not much of this wine makes it west of the Hudson River. Watch out though, when they start producing some world-class reds, and they will, the wine will be here.
Here is a quick update on the Glassy-Winged Sharpshooter that has been threatening California’s vineyards. The California Department of Agriculture has found a parasite that is capable of destroying this pest. It is a wasp whose larvae eat the sharpshooter’s eggs. This may save our wine but might eliminate barbecues and picnics.
Steve Hicks is currently a wine advisor and consultant. He is a partner in a winery and has owned a wine shop. He is active in local, national and international food and wine societies. You can reach him at: shicksvine@aol.com
