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Our day with friends at three of the North Forks best Vineyards and Wineries.
By Gary Occhiogrosso for ExplorerPod.com

For the last two years I have been telling (almost preaching to) my friends here in Bergen County NJ about the wonderful weekends my wife and I have spent over the years on Long Island’s North Fork. In particular our time spent carousing the wineries and farms during harvest time. We are fortunate to have friends and family out that way so we can often enjoy a weekend on “The East End” without the challenge of a place to stay. Nonetheless on many occasion we have gone out for the day and with an early start the 1 ½  hour drive east of the George Washington Bridge is worth every minute!

On this October weekend we planned to spend a day initiating four of our friends from New Jersey into the joys of the local Long Island wineries and family operated farms…

We started our day by traveling east from the Mattituck home of a good friend. We ventured up to the “middle road” and soon came upon our first stop;  Sparkling Pointe, home of Long Island’s sparkling wine producers. Sparkling Pointe uses the “Methode Champenoise”  a process comparable to techniques used in France to produce Champagne.  Our group enjoyed sampling a three wine flight while listening to live music on the veranda & lush lawn adjacent to the vineyards.

Before we discuss the tasting here’s a little history about Sparkling Pointe. As their website states:

Tom and Cynthia Rosicki established the winery in 2003.

“The soul of Sparkling Pointe was born more than twenty years ago, when the North Fork couple first met at a debutante ball at the Waldorf Astoria. Weeks later, with a bottle of Champagne they toasted their first date. Cruising the Chesapeake Bay on their honeymoon, they stocked their boat with many vintages and types of Champagne and Sparkling Wines. And through the years, they became lovers of the romance and magic of Champagne.”  http://www.sparklingpointe.com/

Steve Mudd was instrumental in preparing the ground and the original plantings as well as influencing Tom and Cynthia’s decision to produce sparkling wine.  Additionally, Sparkling Pointe’s winemaker is Gilles Martin, and their vineyards are the classic Champagne varieties of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Production is around 3,000 cases a year.
We enjoyed three wines in our tasting flight. They included:
•    Sparkling Pointe Brut 2006
•    Sparkling Pointe “Imperial Topaz” 2005
•    Sparkling Pointe “Blanc de Blancs” 2004

The Imperial Topaz was the preferred favorite of our group and the tasting notes below adequately describe the wine:
Sparkling Pointe “Imperial Topaz” is created from a blend of 52% Chardonnay and 48% Pinot Noir. It takes on a pale pink color. Aromatics lead toward melon and clean, crisp notes quickly follow. I found the overall experience of the Imperial Topaz to be both enjoyable and intriguing.

It was my personal favorite and as one member of our group put it “Sparkling Pointe is hip, bright & modern. Set in a relaxed environment reminiscent of Napa.”  We strongly recommend you pay a visit to Sparkling Pointe the next time you are out on the North Fork of Long Island.
I want to thank the very helpful & accommodating Samantha Polewac for hosting us during our tasting and for the information she provided on the winery. www.sparklingpointe.com

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As we ventured back west on the main road we stopped at Raphael Vineyard. Established in 1996 and situated just 2,000 feet away from the Peconic Bay, Raphael’s features guided tours through the tasting room and its vineyard.

I need to say up front that my first experience at Raphael back in 2001 was good, but I was not overly impressed. However, this time around everything from the sophisticated grounds to the exceptional wines far exceeded my expectation. Our group was impressed from the moment we walked into the large bountiful tasting room, right up until we left with our arms filled with bottles we had purchased as we tasted…

Chip our host for the tasting was knowledgeable & candid in his explanation regarding the maturing and evolution of the vineyard and the winery.  Chip walked us through the history and philosophy that makes Raphael a very special place on the North Fork.  For our tasting at Raphael we stayed with their whites, from the Chardonnay to the Sauvignon Blanc, and a few in between, we found them to be unique, crisp and built upon Raphael’s sustainable vineyard practices, hand harvesting, spontaneous fermentation and a natural wine making philosophy.

This short excerpt from their website expresses their dedication to the process and the passion for the result.

The Petrocelli Family strives to produce Long Island’s greatest wines, incorporating both New World advances and Old World traditions We are located on the North Fork of Long Island where the gentle maritime influence of the surrounding water provides a moderate climate allowing our grapes to fully ripen, achieving perfect balance, aroma, and flavor. Using sustainable vineyard practices, hand harvesting, spontaneous fermentation and a natural winemaking philosophy, Raphael produces hand-crafted wines that reflect a pure expression of the unique climate and soil of the North Fork.

The winery was designed by John Petrocelli who was inspired by the Italian monasteries of his ancestral home. Our production facility blends classic Mediterranean architecture with modern wine making equipment. By building the winery 12 feet underground we are not only able to make our wines using a gentle gravity-flow method, but were able to construct a very energy efficient building using the earth’s natural 55F temperature to cool the winery in the summer and warm it in the winter.

Our favorite by far: Raphel’s  First Label Sauvignon Blanc.  Our entire group recommends it.  Don’t leave Raphael without a few bottles.

Here are the tasting notes from Raphael’s website.

“Our First Label Sauvignon Blanc is one of 2 separate vineyard-designated Sauvignon Blancs that showcase the distinct differences in the terroir of our vineyard. It’s made from hand-harvested grapes grown on our original, 3-acre founding vineyard block planted in 1998. Gravelly sandy loam soil predominates on this gently sloping, south-facing rise. The grapes are hand-sorted, gently pressed in a wooden basket press and kept entirely in stainless steel to retain the intense aromatics of the fresh fruit and the unique essence of our terroir. Elegant and delicious, this wine offers thirst-quenching flavors of grapefruit, passion fruit and herbs along with a unique saline minerality. A perfect compliment to seafood, poultry, fresh cheeses, and vegetarian cuisine.”
www.raphaelwine.com
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Our last stop was at my favorite winery on the east end, Bedell Cellars.  Bedell has been surprising me with an ever increasing array of their Reds. Bedell selections have become my first choice to share with friends at everything from summertime BBQ’s to special family and Holiday occasions.

I find it unfair that some folks continue to refer to Bedell as the “best on Long Island” or to qualify a positive accolade with some unnecessary geographical notation. I say forget the disclaimer Bedell produces some of the best wines not only on Long Island but in the entire USA, period.
Here is some information from their website:

Bedell Cellars is among the oldest and most prestigious wineries on the North Fork of Long Island, America’s ascendant new wine country. A nationally recognized leader in quality, Bedell produces critically acclaimed blends called Taste, Gallery, and Musée with artist labels commissioned from Barbara Kruger, Ross Bleckner, and Chuck Close, respectively. The Corey Creek Vineyards label, also grown and produced by Bedell Cellars, is renowned for its Gewürztraminer and an exquisite Provencal Rosé.

Andrew Mestler the Tasting Room and Hospitality Manager took us though a flight consisting of:  Estate Merlot, Taste Red, Reserve Merlot and ended us with the incredible Bedell Cellars Musee.

Please see the Award & Release for Musee by Wine Spectator.

2007 Musée receives 91 Points
Publication: Wine Spectator
Date: October 26, 2010

Brief: Bedell Cellars announces that its 2007 Musée has been awarded “91 points” by Wine Spectator magazine, the most widely read wine publication. By receiving 91 points, Bedell’s 2007 Musée has become the single highest scoring Long Island red wine in Wine Spectator during the entire 30-year history of the Long Island wine growing region…. read more

Bedell reds are rich, lush and deep. The notes are an abundance of fruitiness. Bedell  has blown me away consistently every time I’ve visited over the last ten years. The atmosphere in the tasting room, the beautiful grounds and the legendary hospitality keep me coming back like a GPS system pinned to only one setting; Bedell Cellars.

I am not a wine expert nor do I claim to have the education needed to dissect wine like a critique for a big newspaper but I know what I like. As a Restaurateur, Foodie and fan of wine I strongly recommend that if you visit only one winery on Long Island let it be Bedell Cellars.

All in all, our group of friends, new to the North Fork had an unforgettable time and vowed to be back. Our supply is running low since our visit a few weeks ago so perhaps we’ll be back sooner than we thought.

In closing I’d like to add that these fine establishments are not simply for the day tripper. Anyone considering a unique venue for a corporate event or a beautiful and romantic setting for a wedding should consider these wineries at the top of their list. www.bedellcellars.com

For more information about booking an event or wedding please contact:

Bedell Cellars

Director Kim MacKinnon via phone at 631.734.7537 x32 or via email at kim@bedellcellars.com.
Please view selected photos from our past weddings and events.

Raphael

Julie Petrocelli Vergari or Lisa Cheek call 631-765-1100 specialevents@raphaelwine.com

Sparkling Pointe

Events/Weddings  631-765-0200 or via email at info@sparklingpointe.com