best wine tasting on long island

86 miles from NYC Opened in 1986, this family-owned vineyard is one of North Fork’s oldest. Housed in the property’s 165-year-old barn, tastings are offered throughout the week, and for larger parties, special group tastings are offered, starting at $30 per person. Visit on a weekend when the vineyard serves wood-fired flatbread pizza and lobster rolls and features live music on the great lawn. Photograph: Courtesy Yelp/Maeve M. 94 miles from NYC You can’t get much more artisanal than the local, hand-crafted, small-batch, sustainable wines produced by Bedell Cellars. Serving everything from chardonnay to rosé to merlot, this gem of a vineyard hosts several tastings per day in their historic barn. Reservations are highly recommended here, since they’re in pretty high demand. Tip: Check out its sister site in Southold, Corey Creek, which offers live music events in the summer. Photograph: Courtesy Bedell Cellars/W Studios NY 85 miles from NYC A slew of laid-back, wine-filled fun awaits at Pumanok Vineyards.
There, visitors can choose to sample wines ($6–$12 per flight), take a guided group tour (15-person minimum) or just browse the facilities (free!). And this one’s an outdoor-drinking dream—take your vino to the sprawling deck for sweeping view of the winery’s 127-acre estate. Photograph: Courtesy Paumanok Vineyards/Kareem Massoud 95 miles from NYC Founded in 1978, this scenic North Fork vineyard has some of the most mature vineyards in the region. buy wine and spirits onlineWith nearly 70 acres of grape varieties (including cabernet sauvignon, Petit Verdot and pinot gris) Lenz takes an extra-intense approach to growing and pruning, resulting in wines that retail for more than $30 a bottle. best wine rssVisitors can book a group reservation or a tour, or just stop by to sample a flight. buy wine and spirits online
Photograph: Courtesy Yelp/Jason P. 87 miles from NYC This vineyard in Mattituck, owned and operated by the Macari family, sits on a whopping 500-acre waterfront estate, home to not only a large variety of grapes (Grüner, cabernet sauvignon, pinot gris and Syrah) but also goats, donkeys, horses, red foxes, blue herons and groundhogs. (Yea, it’s basically a zoo.) As one of the first vineyards to pioneer natural farming on Long Island, it also has a robust composting program, and the tasting room is open daily year-round. 91 miles from NYC Go for the wine, stay for the rooms! This country vineyard estate features a quaint 20 acres of wine and a tasting room located in a 125-year-old barn. But the real draw at Shinn Estates is the Farmhouse Inn, a quaint bed-and-breakfast that includes a morning meal, one wine tasting, a barrel tour and and a vineyard walk. There are only four guest rooms, which means it’s cozy and private, but spots do fill up quickly. Photograph: Courtesy Yelp/Raffi V.
102 miles from NYC With its very Bridgehampton-y name, Channing Daughters is an upscale, 28-acre East End winery. This winery hand-grows its own grapes across six separate vineyards, crafting up to 14,000 cases annually of varieties such as sauvignon blanc, muscat, Syrah and cabernet franc. The tasting room is open year-round, and you can sample six wines for $14 per person. Note: Unlike many of vineyards in Long Island, this one does not offer tours or allow pets on the premises. Photograph: Courtesy Channing Daughters Winery/Daniel Gonzalez Perched on 175 acres, Wolffer Estate is so much more than a vineyard. From May to October, folks bring beach chairs and blankets to enjoy wines by the glass and free music while watching the sun set. Brunch and dinner are offered at Wolffer Kitchen, and the grand stables provide boarding and training for horses. The main draw is, of course, the tasting room where you can sip flights ranging from $15 to $25 for four wines. Cheese and charcuterie options are also available—and adding snacks is always a good idea.
Photograph: Courtesy Yelp/Kimi I. If you plan to spend some time out east this summer, a trip to one of Long Island's wineries is a must. From Wolffer Estates in Sagaponack to Bedell Cellars in Cutchogue, we've got the inside scoop on all of these chic vineyards and the delicious fruits of their labor. Click through to learn more about some of the top wineries on the North and South Forks of Long Island. Summer House's Stephen McGee Talks Montauk & TV Show SecretsFinding Balance & Beauty With CómoComo's Fernanda De La PuenteDe Maria: The Artsy All Day Cafe Cool Girls Are Flocking ToOf Rare Origin: The Statement Jewelry Line For Everyday It GirlsSetting The Social Scene With Dylana SuarezWhether you’re looking for a romantic spot or a lively tasting room, here are five Long Island wineries worth visiting. More: 5 Best Beaches Near New York City Coffee Pot Cellars is the perfect little spot to learn and educate yourself about wine. It’s intimate, welcoming, and run by husband-wife duo Adam Suprenant and Laura Klahre.
They use a traditionally minimalist approach to winemaking in order to preserve the natural essence of the grape’s character. This place is a bit off the beaten path, but it features a full wine portfolio and has gained plenty of recognition within the industry. They’re best known for focusing on ultra-premium wines from the region, including Merlot, Meritage, Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, and Sauvignon Blanc. Guests can also go home with a little something extra, since the winery also offer products from the bee-centric company, Blossom Meadow Farm (think lip balm, candles, honey, etc). Learn more about the winery and their wine club here. Open Friday – Monday from 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. More: Best One-Tank Weekend Getaways Near NYC If you’re looking to impress your date, then head over to Harmony Vineyards. The East Farm estate is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was built back in the late 1600’s. It moved to its current location and restored in 1999.
Enjoy pours of their outstanding Bordeaux-Style Red Blends, Chablis-Style Chardonnays, Long Island Beers, as well as gourmet plates. Stop in on Saturday nights from 8 p.m. – 10 p.m. and listen to live jazz by Ray Anderson and Steve Salerno. They’ve also been known to show outdoor movies during the warmer summer months. Guests can feel good knowing that all profits from the vineyard are donated to a select basket of worthy local charities focused on eradicating hunger and providing education. More: Best Wine And Cheese Bars In NYC Group gatherings can be difficult to pull off but it’s easy at Osprey’s Dominion Vineyards. Have a picnic along the grounds or have a more intimate affair along the patio. Guests can also let loose playing one of the multiple lawn games or racking it up at the all-weather pool table. Being surrounded, yet sheltered, by both the Long Island Sound and Peconic Bay, means that the 90-acres of grapes at this vineyard are of the highest quality character.
This also the place to come to with a picky group because they offer the most varietals on Long Island. Guests can choose from 13 types of wine including everything from Pinot Gris and Reisling to Malbec and Cabernet Franc. They even have exclusives like Carmenere, Edelzwicker, and Spice Wine. More: The Tri-State Area’s 7 Best Weekend Getaways The Macari family has always believed in eating and drinking well. Stop into the Macari Vineyards (as well as their tasting room in Cutchogue) for a refreshing flight or wine by the glass along with an artisanal cheese or charcuterie plate. What started out as potato fields has become a 200 acre vineyard with additional fields of compost and fallow farmland. Yep, you’ll find plenty of animals like Texas longhorns, Spanish goats, Sicilian donkeys, horses, ducks, and rabbits roaming alongside the vineyard. The biodiversity of the Macari family farm provides an extraordinary environment that yields some of the finest fruit on the East Coast.