Did You Know? . . . About Long Island Wine Region

Long Island has a booming wine industry, rivaling its sister regions in Dutchess County, and, of course, the Finger Lakes. We didn't know much about the region, so consulted Long Island Wine Country for more information:

• There are three distinct AVAs (American Viticultural Areas): The Hamptons, The North Fork, and Long Island.
• There are 56 wine producers on Long Island.
• The first vineyard on the Island - Hargrave Vineyard - was planted in 1973. It's still open, but called "Castello di Borghese" after the name of the couple who purchased Hargrave in 1999.
• Long Island produces over 500,000 cases of wine annually.
• Number of acres planted in 1973: 17
• Number of acres planted in 2004: 3,000
• The most popular red varietals include Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc, often used together for hand-crafted blends. The most popular white varietals include Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Riesling.
• Grape growing on the East End benefits from a long growing season, maritime climate, moderate temperatures, and good soil conditions.
• Annual number of visitors to East End wineries: 1,200,000
• Long Island was the first region to execute a formal land preservation program. To date, over 16,000 acres of land have been preserved via the Peconic Land Trust, assorted private land trusts, and through
• the efforts of local towns and counties.

Want to take a tour?

Long Island Wine Tours www.longislandwinetours.com
Call: 631-775-8686
E-mail: liwinetours@optonline.net

Long Island Vineyard Tours www.livineyardtours.com
Call: 718-946-3868
E-mail: livineyardtours.com

Regency Transportation www.regencylimos.com
Call: 631-543-2500
E-mail: regencylimo@aol.com

Vintage Tours www.northfork.com/tours
Call: 631-765-4689
E-mail: vintagetour1@aol.com