Dear Reader,
Once again, as the sun warms the earth, a new growing season is ahead of us with all its promises and hopes. We start to dream of making great wine, winning awards, having tasting rooms filled with satisfied visitors enjoying our wines and the vista of meticulously cared vines.
The East End of Long Island is one of America’s most wonderful places to be. Beautiful sandy beaches, the ocean, the bay and the Sound, each with its own aquaculture. Precious farmland with its agriculture, acres of lush vineyards with its viticulture, all set among quaint towns and hamlets provide a dream getaway from the stress of work and city life. Our farm stands, restaurants, galleries, antique shops, wineries, museums, B&Bs, hotels and a myriad of others all work together to create this wonderful East End experience.
The Long Island Wine Council is embarking on an exciting year. Our goal is to bring together all those who are deeply involved in our beloved East End, to be the glue that ensures that we all work hand in hand to become a year-round, world-class destination for wine and food lovers.
We’ve taken the first step to clearly distinguish the region as a world-class appellation for wine by launching a new point of view, centered around the region’s character and a commitment to quality. We have a diverse group of talented winemakers who can come together to make this happen, to make wines that are truly reflective of the unique character of our region. Our wines are balanced, sophisticated, delicious, food friendly and long lasting. Wines that you can’t get anywhere else in America! I believe that this will serve as the pulse to draw year-round visitors who will stay at our local inns and hotels, eat and drink at our wonderful restaurants with extensive local choices for both food and wine, visit wineries and walk leisurely through our towns visiting shops and cafés. I envision them going home, having fallen in love with our region, and sharing that affection with friends and family.
Please visit and get a feeling for this experience on our new website, liwines.com.
Here’s to an incredible 2016!
Roman Roth
President, Long Island Wine Council
Winemaker and Partner, Wölffer Estate Vineyard
This letter originally appeared in the spring 2016 edition of the Long Island Wine Press
