Wölffer Estate Vineyard
Any vineyard that designs its rosé bottle with gorgeous flora and fauna and names it Summer in a Bottle is savvy to the power of Instagram. Indeed, hashtag #summerinabottle has flown off the fingers of anyone possessing a bottle and an Instagram account, with photos taken at the gorgeous Hamptons vineyard, back home by the pool or held high against the Urban Jungle’s towering skyscrapers as a bittersweet East End memory. With over 30,000 Instagram followers, Wölffer Estate Vineyard tops our list of Instagrammable wineries — and bottles. The space earns its visual cred, too. The recently renovated tasting room features leather banquettes, huge vaulted ceilings with 100-year-old rough exposed wooden beams plus a wall of vintage photos that capture the Wölffer family history. The 55-acre vineyard is part of a 175-acre estate; horse paddocks, an indoor jumping ring and a Grand Prix field add European charm to this American spot. An old farmhouse in the middle of the estate adds character and the tasting deck’s large pergola puts overhanging flowers into view. The outdoor Wine Stand, situated on a small rise, is also a hot spot on Friday and Saturday evenings, with late hours, BYOB (that’s bring your own blanket!) and spectacular views and sunsets.
Sparkling Pointe
Forget rustic, forget shabby chic … it’s about elegance at this all-bubbly winery. Sparkling Pointe’s glossy white space is the epitome of sparkling, right down to the shiny steel vats in the open viewing room. (The winery’s slogan, after all, is: If It’s Not Sparkling …What’s the Pointe?) As befits a champagne bar, many guests dress up a bit more here, enjoying a flute in style under the crystal chandeliers or out on the stone patio. Signature visual: the cool monochromatic vibe is offset by bold Brazilian art in a rainbow of colors, including an oversized work of Brazil’s beaches and mountains over the bar. The smaller “Bubble” room offers an intimate option separate from the grand tasting room, and can be closed off for private parties. On the fireplace mantel? Bottles dripping in award medals. (Sparkling Pointe was named ‘Winery of the Year’ at the 2017 New York Wine and Food Classic, so there’s plenty to enjoy here, with or without your phone camera.) But these sparkling wines aren’t just photo worthy, they’re video worthy. Capture those bubbles for Instagram in action, setting your phone camera to regular video mode or the more creative Slow Motion or Boomerang.
Macari Vineyards
The Macari family has owned 500 acres of Mattituck waterfront for over half a century, and their stunning winery has grandiose sweeping vistas that seem to go on forever. It’s not surprising that the rustic-yet-modern wooden tasting room and deck are equally impressive, with a California feel and a grand scale that suits the overall outdoor space. A vaulted ceiling with exposed beams and circle window adds loftiness to the open-air room (don’t forget to hashtag #vaultedceiling). When it comes to tasting the wines, you will want to order a flight in Macari’s signature tasting tower. The winery staggers the assortment on a metal rack in the perfect sampling order so it’s easy to taste, keep track … and photograph. Set it on a wine cask inside for a rustic Instagram shot. Or better yet, carry it outside for a wide-angle shot with a sea of green as background, either on the deck or closer to the vines at a garden table. There’s also jazz on the deck in warmer months for music with your view and outdoor lingering. The winery closes at 6 p.m. on weekends, so if you want a sunset, plan your visits later in the year and you’ll get that perfect shot through the glass.
Bedell Cellars
With its sweeping vineyard vistas and all-white tasting barn and art gallery, Bedell Cellars is a gorgeous visual blend. It’s not surprising. Vineyard owner Michael Lynne, co-owner of New Line Cinema and Unique Features and an avid art collector, has a sharp eye for the pictorial. The various spaces and artsy bottles create Instagram moments at every angle. Outside, the vineyard is all about the natural beauty of the land, with a tented deck overlooking the acreage and white picnic tables that bring wine lovers closer to the vines. Inside, a black-and-white aesthetic fuses rustic vaulted shiplap ceilings with a modern gallery feel and a private upstairs room you’ll wish was your personal loft (you’ll be pinning photos to your Pinterest redecorating boards). Visuals are high on the menu at Bedell’s other tasting room, too. Bedell recently renovated its Tap Room at Corey Creek Vineyards, creating yet another Instagram dream. Lori Guyer of White Flower Farmhouse consulted on the décor, while woodworker Joe Benson created the intriguing tap pulls (think arrowheads and horns). Cobalt blue hues offset white accents like knotted hanging bulb lights.
Lieb Cellars/Bridge Lane
Most people visit Lieb Cellars in a serious country state of mind. Whether wrapping up a bucolic Oregon Road bike ride or a selfie bonanza at the nearby sunflower field, consumers come here to extend their rural mood. Lieb delivers. The intimate outdoor patio is all country charm, offering a peaceful farm vista across the road (the vineyard’s 85 acres are on the side and in back), high-top wine barrel tables, red Adirondack chairs for that pop of Instagram color (make sure to boost the contrast!) and a large sharing table that encourages group photos. Inside, the corrugated steel bar and chalkboard wall add visual texture to rustic cheese board snacks.
Wine is serious business on the North Fork, but it’s refreshing to see that Lieb’s second label, Bridge Lane, doesn’t take its wine tasting so … seriously. We’re talking wine in cans, kegs and cardboard boxes! Part of Lieb Cellars, Bridge Lane has an Instagram as hip as the space itself and seems to be grooming the next generation of oenophiles, one wine keg at a time. Its Instagram posts are as colorful as the indoor throw pillows and outside rainbow picnic tables — (UN)SCREW IT; RESPECT THE BOX; I’D TAP THAT— and are ripe for reposting. Worth a follow!
