Long Island’s wine country will celebrate its milestone 50th anniversary at Peconic Bay Vineyards in Cutchogue on Saturday, Aug. 19.
“This is a celebration of ourselves, to some extent,” said Kareem Massoud, winemaker for Paumanok and Palmer Vineyards and a member of Long Island Wine Country, formerly known as the Long Island Wine Council. “There will be a lot of industry insiders — winery owners, winemakers, vineyard managers, the growers as well as a lot of our hardcore supporters and best customers. It’s also a great opportunity for anyone new to Long Island wine to discover Long Island wine.”
In 1973, Alex and Louisa Hargrave planted the first wine grapes in Cutchogue. The soil, topography and climate proved to be the ideal place to harvest numerous varieties of grapes and soon farmers moved to the region to begin their own vineyards. Wine growers throughout the region have been dedicated to producing high-quality, environmentally sustainable wines and now, half a century later, Long Island boasts more than 50 different vineyards, most of which are located on the East End.
“My family has been here for 40 of the 50 years and we were able to witness the growth of the industry in real-time,” said Massoud. “We’ve seen the number of acres planted and tasting rooms grow. The quality has always been there, even early on, but in the past few years it has become very, very good.”
Attendees at the 50th-anniversary celebration will have the chance to sample the various types of wine from over 30 North and South Fork vineyards. Taste memorable wines like rosé from Croteaux Vineyards, award winning reds from Osprey’s Dominion and Coffee Pot Cellars and even canned wines from Bridge Lane Wines. Unlike other wine-centric events, wines will be sorted into styles rather than separated by individual vineyards.
“It’s not often you get to go to a unique tasting experience like this,” said Michael Falcetta, general manager of Sparkling Pointe Vineyards & Winery and LIWC member. “We grow so many types of grapes and styles of wine and I think we are going to expose a lot of people to things they didn’t know were available on Long Island.”
At this event, guests can curate a personal tasting experience that highlights the different styles of the region. Local restaurants like North Fork Table & Inn and The Frisky Oyster, will provide locally-sourced farm products to pair with the wines.
“We are working closely with our restaurant partners to develop food pairings that are going to complement one another and showcase how food-friendly the wines are,” said Falcetta. “We want people to learn about pairings and understand how and why they work. It will be an opportunity for guests to speak face-to-face with winemakers.”
Louisa Hargrave will be in attendance, along with numerous other pioneers of the Long Island wine industry, including winemakers and vineyard managers.
This celebration will also include an auction, featuring special experiences like private cellar tours, a dinner at a Michelin 3-star restaurant and even a trip to France.
The celebration will begin at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 19. Tickets are $160 per person and can be purchased through LIWC’s website.
