Winemaker Allissa Goodale knew she had something special on her hands when the 2022 hand-harvested sauvignon blanc started coming in. “When the juice came in and it tasted so good, I knew it would be a great wine,” she says. “The year was hot with drought-like conditions, and the fruit and canopy were both the cleanest and ripest I’ve experienced, which was such a treat.”
Borghese Vineyard & Winery is a special spot on the North Fork—you could go so far as to call it both the physical and spiritual birthplace of Long Island wine. These were the very first acres planted with the intention of commercially growing wine grapes, an ambitious project by a couple of young, bright-eyed newly married kids, Louisa and Alex Hargrave, back in the early ’70s. It’s hallowed ground here.
Some of the grapes in this wine come from those original estate vines planted in 1973—about 39%; the rest are from vines planted by the Hargraves in 1980. So as far as “old vine” goes in Long Island, this is the mack daddy.
The winery: Borghese Vineyard & Winery
The winemaker: Allissa Goodale
The wine: 2022 Sauvignon Blanc, 12.5% abv
The price: $32
The grapes: 100% sauvignon blanc
What’s in your glass: “I love how bright and flavorful it is. From the moment you swirl it in your glass and take that first sniff, there’s so much going on,” says Goodale, noting tropical-leaning aromas and flavors of key lime, juicy peach, papaya and star fruit. “And then when you sip it and there are so many flavors on the palate with a lingering finish it just keeps getting better!”
Pairs with: Goodale ordered a Lombardi’s grilled chicken pesto panino and happened to sip the 2022 Sauvignon Blanc alongside it. “It was a match made in heaven!” she says. She and general manager Evie Kahn are also digging it with the gently sweet nature of Peconic Bay scallops or with Asian-leaning cuisine with some spice.
To hold or not to hold: With its fresh, racy acidity and lower-end alcohol content, drink now (not that you’ll be able to resist).
