Anthony Nappa with a bottle of Anthony Nappa Wines Bordo Antico, the first certified organic wine grown and produced on Long Island. (Credit: Vera Chinese)
Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified the classification of Anthony Nappa Wines Bordo Antico as Long Island’s first certified organic wine. It is certified “wine made with organic grapes,” according to NOFA-NY.
Organic local food enthusiasts can now incorporate wine into that lifestyle.
Anthony Nappa Wines released Bordo Antico last month, the first certified wine made with organic grapes grown and produced on Long Island. It’s also the first certified organic vitis vinifera — meaning common wine grape variety — bottle grown and produced in all of New York State.
“It’s a pretty cool barrier to break,” said Nappa, who in addition to his own label owns The Winemaker Studio and is winemaker at Raphael Winery, both in Peconic. “For me, if you tell me something is impossible, I’m like ‘Let’s do this.’”
Although this is the region’s first certified bottle made with organic grapes, one farmer, Rex Farr of Calverton, has been harvesting organic grapes since 2011. Mr. Farr has sold his grapes to local wineries, although none have received certification to produce organic wine. (more…)