Top Stops in the North Fork

Of the Long Island Wineries that we visited there were some very clear favorites in no particular order they were Corey Creek (Bedell Cellars), DuckWalk Vineyards, Lieb Family Cellars, and Roanoke Vineyards.

Corey Creek views

Corey Creek not only served a great variety of wines from Bedell Cellars, the staff was great and the views off the back porch were fantastic. There were whites, reds and roses that we all found enjoyable. The 2009 First Crush White a blend of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc in steel was a heavy favorite and while selling 2 for $25 it was a wine we couldn't leave without! The 2011 Taste Rose (Merlot, Cab Franc & Syrah) had hints of strawberry and was almost effervescent, or so it tasted. The 2009 First Crush Red was a plend of 82% Merlot and 18% Cab Franc that had a nose like Chambourcin, but reminded me more of a Sangiovese, very smooth and completely fermented in stainless steel; of all the reds we tried this was by far the best outside of Roanoke. Finally the 2011 Viognier was very complex with hints of both pineapple and peaches but completely dry. We each decided on different wines to sit and enjoy on the porch and as we did  they happened to have local oysters for the day which may have been the highlight of Zoe's day.

Lieb Family Cellars

Lieb Family Cellars also had an inviting staff and did a great job organizing their flights by whites, summer reds and rose. Their tasting room was light, airy and decorated with local art. While I went for the white flight Marlene & Zoe opted for the rose. Our favorites were the 2010 Bridge Lane Merlot Blanc which was crisp and refreshing, plus for $17 a bottle you can't go wrong. We also enjoyed the 2007 Reserve Chardonnay blended in steel and oak so it came out slightly sweet, but with a buttery finish. The 2008 Petit Verdot was also slightly buttery and very smooth. Finally the 2010 Pinot Blanc Alsace was a big winner, with 8.5% rs it surprised me by not being syrupy at all, Lieb is also the only winery in North Fork to grow Pinot Blanc. As this was my first trip to Lieb I thought it was great, Zoe however was pleasantly surprised by improvements in the wine from previous visits. It just goes to show that every new release really is worth a try.

Marlene in heaven

Also at the top of the list was DuckWalk Vineyards North, this is one of Zoe and Marlene's tried and true favorites because of the wine and because of their favorite staff member, Connor. Marlene is a big fan of dessert wines so before we even go there I think she had mentally purchased a case of their 2010 Aphrodite, a late harvest Gewurztraminer. DuckWalk had 21 wines ready to pour and for $8 you got to pick which 5 to try. I always find this a challenge because you could end up with the best or the worst of what they have. Luckily I was with some experienced tasters there so I tried a red or two then went to the blends and dessert wines. Dessert wines are clearly their specialty and they do them well. As mentioned the 2010 Aphrodite was a big hit as was their 2010 Blueberry Port which was a bit more tart than sweet. The Boysenberry Dessert Wine was great and could be used on desserts (or pancakes) or sipped on its own and the 2008 Vidal Blanc Ice wine was a quality ice wine. The trunk of my car was noticeably heavier after this stop.

Roanoke Vineyards

Since its summer I was happy with the whites and roses that we found on the North Fork, but reds are my favorite and I was sorely disappointed with several that we found on the trail, this changed after our visit to Roanoke Vineyards. Roanoke serves a few whites but their main focus is on reds and they served quality. They began planting in 2000 and opened in 2004, some of the other vineyards have had their vines in the ground for over 30 years yet their reds were not as good as what we found here. The 2008 Blend One and 2008 Blend 2 were comprised of different proportions of Cabernet Franc, Cab Sav and Merlot, but both were equally solid, smooth red wines. We also enjoyed the 2008 Cabernet Sav which was slightly more dry than a typical Cab Sav and the 2009 Marco Tulio a Cab Franc and Cab Sav blend that is peppy and per Zoe with fruit and birch hints. the tasting room is decorated in dark woods and leather, I imagine its a great hide-away in the winter. After our long day we each took a glass out to the back patio where several Adirondack chairs awaited and watched the sunset.