Looking for a place to go this weekend? This weekend is a great opportunity to make a trip to Long Island's East End and discover the award-winning wines of Long Island. Not only will you be rewarded with the great wine experience, the drive is exhilarating. Out east, you'll find out that you are really in the back country. There are farms everywhere. Years ago, these farms were mostly potatoes and cornfields. Nowadays, they are sod farms and landscape trees. How things change. But still, you'll see historic towns, fishing villages, seafood restaurants and bed and breakfast establishments, flower and farm stalls and a proliferation of vineyards that dotted along the only main thoroughfare, the Main St. (Route 25). While you are there, you might as well go all the way to the end to Orient Point. There is not much there except a restaurant and the beach and the ferry that transport you to New London, Connecticut but at least you can say you have been to the end of the North Fork. You can cap your trip with a dinner at Claudio's Restaurant in Greenport.
Traveling to the South Fork on the weekend is horrendous. So my husband and I went to Southampton once during the week on a business related trip to Southampton Village Hall regarding my listing there. I was disappointed because somehow we missed the wineries on the South Fork. We did not see any of them.
The first grapevines were planted 35 years ago in Cutchogue on the North Fork of Long Island. Today the area boasts of so many vineyards that we are able to compete with California wines and French wines. The early vintners found that Long Island has the best climate and soil and growing conditions for excellent ingredients for quality wines. Long Island wines are both grown on the North Fork and the South Fork at the East End of Long Island. The vintners here used the age-old growing techniques with the state-of-the-art technology to produce the award-winning wines.
However, there is a hidden vineyard located around the most expensive neighborhood of Long island. Villa Banfi Vineyard is located in Brookville. One can see their vineyard on Hegeman's Lane off Route 25A going east toward Brookville Country Club. Although they do not have a vineyard tour, sometimes, they will open the main house for special dinner parties.
Going to the North Fork is a snap. You take the Long Island Expressway to the end and then take Route 25. Once you're on Route 25, at the second light, turn left to the end which is Sound Ave. By doing this route, you'll also avoid the traffic congestion at Riverhead. You might like to drop at Briarmere's Farm Stand and buy some pies. They are out of this world but I caution you, they are very expensive. Then follow that road and scattered about the road, you'll find vineyard after vineyard. Go to Martha Clara Vineyards before you turn right and head back to Route 25 where you'll see more vineyards. I like Pindar Vineyards very much. After that, I will try other vineyards. I find some vineyards have friendlier staff than others. All in all, you'll have a pleasant trip.
Copyright © 2008. By Rosalinda Morgan, "The Rose Lady". All rights reserved.. *LONG ISLAND VINEYARDS PRODUCE WORLD CLASS WINES*
Contact Rosalinda Morgan, "The Rose Lady" if you are looking for homes to buy in Oyster Bay, East Norwich, Oyster Bay Cove, Brookville, Muttontown, Syosset and Laurel Hollow.
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