15 of the Best White Wines From Long Island
It had been a while since I tasted a broad sampling of wines from New York’s Long Island, the region concentrated on the North Fork and, to a much smaller extent, in the Hamptons on the South Fork.
The cool (yet warming) maritime region, the most important in New York after the Finger Lakes, is now more than half a century old — or half a century young if you compare it with many other notable wine areas.
Some of the original wineries — with names like Hargrave, Lenz, and Bedell — were sold years ago by their eponymous founders; others remain under original family ownership; some have been consolidated into other wine operations. And new wine businesses seem to spring up just about every year.
More vineyards are still being planted despite pressure to sell farmland for development. (Just the other day, I noticed a 17-acre parcel with a vineyard for sale, with the possibility, says the real-estate notice, of continuing the vineyard or developing the property.)
Geography — and water in particular — is, of course, paramount here. With Long Island Sound to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the south and Peconic Bay in the middle of the two forks, the water brings a cooling influence to the vineyards. It also makes the region a prime tourist and second-home destination just a couple of hours or so from New York City. That tourism is a bedrock of the Long Island wine industry.
Now home to almost 60 wineries, there’s no question that they are making good wine here, some of it very good. And they’re growing just about everything, from Bordeaux varieties to Pinot Noir, from Chardonnay to Riesling and Gewürztraminer. Some of the grapes are long-established on Long Island, some relatively new and experimental.
But to foster a more specific identity for the region, Long Island Wine Country, the trade group, is focusing its marketing on two grapes that seem to do especially well here: Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Franc. This past week, it held the first “Blanc & Franc Summit” to showcase the varieties, and it was well attended.
Based on my tastings of dozens of Long Island wines, that emphasis is on target, although there are certainly notable examples of other varieties. Overall, says Russell Hearn, the winemaker and an owner of Suhru & Lieb Vineyards, “I feel the quality has dramatically improved.”
Here, in the first of two columns on Long Island wines, I focus on Sauvignon Blanc and other whites. As I noted, the vineyards benefit greatly from the region’s maritime breezes, not only for their cooling influence but also by aerating the vines, thereby decreasing the amount of humidity and disease potential on the fruit. “Hot climates can only dream of the sea breeze that we have,” says Roman Roth, a co-owner of Wölffer Estate Vineyard in Sagaponack on the South Fork and its longtime winemaker.
Well-draining glacial soils, mainly sand and clay, absorb the region’s ample rainfall and promote ripening, as do the long growing season, and, increasingly, the warming climate. Though climate change brings greater risk from hurricanes and other severe weather, “in the meantime we’ve really ripened fruit much, much better,” Roth says, adding that this has “leveled the playing field” with other wine regions.
The white wines have excellent ripeness with moderate alcohol levels, and the Sauvignon Blancs show far less of the green, herbaceous aromas and flavors from the pyrazine compounds that dominate New Zealand and other Sauvignons. “They’re just suggestions and hints,” Roth says. “So that makes Long Island very special.”
Hearn says Long Island Sauvignons lean more toward France’s Loire Valley than New Zealand in style, though the fruit on Long Island is more vibrant and lush, offering a nice richness. “Ultimately,” Hearn adds, “in hopefully 10 years from now, five years from now, 20 years from now, they’ll say, ‘Oh, I like the Eastern Long Island-style Sauvignon Blanc’ versus something else. I think that’s an evolution that’s coming.”
Here are 15 of the best Long Island white wines. With the exception of Wölffer’s wine, all are from the North Fork.
Osprey’s Dominion Sauvignon Blanc 2024
Crisp and leesy at the same time, there’s a lot going on in this Sauvignon, with flavors of grilled pineapple, grapefruit, and lemon custard, along with hints of white pepper and smoke. It all gets a nice acidic lift.
Price: $24
Buy This Wine
RGNY White Merlot 2024
This wine is called a “white Merlot,” but it’s really a rosé, and an excellent one at that. Strawberry aromas and flavors are punctuated by hints of brioche, orange peel, and herbs. This one can compete with many other rosés from Provence and elsewhere. It’s a good one for the Thanksgiving table.
Price: $40
Buy This Wine
Sannino Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2023
Like many North Fork Sauvignons, this crisp wine is made for oysters and other shellfish and fish dishes. With stone fruit, floral, and wet stone aromas, the palate offers ripe white peach and Meyer lemon flavors with hints of herbs and a touch of orange. It also stands out for its long finish.
Price: $28
Buy This Wine
Paumanok Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc 2024
With a touch of cut grass on the nose, this Sauvignon is marked by lush stone and tropical fruit notes, citrus, and a hint of white pepper. The fruit is very ripe, while the alcohol comes in at a modest 12.6 percent, demonstrating the ability of the grapes to ripen without creating high levels of alcohol.
Price: $28
Buy This Wine
Macari Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc ‘Lifeforce’ 2024
This stellar Sauvignon Blanc offers a nice mix of herb and stone fruit flavors, along with touches of almond and vanilla and a hint of orange. One of the region’s leading producers, Macari has long been famous for its Sauvignon Blancs.
Price: $30
Buy This Wine
Lieb Pinot Blanc 2023
This is a classic North Fork white wine that has received numerous accolades over the years and is Lieb’s signature white. The ‘23 vintage doesn’t fall short, offering notes of white peach and citrus and landing on the palate with the slightest spritz, which makes it all the more refreshing. Fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks, the wine is bright and irresistible.
Price: $26
Buy This Wine
Ev&Em Vineyards Pinot Gris 2024
The winery, formerly known as Laurel Lake Vineyards, was purchased by media entrepreneur Dan Abrams in 2021 and is named for his two daughters. While the Pinot Gris commands a premium price, it rises well above inexpensive, ubiquitous Pinot Grigios. Lush fruit is joined with a nice acidic lift. Notes of almond, green apple, lime, and a hint of white flowers are extended on the long, leesy finish.
Price: $42
Buy This Wine
McCall Wines Sauvignon Blanc ‘Cuvée Nicola’ 2024
This wine continues to impress year after year with its exceptional balance and vivid fruit. The ‘24 offers notes of candied and fresh lemon, lime, and ripe apple with a hint of cut grass. It’s all framed by refreshing acidity, a rich mouthfeel, and a long finish.
Price: $28
Buy This Wine
Macari Vineyards Chardonnay 2024
Macari is known more for its Sauvignon Blancs, but this Chardonnay is well worth trying if that’s where you lean. It’s crisp and balanced with flavors of green apple skin and a hint of pineapple. Zesty acidity and subtle oak treatment contribute to its restrained style.
Price: $19
Buy This Wine
Suhru Sauvignon Blanc 2023
From Suhru & Lieb Vineyards, this crisp Sauvignon Blanc shows notes of green apple, lemon-lime, and a hint of cream from several months of aging on the lees. With one retailer selling it for under $20, it’s a notable value.
Price: $17
Buy This Wine
One Woman Sauvignon Blanc 2022
Lemon-lime, apricot, and a hint of bell pepper are the main aromas and flavors of this estate-grown Sauvignon Blanc. The complex palate brings a slightly grippy texture and a long, pleasant finish. The “one woman” behind this label is Claudia Purita, who bought the North Fork property in 2001 and transformed it from a small potato and melon farm into a 46-acre vineyard.
Price: $25
Buy This Wine
Saltbird Cellars Sauvignon Blanc 2023
This Sauvignon Blanc is a winning blend of ripe fruit, including yellow delicious apple, white peach, kiwi, and Meyer lemon, combined with a slight grassy note. There’s a touch of cream on the finish. It’s well balanced, elegant, and delicious.
Price: $25
Buy This Wine
Palmer Vineyards Gewürztraminer 2022
This North Fork Gewürztraminer shows off the aromatic variety’s signature floral notes, along with stone fruits, lychee, and hints of vanilla, almond, and black licorice. The winery says it has a touch of sweetness on the finish, but I found it quite dry.
Price: $28
Buy This Wine
As If Wines ‘Change’ Skin Contact White 2022
This unusual orange wine is made from 70 percent Gewürztraminer and 30 percent Pinot Gris, with the skins of both contributing to its copper color. The resulting wine is quite floral from the Gewürztraminer, but is made rounder by the Pinot Gris. The flavors include pink grapefruit, spicy orange, strawberry, white pepper, and a vanilla note from partial barrel aging. There’s a decent dose of tannin from the skin contact. A wine to swirl, sip, and contemplate.
Price: $30
Buy This Wine
Wölffer Estate ‘Antonov’ Sauvignon Blanc 2022
With its tropical and stone fruit notes, touches of cream, herbs, and struck match, it’s not hard to see why this elegant wine made VinePair’s list of the 30 Best Sauvignon Blancs for 2025 earlier this year. I add my endorsement here.
Price: $32
Buy This Wine
Next up: Long Island’s red wines.
The article 15 of the Best White Wines From Long Island appeared first on VinePair.