Five Great Long Island Whites That You've Never Heard Of

By Lenn Thompson

You probably know by now that world-class wines being made right in your own back yard, right? That's right — right here on Long Island.

The Long Island wine region, born in 1973 with Hargrave Vineyards, has grown to include more than sixty vineyards and almost forty wineries. And, in the past ten years especially, the wines are becoming increasingly popular. There's no doubt that Long Island is beginning to arrive as an important wine region.

Many people who have tried Long Island wine just picked something up at their local wine shop--probably a sweetish blend with a cute, waterfowl adorned label, or a gulpable, second-label wine from one of the larger producers.

These wines sell extremely well, but they often lack the elegance and character of the world's best wines. And, if that's all you have tried too, then you haven't tasted Long Island wine — not really.

Here are five white wines, five white and five red, that don't get the attention they deserve. Contact the wineries directly…and you will be rewarded with some of the region's best vino.

Because there's no better way to start a party, let's start with Lieb Family Cellars' 2002 Blanc de Blanc. While many top sparklers, including authentic Champagne, are made with Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier or a blend of the three, Lieb's offering is 100% Pinot Blanc. It's bone dry, with green apple and citrus flavors accented by delicate yeasty and butterscotch notes. Refined, elegant and light, it's perfect paired with shellfish, light salads, or for every day celebrating.

To many wine lovers — including me — riesling is the most noble of all white grapes. Too often however, American rieslings lack the elegance and acidity of the best German examples. Not so with Peconic Bay Winery's 2005 Riesling. Lean and somewhat restrained — the nose offers nice lemon-lime aromas accented by desirable hints of minerals and petrol. Light residual sugar is barely noticable because of vibrant acidity that brings structure and focus to lime-dominated flavors. The best rieslings play have a tension to them -- fruit and sweetness vs. acidity. That tension lives in this bottles. Try it with spicy Chinese or Thai take-out.

If you think dessert wines are always burningly high in alcohol or syrupy sweet, think again. Macari Vineyard's Block E 2004 is ripe, rich and filled with melon, pear and apple aromas. Richly flavored by impressively nimble on the palate, peach and honey flavors fill the mouth, but aren't heavy or syrupy because of lively acidity.

Another wine from Macari Vineyards, the 2006 Early Wine, is 100% Chardonnay, but you'd never know it. It hasn't been released yet, but is typically released just months after the grapes are picked, so we'll see it soon. The last two years, this has been a favorite with tantalizing, appetite-whetting citrus fruit and crisp apple flavors without any of the oak or butter flavors often associated with chardonnay. I like it at Thanksgiving dinner.

If you like your Chardonnay in a bit more traditional in style, Waters Crest Winery's 2005 Chardonnay is a fine example option. It's delicious and flavorful without being heavy or over-oaked. With toasty vanilla and beautiful underlying fruitiness, it's definitely not a California Chardonnay.

To learn more about these and other Long Island wines, visit www.liwines.com for a complete listing of Long Island wineries and links to their websites. If you can't make it out east to buy these ten wines, contact the wineries directly. They can ship anywhere in New York.