It was only 40 years ago that Long Island’s first winery was established, and land that once grew potatoes began to sprout grape vines. Today, this region, 85 miles east of New York City, boasts 56 wineries, most at the far end of the island where it splits in two. Forty-seven wineries lie on the North Fork, four on the South Fork, and there are 3,000 acres of vineyards. The lure? With a cool maritime climate, well-drained soils and the longest growing season of East Coast wine regions, Long Island has proven it can grow many of Europe’s finest vinifera grapes.
Among the pioneers willing to take a chance in a new wine region is Lieb Cellars, on the North Fork. Established in 1992 and releasing its first vintage in 1999, Lieb is an iconoclast. While most Long Island wineries began with Bordeaux varieties, Lieb was the first to plant Pinot Blanc and make it its signature grape. Pinot Blanc, sometimes called Chardonnay’s understudy, is widely used in Europe, especially in Alsace, and Lieb’s Pinot Blanc resembles the style of those of Alsace.
Under its top-of-the-line label, Lieb Reserve, Pinot Blanc 2012 ($22) provides a fine expression of the grape — a graceful, elegant wine, medium-full in body, crisp with a touch of apple in the aroma and a memorable aftertaste.
With its natural acidity, Pinot Blanc is the perfect grape to make Lieb’s Reserve Blanc de Blanc 2010 ($35). A refreshing, light-golden sparkling wine made in the Champagne method, it is well-balanced, remarkably dry, with mineral tones.
Lieb also produces two fine reds under its Reserve label. One, the satiny-textured Merlot 2008 ($22), blended with 6 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, offers hints of black fruit in both its aroma and taste, followed by a long aftertaste.
Its Reserve Cabernet Franc 2010 ($40) is blended with 7 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 3 percent Merlot and 2 percent Malbec. A big, supple, ruby-shaded wine, it features excellent balance and good fruit flavors and leaves a fine, lasting impression.
Lieb also produces wine under its less expensive label, Bridge Lane, where prices for the Rosé, Chardonnay, White Blend and Red Blend range from $15 to $20. Bridge Lane wines are available in bottles and in three-liter boxes.
Read This Next
Lotte Hotel Seoul
2014 / February 2014
Jun 1, 2016All Reads on This Topic
Read Them All
Introducing
FX Excursions
FX Excursions offers the chance for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in destinations around the world.
#globility
Insta FeedDaily
Jun 2, 2023Diego Rivera’s America Presents the Most In-Depth Look at Artist’s Work in More than 20 Years
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, located in Bentonville, Arkansas, presents Diego Rivera’s America, the first major exhibition focused solely on the Mexican artist in more than 20 years, on view until July 31. Crystal Bridges is the second and final stop for the exhibition, the only remaining opportunity for visitors to experience Rivera's expansive vision of America.
Sponsored Content
Business or Leisure? With TAP Air Portugal, You Can Have Both!
Are you looking to enhance your business trip with a little leisure? Look no further than Portugal, a country renowned for its captivating blend of history, culture and natural beauty. And with TAP Air Portugal, you can effortlessly transform your business trip into an unforgettable bleisure adventure. Discover why Portugal and TAP Air Portugal are the perfect combination for an enriching and rejuvenating experience.
Daily
Jun 2, 2023San Antonio, Texas, Preserves Architectural Beauty for Future Generations
In San Antonio, Texas, old buildings are seldom destroyed. When they fall into disrepair, they are instead repurposed and restored to maintain the city’s history and traditions for future generations to appreciate. Whether it’s a former brewery or bank transforming into a chic hotel or a candy factory evolving into stylish lofts, this Texas city embraces both history and sustainability.
Daily
Jun 2, 2023Here’s How to Arrive in Style to the World’s Most Unforgettable Hotels
Make a grand entrance to these equally grand hotels:
Sponsored Content
Share Your Travel Preferences with Global Traveler in a Short Survey & Win
Learning more about our readers’ travel habits and preferences ensures Global Traveler delivers the content you desire. As the travel industry has adapted and changed over the last few years, it’s more important than ever to connect. To best meet your short- and long-term travel content needs, please help us!
Protected: MORE TO TRAVEL
Sponsored
Jun 1, 2023Park Hyatt Tokyo Prepares for Its New Look
Daily
Jun 1, 2023London Concours Displays Golden Age Coupes
Daily
Jun 1, 2023Daily
May 31, 2023Pick These Resorts and Destinations for a Day of Self Care on Global Wellness Day
Celebrate Global Wellness Day on June 10 with a visit to one of these resorts or destinations.
eFlyer Reviews
May 31, 2023Homer and Janet by Homer Review
The Marais District, covering swaths of Paris’ 3rd and 4th arrondissments, has a distinctively gritty glamour that reveals it to be one of the city’s great incubators for new French food, fashion and lifestyle trends. It is here Moïse Sfez took on the challenge of creating street food establishments Homer in 2017 and Janet by Homer in 2022, doing it in such a way they both transcend the novelty of being regional American comfort food offered at stylized lunch counters matching up with New England lobster shacks and New York delis. Overwhelming local response and Sfez winning the 2018 Lobster Roll World’s Championship title in Portland, Maine, solidified him as a Paris restaurateur and one of France’s hottest culinary stars.
ShareThis