Constructed in 2016 on the top of a building at Brooklyn Navy Yard, Rooftop Reds is the world’s first commercially viable rooftop vineyard. The almost 15,000-square-foot space features colorful seating within nearly 200 grapevines, with string lights and expansive views of the Manhattan and Brooklyn skylines.

© Rooftop Reds

Brooklyn Navy Yard may not be the setting one normally conjures when imagining land suitable for growing grapes, but with help from New York State’s Finger Lakes wine industry leaders and Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Rooftop Reds developed an urban rooftop vineyard. The vineyard sits just minutes from the East River, the Brooklyn Bridge and several upscale Brooklyn neighborhoods. With 42 custom-built planters covering 14,800 square feet of rooftop space, the robust and healthy vines are now in their ninth year, already producing a sustainable and completely Brooklyn vintage with their fruit.

Founder Devin Shomaker, along with partner TJ Provenzano and general manager Irina Sargisova, curated an active programming calendar representing Rooftop Reds’ passion for maintaining a sustainable business, prioritizing eco-friendly sourcing practices and emphasizing social responsibility efforts. Reservations and tickets for all events are mandatory; see website for booking information.

© Rooftop Reds

Beginning June 3, Rooftop Reds will host Late Night Chocolate & Wine Tastings (Friday and Saturday, ongoing). Tickets are $50 for four pairings, including 2020 Rooftop Reds Dry Rosé & Hibiscus Mint; Skin Contact Grüner Veltliner & Green Tea Sakura; 2019 Rooftop Reds Black Label Blaufränkisch & Guava Chili; and 2020 Rooftop Reds Black Label Cabernet Franc & Dark Chocolate.

On June 11 (National Rosé Day), from 12 to 3 p.m. or 4 to 7 p.m., visitors can enjoy a special rosé fest with freshly shucked oysters from Brooklyn-based Mothershuckers. Tickets are $65 and include one flight of rosé wine (choose from six rosés), a half-dozen freshly shucked oysters, one take-home bottle of Rooftop Reds Dry Rosé and one take-home mini bottle of Rooftop Reds Sparkling Rosé. Additional oysters will be available for purchase at the event along with exclusive rosé offerings by the glass or bottle. In addition, this year Rooftop Reds paired up with The Migrant Kitchen to make Ribs & Rosé an ongoing event (June 19 Kansas style; July 17 Texas style; Aug. 21 Memphis style; and Sept. 18 Carolina style).

© Rooftop Reds

Other Rooftop Reds events include Pizza & Wine Movie Nights (Thursday, ongoing). Tickets, at $25 each, include the film, two slices of pizza and popcorn. Wine is also available for purchase. Summer screenings include cult classics like Hook, The Birdcage and Cocktail, among others.

Tours + Tastings are held every Wednesday at 7 p.m. through October. A $50 ticket includes a guided tour of the vineyard by one of Rooftop Reds wine experts, followed by four wine and cheese pairings from Crown Finish Caves, a cheese aging facility located in the former lagering tunnels of Nassau Brewery, 30 feet below ground in Crown Heights, Brooklyn.