Sunday, February 22, 2009

Long Island Getaway


Two of my favorite things (besides the obvious shoes, clothes, and bags) are my hubby and wine. I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to combine those two things last weekend in Long Island of all places. Pardon my surprise, but who knew that Long Island, NY is so beautiful and has upwards of 40 vineyards!


We stayed at the lovliest B&B, Shorecrest Bed and Breakfast, owned and operated by a fantastic woman named Marilyn. I absolutely love a B&B and this was no exception. The house is stunning and Marilyn has put quite a lot of work into the rooms. It is so cozy and directly across from the beach which allowed us the most beautiful view of the water at sunset. And seriously, the breakfast...SO good. One of our favorite foods were these ridiculously amazing orange and ricotta pancakes our second morning there. So, needless to say, if you are planning on visiting Long Island for a little getaway, I highly recommend Shorecrest B&B.


Now, the wine. We visited 10 wineries and found so many things that we liked. One of the biggest surprises to me was how much Chardonnay and Merlot is made there; I can see everyone's nose wrinkle at the mention of Chardonnay, but trust me, this is not the wine you are accustomed to. Thanks to the cooler climate here in NY, the sugar in the grapes doesn't process quite so quickly as it does in CA and it allows the winemakers to hold onto a lot more of the fruit flavors and acidity. The result is a Chardonnay that is crisp and clean (more like a Pinot Grigio) without the overwhelming butter taste. See---drinking can be educational.


In case you are thinking of visiting, some of my favorite wineries were Paumanok, Lenz, Duck Walk, and Osprey's Dominion. Most of the vineyards are family businesses and they have great stories. I recommend picking up a copy of Wine Press to get more information on all of the wineries and the award winning wines they produce. If you want a relaxing day trip close to home (for my NY readers) go--the wine is great, the countryside is beautiful and it is only 90 minutes away. Pack a picnic and enjoy your adventure!

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