The Trendy New York Destination With An Award-Winning Wine Country That Deserves Napa-Level Hype

It's safe to say that most visitors to New York City don't have winery hopping on their agendas — but they should. Just a handful of miles from midtown Long Island is an area known for residential commuter towns and the summer playground of the rich and famous. The Hamptons are located on the island's East End along with the wine-growing areas of the North Fork and South Fork and the dreamy beach town of Montauk with its surfing mecca, Ditch Plains. With a climate comparable to Bordeaux's, Long Island wineries produce half a million cases of wine annually. Among the 25-plus grape varietals that thrive here are Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay. Long Island's award-winning wines have come a long way in a short time; instead of Europe's centuries of winemaking, Long Island's production only began in 1973. 

Most vineyards are located far out on the island, and considering the region's consistently heavy traffic, it can take two-and-a-half to three-and-a-half hours to drive there. Other transportation options include taking the Long Island Rail Road from Penn Station or the ferries from Bridgeport, Connecticut, to the waterfront village of Port Jefferson and from New London, Connecticut, to Orient Point. The Hampton Jitney bus service from Manhattan takes around three hours, and you can also fly into Long Island MacArthur Airport in the center of the island on airlines like JetBlue and Southwest. A car is needed unless you use the North Fork Trolley or take a tour that includes a beach, the town of Sag Harbor, and a vineyard.

It would take a lot of time to visit all of Long Island's 82 wineries, so our recommendation is to start with either the North Fork or South Fork and then choose a handful that produce styles you like. Boasting three American Viticultural Areas, Long Island is 120 miles long, splitting at the eastern end into the North Fork and the South Fork, where it's separated by Peconic Bay.

A pocket of Provence on the North Fork, Croteaux Vineyards in Southold is the only winery in the U.S. that only produces rosé. In its gorgeous backyard tasting area, choose a seat in the barn or in the courtyard under the shade of an umbrella. Sit back, sip a flight, and try to resist the urge to speak French. Also in Southold is Sparkling Pointe, which only produces sparkling wine, so this is your stop for highly rated bubbles. Its contemporary tasting house is surrounded by 40 acres of vineyards.

The South Fork's most famous wine producers are Wolffer Estate Vineyard and Duck Walk Vineyards. In Sagaponack, Wolffer's Summer in a Bottle Sauvignon Blanc flies off the shelves, and the tasting room requires you to make a reservation weeks in advance. It's a popular hangout spot, with live music, film screenings, dinners, and more. At Duck Walk's tasting room in Water Mill/Southampton, you can try their famous Vidal Ice Wine and Blueberry Port as well as more mainstream Pinot Grigio, Pinot Meunier, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Pinot Noir wines.

Between vineyard visits, there are plenty of things to do, including the boutiques and restaurants found in the picturesque town of Greenport on the North Fork where the East End Seaport Museum explains the town's seafaring heritage. Being surrounded by water, it would be a shame not to go to a beach or get out on a boat like the two-hour East End Seaport Cruise to Bug Lighthouse. In Water Mill, on the South Fork, the Parrish Art Museum is known for its collection of William Merritt Chase paintings as well as works by Ross Bleckner, Chuck Close, and more, all displayed in an architecturally notable building on 14 bucolic acres. On rainy days, you can take the little ones to Bridgehampton's Children's Museum of the East End. 

In Southold, the North Fork Table & Inn is a great dining choice for foodies, especially if you stay in one of four guest rooms above Chef John Fraser's acclaimed restaurant. An overnight stay costs in the range of $500 at the time of this writing. In Jamesport, the Jedediah Hawkins Inn is an 1863 Italianate manor on 22 acres, with six guest rooms and a restaurant; rates are in the $600 range. On the South Fork, Gurney's Montauk Resort & Seawater Spa is a full-service beachfront resort with prices averaging around $1,000 per night. And then you have Bridgehampton's Topping Rose House, an 1842 Greek Revival mansion with 22 guest accommodations and a restaurant by Jean-Georges Vongerichten with nightly prices often reaching well over $1,000.