Long Island. Home to beautiful beaches and epic traffic, Once regaled for big hair and Billy Joel, this New York offshoot is now gaining notoriety for the wine growing region which was only established as an AVA in 2001. People from New York City and other parts of New England are now flocking to the area for more than just a weekend getaway to rub elbows with the rich and famous in the Hamptons. Wine tours are now a regular retreat from the City for bachelorette parties, couples, and the aspiring wine connoisseur. There are many experts who are championing Long Island as the next up and coming wine region.

With over 38 vineyards on the Island, there is something for everyone, from small, intimate tasting rooms with a concise portfolio of wines to expansive vineyards with multiple tasting bars and even more varietals. Amongst them all, in 2013 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo awarded McCall Wines as the New York Wine & Food Classics Winery of the Year, and as we know, his opinion has a lot of clout these days.

McCall Vineyards stands out as a family run farm committed to quality, consistency and sustainability. The tasting room offers a rustic charm as it was a horse stable prior and is to the property, serving as a potato barn during the early nineteen hundreds. They grow several classic varietals, but their 2015 Cabernet Franc Estate stands out by producing a beautiful wine from a grape that doesn’t often stand alone. 

The cabernet franc grape, one of the five varietals blended in Bordeaux, is also known to grow well in the Long Island climate and McCall Vineyards produces an outstanding example. The vines, originally planted on the McCall property in 1983, have been revived and made into small production old vine wines, which offer ripe cherry and raspberries, with a smoky green pepper edge, and notes of cedar and tobacco to enhance its complexity. The wine is aged in French oak to enhance the spices and complexity. 

COVID Pairing Notes: A Hearty Cheeseburger or a French Dip Sandwich from your favorite local restaurant.