Long Island: World Class Wines?
In the thirty years since Alex and Louisa Hargrave planted their first vines in Cutchogue—a transforming event in local agricultural—vineyards have become a substantial part of the culture and a powerful economic force in the East End. The Long Island Wine Council, an industry group, describes itself as “dedicated to obtaining recognition for Long Island as a world-class region.”
This term, “world-class” has lately become the buzzword in local winemaking. Some representatives boldly append the adjective to their products, while others use it to describe a near-term goal. But how accurate a description is this? And how would you define a world-class wine region? I would include two essential characteristics. First is the ability to produce reasonably large quantities of good-to-excellent wines on a year-to- year basis, with some knockout, extraordinary wines in occasional years. Second, the outstanding vintages should have lasting power—the ability to be cellared for several years while the wine matures and takes on the nuances of taste, aroma, feel and finish that aging can impart.
I had this in mind recently when I sampled a 1995 Hargrave Merlot and a 1996 Hargrave Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. These bottles were among the later wines produced under that label, before the winery was sold to the Borghese family in 1999. Even though these wines—which I shared at home with Louisa Hargrave and some friends—are not commercially available now, I thought they might be an accurate test of regional quality and potential longevity. I reasoned that they ought to reflect the Hargrave winemaking style at its peak—experienced winemakers with a highly evolved technique working with grapes from mature vines of which they had intimate knowledge.
The age of the wines seemed right. Both years were good vintages on the North Fork, of high enough quality to have the potential to improve with time. On tasting, I found both were fine wines, ripe, soft and aromatic. The merlot had a lush taste with that telltale scent of plums and berries, a medium body, and moderate depth. The cabernet sauvignon, in my opinion, had benefited more from aging. It was dense and rich, concentrated and textured, with a thrill or two in each sip.
Both these wines passed my subjective test for quality and longevity, but I am still not quite ready to go all the way and join in proclaiming Long Island among the foremost viticulture areas of the world. My job, after all, is to examine and interpret, not to promote.
I think local winemakers should be very proud of the array of wines they are producing—from simple, everyday whites for sipping to expansive reds that challenge and delight. Their accomplishments are remarkable in a business fraught with risk, and they have come through with an interesting selection, good overall quality, fair prices and professional reliability. They are as a serious and dedicated group as you will find anywhere. OK, I’ll say it: anywhere in the world.
As far as establishing a reputation as “world-class,” I am rooting for our Long Island winemakers. I’d love to see it happen, and I believe there is a good chance it will emerge gradually, over time, without pronouncements. For now, I will sample and judge, and in future columns I will report on noteworthy wines that I think are helping Long Island achieve its desired place in the wine world—and, at the same time, that add to our personal pleasures.
