The buildings line the two main roads of the North Fork between Riverhead and Greenport, changing the landscape from potato farms to grapes. The growing conditions are particularly hospitable to chardonnay and merlot, but there’s a growing market for the delicately fruity reisling, the spicy gewurztraminer, and the earthy cabernet franc. At Long Island wineries, you can taste them all. With almost 2 dozen wineries, it’s hard to decide where to begin. Some are known for their excellent wines, others are just lots of fun.

Martha Clara

Martha Clara is one of the newer wineries on the North Fork. The people pouring the wines are knowledgeable and friendly. Vising during the off-season those pouring the wine generally have time to spend discussing the grapes and processing. Long Island wines are rich in variety, and Martha Clara is growing Syrah (a lovely red wine), a Semillon (a crisp white) as well as Merlots and Chardonnays.

Castello di Borghese/Hargrave Vineyard

This is the winery that started it all. In 1973 Louisa and Alex Hargrave founded Hargrave vineyard and created a new industry on Long Island. Eventually these pioneers decided to move on to other activities and in 1999 Ann Marie and Marco Borghese purchased the vineyard.

From the outside the building looks deceptively small. When you walk inside you are in the midst of an art gallery with a baby grand piano. There are offices to the right and straight ahead is a room used to provide a mini-tour. To the left is the warm and friendly tasting room. There's lots of wood and racks of bottles. Here too the hosts are friendly and knowledgeable.

Recently, Castello di Borghese won silver medals for its Cabernet Franc 2000 Reserve and Merlot 2000 Reserve, awarded by the 2003 Florida State International Wine Competition. Castello di Borghese also offers special events throughout the year.

Pellegrini Vineyards

The tasting room is light and airy with high ceilings and exposed beams. Tables are available indoor and on the patio in the courtyard. It’s a lovely relaxed atmosphere. Although at one time tastings at all wineries were free, this is starting to change. There is a $2 charge for three choices from among their EastEnd Select, and Pellegrini labels. Their prize-winning Vintner’s Pride tastings are $6.00 for three choices. They’re called tastings, but these are full 2 oz pourings.

Although you’ll go for the wine, Bob Pellegrini likes to surprise visitors from time to time by playing his Verbeeck Concert Organ. It’s a 1920’s style self-contained orchestral organ that simulates violins, xylophone, drums, cellos, flutes and more all in one beautifully ornate wrapping.

This is also an award-winning vineyard. Based on awards won at the 2002 New York Wine and Food Classic Pellegrini Vineyards has been named Winery of the Year. Known for their reds medals were given to their 1997 Encore, a blend of the best blocks of cabernet sauvignon and merlot, with touches of cabernet franc and petite verdot. Their 1998 Cabernet Franc, and 1998 Vintner’s Pride Merlot also won awards.

Bedell

Another award-winning winery known for their reds, Bedell also has a friendly tasting room with large sun-drenched bar. The staff is knowledgeable and eager to talk about their favorite subject…wine.

Visitors can sample their nonvintage Main Road Red, a zippy blend of merlot, cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon. And similarly the Main Road White blends chardonnay, reisling and gewurztraminer. But they also offered their chardonnay reserve, and their merlots and cabernet sauvignon for a total of five wines. Bedell has not yet started to charge. The samples are small, but definitely adequate as tastings. They pour not only their less expensive wines, but their special reserve wines too. It’s part tasting, part friendly chat with experts.

Pindar Vineyard

The tasting room at Pindar feels like you’re in a neighborhood tavern. Only everyone is drinking wine. It's also a rather large tavern, not all together strange considering it was a potato barn in the 1840s. On the left tables are covered with bottles of wine for sale, and to the right a huge bar where the wine was poured. But straight ahead, and up near to top of the ceiling is a magnificent stained glass window specially commissioned for the winery.

The tasting area felt like we had stumbled into Cheers.Everyone was drinking and talking and, well, partying. It's as if stopping at Pindar for conversation and a few tastes is a local weekend activity. And we can see why. The staff is congenial but with folks crowding around the long bar running the length of the room, there’s little opportunity to learn about the wine. On the other hand, it’s lots of fun. And they certainly pour many different varieties of wine. It’s probably the reason that readers of Long Island Wine Gazette voted Pindar as their favorite tasting room in April, 2003. A prolific producer, their tastings menu include a large selection of reds, whites, and blends.