Field Notes

News and Updates from the New York Wine & Grape Foundation

North Fork of Long Island

New York’s Wine Country in the Winter Has Something for Everyone

The winter is without a doubt one of the best times to explore wine country in New York. Not only are the vines often blanketed in winter white, there are fewer visitors, a range of imaginative events and more opportunities to learn from and interact with the people behind the wines. With more than 470 active wineries in the Empire State and 35,000+ acres under vine, there is plenty to

Long Time Lieb Cellars Winemaker Russell Hearn, Purchases Cutchogue Winery

CUTCHOGUE, NY (October 5, 2023) — As an affirmation to his belief in the quality, longevity, and sustainability of the North Fork of Long Island, Russell Hearn and business partners purchased Lieb Cellars after over thirty years as Lieb’s head winemaker. “I first met Mark and Kathy Lieb three decades ago. They were passionate about wine and looking to showcase the best Long Island had to offer, which continues to

Alethea Damianos Conroy

Family Behind Jason’s Vineyard Toasts to a Sparkling Legacy & Future

New York is justly celebrated for the incredible diversity of the wine that it produces, from grape varieties to styles. In sparkling form, everything from rustic Pet-Nat to meticulously crafted and aged traditional methode champenoise can be found. But the one that is really turning heads this year is a 2021 Bubbly Rosé from Jason’s Vineyard. The New York Wine Classic 2023, which celebrates the diversity of wine in New

Paumanok Vineyards Winemaker Reflects on Winery of the Year and Governor’s Cup Win

“I was speechless,” says Kareem Massoud, a second-generation winemaker at Paumanok Vineyards in Aquebogue, Long Island. Kareem was referring to the recent honors he received at the New York Wine Classic 2023, which celebrates the diversity of wine in New York State. This year, 749 wines were entered from 108 wineries across the state. Scores were awarded by the Beverage Testing Institute’s sensory panel, made up of sommeliers, retail buyers,

Macari Vineyards is doubling down on lifestyle

This summer, Macari finds themselves reinventing once again and the tasting experiences now include an option to enjoy a private tasting suite, or a cellar tour, tasting, and lunch between the vines. Gabriella and the team are especially excited about the return of the Macari Barrel Cellar Experience, which offers a flight of five newly released wines alongside cheese, charcuterie and locally made bread.

Hound’s Tree

Anchored in its 30-acre vineyard on the North Fork of Long Island, Hound’s Tree is the first and only estate winery and tasting room in New York City. Hound’s Tree’s mission is to convey a sense of place that is specific to New York. To produce wines that continue to explore and expand the idea of classic, cool climate, new world terroir.

McCall Wines

Our Family has been living in Cutchogue for five generations. We have been growing and selling fine wines on Long Island’s North Fork since 1997 in the hamlet of Cutchogue, where we have our family home. We have 45-acres, featuring eight different Bordeaux and Burgundian varietals, including 11 acres of Pinot Noir – the largest Pinot Noir planting on the East Coast. Following a French influenced model, we make high

Suhru Wines

Suhru Wines—a family run winery established in 2008—was a dream that developed over the course of Susan and Russell’s life together. Russell has inspired Susan’s passion for wine, introducing her to its many nuances, flavors, and styles. It is this joint love of wine that inspired Suhru Wines! At Suhru, we make wines from varietals we love and the ones we are passionate about. Our goal has always been to

Red Hook Winery

Founded in 2008 by Mark Snyder, The Red Hook Winery aims to uncover and highlight the best vineyard sites in New York state. From the salty, sea-breeze-blown North Fork of Long Island to the stone, shale, and winter-dominated Finger Lakes, we work with grape farmers who give agricultural definition to New York’s nascent wine growing country. All Red Hook Wine is produced from grape to bottle at our winery on

Lieb Cellars

Founded in 1992, Lieb Cellars is a 94-acre sustainably farmed vineyard and winery located on the North Fork of Long Island, 80 miles east of New York City. Lieb produces hand-crafted estate grown wines under the Lieb Cellars label and fresh, fruit-driven wines under their (second) Bridge Lane label. Pinot Blanc is their signature wine and has been called “excellent” by the New York Times. The Bridge Lane series is

bedell cellars aerial

The future of farming and great winemaking in New York: Sustainability at Bedell Cellars

At Bedell Cellars, sustainability is at the forefront of their vineyard management and winemaking programs. Their distinctive, terroir-driven wines are a direct result of their focus on biodiversity in the vineyard. Bedell Winemaker, Rich Olsen-Harbich has been a pioneer of winemaking in New York for over 30 years and co-founded Long Island Sustainable Winegrowing (LISW) in 2012.   LISW consists of a group vineyards and wineries who have joined together to be stewards of the Long Island region by adhering to core management criteria – it is the first of its kind on the East