Wine enthusiasts still enjoying North Fork vineyards
Caitlin Ruane, 26, of Northport, right, celebrates her birthday at Laurel Lake Vineyards with friends, Christina Scordato, 25, of Hillsdale, N.J. and Jaenelle Hillman, 24, of Oxford, Conn. The three spent the early winter afternoon sampling wines at the north fork vineyard undeterred by the season. (Nov. 19, 2011) Credit: T.C. McCarthy
The season’s grapes have been harvested and the vines have browned. But that doesn’t stop people from visiting Laurel Lake Vineyard in Laurel during the winter season.
The Main Road vineyard had a few hundred people from all over the tri-state area walk through its doors throughout the day on Saturday.
By noon, two limos were in the winery’s parking lot after dropping off visitors making their way to Long Island’s North Fork because new seasonal wines are coming off the rack.
Caitlin Ruane of Northport was celebrating her 26th birthday with some friends as they kicked off the day’s festivities at Laurel Lake.
“I’ve never done this before and I’ve always heard it’s a good time,” she said. “It’s fun to drink local and winter or summer it’s the same, you can always go inside.”
Her friends Christina Scordato, 25, of Hillsdale, N.J., and Jaenelle Hillman, 24, of Oxford, Conn., joined Ruane for the day.
The three had never experienced a Long Island wine tasting before. So they made the most of the their inaugural Long Island wine tasting and sampled Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Golden Harvest Late Harvest, pinot noir, Syrah, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Reserve.
Huntington’s Andrea Mims and Jimmy Kursar stopped by the vineyard to sample some wines for their wedding this May, which they are holding at Laurel Lake. The couple have been visiting the winery nearly every month since they got together three years ago.
For them, the change in season only means new flavors.
“I don’t really have a preference [of season],” Mims said. “I appreciate whatever they have but right now, since it’s after the harvest, they’ll have something new.”
Hillman sipped on Cabernet Reserve at the tasting room bar -- it was her first time visiting a winery but she had learned a lot about it in the little time she was there.
“Wine doesn’t discriminate,” she saidm referring to seasons. “The experience was exactly what I was expecting and in terms of winter I think it’s cozy [in here].”
