Appellation · United States
Long Island
A maritime AVA on the eastern end of the island, and the only significant Bordeaux-variety region on the American east coast.
Medium-bodied Merlot and Cabernet Franc with red fruit, herbs and moderate tannin — closer to Bordeaux in weight than to California.
About Long Island
Long Island’s vineyards sit on the eastern forks, surrounded by water on three sides, which gives a long, mild growing season and a late harvest.
It is the one place on the American east coast where Bordeaux varieties ripen reliably, and Merlot and Cabernet Franc are the strengths.
Autumn hurricanes are the principal hazard, and they have written off entire vintages.
What the name means
- Legal name
- Long Island AVA
- Type
- American Viticultural Area (AVA)
- Set by
- Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB)
- Recognised
- 2001
- Regulates
- Origin only. It sets no rules about varieties, yields, ageing or winemaking.
Only where the grapes were grown, plus the percentage that must come from the named area. An AVA sets no varietal, yield, ageing or winemaking rules whatsoever — the single most commonly misunderstood fact about US wine labels.
Contains the North Fork of Long Island and The Hamptons sub-AVAs.
Grapes
Wines from here
What to eat, and how to serve it
Derived from this region’s signature styles. Each is listed separately, because a region does not have one serving temperature.
Medium-bodied dry red
Serve at 15–17°C (cellar cool).
Try with fillet steak, grilled chicken or turkey.
Where to go next
Places worth trying if you like this one — neighbours, rivals, and the obvious step across.
- New York State — A cold-climate eastern state whose serious wine depends entirely on large bodies of water keeping the vines alive through winter.
- Finger Lakes — New York State’s cool-climate region, producing dry and off-dry Riesling of genuine quality.
Sources
Sources consulted
- American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) — Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), US Department of the Treasury