A Night of Long Island Wines

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We’ve already established I’m a huge fan of Long Island wines. All New York wines. And while the trip isn’t that far mile-wise (hey, we’re all part of the same island) a two-hour trip can easily double or triple come summer. All Hampton goers, heading out to their beach houses, crowd the LIE so much you’re left with miles of parking lot. And once you finally make it to your destination, things don’t improve that much. Tasting rooms are overflowing. While the wine will never run out, the intimacy is lost. My husband and I are pretty firm about our North Fork expeditions. Summer weekday day trips only. Otherwise, we avoid the area like a plague between May and October. While the Hampton’s crowd may calm down post Labor Day, the harvest season is just ramping up. So you can imagine how excited I get when Brooklyn Uncorked rolls around each year. Rather than schlepping up to the North Fork, traveling from winery to winery, the North Fork comes here. Dozens of wineries, all under one roof, for one fantastic evening.

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Escape to the Finger Lakes

Winter in Wine Country means no crowds and plenty of time to chat with the winemakers

Winter in Wine Country means no crowds and plenty of time to chat with the winemakers

Being a New York Locavore means not only eating locally but drinking locally too. Which means spending ample time sipping local wines. New York has three major wine regions–the North Fork of Long Island, the Finger Lakes and the Hudson Valley. We get out to the North Fork a few times a year. A quick day trip, courtesy of Zipcar or a leisurely train ride and we’re there. And the Hudson Valley  is practically a stone’s throw from our parents’ homes, so getting out there isn’t a problem. That only leaves the Finger Lakes. There’s no easy way to get there besides renting a car and driving the 5.5 hour trek. To make it worth it we stay at least three nights, meaning a long weekend, meaning using an extremely coveted vacation day. We take our time off very seriously and if it comes down to spending an extra day in Ireland or a weekend in the Finger Lakes, Ireland wins hands down. So, the moral of the story is, we don’t get up to the Finger Lakes too often. Though when we finally make the trek earlier this month for the first time in 4 years it made me wonder what kept us away for so long.

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North Fork Not Napa

I love Brooklyn, but I love the fall and harvest much more. As we get into September and October, you’ll rarely find me in Brooklyn or any of the five boroughs on the weekend. I try to escape the city as much as possible, get out to the country, see the leaves and enjoy the fresh air. This weekend, we’re off to Long Island.

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Brooklyn Locavore Approved: Brooklyn Winery

If you didn’t already know, I’m a HUGE wine fan, especially local wine. Well, you can’t really get more local than Brooklyn wine can you? Last night I had the opportunity to visit the Brooklyn Winery in Williamburg, sample some of their wine and take a tour. A must do for any Brooklyn tourist OR local!

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