Geography and climate: Long Island

The eastern Long Island region consists of three AVAs. Long Island, itself an AVA, had 2,400 acres/971 ha in 2014. Within the Long Island AVA are the North Fork of Long Island AVA (1986) and the Hamptons Long Island AVA (1985). Overall the East End has 66 producers, some of them using custom crush facility services. North Fork of Long Island is a peninsula surrounded by Long Island sound on the north, Peconic bay to the south, and the Atlantic ocean to the east. These bodies of water make the area temperate, sending breezes that moderate heat and cold, extending the periods when frost is not a threat, reducing daily temperature swings, and increasing winter precipitation. Local growers feel that the Atlantic’s maritime influence is similar to its influence on bordeaux. Long Island’s greatest viticultural hazard, however (apart from birds), is the threat of ocean hurricanes, and some vineyards on the South Fork shore have been sprayed by salt water (see salinity). The growing season is at least three weeks longer than other wine regions in New York state, which means that dark-skinned V. vinifera varieties, especially Merlot and Cabernet Franc, predominate for they may be ripened fully almost every year. Lovely traditional method sparkling wines are also produced. The North Fork soils have less silt and loam than those on the South Fork, and require irrigation because of their reduced water-holding capacity. The first pioneers to buy potato fields and replant them with vines were Alex and Louisa Hargrave, who founded Hargrave Vineyard (now Castello di Borghese), the first commercial V. vinifera vineyard on Long Island in 1973. The Hamptons is also a peninsula, south of North Fork of Long Island. Thus, Peconic bay now forms the northern edge, and the Atlantic ocean washes the east and south. The Atlantic provides the same benefits to this area as it does to North Fork. Spring fogs keep the area cool and prevent premature budbreak. The soils are deep and have a higher percentage of silt and loam, which makes for better water-holding capacity, requiring less irrigation. Eastern Long Island, with its desirability as a vacation area, enjoys increasingly strong sales of its wines to summer visitors.