EAST COAST WINE -are there any good ones, does any one know or recommend any?

champagne.gif This might sound stupid, but I live in the east coast and wish I could go to napa and sonoma asap, but with travel restrictions and other issues in 2020, i
Are there decent wine tastings or vineyards closer to the east coast that anyone can recommend this newbie? Any information would be great!!! ( not wine classes or wine making classes/ courses though) like a decent or local vineyards in the east coast? Thank you!!

Although I have very little experience with the wines themselves, there’s a big scene in Finger Lakes. Lots of good wineries with award-winning wines there.

East end of Long Island has several wineries worth checking out.

Use the search function. Several threads on the subject.

Long Island:
Paumonok
Macari
Channing Daughters
Bedell Cellars
Lieb Cellars/Bridge Lane

Finger Lakes:
Dr Konstantin Frank
Forge Cellars
Ravines
Sheldrake Point
Silver Thread

There is a lot of diversity and a lot of ground to cover. Do a search and look for some TN’s or writeups on these wineries here in past threads. I also highly recommend Lenn Thompson’s The Cork Report, which focuses exclusively on US wine and specifically on ‘other than west coast.’
https://thecorkreport.us/

In very general terms, Finger Lakes is known more for Riesling and other aromatic varieties for white, and Cab Franc or Pinot Noir for red. Long Island is known more for Bordeaux varieties and blends. Paumonok is really a benchmark out there for me. Try their Chenin Blanc.

Good luck!

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Paumonok chenin blanc indeed!!!

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Oh wow, thank you all! Thank you Brent. I know that people say just Google it but I am not a believer of Google and reviews like that because I knew of people that ran review mills and posting fake reviews so I am grateful for all the info. I am in NY so long island is just a drive away , I’m excited that there’s a bunch there! Im going to check if they are open and hopefully the covid restrictions do not make it a red zone. Would love to go wine tasting this winter!

Read through these. No fake reviews.

Some places to dine also.


https://www.wineberserkers.com/forum/search.php?keywords=+North+fork&terms=all&author=&sc=1&sf=titleonly&sr=posts&sk=t&sd=d&st=0&ch=300&t=0&submit=Search

Lisa,
The Massouds are gracious hosts at Paumonok as are Paul and Shannon Brock at Silver Thread. Most places are pretty easy to deal with if you reach out direct.

Had a bottle of Heart and Hands single vineyard Pinot Noir that blew us away.

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You might also explore the Hudson Valley region depending upon where you are located in NY. We have been to numerous Long Island Wineries and find the Hudson Valley offers comparable quality wineries such as Ben Marl, Brotherhood< Millbrook, Stoutridge, WhiteCliff, Clearview just to name a few and then there’s the Finger Lakes region as well.

Hi Lisa and welcome to the board. Following on from the other thread, don’t worry about asking questions, it is the best way to learn.

Not sure whether you are just looking for good wine to buy or the fun of the winery visit experience (obviously much more fun after the pandemic subsides). If the latter and you are looking for getaways, there are a large number of wineries in VA that are fun to visit but most aren’t producing high quality wines, especially when you factor in cost. But they can be a great way to spend a spring/fall weekend with friends as part of visit to the area. Barboursville makes some nice Italian wines; they are just outside Charlottesville, VA. Here is one recent thread with some reviews/recommendations:

https://www.wineberserkers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=3060158#p3060158

Thank you brent, troy, stephen and thomas. I wrote down on a list all that you guys recommended and I will search and call each on to see what kind of offerings and hopefully a schedule trip soon. I dont know how much a beginning should expect to spend on a beginning level wine tasting trip, going to see what kind of covid restrictions and imposed her on east coast side . I’m expected either a limited schedule or perhaps I might have to wait a couple months instead of a winter trip. Thank you all so much.

Finger lakes:

  • Boundary breaks
  • Dr. Konstantin Frank
  • Herman J. Wiemer
  • Hosmer
    You can stay in Geneva, at Geneva on the Lake for a luxurious and central location.

Virginia:

  • Barboursville
  • Chateau Morrisette
  • there are many more, but you have to be selective…

Hi astrid, thank you . many have recommended the fingerlakes and ir looks definitely promising. I will do new York first , and fingerlakes second or third. And I’m not against reviews that are real, I just don’t trust google reviews anymore after seeing the problems with fake reviews driving traffic there, that’s why this forum is so helpful and pretty much will be my guide to immersing myself in wine . I am not trying to be picky because saving money is a big deal for me so im gonna try to budget each trip until my financial situation changes drastically. Right now this forum is directing me on where and how, so thank you too for that. I’ve written down each name into my new wine notebook and researching each one. I think I’m looking forward to the fingerlakes the most and being most recommended by everyone here, I know it won’t disappoint!!

Some recs:

Finger Lakes:
Hermann Weimer
Dr. Konstantin Frank
Heron Hill and Sheldrake Point used to be favorites, but I have not had anything from either in a decade. I am overdue to make a return trip to the Finger Lakes after the pandemic.

Long Island
Channing Daughters is my favorite from LI, and probably my favorite winery on the East Coast
Others: Paumanok, Macari, Wölffer, Shinn, Bedell.

Virginia:
Barboursville, especially the Malvasia Paxxito
The only Norton that I’ve had was from Horton about 15 years ago, but this is a grape that I’d like to try more from.

Pennsylvania:
Under Eric Miller, Chaddsford made some excellent wines, particularly the Merican and Dessert Riesling. The winery was sold in 2012, however. A quick look at their website suggests that they may have gone in a very different direction.

Massachusetts:
Westport Rivers makes very good sparkling wines and one of the better American examples of Grüner Veltliner. If you’re ever at Horseneck Beach, it’s definitely worth a visit.

Rhode Island
Years ago, Sakonnet made a very nice Gewürztraminer, but I have not been there in some time.

Finally, La Garagista in Vermont is on my list of wineries to visit after the pandemic (hopefully, later this coming summer). They have a strong reputation in the natural wine community.

Virginia Viognier is something to search out. Haven’t visited for a couple of years, but I bought the Jefferson Winery’s along with a fee others that I can’t recall.

Heart & Hands is making some very nice wines, PN in particular. Good of you to post this, as they are not as well known as they should be.

Channing Daughters is my favorite on the south fork.

Paumanok is my favorite on the North Fork of Long Island. All the wineries are sort of close together, and easy to visit.

Search for it, but I had a Virginia wine thread a while back that got a lot of good replies.

Barboursville is a good one-stop place for a sampling of great reds and whites from Virginia.
Linden has some great chards.
King Family is great as well.

Those three cover about 4 hours of driving in the state, though. Not exactly Napa levels of convenience to hit several in a day.

After that it’s hit and miss. Some great wineries, some wineries that make one really good wine and a lot of plonk, and some that are wedding venues that sell wine that 7-11 would pass on.

RdV in Virginia has been on my list for awhile - seems to be quite popular.