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Assistant winemaker Zander Hargrave (l) and winemaker Greg Gove processing chardonnay this morning at Peconic Bay Winery.

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

Pbw-chard-sparkling Peconic Bay Winery harvested about 3.5 tons of chardonnay this morning from their Oregon Road vineyard — all intended for sparkling wine. The fruit came in at 18 brix on average.

According to winemaker Greg Gove "The fruit is nice and clean. Charlie Hargrave is my hero."

Hargrave is the the winery's vineyard manager. The fact that the fruit was clean — after a growing season that presented several challenges — speaks to his diligence and acumen.

This is the estate's third harvest for traditional sparkling wine production. The Winery plans to release it's first methode champenoise sparkling wine — which has yet to be named — in time for New Year's Eve this year.