Lettie Teague Tastes (and Likes) Long Island Wines

As you long-time readers know, I like seeing Long Island wines mentioned in the big-time, mainstream press…but I also find myself being critical of the coverage. Either the writers get their facts wrong, choose the completely wrong wineries to represent the region, or perpetuate the sort of "France and California" snobbery that I loathe so much.

But, Lettie Teague of Food & Wine Magazine gets it right in her recent story "Can Long Island Make World-Class Wines?" At least when it comes to the places she tasted, the wines she liked and the answer to that question.

My only comment would be in response to her questioning Long Island wine clubs vs. wider distribution. Might it be that wineries can simply make more money selling directly to their clubs than worrying about the out-dated, money-robbing distribution system? Do the best wineries need wider distribution when the wines sell out already?

Perhaps Long Island’s future is as a boutique region, and wider distribution won’t be necessary, because people will seek the wines out themselves. I know of at least a couple wineries moving in this direction.

Her "Five Long Island Favorites" are all good, though I wasn’t crazy about the 2004 Lenz Gewurzt. At least not when compared to some of their past vintages.