Before I made the move up north I spent a lot of time visiting Long Island wine country. There are many wineries there that are worth visiting and they are producing some very good quality wines from many different grape varietals. While the majority of vineyards are located on the North Fork, on our last trip we headed to the South Fork to spend an afternoon at Wölffer. We had time to visit another winery before our dinner reservation so we decided we would check out Channing Daughters Winery in Bridgehampton. I had heard about Channing Daughters previously, but knew nothing about their history or the wines they were producing. The property consists of a small tasting room and 28 acres of vines. Sculptures by the owner, Walter Channing, are placed around the grounds. Even though Channing Daughters is a small producer, they grow more than two dozen grape varieties to produce both red and white wines. Their wines are made entirely by hand using traditional methods. Since the quantities made are small, the winemaker is able to experiment with different techniques and blends to make distinct and interesting wines.
I purchased several bottles during our visit: Vino Bianco, Rosato Pétillant Naturel, and the Petit Verdot 2015. I had been holding onto the Petit Verdot since my visit and finally decided it was time to enjoy it. Petit Verdot is a Bordeaux varietal usually used for blending, but there are also very good and outstanding wines made as a single varietal. Channing Daughters Petit Verdot is deep ruby in the glass and has medium intensity black fruit and spice aromas. On the palate there are primary flavors of black cherry, and blackberry giving way to a hint of cinnamon. It is a dry wine, full bodied with high tannins, medium acidity, and a medium length finish. Alcohol level is also medium at 12.5% abv. The wine is aged in neutral oak for 18 months. The current vintage being sold at the winery is the 2017 and retails for less than $40. In addition to the wines available for tasting they also produce several variations of Vermouth which you can sample as well. If you are planning a trip out east and Long Island wineries are part of your itinerary definitely check out Channing Daughters. If you need any advice on other wineries you should visit feel free to direct message me on Instagram or email me via my contact page.
