Macari Vineyards & Winery

Macari Vineyards, located on Route 48 in Mattituck, doesn't have a resident winemaker. Instead, they have two consulting winemakers – Austrian Helmut Gangl and Chilean Paola Valverde. Co-owner and vineyard manager, Joe Macari, has also pioneered many of the environmentally friendly and sustainable vineyard practices on Long Island, teaching them to other growers in the area.

The winery and tasting room are built on around 400 acres of land that stretches from Route 48 all the way to Long Island Sound. Macari produces about 17,000 cases of wine each year, including Bergen Road (a Meritage-style red blend), Merlot, Cabernet Franc, three different Chardonnays, one of Long Island's best a Sauvignon Blancs, and this dessert wine – Block E.

Year in and year out, Block E is one of my favorite local after dinner sippers. Made in an ice wine style – that is, frozen commercially for five week father than made with naturally frozen grapes – the grapes were harvested in early September and early October. Sandy loam soils provide great drainage on the North Fork and those less-commercial vineyard techniques – compost teas, natural compost and other biodynamics – enrich the soil.

Gangl crafts this wine using Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier grapes. Its nose offers appealing melon, pear and apple aromas. Richly flavored but impressively clean – and surprisingly lithe – on the palate, it's filled with peach and honey flavors that aren't cloying in the least because of lively acidity and hints of crisp pear on an elegant finish. 421 cases were made.

Reviewed October 19, 2006 by Lenn Thompson.