Kickin it Casual on Peconic Bay

Written by Nicole Papantoniou

Manager Jim Silver insists you’ll have the most fun visiting Peconic Bay Winery than any other winery on Long Island. He says their tone is low-key and casual, and they keep it that way with live music playing four days a week from Thursday to Sunday. Peconic Bay Winery’s wine club is also the best you can join, he says. It’s very active, and members benefit from sharp discounts and special events held just for members.

Peconic Bay Winery’s roots date back to 1979 when it was founded. Its old vines produce very aromatic wines that contain a great amount of petrol, a key flavor in their very dry and intense Reisling. Silver suggests pairing the versatile Reisling with oysters or Asian food or simply sipping it on its own as an aperitif. In addition to the Reisling, Queens Uncorked 2011 participants were able to try Peconic Bay Winery’s Steel Fermented Chardonnay, an old clone of a lemongrass musque. The full-bodied white wine is rich, intense, and contains no oak at all. Silver suggests pairing it with seafood. “Things that grow together tend to go together,” he says.

Peconic Bay Winery, PO Box 818, Cutchogue, 631-734-7361, peconicbaywinery.com