Janet explores the gardens, B&B and vineyards of Long Island's famous North Fork.
This morning we awoke to hot coffee and tea awaiting us, as well as a sumptuous breakfast of an herb omelet, bacon, raisin scones, and fresh squeezed orange juice.
We said our goodbyes to the innkeepers, the Barnes, and ventured off to discover the Wine Country of Long Island. Our first stop was the Martha Clara Vineyards, opened in 1995. There are so many wineries to choose from - larger ones, smaller ones. This vineyard was owned by Mr. Entenmanns of the boxed cake fame. I think they should serve crumb cake with each wine tasting... now that would make this winery unique. Unfortunately, the weekend we were there, no tours had begun yet. Tours are given June through November and though they only opened their tasting room two years ago, they are already in the process of expanding.
Right across the road from Martha Clara was a Civil War encampment. We wandered through the campsites and watched the re-enactors demonstrate soldier life during that period of our history.
While walking around learning history in a fun fashion, we met soldiers of all ages engaged in the day to day chores and military routines necessary before battle. We even bumped into an 89-year-old gentleman who turned out to live only 4 blocks from our house! There he was dressed up in his military best and we had to travel hours to meet our neighbor.
Our next stop was Castello di Borghese, a vineyard under the name of Hargrove since 1973, the very first of, what later became, a Long Island industry. Ann Marie and Marco Borghese purchased it almost 4 years ago. While having continued with the same winemaker, they have proudly expanded vineyards and style of wines forging a rich North Fork tradition. The winery this day was in the midst of celebrating a "Bud Break". This has nothing to do with beer, but the time at which the bud on the grape vine breaks open with a new vine growth, that will later sprout forth the fruit. Ann Marie has a fascinating background and an interesting journey to her current place in the winery business. She and Marco are originally from Philadelphia. Ann Marie was into jewelry design and fine arts, while Marco was in the import / export business. They came to this area for a visit and went to a wine tasting like hundreds of others, at Hargrove. Simplifying the story, a year later the Borghese's bought the place and moved the whole family from Philadelphia. Sometimes the job picks you.
Drawing on her fine arts background, Ann Marie promotes the winery as a back drop for community events especially art showings. The "Bud Break" was a blending of art, food and wine. Various local restaurants and culinary boutiques donated food and then the appropriate wine was served with it. Guests bought tickets to the event and the proceeds went to benefit the Eastern Long Island Hospital.
The Borghese Winery is a true "Mom and Pop" facility with a core of loyal and caring workers headed by the Borgheses themselves. Ann Marie prides herself on running a winery that adds an element of culture to the area. She loved the fact that Cutchogue had an agriculture-based society and there is both proved tradition and hard work in working the land. Remember, "There is culture in agriculture" said Ann Marie.
The artists highlighted this day were Bernard Springstill and Mike Zisser. There paintings were displayed in two rooms. This is just one of many events highlighting the artists from the area.
The food was delicious at the "Bud Break" and the fun was getting to taste a little bit from many places, with wine as an enhancement.
We headed down the road and visited our last winery - Pindar. I say our last winery because my suggestion is that three should be a limit, due to the obvious fact that you are sipping wine repeatedly at each winery. Anyway, the Pindar tours begin on Memorial Day and continue through the fall. This winery opened in the 1980's by Dr. Damianos and he remains the owner today. Pindar was named after a Greek poet who wrote odes to the gods. Is this a reference that their wine is also an "ode to the gods"? Only tasting would tell.
We met Rose in the rather large wine tasting room and she gave us a brief history of the company and then a tasting. Don had his favorites but since I am not a wine drinker, I was surprised to discover a wine that I loved called Spring Splendor. It is light, fruity and if you do not like wine, I strongly recommend it. The tasting area was lively and quite crowded for the "off-season".
Even though there are lots of other wineries we were now "wined" out, so we drove to Greenport to explore the town. The main part of town is quaint and filled with shops inviting one to browse. From clothes to antiques to art galleries, so many shops designed to challenge even a professional shopper. Don managed to find 12 feet of ? inch rope in the ship's chandler. I kept asking why he needed it, but he just looked at me and smiled. I wondered about that rope and that smile all day!
We walked for about two hours, which was just enough to get rid of extra calories and to prepare for a restful sleep.
It was getting late so we headed off to the Tulip Tree Bed and Breakfast run by Kathy and Kevin Leavy. They are gregarious and friendly hosts. Kevin was a teacher and with summers off, they used to run B&Bs for other people during July and August. Two years ago they had a dream of having a B & B so they bought a property and designed their own. Thus they constructed the Tulip Tree Bed and Breakfast. If the Shorecrest is quaint and filled to the rafters with history, the Tulip Tree Inn is modern and minimalistic by comparison. It's a beautiful contemporary styled home built for ease of entrance, comfort and relaxation.
Each B & B is unique and offers something so individual. The Tulip Tree Inn although only two years old is getting word of mouth referrals not just for the Fork traveler, but local wedding guests and holiday house guests visiting nearby friends and family.
Our hosts recommended O'Mally's for dinner and we took them up on their suggestion. The atmosphere was lively and the food specialties were steaks and burgers. We headed back to our B & B and relaxed and unwound from a busy day of drinking wine, eating and shopping. The next morning at Tulip Tree Inn, breakfast was pineapple and yogurt, fresh waffles, sausage and fruit. We met two other houseguests staying there just to go golfing nearby. Again, I was thinking of our friend Jack who loves to golf. There are so many attractions in the area and now golf, we learn is another one. Jack and Emma would love this place!
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