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Updated: 4/20/2010 - 3:08 PM

New tasting rooms
A pictorial tour of the five newest tasting rooms  see slideshow

Picnic at One Woman Wines & Vineyard
In spite of the dire - but thankfully improving - news about the overall economy, Long Island Wine Country continues to grow in size and stature. Here we present five of the newest tasting rooms.

Macari Vineyards, Cutchogue 
This summer Macari Vineyards & Winery opened its second tasting room, on Main Road in Cutchogue, where first Gristina and then Galluccio held sway. Situated on a rare North Fork hilltop overlooking the vines, the tasting room has been refurbished and redecorated to an understated, sleek and elegant shine. A tasting deck with umbrella-covered tables overlooks the vineyard and displays of colorful wine bottles in the tasting room catch the afternoon sunlight through arched glass doors. Like the original in Mattituck, this Macari location boasts a roomy fireplace.

Jason's Vineyard, Jamesport
Longtime North Fork winemaker Jason Damianos opened his new, 2,000-square-foot tasting room in July, next to his new winery on Main Road in Jamesport. The 30-foot tasting bar, with its striking painted eyes, was designed after the mythical Greek ship Argo, sailed by Jason and his men to capture the Golden Fleece. A painting of the Argo by local artist Lynn Curley appears on the winery's labels; the original hangs on the back wall. Mr. Damianos designed the building himself, developed it with an architect, and then acted as his own contractor. A spacious covered deck affords sheltered space for sitting, sipping and listening to live music within view of the vines, and there's a beautiful space upstairs for private parties.

Sparkling Pointe, Southold
Sparkling Pointe's tasting room and wine center were still being completed as we went to press, so we can give you only the barest hint of the grandness to come. The 10,000-square-foot, French chateau-style facility, replete with vaulted ceilings and elegant details, features a generous central tasting room, a VIP lounge overlooking what will be a state-of-the-art “méthode Champenoise” winery, private wine library for special tastings, wine boutique, and outdoor terrace with vineyard view. Sparkling Point is on Route 48 — otherwise known as the North Road — in Southold.
 
Croteaux Rosé Vineyards, Southold

Owners Michael and Paula Croteau are restoring a 1749 Dutch Colonial barn to become their tasting room, but until then, visitors can enjoy a relaxing sojourn in an open courtyard next to it or a partially enclosed, curtained patio lined with cushioned benches and supplied with board games. Once seated in one of the red wrought-iron chairs under a shady umbrella, sipping the proprietors' acclaimed rosé, guests may find it hard to tear themselves away from this idyllic hideaway. You'll find it on South Harbor Lane, off Main Road in Southold.

One Woman Wines ?& Vineyards, Southold
A former farm mechanic's shed has been converted to a tiny, rustic tasting room for One Woman Wines & Vineyards, a little off the beaten path on Old North Road, off Route 48 in Southold. This inviting spot has a small deck and picnic tables out front, from where you might catch a glimpse of owner Claudia Purita — the “one woman” herself — toiling among her treasured vines. In season, the flowers that grace the tasting room come from Claudia's garden. For more on One Woman Wines & Vineyards, see “New Producers Crop Up.”



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