I’m on the North Fork in Long Island, New York, yet feel like I’ve been transported to Provence, France. Thanks to the thought and care behind Croteaux Vineyard, that fleeting experience is made possible.
Sitting within a 200-year old barn sipping our millennial pink Rosé wines, I realize how unique Croteaux Vineyard proposition truly is. It’s a mix of everything. It’s wine, it’s location, it’s décor, and story. It was a rainy day on the North Fork, but that didn’t stop us from being outdoors. Croteaux Vineyard in Southold has a 200-year old barn that keeps people from getting wet while still enjoying the outdoors and two historic buildings now turned into tasting rooms. Blankets are given out to guests who are feeling cold. A pile of logs are stores in the front. It truly feels like an intimate experience.
The vineyard is set on two historic farms that have been in continuous agricultural production since the 1700s. Founded in 2003, Croteaux Vineyard is the nation’s only winery that exclusively produces rosé made from estate-grown merlot, cabernet franc and sauvignon blanc grapes. Each rosé is released in March and sold out come Fall.
Yes, I will admit. What initially drew me to Croteaux Vineyard was the décor. Even when it’s raining, the winery has plenty of indoor-outdoor areas that cover you from the rain. Nicole and I enjoyed a glass of rosé under the old barn with lavender and dry flowers hanging above our heads.
Across from us, were more rooms hidden inside the old shingle house. A wall in the back was lined with empty rosé bottles hanging from a string and the outdoor bar had colorful rosés hanging on the wall. On a beautiful day you could choose to drink at any of the outdoor tables out on the vineyard or bring your own picnic blanket and food and find a nice spot out on the grass. Needless to say, it’s a millennials dream scene. After all, the winery is coated in millennial pink colors!
>> Next: Southold, Long Island: An Overlooked Town On The North Fork
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