The Wine Country Just Next Door
If you’re looking for a quick weekend out of town, skip over the sound to the north fork of long island. you’ll be greeted by surprisingly good wine, great restaurants, quaint town centers and beautiful country. By Dina Cheney
Forget Napa. Drive just 100 miles from Greenwich and find a bucolic agricultural region brimming with more than 30 wineries, farm stands, quaint mom-and-pop shops and warm people. The low-key North Fork of Long Island makes the South Fork — the famed Hamptons — seem like Times Square during rush hour.
Where to Stay
WATERFRONT LUXURY
Widely considered the most comfortable and luxurious place to stay in the North Fork, the 35 rooms at the modern Harborfront Inn at Greenport (theharborfront inn.com) are large and rich in amenities. You’ll find goose down comforters, Frette linens, flat-screen televisions and high-speed Internet access. Opt for one of the rooms with a private balcony overlooking the water and you’ll never want to leave. The shower, with its five adjustable massaging body sprays, will strengthen your resolve to stay. Continental breakfast is included.
VINEYARD CHIC
The Mattituck bed-and-breakfast Shinn Estate Farmhouse (shinnfarmhouse.com) deftly straddles old and new, rustic and high-end. Its four stylish rooms are housed in an updated 1880s homestead located right on Shinn Estate Vineyards. Along with antique pine floors, the guest rooms boast wireless Internet access and modern bathrooms. Perhaps their top assets are the panoramic views, plus the decadent country breakfasts (don’t miss the maple-smoked bacon) cooked by co-owner David Page, former chef and co-owner (with wife, Barbara Shinn) of Manhattan’s Home Restaurant. As an added bonus, guests can participate in a free wine tasting.
DECORATOR’S SPECIAL
Each of the 10 rooms at The Bartlett House Inn B&B (bartletthouseinn.com), a restored Classical Revival 1908 manse a couple of blocks from downtown Greenport, is decorated in a unique style by co-owner Diane Gilmore. Her many years as an interior designer for Ethan Allen (plus world travel with husband and co-owner, Jack Gilmore) resulted in the various themes, among them English Country and Asian. Eight of the rooms feature private, recently renovated baths; all offer high-speed wireless Internet access. The inn is a five-minute walk to the beach, and a stay includes a European buffet breakfast.
What to Do
SEE, SWIRL, SNIFF AND SIP
The primary draw to the North Fork is the 30-plus wineries that are open to the public, whose goods have been hailed by Wine Spectator and other prestigious publications. Experts credit the region’s maritime climate, geography and soil as key reasons for the quality bottles. To avoid drinking and driving, check out Vintage Tours (vintagetour1 .com), which offers personalized guided tours of many wineries.
At Croteaux Vineyards (croteaux.com) in Southold, you’ll feel as if you’re in Provence as you sip rosés in the charming tasting barn or French garden. Once a month, co-owner Paula Croteau teaches a cooking class. Classes are taught at the Farmhouse Kitchen Cooking School, which is part of the vineyard. (farmhousekitchen.us)
Head to the airy, stylish Tasting Room and Cottage at Bedell Cellars (bedellcellars.com) in Cutchogue to sample wines that have been poured at prestigious restaurants, such as Per Se. For a behind-the-scenes experience, participate in a tour and tasting (be sure to reserve in advance).
For a green perspective, check out Shinn Estate Vineyards (shinnestatevineyards.com) in Mattituck, which employs sustainable farming practices. Every weekend afternoon at 1:30 p.m., the owners offer a short walking tour and tasting.
SHOP “SMALL BOX”
In much of the North Fork, chain stores are elusive, which is just the way most residents want it. Instead, you’ll find flat farmland with numerous farm stands, such as Wickham’s Fruit Farm (wickhamsfruitfarm.com), and unique, privately owned shops.
On Peconic Lane in Peconic, White Flower Farmhouse (whiteflowerfarmhouse.com) is your source for rustic country décor. Right next door, A Taste of the North Fork (atasteofthenorthfork.com) sells condiments featuring wine and local produce (try the lemon verbena jelly).
In Mattituck, Love Lane is home to Country Pet Boutique (countrypetboutique.com), which sells strollers and massage lotion in “calming” lavender for our favorite four-legged friends. Across the street, The Village Cheese Shop (thevillagecheeseshop.com) offers nearly 250 different cheeses, plus a menu of regional cheese plates and fondues.
Downtown Greenport (greenportvillage .com), a working seaport since the 18th century, is home to can’t-miss stores like Sacred Sweets (sacredsweets.com), which prepares innovative and photogenic treats like chocolate Guinness cupcakes with Kahlua buttercream. Visit (on weekdays only) The National Scrabble Association, and purchase paraphernalia devoted to the much-loved word game, such as books and T-shirts (scrabbleassociation.com). Among the region’s many antique shops, Beall & Bell (beallandbell.com) is outstanding. Housed in a standalone white building, the shop serves up a mix of mid-century modern and older American and European furniture and decorative items. Nearby is Gallery M (gallerym.biz), which offers hand-signed, one-of-a-kind contemporary crafts and art in ceramics, glass, metal, wood, fiber and jewelry from both American and Canadian artists.
GET SOME FRESH AIR
To soak up nature and bird-watch, choose from among the area’s 10 parks and preserves (northfork.org). Glory, which its owners call “New York’s only electric-powered, nonpolluting harbor tour boat,” departs from the harbor at Greenport and offers several themed cruises as well (green portlaunch.com). The nonprofit East End Lighthouses (eastendlighthouses.org) offers cruises, departing from Greenport. Brooklyn Girl Fishing (brooklyngirlfishing.com) and Rainbow Charters (rainbowcharters.net) depart from Orient Point and host fishing trips, while Sail Long Island teaches sailing classes and gives two-hour boat rides (saillongisland.com). To rent kayaks or canoes, call Eagle’s Neck Paddling Company (eaglesneck.com).
Where to Eat
FIVE-STAR
It’s no surprise that The North Fork Table & Inn (northforktableandinn.com) in Southold is universally considered the top restaurant in the area. After all, Claudia Fleming (former pastry chef of Gramercy Tavern) and Gerry Hayden (former chef of Amuse and Aureole) are the forces behind its first-rate, seasonally driven American cuisine, served by welcoming staff in a refined yet comfortable setting. Choose from a three-course prix fixe ($68) or the five-course chef’s tasting menu ($95) brimming with locally grown produce. Although the menu changes frequently, expect to find winners like licorice-dusted Long Island duck breast with crisp duck confit strudel, glazed endive, asparagus and rhubarb gastrique; and chocolate caramel tart with milk chocolate mousse and caramel ice cream. If you’re too fatigued by the decadent meal to drive all the way back home, you can always book a cozy room and awaken to more award-winning fare, such as pastries and warm quiche.
SEXY SMALL PLATES
Locals swear by Noah’s in Greenport (chef noahschwartz.com), a moderately priced small plates restaurant and raw bar (the only one in town, with fresh oysters shucked to order). And they’re right: The innovative fare is a showcase of seasonal, local ingredients, like Pipes Cove oysters from Greenport. Don’t miss the crispy Tasmanian red crab tacos; Moroccan spiced lamb meatballs with pomegranate glaze, hummus and harissa; and s’mores pot de crème. Meanwhile, the dining room — with its long marble bar and cool green walls — is modern and sleek.
LOCAL FAVORITE
On Mattituck’s charming Love Lane, you’ll find Love Lane Kitchen (lovelanekitchen .com), a cherished community fixture — and for good reason. Its lunch menu is chock-full of the cozy comfort foods we all crave, like chicken noodle soup and Cuban sandwiches. Dinner is a slightly pricier experience, with comforting entrees like coconut curry chicken or pan-seared local striped bass (the dinner menu changes frequently). The friendly staff serves it all up in a casual setting, complete with blackboards and a tiled floor.
