Anthony Nappa Wines
Who: Anthony Nappa, the winemaker at Peconic’s Raphael, makes 1,500 to 2,000 cases of wine a year under his own label. “It gives me the freedom to experiment,” says Nappa. “If you grow beyond 2,000 cases a year, you begin to risk quality and profitability.”
Wine Picks: Nappa’s big hit is Anomaly, so named because it’s a white Pinot Noir made from red grapes. His Cabernet Franc, Bordo, is also unique for its light-bodied style and herbal hints of sage, thyme, and parsley.
What’s More: The winemaker buys mostly North Fork grapes and bottles a dozen different varieties, from Riesling to Malbec. Sample Nappa’s wines and other small-producer brands at his cooperative tasting room, the Winemaker Studio, in Peconic.
Coffee Pot Cellars
Who: Osprey’s Dominion Vineyards winemaker Adam Suprenant named his own label Coffee Pot Cellars after an Orient Point lighthouse. “I am a garagiste, and I want to remain one,” he says, “so I’ll peak at no more than 1,500 cases a year.”
Wine Picks: Suprenant makes three whites and three Merlot-heavy reds. Both the 2010 Meritage Blend and the 2013 Chardonnay received 90 points from Robert Parker.
What’s More: Suprenant sometimes acts as a négociant, blending other area wines to sell. He offers these as well as his original creations at Anthony Nappa’s Winemaker Studio and at his own Cutchogue tasting room, which also carries a line of unfiltered honey and beeswax candles made by Klahre, who is a beekeeper.
Harbes Vineyard
Who: For 11 years, the Harbes Family Farm—an East End fixture for 13 generations—has been turning out wine from its five-acre Mattituck vineyard overlooking Long Island Sound. “We grow 2.5 acres each of Chardonnay and Merlot and produce 1,700 cases a year,” says manager Dave Harbes.
Wine Picks: Harbes Vineyard’s Hallock Lane 2013 Merlot took double gold at the annual New York Wine & Food Classic. The label also makes Blanc de Blancs sparkling, ice wine, rosé, a red blend, and three whites.
What’s More: A visit to Harbes Vineyard isn’t limited to tasting wine in a century-old potato barn. The family-friendly Barnyard Adventure area features animals and a hedge maze.
