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Health & Fitness

Drinking Wine Locally? Some Bottle Suggestions From Three Village Shops and Long Island Wineries

Need some help picking out a bottle of wine? Check out my list of great summer wines from local shops and wineries.

Summer brings lots of local seafood and grilled meals to our tables in the Three Villages. If you're like me, you like to pair your homemade feasts with a good white or red wine. Luckily, there are lots of places in the Three Village area to pick up a good bottle of wine, not to mention the plethora of vineyards out on the North Fork. Here are some of my favorites found in Three Village shops and out East.

The Whites

Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc / Viognier 2009 

My wife and I first started drinking this wine after visiting , the small wine store across from Se-Port Deli. It's unique blend creates a wine that is both crisp with the Chenin's melon notes and full with Viognier's floral and stonefruit aromas. Certainly not overly sweet (or my wife wouldn't drink it), it has wonderful body with a slight mineral finish. This is a perfect wine for the non-Chardonnay drinker to pair with scallops or halibut. Although I haven't tried it yet, I bet it'd be really good with some lobster too. With 90 points from Robert Parker and at $12.99 retail, you simply can't go wrong.

Shinn Estate Vineyards Coalescence 2010

If you've been reading this blog, you'll know that I'm a big fan of David Page and Barbara Shinn's winery. Biodynamic, and newly certified organic, Shinn takes prides in her vines and doing what's right for the land. Lucky for us, it pays off in some really great wine. While not their most "boom-wow" wine, their Coalescence has become a go-to for me as a great Long Island table wine. A careful blend of white grapes, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, White Merlot, and Riesling, creates a wine that is slightly sweet, but with wonderful citrus notes and minerality at the end. Absolutely refreshing on a summer day, it's great with a cheese plate or for pairing with some Blue Point oysters and Peconic Bay scallops for a Long Island meal. Retails for $16 at the vineyard.

Soave Classico 2010

My new favorite wine store just opened within walking distance of my house. Which is certainly not helping reduce the wine budget. , Stony Brook Village's newest wine boutique, is run by a fantastic frenchman named Christophe. A veteran of the NYC restaurant world, he is incredibly knowledgeable and picks "only good wine" to sell in his shop. Not only that, he also offers tastings in his shop on Fridays and Saturdays, so you can "experience the wine, not just learn about it." Such was the case when he introduced me to Soave, an italian wine from Northeastern Italy around Verona. A dry wine with floral aromas and light citrus, apple, and mineral notes in the body, it's one of my new favorites. I believe it's around $12.99 and great for pairing with summer pastas.

Lieb Cellars Merlot Blanc

I recently poured a tasting of several Long Island wines for some friends, and while everyone had a different favorite, everyone was intrigued by Lieb's Merlot Blanc. A white wine made from a red grape, this wine is simply worth trying for its uniqueness. While there are a couple other vineyards that make a white merlot on Long Island, Lieb is a good place to try it. The wine has bright apple, stone fruit, and cherry notes with a clean, refreshing finish. Retailing for $15 at the vineyard, you can find it cheaper online. It's a great wine to bring to a party as a conversation piece...you know, if you're a wine dork like me.

Oxford Landing Viognier 2009

The last white wine I'll highlight is a classic everyday wine. At $8.99, you wouldn't expect this Australian viognier to have as full a body and beautiful floral characteristics as it does. Pear, honeysuckle, and sweet spice notes float through this wine's soft texture.  Rated 88 by Wine Spectator, it's a really great wine to pair with any seafood prepared with butter or while sitting in a hammock while the summer breeze lulls you into relaxation. Get it locally at in Stony Brook, NY.

The Reds

Morse Code Shiraz 2009

Another wine introduced to me by Christophe of , this shiraz is a fantastic wine to pair with your grilling exploits of the summer. Certainly fruit forward as Australian Shiraz tends to be, it isn't too overpowering. Aromas of ripe cherry and rose turn into medium bodied notes of dark berry and licorice with a wonderful velvety tannic feel. Purposefully not aged in oak for very long, the wine lets the fruit do the talking which converses incredibly well with a juicy burger or steak. Price: $12.99.

Excelsior Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

Just last night, Jac and I were remarking how much we like this wine. Cheap, good, and full of decent flavor, this South African cab is a perfect go-to for summer grilling. Dark berries, slight leather, and spices combine in this wine's smooth body. We've literally drank it with everything from pizza to cheese to grilled asparagus. At $8.99 at (and $6.99 at Bottle Blowout on Rt. 347), it's a fantastic budget choice for everyday drinking.

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Dave Seel is a local food and drink blogger. You can read about his adventures, recipies, and drinking exploits at The Art (and Science) of Food Adventuring.

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