Wolffer Estate, Long Island, New York

Someone told me that the soil profile in Long Island is similar to that of Pomerol, Bordeaux. There is an abundance of iron and other wine-friendly minerals. There still is no conclusive scientific study proving that if you have “X” amount of iron in the soil than you will have “Y” amount of complexity in the wine. It’s hard to quantify nature. It’s harder still to try and predict, year after year, what the harvest will bring and how much of the soil composition will shine through.

What struck me while tasting through their portfolio, from rose’ to Cabernet Sauvignon, was the depth and balance. There was good fruit,  acidity and minerality. Yeah, that part of America  (Sag Harbor, NY by the ocean) also happens to be beautiful. So, as Labor Day approaches, if you are in that area it’s worth the visit. Here is some information on Wolffer Estate:

European Tradition in the Heart of Long Island Wine Country

Founded in 1988 by Hamburg-born Christian Wölffer, Wölffer Estate Vineyard, a 55-acre winery located in Sagaponack, (Long Island), New York, in the heart of the Hamptons between Southampton and East Hampton is an American winery with a European character.  These former potato fields now produce 16,000-20,000 cases each year. The winery is located on the same property as Wölffer Estate Stables, a premier equestrian facility.

Commitment to Sustainable Agriculture – Vineyard & Winemaking

Under Winemaker/Technical Director Roman Roth’s care, Wölffer Estate Vineyard’s wines are made with a concentration of fruit and lively acidity.  The winery practices sustainable agriculture, and is committed to a non-interventionist approach that results in a full expression of the unique terroir of these Sagaponack vineyards.  Similar in many respects to conditions in Bordeaux, the local Bridgehampton loam soil is a by-product of the glacial moraine that formed Long Island.

German-born Roth and American vineyard manager, Richard Pisacano work to harness the full potential of the terroir and macroclimate, which is constantly bathed in cool breezes from the Atlantic, only 2.6 miles away. It is this combination of climate and soil that lends ripeness and acidity necessary for Wölffer’s signature style.

The entire vineyard staff regards itself as the custodian of the vines, with hands-on care, from the planting, to the growing, to the culmination of the process—the hand picking and hand sorting of the grapes.  This approach to viticulture means sacrificing as much as 40% of the grapes during the growing season in order to concentrate plant energy and nutrition for the most promising fruit.

Vines are pruned, the shoots thinned and certain leaves removed by hand for optimum exposure to the sun.  A drip irrigation system nourishes the vines during drought periods and extends the growing and ripening time.

Wölffer’s average yield of grapes per acre is between two and four tons, a quantity set by Roth and Pisacano to produce the most intensely flavored grapes. When the growing cycle is complete, every effort is made to find the perfect timing to pick the full, ripe grapes by hand, so that they can be gently pressed, vinified, aged, bottled, and corked.

Wölffer Estate Vineyard is well known for their vibrant and elegant Chardonnays and rich, intense Merlots. Their dry Rosé has become a favorite of New York City dwellers and summer Hamptonites, alike. Wölffer’s exceptional méthode traditionelle Sparkling Brut is ideal for celebrations.  Winemaker Roman Roth’s European roots shine in the classic Cabernet Franc. The popular Late Harvest Chardonnay ice wine, Wölffer’s dessert nectar is made from frozen grapes. These consistently well-balanced wines offer an elegant complement to a wide range of foods.

Destination Wölffer

Located two hours from Manhattan, Wölffer Estate Vineyard welcomes guests year-round and is open every day for tastings. No reservations are required for this incomparable wine experience which has introduced oenophiles from around the world to the outstanding quality of Long Island winemaking.

Visitors to the winery will discover a Tuscan-style villa set in the vines, far removed from the hectic pace of New York living. The gracious 12,000-square-foot winery houses a tasting room and boutique; a state-of-the-art winemaking facility equipped with computerized stainless-steel tanks, laboratory, riddling rooms, bottling line, and a cellar to hold the wines before distribution; and in keeping with the European tradition, barrel rooms constructed of high-vaulted caves and a wine library. Here wines are aged in imported French oak barrels.

The tasting room at Wölffer Estate Vineyard offers table service as well as more informal tastings “wine bar-style.” Guests may select from a range of wine flights and enjoy a cheese plate with a selection of artisanal cheeses. French doors open onto a stone terrace that is bordered with hydrangeas and overlooks the vineyard, offering one of the most picturesque views in Hamptons wine country.

Special Events

Wölffer’s beautiful and impressive winery has become a popular venue for weddings and special events. During the summer, Wölffer Estate offers a busy calendar of events including the James Beard Foundation’s annual Chefs and Champagne fundraiser.  Harvest is celebrated with a fun-filled party complete with grape picking and stomping, barrel rolling and a sumptuous country lunch. Throughout the year, Twilight Thursday offers live jazz, complimentary cheese, and wine sold-by-the glass to enjoy in the company of friends.  And Sunset Fridays at Wölffer are an opportunity to visit the newly refurbished Wölffer Wine Stand, located at 3312 Montauk Highway, the perfect spot to stock up for the weekend and enjoy complimentary cheese, wines and live jazz.

Sustainable Viticulture at Wölffer Estate Vineyard

Rich Pisacano, Vineyard Manager (May 2009)

What We Believe – New York Sustainable Viticulture Program

Wölffer Estate Vineyard subscribes to a voluntary, ever-evolving sustainable viticultural program that helps us make common sense, cost-effective decisions that meet business objectives while protecting and conserving natural resources. The primary purpose of our efforts is to adopt best ways to minimize environmental impacts, reduce economic risks and most importantly, ensure the protection or our workers’ health and safety.

We are guided by a self-assessment workbook/guidebook of best practices that helps monitor our progress and enact measures to continually improve our commitment to sustainability.

The practices that we apply include:

• Soil management to reduce erosion, run-off and leaching

• Use of integrated pest management practices for insect, disease and weed control

• Nutrient management with a particular focus on nitrogen

• Pest and spray technology

• Cultural practices – natural ways like hand leaf-removal

Wölffer Estate Vineyard has been at the forefront of sustainable viticultural practices, including:

• We use (and were one of the first to use on Long Island) a recycling sprayer which not only reduces  pesticide use by more than 25%, but is also the best way to apply the materials to the target and eliminates drift (this machine has curtains that over-spray hits and repumps surplus back into the tank!).

• When deciding on the materials to spray, we always choose either the organic forms or reduced-risk materials that are the safest (even though not always the most effective) choices. These materials are often more expensive.

• We use low rates of pesticides – and those that we use are low-risk — and we spray as little as possible.

• We have a high tolerance to pests and disease and only get concerned when the quality or quantity of our crop is at stake. We do not overreact to the presence of pests or fungus.

• We have eliminated the use of pre-emergent herbicides designed to keep weeds from growing.

• We use organic Stylet oil for European red mites and powdery mildew, organic phosphorus acid for downy mildew, and sulfur for powdery mildew.  These are the main materials we use season long.   We have eliminated the use of synthetic nitrogen.

• We encourage wildflower and weed diversity in the vineyard.

• We do not till or disturb the soil in any way.

• We do not discourage the presence of wildlife in the vineyard. When birds are in the area we make an effort not to disturb them, and support their efforts to feed on insects undesirable to the vineyard.

• We encourage and maintain the surrounding natural vegetation.

• We only irrigate when absolutely necessary. Water that is pumped to the surface can have contaminants – the water table underground drifts, so that it might be contaminated with street run-off, etc., from other sources, which can resurface with harmful effects.

• We are aggressive in implementing cultural practices that reduce the need to use pesticides. Our obsession with thorough leaf-removal by hand has allowed us to reduce the rates and intervals of spraying. We practice multiple hedging of the vineyard, which is aesthetically pleasing but driven by sustainability to promote airflow and reduce disease pressure.

• We are in the process of developing a composting project where we will reuse manure, grass clipping, brush, winery pomace and other farm products.

• We are in the process of researching the use of reusable energies and also converting our usage entirely to natural gas.

Wolffer Estate Vineyard . 139 Sagg Road, PO Box 9002 . Sagaponack, NY 11962 . Phone 631-537-5106 . Fax 631-537-5107

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