Classic Wines

Classic Wines visits Paumanok Vineyard in Long Island to taste their 2005 Sauvignon Blanc Late Harvest wine. Second generation winemaker, Kareem Massoud, tells us of the history behind this refreshing Sauvignon Blanc.

In an intriguing twist of winemaking fate, the Massoud family was forced to deal with an outbreak of noble rot. After much deliberation and anxiety, Kareem and his parents turned this potential disaster into one of their finest dry wines. This Sauvignon Blanc is such a success, they have trouble keeping it on the shelves.

Winemaking in Long Island at Paumanok Vineyards is a family affair. Like a lot of the wineries in the Long Island New York area everyone in the family learns every aspect of the business; from harvesting the grapes to bottling the wine. We spoke with Kareem Massoud of the Paumanok Vineyards during the harvest of the sauvignon blanc grapes. Join us to learn more.

Picking grapes for wine is the first step a winemaker must do to make delicious wine. The timing is crucial for picking grapes with the correct sugar content since this is so important in making the wine. It goes beyond this one fact though, so join us at Bedell Cellars as we learn more about fine wine making.

There are many wine tours along the North Fork of Long Island. Bedell Cellars, known for producing a high quality Merlot, has redesigned their tasting room into a beautiful state of the art facility. Join us next week for more in a series on the Long Island wineries, where we visit the vineyards, taste some wine and meet some of the winemakers themselves.

Bedell Cellars in Long Island makes terrific wines, but how do they know when it's time to make the wine? Today "The Classic Wines Minute" visits Bedell's vineyard looking for the perfect ripened Chardonnay grape. Joining us, once again, is Louisa Hargrave who will get hands-on with helping us select the perfect Chardonnay grape. Join Brian Freedman to learn more about the steps taken by wineries to determine the perfect harvest time.

At the Old Field Vineyards in Long Island we learn how they use the traditional French method of making champagne. Brian Freedman talks with Ros Baiz about the Blanc de noir champagne method sparkling wine that they produce and the careful steps it takes to make such a wonderful wine.

The Old Field Vineyards is one of the most historic properties on the North Fork of Long Island. It is also one of the finest producers of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Bordeaux-varietal wines, in addition to crafting one of the best sparkling wines in the region. In this video, we speak with Rosamond Baiz and Perry Weiss, the mother-and-daughter team that, along with husband and father Chris, make it all happen.

This week the Classic Wines Minute takes you to the wine region of the North Fork of Long Island, New York. Brian Freedman talks with Louisa Hargrave, one of the pioneers of wine making in the Long Island area. We visit Louisa at The Old Field Vineyards to discuss the superb wine making in the area of the Peconic Bay and the Hamptons. Find out about the Long Island wine growing region and also local food and wine pairings. What's our favorite? How about a glass of Chardonnay and some Long Island bay scallops. rnrnJoin us weekly for our wine video minute. Take a few minutes to hear about your favorite glass of red wine, a great food and wine pairing, or how to do your own wine tasting. Watch, taste and enjoy. See you next week.