14 Feb Try The Exclusive Long Island Winterfest Wine Tour Experience
For Long Island Winterfest, a four-week, music, food, drink and art festival on the East End, we’re taking part in a special wine tour on Saturday, February 25th. We’ll take you to Pellegrini Vineyards where you’ll enjoy a glass of wine and a live show by Jack Morelli, then you’ll taste wine at Martha Clara Vineyards with their talented winemaker. The tour ends with dinner at Dark Horse and an overnight stay for 2 at our hotel. Reserve your tour now for only $309 plus tax per couple (transportation included) by calling (631) 369-2200 ext. 0 or visiting us online here. Learn a little more about each stop of the tour below.
Bob and Joyce Pellegrini formed Pellegrini Vineyards in 1982, intent on making the very best wine on the North Fork. Today, they produce a range of award-winning wines thanks to innovative and consistent winemaking techniques.The vineyard’s tasting room is just as stunning as their wines, since Bob, an NYC-based graphic designer helped design the two-story building. A trellised walkway connects to the spacious, modern production facility where visitors can watch the winemaking process. Upstairs is a private tasting area with spectacular panoramic views of the winery’s centerpiece, its courtyard, which features a classic Italian cloister design.
Jack Morelli has been playing music professionally since he was 14 years old. His influences include Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, Muddy Waters and Mozart. He writes on his web site that “his joy of playing music is as strong today as when he first began.” He also runs a music and entertainment agency that offers “world-class musicians for any type of event from solo performers, duos, trios, and quartets to large ensembles” in the NYC-area. However, on Saturday, February 25th, you’ll be getting the man himself, performing live.
Martha Clara Vineyards is a family vineyard, started in 1978 by one of Martha Clara’s sons, Robert Entenmann. He originally purchased the land as a potato farm, then turned it into a thoroughbred horse farm, then finally as more farms in the area turned to vineyards, he changed the farm into a vineyard. The North Fork’s climate is perfect for growing grapes. Its sandy loam soil, the sea breeze, and the careful upkeep from winemakers help cultivate tasty, tender grapes perfect for wine. Many of their wines have been rated 90 points or more by Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate.
This restaurant, serving American fare, resides in “The Commercial Building” on 1 East Main St. Built in 1929, it has been home to many business: a hardware store, a clock shop, a pawn shop, a drugstore, a women’s hat shop. Though completely restored in 2009, some original elements remain. Old beams were re-milled into planks that now serve as dining tables. The bar was made from salvaged pieces from a nearby bowling alley built in 1911. The pots and pans near the ceiling are held in place with bridle irons, a metal construction bracket used to tie together steel support beams and wooden girders. All in all, there’s definitely a lot of history and a lot of good food to enjoy at Dark Horse.
Last, but not least, be sure to check out the Long Island Winterfest kick off event on Friday, February 24, 2017 from 7:00 to 10:00 PM, featuring music by the East End Trio, special tastings from local restaurants, vineyards and breweries, and dozens of raffle prizes. Tickets are $50 in advance and $65 at the door. Don’t miss out! Reserve your ticket here via TicketFly.
More information about Long Island Winterfest can be found at facebook.com/liwinterfest and at liwinterfest.com. Questions may be directed to Diane Tucci, or Kristen Reyes at liwinterfest@eastendarts.org. Follow this blog for more information about Long Island Winterfest events happening at Hotel Indigo Long Island – East End.