Osprey's Dominion Vineyards,
Peconic, New York

Story and photographs by Christopher J. Davies, Publisher & Editorial Director

Enjoyable wines and a fun place to visit!

Just about anyone who reads the local papers, The New York Times, Wine Spectator, or even our e-Zine has noticed the recent goings on in the Long Island wine industry. The wines have received serious acclaim by major wine experts, and there have been sales of vineyards and established wineries for big bucks, not to mention the recent filing for Long Island's own appellation.

While all this was happening, Osprey's Dominion Vineyards had been quietly spreading its wings, building a solid team of specialists to take its business and wines to higher levels than ever before. As the publisher of this magazine, which devotes itself to Long Island wine, I have been amazed by the progress they have made during this year.

One of the major players behind the transformation has been General Manager, Deborah Wilm. Deborah is a former bank executive and management consultant. Although she has only been with the winery since last fall, her organizational and marketing skills have made a major impact on the firm. "This is becoming a big business. It is growing up from a hobby, and it is definitely now a business," claims Ms.Wilm. "We are now improving our techniques to make higher-end wines."

Having tasted some of their recent releases, I tend to agree. Osprey's Dominion, which has built a niche business with specialty wines such as Strawberry, Cherry and Spice wines in addition to their low priced Regina Maris Chardonnay, is now moving into higher ground with an expanded range of Estate Grown wines. To do this, Osprey's Dominion has wisely assembled a team of qualified professionals. The current owners have placed their faith in their management team and employees in running the day-to-day operations. This hands-off approach seems to be working very well.

The "O" Team

Winemaker Peter Silverberg, is a University of California at Davis graduate with excellent experience gained while working at Yokum Winery in Washington State and the Golan Heights Winery in Israel. Peter is a quiet and serious person with a passion for detail. He joined the winery a year ago and has begun to add a different style to the wines.

His Assistant Winemaker, Bernard Cannac, is a native of France who previously worked at Jefferson Winery in Virginia.

When I visited them in August, I was treated to a new experience. Peter and Bernard were in the barrel room, pumping ten tons of new strawberry concentrate, recently arrived from Michigan, into fermentation tanks. I always believed that wine MUST be made only from grapes. Boy was I mistaken.

Osprey's Strawberry Wine is made from 100% strawberry juice, fermented in the same fashion as grapes - in stainless steel tanks. Just dream of the "smoothies" you can make with this wine!

Vineyard Manager, Tom Stevenson, is also a University of California at Davis graduate with experience working in the Long Island wine industry. This young and eager New Jersey native has worked for Osprey's since 1997. Before that, Tom was employed down the road a ways by Gristina Vineyards. Tom has a respect for the vineyard and nature, which I find similar to the respect a ship's captain has for the sea.

Tasting Room Manager, Ms. Dorian Harkoff, is a "tireless manager" who makes sure that vineyard guests have a pleasurable experience both tasting and purchasing Osprey's wine and other wine related goodies.

Sales Manager, Chris Corsano, recently joined the firm. Not only does he have an exceptionally friendly personality, which is a plus in sales, but Chris is also a walking encyclopedia of wine. I had the pleasure of hearing Chris speak at a recent Winemakers dinner held at Pacific East Restaurant in Amagansett. Chris's wine knowledge spans way beyond Long Island and California wines. He has been hitting the road lately, helping to establish out-of-state distribution for Osprey's wine.

The Birth of the Vineyard

Bud Koehler and Jack Gillies originally founded Osprey's Dominion Vineyards in 1983. The original twenty-five-acre vineyard was started as Hermitage Vineyard. In the beginning, they grew Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, later expanding into Merlot and Riesling. Excess fruit was sold to local wineries.

In 1993, Jack sold his interest to Bud's life-long friend and business partner, Bill Tyree. They decided to change the business name in honor of the ospreys (large fish-eating hawks which are dark brown in color) that flew over the vineyard.

Together, they have expanded the vineyard holdings to a total of 90 acres with 85 acres planted with grapes. The current plantings are spread out amongst five vineyards, adding a diversity of microclimates, soils, and vineyard conditions. All combined, the plantings break down as follows:

Whites:	Acres:
Chardonnay	30.8
Sauvignon Blanc	7.7
Riesling (Johannisberg)	4.8
Gewurztraminer	1.0
Muscat Blanc	1.0
Reds:
Cabernet Sauvignon	13.9
Merlot	13.5
Cabernet Franc	5.6
Pinot Noir	5.8
Petit Verdot	2.0
Malbec	2.0
Gamay	1.1

The Wines

Osprey's Dominion Vineyards current releases are diversified.

White Estate Wines

1998 Sauvignon Blanc $11.99/bottle
Golden ripe fruit flavors of melon, peach, citrus, and grapefruit. A crisp, bright finish complements moderate herbal notes and flavors. Pair with Asian foods or seafood.

1998 Johannisberg Riesling $11.99/bottle
An "off-dry" Riesling. Exudes peachy and floral aromatics that frame green apple and apricot flavors. Pair with oysters, lobster, or Chinese foods.

1998 Chardonnay NEW RELEASE $12.99/bottle
70% barrel fermented, with aromas of vanilla and toasted coconut, this Chardonnay has flavors of peach, apricot, and pineapple. Pair with seafood as well as vegetable casseroles.

1998 Reserve Chardonnay NEW RELEASE $22.00/bottle
100% barrel fermented. Tropical fruit aromas with complex suggestions of green apples, toasted oak, and vanilla. Very full-bodied, with apricot, pineapple, and toasty oak flavors. Very long finish. Pair with seafood or chicken with a hearty sauce.

Non-Vintage White Wines

Regina Maris Chardonnay $7.99/750ml bottle, $15.50/1.5 litre bottle 85% barrel fermented. A gold award winner and a Long Island favorite. The fruit is fresh and tropical, framed with light, toasty oak flavors.

Bayman's Harvest $7.99/bottle
A white table wine. Crisp and light with light melon notes. A portion of the proceeds of the sale of this wine helps support the Bayman's Fund of Peconic Bay.

Twilight Blush $8.99/bottle
Combined varietals of spicy Syrah and fruity Riesling lend themselves to a vibrant blush with a hint of raspberry taste. Very refreshing and often compared to a White Zinfandel.

Red Estate Wines

1998 Pinot Noir NEW RELEASE $22.00/bottle
Flavors of red berries and delicate spice. A versatile wine, it may be paired with many poultry dishes, red meats, or even sushi.

1997 Flight: Red Meritage
1997 Cabernet Sauvignon NEW RELEASE $14.99/bottle
Dominant aromas of dark fruits such as blackberry and loganberry, with a complex rainbow of vanilla, smoke, cedar, and chocolate notes. Pair with a roast or rack of lamb.

1998 Merlot NEW RELEASE $17.99/bottle
Hints of cherry, cocoa, and spice. Pair with a hearty, marinated or grilled sirloin steak.

1998 Cabernet Franc NEW RELEASE $14.99/bottle
A full, robust, red wine that finishes off smoothly on the palate. Aromas of eucalyptus, cherry, and berry. Aged 12 months in oak. (Osprey's first time release of a Cabernet Franc.)

Non- vintage Specialty Wines

Port $14.99/750ml bottle
A warm, rich, round mouthful of sweet plums and spicy black cherry flavors. Deep garnet in color. Full and velvety. Pair with crisp apple slices, pear slices, and blue cheeses. This wine puts a glorious finish on fine dining. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Peach Wine $6.99/750ml bottle, $4.99/375ml bottle
100% peaches. Luscious and light! Drink alone or blended with Citron Absolut whipped in a blender with fresh peaches and topped with vanilla ice cream.

Strawberry Wine $5.99/bottle
(No half bottles (375ml) available.)100% strawberries. A gold award winner. Great alone, poured over vanilla ice cream, or blended with ginger ale.

Cherry Wine $5.99/bottle
100% cherries. A gold award winner. Pair with cheesecake or a light pastry.

Spice Wine $7.99/bottle
Served heated. A Syrah wine with cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Perfect after a day skiing, boating, or fishing. Can be heated in a crockpot by placing the bottle in a pot of hot water or by the glass in a microwave for approximately 40 seconds.

Sparkling Wines

Y2K Champagne $15.50/bottle
This sparkler comes with a very colorful 2000 label called Y2K. The Estate Bottled Cuvee is a world-class blend of 40% barrel fermented Pinot Noir and 60% stainless steel fermented Chardonnay.

Coming Soon
Richmond Creek Blended Table Wines
Richmond Creek Red - coming Fall 2000
Richmond Creek White - coming 2001

Pairing Osprey's Dominion Wine with Food One of the best ways to taste wine is with dinner. I was fortunate to attend a special dinner featuring five different Osprey's Dominion wines. The chef was clever to break some of the conventional cliches of pairing wine with food. The combinations were thoroughly pleasing.

Chef Anthony Silvestri of Pacific East Restaurant, Amagansett, created the menu below for the Osprey's Dominion Winemakers Dinner held in August 2000:

Visiting the Winery
The winery buildings are located on Route 25 in Peconic. The tasting room and store are open daily from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The tasting bar is pristine and well organized. The staff is knowledgeable and very friendly. Tastings of up to five different wines are offered free of charge.

• Discounts are offered for quantity purchases.
• 6 bottles - 5%
• 12 bottles (case) - 10%

Tours run Saturday 1pm & 3pm, Sunday 3pm

Events at the Winery This winery is a major promoter and contributor to cause-related events. These people know how to have fun! Osprey's backyard is spacious with a large, open lawn and gazebo. It is ideal for picnics and can accommodate large groups. The vineyard hosts many weekend events from Memorial Day through late October. Please check our "Events" section for details. They feature live music every weekend through October 21st.

Events off premise Recent Osprey's Dominion recently sponsored wine tastings at the Great Cow Harbor Run, in Northport and the Cartier Grand Slam Tennis Tournament in Bridgehampton.

Upcoming Events Wednesday, October 11, 2000, 7:00pm, Winemakers Dinner at Bistro Blue Restaurant, Greenport. Call (631) 477-3940 for information.

Monday, October 16, 2000, 6:00pm, Winemakers Dinner at the New York Sheraton Call (212) 841-6448 for reservations.

Location: Osprey's Dominion Vineyards
44075 Main Road
Peconic, NY 11958
Tel (631) 765-6188
Fax (631) 765-1903
Web site: www.ospreysdominion.com