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Macari
Vineyards Sound Avenue, Mattituck By Christopher J. Davies Photography by Lindsay Silverman
As I drove heading east on 495, I set my goals for finding a really unique winery to feature for this article. My travel companion, photographer and friend Lindsay Silverman, was equipped for one of those presidential fund/raisers, carrying with him two camera bags loaded with several new Nikon SLR’s, lenses and a CoolPix 950 digital camera. Lindsay was anxious to find some exciting new scenery to photograph. Having heard so many good things about Macari Vineyards lately, I decided to make them our first stop. Macari is located a little off the beaten path, off Sound Avenue in Mattituck. If you are not familiar with Sound Avenue, it is the furthest north avenue that runs east to west. It runs parallel on the north side of the more traveled main road (Route 25). |
| After getting off the last exit on the expressway, we passed the Tanger Factory Outlet Stores and waddled around the Riverhead travel circle. After that it was a clear breeze to Mattituck. To get there, I drove straight down route 25 into the little town of Jamesport. I took a left at Manor road, a mile later passing the Jamesport Manor Restaurant, a rather gothic looking restaurant that operates in a 140 year old manor house. They serve great food but from the exterior, could be confused as Herman Munster’s North Fork digs. About a mile further, I made a right onto Sound Ave. Macari Vineyards is located about a mile east on the left at the corner of Sound Ave and Bergen Ave. As we pulled into the driveway I was immediately impressed with the modern architecture of the Macari’s Winery building, which I later found out was designed by New York Architect Carol DiCicco-Vinci. After parking my car, I asked Lindsay to survey the vineyard for possible shots while I headed for the tasting room. Macari’s Don Brisson was there busy conducting a tasting with a half a dozen folks from out of town. |
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| After exchanging brief introductions, Don continued to tend to his customers while I took a moment to examine the interior of the building. Having a fine appreciation for good design and craftsmanship,I became instantly awed by the Macari’s attention to details and quality materials. The room is large with vaulted ceilings that create a very open feeling. This is further enhanced by natural window light and accented by large diffused domes that combined create soft light which is comfortable to the eyes. The interior decor is a magnificent balance of earth tones,wood,marble and sleek metal fixtures. This combination works well and will be part of my design wish list when I build my next home. The walls are finished with an authentic squash yellow Florentine application. If you have been to Florence or Venice you will recognize this Finish. It’s the real McKoy. Can’t be duplicated in kit form at Home Depot. Not surprising that it took a master craftsman 12 days to create. |
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| OK. Enough with the building and on to
the wine,you say? Not yet! After only 5 minutes of arriving at Macari Vineyards I
was starting to discover a pattern. And my number one thought was QUALITY. I was equally
impressed with other details such as the manner in which Macari displays its products.
Rather than stacking cases of wine in an island display,Macari uses compact tables with
meticulously arranged wine bottles. The term "less is more" can be applied here.
The end result is a more spacious atmosphere that focuses your eyes towards the wine
displays. I believe this great effect was used by Hitchcock in a few of his films. At minute 7, I was unable to control my urge to taste a glass of Macari’s award winning 1997 Merlot. This wine received a silver medal at this year’s London International Wine and Spirit Competition. It’s no wonder. Having visited the North Fork for a more than a dozen years, I had believed the reds were lacking. Not the case here. The Macari Family has recognized red wine’s exploding popularity (70% of all wines consumed nowadays are red according to recent industry studies).
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| I had the pleasure of meeting Joseph T.
Macari Sr., Joseph T. Macari Jr. and Alexandra Macari.They reminded me of my Italian
relatives on my Mother’s side, very friendly people who make you feel at home when
you visit their home. Or in this case,their winery. When I remarked that Long Island reds
have come a long way, they told me that they had decided to take their time to concentrate
on perfecting their soil which in turn rewarded them with a great harvest. I was thoroughly impressed with the concentrated but smooth finish of this Merlot. My companion Lindsay mentioned that he usually had trouble digesting Merlot’s because of the Tannins. The Tannin level of this Merlot is well controlled and passed Lindsay’s stomach test with flying colors. My final impression is that Macari 1997 Merlot is an exceptional value in a red wine priced under $20 ! |
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| The second wine I tried was the Macari
1997 Cabernet Franc which is a medium bodied red that is easier to consume than a full
bodied cab on a hot summer day. Although soft in body, this wine has strong aromatic
qualities. The Macari’s wine list accurately describes this wine as "a
soft,approachable red wine enjoyable in its youth". In my opinion,this would be a
great wine for enjoying with barbecued meats, Long Island Duck or any pasta dish ! I spent some time with the Macari’s Marketing Director Ryan Quinn learning about their vision for making fine wines. Their plan does not include shortcuts. Every step they described involves careful thought and much patience on their behalf. Although they have owned most of their 360 acres for almost 40 years now, they started this vineyard only five years ago. A project of this magnitude takes extreme determination and courage. The Macari family have these ingredients down pat.
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| I also took note of the varied planting
methods that were used in different blocks of the vineyard. The addition of limestones
around the base of the vines which has a positive long term effect on the soil. Another
one of those Macari details! The estate is massive at 360 acres making it one of the largest vineyards on Long Island. Many of the acres have been left in natural form with heavy tree growth towards the north end of the property. There is plenty of room for future expansion over time. I also learned that the Macari’s have ordered a shipment of olive trees which they hope to plant soon on a test basis. I am not aware of any successful olive groves on Long Island. But, I am anxious see the Macari’s succeed as I am a big fan of cooking with olive oil. After viewing the winery’s state of the art wine making equipment,barrel room, testing room and wine cellar I made it back to the tasting area. This time for a taste of Macari’s 1997 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay. I fell in love with the slight oak taste that was backed with a buttery flavor. This is a must try for Chardonnay lovers.
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| As I prepared to leave, Joseph T. Macari Jr., the winery president
reminded me that I did not try all of his wines. I regret that I could not do this during
my first visit but plan to get back to Macari Vineyards on July 31st for the Sound
Symphony Orchestra classical concert which is being put on by the East End Arts Council.
My wife and I plan to get there early to taste the 1998 Rose d’une Nuit, 1998 Pinot
Blanc, 1998 Sauvignon Blanc, 1998 Viognier and 1997 Estate Chardonnay. If you plan to visit the Long Island Wine Country’s North Fork, make Macari Vineyards one of your first stops. Macari wines are available at many retailers in New York, from Longislandwinesellers.com, and at fine restaurants in New York and Europe. For details call (516) 298-0100 or e-mail: macari@peconic.net. |
