Paumanok Winery
Long Island, New York

Visit Date: 06/20/00

Our first stop on our recent Winery trip on Long Island was Paumanok Vineyards, in Aquebogue. This was the perfect way to start a gorgeous day - the vineyards were green and rippling in the breeze. We wandered the vineyards first, taking photos of the young grape flowers.

The word "Paumanok" is Indian for Long Island, and since its founding in 1983 Paumanok has grown a wide selection of vinifera vines. Paumanok wines have been served at the White House, and they have won numerous awards. The lovely deck and vineyards often serve as a wedding site, and in fact while we were at the winery a young couple looked through the winery's photo album, planning their own.

We stepped inside the renovated barn, nice and airy. Kareem Maassoud, son of winemaker and owner Charles Massoud, was on hand to take us through his favorite wines. We did so while Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, one of our favorite bands, played on a nearby CD player. Always a good sign :)

We first tried the 1998 Dry Riesling ($14.99), which was crisp and light, with flavors of pear and apple. It had a slight effervescence which makes it a perfect summer wine. The 1998 Barrel Fremented Chardonnay ($16.99) came next - lightly oaked, with a gentle smoke flavor and nice spices. This is aged 75% in French oak and 25% American, with 95% ML fermentation.

For reds, we began with the 1998 Merlot ($17.99) which had a great, full aroma. It was tannic and fruity, and had only been in the bottle for 2 months. It would do well with another 2 years of aging. The 1998 Cabernet Sauvignon ($17.99) was another fresh wine, only bottled for 3 months. It had black cherry, black currant, and a tannic bite which again would do well with aging.

Around this point we got to talking about what a value Long Island wines are. Stephen, our compatriot from Winestuff.com said that he definitely recommends his winedrinking friends to buy Long Island wines and cellar them. Kareem added that he "should have bought Napa Valley and Somona wines in the 70s - it's the same now with Long Island wines".

On to the 1997 Festival Red ($16.99), a blend of 70% Cab Franc, 28% Cab Sauvignon and 2% Merlot. This was juicy and acidic, very drinkable. Say, at a festival! We were now done with the prime reds.

We then approached my favorite part - the dessert wines. We began with the 1998 Riesling Late Harvest ($27/half). This was very orangy, "like Grand Marnier from 3 feet away," commented one of our tasters. Smooth and sweet, it is 11.3% alcohol and made from hand-selected grapes, around 20% of those frozen. Very nice.

Finally, we tried the 1998 Sauvignon Blanc Late Harvest ($39/half). This was a very complex dessert wine - fermented in new oak. It had apple, orange, and berry flavors, and was tarter than the Riesling LH. "Candied white fruits," says the description. This could age for 10-12 years without any trouble at all.

We chatted a while with Kareem and his brother about Bela Fleck and their wines, and enjoyed the visit very much. If you're in this area of New York, definitely make an effort to swing by! The wines were fantastic, and the owners are a joy to spend time with.

Paumanok 2000 Photo Album
Paumanok Main Review Page

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All content on the WineIntro website is personally written by author and wine enthusiast Lisa Shea. WineIntro explores the delicious variety and beautiful history which makes up our world of wine! Lisa loves supporting local wineries and encouraging people to drink whatever they like. We all have different taste buds, and that makes our world wonderful. Always drink responsibly.