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 A Long Island, New York vineyard estate only "45 minutes from Broadway" is the home of Old Brookville Chardonnay. It is named for the bucolic village in which the grapes are grown, in the only officially designated vineyard in New York's Nassau County. The vineyard is part of the charmed ambience of manicured lawns and trimmed woods that surround a 60-room Elizabethan manor house, world headquarters of Banfi Vintners, the U.S.' leading wine importer and a major producer of premium varietal wines in Tuscany and Piedmont, Italy.The property's 20 acres dedicated to Chardonnay vines are blessed with a highly calcareous, nutrient-rich soil and a climate that compares favorably with that found in France's Burgundy region, the famous home of the Chardonnay varietal.The project was the inspiration of the Mariani family, proprietors of Banfi, and placed under the direction of enologist Frederick Frank, grandson of the legendary Konstantin Frank, who earlier this century pioneered the introduction of traditional European "vinifera" grape varieties in upstate New York. The first vines were planted in 1982, and five years later, to considerable critical acclaim, a limited quantity of Old Brookville Chardonnay label made its U.S. debut. Experts hailed the rich, full-bodied, Burgundian-style wine.As demand continues to outpace supply, Old Brookville Chardonnay is still marketed in limited supply. Approximately 1200 cases of the wine are produced and bottled each year from grapes grown on the site. They are vinified at the Premium Wine Group cellars in Mattituck, Long Island, following traditional techniques. These include malolactic fermentation and aging in oak barriques.Old Brookville Chardonnay is eligible for national distribution, but most of the supply is absorbed within the Metropolitan New York area. |
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| Old Brookville Chardonnay Releases 2001 Vintage Official Long Island Wine Considered Best in Vineyard's History |
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 Old Brookville Vineyards, the only commercial wine concern in Nassau County , has released its 2001 Chardonnay Gold Coast Reserve. The 2001 harvest was considered the best quality in the vineyard's history and the wine is the second to be produced following the establishment of Long Island as an official American Viticultural Area (AVA) by the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF).
"The 2001 grape harvest was healthy with ideal sugar content and good acidity," reported Old Brookville Chardonnay's vineyard manager Bob Whiting. Some unusually late frost in May affected the budding vines and caused lower yield, but created a natural selection for quality. "Thanks to good weather during the rest of the growing season, warmer and dryer than recent vintages, the 2001 is considered the best in our 15-year history here," added Mr. Whiting. The vineyard annually culls the best of its production for its Gold Coast Reserve Chardonnay and sells off the remainder in bulk. Though the 2001 total yield was only 35 tons compared to the more average 88 tons of vintage 2000, due to the quality, Old Brookville still produced the same amount of Gold Coast Reserve - 1,500 cases. Unfortunately, no Gold Coast Reserve Chardonnay will be produced from the 2002 harvest since the entire crop was destroyed by several severe and untimely frosts. Old Brookville Chardonnay is vinified at Premium Cellars in Mattituck, Suffolk County . Vinification techniques include 100% barrel fermentation and aging in 20% new French Oak barrels to increase the wine's depth of flavor. A 750ml bottle of Old Brookville Chardonnay retails for around $14.00. Old Brookville vineyard is part of the 127-acre private estate that houses the international headquarters of Banfi Vintners, the nations' leading wine importer. Click here for an illustrated guide, in PDF format, that takes you through our Old Brookville estate. |
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© 1998-2005, Old Brookville Vintners - Mattituck, NY , Email OldBrookville@banfivintners.com |
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