Old Brookville, NY (October, 2004) – In a “perfect storm” scenario, weather conditions from spring through fall combined to diminish this year’s grape harvest at Nassau County’s only commercial vineyard, marking the third vintage in six years with no production of Old Brookville Gold Coast Reserve Chardonnay.
A freak hailstorm in June substantially damaged tender young buds and leaves. The vines struggled to recover in the cool, wet summer that followed, and the grapes matured slowly. An early start to the migratory pattern for grape-hungry birds kept protective netting on longer than usual, further slowing plant growth and damaging the fruit when heavy winds began to blow early last month. A small amount of fruit was harvested in October, but proved insufficient to produce Old Brookville Gold Coast Chardonnay.
Similarly, spring frost and autumn rain combined to wipe out the 2002 vintage and to reduce the 2001 by half, following the complete destruction of the 1999 crop by Hurricane Floyd.
Though the Old Brookville vineyard was reduced from its original 47 acres to 20 earlier this year, it still should have produced sufficient wine for the average 2,000 case annual production of the Gold Coast Reserve Chardonnay. The less productive vines that were removed had provided secondary wine to be sold off in bulk, a product with shrinking demand.
Running along Hegemans Lane in the village of Old Brookville, the property has long been distinguished as the closest vineyard to New York City and one of five remaining farms in Nassau County. Having no winery on site and not open to the public, the vineyard is part of the 127-acre private estate that serves as international headquarters of Banfi Vintners, one of the nation’s leading wine importers and owners of the Castello Banfi estate in Montalcino, Italy.
Old Brookville Chardonnay Gold Coast Reserve is designated under the federally recognized Long Island viticultural appellation. It is available in fine wine shops and restaurants throughout the New York Metropolitan region, where a 750ml bottle of Old Brookville Gold Coast Reserve Chardonnay 2001 currently retails for around $16.
A freak hailstorm in June substantially damaged tender young buds and leaves. The vines struggled to recover in the cool, wet summer that followed, and the grapes matured slowly. An early start to the migratory pattern for grape-hungry birds kept protective netting on longer than usual, further slowing plant growth and damaging the fruit when heavy winds began to blow early last month. A small amount of fruit was harvested in October, but proved insufficient to produce Old Brookville Gold Coast Chardonnay.
Similarly, spring frost and autumn rain combined to wipe out the 2002 vintage and to reduce the 2001 by half, following the complete destruction of the 1999 crop by Hurricane Floyd.
Though the Old Brookville vineyard was reduced from its original 47 acres to 20 earlier this year, it still should have produced sufficient wine for the average 2,000 case annual production of the Gold Coast Reserve Chardonnay. The less productive vines that were removed had provided secondary wine to be sold off in bulk, a product with shrinking demand.
Running along Hegemans Lane in the village of Old Brookville, the property has long been distinguished as the closest vineyard to New York City and one of five remaining farms in Nassau County. Having no winery on site and not open to the public, the vineyard is part of the 127-acre private estate that serves as international headquarters of Banfi Vintners, one of the nation’s leading wine importers and owners of the Castello Banfi estate in Montalcino, Italy.
Old Brookville Chardonnay Gold Coast Reserve is designated under the federally recognized Long Island viticultural appellation. It is available in fine wine shops and restaurants throughout the New York Metropolitan region, where a 750ml bottle of Old Brookville Gold Coast Reserve Chardonnay 2001 currently retails for around $16.