Osprey's Dominion Wine Q&A

Being wine cellar builders as well as wine enthusiasts, we almost always  help our clients stock their wine cellars once we are finished with the wine cellar design and construction. We  always try to find what types of styles our customers enjoy. Big reds?  whites? French, Italian, Cali, but in the last few years I have come to  taste an incredible "local" product, and that is the wines from Osprey's Dominion located on  Long Island's North Fork.My initial taste was the 2000  Meritage which simply blew me away. That particular "library" wine has  won numerous awards including **BEST IN CLASS** NEW YORK STATE FAIR 2004 **DOUBLE GOLD  MEDAL WINNER** 2004 Tasters Guild International / **GOLD** 2004 Finger  Lakes International Wine Competition...so it was a no-brainer to  approach Osprey for our clients and see if they would like to team up  and work with the premier wine cellar company Joseph and Curtis...the  answer was a resounding yes.Without further ado, we are proud to  introduce our friends at Osprey's Dominion.

Q. When was Osprey started?

‍A.  24 acres were planted in 1983.

Q.  How big is the vineyard now?

‍A. 90 acres on 3 farms.

Q. Tell us how the name came about.

‍A.  The Osprey (Aka Fish Hawk) can be seen flying over this area of the  North Fork thus the name Osprey's Dominion.Q. Can someone come and taste the wines?A. Yes. We have 2 flights available.

Q. What are the different types of wines  that Osprey produces?

‍A. Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc,  Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Malbec, Petit Verdot,  Carmenere, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Sparkling, Port.

Q. I mentioned the 2000 Meritage...what are  some of your favorites?

‍A. Our Fume Blanc (100% Sauvignon  Blanc) fermented in oak. I am very excited about thespring 2010  release of our Carmenere, ODV being the first vineyard on Long Island.

Q. Are there any events coming up at Osprey?

‍A.  Jazz on the Vine in February and March. Ballroom dancing on Feb 20 and  March 27.

Q. Please tell us  about the wind turbine project?

A. Osprey’s Dominion Vineyard  commissioned Eastern Energy Systems, Inc. to install a 20k wind turbine at their North Fork winery in the Town of Southold. This will be LIPA’s  first Farm Service turbine, undertaken through the Backyard Wind  Initiative created this year. The wind turbine is expected to produce an  estimated 42,802 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity per year for an  annual energy savings of $7,918. The projected total cost of the project  is $144,000. A LIPA rebate of $69,401 is anticipated, significantly  off-setting the expense for the system. Osprey Dominion Vineyard may  further reduce the cost of the system via a Federal tax incentive and by  selling the excess electric energy produced back to LIPA.

‍Q. Does Osprey offer a wine club?

A. Yes.  We offer 15% and 20% discounts throughout the year as well as quarterly  shipments/pickups of first release varietals. Check out the Wine Club page on  our website for more information.

‍Q. Please tell us your winter/summer hours.

‍A. 11-5  Sun-Fri and 6pm on Saturday during the winter. 11-6 Sun - Thur and 9 on  Friand Sat during the summer.

‍Q. At Joseph and Curtis we have clients all over the  country...does Osprey ship nationally?

‍A. We ship to  all the states that we are legally able to.

‍Q. Are tours of your vineyard available?

A. Yes...by  appointment.We would like to thank the folks at  Osprey's Dominion for their time, and their friendship. To all of our  blog readers and fans, you know we only interview the best in the biz so  we implore you to check out Osprey for some excellent wines to add to  your collection.

Cheers!