Dan's Papers - June 26, 2009 - Talking Wine With Donnell Brown, Long Island Wine Expert

Donnell Brown, who works in the marketing department of a high-tech firm in Manhattan, came to the North Fork and settled in Greenport over a year ago. She left her city apartment, drawn by Long Island's burgeoning wine industry, and now lives here full time. She was recently named executive director of the Long Island Merlot Alliance, a group that works to advance the quality of and regard for merlot wines of our region, and has also launched a unique wine tour business, "Between the Vines." What was it about Long Island wine country that inspired her to move nearly 100 miles? We caught up with Donnell recently to find out.

Dan's Papers: How did you first become interested in wine?

Donnell Brown: Wine first got on my radar, really, about 15 years ago, when I lived in Dallas. [Donnell came "of age" in Texas, and you can still hear the slightest, charming Southern twang in her voice.] But what really drew my attention was that people were actually making wine in Texas. I was surprised and intrigued. The more I tasted, the more I wanted to explore. Messina Hof "Tex-Zin" (made in Texas Hill Country) was the first wine I could remember by name.

Dan's: Tell us a little about yourself. Where did you grow up and what did you study in school? How did you come to live on the North Fork full time?

Donnell: I was born in Columbus, Ohio, and my family moved to the Dallas area when I was nine. I spent most of my life there, going to Texas A&M at Commerce for my bachelor's degree and Texas Woman's University in Denton for my master's. I left Dallas in 2000, when I moved to Chicago. I then made my way to New York in 2004 on a job transfer.

I came to live on the North Fork one year ago, seeking to support the Long Island wine industry. I had tasted so many terrific wines here and was so inspired by the passion and skill of the winemakers that I developed a belief in the Long Island wine region. I wanted to be a part of that.

Dan's: Who has been the most influential person in your wine education? Who, if anyone, is credited with igniting your passion?

Donnell: So far, two people stand out as most influential. My first official instructor, Patrick Fegan of the Chicago Wine School, gave me my first big nudge when he acknowledged my competence in the subject, even when I doubted it myself. He is one of the few masters of wine in the United States, so his opinion meant a lot to me.

Patrick gave me a nudge, but I'd have to say Roman Roth (winemaker at Wölffer Estate in Sagaponack and proprietor of his own label, "Grapes of Roth") got me to dive in. I took a Vocation Vacation (check it out at vocationvacations.com) mentoring in winemaking with Roman in Summer 2007. After our first workday together, he fixed me with a stern German gaze and said, "You should do marketing for wine." His confidence gave me confidence, and I've been taking his advice ever since!

Dan's: You were recently named Executive Director of the Long Island Merlot Alliance. Do you feel that Merlot is the grape upon which Long Island will continue to stake its fame?

Donnell: Absolutely! Merlot does well here harvest after harvest. Nearly all the vineyards on Long Island grow merlot, and many of the red blends made here rely on some percentage of merlot. The Merlot Alliance not only promotes merlot as the premier grape of Long Island, it also invests in research to understand vineyard practices that improve the quality of our merlot.

Dan's: What is your opinion of our wine region today, and where do you see things going in the future?

Donnell: Since the first time a Long Island wine crossed my palate (Shinn Estate was my first taste of Long Island), I was hooked. I believe there are wines and winemakers on the East End that rival those of other great wine regions. As our vines continue to mature and many great vintages come of age, we will surely gain the prominence we deserve.

I also have to believe that, as people get more interested in eating and drinking local products, they will discover fantastic wines right in their backyard. Perhaps that trend will be aided, too, by the fact that, in this down economy, people are tending to spend vacation time closer to home. When those people discover Long Island's wine region, they'll be hooked, too.

Dan's: You recently launched a new vineyard touring business. Tell us all about it. What makes it different from wine tour companies already out there?

Donnell: Thanks for asking! I started "Between the Vines" (betweenthevines.us) to help people get to see, first-hand, what's really special about the Long Island wine region. My model is for small groups (no more than, say, 10 or 12) to spend a whole day, not in tasting rooms, but meeting winemakers in places the public can't normally go - the barrel room, tank room, wine library or even between the vines. The day concludes with a bonfire dinner on the beach, so people can connect with this critical element of our terroir. The dinner would be locally sourced, paired with wines we had during the day, proving that "what grows together goes together."

I know for myself that, unless I have a good reason to remember a wine I've had, it's likely that I won't. So a day "Between the Vines" is designed to leave a lasting impression so that, when someone's looking at a restaurant's wine list, for example, she'll look for, recognize, and choose an East End wine.

Dan's: You still have a job in Manhattan to which you telecommute. Do you see yourself someday devoting yourself full-time to the wine industry?

Donnell: Definitely! If it'll have me!

Dan's: What are some of your current favorite local wines?

Donnell: Each of the members of the Long Island Merlot Alliance - Wölffer, Raphael, Sherwood House, Pellegrini and Clovis Point - make exceptional merlots and classically styled blends that are among the best on Long Island. Other favorites include Wölffer Claletto (an amarone-style cabernet sauvignon), Raphael Sauvignon Blanc, Channing Daughters Blaufrankisch and each of its Tres Rosati (rosés made from merlot, cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon), Lenz Gewürztraminer and Paumanok Chenin Blanc.

Dan's: What progress, specifically, have you seen in the last 10 years in Long Island wine production?

Donnell: My personal knowledge of the region only extends back about five years. In that time, the Long Island wine region has made great strides in organization. Thanks to Richard Olsen-Harbich (managing director at Raphael), it now has its three official AVAs: American Viticultural Areas; Long Island, The Hamptons and The North Fork of Long Island. The Merlot Alliance was formed in 2005, seeking to provide a body of research that improves the quality of our merlot and sets out taste and aroma profiles to define what is unique about Long Island merlot versus those from California or France, for example. The Alliance also helps to bring an organizing principle to the minds of wine-lovers -like the association you might have of Argentina and malbec, or New Zealand and sauvignon blanc. When you think of Long Island you usually think of merlot.

In terms of production, it's clear to see that there are many more vineyards and winemakers here than ever before. Winemakers and vineyard managers continue to refine and evolve their methods as they have more historical data with which to make the next great vintage.