Which North Fork Wines Go With What North Fork Dish?

On the North Fork we have some fabulous restaurants with some fabulous dishes. We also have some of the best wineries in the world. Add this to good food and you have, well, what a lot of people like to call heaven on earth. But just what wine goes with what? You can leave it up to your waiter to help you decide of course, and almost all of them are highly knowledgeable. But we decided to go to the experts for some of the North Fork's best dishes at some of the finest restaurants there.

The Old Mill Inn, located in Mattituck, offers a wonderful Freshly Fried Peconic Calamari and a Long Island Duck, which is a free-range duck breast spice rubbed and pan seared, with fresh plum reduction, faro and black currant pilaf and local autumn vegetables.

A Touch Of Venice in Mattituck offers a fantastic stuffed artichoke with breadcrumbs, pecorino romano, olive oil, fresh herbs, garlic and shallots as a starter and an amazing grilled tuna Capri with ev olive oil, fresh tomato, capers, sundried tomatoes, olives and comes with roasted potatoes.

Jamesport Manor offers a fantastic fried zucchini blossom appetizer that is light and crisp and its signature entré;e is the calves liver, pan seared with caramelized Vidalia onions, applewood smoked bacon, roast potatoes and baby carrots.

Legends in New Suffolk on the North Fork offers an amazing Chilean sea bass with lobster and wild mushrooms for an entrée. To start the sausage and shrimp in wonton saucers with basil garlic and ginger is a big rave there.

According to our experts, here are the pairings you should go with these dishes.

Ron Goerlar, Jamesport Vineyard Owner says, "For the stuffed artichoke I would go with our 2006 Estate Chardonnay and for the grilled tuna I would go with the East End Cinq. For the fried peconic bay calamari I would have our East End Savigon Blanc and for the Long Island Duck I'd do a 2005 Cabernet Franc. For the zucchini blossom I would go with an East End Rose and for the calves liver I'd take our 2003 Estate Merlot. For the Legends appetizer I'd go with our 2006 Riesling and for the entrée I would go with our 2005 Sarah's Hill Pinot Noir."

Melissa Schwartz of Lieb Cellars says, "2004 Lieb Blanc de Blancs for the artichoke, Bridge Lane Cabernet Franc for the tuna or the 2007 Bridge Lane Rose. For the Long Island Duck I would go with Bridge Lane Merlot, for fried zucchini blossom, definitely the 2006 Bridge Lane Chardonnay and for the liver do the Bridge Lane Bubbly. For Chilean sea bass with lobster I would say the 2005 Lieb Reserve Chardonnay, for the sausage I would go with the 2005 Lieb Reserve Cabernet Franc. And I have to add that if you are going to go for oysters you definitely want the 2006 Lieb Pinot Blanc Reserve.

Barbara Sherwood, owner of Sherwood House Vineyards, says, "Stuffed artichoke would be the 2004 Sherwood House Chardonnay, grilled tuna 2003 Sherwood House Chardonnay, fried calamari 2004 Sherwood House Chardonnay, Long Island Duck I'd do the Sherwood Manor (blend, this is full bodied and perfect for duck I just had it with duck the other night). Fried zucchini blossom? I'd do the 2007 Sherwood Rose or the Sherwood 2003 Cabernet Franc, for the liver I'd go with a 2004 Chardonnay. For Chilean seabass with lobster I would do the 2004 Chardonnay again or the 2002 Sherwood House Merlot and would do the Sherwood Manor for the sausage.

Our resident expert had this to say for Clovis Point wines, "For the artichoke I would go with the 2005 Clovis Point Chardonnay, for the grilled tuna I would do the Clovis Point 2005 Cabernet Franc. For the calamari I would go with the 2005 Chardonnay, for the duck I would go for the Clovis Point 2005 Cabernet Franc. For fried zucchini I would have to go with the 2005 Chardonnay again, and for the sea bass with lobster I'm going to say the 2004 Merlot. For the liver I would do the 2005 Clovis Point Artifact. For the sausage I would go with the 2004 Merlot."

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