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Trent Preszler, the dynamic 33-year-old CEO o Bedell Cellars, isthrilled with the wines seasonalpopularity. Leveraging growing con-sumer interest in re reshing ros, thismonth the Cutchogue winery releasesits Taste Ros, a blend o Merlot, Cab-ernet Franc, Syrah and Petit Verdot.

The grapes were grown on our estateand underwent a gentle whole-clusterpressing right a ter harvest, Preszlerexplains. Taste Ros joins its sisterwinesthe premium blends TasteWhite and Taste Redall o whichbear artist Barbara Krugers flm noir-ish label evoking a seductive blondepin-up model.

Taste is just one o the o erings inBedells port olio, ranging rom the FirstCrush series, made rom the frst grapesthat arrive each harvest, to top-o -the-line red blend, Muse. Paul Schutte,marketing manager or Lauber Importswhich distributes Bedells wines, saysthis range is one o the winerys most sig-nifcant attributes. Whether it is valueor prestige a customer is a ter, theressomething or everyone in Bedells port-

olio, he shares.

Th Soph st c t SBedell Cellars is one o Long Islands old-est wineries in a relatively new winemak-ing region. Kip Bedell, who passionately

made wine at home, sought out the ideallocation or his own vineyard back in1979, and ound it at the old 50-acre Da-vids Potato Farm on the North Fork. Over30 years later, the winery is not only syn-onymous with quality, but sophistication.

Bedells identity has long acquired aglamorous sheen ever since flm execu-tive Michael Lynne became owner in2000. The tasting room, set in a circa1919 barn, stays true to its roots yet hasevolved to a modern showroom. Wewanted to create a space that was indic-ative o Bedells history, but at the sametime stylish, says Preszler. From themezzanine, guests are treated to sweep-

ing vineyard views, and to add an edu-cational component, a glimpse o thehigh-tech bottling line. The centerpieceo the spacious, high-ceilinged tastingroom, however, is Lynnes vibrant artcollection. Lynnes love or art spawnedBedells noteworthy Artist Series, a col-laboration with contemporary artistslike Ross Bleckner and April Gornickwho have lent their original artwork tothe labels o Bedells wines.

a t & Comm cat B C s,th Two Wo s CoBy alia akkaM

Bedell Cellars, in Cutchogue, ison the site o an old potato arm

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A state-o -the-art tasting roomawaits visitors to Bedell Cellars

As much as New Yorkers love sipping their robust CabernetSauvignons throughout winter, once the temperaturestarts to creep up, their allegiances quickly shi t to ros.

The once-shunned, pink-hued wine is not only embracedthese days or its quality, but its crisp, pleasant avor profle signalsthe arrival o summer and long-awaited al resco dining.

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Stu roots

Dave Thompson, Bedells vineyard man-ager, has been with the winery since itsfrst vintage in 1985. Back then, long be-

ore the current eco-movement gainedmomentum, Thompson developedpioneering sustainable guidelinesnowstandard practice at wineries across thecountry rom implementing a covercrop o grasses to naturally ermentingwines. Its not like Bedell is new to theparty, says Preszler. Its not somethingwe talked about, but sustainable vine-

yards are something we always had.Back in 1986, lauded winemaker Rich

Olsen-Harbich wrote the North ForkAVA into existence, essentially pavingthe way or the Long Island wine industry.Last year, ollowing in the ootsteps o KipBedell, Olsen-Harbich joined the team aswinemakercra ting wines or Bedell'ssister winery Corey Creek, tooa terworking in the vineyards o other EastEnd properties, most recently, Raphael.

N w F ontAs more and more consumers ventureinto New World territory when por-

ing over wine lists, the once-reluctantare ast becoming Long Island wineconvertsnot only because its a way tocapitalize upon the locavore trend, butbecause they are discovering the bar hasbeen raised on the quality o the winescoming rom the area. Long Islandwines have come a long way over thelast fve to 10 years. Theres a greateracceptance among sommeliers outsideo the Long Island region now, notesLaubers Schutte. Preszler adds, Theskyrocketing o consumer acceptance ispart o the recognition that theres qual-ity wine rom everywhere in the worldand in our own backyard, too.

This is underscored by the act over100 NYC on-premise accounts, romGotham Bar & Grill to Porter HouseNew York, serve Bedells wines. Preszler,who believes wine is better enjoyed with

ood overall, loves seeing these wines

resonate with diners. We love sellingto restaurants; its a co-promotionalpartnership or us, he says.

Braithe Tidwell, wine director o Danny Meyer's Union Square Ca , isone o these Bedell-smitten sommeliers,and has been pouring the Merlot 2008by the glass or the last ew months.

The appeal o Bedell is really the qualityo the wine. I like the Merlot or its ver-satilityguests can enjoy a glass at thebar, paired with our beloved warm barnuts or as an accompaniment to any o

Che Carmens dishes, she says, point-ing out the Merlot is a choice compan-ion to the pappardelle with wild boarragu or pan-roasted chicken. Merlotsdeliciously warm ruit characteristicsplay nicely with the great acid you tendto fnd in Long Island wines, with a lush,velvety mouth eel.

Its groundbreaking, says Schutteo Wine Spectator bestowing 91 pointson Bedells laghip Muse, the irst90-plus rating or a Long Island wine.

Bedell is proo that quality wine ex-ists on Long Island; the Lynne amilyis committed to bringing Long Islandwine to the next level, and they aresucceeding.

Own : Michael LynneW n m :Rich Olsen-HarbichFoun : 1980P o uct on: 10,000 cases a yearNot b : MuseFun F ct: Bedell employs more graduatesof Cornell Universitys College of Agricultureand Life Sciences than any winery in theworld: winemaker Rich Olsen-Harbich (83),CEO Trent Preszler (02), national salesmanager Adriana Coderch (10) and socialmedia advisor Steve Carlson (10)d st but b : Lauber Imports

fact sheetbedell Cellars

Impressivevineyard views

rom Bedellsmezzanine

Bedells TasteRos debuts

April 1st

Bedell CellArsis one of long is-

lAnds oldest win-eries in A relAtively

new winemAkingregion.