Wine Tasting on "the Island"

So most people right out of college go out to Long Island from Manhattan (and NYC) to summer in the Hamptons (or do the Christmas Stroll) and party their face off. But as we get a little older, that tends to hold less appeal. Instead, for one of my friend's 30th Birthdays last summer, we AirBnB a house on the North Fork in Greenport, NY. Greenport is much like the Hamptons was years ago - a quaint, middle states town, with fun bars, local shops, and other nifty spots. While a bit crowded, making a reservation at a restaurant or finding a spot at the cool American Beech bar, or getting into the large wharf parties at Claudio's is pretty relaxed. But even more appealing than the "scene" on the North Fork, are the wineries. As one drives out or back from Greenport (at the end of NoFo), one passes many idyllic wineries. Since it is in fact an island, and therefore gets wet, and gets very cold in the winter, the wines are not the best. Despite the wines not being as good as the wines in California (or on the West Coast generally), the relaxed nature of the vineyards provide a nice respite from the NY city life and a great place to decompress, celebrate, and drink decent wine with friends. Vineyards we visited include Sparking Pointe and Bedell Cellars for those that are curious.