In 1996 the McCall family partnered with the Peconic Land Trust to save Fort Corchaug and the farmland adjacent to the family’s property from the threat of development, after which they replanted corn and potato fields and added twenty one acres of sustainably farmed vineyards. They released their first vintage in 2007. In 2010 they erected a wind turbine in the vineyards, drastically reducing their carbon footprint and introduced a small herd of prized Charolais cattle that graze among the vines, creating a harmonic ecosystem and some of the best beef on the East Coast! This easy going, field blend of Bordeaux varietals - Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc - comes from a single vineyard planted in 1991 by Long Island wine pioneer Sam McCullough. Harvested, pressed and fermented together, then aged for 14 months in oak barrels, mostly used, this tightly knit red offers aromas of wild berries, dried herbs and fresh violet. On the palate, it’s medium-bodied with ripe cassis and raspberry flavors, a touch of vanilla and some earth with moderate tannins on the dry finish. It’s a perfect pairing for a charcuterie and young cheese platter or a Chicken Tinga Burrito with avocado and black beans.