I have been wanting to visit the wineries out on Long Island for the longest. So when I discovered there was a day tour from the city, I booked it right away!
I invited my fabulous friend Rachael to join me and last weekend, we put out on our most Insta-worthy outfits and headed out of the city!
Below are some of the deets from our wine tasting adventure to help you plan your day trip to the Long Island wineries!
BOOKING YOUR TOUR
I booked the tour through Pulsd.com. It’s similar to Groupon, but is just for New York.
They always have a ton of fun offerings from happy hours and sunset cruises to brunches and meet and greets with actors, authors and public figures. This particular tour was $169 for a party of 2 ($369 value) and included transportation to and from New York, visits to three different wineries and multiple tasting at each.
WHAT TO BRING
Our luxury charter bus picked us up in Midtown at 8:30 in the morning and we didn’t retain until 7pm that evening. Since we knew we’d be gone alllll day, it was important to plan accordingly! Here my checklist from the trip:
- Sunscreen
- Water – Although water was provided on the bus, I also brought my own refillable bottle.
- Snacks for the bus – The ride was about and hour and a half each way so it was nice having a little something to nibble on.
- Entertainment for the ride – A book or tablet, although I just listened to podcasts!
- Headphones
- Phone charger – The bus had outlets, which was nice, but I also brought my external charger as a backup!
- A sun hat
- Sunglasses
- Cash – some of the venues only accept cash for additional pours.
- A Camera
- A mini tripod
Believe it or not, I managed to fit everything in a medium sized tote bag!
WHAT TO WEAR
In addition to looking cute for the ‘Gram you’ll also want to be comfortable. Summers on Long Island are HOT, but you’ll also be on a heavily air conditioned bus. I ended up wearing a flowy striped jumpsuit with sandals and I had a denim jacket for when I got cold.
I would say cute summer dresses were outfit of choice for most of the other gals on the tour. As for shoes, you would be fine wearing heels or wedges because there isn’t much walking involved, but I was perfectly happy in my sandals.
THE WINE
STOP #1
The first stop was Osprey’s Dominion. We sampled 4 of their locally produced wines including a Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, a Riesling and Merlot. All were delicious, but I was surprisingly a big fan of the Riesling – not too sweet and the perfect combo of rich and fruity notes.
There was an indoor and outdoor bar, yard games and food trucks. It would be a fun venue to hang with a group of friends for an afternoon!
STOP #2
Our 2nd stop was the Pugliese Vineyard. This was my favorite of the three. It was located next to a small coy pond with a fountain, with seating underneath a vine covered lattice. The live music playing softly in the background was the perfect touch!
Here we sampled 3 of their award winning wines. I chose a Rosé, Pinot Grigio and their sparkling Blanc de Blanc. On my way back to purchase two more glasses of bubbly, a group of gals gave me their drink tickets, so Rachael and I shared 3 more samples!
This winery had a much wider selection, but their champagnes were the star of the show! On our way out, we noticed they offer a private champagne tasting at the indoor bar, so I might have to make a trip back soon!
STOP #3
The last stop on our tour was Baiting Hollow Farm & Vineyard. We arrived mid afternoon and were ready for some food in addition for more wine tastings! We both tried their sparkling rosé and ordered and delicious cheese plate and two slices of pie! As enjoyed our wine and bites as we listened to the live band play 80’s & 90’s hits.
I enjoyed this winery, but it did seem to cater to a younger crowd based on the multiple bachelorette parties that were ther and frozen wine on the menu. But it was still lots of fun and a good way to end the day!
After a full day of wine, food and music, we hopped back on the bus and headed back to the city!
We arrived just before sunset feeling rested after napping on the ride home. We made our way to the West Village for a lovely dinner at an Italian bistro, Rafele, and shared a bottle of bubbly as we reminisced about our lovely day!
Overall, it was a really fun day and a nice way to spend some time away from the city! Whether you live in New York or have plans to visit and you’re looking for a fun way to spend a day, I highly recommend trying a Long Island wine tasting tour! Click here to book your tour and check all the other fun events available through Pulsd!
Have you ever taken a winery tour? Which city and what Vineyard?! Share your comments below!
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