Nothing says relaxation to me more than a glass of good wine in a romantic setting with a night or two at a bed and breakfast. Stay in one of these rejuvenating New York inns, and visit vineyards on the East End of Long Island to experience a great grape getaway.
Andrew's Legacy in Cutchoque, New York, is a fourth-generation family home with original antique furniture and reproductions of the early furnishings. Three luxurious guest rooms feature private bathrooms. Snuggle in comfy beds made with handmade quilts and vintage linens. The gardens have been lovingly replanted with the help of local friends with green thumbs, and have flourished since 2003 when the bed and breakfast first opened. Start the day with a Victorian breakfast of homemade bread and fresh eggs from the backyard chickens.
The Bedell Winery can be seen from the backyard. Take a short walk to sample the 2007 Musee, the highest scoring red wine in Eastern North America. Bedell is sustainably farmed and has been family owned for thirty years. All of the wines at the Lenz Winery are estate bottled, made by grapes grown on-site. They also have some of the most mature vineyards in the area. Many other wineries are close to Andrew's Legacy, including four more within walking distance. Cutchogue is only 8.5 square miles, yet Albert Einstein spent two summers there.
Also in Cutchoque, Blue Iris Bed and Breakfast is a newly-constructed farmhouse with three over-sized guest rooms. Spa services, including massage, facials and reflexology, are offered. No need to pack a robe, a plush one is provided. Enjoy outdoor activities including bocce, croquet and horseshoes; or a take stroll through the gardens. Passes are available for the local sandy beach. The innkeepers are happy to assist with dinner reservations or to arrange for the delivery of flowers or gift baskets. After a local wine-tasting tour, sit near the fire pit on the outdoor patio with a bottle of wine. Six vineyards are within a one-mile radius, including Pindar Vineyards which powers 80% of all winery operations by a wind turbine. Peconic Bay Winery has an open mic night on Thursdays. Their old vines produce a superb Chardonnay. At the end of the day, relax in your room with a whirlpool tub and a gas fireplace.
Privacy is the name of the game at East Hampton Colonial Inn. Two exquisite rooms with terraces overlook the gardens. Be refreshed by the soothing waters of the granite pool or admire the gardens while rocking on the porch. Curl up with a good book in the bright and cozy sunroom. Weddings are often held among the magnificent old trees or on the manicured lawn. Channing Daughters Winery is only minutes away and features a large variety of both red and white wines. Intimate wine-tasting classes quickly fill up throughout the year. The nearby Wolffer Estate Winery hosts numerous events onsite that benefit causes such as the environment, health care and education. Their Summer in a Bottle Rose has hints of fresh wildflowers and strawberries and always sells out quickly. Conveniently located in East Hampton, near many popular restaurants, the town includes Wainscott, East Hampton Village, Springs, Amagansett and Montauk. Each hamlet has waterside dining, beaches, shopping, museums, theaters and galleries. It is also home to the famous Montauk Lighthouse, built in 1796.
Located on an inlet of Shelter Bay, Shorecrest Bed and Breakfast in Southold was originally built in the mid-1800s as a summer home for a wealthy family. It was lovingly restored with 10-foot ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows and five guest rooms. Breathtaking sunsets can be seen from the private Long Island Sound beach located only 500 feet from the inn. Experience double the fun with a second private beach that is a great spot to launch kayaks or canoes. Stretch out on an inviting hammock or lounge chair. The nearby Old Field Vineyards was established in 1974 to sell fruit. It started making its own wine in 1997. Venture to Sparkling Pointe to try five tasty and unique sparkling wines. Most histories designate Southold as the first English settlement on Long Island. It is home to 24 listings on the National Register of Historic Places.
-- Julie Dietzel-Glair