Long Island wines seldom turn up at wine auctions, but a handful of parcels did on Dec. 8, and sold handsomely. The occasion was Grapes of Grief and Gratitude, a sale organized by Morrell & Company, the Manhattan merchant and auction house. The New York Police and Fire Widows' and Children's Benefit Fund is the beneficiary. Almost all the auction's 1,389 lots offered were sold, raising $957,585 for the philanthropy, created by Rusty Staub, the former Mets outfielder and a wine aficionado. All wines were donated, mostly by individuals and wineries. Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani auctioned eight New York State lots - seven from Long Island and one from upstate - raising $7,150. The largest sum fetched was a total of $1,700 for a case each of Palmer's 1997 and 1998 Select Reserve Red Bordeaux Blend, each valued at $300 to $400. Next came $1,300 paid for a Schneider consignment: a magnum each of 1995 and 1997 cabernet franc and a dozen bottles of 1999 cabernet franc. The lot was estimated at $750 to $900. An unusual 12-bottle lot of wines from the 2000 vintage contributed by the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County, valued at $200 to $300, realized $1,100. Made possible by Alice Wise, the extension viticulturist, the lot consisted of merlots,.syrah, dolcetto and chardonnays derived from various grape clones. A case of Paumanok 1998 barrel fermented chardonnay, valued at $200 to $300, went for $1,000. Two magnums of the Wolffer 1994 Estate Selection chardonnay and a winery tour and tasting for four people fetched $900. The lot was valued at $200 to $300. Michael Lynne, the owner of Bedell Cellars and Corey Creek donated three magnums of Bedell's 1993 cabernet sauvignon; a bottle of Corey Creek 1998 merlot; a bottle of 1999 Corey Creek regular chardonnay and a bottle of 1999 reserve chardonnay. The $200 to $300 value sold for $650. To qualify for the secondary market, wines must be considered commodities with resale value, which supposes that they possess ageworthiness. A 28-year-old region in a world afloat in old wine cultures, Long Island possesses few reds that can demonstrably deliver, after years of proper storage, the depths and subtleties that, say, Bordeaux and Burgundy do. A decade hence, the story may well be different. HOWARD G. GOLDBERG |