Having opened in the fall of 2009, Sparkling Pointe is one of the newer additions to the North Fork wine trail, but in its childhood, it has become one of the most popular spots to visit. Just ask my friend Jackie; as one delightfully pops open a bottle of champagne, her boyfriend Justin took her there a few weeks ago and popped the big question! At this point, I knew I couldn’t let too much more time pass before I visited this unique winery for the first time myself.

Inside the VIP tasting room at Sparking Pointe

And unique it is… the decor shows its age, so to speak, in that everything is brand SPARKLING new, including a beautiful VIP tasting room that can be rented out hourly for parties of 25 or less. The back patio has several circular tables that accommodate groups of all sizes, and even a few Miami-style comfortable chairs and coffee tables on the lawn. Live music on weekends typically begins after 2pm, but I understand that one of the coolest things to do at Sparkling Pointe is come for Bossa Nova Fridays, a happy hour experience with live music from a variety of different bands.

I’ve heard commercials for Sparkling Pointe on the radio, and the catch phrase has always been, “If it’s not sparkling, then what’s the point?” That being said, don’t expect to find anything here that isn’t made in the Methode Champenoise, a traditional method of producing sparkling wine and the same process used in the Champagne region of France to produce the bubbly known

as…duh…Champagne.   Prepare to open your wallet, as the tastings here aren’t cheap. However, if you don’t want to sample all four of the tasting flight selections, you can purchase as many as you want a la carte. I went for the full Monty, and out of the four tastings, I preferred the 2006 Blanc de Blancs (moderately priced at

$42 a bottle) and the 2002 Brut Seduction (the most expensive bottle on that list, by the way…) If you buy two bottles during your visit, your $17 tasting fee is waived.

If you want to spend a significant amount of time here, I suggest that you bring your own lunch or snacks. While some are available forpurchase inside, the selection is limited. My friend Regina and I picked up our lunch at the Village Cheese Shop on the way. I found that the glass of Blanc de Blancs I purchased paired extremely well with my Virginia ham and Gruyere cheese baguette.

So if bubbly wine is your thing, you can easily spend an entire day enjoying the sunshine and music at Sparking Pointe!