The Lieb tasting room enters a new chapter with new owners, modern design

CUTCHOGUE, NY — After a three-month wait, the long-awaited reopening of Lieb Tasting Room in Cutchogue will take place under new ownership with a newly renovated, modern tasting room design on April 17.

“The new tasting room features a modern design that focuses on natural materials, a modern color palette and a mix of elegant and rustic lighting to create a warm, welcoming and relaxed atmosphere with a touch of sophistication,” said Renee Fondacaro, Lieb Cellars. brand manager and owner.

After closing for renovations in January under new ownership, Lieb Cellars Tasting Room, located at 13050 Oregon Road in Cutchogue, will reopen with a newly renovated tasting room, major infrastructure improvements to the building and surrounding vineyards, and a brand new menu featuring winemaker Russell Hearn's full portfolio, including Lieb Cellars and Suhru Wines, the owners said.

The opening marks an important moment in one family's journey: In October, it was announced that longtime winemaker Russell Hearn of Lieb, along with business partners John and Renee Fondacaro, his wife Susan Hearn and daughter Shelby Hearn Ulrich and her husband Brad Ulrich, had purchased the Lieb Cellars brand, tasting room and 54-acre vineyard.

The tasting room features brand new interior seating, including tufted leather banquettes, a private tasting area, ample bar seating and table seating for groups of 1 to 8, the new owners said.

The Lieb patio, “one of the most scenic tasting locations on the North Fork,” will reopen with comfortable lounge-style seating, picnic tables and Adirondack chairs, the owners added.

“The tasting room renovation focused on integrating the tasting room space with the surrounding vineyards and scenic rural setting,” said John V. Fondacaro, director of viticulture and owner. “Whether sitting on the patio or inside the tasting room, guests can enjoy the beauty of the vines.”

In addition to the tasting room, significant upgrades have been made to the vineyard in recent months. Most notably, deer fencing has been installed around the Oregon Road vineyards and parking has been extended to the tasting room. Ample parking with natural boulder landscaping and native plantings, “create a seamless transition from the tasting room to the vineyards,” the owners said.

Improvements are expected to continue later this spring with more than 1000 new vines being planted on the property. they added.

Beginning Wednesday, April 17, the Lieb tasting room will be open seven days a week from noon to 6 p.m. and until 7 p.m. on friday evenings. Bookings are now available here.

Founded in 1992, Lieb Cellars is a 54-acre sustainably farmed vineyard and winery. The company produces handcrafted estate grown wines under the Lieb Cellars label.

Hearn and his business partners purchased Lieb Cellars after more than 30 years as Lieb's head winemaker.

“I first met Mark and Kathy Lieb three decades ago. They were passionate about wine and strived to showcase the best that Long Island had to offer, which continues to be the goal of Lieb Cellars to this day,” said Hearn. “Lieb focuses on Pinot Blanc, Sparkling Cuvees and a selection of powerful red varietals, all wines that I have been proud to make for the Lieb brand for the past 30 years. I look forward to continuing to make for many years to come.”

One of Long Island's pioneering wine veterans, Hearn's wines have long won critical acclaim.

Born in Australia, Hearn began his career in Western Australia and has worked in New Zealand, France and regions throughout the United States. During his tenure on Long Island, Hearn's “innovative winemaking style” influenced the quality of many wineries throughout the region, most notably Pellegrini Vineyards (1990 to 2012), Lieb Cellars (1993 to present), T' Jara Vineyards (2002). to 2018), Bridge Lane (2004 to date) and Suhru Wines (2008 to date), according to a release.

An active member of the Long Island Wine Region, Hearn founded Premium Wine Group, a custom crushing unit, in 2000, bringing the first winery of its kind to the East Coast and leading to an “explosion of new wine brands and tasting rooms that they open opposite. in the area”, says a statement.

The goal, Hearn said, is to continue to grow both Suhru and Lieb Cellars, emphasizing the best of both brands while introducing new ideas.

“Collaboration for me is always encouraging,” Hearn said last fall. “He brings different perspectives to the table to hopefully drive the best direction forward. This union of Suhru and Lieb is a combination of two family brands as well as the combination of two families, the Fondacaros and ours. The future is clearly defined Our ultimate goal is to draw on our diverse skill sets and experience, both inside and outside of winemaking, to make both Suhru and Lieb better and better for our current and future guests.