Why Merlot?

The Long Island Merlot Alliance was formed in 2005 by five Long Island wineries dedicated to advancing the quality in the production of merlot wines and merlot-based blends. We believe merlot is the signature grape of the region. It is the most widely planted grape, consistently performs well in our terroir and, because it’s so often used with other varietals, enriches all red wines of our region.

McCall Vineyard at harvest

To illustrate the fruits of our collaboration, we created a unique merlot blend we call Merliance. Hand-crafted and utilizing each winery’s individual technique, know-how and tradition, this artisan wine is the first of its kind from Long Island, designed to highlight the signature grape variety and wine of the region. Our goal is to define the characteristics of the variety, and demonstrate the strength in the Long Island terroir, creating a wine that becomes something more that the sum of its parts.