The Long Island Merlot Alliance was formed in 2005 by five Long Island wineries dedicated to the advancement of quality in the production of Merlot wines and merlot varietal based Bordeaux style blends. This collaboration has led us to the creation of 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 merlot grape variety of the region. Our goal is to define the characteristics of the variety, and demonstrate the strength if the Long Island terroir, creating a wine that becomes something more that the sum of its parts. Our first release of 250 cases of the 2004 Merliance occurred in the summer of 2006. The release of the 2005 Merliance occurred in the spring of 2008, with the 2006 released scheduled for the Spring of 2009.