Brooklyn's Progress
April/May 2008

BY JILL D’AMICO

You don’t have to travel to the old country, or even California, to sample some of the best wines being made today. You can find them right here in Brooklyn, at the borough’s first urban winery and tasting room.

Striking the perfect balance between Brooklyn’s gritty industrial history and wine lore that conjures up images of rolling hills of Napa, Bridge Urban Winery sits near the Williamsburg waterfront.

Greg Sandor and Paul Wegimont recently opened Bridge for that very reason – they wanted to bridge the divide between their Suffolk County vineyard and a part of the city that both feel a strong connection to.

“We have a vision of bringing all that we’re doing out there into the city,” said Mr. Sandor.

Offering their own
Featuring an all-New York State wine selection, including vintages from their own Cutchogue, Long Island vineyard, Mr. Sandor and Mr. Wegimont have created a distinctly urban, gritty counterpart to a pastoral vineyard.

The Washington, D.C. natives went into business together when the opportunity arose to lease a vineyard that Mr. Sandor was working at. Leslie Alexander, owner of the Houston Rockets, was pulling out of the business, and the two friends jumped at the chance to take over a high-end functioning winemaking operation.

Along with upstate rieslings and cabernets, the pair offers their own varietals.

“We focus on Merlot, which is one of the better grapes to grow on Long Island, and a Chardonnay – those are our two best,” said Mr. Sandor. “We also have a 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon that is our best seller so far.”

“We basically focus on whites and reds that we think do well on Long Island,” he said.

Add to that their “Brooklyn Red” and “Brooklyn White” table wines, complete with the Brooklyn Bridge on the label that Mr. Sandor reports are very popular.

Bridge will be expanding its offerings in the months to come as well. They plan on holding monthly classes with vintners, where they will be showcasing winemakers in from different vineyards talking about their wines. By the fall they hope to be fermenting, blending and tasting batches on-premises.

To complete the package, Bridge also offers a small menu, specially paired for the wines they offer. On offer are a variety of crostini, paninis, grilled vegetables and cured meats.

“It makes the wines more fun and exciting,” said Mr. Sandor. “It is simple, smaller plates, like finger food. We have a cheese plate that’s 100% from the Hudson Valley – we work with six different dairies for that.”

Taking special care to patronize sustainable, local farms for their meats, cheeses and vegetables, Bridge sees that ethos as an extension of their philosophy.

Building Bridges
“The reason that we decided to open a tasting room in Williamsburg is because of all the manufacturing that was –  and still is – here,” said Mr. Wegimont. “Whether it’s artists that are painting, sculptors, musicians, or full-on sizable manufacturing, we knew that’s where we would find a home, since we are manufacturing the wine ourselves.”

Forgoing Manhattan was an easy choice for Mssrs. Wegimont and Sandor, and they are thrilled with their location at the crossroads of industry and creativity.

“We knew immediately that this is more of a community-type place,” continued Mr. Wegimont. “Again, it was a shot in the dark, like it is anytime you open a business, but at least we’re here with this artisanal co-op. We have a person who blows glass down the street, a guy who makes pickles in his apartment and two girls who make cheese.”

The pair has found that the neighborhood is responding in kind.
 
We’ve had some really amazing local support from people who live literally above us,” said Mr. Sandor, who studied viticulture at Cornell and worked with the pros in California. “There are people who are truly crafting something. It’s something from this area’s past, which is being sought after once again.”

Getting Connected
Mr. Wegimont and Mr. Sandor were thinking along the community lines when they joined the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce.

“We feel committed to community and the network,” said Mr. Sandor.

They sought out the Brooklyn Chamber, and Member Representative Ken Varga followed up with them.

They are looking to take advantage of the networking opportunities that the Brooklyn Chamber offers. Big believers in doing business locally, the pair put their money where their mouths are.

Their neighbor who blows glass did all their lamps, they salvaged wood from local construction sites, they used a local stonemason for their marble bar, and all their glass is from Colonial Glass, another Chamber Member.

“Everything in here, we bought locally,” said Mr. Wegimont. “We support business and they support us.”

Bridge Urban Vineyards is located at 20 Broadway in Williamsburg, and is open from 2 p.m. to Midnight, Wednesday through Monday. For more information, go to http://www.bridgevineyards.com/ or call 718-384-2800.