Kip Bedell, who lived in Garden City, Long Island, started making wine as a hobby at home. As he and his wife Susan made wine, they felt that making wine in the basement of their house was not enough, so in 1979 they purchased a 50-acre potato field and started cultivating it as a vineyard. The two started Bedell Cellars while commuting from Garden City, and with the help of friends they planted the first 7 hectares of land, and then expanded the land. They sold the grapes from their first harvest in 1983 and 1984 to other wineries. During the 1985 harvest, they were hit by the terrible Hurricane Gloria, and due to the effects of power outages and other factors, they suffered a disaster in which they lost almost all of the grapes for red wine. Due to such accidents, Kip calls the 1986 vintage the first harvest of Bedell Cellars. And this first vintage, Chardonnay Reserve, won a gold medal at the Dallas Morning News competition. Currently, the vineyards owned by Bedell Cellars are said to have the oldest average age of vines in the North Fork wine region of Long Island. The soil in this area is said to have been created by melting glaciers, and the soil is sandy loam and gravel-mixed loam. They plant grape clones that are suitable for the soil and microclimate of each field, and cultivate the grapes so that the nuances of Long Island and the aroma of the wind can be felt exactly in the wine. The wine is brewed entirely with natural yeast. While valuing the natural acidity and minerals that the grapes themselves have, they brew the wine while being conscious of the balance of the barrel aroma and alcohol content. Currently, Michael Lin, chairman and CEO of New Line Cinema, a film company known for Lord of the Rings, is the owner, and he has introduced the latest equipment and continues to produce even higher quality wines. In January 2013, Bedell's Merlot was served at the inauguration lunch for President Obama's reelection, making this winery a hot topic. About the Long Island wine region:
Long Island, known as the "Bordeaux of New York," is the newest and fastest growing wine region in New York State. Located about 160km east of New York City, the tip of the island is divided into the North Fork and the South Fork, known as The Hamptons. The Great Peconic Bay splits the island into two forks, with the North Fork bordering the Long Island Sound to the north and the South Fork bordering the Pacific Ocean to the south. These waters bring a warm climate and a long grape growing season, making it the perfect place for traditional European varieties such as robust Merlot and aromatic and elegant Cabernet Franc.