Sparkling Pointe
Sparkling Pointe is the only Long Island winery dedicated entirely to méthode champenoise sparkling wine.
Founded in 2002 by Tom and Cynthia Rosicki, Sparkling Pointe is the only Long Island winery committed exclusively to méthode champenoise — every bottle is fermented twice, hand-riddled and disgorged on-site at the Southold cellar. Winemaker Gilles Martin, a Champagne-born veteran of Roederer Estate in California, works only with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier from the estate's 40-plus planted acres. In the cellar Martin's house style is built around long lees age — three to seven years en tirage on most bottlings, well beyond what non-vintage Champagne typically sees — which is the single biggest reason Sparkling Pointe drinks with more bread-crust depth and creamy texture than almost any other domestic sparkling at its price point. Base wines are fermented in a mix of stainless and neutral oak depending on the cuvée; the reserve solera, started in the mid-2000s, now anchors the non-vintage blends and gives them continuity from year to year. Dosage is dialled deliberately low — most cuvées sit in the seven to nine grams per liter range — and the team is one of the very few in New York doing extended-tirage prestige cuvées at all. What I order in the tasting room Start with the Brut Séduction (the entry-tier non-vintage), then move into Topaz Imperial, then the Brut Rosé, then — if it's open — Cuvée Carnaval. The Cellar Flight (by appointment, seated in the back room) is the one to book; it lets you compare base wine to finished cuvée, taste through dosage trials, and usually includes a library pour. If you're putting together a dinner-party case, the Brut Rosé is the all-purpose food bottle in the lineup — it works with everything from oysters to a charred ribeye. Best time to visit Sparkling Pointe is one of the few North Fork rooms that's genuinely great year-round, but my favorite slots are late spring (May, before the Hamptons spillover) and the December holiday windows, when the Mediterranean gardens are dressed and the room leans festive. Summer Sunday afternoons in the garden are postcard-perfect but heavily booked; reserve at least two weeks ahead. Avoid drop-in attempts on Saturdays from June through Labor Day. The signature bottle Topaz Imperial is the bottle to bring home. It's an extended-tirage blanc de noirs-leaning cuvée that spends five-plus years on the lees before disgorgement, with a richer, more autolytic profile than the Brut — toasted brioche, baked apple, honeycomb, and a long, mineral finish. It's the bottle that converts skeptics: open one blind alongside a $60 Champagne and most drinkers can't pick the Champagne. Skip the Champagne aisle and bring a Topaz Imperial to your next dinner party — Gilles Martin's dosage is dialled-in, and the lees age gives it a depth that's almost impossible to find anywhere else in American sparkling at this price.
Brut, Brut Rosé, Topaz Imperial, Cuvée Carnaval
Skip the Champagne aisle and bring a Topaz Imperial to your next dinner party — it's the bottle that converts skeptics. Gilles Martin's dosage is dialled-in, and the lees age gives it real bread-crust depth.
Visiting and reservations
A visit to Sparkling Pointe is a seated, guided wine tasting inside the Grand Tasting House, the VIP Bubble Lounge, or on the outdoor terrace and lawn overlooking the vineyard. General reservations are for parties of six guests or fewer; larger groups need a Group Tasting Package booked through events@sparklingpointe.com. Same-day reservations and walk-ins are accepted as service allows, though advance booking is recommended in busy season. Sparkling Pointe Experience page
The estate
Owners Cynthia and Tom Rosicki farm 40 acres planted only with the classic Champagne varieties — Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay — and produce sparkling wine exclusively in the traditional méthode. The property is at 39750 County Road 48 in Southold. Sparkling Pointe homepage
Visitor rules
The winery does not permit outside food, beverage or pets (ADA service animals excepted), and guests may only walk through the vineyard with staff permission after their tasting is finished. Late arrivals of more than 15 minutes may have their reservation cancelled, and the winery notes that traffic can be heavy from May through November. Sparkling Pointe guest reservations page
Note on published pricing
Sparkling Pointe's website did not display current tasting-menu prices at the time of research, so no pricing block is included here; call 631-765-0200 or check the Tasting, By-the-Glass and Food Pairing menu linked from the reservations page before visiting.
What it costs
| Grand tasting flight | $25 |
| Wine guide's choice flight | $25 |
| Extra tasting add-on | $5 |
| Chocolate pairing add-on | $10 |
| By the glass | $12–$22 |
| Caviar service | $49–$84 |
Prices checked 2026-09-20 — Sparkling Pointe — tasting menu
Sources
Frequently asked questions
- What are Sparkling Pointe's tasting room hours?
- Sparkling Pointe's tasting room hours vary by season — typically Friday through Sunday during the off-season and daily in summer and harvest. Always check the winery's website before driving out, especially mid-week.
- Do I need a reservation to taste at Sparkling Pointe?
- Reservations are strongly recommended at Sparkling Pointe on weekends and during harvest season (September–November). Walk-ins are sometimes accepted on weekdays. Booking ahead also locks in your group size for seated tastings.
- Where is Sparkling Pointe located?
- Sparkling Pointe is in Southold, NY, on the North Fork of Long Island. It's an easy stop on most North Fork or Hamptons wine-tasting day trips.
- What wines is Sparkling Pointe known for?
- Sparkling Pointe is known for brut, brut rosé, topaz imperial, cuvée carnaval. On the tasting menu, ask about their Brut, Brut Rosé, Topaz Imperial, and Cuvée Carnaval.
- When was Sparkling Pointe founded?
- Sparkling Pointe was founded in 2002, making it one of the more established producers on Long Island's North Fork.
- How do I get to Sparkling Pointe from NYC?
- From Manhattan, Sparkling Pointe is about a 2–2.5 hour drive via the LIE (I-495) to the North Fork, exiting toward Southold. The LIRR reaches nearby Ronkonkoma and Greenport; from there you'll need a car, taxi, or a booked wine tour to reach the tasting room.
- What's the best time of year to visit Sparkling Pointe?
- Late spring through fall is peak on the North Fork — May and June are quietest with the vines leafing out, July–August is busiest, and September–October harvest brings the best energy in the tasting room. Winter weekends are lower-key with shorter hours; always confirm before making the drive.