Dan Abrams, the chief legal correspondent at ABC News and a North Fork homeowner, is in the process of purchasing Laurel Lake Vineyards.
The television host and author will close the deal, which includes the vineyard land and business, in the coming weeks for an undisclosed amount. The property at 3165 Main Road was not officially on the market when it went into contract in December.
“I’m so excited to invest in the North Fork and this vineyard with the goal of creating a new luxury Long Island wine,” Abrams said in a statement. “Expanding into the wine business has long been a passion of mine and this winery presented a perfect opportunity to create an experience that both local residents and seasonal guests will enjoy.”
The current team at Laurel Lake Vineyards, including winemaker and current co-owner Juan Sepulveda, are going to remain on staff, but Abrams is bringing in New York Magazine wine columnist Vanessa Price to oversee all aspects of the winery. We’re told many significant changes are coming, including a name change.
“Dan is welcoming a baby in the coming weeks and plans to change the name to reflect his children, but has not yet announced what the new name will be,” his spokeswoman Cameron Gurley said.
The Hollywood Reporter first reported the news noting Abrams wants to create a “luxury winery and lifestyle brand” where “Napa meets the Hamptons.”
Abrams, who has a house on the Peconic Bay, told Hamptons Magazine in 2018 that Paumanok Vineyards in nearby Aquebogue was one of his go-to spots, saying it was one of “many under-appreciated wineries on the North Fork.
Laurel Lake Vineyards, a 40-acre farm, has been owned by a group of Chilean and American investors and friends who had a passion for wine, according to its website. Laurel Lake Winery is located in a colonial-style building with a tasting room with an antique landmark bar, stained windows and a gift shop. The two story deck overlooking the vineyard is a favorite place for guests to enjoy a glass of wine and some music, at least in pre-COVID days.
Meanwhile, other vineyards and wineries remain up for grabs. Sixty-six acres of Castello di Borghese Vineyard in Cutchogue, including a 3,000-square-foot farmhouse and historic barns, was only listed last month for $3.69 million.
Osprey Dominion and its 90 acres in Peconic have been for sale since 2017. The shuttered Vineyard 48 in Cutchogue was listed in early 2020 for $6 million and Bedell Cellars, including 95 acres in Cutchogue and a 23-acre vineyard in Peconic, was listed in 2019 for $17.9 million, though it is not clear if both are still actively on the market.
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