Bedell Cellars

Founded 1980 in Cutchogue by Kip and Susan Bedell, with their first commercial vintage released in 1985. Bedell was purchased in 2000 by Michael Lynne who is Co-Chairman and Co-CEO of New Line Cinema. Lynne also owns Cory Creek which he purchased in 1999 and the Wells Road Vineyard in 2001. The group cultivates 78 acres and produces 12,000 cases a year. The Bedell winery was purchased for $5 million and was one of a number of notable acquisitions of Long Island winemakers by large investors from outside of the wine business. These changes follow the model seen in Napa in the '70s where larger individual investors came into the region and purchased wineries. These moves are bringing significant amounts of new capital into the region allowing investment in the quality and recognition of the regions production.

Kip Bedell started making wine in his home in Garden City in the 70's. He and his wife Susan began to realize that their interest in wine went beyond their home based efforts. They purchased a 50 acre potato farm in Cutchogue. Bedell had been developing a reputation as one of the premier vintners in the region before the sale to Lynne. They were particularly known then as now for their Merlots. Bedell, along with Lenz, Hargrave, and Mudd, among others, defined and developed what the classic Long Island wineries were. They were characterized as small, artisanal, family farm wineries more focused on producing wines of quality. They exhibited a marked French influence and old world character.

In 2005 Lynne made a significant move to increase the quality and recognition of Bedell's wines. He engaged Pascal Marty as a consultant. Marty was formerly the Director of Winemaking for Baron Philippe de Rothschild. Marty's directions were to focus more on viticulture than on winemaking. He felt that the region had been following the California model which was not particularly compatible with the cooler maritime climate of the region.