Merliance, a trade association in place since 2005, has welcomed a new member. Lieb Cellars is the seventh winery ascribe to the opinion that merlot and merlot blends are the premiere wines to spring from the soil and climate of Long Island. Current members of Merliance, which was previously known as the Long Island Merlot Alliance, are Clovis Point, McCall Wines, Raphael, Sherwood House Vineyards, T’Jara Vineyards and Wölffer Estate Vineyard. In addition to marketing the merlots and the merlot blends of their members, Merliance also sponsors consultations from visiting winemakers, research projects and tracks vintages for the entire wine region. Merliance was the founding organization for HARVEST, the annual fundraiser/celebration of Long Island Wine Country.
