Long Island Wine Country

What Long Island Wine Country does

Long Island Wine Country (legal name: Long Island Wine Country Organization) is a membership-based non-profit regional trade and tourism body headquartered in Riverhead, New York, that promotes the Long Island wine region — encompassing the North Fork and South Fork — to consumers, media, and trade audiences. Founded in 1989 by David Mudd and evolved out of the Long Island Grape Growers Association, the organization serves two primary constituents: (1) more than 60 member wineries, restaurants, lodging properties, and ancillary wine-country businesses that gain promotional visibility through its channels, and (2) visiting consumers (day-trippers from New York City and longer-stay tourists) seeking wine tasting, culinary, and agritourism experiences. The organization celebrated the 50th anniversary of Long Island winemaking in 2023-2024.

Its core product surface is a digital platform — liwines.com — that combines a comprehensive member directory (wineries, dining, lodging, parks, museums, and service partners), a digital concierge tool for personalized itinerary planning based on visitor preferences, an events calendar, and newsletter / podcast channels. The technology stack is conventional web infrastructure (a WordPress-backed marketing site with a custom concierge UI) rather than proprietary ML or AI systems. Operational reach is executed through signature events such as Jazz Night at Sannino Vineyard, the Sunset Music Series at Wölffer Estate, Blanc & Franc brunches, and the annual Race for the Greenway 5K, alongside earned media coverage and Instagram presence.

The business model is funded primarily through an Industry Member program (a recurring membership subscription for wineries and related businesses), with supplementary revenue from event ticket sales, sponsorships, and co-marketing support from regional destination partners such as Discover Long Island. Membership fees are not publicly disclosed. The organization has no venture funding, no parent entity, and operates with a 14-person team. Strategic partners include Long Island Sustainable Winegrowers (LISW) on sustainability positioning, Discover Long Island on destination co-marketing, Trust for Public Land and Harvest East End on the Greenway 5K event, and the James Beard Foundation on culinary alignment.

Name

Long Island Wine Country

Legal name

Long Island Wine Country Organization

Website

https://liwines.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Long Island Wine Country is a Riverhead, NY-based non-profit that promotes the Long Island wine region via a member directory of 60+ wineries, a digital concierge/itinerary planner, signature events, and partner co-marketing for visiting tourists and trade audiences.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wine Tourism Services

NAICS

Wineries (312130)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Wine Tastings & Vineyard/Winery Tours (THAJAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Wineries & Vineyards (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAE)

Keywords

• Wine tourism promotion
• Regional wine marketing
• Winery directory services
• Wine country events
• Tourism concierge platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Riverhead

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Industry Membership Program: The organization operates an Industry Member program where wineries and related businesses join to gain visibility, resources, and a voice in Long Island's growing wine and tourism community. Membership fees likely contribute to operational funding.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Long Island Wine Country is a regional nonprofit tourism organization that operates liwines.com, a consumer-facing destination platform showcasing the Long Island wine region. It provides a digital concierge service, a comprehensive directory of more than 60 member wineries across the North Fork and South Fork AVAs, an event calendar, and itinerary-planning tools aimed at wine tourists. It also administers an Industry Member program through which regional wineries and vineyards fund the organization via recurring dues.

Product overview

Long Island Wine Country is a tourism and concierge platform for the Long Island wine region (North Fork and South Fork areas). The platform provides a digital concierge service, winery directory, event listings, and itinerary planning tools to help visitors discover and plan experiences at award-winning wineries, restaurants, and lodgings across the region. It promotes approximately 60+ member wineries including Pindar Vineyards, Wölffer Estate, Sparkling Pointe, and others, along with dining and accommodation options.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Long Island Wine Country Website (liwines.com)

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Long Island Grape Growers AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1989The Long Island Wine Country Organization evolved from the Long Island Grape Growers Association. Founded by David Mudd, who became the first president of the association, the organization was initially formed to help prospective growers navigate challenges of starting businesses on Long Island and has since evolved to promote the region as a premium winegrowing area.
• Long Island Sustainable Winegrowers (LISW)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong Island Sustainable Winegrowers supports harmony between the natural world and vineyards. LISW encourages consumers to learn about sustainable growing practices, reinforces sustainability values, and bolsters the region's deep-rooted sustainability practices. The program aligns with Long Island Wine Country's promotion of the region's wine industry.
• Member Wineries and VineyardscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOver 60 wineries and vineyards participate in the Long Island Wine Country organization as Industry Members, gaining promotional visibility through the organization's website, marketing channels, and events including Jazz Night, Sunset Music series, and the Race for the Greenway 5K.
• Restaurants and Dining EstablishmentsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFeatured dining establishments including aMano Restaurant, North Fork Table + Inn, Noah's Restaurant, Love Lane Kitchen, and numerous others that provide culinary experiences complementary to wine tasting.
• Lodging PropertiesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFeatured lodging options including Bellport Inn, Coffey House Bed & Breakfast, The Shoals Suites & Slips, and Jake's 58 Casino Hotel that accommodate wine tourists visiting the region.
• Trust for Public LandminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Race for the Greenway 5K Run/Walk event raises proceeds for the Long Island Greenway project. Trust for Public Land is working with the local community to create a biking and pedestrian trail stretching nearly 200 miles from Manhattan to Montauk.
• Harvest East EndminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProceeds from the Race for the Greenway 5K also support Harvest East End, whose vision is to unite the community in establishing Long Island as a world-class destination for premium wine.
• Discover Long IslandcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerDiscover Long Island is the official and accredited tourism marketing organization for Long Island, NY. The organizations collaborate on promoting the region as a destination, with Long Island Wine Country featured in their podcast 'Long Island Tea' and promotional materials.
• James Beard FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe James Beard Foundation is a nonprofit celebrating and supporting America's food culture. Individual wineries in the region have received James Beard recognition, and the foundation's Taste America series features culinary events that align with Long Island wine promotion.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Visit Napa Valley: Destination marketing organization for Napa Valley. Closely aligned in function — promoting regional wine tourism through concierge-style planning, events, and digital content.
• Sonoma County Vintners: Regional wine industry association promoting Sonoma County wineries, events, and consumer education. Directly comparable as a winery trade body with tourism marketing and member services.
• Napa Valley Vintners: Trade association representing Napa Valley wineries and promoting the region as a premium wine tourism destination. Closely comparable in mission, membership-driven structure, and visitor-facing programming.
• Finger Lakes Wine Alliance: Regional New York State wine trade group promoting Finger Lakes wineries. Most comparable as an East Coast regional wine DMO with similar membership model and tourism mission.
• Santa Barbara Vintners: Regional trade association for Santa Barbara County wineries. Comparable as a membership-based wine industry body promoting tourism, education, and member visibility.
• Virginia Wine: State-level marketing body for Virginia wineries. Comparable in promoting a regional wine identity, running consumer events, and supporting winery membership programs.
• Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance: Regional wine alliance promoting Paso Robles wineries through events, content, and visitor-facing resources. Directly analogous in scope, structure, and consumer-facing deliverables.
• Walla Walla Valley Wine Alliance: Regional wine alliance for Walla Walla Valley promoting member wineries through events, content, and tourism programming. Structurally similar at a comparable scale.
• Willamette Valley Wineries Association: Membership-based trade association for Willamette Valley wineries promoting regional wine tourism, events, and consumer engagement — a structural analog at smaller scale.

Regional players

• Discover Long Island: Official regional DMO for Long Island. Functions as a peer through destination marketing collaboration and joint promotional activity, though broader in scope beyond wine.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/LIWineCountry
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/long-island-wine-country

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Long Island Wine Country