SAMANTHA BRIX FILE PHOTO | A North Fork Wine Club monthly gift basket, which includes two bottles of Long Island wine, a North Fork Wine Club VIP card and an issue of the Long Island Wine Press. The founder of the North Fork Wine Club recently launched an online store that sells local products and services.
A new online store featuring local products has popped up just in time for the holidays.
Michael Malkush, founder of the North Fork Wine Club, launched LongIslandWineCountryStore.com earlier this month.
The site features the wine club, which he started four years ago, and three other newly-formed clubs: the New York Beer of the Month Club, the North Fork Restaurant of the Month Club and the East End Preserves of the Month Club.
Members of the various clubs receive two bottles of wine, 12 bottles of beer, a restaurant gift certificate or two jars of gourmet preserves each month.
Customers can also purchase DVDs — shot and edited by Mr. Malkush — of scenes from around the North Fork.
“I have three relatives that grew up on the North Fork and every year for the past 10 years I’ve been trying to find different novel, local products to send them,” Mr. Malkush said. “I think that’s what got me creating these different local things.”
He also unveiled a new service on the site called Wine Country Tour Designated Driver. Popular in Napa Valley and other wine regions in California, the service allows customers to hire a driver to cab customers around in their own cars, for $40 an hour, so they can drink and get home safely.
Mr. Malkush, who has visited the North Fork’s Wine Country since 1967 before settling here eight years ago, will be one of the drivers, as will his son, Christopher Malkush. They’ll also give tips on which wineries and restaurants customers should try.
“This way people can stay here and, for a small amount of money and in the comfort of their own car, have me as a sort of concierge,” he said. “It’s another way to tour wine country.”
If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it!
