It’s not always good to keep things bottled up, and we’re not talking about feelings. Bedell Cellars completely renovated its tasting room at Corey Creek Vineyards in in Southold in May and added a wine tap.

“We wanted to do something different from our main tasting room in Cutchogue,” said Bedell winemaker Rich Olsen-Harbich. “The wine on tap allows us to serve some wines direct from the cellar that are not yet released in the bottle.”

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Variations include Carbonic Cab (2016 vintage) made from Cabernet Sauvignon. It goes through a fermentation technique known as carbonic maceration, yielding a red wine that is light and fruity and great for summer. There’s also 2016 Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, 2015 Merlot and 2016 Taste Rose. Coming this summer are also the 2014 Petit Verdot, 2016 Cabernet Franc and 2016 Pet Nat Cider.

“We are going to keep rotating wines from the cellar that we feel are interesting.”

Another new aspect is the different take on tasting flights, where visitors can sample three wines served on wooden planks at the same time. Previously, the tasting flights consisted of five wines poured one at a time.

image: bedell cellars

The updates continue in the interior. “We wanted to make it a little more casual, more of a nautical and agricultural theme because that is really the essence of the North Fork.”

A rope light hangs above the bar and antiques like an eel spear and select fishing rods adorn the walls. The walls and floors are now bright blue and gray, not dark brown, evoking a laid-back seaside feel.

There’s no need to taste on an empty stomach. Corey Creek Vineyards’ is stocked with light snacks like almonds, dry fruits and popcorn. But the big draw is still the Twilight Tuesday and Thursday food trucks that serve up everything from pizza to tacos and burgers from 5-9pm in the summer. There are also oysters available on Friday nights, which pair perfectly with the Sauvignon Blanc. The same can be said for the new tasting room and a glass of white, red or rosé instead.

“Our tasting room is fun, casual and that’s really what wine is—a way to enjoy life, celebratory and in the form of relaxation. We hope people will enjoy our new setting with this new way to have wine.”