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For those who desire to fully appreciate a rich Long Island Merlot, creamy Chardonnay or bubbly Champagne, The Southampton Inn will host a wine tasting weekend in October.

"We realize that understanding the intricacies of wine takes a little background knowledge, which is why we enrolled an expert like Shari Alexander to lead our guests that weekend," said Barry Shatoff, general manager of The Southampton Inn. "Wine can be for everyone, and Shari's unpretentious approach knocks down any barriers that may prevent people from enjoying wine in this fun and educational weekend." Ms. Alexander is a former chef/restaurateur, a syndicated wine columnist and co-editor of the Long Island Wine Gazette.

To start off the weekend, the Southampton Inn is hosting an elegant welcoming reception Friday evening. Ms. Alexander will present an introduction to Long Island Wines in a short seminar "How to taste wine like a pro." She will also explain "terroir" and discuss the new generation of wines and winemaking. The reception will feature wines from the area's top vineyards and hot hors d'oeuvres, cheeses and pat�s selected by the Inn's in-house caterer, Tim Brown of Park Avenue Catering.

Saturday offers guests a full day of VIP wine tours, tastings and barrel selections. Guests will be treated to an in-depth tour of Woffer Estate's Tuscan-style winery, the vineyards, Champagne cellar and special tastings selected by winemaker Roman Roth. A buffet luncheon at Channing Daughters Winery follows with wines served while overlooking the picturesque vineyard. After lunch, co-owner and executive winemaker Larry Perrine will head a VIP tour and talk about Channing's philosophy of its wines.

Later in the afternoon, guests will enjoy ripe Brie cheese and fresh fruit with a special selection of wines following a VIP tour of Duck Walk Vineyards at its Hamptons landmark chateau winery.

The weekend wraps up Sunday morning with a Champagne brunch at the Southampton Inn Caf�, a visit from a surprise wine celebrity, and an interactive discussion about all the wines sampled that weekend. All guests who participate in the wine weekend will receive a certificate and a bottle of Long Island wine.

The Southampton Inn's wine education weekend is an all-inclusive package including overnight accommodations, the welcoming reception, Saturday lunch, Sunday Champagne brunch, tours and tastings for $799 per room based on double occupancy. For nearby residents who wish to participate in the meals, tours and tastings only, the package is $425 per couple.

For more information on The Southampton Inn's wine education weekend and accommodations, contact Reservations at 1-800-832-6500 or (631) 283-6500.

Edited by Kerry Cohen

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