Floral Terranes of Long Island with Erik Longibardi and Benford Lepley

In this episode of the Vintners podcast, Aleks Zecevic interviews Erik Longabardi and Benford Lepley of Floral Terranes in Long Island. These two Long Island natives, have been exploring the remnants of the once vast agricultural land in the suburbs of New York City. Their project is an act of agricultural, but also cultural preservation. 

They made their first commercial ciders in 2017 from essentially foraged apples around the region.  In 2019 they also started focusing on wine. And all these beverages are being made in Erik’s garage in Rosyln, Long Island. They are redefining what it means to be a garage cidery/winery and through their ciders and wines, they are exploring infrastructural and agricultural history of Long Island.