LI vodka maker wins (another) gold medal

A vodka made by a Baiting Hollow distiller has won an award in an international contest held in California.

LiV Vodka, made from Long Island potatoes, was awarded a gold medal at the 2012 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

Judges at the taste test awarded medals to about 100 of the vodkas entered in the contest, and of those, LiV Vodka finished in the top third with a gold medal.

According to the contest guidelines, there were two top vodka winners, 10 double-gold winners, and 26 gold medal winners -- including, among the 26, LiV Vodka.

LiV vodka's maker, Long Island Spirits Inc., describes the San Francisco tasting as "the oldest, largest, and most recognized spirits competition in the United States." It has won taste-test medals in other competitions, including a New York judging in December.

The company is a natural fit on the East End where potato farming has deep roots. Owner Richard Stabile has told Newsday that it takes 20 to 25 pounds of potatoes to make a liter of vodka. Launched in 2006, Long Island Spirits also sells potato-based liqueurs with a presence on store shelves in about 1,000 locations, mostly on the East Coast.

The distillery and its 80-acre potato field are also tied in with the network of wineries and attractions that fuel the East End's tourism industry.

Photo of owner Richard Stabile.

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