(Photos courtesy of A&P Grape Distributors)
On a clear, breezy day, you might catch the scent of fresh grape juice in the air if you are near the corner of Hicksville Road and Boundary Avenue. That delightful smell is courtesy of A&P Grape Distributors, a third generation owned family business.
“We’re kind of ingrained in the neighborhood,” said Brooklyn-born owner Pete Pagano, who has called Massapequa Park home for over 25 years, along with his wife, son and daughter.
As a kid growing up, Pagano fondly remembers his Brooklyn neighborhood; lined with Italian and Jewish food stores, butcher shops and fruit stores that were owned by small business entrepreneurs. Pagano’s grandfather was in the produce business, which was then taken over by his father and uncles.
“My father and his four brothers sold whole sale produce, specifically watermelons,” said Pagano. “The wine grape business was a small part of the business that my grandfather had gotten into 70 years ago just to fill in the time from the other seasons.”
The business, which is an offshoot of Pagano’s grandfather’s business, has been successful for the past 15 years with the help of Pagano’s partner, Angelo. Even as a young man, Pagano was always intrigued by the wine making process.
“My father used to make barrels of wine in the basement. I would go with him to people’s houses to deliver grapes and I would see these exotic wine cellars,” said Pagano. “Not only was I born into the culture, but the business that we were in afforded me the opportunity.”
The staff at A&P are highly trained, as it is Pagano’s main goal to educate people about wine, so they come back and continue to get their wine from him. But where does Pagano get his wine from?
“We emphasize our fresh grape which is sourced mainly from California. We also get juice from Italy and Chile,” said Pagano of this season, which is devoted to fresh juice. “We’re actually getting our first load overseas from Italy this week as well.”
Pagano likes California grapes for a number of reasons; mainly because California has been in the business for a very long time. 
“The northern stuff can’t be beat because there are old vines there; hundreds of years old vines that produce a better grape and a better wine,” he said. “If you go over California in a helicopter, I can show you a field of Zinfandel that’s 50 miles wide and 60 miles long. You can’t get that here.”
The Sierra foothills or Sonoma Valley is similar to that of Italy; offering the same Mediterranean climate that is hot during the day and cool at night. According to Pagano, it is this perfect climate that allows for the best acids and sugars to develop within the grapes. Harvest season for Pagano is September to November, which may souns a little late to some, but it’s only because he prefers to get his grapes further north.
“We can’t claim organic because the grapes are not grown organically and there’s a whole series of procedures that need to go into organic grapes that we do not do here,” said Pagano of his produce. “We do use disinfectants to sanitize, which prohibit the growth of any bacteria in the wine, and we minimize sulfites that give you a headache in commercial wine,” he continued.
Each wine must be looked at as its own entity to determine which ones are enjoyed better young or more aged. Cabernet Sauvignons and Petite Sirahs would benefit more with age because the tannins need time to tame down. As for whites, they are approachable a lot younger, but every wine will peak, no matter what the age, according to Pagano.
“Red wines are by far more popular among customers; they are more complex by nature,” said Pagano. “Whites are more versatile.”
When it comes to air exchange, Pagano believes that corks are better, and discourages the use of synthetic ones. In fact, he only sells traditional corks in his store.
“The gas works its way into the cork halfway up and oxygen works its way back down; it’s a whole affair going on,” he said. “You want to hear that pop when you first open the bottle, that’s a good wine and the appeal of the service when you pour it.”
For a first time winemaker, Pagano advises you to buy a bottle of wine, drink it and then take his class because, as far as he is concerned, that’s the last time you’ll ever buy wine in the store.
“The only way to expand our business is to educate new winemakers and their palates,” said Pagano. “We’re very passionate about what we do and we want people to make good wine for themselves; to be able to taste the difference between homemade wine against store bought wine.”
Pagano’s Winemaking 101 class costs $60 per person for two hours and is offered Wednesday and Thursday nights, as well as the occasional Saturday. The class concentrates on terminology, sterilization, and basic procedures. Pagano also offers an advanced 401 class that is 16 hours and deals with adjusting the acids and sugar, all of which is already done in the juice for the beginner class.
“You can put what I know about wine on the head of a pin,” said Pagano on his knowledge of the great grape.
When it comes to the price of wine, Pagano revealed that it is quite an abstract endeavor, with a laundry list that adds up quickly.
“You have to factor in what region you source the grapes from, what you put into it, the bottle, the corks, how long you age it, along with other aspects,” he said. “The spectrum of wine is so broad, but for something that should cost $20, it can be sold for $80 on the shelf,” said Pagano, who admitted that he personally does not like to spend more than $15-$18 for a bottle in his quest for finding good wine under $20.
Since everyone’s palate is educated differently, the price of a wine is not automatically equal to taste and value.
“Some people might spend $10 on a Cabernet and think it’s good and another person with a more advanced palate might think that same wine tastes like poison,” said Pagano, whose current favorite wine is Petite Sirah.
“It’s bold, hearty, and deep and dark in color,” he said. “It’s a great wine, very complex and can be aged or drunk young.”
As for Massapequa, Pagano could not have asked for a better community to run a business in.
“The people of Massapequa have been great; they love us. The community as a whole has been very supportive,” said Pagano. “People like us; we’re approachable and we’re always here for them. It’s a lifetime support with us.”
Pagano considers himself to be very blessed on many levels. He has been fortunate enough to continue relationships with winemakers who have known him since he was fifteen.
“We’re here to take on the next generation of winemakers,” said Pagano. “Sometimes, the best wines are made by mistake; but if you take care of the grapes and handle them with love, you’ll have good wine.”
A&P Grape Distributors is located at 1503 Hicksville Rd, Massapequa. For more information, please 516-495-4533.
