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Our Government Is Totally, Completely Wrong About the Hamptons

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Where does the Hamptons officially begin? The wide consensus is that it's as soon as you cross the Shinnecock Canal.

And yet, the United States Government seems to insist otherwise, at least when it comes to classifying wine. An eagle-eyed Curbed reader spotted the following definition of "The Hamptons" in a section of the Code of Federal Regulations that deals with viticultural areas:

The boundaries of the viticultural area are as follows: "The Hamptons, Long Island" viticultural area is located entirely within eastern Suffolk County, Long Island, New York. The viticultural area boundaries consist of all of the land areas of the South Fork of Long Island, New York, including all of the beaches, shorelines, islands and mainland areas in the Townships of Southampton and East Hampton (including Gardiners Island). The beginning point is found on the "Riverhead, N.Y." U.S.G.S. map on the Peconic River about 2 miles east of Calverton where the Townships of Riverhead, Brookhaven and Southampton meet: (1) The boundary travels south approximately 10 miles along the Southampton/Brookhaven Township line until it reaches the dunes on the Atlantic Ocean near Cupsogue Beach on the "Eastport, N.Y." U.S.G.S. map. (2) Then the boundary proceeds east and west along the beaches, shorelines, islands and mainland areas of the entire South Fork of Long Island described on the "New York," "Providence," and "Hartford" U.S.G.S. maps until it reaches the Peconic River near Calverton at the beginning point. These boundaries consist of all of the land found in the Townships of Southampton and East Hampton (including Gardiners Island). The last time this legal definition was updated was way back in 1993, so perhaps it's time for an update?

Poll results

· § 9.101 - The Hamptons, Long Island. [Electronic Code of Federal Regulations]
· All Previous Coverage [Curbed Hamptons]