Although winegrowing records for the South Fork of Long Island date to colonial times, it was not until 1979 that the first commercial plantings of vinifera varieties took place. This peninsula, commonly called "The Hamptons", is about 54 miles long and ranges from just one-half mile to 10 miles wide, with Atlantic Ocean influence ever at hand. Despite being next door to each other, there are notable differences between the South Fork and the warmer North Fork. The South Fork is more exposed to onshore Atlantic breezes, delaying bud-break by as much as three weeks. Even after bud-break, the area is frequently foggy, keeping early season temperatures and sunshine hours lower than on the North Fork. By the end of the growing season, the seemingly subtle weather differences between the Forks add up to quite different overall climates. The Hamptons are generally very cold to moderately cool, while the North Fork is moderately cool to relatively warm. The damper silt and loam soils of The Hamptons, along with climactic differences, create a unique style, with wines from The Hamptons generally being more restrained and less fruit forward than wines from the North Fork.