LONELY PLANET NAMES HUDSON VALLEY TOP 10 DESTINATION FOR 2012

LONELY PLANET ANNOUNCES
TOP 10 TRAVEL DESTINATIONS FOR 2012
HUDSON VALLEY IS NO. 2!

Top 10 US travel destinations for 2012
Robert Reid, Lonely Planet Author
The US: it’s a big place, and there’s a lot of ground for travelers to cover. So what’s buzzing for travelers in the coming year? It’s an annual tradition at Lonely Planet to try to answer that question, so the editors in our US office put their travel-noggins together to carve out a list of what’s new, interesting, and in some cases likely to be overlooked by travelers both domestic and international. Here are our 10 top picks that should be on your travel radar in 2012:


2. Hudson River Valley, New York
It should be a given that any visitor to New York City breaks for a day or two ‘upstate’ in the Hudson River Valley, a slice of rural Americana just north. It’s a real city break, with leafy drives, wineries and plenty of farm-to-table foodie options that draw even spoiled-for-choice Manhattanites away from the city.

New York Cork Report Chooses Hudson River Region Finalists 2012

Executive Editor, Lenn Thompson announced the New York Cork Reports Wines of the Year Finalists for 2012. Hudson-Chatham Winery, Millbrook Vineyards, Oak Summit Vineyard, and Tousey Winery wines were nominated for the six spots.

Here's the final bracket below:

Hudson River Valley Region

Red Wines
Hudson-Chatham Winery 2010 Casscles Vineyard Reserve Baco Noir
Oak Summit Vineyard 2010 Pinot Noir
Tousey Winery 2010 Cabernet Franc

White Wines
Hudson-Chatham Winery 2010 Estate Seyval Blanc
Millbrook Vineyards 2010 Tocai Friulano
Oak Summit 2010 Chardonnay

Winners will be announced in mid-February.

Congrats to all those nominated!

New York Cork Report Raves About Tousey 2010 Cabernet Franc

Editor-in-Chief Lenn Thompson wrote a glowing review of Tousey 2010 Cabernet Franc.

Plummy, with crushed blackberries, tobacco leaf, subtle herbs, the nose also shows hints of brown sugar, milk chocolate and spice.

The medium-bodied palate is earthy and chocolatey with ripe dark fruit, some oak, and spice flavors. The tannins are soft, but provide just enough structure. The finish brings dried autumn leaves and lingers just a bit.

This is Tousey's second wonderful review from NYCR. Thompson writes that Tousey immediately moves to near the top of quality wine producers in the Valley.

Try some!

Read the whole thing at:
http://www.lenndevours.com/2012/01/tousey-winery-2010-cabernet-franc.html#comments

HUDSON VALLEY SCORES BIG WITH WINE ENTHUSIAST

For the first time ever, Wine Enthusiast magazine coordinated tasting of some of the best wines of the Hudson Valley. The wines scored high on the magazine’s 100-point scale, and proved that the Hudson Valley is emerging region with wines that can compete in the international wine market.

The Hudson Valley is one of the oldest producing wine regions in the United States, and New York State is the third overall producer of wine in the U.S. But with the influx of new money, talent, and drive over the last five years, the region is growing at a fast pace, and producing a number of highly rated bright, flavorful whites, and soft, approachable reds.

Wine Enthusiast editors tasted more than 20 Hudson Valley wines that earned scores of 85-89 points consistently across seven producers. This is the first major tasting of the region by any major news outlet, and helps to establish the region as a producer of fine quality wines.

“We are thrilled with the results,” said Hudson Valley Wine Country president Carlo DeVito. “The Hudson Valley is a great example of some of the excellent wines New York state produces. Our passion and commitment to making quality wines has been recognized. We think this highlights what we’ve been doing here – the Hudson Valley is making wines that can compete anywhere.”

The Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs, Cabernet Francs, and Baco Noirs all scored very well, and highlight a region which produces wines that showcase great food wines that are forward fruit, and feature bright acids, medium-to-low tannins, and long finishes in a more European tradition. Hudson Valley wines can be found all across the state, and are featured in numerous stores and restaurants throughout the city.

To find out more, all the scores are available on the magazine’s website in their ratings area, and on other Hudson Valley websites such as:

http://hvwinegoddess.blogspot.com/

http://hudsonriverwine.blogspot.com/

The Hudson Valley is America’s oldest wine making and grape-growing region. Less than an hour and a half from New York City, Hudson Valley wineries and wine trails offer hospitable winery tasting rooms, where consumers can often meet the owners in-person and taste award-winning wines made from classic European varieties, regional hybrids and even delicious fruit wines. The Hudson Valley features more than 40 wineries and three trails: The Dutchess Wine Trail, The Hudson-Berkshire Beverage Trail, and the Shawangunk Trail.