Hudson River Valley Wineries

This blog is dedicated to news, events, profiles and reviews of fine food and wine in the Hudson River Valley. We especially feature and spotlight the burgeoning wineries of the Hudson River Region. We accept and will relay information about releases, events, festivals and any toher happening related to food and wine in the Hudson River Valley. Send pertitnent information to hudsonriverwine@yahoo.com

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Location: Catskill, NY, United States

Carlo DeVito has traveled around the US, France, Spain, Chile, Canada, and Italy. He has been a publishing executive for more than 20 years. He shepherded the wine book program of Wine Spectator as well as worked with Kevin Zraly, Oz Clarke, Matt Kramer, Tom Stevenson, Evan Dawson, Greg Moore, Howard Goldberg, and many other wine writers. He has also published Salvatore Calabrese, Jim Meehan, Clay Risen, and Paul Knorr. He has also publisher such writers as Stephen Hawking, E. O Wilson, Philip Caputo, Gilbert King, James McPherson, Michael Lewis, David Margolick, Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr., John Edgar Wideman, Stanley Crouch, Dan Rather, Dee Brown, and Eleanor Clift. He is also the founder of Hudson-Chatham Winery, co-founder of the Hudson Berkshire Beverage Trail, and former president of the Hudson Valley Wine Country. His the author of more than 20 books including The New Single Malt Whiskey, Big Whiskey, and the forthcoming The Spirit of Rye. https://carlodevito.wordpress.com/

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Some Wonderful Wines from Brookview Station


Over the last six months I have tasted several wines that I was supposed to blog about and didn't. Shame on me. But now is the time! Brookview Station Winery is based at Goold Orchards in Castleton, NY. Sue and Ed Miller own it, and Karen Gardy is the manager. A better group of people you will not meet.


OK, so the first I need to mention is the Brookview Station All Aboard! This is a DeChaunac based red wine with lots of cherry upfront, and a nice backbone of other flavors. Dry, but not too dry, this is a wonderful table red wine. Great with pizza, pasta, bbq, and other fun dishes.

Some people like it cold. I am appalled by cold red wine, but I know that a fair number of people like it that way. I've had this both ways, and it stands up well either way. Really wonderful stuff!


The other new wines from them is Brookview Station Sunset Charlie. This is an apple wine tinged with DeChaunac. This semi-sweet blush wine is a thriller. This is the kind of wine that can make a winery - that's how good it is....and it's got a dog on the label? How can it go wrong. Fabulous with cheese or bbq or burgers, nachos, etc. This is a fun, easy drinking blush with lots of flavor, and a nice nose. A wonderful wine!

Anyway, if you're going to Brookview Station, these are two great picnic wines to try along with their great apple wine and their great pear, and their fruit dessert wines.

Great, great stuff!

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Harvest at Tousey Winery

Winemaker Bruce Tripp and General Manager Pen Peacock were hard at work yesterday. They were sifting through several large pallets of Cabernet Franc, making sure only the best berries were getting through as they continued on with their crush.

The new Tousey Winery sign is up, and they'll be open in a few weeks, just waiting on their labels, like so many other wineries before them.


Ben is a marketing genius, and he has transformed the space inside Tousey Winery's tastingroom in a fabulous way. All the material you need to see is written on the wall, like in a museum. When completed, it will be one of the most unique and fun tastingrooms in the Valley.

Bruce is an award-winning winemaker, having won countless awards in the Hudson Valley over the years. And he's been making stellar cassis for Tousey for some time now, made with real honey instead of sugar. The result is an eye-popping experience.
Hurry up, boys!

CLEARVIEW VINEYARD IN WARWICK, NY


There is a new vineyard in Warwick, New York. It's name is Clearview Vineyard. The owner is Frank Grassle. They are not open to the public that I know of. But I met Frank at the most recent Hudson Valley Wine and Grape Growers event last month.



And for the first time I tried one of his wines. One of his wines I tasted was his Cabernet Sauvignon 2009. It had a lot of cherries up fron and a nice dry, smooth finish.



We'll see where and when Clearview opens, but in the meantime, good to know there's another winery in the valley opening. You can see his website below.

Monday, September 20, 2010

2010 Hudson Valley Wine & Food a Big Success

Here are some happy festivl oes that stopped by the Hudson-Chatham booth, as well as at many of the tohers. The 2010 edition of the Hudson Valley Wine & Food Festival was a smashing success. The wineries had a great weekend, and so did the festival goers!

Paul Gioquindo pouring for Whitecliff.

The Hudson-Chatham stand.

Richard and Valerie Eldridge of Brimstone Hill.

David Pazdar and his father-in-law from Pazdar Vineyards.

Anne the winemaker at Glorie Farm.

Mary Vogel of El Paso Winery.

Paula Cereghino of Cereghino-Smith. (Sorry Fred, you weren't there yet)
Clinton Vineyards booth.
Daniel Rowland at the Glorie Farm Winery booth.


The ever present George Ciafaro of Cascade Mountain.

Staffers set up Millbrook Vineyards.

Sue Miller of Brookview Station Winery.

It was a great weekend, and we all had a lot fo fun. We are also all exhausted. A great time was had by all. (Sorry it took me so long to get the pictures up).

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

TREE PLANTING AND FOUNDERS DAY CELEBRATION AT BROOKVIEW STATION WINERY AT GOOLD ORCHARDS


TREE PLANTING AND FOUNDERS DAY CELEBRATION
Saturday September 18th 1-4 pm Goold Orchards Castleton, NY

This Saturday September 18 at 1pm there will be a tree planting and rededication of Goold Orchards to marking the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Goold family farm. A plaque honoring founders James and Bertha Goold will be placed near the tree at the site of the original family farm house.

County Executive Kathy Jimino will be on hand to help commemorate this very auspicious occasion to honor Goold Orchards as the oldest family owned apple farm in Rensselaer County and the Capital Region.