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/

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Hudson Valley Wine Goddess Debbie Gioquindo Loves Tuthilltown Cassis


Tuthilltown Cassis

Debbie Gioquindo cassis, tuthilltown cassis, tuthilltown spirits
Tuesday, January 31, 2012

I was over a friends house for dinner and they pulled out this bottle of Tuthilltown Cassis they received as as a gift. I immediately went into blog mode. I didn't realize they were making Cassis. They are known for their Baby Bourbon, Whisky and Vodka so I was excited to taste their Cassis.

The black currants for this Cassis were grown by Fishkill Farms in Dutchess County and aged in old whiskey barrels. I have to tell you I kept going back for more. I couldn't get enough, it was so good!

The Cassis was a gorgeous color! The nose was a very fruity with tart intense black current. As you inhaled the beautiful aroma of this Cassis (which kept you coming back to take another whiff in enjoyment,) there was a third layer that brought hints of mint to your nose.

The palate was silky smooth and balanced. Black currant and vanilla leading to a carmelized finish of Creme Brulee.

If I had three words to describe this Cassis it would be "Beautiful and Elegant!" Wonderfully crafted!

I believe there are only 500 bottles of this produced and it is sold only at the Distillery in Gardiner, NY.









Read more at:
http://hvwinegoddess.blogspot.com/2012/01/tuthilltown-cassis.html

Hudson Valley Wine Goddess Debbie Gioquindo Raves About Hudson-Chatham Baco Noir Old Vines



Tale of Two Baco's
Debbie Gioquindo baco noir, hudson chatham winery Monday, January 30, 2012

This is the tale of two Baco Noirs that I've been hording in my wine cellar for a vertical tasting. Both the 2009 and 2010 Baco's are produced by Hudson-Chatham Winery in Ghent, NY and made from Old Vine Baco at the Masson Place Vineyard, Pulteney Farm in the Finger Lakes.

The 2009 showed some nice black cherry, plum and tart cranberry on the nose with a little vanilla. The palate showed plum and dark berries. The wine finished with some blackberry and a hint of pepper.

The wine itself was light in structure and slightly acidic.

Now onto the 2010 which nose was nice and fresh with oak, vanilla, cranberry. It was smooth and nicely balanced with flavors of plum, dark berry and cranberry. There was a hint of earth leading to prune flavors on the finish.

Overall both Baco's were nice. The 2009 had more structure and less acidity than the 2010, but that was to be expected. There were stronger fruit flavors in the 2010 and the color was brighter and more intense.

Read the whole thing and more at:
http://hvwinegoddess.blogspot.com/2012/01/tale-of-two-bacos.html

NYCR Reviews Altamont Leon Millot Reserve


Altamont Vineyard & Winery 2008 Leon Millot Reserve
By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

Because of my interest in New York and other northeast wines, I've tasted a great many red hybrids over the years, but never Leon Millot.

In fact, I had never even heard of Leon Millot learning that Keuka Lake Vineyards on Keuka Lake in the Finger Lakes has a bit of a cult following for its rendition. I have yet to taste that wine, but was able to get my hands on a bottle from Altamont Vineyards & Winery in Altamont, NY -- which happens to just be 15 miles or so from my where my wife's family lives. I hope to visit in the spring sometime....

Read the rest at:
http://www.lenndevours.com/2012/01/altamont-vineyard-winery-2008-leon-millot-reserve.html

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

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.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

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!

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

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

Monday, January 09, 2012

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.

Friday, January 06, 2012

Winemaker Stephen Osborn of Stoutrdige Vineyards Town Supervisor of Marlboro


Congratulations to Stephen Osborn of Stoutridge Vineyards who in November was eleceted the Town Supervisor, which is the equivilent of mayor in other municipalities. He has been on the lanning board for many years. Our sincerest congratulations to Steve and Kim, and continued success - both politically and as a winery. Happy New Year! p.s. He is now the Honorable Stphen Osborn. Congrats! pps. Steve is the tall guy in the middle!

New face of Marlborough
January 4th, 2012
Mid-Hudson Times
By MARK REYNOLDS
mreynolds@tcnewspapers.com


With domino-like precision, Town Justice Nicholas Pascale administered the oath of office to Justice Eleanor Gallagher, who in turn swore in Town Clerk Colleen Corcoran who then handled the rest – Supervisor Stephen Osborn and Town Councilmen Ed Molinelli and Scott Corcoran.

“I have been spending the last month and a half preparing and getting my ducks in a row,” he said. “I feel like things are already running, things are already moving and I am ready to roll on.”

Osborn said the immediate issue before the board is the two residential development projects – Bayside and Dockside “and how those are going to be resolved.”

“We [also] have the issue of the water,” he said. “We’re trying to become self-sufficient in the town water supply. “We’re also in negotiations with health care with both the Police and Highway [Depts.] and I think that’s a pretty pivotal negotiation going on there. [It] will set the tone on how health care is going to end up working out in the town in the future.”

To further show his belief in self sufficiency, Osborn said he is investigating the viability of installing tidal hydro-electric generation at the new park at the riverfront in Milton.

“We have the wharf that’s in deep, highly tidal water,” he said. “There are other entities nearby that have the same sort of situation that we think we can do in a group effort. I’d like to see those two things; self-sufficiency in water and power would be very nice.”

As a new town councilman, Scott Corcoran described his feelings succinctly – “excited, nervous, anxious but ready to get to the work for the citizens of Marlborough,” he said.

“I’ll give them the voice they deserve and hopefully I can accomplish that this year,” he said.

Corcoran said the Bayside and Dockside projects are pressing.

“I think we’re really going to be looking into the zoning [and] Steve [Osborn] wants to look into the Route 9W corridor,” Corcoran said. “I think that’s going to be a big thing.”

Corcoran said the board will resurrect the Economic Development Committee.

“I talked to Steve about it and that’s something that we’re doing,” he said. “We’re going to try to get businesses in here to support the tax base of Marlborough.”

Corcoran said he believes that in 2012 a referendum will be placed before the voters on a new Town Hall at the TOMVAC building “and their voice will be heard.”

Corcoran said he is hopeful the board can broker a deal with the school district, in a municipal agreement, to share office space at the TOMVAC building. He said the sharing of funds would avoid “hitting the taxpayer twice.”

“That’s something we’re definitely interested in doing,” he said, noting that the district has only a year left on their lease at the Pinnacle building “so that would have to be addressed promptly.”

Corcoran said the town website will be completely revamped within the next few months to make it more user-friendly.

“There are a lot of things ahead of us,” he said. “It’s going to be a busy four years, but I’m up for the challenge.”

Ed Molinelli, who was elected to a second term as town councilman, said he is looking forward to completing “unfinished business” in the next four years.

Molinelli said “I have a lot of opinions” on the Dockside and Bayside projects that are now before the Town Board.

“There are certain parts of it that I think are good and certain parts I think are bad,” he said, indicating that he feels they need to be amended. “I am in favor of the projects, but not as they exist.” He said he is worried about the increase in traffic to the area and the impacts upon the schools.

“That is something they [developers] have to bring to us with every thing they do,” he said. “If they don’t give us the right answers to our questions then we have to scale back the project.”

He said even if scaled back to half the number of units requested, he believes they would be economically viable and would attract needed businesses to the hamlet. He added that an important part of the economic picture is to begin installing infrastructure in the Route 9W corridor.

Molinelli favors a new Town Hall at the TOMVAC building and will support an initiative to the voters this year. He pointed out that the time is right for bonding, as the rates are quite low.

“It would be crazy not to do it at this point,” he said, adding that if the town delays, the rates and costs of construction will only rise.

Molinelli said as councilman he likes interacting with the residents.

“When I help them, it helps me a lot,” he said. “It’s giving back to my community because I have been here for so long. Now they talked me into it [running for office] and I really do enjoy it.”

New Town Clerk Colleen Corcoran said, “I want to do the best I can for our town and serve them as well as Natalie [Felicello] has served them in the past.”

Corcoran said she has “a lot to live up to” in light of Felicello’s 21 years of dedicated service before deciding to retire.

In December, Deputy Town Clerk Michelle Giametta also retired and Karen S. George will be filling that position. St. George is a recent transplant from New Jersey and had sent her résumé in to town hall. In the Garden State, St. George handled secretarial duties for planning and zoning boards as well as for the local historic preservation society.

“I’m a little nervous but am looking forward to it,” she said.

Corcoran said “We’re going to our best to do as well as they have in the past.”

Corcoran has started her position in the busiest time of the year with the collection of taxes, which will run until May.

“It should be an interesting first year, at least, to do everything and do my best,” she said.

In 2012 Judge Gallagher will be entering her 28th year of service to Marlborough.

“I do find it rewarding when you can turn people around, especially young people,” she said. “Ninety percent of the people – win, lose or draw – they walk away with a good feeling, when they feel like they’ve been treated fairly. Five percent hate you no matter what you do and the other five percent I can’t account for.”

Gallagher said the work of a judge is rewarding “but it’s getting more complicated and more and more the state is giving us mandates of what we have to do.”

Gallagher said this has created additional paper work for her office but her part-time secretary is working to meet all of the requirements.


Read the whole thing at:
http://timesadmin.startlogic.com/wp/2012/01/new-face-of-marlborough/

New York Cork Report Reviews Wines from Robibero and Tousey


Editor-in-Chief, Lenn Thompson recently reviewed several Hudson Valley wines in the New York Cork Report. In an article entitled: The New York Cork Report Tasting Table -- January 4, 2012

Robibero Family Vineyards 2008 Pinot Noir ($17*): Red cherries, cola, black tea and spicy oak on the nose. Soft and silky palate with low tannins and just enough acidity. Straightforward red berry fruit is a bit hidden by oak, but only barely. Good for the price.


Robibero Family Vineyards 2010 "87 North" ($13*): Blend of 50% Cayuga and 50% Vidal. Big honeydew melon aromas on the nose with a little citrus and pear. Pears and melons dominate the palate too, which shows bright, citrusy acidity. Not long, but finishes cleanly with pears and apples. Simple, but fresh.

Robibero Family Vineyards 2010 Riesling ($16*): Very peachy nose with subtle floral and lemon-lime aromas. Peach dominates the palate as well with sweet citrus and fennel notes. Off-dry but not clunky or cloying. Good acidity that doesn't quite scrub the palate clean. Medium-short finish that is all peaches.

Tousey Winery 2010 Chardonnay ($16*): Taut on the nose with yellow apple and pear, with a bit of butterscotch and caramel apple. Bit dilute on the palate with good acidity. wood is subtle and comes across as caramelized sugar/vanilla. Lacks fruit somewhat. Fresh finish.

Read the whole thing at:
http://www.lenndevours.com/2012/01/the-new-york-cork-report-tasting-table-january-5-2012.html#comments

Wednesday, January 04, 2012

10 Reasons to Visit A Hudson Valley Winery in 2012


2012 is a great year for the Hudson Valley wine community. There has never been a better time to be a Hudson Valley vintner or a better time to be a Hudson Valley wine consumer.

Why is that? Let me tell you.

Expansion! From the top of the Valley all the way down to the bottom, wineries have been expanding. Brotherhood, Millbrook, and Whitecliff have lead the way with major new construction projects, but smaller wineries like Hudson-Chatham, Tousey, and Bashakill have also expanded.

More Wineries! There’s never been more wineries in the Hudson Valley than there are now,and more are on the boards. From wineries to distilleries, there are more new establishments opening in the valley. That’s more diversity, that’s more places to visit, that’s more wines to try.

Better quality and leadership. Great talent is pouring into the region. The Hudson Valley boasts a slew of young and up and coming wine making talent, as well as a handful of older, experienced ones, the talent pool in the Valley has never been richer. More new equipment has also poured into the valley. Also more top notch people from the Finger Lakes and Long Island have come into the valley to consult. And with leaders like Cesar Baez, Mike Migliore, Matt Speccarelli, and Sue Miller and Karen Gardy, the Valley has never been in better hands.

Great reds! The Hudson Valley produces soft approachable reds, in the Burgundian or Rhone-ish traditions. They are medium-bodied, have great fresh fruit, bright acidity, and low tannins. And they are the best red wine bargains in the state, priced below most reds from Long Island or the Finger Lakes.

A great diversity of whites. From bright, sharp, flinty Seyval Blancs and Chardonnays, to wonderful, aromatic Reislings and Traminettes, the Hudson Valley produces a number of delicious whites to go with any meal.

Cassis has become one of the calling cards of the valley. The Valley is the number one producer of artisanal cassis in North America, with production nearing more than 20,000 bottles in 2012. This sweet, tart wine made from black currants has been a huge hit with regional chefs and consumers alike.

Great Ciders! Hudson Valley is home to a vast number of ciders and cider styles, that makes it one of the richest spots in the whole of New York state. From the bottom of the Valley to the top, a wide range of delicious artisanal hard ciders have become the darlings of the food world.

Fruit wines! No other region offers a greater diversity of fruit wines. From crisp dry apple wines to delicious dessert wines made from raspberry, cherries, peaches, and strawberries, the Hudson Valley offers more delicious opportunities than any of the other wine regions.

Availability. Hudson Valley wines have never had better availability. They are in more wine stores, more restaurants, and more tastingrooms than ever before. And if they're not in your store, you need to ask the manager to bring some in.

Added bonus? We’re closer! If you live in New York City, Albany, New Jersey, Connecticut or Massachusetts, we’re just plain closer and easier to get to than any other quality wine region!

Happy New Year and enjoy a glass of Hudson Valley wine in 2012!