Queens Chronicle Highlights Brothehood, Brookview Station Wineries
A taste of Hudson Valley wineries
Posted:
Friday, April 19, 2013 4:00 am
Queens
Chronicle
by Tess McRae
/ Reporter
Planning a vacation can be stressful. The tedious process of
booking flights, hotels and activities almost deflates the excitement one
initially has when deciding to take one.
To avoid that stress, many people have been turning to
day-long getaways or “daycations.” These daycations require little planning and
naturally run cheaper than a week-long cruise to the Bahamas, and though a
24-hour excursion may not be as glamorous as spending spring break on the Cape,
it can provide some quick-fix fun.
One way to take advantage of a beautiful day is to visit the
Hudson Valley wineries.
Though most associate American wine with Napa Valley in
California, some of the country’s oldest vineyards can be found a couple hours
north of the city, wineries such as those established by the French Hugenots,
who planted the first vines in 1677 in what is now New Paltz, nearly one
hundred years before any vines were planted in California.
What makes the Valley a great place for vineyards is the
unique combination of soil, climate and sun that results in ideal grape-growing
conditions.
The region runs long, from northern Westchester County to
the city of Troy, making for a wide spectrum of temperatures and climates.
“Each county has its own little area and its own microclimate,”
said Karen Gardy, a board member for the Hudson Valley Wine Country collective.
“On the lower end of the Valley, the temperature can get about 10 degrees
lower, earlier in the year. That lends itself to a wider variety of grapes and
a wider variety of wines.”
For example, gamay noir, described as a medium-bodied red
wine, is a clone of pinot noir and is made with a hybrid grape, as most
modern-day wines are. But this particular grape can only be grown in Ulster
County, and not in Rensselaer County, despite the areas being a mere 45 minutes
apart.
It is because of this climate spectrum that the Valley can
produce a wide variety of wines, both red and white.
A five-degree temperature difference can make for a bitter
and sparse harvest or a juicy and flavorful crop of grapes.
But it is because of the region’s varied climates that Gardy
and other wine aficionados say the vineyards of Hudson Valley produce some of
the best quality wine in the country. To compare, Long Island, which also has a
popular wine culture, is best for producing red wines. The Finger Lakes region
yields mostly riesling.
“Because of all of these microclimates, when you go to a
wine tasting in the Hudson Valley, you are going to sample a much wider variety
of wines than you would on Long Island or the Finger Lakes,” Gardy said.
Winemaking is a delicate process that requires patience and
a strong taste palate. Cornell University, which played an active role in
supporting the Valley’s vineyards, even offers a degree in enology, the study
of winemaking.
There are 43 wineries in the Hudson Valley, located as far
north as Clinton Corners and as far south as Warwick.
Though each winery hosts individual wine-tasting sessions,
the most popular option is to take a tour of the region and visit several
wineries in one day.
“I highly recommend sampling wine at more than one winery,”
Gardy said. “One area in the Hudson Valley will specialize in specific kinds of
wine and then another winery will offer
something completely different.”
What gives the Hudson Valley an edge, aside from its
microclimates and various grape species, is that the region can produce many
other fruits.
“We make a lot of fruit wine,” Gardy said. “In fact, an
apple wine that was produced here won Best Wine in 2007. And with the
production of fruit wine, we often see many European tourists because fruit
wine is traditionally European; so there’s that familiarity and appreciation
there.”
In fact, when the French were going through their
revolution, most, if not all of the grape-vines in France were destroyed. In
order to repopulate the vineyards, the French went to the Hudson Valley, which
they had once colonized, and used some of those vines.
Hudsonvalleywinecountry.org, the official website for the
organization, has a plan-a-tour feature that allows visitors to choose from a
list of wineries to tour.
“This feature allows people to pick and choose which
wineries they would like to go to and creates an itinerary with directions to
each location,” Gardy said. “It’s really a handy tool and can help people
choose the winery that will best suit them.”
Though the wines served at each winery differ, Gardy said
the experience is relatively the same at each.
Generally, when guests arrive, they will be greeted by
either the owner or the winemaker or, depending on the time of year, an
attendant who is well versed in wine.
“After welcoming you, they would hand you what we call a
tasting sheet,” Gardy said. “Each tasting sheet will list all of the wines the
winery has to offer, as well as some notes on the overall taste of each wine.”
Taste sheets act as guides for those who are not familiar
with the wine culture. Words such as “full-bodied” and “woody” are used to
describe the taste and feel of each drink.
Typical wine tastings include four to six half-ounce
samplings. While half an ounce may not seem like a lot, Gardy said it is the
perfect portion for visitors to get a good sense of the wine without sloshing
their way through a tour.
“Of course, if there is a particular wine that you enjoyed,
you can have a second taste but half of an ounce is the perfect amount,” Gardy
said. “I’ve been to some tastings where they serve an ounce and a half of each
sampling. Over-pouring takes away from the experience because, if you are going
to three or four wineries and are being served large portions, by the time you
get to the third or fourth stop, you won’t be enjoying yourself any more.”
Two wineries that come highly recommended by Gardy are
Brotherhood in Washingtonville and Oak Summit in Millbrook.
Brotherhood Winery boasts of being the oldest vineyard in
the country and is a one-hour drive from the city.
Oak Summit serves pinot noir exclusively. But what it lacks
in quantity, it makes up for in quality.
“They only grow the one type but it’s phenomenal there,”
Gardy said. “They really are the standard for pinot noir in Millbrook.”
While Brotherhood and Oak Summit are favored, each winery in
the region offers an original and flavorful experience.
In addition to ordinary tastings, wineries host special
festivals that feature an array of food and speciality wines.
In June, the Shawangunk Hudson Valley Wine Trail will be
hosting an international food festival. Attendees will receive a “passport” and
tasting ticket for the weekend that will grant access to each of the wineries
on the trail, with each stop representing a different country.
As wine is an alcoholic beverage, having a designated driver
is always recommended. And to ensure that the sober members in your party have
an enjoyable experience as well, many wineries offer “designated driver deals,”
providing munchies and nonalcoholic beverages at significantly lower prices.
The Hudson Valley Wine Country website lays out information
on all the wineries in the region and descriptions of what they produce, along
with a history of winemaking in the area.
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posted by Carlo De Vito | 7:17 AM
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