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/

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Hudson Valley Wine and Food Fest September 7 & 8, 2013


Hudson Valley Wine and Food Fest 2013 Launches
Fall In Love With Hudson Valley Wine 2013 Campaign

The 12th Annual Hudson Valley Wine and Food Fest, scheduled for September 7th and 8th, 2013 at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds in historic Rhinebeck, New York, offers guests an opportunity to tour hundreds of wineries, enjoy microbreweries, food trucks, live entertainment, and educational seminars with celebrity chefs and certified wine specialists. 

This year's event is set to impress, with a luxury tasting experience that has something for everyone - culinary foods, hundreds of fine wines, and craft beer.
- Michael Babcock, WineRacks.com, Producer of the Hudson Valley Wine and Food Fest 

Hudson Valley Wine & Food Fest Announces Event Details; Festival to Incorporate Wine, Food, Demos by Celebrity Chefs, and for the Very First Time, Food Trucks and Craft Beers

The 12th Annual Hudson Valley Wine and Food Fest is scheduled for September 7th and 8th at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds in Historic Rhinebeck, New York.

The annual Hudson Valley Wine and Food Festival, sponsored by WineRacks.com, is pleased to announce event details for this year’s event, which is scheduled for September 7th and 8th at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds in Rhinebeck.

In its twelfth year, the Wine and Food Fest will feature wine tastings of hundreds of wines from all over the world with vineyard owners, Certified Wine Specialists, and sommeliers, along with food samplings from regional restaurants and caterers, a chance to shop over one hundred home goods, art, craft, and gourmet specialty food vendors, and, for the first time ever, New York and regional craft beer.
 
The festival will also play host to the HVWGA Hudson Valley Wine Competition 2013, another kick off to the HVWC Fall in Love With Hudson Valley Wine 2013 campaign.


In addition, the festival will feature live music and other entertainment, along with educational cooking and wine tasting seminars by Chef Vincent Tropepe, Chef Peter Kelly, and Certified Wine Specialist Debbie Gioquindo.

“It is really extraordinary when you think about the fact that in lieu of spending thousands of dollars to travel to a regional wine trail for a few days, you can come to the Hudson Valley Wine and Food Fest and experience fine wine, specialty foods, and incredible craft beer, along with entertainment and demos by celebrity chefs, all at one location, far more than you could ever pack into a wine vacation itinerary, all right here in the gorgeous Hudson Valley. Our attendees even get the unique experience of talking directly to those who are producing the wine and beer, which is really pretty special, and we have over 1000 wines and craft beers represented, so we really offer a robust opportunity for our guests,” stated Michael Babcock, President of WineRacks.com and producer of the Hudson Valley Wine and Food Fest.

The addition of the microbrewery component to the event is brand new this year, due to recent legislation passed after Babcock and his industry colleagues lobbied tirelessly for support of the craft breweries. The new legislation encourages the use of locally-grown ingredients, awarding brewers by giving them license as a “farm brewery” if 20% or more of their ingredients come from New York State, which makes it much easier for them to sell their New York labeled beer at a festival like the Hudson Valley Wine and Food Fest. The Hudson Valley Wine and Food Fest will feature New York and regional craft beer.

MaryKay Vrba, Executive Director of Dutchess County Tourism, said “the new legislation will no doubt serve as an engine for continued growth of the tourism industry in New York State. We are thrilled to know that microbreweries can now participate in the Hudson Valley Wine and Food Fest and similar events, as there is a tremendous interest in craft beers and this component of the festival will help draw even greater crowds to the Hudson Valley for the experience.”

Also new to this year’s event are the food trucks, allowing guests to taste everything form exotic foods such as eel to gourmet sliders. A recent National Restaurant Association survey (2011) found that 59% of consumers say that they would love to experience a food truck if their favorite restaurant offered one. The Hudson Valley Wine and Food Fest will feature about a dozen food trucks in addition to the dozens of restaurants and specialty food vendors who will be represented.

Tasting tickets, which include one wine glass and unlimited wine, cost $40 per day or $70 for the weekend. Regular admission tickets, which do not include wine tastings, cost $22 per day or $37 for the weekend. Tickets and information on the Hudson Valley Wine and Food Fest are available online at hudsonvalleywinefest.com or by calling 845.658.7181. AAA members receive discount by using coupon code HVWINEFESTAAA at checkout.
 

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Baldwin Vineyards Brings Home More Gold - This Time at New York Wine & Food Classic 2013!


Congratulations once again this year to Baldwin Vineyards. Another HUGE win for the Hudson Valley winery. The Strawberry Wine, long the standard bearer for fruit wines in New York state, emerged aas the Best in Category amongst all the wineries from New York state!!!!

Andrew Cuomo - Taste NY

Governor Andrew Cuomo announced the winners from the New York Wine & Food Classic competition.

  

The "Best of Category" awards, all eligible for the Governor's Cup, went to:


Best Fruit
Baldwin Vineyards Strawberry Wine

Congrats to everyone at Baldwin Vineyards!!!

Wednesday, August 07, 2013

Hudson-Chatham 6th Annual Sangria Festival August 10, 2013


6th Annual Sangria Festival  
Come celebrate summer with their fruit-filled wines! 
5 sangrias to sample and enjoy!
There will be live flamenco guitar music, great foods,
henna tattoos, tarot card readings (from 2:30 on), and much more.
A great day to spend on their spacious grounds enjoying sunshine, fresh fruit,
and great wines. Bring a blanket or chairs to settle in and make a day of it.
No reservations necessary.
See you in the sunshine!
  
SATURDAY, AUGUST 10 * 11 am to 6 pm
No admission fee. $5 to sample sangrias. $5 for a glass of sangria.

When You’re at Robibero – It’s Like Family! C’mon in!

 
I come from a big Italian family in Trenton, NJ. They are the Woody Allen version of the Sopranos, or like the never-ending family in My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Lots of volume, arguments, singing, laughter, and stories. And I am the quietest one! Some are tall, some are short. Some are thin, some are large. It’s a cast of characters. You can laugh with us, or at us. There’s always something going on!
 
Last week, Dominique and I were at the Bounty of the Hudson, down at Whitecliff Vineyards. And there I was talking to Tiffany and Ryan Selby, who are the real face of the Robibero Family Vineyards. Tiffany is fantastic. She seems almost tireless. She is absolutely hardwired to the internet via twitter and facebook. She is a social media maven, and a great promoter of her winery. Tiffany and Ryan make a great team. She is effervescent and bubbling, and he is rock solid. He is the brawn and tools that makes the machinery run. She is a dreamer; he is a doer. And they are a handsome couple.
Tiffany was inviting me to stop by the winery on my way home after the event. But my lovely wife was tired and begged off. She asked me that we should go right home. I seriously tried to make her happy….seriously….but life got in the way.
 
Coming out of Whitecliff, we got lost (listening to my wife’s directions), and guess where we ended up? You guessed it. Right smack in front of Robibero Family Vineyards!
“C’mon,” I said. “It’s fate. Let me just snap a couple of pictures, and off we’ll go,” I bargained with her. She rolled her eyes and exhaled. I had planned to take a few snaps, go in, buy a bottle of wine or two and hit the road real fast. Honestly, I did.
“If you go in there and spend an hour talking to them, I’m leaving you here. I’m tired and I don’t feel good! I will leave you,” my wife snapped. I felt for her, I really did. Dom had been a trooper all day, and I knew this was the final straw. But there was so much to do: talk to Kristop Brown, their new winemaker; try the new whites from Kristop and Ryan; and see the new vineyards Kristop and Ryan had been working on so hard. And of course, the place was packed when we got there. The place was mobbed. People in the tasting room, people on the deck overlooking the lush vineyard, people on the grounds. It looked like they were having a big event.
 
Harry and Carole Robibero bought the property in 2003. In 2007 opportunity knocked unexpectedly when the current winery operating on the premise gave notice that they were vacating to a new location. It was at that point Harry, Carole and the Robibero family decided to follow their passion and pursue their dream of opening a winery. It’s been a family run operation ever since. Tiffany and Ryan do the lion’s share, but there’s a Robibero family member or cousin lurking down every hallway. This is a family endeavor.  In 2009 Robibero planted both Cabernet Franc and Vidal Blanc out behind their tasting room. On this particular Saturday the literal fruits of their labor could be seen exploding before them. Gorgeous!


Robbibero has always had a simple focus: “Our plan is to make our winery a destination where people come to relax and enjoy our property. We want our tastings to be educational and fun. The goal is all about making sure people walk out our door with a smile on their face and create a unique experience that will stay in their heads forever.” It seemed to me that that Saturday, you could see their plan being executed perfectly. I snapped the photos I had been planning to, and then jogged into the tasting room.

Who greeted me at the bar but Kristop Brown. Kristop is now the winemaker at Robibero. He and Ryan have worked very hard to create a line of wines to appeal to a larger audience while also producing fine wines. So far, that plan has been beautifully executed as well. It had been a while since I had seen Kristop, so I was thrilled. And I asked him to pour me his two most recent wines.
Kristop Brown is considered one of the most technically gifted winemakers in the Hudson Valley. Kristop's winemaking origins began at Benmarl when he learned to make wine under the apprenticeship of Eric Miller (former owner of Chaddsford),  son of Benmarl founder Mark Miller. He further expanded his knowledge when he ventured to the West Coast to practice his craft in Walla Walla, Washington. In 2011 Kristop returned to his roots of winemaking when he joined the team at Robibero. Kristop is an excellent winemaker, and his efforts in the valley in the last 12-18 months are already affecting the quality of the wine being produced in the region. The man is a fermentation machine! But more on that in another post!

Kristop poured me the Robibero 2012 Dry Riesling. It was beautiful! Pear, green apple, and grapefruit exploded out of the glass, with some other tropical fruits as well. A hint of honeysuckle. All three fruits came across on the palate as well. Very minerally. The bright acidity helped to carry the brightness of the fruit forward, which lingered for a long time. Dry as a bone. Absolutely wonderful!!!
 
Next was the Robibero  2012 Traminette. I have to admit for several years I was not a big fan of Traminette, a Gewurtztraminer clone. I love Gewurtz, but Traminette had left me cold. Traminette is popular in the valley because it’s a little heartier, and more disease resistant, than Gewurztraminer, so it’s happier here in the valley. Recently, I’ve tasted more and more Traminettes and I have to admit now that it makes a good wine. Winemakers have found the right touch with it, and the wines have improved greatly. There are several outstanding ones in the valley. This one was lovely! Like Gewurztraminer, this Robibero Traminette had a big floral nose with topical hints to it as well. Lot’s of lychee fruit. Ripe pear. Mango? Melon? Just an absolutely beautiful nose. And a light, fabulous finish with good acidity and a nice, bright acidic/citrusy ending. Absolutely wonderful!

So with that, I say good-bye to Kristop, run to the wall, grab two bottles, and race to the counter to buy my wines. I’m already beyond my time limit with my patient and tired wife. I’ve gotta get my ass out of here, or I am a dead man. I slam down the two bottles and reach for my wallet, when I hear, “Carlo! How are you!” It’s Harry Robibero manning the cashier station because the place is packed. He’s a tall, lean guy, with handsome good looks. He's a successful businessman, who’s now enjoying his new venture. And one gets the sense that Harry will be successful here too. He's got the right people in the right jobs, it just needs a little time to come together. And one senses it's coming together. And they are serious about making great wine.
Now Harry is a great guy. He’s just like a bunch of my uncles back home. In fact, that’s the problem for me here at Robibero. They are a family business, but for me, it’s like being home. We can start a conversation, and there’s not going to be any downtime. We’re going to pick up where we left off. We speak the same language. I love these guys.

So Harry and I are now gabbing and I congratulate him on a crazy Saturday, and he looks around and shrugs. “It’s an average Saturday,” he laughs. God bless. And so he decides to walk me out of the car, because of course he wants me to stay, and I explain about my wife. So we’re gabbing, and walking, and who should pull up but Tiffany and Ryan. And now Carole, Harry’s beautiful wife, comes out to welcome home her daughter and son-in-law, and now we have a good slice of the Ribibero clan walking me to my car.

I’m laughing. They’re laughing. And now, we’ve surrounded the car, and Harry’s yelling at the window, to Dominique, “C’mon out!” We’re all laughing. Dominique of course comes out. And next thing you know, she’s laughing. We had a great time! So we ending up talking for quite a while right there in the parking lot, and of course we agreed to get together. And who wouldn’t? I feel like I just came from one of my own family get togethers. And isn’t that the whole point of going to Robibero Family Winery? When you’re there, you’re one of the family! You’ll want to come back too!

Cereghino-Smith Continues to Make Great Wine


Fred and Paula are among my favorite people in the wine country. They are both no-nonsense folks. They steer clear of politics, they enjoy good rock'n'roll, and good food, and they just want to hang and make great wine. And they have their own vibe - a bi-costal thing, where they use California and New York grapes. They do it because they love it. They are having fun. They make some of the best wine in the valley, and their wines are on wine lists everywhere including the Culinary Institute of America.

It was great to run into them this past weekend at the Bounty of the Hudson, where they were featuring their wines, and again, as always, among the favorite winemakers on the scene. As nonchalant as they are, they are very serious about making serious wines with fun labels.
 
 
 
Cereghino Smith presents a rose’ wine using the Rhone varietals, Grenache, Mourvedre, Syrah and Viognier...  This is a really a Rosato with big, big flavor. Big strawberries and raspberries come through, with a touch of Key Lime and a great, creamy ending. Just perfect for light summer fare. Fantastic!!!!!



Tarragona 2011 is a blend of 75% Mourvedre (Monastrell) and 25% Grenache(Garnacha). The grapes are sourced from California’s Amador County. Fred and Paula hand sort hem and vinify them in New York’s Hudson Valley. Unfined and unfiltered. This is an excellent, excellent medium bodied red, with big dark cherry up front, with leather, spice, mocha, and whisps of vanilla.

Eaten By Bears 2011 I their ‘Rhone style’ blend is a trio of robust varietals featuring Syrah, Mourvedre and Grenache. Hand sorted and vinified in New York’s Hudson Valley. Unfined, Unfiltered ... Think of bright, young Chateauneuf-du-pape. When asked where the name came from: "When we moved from NYC to upstate NY to make wine, our friend Bernie Mooney suggested that we might be “eaten by bears” , hence the silly name." This is always one of my favorites from Fred and Paula.

I love these folks...and I LOVE their wines!!! You will too!

Monday, August 05, 2013

Can the Hudson Valley Make One Good Barrel?

This is a copy of an article I wrote for East Coast Wineries, but I post it again here for my fellow Hudson Valley winemakers.
 
Over the last several years I have found myself saying over and over again to winemakers up and down the east coast – Do me one favor. Make one good barrel. No, it means more than that, but in its essence, it means everything.

There is a simplicity about what I am saying that you have to let seep in. One good barrel.

Small boutique wineries are about passion. I am asking winery owners to show me their passion. To show all of us their passion. I want them to make the best damn bottle of wine they can make. And I am only asking for one barrel.

Make one good barrel means this – make one barrel where you use every best practice you’ve ever heard of, no matter the cost, for that one barrel of wine.

Each winery needs one barrel to show how great it can be. It needs to set a stake out there – for itself and its customers.

It starts in the vineyard, where all great wine starts. Pick a few rows, pick a small block, your best block, and make sure each plant gets touched 8-10 times a season. Hedge, leaf pull, weed, drop lots of fruit, make them look like topiary. I always tell people who ask, as you’re driving in, if the vines look manicured, you’re usually in for great wine. Big, bushy, weedy….that’s pretty much how the wine will taste.

Sort. I hate sorting. Sorting is a bitch. As if harvest is not long enough, sorting makes it all seem like it’s happening in slow motion while the clock spins wildly out of control. It’s expensive, time consuming, and goes on and on like it will never end. No green berries. No berries that aren’t mature and tremendous. Ideal fruit. Like out of a Caravaggio painting.

Once the wine is in the barrel. Test it. Send it out for testing. Make copious notes so you can follow them next year.

Oak. If you’re going to oak, do me a favor, make it a slightly older barrel –NOT A NEW ONE. You only use new oak for large batches where the wine will be blended into a larger unoaked batch, or where you have swapped out wine time and again after short periods. No one wants to taste your new barrels. You want to taste barrels, go to your local furniture store and lick a dining room set. Subtle. Enough oak for structure, for correction, roundness, but not for featuring.

Aging. In neutral oak or stainless steel. Don’t rush this wine. Top the barrels and let them sit in a corner of your place. And every time you stick a wine thief in it, make sure you top it off and close it back up properly.

It's very rare that your best bottle will be a single varietal. Forget the varietals. Make a blend wherein each of the components will make up for the other. Make something mature and complex and mysterious. A blend will help you make the best wine. Sure, one can dominate, but blend.

Bottle age it. Everyone winery owner I know hates to see aging inventory sitting on the warehouse floor. It’s their money just sitting there. Screw your courage to the sticking place and let it sit three to six months.

Why? Why all this hassle? This pontificating? This winemaking and enology from an idiot like me? I am no winemaker. That part was for the consumer, so they know what goes into making a great bottle of wine. That’s why it costs so freakin’ much!!!

Now, the next part is for the winemakers.

As a consumer, I need YOU to make ME a GREAT bottle of wine. The best bottle of wine you can make. I need a wine I can pour right next to the best….from anywhere. Because each winery deserves one best barrel. Charge whatever you have to for it. Don’t be afraid to make it expensive. Don’t be afraid to put an expensive label on it. It’s great wine!! Great wine costs money. Whether it’s from California, France, Italy, Germany, or New Jersey, great wines cost more, because they cost more to make. Don’t worry, you will sell it. People like me who go to wineries, by and large, like great wine. And we’ll pay for it. Make it more expensive than your other wines by $10? Don’t worry. If it’s good, I’ll buy a bottle. I always do.

Don’t want to pour chateau wine for the masses? Fine. Charge an extra tasting fee for those wines. You deserve it. We will pay it. And yes, you will sell the wine. I guarantee it.

More importantly, the east coast needs it. As the world wine market gets more competitive, your wine needs to improve. I say this especially to my east coast brethren. Each winery needs one good barrel. To enter into competitions. To send to magazines and writers to review. To taste in your tasting room.

If each winery on the east coast made one great barrel of wine each – the single best barrel they could make, period, showing their terroir, their winemaking skills, their passion - imagine what could be accomplished? Imagine what you could show the world? But the same goes for every region. And there are many competing ones rising. Niagara in Canada and now on the US side as well. Croatia’s best wines are as good as any I have tried. Washington. Oregon. Michigan. New York. Virginia. Hungary. And the marketing between the big regions is getting more intense.

One thing always trumps everything else. One good barrel trumps all the other press you will try to garner.

If each region, or breaking it down, each wine trail, if each of their members made their one good barrel, and you poured only them at a wine tasting, how well would that go? Imagine what could you accomplish together? What could that mean for a wine region’s reputation? Bloggers would buzz. It’s a catapult.

Then consumers would get what we deserve. Great wine. And the winemakers would get what they deserve. Recognition.

The reward. You made one great barrel. Then what? Can it be done again next year? Can you improve it? And then can you make a different wine with the same intense effort? And then you had two great barrels. And we’ll buy both wines.

Lastly – don’t sell all your wine!! I am amazed how many wine makers sell out their last bottle. They are always so happy. Ugh! From your bottling, always take two or three cases and put them away. How does your good barrel taste a year out? Two years out? Three? Now you can charge a fee for all those case club members who want to do a vertical tasting of your one good barrel. Because it’s exciting to see great winemaking on display! We’ll gladly pay and taste. It’s something special.

Make one good barrel. Make it your best. We consumers will pay for it. We’ll drink it. We’ll buy more.

Let me ask winemakers a simple question – if you’re not doing this already, and a good deal are – how can you afford not to make one good barrel?

Saturday, August 03, 2013

Glorie Farm Winery - Good Things Are Happening

 
Doug Glorie is a well known figure in the Hudson Valley wine landscape. He's a grape grower, who also happens to run a fully functioning farm, and who with his wife, Maryellen runs an expanding and improving winery.
Doug and MaryEllen Glorie, Proprietors
Doug is pretty easy to get along with and likes to talk growing. He's funny, with a wry sense of humor, and he likes good wine. I always enjoy seeing and talking with Doug. He's a good guy Recently I had a chance to taste his wines at the Bounty of the Hudson.
Kristop Brown, Winemaker
 
Doug and MaryEllen are pleased to introduce their new winemaker, Kristop Brown! A familiar name on the winemaking scene in the Hudson Valley, Kristop came on board January 1, 2012. In the short time Kristop has been with Glorie, his considerable skills have already been revealed in producing clean varietals as well as ripe, robust blends. They (and we) look forward to a very bright future working in partnership with Kristop to create delightful wines that impart true Hudson Valley flavor.
 
 
 
The first was the estate-grown Seyval Blanc, a Hudson Valley specialty. It is made in the classic style, that is with pride and vinified in the classic style - dry and crisp with notes of toasted nut, citrus, and vanilla. Lots of green apple and citrus. Zingy. Tangy. Very nice!
 



The big surprise for me was the Red Monkey. I thought it would be sweet, especially with that name. Red Monkey is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Glories' estate reds. This wine was aged for one year in old French barrels and new American oak. Taste dark berry flavor in this medium-bodied wine. Lovely hints of cherry and raspberry. Notes of vanilla on the nose. A lovely classic structure. This was an absolute eye-opener. A lovely, lovely table red. A very, very nice wine!
 
Good thing are happening at Glorie.

Baldwin Vineyards Chardonnay



I was recently at the Bounty of the Hudson where I availed myself of a lot of wonderful wines. Many of which I had the first opportunity to try this season. One of the first I tried was Baldwin Vineyards.

Baldwin Vineyards proprietors, Patricia and Jack Baldwin, planted the first Vineyard in 1982 and a second vineyard in 1983.  By 1985, both were working full time to create a micro winery which offers a wide array of different styles of wine from dry reds and whites to fruit dessert wines.

 
While at their booth, I tried their chardonnay. I generally like their sweeter, dessert styled wines, which recently won a gold. However, the chardonnay was charming! It was big and fruity up front, but the finish was dry. Big green and Mac Intosh apples and bright pear, but with an elegant creamy finish. A lovely sipping wine. Lovely!

New Paltz Times: Bounty of the Hudson a Great Success


 31bounty3lt
 
Jared Moreash and Summer Solitario of Chester enjoy their visit to the Bounty of the Hudson event held at Whitecliff Vineyards in Gardiner last weekend.
 
Whitecliff Winery hosts the Shwangunk Wine Trail’s Bounty of the Hudson (with photo gallery)
by Erin Quinn on Aug 2, 2013 • 6:30
Photos by Lauren Thomas
New Paltz Times
 
Thousands of food and wine enthusiasts flocked to the Shawangunk Wine Trail’s 18th annual Bounty of the Hudson this past weekend at the Whitecliff Winery in Gardiner. The annual gathering featured wine tastings from the wineries on the Shawangunk Wine Trail, epicurean delights, farm-fresh produce and music.

“It’s been very busy,” said Tristan Migliore, the son of Whitecliff owners Yancey and Michael Migliore. “We had over 1,000 tickets that were pre-sold and we’ve had half as many just walk in and purchase tickets and it’s only Saturday in the early afternoon!”

White tents were spread throughout the field that bordered the vineyards and there were dozens of Hudson Valley wineries offering tastes of their signature beverages, all poured into Shawangunk Wine Trail souvenir glasses.

Local farm vendors offered a plethora of fresh produce, eggs and poultry, grass-fed beef and a variety of handcrafted cheeses, olive oil, sauces and more.

Mary and Chris Merenda of East Fishkill were enjoying samples in the wine tent with friends. “We’ve attended the Bounty and other Shawangunk Wine Trail events in the past and we just love it,” said Mary. “We’re huge fans of the Whitecliff Awosting White wine,” she said. “What’s not to love about this? It’s beautiful, there’s great wine, great views and fantastic goat cheese [from Acorn Hill Farm].”

Chris said that he enjoyed sampling a Baco Noir, as well as a Raspberry Ruby dessert wine from the Hudson-Chatham Winery. “The Raspberry Ruby they make is delicious,” he said. “It’s like a port wine.”

Out in the field there were chairs, picnic blankets and tables set up for people to sit at and enjoy their food and wine and listen to a live jazz quartet. Childhood friends Sharon Lehr of Connecticut and Cherly Lovelace of Port Jervis teamed up with college friends Harriet Tolve and Wendy Crowell to relax, catch-up and enjoy the wine and bucolic scenery at the Bounty.

“We came to this last year when it was at the Applewood Winery and loved it,” said Lovelace.

“We all like wine and think it’s important to come out and support all of the amazing wines and wineries in the Hudson Valley,” said Tolve. “There are wonderful wines around the country, but people are starting to recognize how many phenomenal wines are being made right here in the State of New York!”

Lovelace said two of her favorite samples came from the Warwick Valley Winery. “Anywhere they go, I go!” she said. “I loved the Black Dirt Red and the Harvest Moon.”

“We love the Bounty,” said Christina Destefano, whose husband Fred Destefano makes Casa Del Caciocavallo cheese by hand. “The atmosphere is wonderful, the scenery stunning and everyone is here to have a good time. Sales are always great and the organizers do such a fantastic job. I love that it moves from winery to winery every year.”

As the jazz echoed through the fields and wine glasses were poised, people enjoyed each other’s company, the white-faced cliffs of the Shawangunk Mountains, and the delectable smorgasbord of delicacies that surrounded them.

Read more at:

Friday, August 02, 2013

Register-Star: Quick action saves Chatham Brewing from fire

Register-Star: Quick action saves Chatham Brewing from fire
Posted: Tuesday, July 30, 2013 12:37 pm
By Karrie Allen   Register-Star
Posted on July 30, 2013

CHATHAM — A neighborly call and quick action by firefighters saved Chatham Brewing from an early morning fire.

After receiving a call at 4:49 this morning, County 911 dispatched the Chatham Fire Department and Chatham Rescue to the brewery at 30 Main St. in the village of Chatham for a smoke investigation.
HH1Animal Care Clinic

Mutual aid was requested from Ghent, Valatie and Red Rock fire departments.
The fire was contained to an electrical control panel on a chiller/heater unit. There was no damage to the structure and no injuries were reported.

The fire departments were back in service at 6:58 a.m.

According to Chatham Brewing co-owner Tom Crowell, there was a fair amount of smoke, but no damage to the tanks or building. As of 10 a.m., the electricians were at the brewery working to restore power to the compressors and refrigeration, “so we don’t lose any of the beer in the fermenters.”

They won’t be able to brew again until the control panel is replaced and he said he’s “not sure yet how long that will take.”


Crowell is thankful for the fire department, who “responded quickly and prevented it from spreading beyond the panel box.”

Read more at: