Wine Enthusiast: Hudson Valley Wine and Food Festival 2013 Draws Record Crowd

Hudson Valley Wine and Food Festival Draws Record Crowd

The upstate festival showcased New York state’s bounty.

Published on Sep 9, 2013

By Joseph Hernandez

Over the weekend, on September 7–8, the Hudson Valley Wine and Food Festival drew in record crowds to Rhinebeck, New York, with promises of New York state pours and gourmet food.

More than 18,000 guests attended the event, held at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds, while 50 New York wine, beer and spirits producers poured tastes to the eager crowd. Area wineries in attendance included Hudson-Chatham, Clinton Vineyards and Brotherhood. At a special media reception, The Best Hudson Valley Made with Hudson Valley Fruit award was given to Millbrook Vineyards & Winery, which won for its Tocai.

New York Lieutenant Governor Robert Duffy was in attendance, singing the praises of upstate New York’s agricultural offerings. “I’ve been a lifelong upstater and I’ve never seen another governor do what Governor [Andrew Cuomo] is trying to do to bring people upstate,” said Duffy about the festival’s partnership with the recently created statewide tourism campaign, Taste NY. “When wine-and-food enthusiasts get a chance to come up here, they’re going to love it.” Duffy also lauded New York’s wine industry for being “competitive but more than that, so collaborative.”

Alongside the spirited sips, a food truck corral and restaurant tent offered bites to the food-oriented crowd. Comfort dishes came in eggroll form from food truck How We Roll, while Tivoli, New York restaurant Sante Fe dished out Southwestern fare. Throughout the festival, gourmet food vendors sampled items as varied as olive oil and kombucha tea. There were also wine-and-food demonstrations scheduled throughout the weekend.

http://www.winemag.com/Web-2013/Hudson-Valley-Wine-and-Food-Festival-Draws-Record-Crowd/