Thursday, April 30, 2009

MAY 2, 2009
BLESSING OF THE VINES &
COACH FARM CHEESE DAY!

We are open this weekend, Saturday, May 2, and Sunday, May 3, from 12:00 noon to 5:30 pm.
We have a very special event at the winery on Saturday, May 2 - a Blessing of the Vines with Father Gary Gelfenbein. Father Gary will be conducting a short blessing ceremony in the vineyard at 11:30 am on Saturday and all are welcome to share in it. Please arrive at the winery at 11:15 to accompany us to the vineyard so we can start on time. Afterward, there will be a toast with the Hudson-Chatham Blanc de Blanc. It’s sure to be a memorable occasion!
Also on Saturday, May 2, in the winery, we are having Coach Farm Day. D. Curto will be at the winery to talk about and give samples of the Farm’s distinctive goat cheeses. There will also be dishes prepared by local chefs that feature Coach cheeses. Come see how Chef Josephine at Local 111 in Philmont likes to use Coach!

The Winery is back in stock with Riesling, Gewurtztraminer, Lindenwald White, and Ghent Blush. They join our staples of Seyval Blanc, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Pomme Bulle, and Blanc de Blanc. We have also introduced a light, fruity red called Hudson River Valley Red that pairs nicely with everything from roast chicken to burgers to hearty pasta and rice dishes.

Our line of dessert wines under the Paperbirch label include Highlands Fine Ruby, Raspberry Fine Ruby, and a new white port-style wine, Palladian White. This Seyval/Riesling-based port includes a hint of peach, and is delicious served with any kind of fruit dessert.

Besides regular hours, the winery is also open by appointment. It’s a great location for social groups and businesses to host parties, and we are currently booking those as well as showers and weddings for 2009 and beyond. Give us a call or email us if you’re interested in any of these opportunities.

There will be many special events at the winery throughout the year, so check back often and browse our Events link at www.hudson-chathamwinery.com
JOHN BUNYAN BRISTOL (1826-1909)
HILLSDALE ARTIST OF THE
HUDSON RIVER SCHOOL OF ART
AND HUDSON-CHATHAM WINERY
HUDSON RIVER VALLLEY RED 2007


John Bunyan Bristol was born on March 14, 1826 to Abner and Lydia Bristol in Hillsdale, New York, “ where he started to practice with his brush early in life.” He studied briefly with Hudson portrait artist Henry Ary (c.1807-1859), however he was primarily self-taught. Ary is also thought to have given instruction to Bristol’s great contemporary, Sanford Robinson Gifford. His early life was a struggle without aid, instruction, or sympathy. At the beginning of his career he painted figures and portraits, but afterward turned his attention exclusively to landscapes.

Bristol assimilated the essential compositional traits of the Hudson River School and, throughout his life produced panoramic vistas with dark foregrounds, luminous middle grounds, and backgrounds vanishing in aerial perspective. Although he did make at least one painting foray into Florida, Bristol largely found his subject matter in the picturesque regions of the northeast. He traveled extensively, sketching and painting scenes of the Berkshires, the Adirondacks, the Connecticut River valley, and the White Mountains. His paintings of Columbia County creeks and the gorge at Bash-Bish were a nod to his roots. Bristol established his studio in New York City in 1860 and remained there throughout his life. Bristol married and the two lived in the city and spent their summers in Great Barrington, Massachusetts.


His studies were from nature. The season of 1859 was devoted to tropical pictures, which attracted much attention. Among his works are "Autumn Afternoon, Bolton, Lake George"; "Sunrise, Mount Mansfield ": " Adirondacks, from Lake Champlain"; "On the St. John's River, Florida" (1862) "Ascutney Mountain"; "In the Housatonic Valley" (1875): "Monument Mountain, Berkshire Co. (1875); "Mount Equinox, Vermont" (1878); "Evening by the, Housatonie" (1878); "Lake Memphremagog" (1878); "Lake Dunmore, Vt." (1883); and "Haying-Time near Middlebury, Vt." (1886).




He exhibited at the National Academy of Design from 1858 to 1900. He was elected an associate academician in 1860 and a member in 1875. Although Bristol lived in New York City, he traveled and painted throughout New England almost every summer. He was a member of the Century Association from 1873 to 1909. Bristol exhibited at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia in 1876 where he was awarded a medal, the Paris Expo in 1889 where he was awarded a prize, and at the Pan-American Expo in Buffalo in 1901 where he was awarded a medal. His work is preserved at the Peabody Institute in Baltimore. He was permanently stricken with paralysis in October of 1907, and eventually died in the Home of the Incurables, 183rd Street and 3rd Avenue, In New York City, on September 2, in 1909.




The above paintings are all by Bristol. Bristol's art was chosen as a local artist for our label for our Hudson River Valley Red. We're very excited by this opportunity. This light, easy to drink, fruity but dry red, is made from DeChaunac grapes grown in the Hudson Valley. It's as local as wine gets. And it's also tied in with Cider Mill Press's new book The Hudson River Valley Reader available in bookstores now.

All the best

Carlo and Dominique

Friday, April 17, 2009

HUDSON-CHATHAM WINERY
BACO NOIR RESERVE 2006
CASSCLES VINEYARD
WINS BRONZE AT
2009 DALLAS MORNING NEWS AWARDS

According to Megan Murphy, "We recieved 3,146 enries, from 863 wine companies from 20 countries and 31 states for the 2009 competition. Medals were awarded to 1,487 winners, 156 gold, 542 silver, and 789 bronze medals."

This is a big honor and we are very excited.

Congrats to the whole staff, and to Steve Casscles!

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

WINE SPECTATOR AWARDS
HUDSON-CHATHAM MALBEC
SCORE OF 82 POINTS!


Fresh and forward, with loosely knit red cherry, raspberry and cranberry notes backed by a dash of spice. Drink now.
- James Molesworth
Web Only, 2009

Wednesday, April 08, 2009

HUDSON-CHATHAM WINERY'S

HUDSON RIVER VALLEY RED 2007


Announcing Hudson River Valley Red 2007

CIDER MILL PRESS &
HUDSON-CHATHAM WINERY RELEASE
CO-LICENSED BOOK AND WINE
FIRST EVER SIMULTANEOUS RELEASE OF
CO-PUBLISHED BOOK AND WINE

The Hudson River Valley Reader
Edited by Edward C. Goodman

Hudson River Valley Red 2008
Hudson River Region
Red Table Wine
2008

Cider Mill Press is publishing The Hudson River Valley Reader edited by Edward C. Goodman, to celebrate the 400th Anniversary of the exploration of the Hudson River by Henry Hudson. And for the first time ever a wine produced by the award-winning Hudson-Chatham Winery, named Hudson River Valley Red 2008, is being simultaneously released as part of a licensing effort. This is the first time a wine has been licensed from a book.

The Hudson-River Valley Reader is a book that combines the history of the river as well as literary gems from such Hudson Valley literati as Washington Irving, John Burroughs, and many others.



Hudson River Valley Red 2008 is a light-to-medium bodied dry red table wine made from grapes grown in the Hudson Valley. Made from DeChaunac, Seyval Blanc, and Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine is versatile and smooth, and is great with poultry, fish, or vegetarian meals. Also, a great accompaniment to pasta.

“We are proud to be a part of the Hudson Valley. There has never been a better time for artisnal foods and wines in the Valley. And we are always thrilled to celebrate the valley’s literary and artistic achievements whenever possible. We are proud to be associated with Cider Mill Press and especially with the Hudson River Museum,” said winery co-owner Carlo DeVito. “We are always happy to promote the valley whenever possible. It’s a great place to live and vacation.”


“Cider Mill press is proud to be associated with the Hudson-Chatham Winery, a small independent organization, to celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit of those who explored the Hudson River Valley 400 years ago. We're very proud of our commitment to local publishing and quality product,” says John Whalen, founder and publisher.

Commemorative book and wine gift sets will be available at $30.00 from the winery. Please call 518 392 2598 or email info@hudsonchathamwinery.com


Cider Mill Press is a small, independent publisher located in Kennebunkport, Maine. From seed to harvest, Cider Mill Press strives to bring fine reading, information, and entertainment together between the covers of creatively crafted books.

Hudson-Chatham Winery is located in Ghent, NY, and is Columbia County’s first winery. Located on the former Brisklea Ayrshire Dairy Farm, the winery is nestled between the Catskill and Berkshire mountains. Carlo and Dominique DeVito make an array of award winning wines, as well as 100% natural maple syrups under their Sugarmaker’s Reserve label.

The painting Hudson River Scene by John Bunyon Bristol (1826-1909) is courtesy the Hudson River Museum, located in Yonkers, New York. The Museum collects 19th- and 20th-c. American art and cultural, social and historical material related to Glenview, the Museum's historic house, and the wider Westchester County/Hudson River Valley region. Though the Museum's collecting focus has evolved over its 84-year history, the trustees and staff have always been concerned with the institution's value and relevance to the surrounding region and its residents.