hudson-chatham wine blog

2012-01-18T16:57:00.006-05:00

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.

2012-01-17T18:43:00.007-05:00

WINE ENTHUSIAST
RAVES ABOUT
HUDSON-CHATHAM WINES

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.

Hudson-Chatham Wines scored:
87 Hudson-Chatham 2010 Casscles Vineyard Reserve Baco Noir $20.00
86 Hudson-Chatham 2010 Cabernet Franc New York $17.00
86 Hudson-Chatham 2010 Old Vines Baco Noir New York $22.00
86 Hudson-Chatham 2008 Empire Reserve Baco Noir New York $22.00
85 Hudson-Chatham 2009 Old Vines Masson Place Vineyard Pulteney Farm Baco $20.00

Congrats to our winemaker Steve Casscles and our crew at the winery!!

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/

2012-01-17T18:34:00.002-05:00

New York Cork Report
Nominates
Hudson-Chatham Wines
For Wines of the Year 2012

Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor of the New York Cork Report, announced the nominees for the Hudson River Region for the Wines of the Year 2012.

Hudson-Chatham Winery had two wines nominated:

Hudson-Chatham 2010 Baco Noir Reserve Casscles Vineyards
Hudson-Chatham 2010 Seyval Blanc Block 1 Estate

We are very proud and pleased to be nominated!

Read the rest at:
http://www.lenndevours.com/2012/01/the-new-york-cork-report-2011-wines-of-the-year-finalists.html

2011-12-28T08:14:00.002-05:00

Bubbly Beginnings & Endings

Open all Weekend

and New Year's Day!!

See you in 2012!!

Join us this weekend for a truly festive celebration, when we ring in the new and ring out the old with sparkling wine cocktails. Come to the winery for a wine tasting, and finish off with a complimentary cocktail. We'll have four to choose from, including the classic mimosa. We'll have more of Red Barn's Wicked Good Chips on hand (which pair beautifully with the bubbly!), as well as local cheeses, spreads, sauces, and nuts - all great additions to your New Year celebrations with family and friends.

Hours for this event are Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, Dec. 30 & 31, plus Jan. 1, from 12 noon to 5 pm

2011-12-28T08:11:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year from the
Hudson-Chatham Winery

All of us at the Hudson-Chatham Winery wish you and yours every happiness this Holiday Season, plus good health and prosperity in the New Year. We thank you for being our customers. Come enjoy a sparkling wine cocktail with us as we toast our blessings and look forward to a new year.

Sincerely,
Dominique & Carlo DeVito, Owners
Bryan VanDeusen, Tasting Room Manager

2011-12-22T09:37:00.001-05:00

If you're Ho-Ho-Hopin' We're O-O-Open - You're in Luck!!

Join us for a Special Pre-Christmas
Happy Hour at the Winery
Friday, 12/23, 5 to 8 pm

Join us after our regular hours this Friday, December 23, as we host a holiday happy hour at the winery. From 5 to 8 pm we'll have some special goodies to munch on while you enjoy some wine and do some last-minute shopping. We'll have specials on our selection of locally made products like the cheeses, black currant compote, honey, southwestern sauces, and more. We offer gift wrapping, and we can put a gift basket together for you, too. We also have gift certificates in both envelope size and pre-wrapped in a box, ready to be gifted.

We hope you'll join us in our cozy tasting room for a toast to good wines, good foods, good friends, and good company while we wish one and all a Merry Christmas.

2011-12-04T09:56:00.002-05:00

CHATHAM COURIER RAVES ABOUT
HUDSON-CHATHAM WINERY

Hudson-Chatham Winery is a local vineyard, with wine perfect for adding to local food baskets to give to friends or relatives. David Lee/Hudson-Catskill Newspapers

Local wine, made from Columbia County grapes
By Jeff Alexander
Hudson-Catskill Newspapers
Published: Friday, December 2, 2011 2:09 AM EST

CHATHAM — Dominique and Carlo DeVito have successfully utilized their extensive publishing backgrounds to create and maintain Hudson-Chatham Winery. The New Jersey couple first discussed the idea of creating an independent winery back in 2005.

“We always traveled to wineries and it was a subject we were always interested in. We learned a lot about New York State wineries when Carlo’s book, East Coast Wineries, was published in 2003. When he broached the subject about starting our own winery, I actually laughed,” reflected Dominique DeVito.

After extensive research and 9 months of visiting prospective locations, the DeVitos chose Columbia County due to its rich agricultural history. The business was launched in 2007.

“The history of Columbia County is truly unique. We always liked Hudson and thought the Chatham School District would be perfect for our children. The farm itself is situated with a 1700s house and the property served as a dairy farm for decades, so we felt we would really be accepted by people,” she said.

DeVito said she and her husband’s publishing experience transcended barriers and ultimately benefited them toward becoming successful entrepreneurs.

“Publishing is very much a creative process because it’s intended to bring something special to people. Bringing wine to market is similar because there’s a lot of passion behind it as well. You’re ultimately creating something for a market you hope to satisfy,” she said.

Asked what attracts people to buy local wine and other food products as opposed to shopping at retail locations, DeVito stressed the importance of facilitating customer relationships.

“Buying local is especially important because it’s basically neighbors buying from neighbors. Also, buying from someone you know has a certain appeal to it and knowing that it was grown organically makes the experience more amazing,” she said.

She added that attending and participating in local farmers’ markets boosted the winery’s visibility.

“We continue to benefit from our participation because it gives us the unique opportunity to really meet our neighbors and customers. I count it as true, grass-roots marketing.”

Asked what trends she has seen in the wine industry, DeVito agreed that wine products have undeniably entered the mainstream and expanded the beverage canon.

“Historically, wine has always been paired with food and has always been a social thing. The film Bottleshock depicted this wine tasting event from back in the ‘70s when a California wine defeated a French wine in a blind taste test. I guess it was a foreshadow of things to come because many fine wines were always thought to be French and now there are wines being made and imported from all over the world. It really gives people a variety of choices as consumers,” said DeVito.

DeVito also remarked on the growing trend of younger consumers being attracted to wine products.

“Younger people seem to have so many choices now and I think their tastes are sophisticated. By being exposed to things early on it opens them up to many more possibilities in the future. With social networking sites, it makes businesses more accessible and allows consumers to easily discover new products.”

Hudson-Chatham Winery is currently expanding and hopes to tap into online sales in 2012.

“We’re expanding the tasting room. On a weekend, it can have 30 to 50 people in there at a time and we get several thousand visitors over the course of the year. Our sangria festival attracts upwards of 300 people just on that day. On the retail side, we’re always looking to generate new ideas to have people search us out.”

The winery features hand-crafted wines, cheeses and desserts, and includes vineyard tours and a gazebo with scenic views. For more information, visit http://www.hudson-chathamwinery.com.

Read more at:
http://www.registerstar.com/articles/2011/12/02/news/doc4ed858b348a82509731967.txt

2011-12-04T07:32:00.005-05:00

100% NATURAL MAPLE SYRUPS
ARE BACK IN STOCK
AT HUDSON-CHATHAM WINERY!

It's hard work boiling, filtering, and bottling 100% natural maple syrup. Hours of hot stoves and burners boiling down the syrup. Lots of steam. And every splash turns out to be a hard core stick mess!!!

But on the good side, after spending all day bent over giants pots of boiling, sticky sweetness, we have something good to show for it!

We're back in stock with Grade A, Grade B (Rustic Dark), Vanilla and Dirty syrups!

Come and get 'em for the holidays!

2011-11-27T07:50:00.003-05:00

GROUNDBREAKING AT
HUDSON-CHATHAM WINERY

After many long months of getting approval from our local planning board, the Hudson-Chatham Winery has finally begun it's expansion!

Here are the first pictures of Farm Manager Ralph Cooley clearing ground and cutting into the hill near the barn to help expand the winery.

A new crush pad, an extension of our barn by about 25 feet, and a new building to house sherry and port will complete the project, hopefully bey the end of December.

Anyway, a nice beginning!

2011-11-25T11:28:00.003-05:00

HUDSON-CHATHAM WINERY

IS OPEN ALL THREE DAYS!

We are open this Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Nov 25, 26, & 27, Noon to 5pm!

Make gift baskets (we provide all the trimmings), try the Christmas Port, and try the Field Stone Baco Noir! The holidays are here!

2011-11-22T05:50:00.002-05:00

THE RECORD RAVES ABOUT
HUDSON-CHATHAM WINERY
AND THE
HUDSON-BERKSHIRE BEVERAGE TRAIL

Monday, November 21, 2011

A Winery, Brewery, and Distillery in Three Hours in Columbia County

It appears the farmland in Columbia County is very fertile, with pecks of apples, grapes, and other things to make alcohol. My boyfriend and I, after visiting the Hudson Chatham Winery, Chatham Brewery, and Harvest Distillery, are pretty sure the folks in the nearby county could make quality beverages even just from the grass.

Find out for yourself by visiting the Hudson-Berkshire Beverage Trail. It's possible to do about half the trail in three hours so this can work as a half-day trip or a full day trip.

I'd actually never heard of a "beverage" trail, only wine trails before this local one came up in a Google search. It was initially my intention to just do a wine tour but I'm glad it also included beer and harder liquor. Along with trying non-nationally distributed drinks, it was fun trying things that I knew I'd enjoy and that my boyfriend would enjoy (he's more of a beer person, I like wine, but then we both enjoy liquor).

We started the trail, which we reduced so we could make the Gazette Holiday Parade in Schenectady, at the Hudson-Chatham Winery where they were having a bread, cheese, and wine festival with several vendors in their site on Route 66 in Ghent.

It was a bit confusing when we walked in since I wasn't sure what to try first, the food or the drink. So, we made our way around the room and eventually did two $5 wine tastings. I was a big fan of their whites and dessert wines and Jon enjoyed their reds. We bought two to take home and enjoyed pairing the tastings with the food samples where the vendor reps were more than willing to talk about their products.

The next stop was the Chatham Brewery where we had been before. It's a small operation, literally down an alley off the main drag in Chatham. Since the bf and I first visited the business several months ago, they've now expanded their sales offerings to multiple merchandise items like glasses and clothes, along with the growlers of quality beer. But the hours are pretty restricted: just 11am-2pm on Saturdays.

The final stop was the Golden Harvest Farm with the Harvest Distillery in the back which is leased from the farm operation on Route 9 in Valatie. You walk in and there are large wooden barrels everywhere. Tastings are $1 or free if you buy something. We, like many others before us, fell in love with the Apple Jack whiskey which is based on a centuries old tradition of whiskey. I especially loved it with hot apple cider which ended up being our main beverage at the parade that night.

The entire trail also includes Brookview Station Winery in Castleton-on-Hudson, and Furnace Brook Winery in Richmond, Mass.

posted by Danielle Sanzone at 7:58 PM

Read more Troy Record at:
http://cowabungatravel.blogspot.com/2011/11/winery-brewery-and-distillery-in-three.html

2011-11-21T20:55:00.005-05:00

iJAMMING.COM LOVES
HUDSON-CHATHAM WINERY

ijamming.net by Tony Fletcher
Featured Winery: Hudson-Chatham
November 15th, 2011

A few weeks ago, we finally paid a visit to Hudson-Chatham Winery, one of many that have opened in recent years in the Hudson Valley, and apparently the first to do so in Columbia County. The proliferation of new wineries in our region is, essentially, a good thing: what could be wrong with more people growing grapes and producing wine from them? Well, as those who know the area know all too well, the Hudson Valley, with its bitter winters, is not an easy area in which to grow vinifera grapes – i.e. the “noble” grapes that qualify as “wine” in Europe. Cabernet Franc and Chardonnay can just about cope, given the right wine-makers and some decent terroir, but almost anything else is an uphill struggle. This is why far too many of the wineries serve up either quaintly-named wines made from the hybrid grapes that do just fine in the region but are not, to put it mildly, the stuff of greatness, or offer more recognizable wines (typically, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Merlot) sourced from vineyards in the far-flung Finger Lakes or Long Island.

Fortunately, few people in New York State know more about the region’s wineries that Hudson-Chatham’s own Carlo DeVito. The author of Wineries of the East Coast, DeVito has a background in wine publishing, and maintains the Hudson River Wine blog in his spare time – of which there can’t be much, given the number of different bottlings emerging from his five-year old winery. Hudson-Chatham serves up the typical Hudson Valley fare I reference up above: local Cayuga in sparkling form, DeChaunac and Baco Noir as a Dessert red, Riesling and Gewurztraminer from the Finger Lakes, and Merlot from Long Island, none of which, in theory, sets it apart from the rest of the tourist trail. However, DeVito has announced his arrival on the wine scene with a couple of distinctive contributions to the area’s fare. His Empire Reserve label, in both white and red form, combines three grapes in equal quantities from the Finger Lakes, Hudson Valley and Long Island regions, hoping to showcase a uniquely New York wine as a result. But perhaps more profoundly, DeVito is staking his claim on “quality hybrid” wines; specifically, he is treating both the white grape Seyval Blanc and the red Baco Noir as if he were in Burgundy and raising Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. At Hudson Chatham, both grapes are Estate Bottled, aged in oak, and labeled according to their individual vineyards. This is a ballsy move, and one that demands attention. Or at least a visit to the winery.

Like many wineries on the east coast, Hudson-Chatham makes more wine than it’s good for. This is not even the full range.
DeVito was at a local industry event for most of the time we visited; I’m pleased to report that his two young female servers were eminently pleasant and more so, pretty well educated on what they were pouring. We started with the 2010 Seyval Blanc, a grape that grows especially well in the Hudson Valley. This emitted some quite serious grapefruit/lemon/crème fraiche flavors with some additional Granny Smith apple. While bright and friendly, it was also a little light in texture and overly acidic, but still good value as a picnic style wine for $11. The Riesling (from the Finger Lakes) was bone dry with lots of green apples. A lovely little wine at $15 a bottle. I was excited and surprised to hear that the Gewurztraminer 2009 had some Hudson Valley grapes in there; I got all the necessary orange and lychee and passion fruit that you might hope for from this very particular grape. Promising for sure.
The entry-level red is the Hudson River Valley Red, a blend of 75% DeChaunac and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, not an unusual blend for regions where a hybrid needs some weight and depth, added in the form of a noble grape that doesn’t grow well enough to be bottled on its own either. They call it “a light, fruit yet dry red” and that would be a fair description for a non-descript and inoffensive picnic red. By comparison, I was somewhat disappointed with the 2010 Cabernet Franc, grapes from Upstate, which was much lighter in body and color than it need be, considering how well it can be made in New York. We fared better with the Merlot from Long Island. The 2008 Merlot, aged for 18 months in French oak, had plenty of strong fruit, particularly plum, and was well-rounded and a solid food wine for $20; the 2008 Merlot Reserve, aged in French oak for an additional year, had too much wood for my particular palate and was too pricy at $24.

The friendly vibe at the tasting room.
We were very pleasantly surprised by the Blanc de Blanc, considering that it’s made from the typically unworthy Cayuga grape. This was very bready, and ever so lightly sweet. Really quite delightful, especially for $18. We also took a taste of the hard cider made from local, Germantown Northern Spy apples. It’s sold by the large bottle for $10 and while I don’t drink much cider, it seems to me that this is precisely what Hudson Valley wineries should be doing with the local fruit. To that note, while I sampled the fortified Dessert Wines, I wasn’t taken by them; I could taste the added Brandy in the Paperbirch Highlands Fine Ruby and Paperbirch Palladian White more than I could the various, predominantly hybrid grapes. And I’m not a fruit wine fan, so I let those two dessert wine offerings alone.
But now we get to the interesting stuff. I’ve written before at iJamming! about the Empire Reserve White Table Wine, a blend of equal parts Sauvignon Blanc, Seyval Blanc and Riesling, from Long Island, the Hudson Valley and Finger Lakes respectively. Now it was the opportunity to try the Empire Reserve Table Red, this one a blend of Merlot, Baco Noir and Cabernet Franc from the same three regions. Because I love the idea of this wine, I really wanted to love the taste of it (and I bought a bottle to taste properly at home), but I ended up having the same reservation about it as I did the white: that the two grapes from the lower New York regions (Baco Noir and Merlot) ended up overpowering the subtleties of the grape from the Finger Lakes (Cabernet Franc), producing a wine with notable heft and body but not enough delicacy or individuality. I hope DeVito persists with the idea of this blend, as it is, truly, a unique representation of New York State grapes; however, he might want to experiment more with the individual components, sacrificing the idea of equality for… true quality.

The Seyval Blanc vineyard at Hudson-Chatham (absent the grapes, which had already been picked…)
But fear not, because Hudson-Chatham’s boldest claim – to the quality of its hybdrids – turns out to hold true. The 2010 Seyval Blanc Block 1 North Creek Vineyard rewards its single vineyard bottling and (short) oak ageing quite magnificently. Rather than adding that familiar taste of vanilla, either the oak – or perhaps it’s the “Ghent terroir” – delivers some custard qualities that fill out the grape’s typically bright acidity and green citrus notes which, along with a floral texture that I hadn’t registered with the everyday Seyval Blanc at the bottom of the winery’s price chain, creates what is, without doubt, the best Seyval Blanc I have tasted. It’s to the wine’s additional credit that I don’t feel tempted to just compare it to a Sauvignon Blanc or some other cool climate white grape; this felt very much like its own creation. Truly delicious, with a refreshingly long finish, I suspect it might be too subtle for some tastes, but I will definitely be back for more.
To my great disappointment, the winery was entirely out of its various Baco Noir bottlings; once I got talking to DeVito, he explained that they typically sell out within 2-3 months of bottling. He also told me that shortly after opening the winery, he had been offered the opportunity to take over the 60-year old Baco Noir vines at Mason Place Vineyard and signed a lease that very same day. His enthusiasm appears to have been rewarded: I picked up a bottle of the 2009 Baco Noir Old Vines Mason Place Vineyards Pultney Farms at the ever-wonderful Partition Street Wine Shop in Saugerties the night of the Zombie Crawl, for $20, and was (highly) positively overwhelmed. Though on initial opening I got a big fat whiff of the French oak, that quickly wafted away; soon I was getting some cherry coming off the nose, the acidity of a cool climate grape mixed in with earth and spices. It opened up remarkably well to exhibit not just the forward fruit and the mid-palate body, but the kind of well-rounded finish one would expect of a true noble vinifera wine.

Two of the finer hybrid wines I’ve tasted.
My complaint about hybrids is often that they’re one-dimensional; at best, two; but that they never have that ethereal quality that makes great wine such a truly intangible experience. I hesitate to over-praise this Baco Noir, but it shared sufficient qualities to a good earthy Pinot Noir (most notably that dark cherry) that I can understand DeVito placing it in a Burgundian bottle – as he does with two other Single Vineyard reds, the Baco Noir Reserve Casscels Vineyards and, from the same vineyard, a Chelois grape that he considers the crown jewel of his line – and most redolent of a red Burgundy. I guess I will need to get to Hudson-Chatham again this winter to pick up the top-of-the-line 2010s as they come into bottle, but based on our tastings so far, it would appear that the winery is doing as much to showcase the quality possibilities of Hudson Valley hybrids as anyone else in the region. I look forward to tasting more.

Apologies to Tony because we could not make the tags work to connect the article directly...message kept failing. We are not in the habit of reprinting full articles.

Here is a link to www.ijamming.net

2011-11-17T07:54:00.002-05:00

HUDSON-CHATHAM WINES
TO BE FEATURED AT
FOX & HOUND WINES & SPIRITS
HUDSON VALLEY TASTING

Friday, November 18, 4-7
New Paltz, NY

Tom Edwards in cooperation with the Hudson Valley WIne Country, is sponsoring a Hudson Valley wine tasting at their store, Fox and Hound, in New Paltz, NY this Friday! Nine wineries will be pouring at least three wines each. An exciting event!!!!

20 New Paltz Plaza, New Paltz, NY 12561
1 845.255.7475
http://www.foxandhoundwines.com
Mon - Sat:10:00 am-9:30 pm
Sun:12:00 pm-7:00 pm

2011-11-17T07:27:00.004-05:00

Hudson-Chatham's 4th Annual
Bread, Wine & Cheese!
Saturday, November 19, 2011
12-5 pm

Cafe Le Perche headlines event, along with Old Chatham Sheepherding, Twin Maple Farm, and R&G Cheese.

This Saturday, the winery will be hosting its annual Bread, Wine & Cheese event. The bread - and other baked goods - will be from Hudson's own Cafe Le Perch! The Cafe was recently written up in the New York Times and The Valley Table, and it is definitely as good as all that!

We will have cheeses from the following area creameries: Twin Maple Farm (with their incredible Hudson Red), R&G (with mouth-watering mozzarellas and goat cheeses), and the Old Chatham Sheepherding Company (if you have yet to try their multiple award-winning Camembert, see what you've been missing!). The cheeses will be sampled and sold by the creameries, and we'll also have a selection of Hudson-Chatham horseradish cheese spreads on hand.

Spend an afternoon tasting Hudson-Chatham wines, the freshest local cheeses, most fabulous baked goods, and discovering how to put together perfect bread, wine, and cheese pairings - for the holidays and every day!

Read the NY Times about Cafe Le Perche:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/13/nyregion/cafe-le-perche-and-its-oven-from-rural-france.html

2011-11-17T07:18:00.003-05:00

HUDSON-CHATHAM WINE DINNER
AT LOCAL 111

Join us this Friday night, November 19, at Local 111 in Philmont, where Chef Josephine has put together an amazing seven-course meal that will feature five exceptional Hudson-Chatham wines. It's an all-local culinary extravaganza that's not to be missed!

Go to Local 111:
http://www.local111.com/events.html

2011-11-13T09:24:00.003-05:00

ALL OVER ALBANY RAVES ABOUT
HUDSON-CHATHAM WINERY

Katherine Rasmussen recently wrote an article entitled "A Wine Tastign Trip to Columbia County" for All Over Albany.com. Here are her notes on Hudson-Chatham wines:

White: The sweet wine, Lindenwald - $12.50/bottle. All I can say is WOW! This wine has a distinctly New York Concord aroma and taste and a clean finish.

Red: Baco Noir Reserve - $18.95/bottle. An award winning wine, taking bronze at the 2011Grand Harvest Awards in California and gold at the 2010 New York Food and Wine Classic. This wine is not too heavy and not too light, making it a perfect match for an autumn supper.

Dessert: Paperbirch Raspberry Fine Ruby - $14.95/bottle. Made from raspberries grown on the property, this dessert wine took the gold medal at the 2011 Hudson Valley Wine Competition and is great served over ice cream.

Read the whole story at:
http://alloveralbany.com/archive/2011/11/11/a-wine-tasting-trip-to-columbia-county

2011-11-13T09:18:00.003-05:00

HOWARD G. GOLDBERG RAVES ABOUT
HUDSON-CHATHAM WINERY

New York Times wine columnist Howard G. Goldberg recently posted a whole series of tasting notes about Hudson Valley wines. Here's some of the abbrivieted notes on Hudson-Chatham wines.

A Sampler of Hudson Valley Pleasures
by Howard G. Goldberg on Friday, November 11, 2011 at 1:25pm

As the beautiful Hudson Valley's remaining leaves turn further red, ocher, yellow and rusty, and crunchy underfoot, I recall and envy landscape painters of the 19th-century Hudson River School -- (its founder) Thomas Cole, Frederic Edwin Church, Albert Bierstadt -- who recorded the unspoiled region's majesty.

Not having visited the area for some years I miss annual excursions to Millbrook, my friend John Dyson'simpressive, sprawling wine estate, and occasional trips to Clinton Vineyard, in Clinton Corners, another Jewel, established by my friend Ben Feder (now gone) and nurtured by Ben and Phyllis, his remarkable wife.

Another friend (and also my book publisher), the congenial Carlo DeVito, the padrone of Hudson-Chatham Winery, in Ghent, not long ago assembled a batch of wines that illustrate developments in the region, and a small group tasted them high above Columbus Circle, in Manhattan. He brought many of his own wines -- some I had tasted before -- and they made a strongly favorable impression pretty much across the board. The portfolio has deservedly gotten good ink lately. (Yes, I say all that objectively; no buttering-up goes on here.)

By now some of Carlo's and others' wines I tasted have yielded to later vintages, which, on the basis of my tasting, I'd be pleased to explore too.
.....

Hudson-Chatham's 2008 Empire Reserve Red -- a clever, grapey, nuanced blend of Hudson Valley baco noir, Finger Lakes cabernet franc and Long Island merlot.

Hudson-Chatham's 2009 Masson Place Vineyard, Pulteney Farm, Old Vines baco noir, which was succulent and juicy.

Hudson-Chatham's 2009 seyval blanc -- I have loved the grape and wine, from various producers, for years -- had a firm acid grip, perfumed nose and a tangy citric bite.

Hudson-Chatham's rustic 2009 Casscels Vineyards chelois was pretty,opulent, a little cherry-like and seemed dotted with herbs. It was inward, and I had to aerate it a lot on my palate to get, rewardingly, at its character.

Hudson-Chatham’s 2009 Casscels Vineyards baco noir reserve was a juicy, gutsy knock-back carafe wine.

Read the entire artivcle at:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/notes/howard-g-goldberg/a-sampler-of-hudson-valley-pleasures/225231230877637

2011-11-10T07:17:00.007-05:00

Hudson Berkshire Beverage Trail Ramble
November 11, 12, 13, 2011

Hudson-Chatham Winery is very proud to participate in the Hudson Berkshire Beverage Trail Ramble, this Veteran's Day weekend. You can do special tastings of the wonderful hand-crafted wines, beers, and spirits made by the venues on the Hudson Berkshire Beverage Trail for the special price of $15 ($5 for designated drivers). Purchase a Trail passport at the first location you visit, and bring it along as you "ramble" the Trail. Each venue will conduct a special tasting for passport carriers, and will feature a special food item to go with it. Trail members are: Hudson-Chatham Winery, Chatham Brewing, Harvest Spirits Distillery, and Brookview Station Winery in New York, and Furnace Brook Winery in Massachusetts.

2011-11-10T07:12:00.002-05:00

Hudson-Chatham Winery at
Harvest Fest in Saratoga Springs

16 Years of New York's Freshest, Finest, Tastiest, Heartiest & All-Around Best
November 12-13, 2011

Saturday, November 12
10:00am - 5:00pm

Sunday, November 13
12 noon - 5:00pm

The Pride of New York Harvest Fest has been a popular destination for thousands of consumers in the Capital District for 15 years. This year, the event will debut in beautiful and historic downtown Saratoga Springs. Located just north of Albany and just south of the Adirondacks, Saratoga Springs attracts visitors near and far, all with a thirst for New York products.

Famous for its thoroughbred race track, but also its mineral springs, this November, Saratoga Springs will be known as the place to be for New York food and wine. Attendees will find this new venue appealing and convenient, and exhibitors will find it easily accessible.

Once again, the Harvest Fest will benefit the Classroom Enrichment Fund at the Community Foundation of the Capital Region, to help teachers purchase curriculum and classroom.

The Pride of New York Harvest Fest in Saratoga Springs is a must-do event for anyone interested in New York wine and food. Don't miss out!

2011-10-27T07:52:00.003-04:00

BILL DOWD SCREAMS!!!
FOR HALLO-WINE AT
HUDSON-CHATHAM WINERY

Halloween specials at Ghent winery and in Chatham village
October 26, 2011 at 3:30 pm by Bill Dowd

GHENT — Hudson-Chatham Winery has a treat for visitors 21 and over who show up in costume at the Columbia County facility Saturday: a free tasting.

“Hallo-wine” will run from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The tasting room will be decorated for Halloween, and owners Dominique and Carlo De Vito are promising “a special witch’s brew” to try.

In keeping with the holiday theme, Prudence the tarot card reader will be on hand from 11:30 to 4:30, doing readings every 15 minutes. The cost is $20 per person.

“If you’re looking to spend the day in the Chatham area seeking thrills and chills, the village is having a day-long celebration at the shops along Main Street,” says Dominique De Vito. “From 6 p.m. on, you can visit the haunted house at the Wenk Funeral Home on Payn Avenue. It’s a great one! To end the evening with something sublime, you can attend the Leaf Peeper Concert of exceptional pieces by Mozart and Brahms at the St. James Church on Hudson Avenue. The concert starts at 7:30 p.m.”

The Hudson-Chatham Winery is located at 1900 State Route 66, roughly midway between its two namesake communities. Phone: (518) 392-9463.

Read More at:
http://blog.timesunion.com/dowdondrinks/halloween-specials-at-winery-and-in-chatham/9626/

2011-10-20T22:07:00.002-04:00

Hudson-Chatham Winery Hosts
Aaron Hacker's
"MAC ATTACK"
A macaroni and cheese extravaganza!

A dish of gooey macaroni and cheese is one of the ultimate comfort foods. Now pair it with a glass of wine (or cider!), and you've got 100% soul satisfying!

This Saturday, October 22,
from 12-5 pm, the Hudson-Chatham Winery will be hosting Aaron Hacker
to sample and serve his legendary mac-n-cheese, a concoction crafted by the
local artisanal cheese lover himself using all local cheeses.

(We've had Aaron's mac, and it is really, really, really good. If you're lucky, he may even share his recipe with you.)

Mac Attack!
SAT
10-22, 12-5 pm
Come in for some of Aaron Hacker's legendary mac. A sample is free; a
bowl is $5.

Hallo-wine
SAT
10-29 12-5 pm
An awesome day, with goodies and ghouls galore. Save the date!

Hudson
Berkshire Beverage Trail Ramble

The next Trail event is Veteran's Day Weekend, November 11-13, 2011. Passports to visit the 3 wineries, brewery, and distillery on the Trail will be available soon. Also check out http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=myr9yycab&et=1108230353836&s=390&e=001siHTLEmtSyvBNLVABCqc84r7reTA5itdhfqbkYLBLvGq58dxAbPDeToOqox_rxedVQFpnja55jAsuiVkoYT8uC7SZOCBsv3WcDho2LrwE2hmkmwW4e8Yz74bpd7XUTSm.

It's a great weekend to be in Columbia
County, and you'll want to include a trip to the winery on Saturday for some of
Aaron's incredible mac-n-cheese to be enjoyed with delicious wine or cider.

Cheers!
Dominique & Carlo DeVito and the
Hudson-Chatham Winery Tasting Room Staff
Hudson-Chatham Winery * 1900 Rte 66 * Ghent
NY 12075 * 518-392-WINE

p.s. - If you're a winery Case Club
member, please send us your mailing address so we can send you a membership
card. We just received them and want to be sure you have yours asap. Remember,
membership entitles you to special savings! Email us with any
questions.

2011-10-20T21:36:00.002-04:00

WINEMAKING AND BOTTLING
OF BACO NOIR AT
HUDSON-CHATHAM WINERY

See more at:http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hudson-Chatham-Winery/133112713366926#!/media/set/?set=a.295326007145595.80843.133112713366926&type=1

2011-10-20T21:22:00.002-04:00

IMPROPER BARREL WASHING

TECHNIQUE AT

HUDSON-CHATHAM WINERY

A couple of weeks ago I my sons had some friends sleep over. The understanding was that they would all help at the winery the next day. I asked them to do some barrel washing. They eagerly volunteered. Then they disappeared, and it seemed to take them a lot longer to wash the barrels than it should have.

Flash forward a few weeks later, I pull out my digital camera because I'm going to need it, and I download everything on it, so I can clear the card which is near full. When I examine the files, I found the film file you'll see if you click through.

All I did was supply the titles. They boys did the rest.

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=248138981903652#!/photo.php?v=248138981903652&set=vb.100001226557161&type=2&theater

2011-10-10T08:00:00.002-04:00

HUDSON-CHATHAM
BACO NOIR OLD VINES 2010
NOW AVAILABE!

Come and get it!

Baco Noir Old Vines 2010 vintage is now available. This is a tremendous vintage of this very special wine. The 2009 edition won a Bronze at the Dallas Morning News and New York Internation Wine competitions this years. But it also garnered some great reviews:

"Whenever I open a dark red wine and smell aromas of tobacco, leather and some damp soil, I know I am in for a treat. That is what I got. Seconds on the sniffing brought out some black cherry and plums and hints of cranberry and vanilla. Very pleasant taste of dark berries, black plum, some tobacco or herbal and a bit of pepper. A nice finish, not overly long, was dry with blackberry, cranberry and a touch of pepper with some hints of chocolate.
The Hudson-Chatham Old Vines Baco Noir 2009($28) is one of the best New York red wines I have tasted in a long time. "
- Joe Shico, Why Wine Blog

"My second Baco Noir of the #TasteNY event this one comes from 60 year old wines and is darker hued. It immediately shows more depth on the nose and palate. Fruit is a bit richer with black sour cherry notes with soft, earthy forest floor undertones. Acid less but still lively. Given the persistent acidity this one has a nicer mouthfeel than one might expect. As with the “Reserve” the oak is well managed. A fresh, nuanced offering with a nice tang on a finish that linger shortly with gentle tannins. Make sure you are paying attention or you'll get some surprise sediment on the bottom like I did. If you’ve never had Baco Noir and are keen to try new things, like me, this is a well spent $19 bones…"
- Jason Rzutkiewicz,89 points, Cellartracker

"The second wine featured the Hudson-Chatham 2009 Baco Noir Old Vines. Also available for $19 in the tasting room, 150 cases were produced. The Baco Noir Old Vine comes from 60 year old vines from the Masson Place Vineyard. Layers of dark fruit and spice on the nose. Flavors of black cherry, raspberry and a touch of earth. A food-friendly wine that drank well over several days.

The tasting and especially Hudson-Chatham Winery opened several eyes to Baco Noir and the Hudson River Valley region. I’ll raise a glass to that. Cheers!"
- Brian Kirby, The Other 46

Come on in and try some!

2011-10-02T07:29:00.004-04:00

PAPERBIRCH BANNERMAN'S CASTLE
AMBER CREAM IS NOW AVAILABLE!

The very popular, but very limited Paperbirch Bannerman's Castle Amber Cream is now available!

We've only made a small amount this year, so that we can increase our quantities for next year, by expanding our solera. Bannerman's Castle is made using the traditional solera method. Our solera is 14 barrels, and it takes the wine 4 1/2 years to make it's way through French oak and Italian chestnut. It's all done by hand, and unfined and unfiltered.

With it's rich nutty flavor, Bannerman's Castle is a premiere sherry, with a touch of sweetness.

Supplies are limited. There is a 2 bottle per person limit. You can come on down to the tastingroom or you can call and order the wine to be shipped.

Call us at 518 392 WINE to order your wine, or email us at info@hudson-chatham.com and leave your name and phone number. We accept Visa, Mastercard, and Discover. We ship within NY state, and other states as well (limited by US and local state laws).

It won't last.

2011-10-01T07:02:00.002-04:00

PATRICIA SAVOIE

RAVES ABOUT

HUDSON-CAHTHAM WINERY

IN ICON MAGAZINE

ICON is an arts and entertainment mag that is distributed to 20,000 households in
Bucks County and Philadelphia, PA, and Hunterdon County and Princeton, NJ.

Pat Savoie is a wine and culinary travel writer living in New York City. She is a frequent contributor to Sommelier Journal magazine, and a regular contributor to Wine Enthusiast magazine since 2003, where she wrote a monthly feature on American Viticultural Areas until March. Pat has been the wine columnist for ICON magazine since 2003. Pat has been Co-Chair of the Wine Media Guild, an organization for professional wine writers, for three years. She helps organize all of the monthly tastings and the annual Wine Writers’ Hall of Fame induction dinner. She has been a member of the Society of Wine Educators for several years.

Wrote Ms. Savoie: Hudson-Chatham Winery: Carlo and Dominique DeVito acted on their love of wine several years ago – moving from New Jersey, buying an old farm and planting vines. Their winery specializes in small handmade batches. They are doing great things with the Baco Noir grape. The Reserve 2010 is light and spicy, while the Old Vines 2010 is dense and complex, with dried black cherry notes. They also make “Empire,” which blends three wines made from Baco Noir from the Hudson Valley, Merlot from Long Island and Cabernet Franc from the Finger Lakes. Their 2009 Estate Seyval Blanc is dry with apple pie notes. [Ghent.www.hudson-chathamwinery.com]

2011-10-01T06:56:00.002-04:00

Where to Find the

Hudson-Chatham Winery

in October

Welcome Fall!

It's the favorite time of year for so many - but maybe especially for wine lovers. It's harvest season, it's fall festival season, it's the time of year for enjoying bigger wines with bigger foods, and dessert wines by the fire with friends.

At the Hudson-Chatham Winery, we're celebrating the season by making the tasting room an extra-special place to be, and also taking our show - and our award-winning wines - on the road. Wherever your celebration of fall finds you, we just might be there, too.

Happy Fall, Happy Festing, Happy Feasting

The Hudson-Chatham October Calendar 2011

At the Tasting Room!

The tasting room is open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday 12-5 pm. We're also open on Monday, 10-10, Columbus Day. We'll be busy all month making new wine, bottling our 2010 reds, and getting ready for Hallo-Wine here on 10-29. The winery is a fun and relaxing place to enjoy and learn about our wines.

Bethel Woods Wine Festival
SATURDAY, OCT. 1
If you want to try a bunch of NY state wines in one place - including award-winning Hudson-Chatham Wines - check out this great festival in the lower Hudson Valley.

Rhinebeck Crafts & Chocolate Festival
SATURDAY, OCT. 1 & SUNDAY, OCT. 2
A wonderful crafts and chocolate festival complete with wine - what could be better!? Find us there all weekend with our award-winning wines.

Goold Apple Festival
SATURDAY, OCT. 8 & SUNDAY, OCT. 9
This is an amazing family festival on the grounds of Goold Orchards in Castleton, complete with a wine tent. That's where we'll be. C'mon in and say hi!

But wait - there's more! October is bursting with activity in Columbia County, and there are other delights worth knowing about.

One is the Leaf Peeper Concert series. It's an amazing line-up of classical music concerts featuring top-notch musicians under the directorship of Sanford Allen and Clarion Concerts in Columbia County, Inc. There are concerts on October 1 in Claverack, October 15 in Hillsdale, and October 29 in Chatham.

Another is the Art & Wine event in Albany on October 5. It's part of Hudson Valley Wine Magazine's pairing of Valley artists with Valley wineries. Come see the great range of work produced and try some wonderful wines.

Then there's the Hudson Valley Bounty's Annual Chili Festival on the Hudson Riverfront on October 8, where you can taste lots of chili recipes and vote for your favorite. The Hudson-Chatham Winery will be there, too, offering wines that pair perfectly with this classic dish.
We'll be hosting a "Mac Attack" day at the winery on Saturday, October 22. Resident cheesie Aaron Hacker will be cooking up his special recipe featuring several Hudson Valley cheeses and other secret ingredients that add up to heaven on a plate.

That same Saturday - 10/22 - you can enjoy fine art and special treasures at the Artisans Along Main Street festival in nearby Valatie. Come see why this town is one of Columbia County's gems.

Oh - and there's the annual Columbia Film Festival in downtown Chatham this month! There's always an amazing line-up of films, and Chatham is only 10 minutes from the winery, so you can begin or end a wonderful afternoon or evening with a tasting and a movie. How great is that?!

So much to see and do in October! See you at the Winery - or in town - or in the Valley!

2011-09-26T23:27:00.003-04:00

CHRISTOPHER MATTHEWS
PRAISES
HUDSON-CHATHAM CHELOIS 2009

Christopher Matthews, a Manhattan-based press, communications and public affairs specialist, is also an independent wine writer, consultant and educator. His articles about wine and spirits, food and travel have appeared in New York Law Journal Magazine, RuralIntelligence.com, Epicurious.com, and Kitchen and Cook. As a wine consultant and educator, he has conducted tastings for corporate and private events. He studied at the International Wine Center in New York, from where he received the Wine and Spirits Education Trust’s Advanced Certificate (With Distinction). A member of the Wine Media Guild of New York, he is also passionate about gardening, horticulture and bird-watching (especially the St. Louis Cardinals!).

Christopher also co-writes a blog, UpstateDowntownny.com with his wife Kathryn. Kathryn Matthews is an independent lifestyles writer, who contributes to The New York Times, O Magazine, Town & Country, RuralIntelligence.com, SNOW and epicurious.com.

Recently, Chris wrote about his tasting of Hudson Valley wines at the most recent 2011 Hudson Valley Wine Competition. "In the 2009 competition, the Pinot Noir category really impressed, but not so much this time around — vintage variation is the coin of the realm in the Hudson Valley. And the red hybrids, like Baco Noir, were also not as strong overall in my view, with a notable exception: Hudson-Chatham’s delicious, medium-bodied and food-friendly Gold medal-winner, the 2008 Chelois."

Read the whole thing at:
http://upstatedowntownny.com/2011/09/25/best-hudson-valley-wines/

2011-08-17T06:41:00.003-04:00

Hudson-Chatham Winery and
Swoon's Summer Feast
An all-local menu celebrating the bounty of summer

If you're like us, you savor this time of year for the amazing flavors of the seasonal produce - corn, tomatoes, basil, beans - it's all super-fresh and oh-so-delicious. While it's wonderful to make your own special dishes from summertime bounty, they are even more magical in the hands of a world-class chef.

If you think so, too, you'll want to join us on Thursday, August 18, when we hook up with Jeff and Nina at Swoon Kitchenbar in Hudson for a special Summertime Feast featuring all-local foods paired with our award-winning wines. Like a glowing summer sunset, it'll be an experience to savor.

The folks at Swoon Kitchenbar in Hudson -- "arguably the most loved restaurant around" (according to the Huffington Post in an article on day trips outside of NYC) -- are preparing a special four-course menu featuring foods from Kinderhook Farm, Montgomery Orchards, and Holmquest Farm. The wines will be from the Hudson-Chatham WInery. A culinary event you won't soon forget!

Thursday, August 18
One seating only. 7 pm. Reservations required.
Swoon Kitchenbar340 Warren St. * Hudson, NY518-822-8938
$75.00/person

2011-08-10T18:52:00.000-04:00

HUDSON-CHATHAM WINERY
SANGRIA FESTIVAL!
Saturday, August 13, 2011
12 noon - 5 pm

It's THE event of the season, and this year promises to be better than ever!

There will be 5 sangrias to try - from classic to contemporary - all featuring award-winning wines. Relax with a glass of your favorite fruit-and-wine combo and listen to the great flamenco guitar music of Maria Zemantauski and Jose Mirelles.

To complement your sangria, there will be a great selection of mouth-watering, belly filling Southwestern favorites, including the following: tamales (peanut chipotle beef, pulled pork bbq, tomatillo chicken, and vegetarian black bean chili), and burritos (chorizo, bean with brown rice, cheese, tomato, guacamole and lettuce). Chips and watermelon salsa (with sour cream and guacamole).

Hudson-Chatham Winery
Saturday, August 13 * 12 noon - 5 pm
1900 State Rte 66 * Ghent NY 12075
518-392-WINE
www.hudson-chathamwinery.com

2011-08-05T07:34:00.004-04:00

CAELLARTRACKER RAVES ABOUT
HUDSON-CHATHAM BACO NOIRS

BACO NOIR RESERVE CASSCELS VINEYARD 2009
Tasted by Jason Rzutkiewicz on 4/17/2011 & rated 87 points: (11.5%) My first Baco Noir sampled as part of a #TasteNY event this one comes from 15-20 year old wines. Ruby to pure red on edges, cranberry, plum and spice on the nose. Smooth & juicy with light red fruit and a touch of forest floor flavors before a sour, tart acidity kicks in leading to a peppery finish. While some vanilla and oak is present this one isn’t over oaked and shows nice balance. A soft and approachable wine that made my introduction to Baco Noir an enjoyable one.

BACO NOIR OLD VINES 2009
Tasted by Jason Rzutkiewicz on 4/17/2011 & rated 89 points: (12%) My second Baco Noir of the #TasteNY event this one comes from 60 year old wines and is darker hued. It immediately shows more depth on the nose and palate. Fruit is a bit richer with black sour cherry notes with soft, earthy forest floor undertones. Acid less but still lively. Given the persistent acidity this one has a nicer mouthfeel than one might expect. As with the “Reserve” the oak is well managed. A fresh, nuanced offering with a nice tang on a finish that linger shortly with gentle tannins. Make sure you are paying attention or you'll get some surprise sediment on the bottom like I did. If you’ve never had Baco Noir and are keen to try new things, like me, this is a well spent $19 bones…

Read more at:
http://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1065005
http://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1124717

2011-08-05T07:28:00.004-04:00

Why Wine Blog Names
Hudson-Chatham Old Vines
"Best New York Red Wine"

Whywineblog.com recenetly reviewed the Hudson-Chatham Baco Noir Old Vines 2009.

Joe Suzadail wrote, "Whenever I open a dark red wine and smell aromas of tobacco, leather and some damp soil, I know I am in for a treat. That is what I got. Seconds on the sniffing brought out some black cherry and plums and hints of cranberry and vanilla. Very pleasant taste of dark berries, black plum, some tobacco or herbal and a bit of pepper. A nice finish, not overly long, was dry with blackberry, cranberry and a touch of pepper with some hints of chocolate. The Hudson-Chatham Old Vines Baco Noir 2009($28) is one of the best New York red wines I have tasted in a long time."

Read the entire article at:
http://www.zimbio.com/California+Wines/articles/EtCm5A4-_B7/Hudson+Chatham+Old+Vines+Baco+Noir+2009

2011-08-05T07:15:00.004-04:00

THE OTHER 46
RAVES ABOUT
HUDSON-CHATHAM BACO NOIR

TasteNY with Hudson-Chatham Winery
Wed, May 4, 2011
Tastings
by Brian Kirby

My timing is terrible these days. Almost a month has passed since I had the opportunity to participate in the TasteNY event with Hudson-Chatham Winery. I’ll blame it on the abundance of great local wine I’ve had of late that has managed to divert my attention from writing this recap. In one sentence, TasteNY is a virtual wine tasting hosted by the New York Cork Report, with the primary goal of highlighting a New York winery, wine or region. This happened to be my fourth TasteNY event (be sure to check out the Finger Lakes Pinot Noir and Riesling events) and first to highlight a hybrid, Baco Noir.

Established in 2007 and located in Ghent, NY, Hudson-Chatham Winery is the dream of Carlo and Dominque DeVito (Carlo authors the excellent East Coast Wineries blog). Specializing in small hand-made batches of wine, the Hudson River Valley winery produces an assortment of wines from Cabernet Franc to their award-winning Baco Noirs, a variety that grows surprisingly well in the region.

(Brian Kirby)

Hudson-Chatham Baco Noirs
The tasting kicked off with the Hudson-Chatham 2009 Baco Noir Reserve. The fruit comes from Casscles Vineyard in Athens, NY and retails for a reasonable $19. Ruby color in glass, an initial nose of red plum, cherry and cranberry with a hint of spice at the end. Plummy, jammy finish. Great acidity with just enough tannin for balance. Overall, an approachable, fruity wine that surprises. 70 cases produced.

The second wine featured the Hudson-Chatham 2009 Baco Noir Old Vines. Also available for $19 in the tasting room, 150 cases were produced. The Baco Noir Old Vine comes from 60 year old vines from the Masson Place Vineyard. Layers of dark fruit and spice on the nose. Flavors of black cherry, raspberry and a touch of earth. A food-friendly wine that drank well over several days.

The tasting and especially Hudson-Chatham Winery opened several eyes to Baco Noir and the Hudson River Valley region. I’ll raise a glass to that. Cheers!
Read more at:
http://theother46.com/2011/05/04/tasteny-with-hudson-chatham-winery/

2011-07-26T08:11:00.006-04:00

MURRAY'S IN NYC
HOSTS HUDSON-CHATHAM WINERY
FOR WINE & CHEESE PAIRING CLASS

On July 18th, 2011 Murray's Cheese in NYC hosted "Harmony of Wine and Cheese with Hudson-Chatham Winery."

"While it's difficult to imagine not enjoying a sip of wine with a hunk of your favorite cheese, certain combinations will particularly titillate your tongue and make your soul sing. Join us as we welcome vintners Dominique and Carlo DeVito Hudson-Chatham Winery, whose award winning wines will be paired with a selection of our cave aged cheeses by Louise Geller, Murray’s Director of Mail Order. Learn what cheese types best match these wines and get insider tips on how to find the right match on your own. Join us for a pairing session to explicate the essential fundamentals of wine and cheese harmony," read Murray's website.

Instructors Dominique and Carlo DeVito and Sascha Ingram lead the class.

Sascha Ingram is the Education and Events Coordinator at Murray's Cheese. Sascha Ingram just can't stop talking about cheese. After studying English and working in education, Sascha followed her nose (and her tastebuds!) to Forward Foods, a cheese and specialty foods shop in her native Oklahoma, where she spent the next few years turning on her fellow Okies to the wonders of Epoisses and Uplands Cheese Company Pleasant Ridge Reserve. After she had nearly memorized The Murray's Cheese Handbook, she tried her hand at the Murray's counter, eventually finding her way into the classroom, where you might catch her introducing the basics in Cheese 101, waxing poetic on the origins of cheese in Cheese U Boot Camp, or leading you through the ins and outs of affinage in Mystery of the Caves.

The class was a lot of fun, and we hope everyone enjoyed it as much as we did! Special thanks to Sascha!

2011-07-26T08:08:00.001-04:00

CRAZY GRAPES TV
RAVES ABOUT
HUDSON-CHATHAM
BACO NOIR OLD VINES 2009

Bill Hyatt is a wine educator, wine professional, and sommelier. But more importantly, he simply loves wine!

"I started this show as a medium to share my passion for wine with others. I hope that through this show I can help you to increase your enjoyment and understanding of wine. While I will accept donations to support this show, I will not let those donations effect the reviews of the wines I will be tasting," says Bill on his website.

Thanks Bill!

See the review at:
http://crazygrapes.tv/season-1-episode-3/

2011-07-06T22:54:00.002-04:00

EDIBLE MANHATTAN LOVES
PAPERBIRCH CASSIS
OF GOOD FARM

Amy Zavato wrote a wonderful story in the July/August issue of EDIBLE MANHATTAN entitled THE CURRANT'S SCOND COMING about the success of cassis in the Hudson Valley. The Hudson Valley is fast becoming known as the New Burgundy for its bright, minerally whites, soft, medium bodied reds, fresh farm house ciders, and cassis.

Our CASSIS OF GOOD FARM is a thick, intense berry wine with a tart finish. It has sold out every year!
Today, with more than 12,000 bottles produced in 2011, the Hudson Valley is the largest producer of artisanal cassis. Estimates range as high as 15-20,000 bottles for next year.

Jason and Jeremy of Warwick Valley featured in article.

Thanks Edible Manhattan!

2011-07-02T09:13:00.002-04:00

HUDSON-CHATHAM
HUDSON RIVER VALLEY RED
NOW AVAILABLE WITH NEW LABEL

Every year we change the label of our wine. This year we chose KINDRED SPIRITS by Asher Brown Durand.

Kindred Spirits depicts the previously deceased painter Thomas Cole and his friend poet William Cullen Bryant in the Catskill Mountains. The landscape, which combines geographical features like Fawns Leap in Kaaterksill Clove and a minuscule depiction of Kaaterskill Falls, is not a literal record of a particular site but an idealized memory of Thomas Cole's discovery of the region more than twenty years prior to the canvas's execution. The painting is currently held in the Amon Carter Museum of American Art in Fort Worth, Texas.

The painting was commissioned by New York art collector Jonathan Sturges as a gift to Bryant in appreciation of his eulogy of Coles. Its title was inspired by John Keats' "Sonnet to Solitude". Bryant's daughter Julia donated the painting to the New York Public Library in 1904. In 2005, it was sold at auction for $35 million, a record for a painting by an American artist.

Especially owing to the fact that Thomas Coles, who was a resident of Catskill, was one of the subjects of this painting, and that it depicts Katerskill Falls, another local attraction, we felt there was no better paining we could choose. The painting is one of the most famous works of art of the Hudson River School of painting, an it location and subjects made it all the more personal for us at Hudson-Chatham. And the Hudson River Valley Red has been our most popular wine, with last year's label winning the People's Choice award for Best Label at the Hudson Valley Wine magazine label competition.

Asher Brown Durand (August 21, 1796 – September 17, 1886) was an American painter of the Hudson River School. Durand was born in and eventually died in Maplewood, New Jersey (then called Jefferson Village), the eighth of eleven children; his father was a watchmaker and a silversmith.

Durand was apprenticed to an engraver from 1812 to 1817, later entering into a partnership the owner of the firm, who asked him to run the firm's New York branch. He engraved Declaration of Independence for John Trumbull in 1823, which established Durand's reputation as one of the country's finest engravers. Durand helped organize the New York Drawing Association in 1825, which would become the National Academy of Design; he would serve the organization as president from 1845 to 1861.

His interest shifted from engraving to oil painting around 1830 with the encouragement of his patron, Luman Reed. In 1837, he accompanied his friend Thomas Cole on a sketching expedition to Schroon Lake in the Adirondacks and soon after he began to concentrate on landscape painting. He spent summers sketching in the Catskills, Adirondacks, and the White Mountains of New Hampshire, making hundreds of drawings and oil sketches that were later incorporated into finished academy pieces which helped to define the Hudson River School.

Durand is particularly remembered for his detailed portrayals of trees, rocks, and foliage. He was an advocate for drawing directly from nature with as much realism as possible. Durand wrote, "Let [the artist] scrupulously accept whatever [nature] presents him until he shall, in a degree, have become intimate with her infinity...never let him profane her sacredness by a willful departure from truth."

Like other Hudson River School artists, Durand also believed that nature was an ineffable manifestation of God. He expressed this sentiment and his general views on art in his "Letters on Landscape Painting" in The Crayon, a mid-19th century New York art periodical. Wrote Durand, "[T]he true province of Landscape Art is the representation of the work of God in the visible creation..."

Durand is noted for his 1849 painting Kindred Spirits which shows fellow Hudson River School artist Thomas Cole and poet William Cullen Bryant in a Catskills landscape. This was painted as a tribute to Cole upon his death in 1848. The painting, donated by Bryant's daughter Julia to the New York Public Library in 1904, was sold by the library through Sotheby's at an auction in May 2005 to Alice Walton for a purported $35 million. The sale was conducted as a sealed, first bid auction, so the actual sales price is not known. At $35 million, however, it would be a record price paid for an American painting at the time.

Another of Durand's painting is his 1853 Progress, commissioned by a railroad executive. The landscape depicts America's progress, from a state of nature (on the left, where Native Americans look on), towards the right, where there are roads, telegraph wires, a canal, warehouses, railroads, and steamboats.

In 2007, the Brooklyn Museum exhibited nearly sixty of Durand's works in the first monographic exhibition devoted to the painter in more than thirty-five years. The show, entitled "Kindred Spirits: Asher B. Durand and the American Landscape," was on view from March 30 to July 29, 2007.

2011-06-12T08:04:00.003-04:00

HUDSON BERKSHIRE
BEVERAGE TRAIL
SATURDAY, JUNE 25, 2011
STRAWBERRY FIELDS EVENT

On Saturday & Sunday, June 25, the Hudson Berkshire Beverage Trail is conducting its second group event of the season. This one is called “Strawberry Fields Sip & Savor,” and will feature a strawberry delicacy at each of the participating venues. For example, there will be strawberry sangria at the Hudson-Chatham Winery, chocolate-covered strawberries at Furnace Brook Winery, vodka-soaked strawberries with fresh cream at Harvest Spirits, and strawberries in phyllo at Brookview Station Winery. There will be lots to sip and savor this weekend on the premier beverage trail in the Northeast!

Guests may visit any trail member of their choice, and pay the normal tasting fees, or buy a Trail Passport, and receive a great discount, that gets them into all the participating trail locations FREE!

Passport Members get:
* complimentary free tasting flights of wine, beers, and spirits at all locations on the specified date
* free strawberry treats

This is a great value! Passports will be available for $15 on the day of the event at each participating venue!

Special Designated Driver Passport: $5 with complimentary strawberries!

2011-06-11T09:15:00.002-04:00

HUDSON-CHATHAM WINERY
SUPPORTS AND
PARTICIPATES IN
HUDSON VALLEY FOOD LOVERS FESTIVAL
JULY 30, 2011

Visit www.friendsofthefarmer.com see learn more!

2011-06-03T10:22:00.002-04:00

30 SECOND SPOT
BACO NOIR COLLECTION

2011-06-03T10:13:00.001-04:00

MERLOT 30 SECOND SPOT

HUDSON-CHATHAM WINERY

2011-06-03T05:31:00.001-04:00

HUDSON BERKSHIRE
WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL
OCTOBER 15 & 16, 2011

SAVE THE DATE!

The first annual Hudson Berkshire Wine & Food Festival will be held at the Columbia County Fair grounds on October 15 & 16, 2011.

Local wines, beers, and spirits as well as local artisanal foods from the Hudson River and Berkshire Mountain regions will abound in this first ever fall wine festival.

Hudson-Chatham Winery will be a proud participant.

More to come!

2011-06-02T17:53:00.004-04:00

Warren Lawrence
of WKNY 1490AM Visits
Hudson-Chatham Winery

Warren Lawrence of WKNY 1490 AM recently paid a visit to the Hudson-Chatham Winery. Warren is the Station Director, hosts the morning drive show and also hosts an oldies show as well. He's a super nice guy! He and his wife did a tasting, and we had a lot of fun. Listen to him on the radio 6am to 10am every weekday!

WKNY (1490 kHz AM) is a radio station serving the Kingston, New York, area with a dual adult contemporary and talk radio format. It broadcasts at a power of 1 KW from a single tower located off of Albany Avenue. It is owned by Cumulus Media.

Warren, thanks for visiting!

2011-05-20T08:05:00.004-04:00

NEW YORK CORK REPORT
RAVES ABOUT
HUDSON-CHATHAM
BACO NOIR RESERVE

Hudson-Chatham Winery 2009 Baco Noir Reserve ($19): Nose is all about sour cherries and a little plum with subtle spice/black pepper character. Medium-light in body, very pinot-esque. Lots of cherry with a little red raspberry. Light spice and much less oak than previous releases. Fresh acidity that almost goes too far, but doesn't. Light tannins with a medium-length finish. Rating: 85

Thanks folks!
READ MORE AT:
http://www.lenndevours.com/2011/05/the-new-york-cork-report-tasting-
table-may-19-2011.html

2011-05-20T07:01:00.003-04:00

THE WORLD WINE GUYS

VIDEO OF HUDSON-CHATHAM WINERY

Recently, the World Wine Guys Mike and Jeff posted a video of their trip to the Hudson Valley. The trip was from approximately 9 months ago, but the video was just posted. We're thrilled!

Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen, also known as the World Wine Guys, are wine, spirits, food, and travel writers. When not traversing the globe, they divide their time between their homes in NYC and southern Spain. Their articles and photographs have appeared in Wine Enthusiast, Wine Spectator, Saveur.com, Sherman’s Travel, International Living, and The European. Mike and Jeff have hosted numerous wine tastings including those at the Spanish Ambassador’s residence in Washington, D.C. and have spoken at Kevin Zraly’s Windows On The World Wine Course. The duo has judged the prestigious wine competition, Concours des Vins in Chablis, France and cooking competitions at the French Culinary Institute in NYC. They were inducted into the Confrerie des Piliers Chablisiens in 2010.

Watch the video here, and their other videos from around the world.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKNM8YvuUug

2011-05-08T20:03:00.006-04:00

WHOSE IDEA WAS THIS?
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A
SMALL WINERY OWNER!

I was recently rereading SEASONS OF A FINGER LAKES WINERY by John Hartsock. There's a part where Gary Barletta, the owner of Long Point Winery, while he's trying to buy and bring home a 1,500 gallon water tank is asking himself why he got into this business. There are many days like that.

Saturday morning was one of them.

This Saturday we had to wake up at 5am to get all the preparation ready for the planting of 600 new vines. The winemaker, Steve Casscles arrived at 7am, and hen the field workers, and foreman Jesse, arrived a few minutes later. Steve was going to unearth vines we'd grown in our own nursery, and then replant the bed after planting the vineyards. We were also replacing some vines that had suffered winter kill and planting new rows as well.

Unfortunately, I had my own worries. Hudson Farmers Market opened this Saturday, and I was the selected sales person. We do five or six farmers markets a weekend in the summer, and we were stretched thin with everything going on. So I was off to the market.

It was good to see people I hadn't seen all winter. Some people had more things to sell than others, but the market is always a great place to see what's happening in the agricultural world. Rhubarb and mustard greens were in season, and some folks had a small amount of apples, and scallions, asparagus, and other assorted greens. I ate several croissants, bought some homemade teas, a pie, and a few other things.

The market over, I raced home. Because today we were also bottling. Ralph and Maureen were bottling Riesling and Gewurztraminer. We did two small batches, enough to keep the wheels running. With the harsh, cold winter, and all the snow, we''re behind in bottling, so we need to keep pressing now. We'll be bottling all spring, almost every weekend. I helped move a barrel with Ralph and Bryan, and then brought over all the empty cases, with my sons, in order to help set up the second run.

From there I went out to the vineyard and helped Steve plant the new nursery plants hoping will be growing root stock for next season. That took the rest of the afternoon. And though it's not incredibly complicated, it takes a toll on your haunches and your back. Tough work!

When it was all over, I was alone. The boys, who'd been digging holes all day in the vineyard alongside our field workers, decided they would play video games for the remainder of their waking hours.

Dominique was in Catskill, at the Point, selling wine until 6pm. The Catskill Wine and Cheese Festival was going on. So I nuked myself some hot dogs, with mustard and relish, and a couple of beers, and I put my feet up on the coffee table and watched the Kentucky Derby (about ten minutes including the actual Run for the Roses itself) until I fell asleep.

Dominique came home around 7pm. We all went and got burgers and came home and fell asleep. Ugh! When people think about the wine business, they think it's romantic...doesn't sound romantic to me. But for some reason, I do love it.

2011-05-01T07:03:00.002-04:00

HUDSON-CHANTHAM WINERY
NAMED BEST WINE/WINERY
BY CAPTAL LIVING MAGAZINE

In their May 2011 issue, Capital Region Living magazine named Hudson-Chatham Winery Best Local Wine/Winery in the region. "Both red and white wine lovers will find something to delight their palates, all while enjoying senic views," wrote the magazine.

Altamont Winery and Brookview Station Wineries were also named named as a runner-ups.

Congrats to all three!

2011-04-18T20:54:00.005-04:00

HUDSON-CHATHAM WINERY AND TOUSEY WINERY FEATURED IN CHATHAM COURRIER

Ghent residents Tim Quigley and Cindy Dallas try the wines at the Hudson-Chatham Winery "Two for One, Twice the Fun" event tasting, while employee Bryan Van Deusen gives them a brief history of each wine and how it is made. Paul Crossman/Hudson-Catskill Newspapers

COUNTY WINERIES COME TOGETHER FOR PACKAGE DEAL

By Paul Crossman Hudson-Catskill Newspapers

Published: Monday, April 18, 2011 2:10 AM

COLUMBIA COUNTY — From noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, Hudson-Chatham Winery in Ghent, and Tousey Winery in Clermont hosted a special event designed to give people from around the area a chance to try out a great variety of locally made wines.

The two wineries are the closest to each other in Columbia County, and because of this have chosen to work together by letting anyone interested pay for a wine tasting at one vineyard, and get a postcard which allows them a free tasting at the second vineyard.

Just to add an even better twist, the wineries include a stamp so that each person can send the postcard to a friend, who then also gets a free wine tasting at the venue of their choice.

“We were very excited for the Tousey Winery to open,” said Dominique DeVito, co-owner of the Hudson-Chatham Winery.

“We’ve been involved with them before through the beverage trail, and we’re both in Columbia County. This has been a great event overall.”

Her husband and co-owner Carlo DeVito agreed, saying that it was a good chance for people to really get to know some of the different products Columbia County had to offer.

Co-owner of the Tousey Winery Ben Peacock was also extremely excited to be working with their fellow winery to set up this event.

“Today was fun, and the weekend was fantastic,” he told the Register-Star on Sunday. “People here have really connected with us and think [the tasting] is a neat idea.”

Peacock said that over the course of the weekend, well over 100 people showed up to experience the great deal on wine tasting, and find out some of the great wines the county has to offer.

“I think it’s a really great event,” said local resident Cindy Dallas, as she was finishing a tasting at the Hudson-Chatham Winery. “They have some really good tasting wines.” She added that her favorite by far, was a wine named after a Columbia County landmark called “Lindenwald White.”

The Hudson-Chatham Winery opened in the Fall of 2007 after Dominique and Carlo decided they would like to have their own winery rather than just go around to others in New Jersey, where they lived at the time. They eventually chose Columbia County, saying that as soon as they found the location on Route 66 they knew it was the perfect spot.

“It’s an great community of people, and an excellent culinary destination, as far as I’m concerned,” said Carlo. “We literally established roots here by planting 1,000 vines.”

The farm the DeVitos currently reside on used to be a 500-acre dairy farm, and the couple is glad they could bring the previously defunct property back as something of value in the community.

“We were able to put this place back on the map, which we’re really proud of.” said Carlo.

By the end of the year, the couple said they will expand their winery to nearly 2,000 vines, and hope to continue growing and serving the people of Columbia County for a long time to come.

The Tousey Winery hasn’t been open for as long as the Hudson Chatham Winery, but their passion for wine is the same. The Tousey farm had been a landmark in Clermont for generations, growing apples, small fruits, and beekeeping, and from there, it wasn’t much of a stretch for the owners — Ben and Kimberly Peacock — to “strive towards our passion — and plant a small vineyard and start the production of wine.”

The Tousey Winery will be open Easter Weekend Friday through Monday, and according to Ben, the couple hopes to make the two for one postcard tasting a regular event, possibly up to two or three times a year.

For more information on the Tousey Winery, visit http://www.touseywinery.com/, and for more information on the Hudson-Chatham Winery, visit http://www.hudson-chathamwinery.com/.

http://www.registerstar.com/articles/2011/04/18/news/

doc4dab8513b5f65997031307.txt

2011-04-16T09:06:00.002-04:00

NEW YORK MAGAZINES LOVES HUDSON BERKSHIRE BEVERAGE TRAIL

Prepare for a day of drinking locally produced wine, beer, and spirits with brunch at Banjo Mountain Café, a cozy spot that opened last September in Ghent and is decorated with work by local artists. Next, drive a few minutes south on Rte. 21C to the Hawthorne Valley Farm Store to stock up on organic fruit, beverages, and snacks for the car. Then begin conquering the Columbia County portion of the Hudson-Berkshire Beverage Trail, a boozy pathway that winds from southeast Albany to Hudson. Start off at Harvest Spirits to tour the distillery and taste Core Vodka, made with apples from neighboring Golden Harvest Farms.

Next, drive about seven miles west on Rte. 203 to Chatham Brewing Companyand sample the rotating selection of crisp seasonal ales, rich porter, and the slightly sweet Maple Amber. Brewery tours and growler sales are offered on Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. only, so plan accordingly. Head five miles away on Rte. 66 to the bucolic Hudson Chatham Winery to swill small-batch reds and whites made with a mix of grapes from Hudson Valley, Finger Lakes, and Long Island. When it’s time for dinner, head eight miles south to Philmont’s Main Street Public House, built in 1898, where you’ll rub elbows with blue-collar locals, artists, and the occasional live band. Co-owner Elizabeth Angello serves a rotating menu of craft beers and sources local ingredients to dress up humble dishes like the smoked chicken burrito ($11) and the lamb burger ($14).

READ THE REST BACK:

http://nymag.com/travel/weekends/columbiacounty/index4.html

2011-04-15T13:53:00.003-04:00

Two-for-One, Twice the Fun Event

Two-for-One, Twice the Fun Event at the Hudson-Chatham & Tousey wineries Join us! Dates: Saturday & Sunday, April 16 & 17 Time: 12 - 5 pm Location: Tousey Winery and Hudson-Chatham Winery Did you know there are now two wineries in Columbia County?! There's us - the Hudson-Chatham Winery - and there's our new neighbors in Germantown/Livingston, the Tousey Winery. What great news for wine lovers in the area! Our two wineries are only about 25 minutes - and a lovely, easy drive - apart. To get to know us better, we're having a two-for-one weekend. See details below, and see you at the wineries! Dominique & Carlo De Vito Hudson-Chatham Winery Two-for-One, Twice the Fun! On Saturday & Sunday, April 16 & 17, the Hudson-Chatham and Tousey Wineries present "Two-for-One, Twice the Fun!" Starting at either the Hudson-Chatham or Tousey Winery, you will receive a postcard when you pay for a full tasting. Take the postcard to the other winery, and your full tasting there is free! You will also get a stamp for your postcard, and the postcard is good for a free tasting at either winery for the person to whom you send the card. The event runs during the wineries' regular hours on Saturday and Sunday, which are 12 noon to 5:00 PM. For more information, visit either winery's website, or call either winery. The Hudson-Chatham Winery is located at 1900 State Route 66 in Ghent, NY, or call 518-392-WINE. The Tousey Winery is located at 1774 Route 9, Germantown, NY, online or 518-567-5462.

2011-04-11T07:19:00.007-04:00

BACO NOIR OLD VINES 2009 It was recently made clear to us that the real story about the Baco Noir Old Vines was never clearly expressed. This has been a long term project, that began some time ago, and so I thought I would put pen to paper in an effort to explain more about the grapes, the wine, and the concept. To begin with, we are moving our wine program more and more toward a vineyard designate label direction. Each wine will tell you where the grapes came from – by vineyard and some instances by block. This is about the dreaded French word, terroir. It’s only now, as a grape grower and proprietor that I am truly starting to understand what terroir means. I can read about it all day long, but I guess I’m more of an experiencial learner. The same grapes in one vineyard, don’t always taste like one another, and the wines, absolutely taste different. That is what gives the wine its sense of “somewhereness” to use a phrase from wine writer Matt Kramer. I’m finally starting to really experience it and appreciate those variations. The more you grown your own foods (we grow rye, raspberries, blueberries, and grapes) the more you begin to taste your own dirt. Knowing the dirt where you plant things is so important. I taste our raspberries and I taste other people’s. Ours are much more tart and flavorful than many others. That’s not pride. That’s simple truth. I wish I could tell you why it I so, but it just is. Baco Noir Old Vine comes from the Masson Place Farm, the Pultney Vineyard. The Masson Place Farm is a huge property, and it is really an amalgamation of smaller farms. Pultney Vineyard is the spot where our block of Old Vine Baco is grown. The vines are beyond old. They are gnarly, twisted, and look like old witches hands. But they produce big, luscious bunches of dark, ripe grapes. We let the grapes hang as late as possible. Almost until they begin to burst. This worries the vineyard manager, whose job it is to deliver the grapes to the winemaking facility. He doesn’t want to deliver soup, he wants to deliver grapes. Each year it’s a lot of conversation. How much crop loss are we experiencing as we let the fruit hang? How much of the grapes are being eaten by birds, or deer? How much longer can we let them hang to see if we can get the brix up? (Brix are the units by which the sugar concentration in a grape is measured.) The winemaker, the vineyard manager, myself, and the local crush facility all talk every other day for a week or two while we discuss back and forth. Finally the picking day comes. We use a local crush facility. We’re waiting on these grapes so long, that they are fragile by the time we pick them. Transporting them all the way to our facility would be insane. It doesn’t make sense to truck it that far. So we crush very nearby to retain the freshness of the fruit. Our winemaker, Steve Casscles will talk with the local crush facility to make sure things go smoothly. He’s been in contact with them for a week or two ahead of time, so they’ve had a chance to discuss things, and decisions are made. Either he’ll go to the facility the day before, the day of, or the day after. He wants to see the fruit. He wants to taste it, and see where the grapes are. He’s been making Baco Noir his whole life. Steve is like a chef. Everything must be tasted and savored. The flavors tell him what’s going on with the grapes and with the wine. Chemistry is important, but the most important thing is the dialogue between Steve and the grapes. After this dialogue Steve will taste the wine, and determine how many days he wants the wine on the skins. The final juice will be pressed, and we will pick it up from the crush facility within 10 days of picking, or so. From there the wine is stored in French Oak barrels. The wine is racked in April or May, and then bottled in September or October, and released in November. We produce 150 cases of this small artisanal wine. The wine is never filtered, never fined, never manipulated beyond what you’ve already read. During the winter and spring we’ll do a series of trails, making sure the wines are progressing properly. Everything is done by hand, even the labeling. The result is Hudson-Chatham Baco Noir Old Vines Masson Place Farm, Pultney Vineyard 2009, an exceptional wine, a bold and big, flavorful Burgundy-styled wine, with lots of black sour cherry, dark raspberry, and hints of vanilla, saddle leather, and dusty earth. It is meant to be a food wine, and compliments our local Hudson Valley cheeses extremely well. It is tremendous with roasted chicken, grilled meats, game meats, grilled Portobello mushrooms, and spicy pasta dishes. Hudson-Chatham Baco Noir Old Vines Masson Place Farm, Pultney Vineyards 2009 has recently won bronze medals at the Dallas Morning News Wine Competition 2011 and the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition 2011. If you would like to read about the day we went to see the vineyard for the first time, please go to: http://hudson-chathamwine.blogspot.com/2009/09/very-long-trip-there-and-back-with.html

2011-04-07T22:13:00.003-04:00

TRAIL OPENING EVENT

2011 SEASON!!

SATURDAY, APRIL 9, 2011

PASTA & SAUCE TRAIL EVENTTo kick off the 2011 season, the HBBT is sponsoring the Pasta & Sauce Event.

Passport holders can sample a complimentary pasta dish at each participating member establishment, when they purchase a tasting flight. Whether you want to try award-winning wines, hand-crafted, nano-ales, or small batch artisanal spirits, the Hudson Berkshire Beverage Trail has a winning combination that can’t be beat.

Guests may visit any trail member of their choice, and pay the normal tasting fees, or buy a Trail Passport, and receive a great discount, that gets them into all the participating trail locations FREE!

Passport Members get:

* complimentary free tasting flights of wine, beers, and spirits at all locations on the specified date

* free pasta

This is a great value!

Passports will be available for $15 on the day of the event at each participating venue!

Special Designated Driver Passport: $5 with complimentary pasta!

LES TROIS EMME WINERY WILL NOT BE PARTICIPATING ON THIS EVENT.

2011-04-07T21:58:00.003-04:00

HUDSON-CHATHAM WINERY

ANNOUNCES RELEASE OF

HUDSON-CHATHAM CHELOIS

CASSCLES VINEYARD 2009

We have only a small amount of Chelois 2009 we're releasing this year. It will be available this weekend, beginning this Friday, April 8, 2011.

Chelois /shell-wah/ Albert Seibel was born in Aubenas, France, in the Ardeche in 1844.

In the 1860s the Phylloxera plague cut European wine production by more than two-thirds. As the pest originated in the New World, crossing American stock with European Vitis vinifera varieties was one of the promising attempts to contain the disaster. The vines produced by this hybridization did not necessarily produce better wines, but did produce vine stock that could better survive Phylloxera attacks.

In 1895, he founded a school to teach grafting methods. Seibel and his company produced over 16,000 new hybrids, with nearly 500 varieties that were then grown commercially. He often used as a female parent the hybrid Jaeger 70, a cross between Vitis lincecumii and Vitis rupestris produced by Hermann Jaeger. Some of the most famous Seibel grapes are Aurore (Seibel 5279), Chancellor (Seibel 7053), Chelois (Seibel 10878), De Chaunac (Seibel 9549) and Vidal Blanc (Vidal 256).

He died in 1936.

The heritage of Chelois includes such vinifera as Alicante Bouschet and Grenache among others, was ultimately a cross of Seibel 5163 and Seibel 5593. For many years it was grown in Burgundy. Chelois wine has soft mature fruit, a medium bodied tannin structure, and an approachable acid profile that ages nicely for twenty years. Cherries, soft spice, and black pepper often come across. The final product produces a Burgundian-style red wine that ages extremely well, according to world renowned wine expert Hugh Johnson.

Hudson-Chatham Chelois Casscles Vineyard 2008 is a single vineyard block of 15-year old vines. Grown on the rocky hills just off the Hudson River. Hand grown. Hand picked. Manually pressed. Unfined. Unfiltered. Aged in French oak 9 months. Bottle aged six months.

This soft, dry red wine is a bright ruby wine, with lots of bright cherry, dried cherry, a touch of black pepper, and a hint of vanilla. Perfect with cheese, this wine is wonderful for roast chicken, roast pork, and pasta dishes.

It's only available in short supply!

2011-03-31T07:28:00.006-04:00

HUDSON CHATHAM WINERY WINS TWO MORE MEDALS AT 2011 FINGER LAKES INTERNATIONAL WINE COMPETION Pitted against wines from around the world, Hudson-Chatham's Empire (Silver) and Baco Noir Old Vines (Bronze) came through with flying colors! Finger Lakes wine competition has record turnout Democrat & Chronicle by Ernest LaMothe Jr. March 27, 2011 Sixty judges working in four-person panels sat around a table discussing a Chardonnay. One group of four wine connoisseurs from four different states began breaking down its oak flavors with enthusiasm and sometimes blunt honesty. Head judge Linda King described one wine as something the nostril would mistake for a burning fire in a smoky cabin and gave it no rating. Another wine, while not her preference, received a good score. "To be a good judge, you have to be able to separate a wine that you wouldn't normally drink yourself but that is well made and deserves an award," said King, a 21-year judge from North Carolina. "You have to be able to remove yourself and your taste from the equation." For the second straight year, the 11th annual Finger Lakes International Wine Competition set a record for the number of entries Saturday. At the Rochester Plaza Hotel, a record-breaking 3,259 wines from 788 wineries were entered. The wines came from 19 nations, six Canadian provinces and all 50 states. Last year's entries comprised 3,010 wines from 666 wineries. Dubbed North America's largest charitable wine competition, the two-day event continues today but is not open to the public. Proceeds from the competition and a gala dinner in May go to Camp Good Days and Special Times, dedicated to improving the quality of life for children, adults and families battling cancer. "You find it interesting having a conversation with other people about wine, and it's a rarity where one person absolutely loves a wine and another person dislikes it and gives it no rating," said Cheryl Pitti of Canandaigua, judging for the competition for her second year. Read more at: http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20110327/NEWS01 /103270364/Finger-Lakes-wine-competition-has-record-turnout?odyssey=tabtopnewstextHome That brings Hudson-Chatham's medal count to five medals this year! Congrats to Steve Casscles and Ralph Cooley and the rest of the staff!

2011-03-28T17:56:00.009-04:00

HUDSON-CHATHAM WINES NOW AVAILABLE AT IL BUCO IN NYC Hudson-Chatham Winery is both pleased and proud to announce that their wines are now available at Il Buco in New York City. While dining there, you can sample our Baco Noir Old Vines. The restaurant Gourmet magazine calls "one of the best and most exciting in America" started life in 1994 when independent filmmaker Donna Lennard and her Italian boyfriend, Alberto Avalle, opened an off-the-beaten path antique store on cobblestoned Bond Street. It was a modern day trading post dedicated to the exchange of crafts and culture between the Old World and the New. Shoppers would often join them for their midday "pranzo" prepared in their tiny back kitchen. Soon they transformed the rustic antique store into a charming enoteca with an eclectic menu - part Italian, part Spanish, part invention, dedicated to local ingredients with a wine list made up of small boutique producers. Ruth Reichl wrote in the New York Times: "The restaurant is unlike any other in New York... eating your way through this menu of tapas and appetizers is an exhilarating experience. The food is so good that with a group of six or seven it is tempting to go right through the menu." Today, il Buco is a renowned Mediterranean restaurant with the look and feel of a European country home - as natural and rustically elegant as the food - an under the radar gathering spot for designers, actors, writers, and food lovers who are inspired by great food amongst friends in comfortabe surroundings. While Donna sources ingredients from local farmers, Alberto assists from Umbria, bringing in the Italian products from the basis of their namesake artisan product line, il Buco Alimentare. Chef Ignacio Mattos works wonders with these ingredients in simple, flavorful combinations. The Wine Cellar, rumored to have been the inspiration for Edgar Alan Poe's "Cask of Amontillado," is now a converted private dining room with over 400 bottles from Italy, Spain, France and the New World adorning the space.

Food critic David Rosengarten wrote, "Lately, after a string of spectacular evenings at il Buco, I've been uttering the restaurant's name in reponse to the question 'What restaurant should I go to on my one night in New York?'. To my taste, il Buco is that good, and that special...."

Il Buco also has a tremendous wine cellar.

Wine Spectator honored il Buco’s wine list with the "Award of Excellence" several times and also named it "one of the most outstanding restaurant wine lists in the world." il Buco's Wine Cellar is the creation of Roberto Paris, a childhood friend of Alberto Avalle’s from the small town of Foligno, Umbria. He draws on his knowledge of history, language, travel and people to introduce customers to new discoveries and imaginative pairings. The selection of over 400 wines is dedicated to small lesser-known producers of artisan wines that are expressions of the soils and cultures that produce them, most notably Sagrantino di Montefalco, which we offer from various producers in numerous vintages. In addition, we feature wines from some of the world’s most renowned wineries. Roberto has been an integral part of the il Buco family for more than 11 years and has recently passed the torch of day to day operations to our current Wine Director and Sommelier Paul Lang.

Paul's resume is impressive. He impressed restaurateurs George Germon and Johanne Killeen of Al Forno Restaurant in Providence, RI and Barbara Lynch of No. 9 Park in Boston, MA. He was quickly trusted wherever he was needed: managing the wine cellar, purchasing cheeses, training the staff.

Paul later moved to Italy and became the personal chef for the Count and Contessa Contini Bonacossi of the Capezzana Estate, he cooked for nobles at a Medici villa in the hills of Florence. Paul returned to America eager to utilize his experiences. He worked as sommelier with Mario Batali and Joseph Bastianich at their flagship restaurant, Babbo. During Paul's tenure, Babbo received the James Beard Award for Outstanding Wine Service.

After two years Paul started his own company – A Casa - hosting personalized wine dinners. Specializing in the traditions of the Italian table, A Casa creates a singular, fine dining experience free from the formality of a restaurant. Mario Batali calls it "One of the best food and wine experiences you'll have..."

Paul joined il Buco in March of 2009 and his passion for small artisanal wines give him the perfect background to fill the shoes of founding Sommelier Roberto Paris and further build upon relationships with vintners from around the world.

Paul has been featured in The New York Times, The New York Post, Time Out New York, Bene Magazine and Food and Wine Magazine. Recently A Casa has been praised in Boston Magazine, Daily Candy, Men's Health Magazine, Boca Magazine, and Japan's Cuisine Kingdom.

Il Buco 47 Bond St # 1 New York, NY 10012-2450 (212) 533-1932

http://www.ilbuco.com/

2011-03-26T09:53:00.001-04:00

HUDSON-CHATHAM WINERY
RELEASES NEW MAPLE SYRUPS
MARCH 26 AND 27, 2011

Hudson Chatham Winery is releasing there new swath of freshily bottled 100% natural maple syrups.

We have Grade A Light Amber and Vanilla Grade A Amber in stock now! Available for tasting.

Today, March 26th and 27th, 2011, we are filtering and bottling Grabe B Dark and our famous Dirty Syrup, a blend of Grade A and B with a little cinnamon and local honey thrown in, it's like French Toast in a glass!

Come on down and try them this Maple Syrup Weekend!

2011-03-26T09:02:00.002-04:00

HUDSON-CHATHAM
BACO NOIR OLD VINES
WINS AT DALLAS MORNING NEWS

Our 2009 Baco Noir Old Vines just won a Bronze Medal at the Dallas Morning News Wine Competition 2011! This is a large, international competition, and to place at all is an honor.

We’re delighted!! And of course we feel our wine thoroughly deserves the recognition. If you haven’t tried it yet, you should!

2011-03-25T06:08:00.002-04:00

You're Invited to the Hudson-Chatham Winery
Spring Wine Dinner
Saturday, April 2 * 6:30-9:30 pm
Reservations Required

This is to let you know about a very special evening we have planned at the winery. It's an intimate catered dinner hosted by Carlo & Dominique DeVito that pairs foods with the wines
of the Hudson-Chatham Winery. Limited to six couples, this
is a chance to really learn about our wines and discover their special nuances as we show them off with great food!

Enjoy an Amazing Meal with
Award-Winning Wines

Featuring Hudson Valley "fresh" --
artisanal cheeses, greens, a meat or vegetarian main dish, fabulous dessert,
and more! Mara is fine-tuning the menu this week so it reflects not only what's fresh and in season, but also so it best complements the wines.

Hudson-Chatham Spring Wine Dinner

This very special evening is limited to 6 couples, so let us know right away if you'd like seats at the table. The price is $100 per couple, and includes dinner, dessert, and wines. Reply to this email, or email to info@hudson-chathamwinery.com.

Hudson-Chatham Winery
1900 Route 66 * Ghent, NY 12075
518-392-WINE
info@hudson-chathamwinery.com

Featured Chef: Mara Simons

Mara is the full-time owner/operator of Carlucci Simons Catering in Columbia County. The seductive flavors of well-traveled Chef Mara echo not only regional U.S. cuisines, but Italy, Morocco, West Africa and India, along with touches of the Far East. Meanwhile, her long-time local roots assure her access and use of the best local ingredients and products to create dishes that meet with rave reviews.

2011-03-24T23:11:00.011-04:00

HUDSON-CHATHAM WINES

NOW AVAILABLE AT

HENRY'S IN NYC!

HENRY's
2745 BROADWAY @ 105TH STREET
New York City
212 866 0600

Hudson-Chatham Winery is both plaesed and proud to annouce that Paperbirch Bannerman's Castle Amber Cream is now availbe at Henry's in New York City.

HENRY’s is a Modern American Bistro located on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. We are a large and exciting restaurant and bar with Broadway’s largest sidewalk café. Our Dining Room and Bar are designed after Arts & Crafts masterpiece, the Gamble House, with stunning mahogany wainscoting and French doors looking out over the busiest street in the world. The walls are filled with bright, food-themed poster art from the Herman Miller Company’s “Summer Picnic” series. HENRY’s is the restaurant that one of New York City’s greatest neighborhoods deserves.

HENRY’s opened for business in October 1999 and is owned and operated by proprietor Henry Rinehart and partners Scott Snyder, Elio Guaitolini, Luigi and Mauro Lusardi. Our management team is Chef Mark Barrett in the kitchen, General Manager Tim Rucker, Service Director Adam Jaffe and Service Manager Daniel Weiner at the door, Bar Manager Randy King walking the pine and Office Manager Matilda Peragine on the bridge.

Go to Henry's, have a great meal, and either before dinner or after dinner, enjoy a wonderful glass of Bannerman's Castle Amber Cream!

2011-03-24T18:16:00.004-04:00

HUDSON-CHATHAM WINES
NOW AVAILABLE AT
MCADAMS BUYRITE
NEW YORK CITY

Hudson-Chatham Winery is both pleased and proud to announce that our Baco Noir Old Vines, Empire, and Paperbirch Bannerman's Amber Cream are now available at Mcadams Buyrite in Manhattan.

McAdams Buyrite
398 3rd Ave
New York, NY 10016
(800) 865-0982 (outside of NY)or 212 679-1224

Founded in 1934, McAdam Buy-Rite, has been one of NY's premier wine and spirit shops for almost 70 years. Priding themelves on the widest variety of wines from all over the world, lowest possible prices, and exceptional customer service. Recently rated "excellent" by Zagat and singled out for their huge selection of Long Island wines.

They were named "New York merchant of the year" by the NY Wine and Grape Foundation.

They dedicate themselves to providing the same attention to excellent service that has named us Metropolitan NY's "Retailer of the Year". Whether you enjoy shopping on-line or are looking for a certain product, you will be pleased.

McAdams Buyrite Team

Bob Fink - President
Bob is celebrating 54 years in the wine and spirit business (45 years at McAdam). A graduate of the Late Howard Grossman Sommelier Course, he brings a wealth of knowledge and enthusiasm to the wine business. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Retailers Alliance and on the Board of Trustees of the Metropolitan Package Store Association. It's easy to see that McAdam's pursuit of excellence starts at the top.

Scott Fink - Vice President
Scott is just starting out at McAdam's, bringing a 3rd generation of the Fink family to McAdam's. An MBA graduate from the Stern School of Business, and recent IT Manager at Philip Morris USA, Scott brings a new and energetic look at the wine business. Scott welcomes feedback and your input, so please don't hesitate to let him know how we can serve you better.

Bill Rudowski - Manager and Wine Buyer
More than 25 years of skillfully guiding the building of one of the finest wine shops in NY, Bill has established himself as one of the best in the business. His keen palate and remarkable attention to detail is envied among his peers. Whether you need a good bottle of wine for dinner, or a position in wine future, Bill is your man.

Jay Stoeffel - Assistant Manager
A veteran of more than 25 years in the wine business, Jay comes to us from one of the leading boutique wine wholesalers. His background of working with some of NY's finest restaurants gives him a keen understanding of wine & food pairings.

2011-03-19T17:17:00.004-04:00

THE BIG TREE

There is always something wrong with cutting down a tree. Especially a big one. Recently, we had no choice. The shaggy hickory in front of the winery was already half dead, and as hurricane season is coming up on top of us, our worst fear was that the dying tree might lose one of its mighty limbs right on the roof, or even worse yet, the coupla of our tastinging room, over which the tree's incredible limbs constantly hovered.

The Northern Shagbark Hickory - The main range of shagbark hickory (Carya ovata) ends just north of the St. Lawrence River in eastern North America, zone 5b. Hickory wood is very hard, very stiff, very dense and very shock resistant. As stated in the U.S. Forestry Service pamphlet on "Important Trees of Eastern Forests", "there are some woods that are stronger than hickory and some that are harder, but the combination of strength, toughness, hardness, and stiffness found in hickory wood is not found in any other commercial wood."[6] It is used for tool handles, bows, wheel spokes, carts, drumsticks, lacrosse stick handles, golf club shafts (sometimes still called hickory stick, even though made of steel or graphite), the bottom of skis, walking sticks and for punitive use as a switch (like hazel), and especially as a cane-like hickory stick in schools and use by parents. Paddles are often made from hickory. Baseball bats were formerly made of hickory, but are now more commonly made of ash. Hickory is replacing ash as the wood of choice for Scottish shinty sticks (also known as camans).

Hickory is also highly prized for wood-burning stoves, because of its high energy content. Hickory wood is also a preferred type for smoke curing meats. In the Southern United States, hickory is popular for cooking barbecue, as hickory grows abundantly in the region, and adds flavor to the meat. Hickory is sometimes used for wood flooring due to its durability and character.

A bark extract from shagbark hickory is also used in an edible syrup similar to maple syrup, with a slightly bitter, smoky taste.

The nuts of some species are palatable, while others are bitter and only suitable for animal feed. Shagbark and shellbark hickory, along with pecan, are regarded by some as the finest nut trees.

Ralph and Craig and friends came over and felled he tree in a few minutes, and then within hours thwo-thirds of the tree were loaded onto a truck and shipped off to a wood furnace used to heat a shop down the road.

Hard to beieve a tree that stretched more than 100 feet high, and whose trunk had to weigh a good 4-5 tons was gone within 24 hours, with little evidence of it to show but a wide, low stump.

That tree had been on this property for more than 70 years, easy. A lot of time and poeple had talked, laughed, and fought underneath it's boughs. It had seen a lot of history. Sad to see it go. But it makes room for new things....

2011-03-16T13:25:00.004-04:00

ALL OVER ALBANY

RAVES ABOUT

HUDSON-CHATHAM BACO NOIR RESERVE

Baco Noir Reserve from Hudson-Chatham Winery

By Daniel B

Clearly there is something deeply flawed with the people involved with the Hudson-Chatham winery. Not only because they're making wine from grapes grown just an hour outside of Albany in the heart of apple country -- but they are making wines nobody has ever heard of.
Whatever they are afflicted with must be contagious, because I think that's a great idea.
All of those famous grapes grown in France, Italy, Australia, Argentina and California are the ones most people seek out. They are the names you know by heart: Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Sangiovese, Shiraz, Malbec, and Zinfandel. It turns out they don't fare too well up here in our cooler climate.

One of the varietals that does grow well in the region is Baco Noir.

The grapes in this bottle come from winemaker Steve Casscles' home vineyard in Athens. They are hand picked, hand pressed, and aged in French oak barrels. Three lots are produced and the two that will work best together are blended into this reserve bottling. A whopping 70 cases are made. Kendall-Jackson probably spills more wine than Hudson-Chatham produces.

Read the rest at:

http://alloveralbany.com/archive/2011/03/15/baco-noir-reserve-from-

hudson-chatham-winery#more

2011-03-16T07:05:00.003-04:00

HUDSON-CHATHAM WINERY
BRINGS HOME TWO MEDALS
FROM 2011 GRAND HARVEST AWARDS

Hudson-Chatham Winery, 08 Empire Red Reserve, $21.95 Bronze
Hudson-Chatham Winery, 09 Baco Noir Reserve, Casscles Vineyard, $19.95 Bronze

2011 Grand Harvest Awards to place at Villa Chanticleer, Healdsburg,on March 1-2, 2011.
Established in 1990, it is the only wine-judging event in North America that is based on terroir - a group of vineyards (or even vines) from the same region, belonging to a specific appellation, and sharing the same type of soil, weather conditions, grapes and wine making savoir-faire, which contribute to give its specific personality to the wine.

In other competitions, this factor is ignored. At the Grand Harvest, judges taste wines with other wines of the same appellation. Thus, with cross-regional competition removed, the inherent quality of wines can be seen without the influences that sometimes eclipse even a wine of very high quality.

According to wine competition chairman, Bill Traverso, "There are two reasons why this judging is different from any other wine competition. 1) Wines are judged by region and 2) you'll now receive Judges' Notes that give you professional feedback on your wine."

A goal of Grand Harvest is to learn more about how terroir contributes qualities of excellence and distinctiveness to wines. Over the course of this event, judges have learned to recognize when terroir is - and is not - a factor of wine quality.

The competition included lots of big California, Washington, and Oregon competitors, as well as those form the Finger Lakes.

We are thrilled to be in their company. Congrats to our winemaker, Steve Casscles, to our manager Ralph Cooley, and everyone at Hudson-Chatham Winery.

2011-03-08T19:05:00.004-05:00

ICE STORM HITS
HUDSON-CHATHAM WINERY

Mother Nature paid us a wicked visit over the weekend. All day Sunday we were pelted first with snow, which then turned into a massive down pour, which then resulted in flash floods from the combination of the rain and the still melting snow that had never gone away.

This last bout of rain also froze on everything as the temperature dropped suddenly. While the world looke beautiful, as if all of nature was coated in the finest crystal, the only problem was that the ice weighed heavilly on many local trees. As a result, the county experience lots of downed phone and power lines.

It looked beautiful, but it was deadly. We lost many tree limbs, and small creeks or babbling brooks suddenly ran through the property, we even had a small moat surround he tastingroom.

Well, I guess they don't have this in Napa! It truly was gorgeous!

p.s. Thanks to Natalka for the wonderful pix!

2011-03-07T11:17:00.003-05:00

FUSSY LITTLE BLOG

WRITES ABOUT

HUDSON-CHATHAM WINERY

A Refreshing Idea From a Local Winery
FUSSYlittleBLOG

March 6, 2011
by Daniel B.

I’ve been hard on New York wine. My suspicion is that given the sweetness of much of the wine grown in the state and some of the grapes that seem to grow well in the area, New York could eventually be a world-class producer of brandy.

Given the state’s recent adoption of craft and farm distillery licenses, all that remains is finding someone who can do it well.

But there are some wines that stand out from the mass of fruit-infused, sweet and simple bottlings that rightly or wrongly have largely defined New York wine for the American consumer. And some of those wines are right in our back yard. Just last night I happened to stumble upon a blog written by the owner of the Hudson-Chatham winery in Ghent, NY (Google says it’s a 45 minute drive from Albany).

Carlo DeVito is growing grapes in the Hudson Valley and using them to make wine. Maybe not necessarily the wine he always dreamed of making, but the best wine he can coax from the land. And for that I salute him.

I really encourage you to read his entire blog post, but here is a bit in Carlo’s own words:
Personally, I always dreamed of making a big Cabernet Sauvignon or a Merlot. A Robert Parker fruitbomb par excellence. But in order to make the best red wine the land itself will give you, you have to bend your back a little, or you will miss it.

From the time since Stuyvesant ruled the state with all the powers of a supreme ruler, people in the Hudson Valley have struggled to make Bordeaux styled wines. And some of the best wines in the Valley right now are made with grapes from the Finger Lakes or Long Island. Nothing wrong with that. I drink a lot of them.

But people outside the Valley, who are asking for Hudson Valley fruit in the bottle, are talking about our most approachable reds. These seem to be the ones breaking through. People are doing a double take and saying, “Wow!”

These grapes that grow locally are not the ones most wine writers gush about. Despite their lack of cachet Baco Noir and Seyval Blanc are no slouches in the wine world. Given that I have an unnatural love for obscure grapes, I will share these varietal’s entries from the Wine Lovers Companion.

READ THE REST AT:

http://fussylittleblog.com/2011/03/06/a-refreshing-idea-from-a-local-winery/

2011-03-05T07:13:00.003-05:00

REGISTER STAR PROFILES

HUDSON-CHATHAM WINERY

CRYSTAL APPLE NOMINEE

CRYSTAL APPLE NOMINEE: Area winery boasts local flavor

Carlo and Dominique DeVito, proprietors of Hudson-Chatham Winery, pose with some of their wine. The business has been nominated for this year's Columbia County Chamber of Commerce Crystal Apple Award. (Lindsay Suchow/Hudson-Catskill Newspapers)

By Lindsay Suchow

Hudson-Catskill Newspapers
Published: Saturday, March 5, 2011 2:07 AM EST
GHENT — Carlo and Dominique DeVito were drawn to Columbia County for many reasons, but it was mostly their passion for all things culinary — local produce, artisanal cheeses, fresh syrups and, most of all, their one true love: wine.The first of its kind to ever be established in the county, the Hudson-Chatham Winery on Route 66 — one of the six finalists for this year’s prestigious Chamber of Commerce Crystal Apple award — is in expansion mode.

“We’ve got a lot of big plans we’re trying to execute by the end of this year,” said Mr. DeVito, including adding onto the building which houses their tasting room and bottling/corking/labeling/storage area. “So far, so good.”

The DeVitos, who live in a circa 1780 farmhouse located on the winery property with twin 12-year-old boys, began their operation in the fall of 2007 and have been experiencing a steady increase ever since. Not only have they created countless award-winning wines — including their famous Baco Noir and local favorites like Hudson River Valley Red and Lindenwald White — but they’ve partnered with numerous local food producers to offer everything from maple syrup to preserves, cheese and caviar.

READ THE REST AT:
http://www.registerstar.com/articles/2011/03/05/news/doc4d71b7e8df57b184266831.txt

2011-03-01T08:54:00.003-05:00

HUDSON-CHATHAM WINERY WINES

NOW AVALABALE AT

BLUE RIBBON RESTAUARANT

(Sullivan Street)

Hudson-Chatham Winery is both pleased and proud to announce that their Baco Noir Old Vines 2009 is now available at Blue Ribbon Restaurant on Sullivan Street, in New York City.

“Here's why it's worth the stress: a snappy dining staff that skillfully handles the cacophony without joining in. Tremendously vibrant raw seafood at a fair price. And above all, a menu that has no roots or rhythm other than its chef's passions. The only thing that sweet and spicy catfish, paella basquez, foie gras terrine, and pupu platter have in common is their yumminess. So make it easy on yourself-go to Blue Ribbon with a party of five or more. Then you can make a reservation and avoid the wait.”
- Hal Rubenstein, New York magazine

The Blue Ribbon Restaurants are incredible. There are eight great locations! But Hudson-Chatham Baco Noir Old Vines can only be found at the original location on Sullivan Street.

Cheers to the folks from Blue Ribbon!

Blue Ribbon
97 Sullivan St, New York, NY 10012-3663
(212) 274-0404
Hours: Daily 4:00 PM – 4:00 AM

2011-02-12T08:06:00.003-05:00

HUDSON-CHATHAM WINERY NOMINATED

FOR CRYSTAL APPLE AWARD!

Chamber Announces Crystal Apple Award Finalists
Columbia County Chamber of Commerce President, David Colby is pleased to announce the six finalists for the 22nd Annual Crystal Apple Award. The official slate of nominees for the 22nd annual award includes:

Chatham Film Club

Columbia County Council on the Arts

Helsinki Hudson

First Niagara Bank

Hudson-Chatham Winery

American Glory BBQ Restaurant.

The Crystal Apple Award is presented to a Chamber member business to recognize an extraordinary contribution to economic progress, community improvement, and the quality of life in Columbia County during 2010.

We are very proud and honored to be mentioned in such fine company.

2010-12-27T09:32:00.003-05:00

Hudson-Chatham has two wines in the Hudson Valley bracket of the NYCR 2010 Wines of the Year. Congratulations to Steve Casscles, our winemaker, and to the entire staff!

December 22, 2010

The New York Cork Report 2010 Wines of the Year: The Finalists

By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

After tasting, re-tasting and re-re-tasting dozens of wines over the last few weeks, today we're happy to announce the finalists in our "New York Cork Report 2010 Wines of the Year" program.

Each wine was hand-picked by the wine editor for each respective region -- Evan Dawson (Finger Lakes), Bryan Calandrelli (Niagara) and myself (Long Island and Hudson River Region) -- and will be tasted by the NYCR team in mid-January to determine the winners.

Hudson Valley White

Hudson-Chatham Winery 2009 Empire Reserve White

Hudson Valley Red

Hudson-Chatham Winery 2009 Baco Noir Reserve

See all the finalists at:
http://www.lenndevours.com/2010/12/the-new-york-cork-report-2010-wines-of-the-year-the-finalists.html#comments

2010-12-21T17:40:00.004-05:00

WINE ENTHUSIAST RAVES ABOUT

HUDSON-CHATHAM MERLOT 2007 RESERVE

87 POINTS!

In the December 15, 2007 issue of Wine Enthusiast our Merlot 2007 Reserve.

"Full bodied with a velvety heft on the palate, this Reserve Merlot from Hudson-Chatham offers a striking balance of intensity and balance. From the nose to the palate, there's a bounty f dark rich fruit, bramble and smoke layered with silky oak and firm tannins." - I.A.

2010-12-18T21:32:00.003-05:00

BEACH & BARTOLO REALTORS

CHRISTMAS PARTY 2010 AT

HUDSON-CHATHAM WINERY

This past week Beach & Bartolo Realtors held their annual Christmas Party at the Hudson-Chatham Winery tastingroom. We'd like to thank Rochelle and Chuck Bartolo for planning their company celebration with us. It was a cold night, so they all packed into the warm room. There was a Secret Santa, and lots of laughter. Chuck made a very heartfelt speech, and everyone enjoyed great food and wine. A good time was had by all.

Over 50 years ago, George Beach founded the George Beach Realty. A lifelong resident of Columbia County he had a deep appreciation for the beauty of this area and its wonderful homes of every age and style. (Yes, that really is George at age 12, harrowing his fields in the Austerlitz hills).

Today, George's historic white Colonial, nestled along Route 203 in the heart of picturesque Spencertown, is home to Beach & Bartolo, Realtors, Inc. Chuck Bartolo presides over 15 associate brokers and agents, all well-schooled in the intricacies of real estate and the in and outs of Columbia County.

Beach & Bartolo has become an efficient marketing organization, fully computerized, with membership in three multiple listing services and agents licensed in New York and Massachusetts. All of our agents are schooled in the many facets of real estate, but each has a particular strength. Some have lived in the area for a lifetime and understand the nature and needs of "locals." Others, transplanted from "the city" themselves, have a rapport with New Yorkers who have fallen in love with the area and are looking for a weekend home or a total change of lifestyle.

George Beach founded the business based on the principals of Honesty, Service, and Loyalty to the Customer, and so it continues under principal broker, Chuck Bartolo.

Happy Holidays to everyone from Beach & Bartolo, especially Rochelle and Chuck from Carlo and Dominique and the staff at Hudson-Chatham Winery.

2010-12-10T07:44:00.002-05:00

HUDSON-CHATHAM WINES
ARE NOW AVAILABLE AT
ATHOS RESTAURANT IN DELMAR, NY

Hudson-Chatham Winery is both proud and pleased to announce that our wines are now available at Athos Restaurant in Albany, NY.

Athos Restaurant is the Capital District’s only restaurant, devoted to serving Classic Greek Cuisine. Whether you relax in their Taverna Bar, enjoy the comfort of the main dinning room, or the privacy of their Ithaka dining room. At Athos, you will experience exceptional Greek Cuisine and the warmth of Greek hospitality (Philoxonia).

You'll find our Hudson-Chatham Baco Noir Old Vines 2009 and Hudson-Chatham Seyval Blanc. Great with foods of all kinds. Try the Baco Noir Old Vine 2009 with the Chicken Souvlaki,
Delmonico Steak, Veal Chop, Pork Souvlaki, Macedonian Lamb Roast or Paidakia Arnisa. And the Seyval Blanc will be a perfect accompaniment to their many delicious fish dishes.

Athos Restaurant

1814 Western Avenue

Albany, NY 12203

518.608.6400
Serving Dinner:

Monday - Saturday: 4pm - 10pm

Sunday: 3pm - 9pm

http://athosrestaurant.com/#

2010-12-10T07:37:00.002-05:00

HUDSON-CHATHAM WINES ARE NOW AT

FOUR CORNERS LUNCHEONETTE

Hudson-Chatham Winery is both pleased and proud to announce that our wines can be found at Four Corners Luncheonette in Delmar, NY.

Four Corners Luncheonette

A Verdant Oasis in the Gustatory Badlands

2 Grove Street

Delmar, NY 12054

518 439-0172

Dinner Tue-Sat 5pm

Lunch Mon-Sat 11:30am

Breakfast Daily 7am

andCatering

http://www.fourcornersluncheonette.com/

2010-12-09T20:03:00.003-05:00

HUDSON-CHATHAM WINERY

SHINES IN GRAND ARMY PLAZA,

PARK SLOPE, BROOKLYN

Last weekend, Carlo and Dawson worked the Grand Army Plaza Farmer's Market, at Park Slope, in Brooklyn, NY. Featured at the farmer's market, aongside fellow Columbia County alumni, Milk Thistle Farm, they toiled in the 20 degree weather in an effort to enlighten Brooklyn residents about our wines. There was an enthusiastic response.

This was a coming home of sorts for Carlo, who lived in Park Slope for more thn five years, eventually writing a book about his time there entitled 10 SECRETS MY DOG TAUGHT ME.

With dog walkers filling the lanes, the meadows, and the farmer market, memories came flooding back of his days as a son of Brooklyn. Taking his German Shorthair Pointer, Exley, for long walks almost every morning, and the many friends he had there.

A geat day. Great to be back in the neighborhood.

2010-12-09T19:54:00.003-05:00

HUDSON-CHATHAM BACO NOIR OLD VINES
IS NOW AVAILABLE AT
BEEKMAN ARMS IN RHINEBECK, NY

Hudson-Chatham Winery is both pleased and proud to announce that our Hudson-Chatham Baco Noir Old Vines is now available in the diningroom of The Beekman Arms, in Rhinebeck, NY.

The Beekman Arms, America's oldest continuously operated hotel, is located in the center of the Village of Rhinebeck in the historic Hudson Valley.

Pleasantly old fashioned, yet unobtrusively modern, the hotel offers their guests charming accommodations in several different buildings, all with private bath, television, telephone, and a decanter of sherry.

The Tavern at the Beekman Arms
Enter their welcoming restaurant with its Colonial Tap Room featuring overhead beams, open hearth fireplace, and a charming bar. Their restaurant serves lunch and dinner seven days a week year round and Brunch on Sundays. Dining is in several separate dining rooms and a garden greenhouse. They also cater to banquet, wedding and private parties.

2010-12-09T19:44:00.002-05:00

BERKSHIRE HOMESTYLE

RAVES ABOUT

HUDSON-CHATHAM POMME BULLE

The December 2010 issue of Berkshire Homestyle magazine had a special article on Holiday Wines. The piece featured a special selection of wines from France and New England.

Among other delicious offerings, they featured the Hudson-Chatham Pomme Bulle hard sparkling cider as a great New England holiday wine for enjoying.

We couldn't agree more.

Thanks, Berkshire Homestyle!

2010-11-24T07:40:00.003-05:00

MAKE YOUR OWN BASKET WEEKEND
AT HUDSON-CHATHAM WINERY
This Friday, November 5 thru Sunday November 28

Forget the Mall - come shop at the winery! We'll be helping folks make unique gift baskets all weekend that can feature not just our local wines, but lots of locally produced gourmet goodies, too!

We have great baskets, all the timmings and fixing like ribbons and bows. Make a breakfast basket with our fabulous locally made syrup and maple sugar, a cheese basket with our Black Currant Caviar, or a wonderful basket with wine, our balsamic vinegars, our mustard, or and other fun wine accessories for the wine fan in your life.

Or just come by and get a couple of bottles or a case for the holidays!

And on Friday, treat yourself to a chair massage by Cynthia Hanson!

2010-11-23T16:23:00.003-05:00

WHY WINE BLOG's Joe Shico

Talks About EMPIR RED

Regional Wine Week

Sunday, October 17, 2010

by Joe Shico

"Last year during regional wine week, I was able to taste (and consume a bit) some of my favorite wines from the nearby Finger Lakes. This year, although I planned for more, did not turn out as well as I would have liked. A bit under the weather and a big change in my drinking habits, because of my recent heart surgery, I was still planning on tasting some wines from some of the other regions in New York....

"The big surprise, at least for me, was a wine from the Hudson Valley region. This one I was not expecting much, but the Empire Red from the Hudson-Chatham winery was a hit. A blend of Finger Lakes Cabernet Franc, Long Island Merlot and Hudson Valley Baco Noir delivered pleasant aromas, a very nice mouth and a long, dry, fruit filled and smooth finish."

Thanks Joe!

Read Joe's whole post at:

http://www.whywineblog.com/2010/10/regional-wine-week-2010.html

2010-11-19T06:53:00.002-05:00

BREAD, WINE & CHEESE EVENT!
Saturday, November 20, 2010

The Hudson-Chatham Winery hosts its annual gourmet extravaganza. We bring together local cheesemakers, bakers, and purveyors of other Hudson Valley deliciousness to dazzle everyone’s tastebuds – and help them bring the goodness home for the holidays.

This year, besides the typical large selection of creameries represented, and the delicious breads from River Street Bakers, we will also be featuring – and sampling – lots of other locally produced goodies. These include:
* 100% natural juices and confections from Micosta
* maple syrups
* mouthwatering Larry’s Southwestern sauces
* organic nuts
* handmade herbed butters
* Hudson Valley Foie Gras and duck salami
* Seyval Blanc mustard
* full-flavored Beth’s Farm Kitchen chutneys, and an
* amazing black currant caviar -

All great to have on hand for the holidays.

We will have cheeses from the following area creameries:
* Twin Maple,
* Amazing Real Live Food Company
* Old Chatham Sheepherding Company
* Coach Farm
* Sprout Creek
* Nettle Meadow
* Harpersfield
* Beekman Farm
* Hudson-Chatham cheddars, spreads, and dip.

Discover how to find the perfect wine and cheese pairings, try some amazing toppings on some exceptional cheeses, and of course, enjoy the award-winning wines of the Hudson-Chatham Winery. This is one of our favorite events because - like Thanksgiving just a few days later – it’s all about good food, good wine, family, and friends.

2010-11-17T07:11:00.003-05:00

RURAL INTELLIGENCE RAVES ABOUT

HUDSON-CHATHAM BACO NOIR 2009!

Chris Matthews gives a rave review of or 2008 and 2009 Baco Noirs in the most recent issue of Rural Intelligence.

"As often happens with a small production, gold medal-winner, however, the 2008 is now sold out. Fortunately, the De Vitos have kept some bottles back as “library” wines.

"Most of us remember the miserable, wet summer of 2009. In that context, the newly released 2009 Baco Noir is a pleasant surprise. While definitely lighter in color and body than the 2008, reflecting the difficult vintage, it has pretty, floral and plummy aromas reminiscent of Pinot Noir, and bright red fruit with a dash of pepper on the palate. The 2009’s lovely fruit and zesty acidity will make it a versatile—and delightful—local addition to a Thanksgiving table.

Conclusion: two very different, but pleasing wines, showing that Baco Noir can make exceptional wines in disparate (even bad) years in the HV."

He has a lot more to say. Go and read the whole thing at:

http://www.ruralintelligence.com/index.php/food_section/food_articles_spirits/just_in_time_for_the_turkey_hudson-chathams_baco_noir/

Thanks Chris, and everyone else at Rural Intelligence!

2010-11-15T22:17:00.002-05:00

HUDSON-CHATHAM WINERY

AT NEW AMSTERDAM FARMERS MARKET

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2010

Hudson-Chatham Winery is pleased and proud to announce it will take part in a large tasting at the New Amsterdam Farmers Market on Sunday, December 5, 2010. Should be a lot of fun!

Come on down and try some great wine!

2010-11-15T22:11:00.001-05:00

HUDSON-CHATHAM WINERY

AT GRAND ARMY PLAZA

DECEMBER 4, 2010

We're going home to Park Slope, Brooklyn! Carlo lived there for almost six years. Now we're returning to the scene of the crime!

Hudson-Chatham Winery will be tasting wines at Grand Army Plaza Farmers Market on Saturday, December 4, 2010.

Looking forward to it!

2010-10-29T21:01:00.002-04:00

HAPPY HALLO-WINE

We’re decorating the tasting room for this most fun of holidays, and we look forward to welcoming ghosts, goblins, witches, and other scary monsters to the tasting room. Come to the winery in a costume this Saturday or Sunday and get 10% off your total purchase…if you dare!!

Don;t forget - Baco Noir is available - for now! Come on in a taste what everyone is talking about.

2010-10-29T20:35:00.003-04:00

BEEKMAN 1802 BLAAK
NOW AVAILABLE AT

HUDSON-CHATHAM WINERY

We are both pleased and proud to be able to offer Beekman 1802 Blaak at the Hudson-Chatham Winery tastingroom. Beekman 1802 Blaak is the first artisanal cheese produced from the goats at Beekman Farm.

Blaak is an Italian-style semi-hard cheese made from a 60:40 mix of unpasteurized goat and cow milk giving the cheese a mild but distinctive flavor. In keeping with traditional cheesemaking practices, this rare cheese is aged for 4 months in our caves and is coated with ash at each turning to promote the ripening of the wheel. The resulting edible black rind gives the cheese its name and makes it a true conversation piece on your table.

Beekman 1802 is owned by Dr. Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell.

Dr. Brent Ridge was born and raised in North Carolina. He is an Assistant Clinical Professor at Mount Sinai School of Medicine and he was Vice President of Healthy Living at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. He writes for care2.com and The Huffington Post.

Josh Kilmer-Purcell was born in upstate New York and raised in rural Wisconsin. He is the New York Times bestselling author of "The Bucolic Plague," "I Am Not Myself These Days," and "Candy Everybody Wants." Kilmer-Purcell is a monthly columnist for OUT magazine and a contributor to NPR.

Of course, together, they are The Fabulous Beekman Boys of Sharon Springs, NY. Josh Kilmer-Purcell and Dr. Brent Ridge are not your average couple. They have transplanted themselves from New York City to Beekman Farm in upstate New York, where they are raising 80 goats, two pigs, a dozen chickens and a narcissistic llama -- and learning that the "simple life" isn't so simple.

Come on down to the tastingroom and get some before it's all gone!

And click here to see all about the tv show:

http://planetgreen.discovery.com/tv/the-fabulous-beekman-boys/the-fabulous-beekman-boys.html

2010-10-23T07:56:00.002-04:00

BACO NOIR IS BACK!

AT HUDSON-CHATHAM WINERY

We have released the 2009 vintage of the Baco Noir Reserve Casscles Vineyard! The ’08 vintage won a Gold Medal at the 2010 New York State Wine & Food Classic – the only Hudson Valley wine to win a gold at this year’s event. And it also recieved an award from The Dallas Morning News. If this is the wine you’ve been waiting for, come on in and see how you like the 09 vintage. If you’ve never tried our Baco Reserve, come taste what makes it so special.

Speaking of special, this is a very special weekend here in Chatham, NY. The annual Film Columbia Film Festival runs from Wednesday, October 20 through Sunday, October 24. The lineup of films is incredible. Check it out at http://www.filmcolumbia.com/. Stop in for a tasting or a glass of your favorite wine before or after a movie to make your day(s) all the more enjoyable.

2010-10-22T11:51:00.003-04:00

Steven Kolpan Raves About

Hudson-Chatham Chelois 2008

on WAMC!
Steve Kolpan, the highly acclaimed wine author, was on WAMC on Thursday, October 21, 2010. He was their promoting his new book, Exploring Wine, and speaking about wine.

Steven Kolpan is Professor and Chair of Wine Studies at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park, NY. Steven is co-author of Exploring Wine, which has sold more than 125,000 copies, and was nominated as Best Wine and Spirits Book by the James Beard Foundation. Steven is also co-author of WineWise, a consumer-friendly guide to the wines of the world, which won both the 2009 James Beard Foundation Award for Best Beverage Book and the 2009 Georges Duboeuf Award for Best Wine Book of the Year. He is also the author of A Sense of Place, a history of Napa Valley's Niebaum-Coppola / Rubicon Winery (foreword by Francis Ford Coppola) that received the prestigious Versailles Award for Best American Wine Book in 2000. He is a contributing editor and the wine columnist for The Valley Table and Salon.com. In 2007, Steven Kolpan was named Wine Educator of the Year by the European Wine Council. He has been a member of Slow Food International for 20 years. Steven Kolpan lives just outside of Woodstock, New York.

During the interview Kolpan did an on-air tasting of wines, including Hudson-Chatham Chelois and other wines. Steven raved about the Hudson-Chatham Chelois!

Listen to the whole show at:

http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wamc/news.newsmain?action=article&ARTICLE_ID=1716155

2010-10-16T06:44:00.004-04:00

3rd ANNUAL PSYCHIC FAIR
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 16
NOON TO 5PM!

You won’t want to miss this year’s psychic fair, where we’ll have three fabulous psychics in attendance to tell you what the future holds for you. Readings are $20 for 15 minutes – and well worth it! Enjoy a wine tasting or a glass of wine before or after your reading for a day you will truly treasure.

We have had so much fun with this event in the past, and this year will be no exception. Besides our regular amazing psychics – Linda and Francesca – we will be joined this year by Prudence, so waits should be minimal. Come for a reading and a wine tasting – it could be the most fun you have all year – and get you ready for the long dark days ahead.

We know what we have to look forward to in our future: releasing the 2009 vintage of the Baco Noir Reserve Casscles Vineyard! This will happen on the weekend of October 23. The ’08 vintage won a Gold Medal at the 2010 New York State Wine & Food Classic – the only Hudson Valley Winery to win a gold this year. It also won a medal from the Dallas Morning News.

2010-10-11T08:04:00.002-04:00

HUDSON-CHATHAM WINERY
A HIT!
AT GOOLD'S APPLE FESTIVAL 2010
These happy festival goers were thrilled, after they tasted some of the wines at Hudson-Chatham Winery stand at the Goold's Apple Festival 2010 at Goold's Orchards in Castleton, NY.
Now, our wine will not make your hair turn green. That particular goer was green with envy after all his cohorts were served before he was. After the tasting the wine his hair went back to its natural color. But guaranteed, they had a good time! And so did we!

Here's the booth before the mayhem on Saturday and Sunday, when droves of folks came through and sampled the wines! The Apple Festival is always a good time!

Here's Laura pouring during the mayhem.

We had a lot of fun. Thanks to Ed and Sue Miller, and Karen of Brookview WInery at Goold's Orchards, who set the whole thing up.! Thanks! And thanks to all those who came by, tasted, and bought!

2010-10-08T17:26:00.002-04:00

HUDSON-CHATHAM WINERY
WILL BE AT
GOOLD'S APPLE FESTIVAL 2010
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9TH AND
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 8TH, 2010

Celebrating our 22nd Year
The Capital Region's Original Apple Festival
Saturday and Sunday October 9th~10th, 2010
9 am ~ 5 pm
Rain or shine No Pets allowed

Adult Admission $8.00~ Kids 12 and under are Free
Plenty of Free Parking

"The 22nd Annual Apple Festival & Craft Show at Goold Orchards....a celebration of the arts, crafts, and agriculture of the Capital Region...again this year there will be Pride of New York and Uncork NY food vendors and wineries. We will have an array of crafters displaying and selling their handmade wares as well as Pride of NY farm producers with their specialty food items. Don'forget to stop by the Schodack Valley Fire Companies Food Concession. Maple Hill Key Club will host the Haunted House this year. This years Festival will be held at Goold Orchards in Schodack, NY on: October 9 & 10, 2010 "

The Brookview Station Winery ~NY Wine Tent
This year's festivities will include their award winning Brookview Station Winery and two other Hudson River Region farm wineries, the Hudson-Chatham Winery , and Cascade Mt Winery . From the Finger Lakes Region their friends from Hunt Country Winery from Branchport, NY along with Catherine Valley Winery from Burdett, NY. There will be entertainment each afternoon at the tent.

Wine Tasting in the Wine Tent is $8.00
Includes tasting with souvenir a glass to take home
There is no charge to shop in the Wine Tent
Wine Tent opens at 10 am.
Open 10 am - 5 pm.
Everyone will be ID'd for proof of age.
Apple Festival Hours
9am - 5 pm Daily.
For Directions to the Festival visit us at http://www.goold.com/
Rain or Shine
Sorry No Pets Please.

2010-10-07T09:09:00.002-04:00

WINE ENTHUSIAST RAVES ABOUT

HUDSON-CHATHAM WINERY AND

HUDSON BERKSHIRE BEVERAGE TRAIL

Destination: Hudson Valley
A rural haven nestled between New York City and Albany, is becoming a leading player in the farm-to-table movement.
Published on Oct 6, 2010
By Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen

The Hudson Valley, a rural haven nestled between New York City and Albany, is becoming a leading player in the farm-to-table movement. With a host of restaurants offering locally-sourced produce and a new generation of farmers, cheese-makers and winemakers with a commitment to sustainable agriculture, there's a slew of dining options.

If you need to get out of the city and connect with nature, jump in your car, hop on a train, or grab a Zipcar. Head for Hudson (filled with antique stores and restaurants, and home to a Saturday farmer’s market) and then branch out towards Ghent and Chatham, or explore the Hudson Berkshire Beverage Trail, which borders Massachusetts. Featuring five wineries, a brewery and a distillery, this diverse collection of artisanal producers also offers handmade cheese, estate grown produce and delicious baked goods....

...Hudson-Chatham Winery: Charming owners Carlo and Dominique DeVito and winemaker (and New York State grape expert) Steve Casscles lovingly create award-winning wines using distinctive NY varietals. Their crisp Seyval Blanc is estate grown, and the luscious Empire Red is a blend of Hudson Valley Baco Noir, Long Island Merlot, and Finger Lakes Cabernet Franc. Elegant, full-bodied Baco Noir 2008 is an excellent companion to grilled meat or game. Their bright and airy tasting room is always filled with visitors who know fine wines and return often. The DeVito’s also produce a line of elegant fortified dessert wines under their Paperbirch label.

Read the rest at:

http://www.winemag.com/Wine-Enthusiast-Magazine/Web-2010/Destination-Hudson-Valley-New-York/

2010-09-29T07:48:00.002-04:00

EMPIRE RED 2008
IS FINALLY RELEASED
AT HUDSON-CHATHAM WINERY
Empire Red 2008 is here! Last year's historic release of the first New York state super-blend was a tremendous critical and popular success. Empire Red 2008 is an incredible step forward.

Like the previous vintage, Empire Red 2010 is 33% Cab Franc from the Finger Lakes, 33% Merlot from the North Fork of Long Island, and 33% Baco Noir from the Hudson Valley. The wines are made individually, and then the best lots are selected for this important portfolio wine. They are blended after one year's time. Then the wine is separated into three lots and separately aged in French oak, American oak, and stainless steel. The wine is then bottle aged six months. The result is a complex, mature wine of incredible depth.

2008 was a great growing season, and this new vintage has deeper and bigger flavors than our previous vintage. Flavors of cherry, plum, dark raspberry, and blackberry cme through as well as mocha, a whiff of vanilla, a little saddle leather, and Orange Pekoe tea. The flavors are varied, and each sip brings out yet another layer of flavor. A fascinating and exceptional blend.

2010-09-23T22:19:00.005-04:00

Artist/Photographer Anne Gabriele
Photographing the Vineyards at
Hudson-Chatham Winery

Anne Gabriele
Posted on September 7, 2010 by Hudson Valley Wine Goddess
Anne Gabriele is a visual artist as well as a commercial photo stylist based in New York City and Catskill, NY. She studied photography at The School of Visual Arts in NYC, and has been exhibiting her work around the country ever since. Gabriele was a finalist selected to exhibit in the FotoFest 2004 Biennial in Houston, TX. Some of her other awards and honors include the C-Scape Fellowship and Artist Residency located in the Cape Cod National Seashore; The Seaside Institute Residency in Florida; and was a grant recipient from the Polaroid Corporation. Her work is in many private collections and in the Polaroid Collection of Photography.

Anne is excited to be pairing with Hudson-Chatham Winery for the Celebration of Art and Wine program and is inspired by the unique landscapes there.

Anne Gabriele on Hudson-Chatham Winery
Having photographed seascapes for many years, I was inspired by the juxtaposition of the rye fields and the vineyard at Hudson-Chatham. The landscape has a quiet grace and similar qualities of the surf meeting the shore.

After many years working with Polaroid materials, last year the Polaroid Corporation stopped manufacturing the film I have been accustomed to using for my works. For the pieces I will create at Hudson-Chatham, I will use my remaining supply of Polaroid film to photograph the winery while exploring alternative processes to create unique works.

Here's Anne Gabriele and Joan Damiani working the vineyards at Hudson-Chatham

Hudson-Chatham Winery is the dream of Carlo and Dominique DeVito, both publishing professionals who have long shared a love of wine. This exciting winery, which specializes in small hand-made batches of wine, is dedicated to the richness of the Hudson River Valley, particularly its wine, agriculture, literature, art, history, and many other attractions that make it a rich and special region. The Hudson-Chatham Winery, located between the historic towns of Hudson and Chatham, is the first winery in Columbia County.

As well as creating fine artisanal wines, the DeVito family and many valued friends have worked hard restoring the winery’s grounds and its prestigious circa 1780 farmhouse. The winery features hand-crafted wines, cheeses and desserts, and includes vineyard tours and a gazebo with scenic views. Visiting Hudson-Chatham Winery will inspire all your senses. More information about Hudson-Chatham Winery at: http://www.hvwinemag.com/hudson.html

2010-09-16T09:20:00.004-04:00

SEYVAL BLANC PRESSING

AT HUDSON-CHATHAM WINERY

It's not always pretty, but we do what we have to to make the best wine we know how. Here's some photos form this year's pressing.

Here's one of the new friends of the farm. Sammy's little baby, Mac. Here's Ralph with the new puppy after the pressing.

2010-09-14T21:04:00.009-04:00

FIRST CRUSH AT

HUDSON-CHATHAM WINERY

Just this last Sunday, Hudson-Chatham Winery harvested Seyval Blanc and DeChaunac and started their 2010 winemaking season. Winemaker Steve Casscles, manger Ralph Cooley, and an assortment of helpers all brought in thie year's first of the harvest.

This year's crew was an odd assortment of help. Chris and Juliana harvested and managed the group of young pickers. Dylan, Dawson, Ben, Earl, and Noah and friends all pictched in to help with the harvest. Special assignment personnel included Robin Hoover, of The Alchemist (of Waterbury, VT fame) came in to help out.

This year's crew had a man-sized appetite, and between 11 people the crew munched their way through 24 double cheeseburgers, 12 french fries, 12 large sodas, and one small vanilla ice cream cone at the local Dairy Queen, in Ghent, NY.

Chris Terry pushing through the leafy canopy to harvest our very ripe Seyval Blanc. The crew picked Block 1 of the North Creek Vineyard, the estate grape of the Hudson-Chatham Winery.

Here's Dawson hard at work.

Here's the wine they will result from this day's picking in June of next year. Our first 100% estate white. Should be fun. Very exciting.

2010-09-13T07:28:00.005-04:00

2010 HUDSON VALLEY WINE FESTIVAL

A GREAT SUCCESS FOR

HUDSON-CHATHAM WINERY

The 2010 Hudson Valley Wine and Food Festival was tremendous success. We had a new booth, and were pooring our fantastic Hudson-Chatham wines on one side, and our burgeoning line of dessert wines, Paperbirch, on the other.

2010 saw us in a new location, which we weren;t sur would be a good move or not. We were thrilled. And so were our customers!

We poored thousands of glasses of wine, and met a lot of people who just didn't know about us. What a great weekend. Saturday had gorgeous weather, and Sunday, while it was cloudy to partly-cloudy, it never rained, and turned out to be a wonderful day as well.

Here's a sample of the happy crowds the surrounded our booth, with owner Carlo DeVito invited to join in this memorable snapshot. Thanks so much to everyone! Hope you had as good a time as we did!

Also...from Debbie Gioquindo

2010-09-05T08:45:00.003-04:00

THANK YOU!

This is a note, just to say, that we are grateful for all the wonderful folks we have working at the farm. Last week, friends Chris and Juliana came to help us paint our house, and the bottling team led by Ralph and including Sammy and Robert and even Dawson worked a late afternoon shift to make sure we have a steady flow of wine. So we made a big dinner out of the whole thing, and ate hamburgers, hot dogs, sausages, and grilled chicken. Nothing like a picnic at a farm.

We have wonderful staff at the winery, and we are very fortunate. This is a thank you to all of the folks at the Hudson-Chatham Winery who work so hard to make sure that everyone has a good experience for those who visit.

Thank you.

2010-08-18T17:59:00.003-04:00

WILLIAM DOWD

RAVES ABOUT HUDSON-CHATHAM

SANGRIA FEST!

A sunny day at a Sangria Festival

Special events are the order of things at wineries from the Niagara Escarpment in the far western part of the state to the north Fork of Long island as summer winds slowly to a close.
Here are a few scenes from the 3rd annual Sangria Festival held Saturday at the Hudson-Chatham Winery in Columbia County, owned by Carlo and Dominique DeVito. The event offered sangria flights, house-made wine tastings, Mexican food and live Flamenco music.

Text by William Dowd Photos by April Dowd.

Go to William Dowd's blog to see more photos!
http://drinkingny.wordpress.com/2010/08/16/671/

2010-08-18T07:41:00.005-04:00

HUDSON-CHATHAM WINERY

BRINGS HOME THE GOLD

FROM NEW YORK WINE & FOOD CLASSIC 2010

Hudson-Chatham Winery Baco Noir Reserve 2008 Casscles Family Vineyard brought home a gold medal. Congrats to winemaker Steve Casscles, and to all the staff at Hudson-Chatham.

The 2009 Vintage should be out in October, as usual. We are very excited.

Congrats, Steve!

Carlo and Dominique

p.s. We also won a Silver Medal for our Paperbirch Cassis of Good Farm!

2010-08-17T06:49:00.003-04:00

HUDSON VALLEY WINE GODDESS

DEBBIE GIOQUINDO

RAVES ABOUT EMPIRE WHITE

Debbie Gioquindo

Posted 8/16/2010 at 4:15 AM PST

The "Empire" Strikes White
Hudson-Chatham Winery has released their 2009 "Empire Reserve White." Empire is a brand that Hudson-Chatham developed by blending wine wine from the three major wine regions in New York State: The Finger Lakes, The Hudson Valley and Long Island. The release of the Empire White compliments the Empire Red that was released last fall.

The Empire White is a blend of Seyval Blanc from the Hudson Valley, Sauvignon Blanc from Long Island and Riesling from the Finger Lakes. Carlo DeVito of Hudson-Chatham Winery told me this is one of his biggest winemaking risks he had ever taken. Instead of dimpled jackets and lots of filtering, they packed the barrels of blended wine in giant tubs of ice and tended to them daily. Their goal was to let the wine form as naturally as possible. The delicate flavors of the white wine mingled and the result is a great wine that expresses the terroir of the three regions.

Onto the wine! The color is a bit of the clear pale yellow of the Seyval and Sauvignon but the Riesling adds another shade of yellow. On a color palette it would be a light warm golden yellow.

On the nose I immediately smelled yeast which lead way to the citrus of the Sauvignon Blanc and Seyval. It is a very crisp and light wine with a soft mouth feel. The taste is a little mineral with lemon which leads to a honeydew melon which rounds out the taste and follows by a hint of green apple and grapefruit. The wine finishes with a citrus ending.

This is a limited wine and is available in Hudson-Chatham's tasting room or at the farmers markets they attend.