Pasta Primo Vino

I attended Pasta Primo Vino yesterday and am getting ready to go back today.

Yesterday I started in Warwick and got to Brotherhood then the Marlboro wineries. I will be going back in about an hour to finish up with the New Paltz, Gardiner and Pine Bush wineries.

Yesterday I took my friend Gina with me. Gina likes semi-sweet to sweet wines which is in contrast to what I like...dry wines. With an open mind I did do some port tasting. I tasted the Winston's Harlequin Port at Warwick. This port was very good. I expected cough syrup but was very surprise at how light it was. (As you can see, I am not a port drinker) The port was made from Baco Noir which gave it it's smoky taste. They told me it would be good paired with stilton cheese and dark chocolate. Their Chardonnay was very good and I did purchase a bottle.

Applewood Winery wins on best pasta so far. Their Blue Cheese Baked Pasta was wonderful, runner up is the Gnocchi at Benmarl. I did taste the port at Benmarl too. It was very good. Very different from Warwick's.

At Glorie Farm Winery I had the pleasure of tasting their new released 2006 Cabernet Franc. It was very soft and delicate. There was romance in this wine!

Now to go get ready for today's tastings.....

Pasta Primo Vino - This Weekend

This weekend is the start of the Wine Tasting season and the Shawangunk Wine Trail's Pasta Primo Vino event. According to the weather, it's going to be a fantastic weekend so what better way to spend it than wine tasting on the the Shawangunk Wine Trail.

The event is April 19 & 20th. Tasting begins at 10am each day and runs until 6pm. Tickets are $20 plus tax in advance and $25 at the door. There is still time to purchase your advance tickets. Tickets include wine tasting and pasta sampling at all 10 wineries on the Shawangunk Wine Trial.

Click here to purchase your tickets.

What will you be tasting and sampling...some wonderful wine and pasta dishes.
Pasta dishes like Pasta Carbonara with Pancetta at Warwick Valley Winery, Fettuccini con Zucca e Pangrattato (with pumpkin and bread crumbs) at Whitecliff Vineyards,“Husband’s Delight” comfort food at its best at Glorie Farm Winery and Gnocci in a sage and butter sauce at Benmarl Winery.

You will be the first to taste some wonderful new releases! New releases like Warwick Valley Winery’s 2007 Pinot Gris crafted from 89% Pinot Gris (Pinot Grigio) and 11% Sauvignon Blanc. This wine has a delicate floral and honey aromas are followed by good fruit and welcomed acidity. Also newly released at Warwick Valley Winery for the Pasta Primo Vino is the Harvest Moon, a semi-sweet white wine with 1% residual sugar, made from the Cayuga and Vidal grapes.

A stop at Whitecliff Vineyards will have you tasting their 2007 Estate Grown Awosting White which is their “Hudson Heritage White,” a blend of Seyval and Vignoles. This wine is lovely, soft, low acid with flavors of apricot and peaches. In addition to the Awosting White, Whitecliff will be releasing their 2007 Pinot Gris, 2007 Redtail, 2007 Mt Laurel White and 2007 Riesling.

Don't forget to get your tickets in advance!

Applewood Winery creates Wino TV

Trail member Applewood Winery has created Wino TV. Watch co-owner Michelle Hull discuss Applewood Winery's history, wine and how to pair their wines with food. Congratulations Applewood.

Whitecliff interview by Slice of New Paltz

Michael Migliore of Whitecliff Vineyards was recently interviewed by Slice of New Paltz. You can view his interview here:

http://www.sliceofnewpaltz.com/Slice_of_New_Paltz/EP.20.html

Whitecliff Awosting Revisited

Well I found myself in Gardiner today so I stopped by Whitcliff Vineyards. I re-tasted their Awosting, this time out of the bottle. WOW! What a change from tasting from the tank. I think when I tasted from the tank it was to cold. Wine does go through changes from tank to bottle and in this case it was a good change.

This wine is lovely..soft, low acid with flavors of apricot and peaches with a little zesty finish. I describe it best as similar to a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. This is a great wine to pair with fish or sit on the porch watching the sunset.

Whitecliff Futures

I had the wonderful opportunity last weekend to taste some of Whitecliff Vineyard's soon to be released wines straight from the tanks.

I tasted the Seyval which is mixed into the Awosting White. I liked the Seyval, even thought it's known as the "Plain Jane" of whites with it's suttle flavors. Some wineries blend Seyval with other whites, some have it stand alone and I know of one local winery who makes Champagne from it. It's really winemakers choice.

Next I got to taste the Awosting White which was going to be bottled sometime this week. It didn't have the strong crispness it has had in the past. It has soft citrus flavors with a soft finish. It will be a wonderful white especially for the summer months.

Then I tasted wine from a grape I have never tasted before...Traminette. Traminette is a hybrid of Gewurztraminer. This was very good and crisp. Not sure it it's going to be a stand alone wine or if it is going to be blended with another variety.

The only red I tasted was a blend that they are going to release as their first "critter wine." It's called Red Tail. This blend was very good. We took the samples out of the tanks, so after the wine warmed up a tad, the flavors that came to and it's sure to be a winner.

Pasta Primo Vino Tickets

Pasta Primo Vino tickets can now be purchased on line at:
http://www.shawangunkwinetrail.com/swtevents.html#anchor383285

The event is April 19 & 20. Event hours are 10am to 6pm. Come sample some pasta paired with wonderful wine from the wineries on the Shawangunk Wine Trail. Be the first to taste the new wines from the 2007 harvest!

I Love My NY Farmer

Congratulations to Michael Migliore, Owner and Winemaker at Whitecliff Vineyards. He won the I Love My NY Farmer contest put out by NY Farms.

NY Farms! a not for profit organization whose mission is to strengthen NY agriculture and food systems by creating public awareness of the importance of farming; promoting agriculture and food system literacy; and fostering consumer loyalty to New York farm products.

Through their land-based livelihoods, New York farmers enhance the lives of all New Yorkers in multiple ways, by: providing farm fresh food, increasing food safety and security by decreasing our dependency on food from far away, creating jobs and economic development, maintaining aesthetically pleasing rural landscapes, wildlife habitat and biological diversity, and being good neighbors, committed to community well-being.

Winners for the I Love My NY Farmer were selected based upon the notation in the entry of a farmer’s: living and selling within New York State; producing a quality product; being a good steward of the land; being a good neighbor, serving the community, and "going the extra mile". NY Farms! asked to have explained in 250 words or less, why a particular farmer deserves such an award.

Michael won in the category of Wine & Grapes.

Stoutridge Vineyards goes Solar

There is a great article in the Woodstock Times about Stoutridge Vineyards installing a Solar Electric System and the benefits it has. To read it click here.

Warwick Valley Winery & Distillery opens Distillery to Public

For the first time ever.......Warwick Valley Winery & Distillery will open their Distillery to the public on February 9th and 15th.

Join Master Distiller, Jason Grizzanti for a demonstration and tasting on Febuary 9th or the 16th at 11am.

Price is $30 and includes lunch, distillery demonstration and tasting. Seating is limited, so reserve early.

This should be a wonderful event.

Benmarl Winery host Food Pairing for Superbowl

This Sunday, January 13, from 2pm to 4pm Benmarl Winery will be hosting at food pairing for Superbowl snacks at the winery. They will explore the sweet & spicy, big & bold and alternatives to the usual snacks.

You must purchase your tickets in advance and the cost is $35.

A beautiful weekend ahead of us

The forcast for this weekend is beautiful. Weather in the 40's and 50's. Just because it's the middle of winter, don't thing business stops on the Wine Trail

Wineries that are open this weekend are:
Rivendell Winery
Stoutridge Vineyards
Benmarl Winery
Baldwin Vineyards
Brotherhood "America's Oldest" Winery
Warwick Valley Winery

See you on the trail!!

Whitecliff releases Champagne for New Years

Just in time for New Years Eve, Whitecliff Vineyards & Winery has just released it's first bottling of Champagne. This Champagne was made with 100% Chardonnay grapes. A must have to ring in the 2008.

Their tasting room is open today until 5p, Sunday 12p - 5p, Monday - New Years Eve 12p - 4p

Happy Holidays

Happy Holidays from the Shawangunk Wine Trail

Adair Vineyards
Applewood Winery
Baldwin Vineyards
Benmarl Winery @ Slate Hill Vineyards
Brotherhood America's Oldest Winery
Glorie Farm Winery
Rivendell Winery
Stoutridge Vineyard
Warwick Valley Winery & Distillery
Whitecliff Vineyards & Winery

Wreath & Fineries at the Wineries

Last weekend I attended the Wreath & Fineries. What a blast! I will post my pictures later including the completed wreath.

I started out the day at Warwick Valley Winery indulging in homemade pizza which was very good! Their Chardonnay was excellent, just like I like my Chardonnay..buttery on the finish. While I was at Applewood I met a couple from NJ who followed me to the rest of the wineries along with another couple from Connecticut. We had a great time tasting and sharing experiences.

At Brotherhood I really enjoyed their holiday wine. It was served warm with spices of cinnamon and cloves. I lost my new best friends at Baldwin as I ran into my UPS driver. Well..he hasn't had my route for years, but our kids go to school together. When I found my friends they had gone through their tasting, so we left and went on our way to Whitecliff.
After Whitecliff the couple from Connecticut decided they had enough and headed home. The couple from NJ stayed with it and finished the wine trail , completed their wreath, and purchased some wonderful wine.

There are still tickets available for Sunday December 16th if you would like to attend the event.

Rivendell's 2002 Merlot

Congratulations to Rivendell Winery as their 2002 Merlot was mentioned in a recent New York Times article as a great match with your Thanksgiving Turkey. The story was about 4 people who get together for a pre Thanksgiving meal. Each one of them brings two different wines costing no more than $25 to enjoy with the feast.

The article said "Even more surprising was Florence’s wine, a 2002 Rivendell merlot from the North Fork of Long Island, which tasted of plums and flowers. It reminded me that Long Island merlots are very different from California’s, often leaner and snappier, and well worth investigating."

To read the entire aticle go to http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/14/dining/reviews/14wine.html?ex=1195794000&en=5ddd28995d806f1b&ei=5070&emc=eta1

Hudson Valley Cab Franc Harvest

This weekend as the harvest season starts to wind down some vineyards were picking Cab Franc. The Cab Franc grapes at Whitecliff Vineyards are the best in New Yorks State according to Cornell Cooperative Extension. They sample grapes from various vineyards across New York and compare the ph level, acid & sugar levels to collect data on the different growing regions. Within the next two years there should be some fantastic Cab Franc being released at their tasting room.

Harvest at Whitecliff

I have posted pictures of the harvest at Whitecliff Vineyards your viewing enjoyment.

Click here to view them.

Aroma - What they describe in your wine

Use the this as a guide when you're tasting wine for fun, and I think you'll be surprised to see how well this list of descriptive terms will help you recognize those elusive characteristics.

FRUITY: Citrus - grapefruit, lemon; berry - blackberry, raspberry, strawberry, black currant (cassis); tree fruit - cherry, apricot, peach, apple; tropical fruit - pineapple, melon, banana; dried fruit - strawberry jam, raisins, prune, fig.

VEGETATIVE: fresh - stemmy, cut green grass, bell pepper, eucalyptus, mint; canned-cooked - green beans, asparagus, green olive, black olive, artichoke; dried - haw-straw, tea, tobacco.

NUTTY: walnut, hazelnut, almond.

CARAMELIZED: honey, butterscotch, butter, soy sauce, chocolate, molasses.

WOODY: vanilla, cedar, oak, smoky, burnt toast, charred, coffee.

EARTHY: dusty, mushroom, musty (mildew), moldy cork.

CHEMICAL: petroleum - tar, plastic, kerosene, diesel; sulfur - rubbery, garlic, skunk, cabbage, burnt match, wet wool, wet dog; papery - wet cardboard; pungent - acetic acid (vinegar); other - soapy, fishy.

PUNGENT: hot - alcohol; cool - menthol.

MICROBIOLOGICAL: yeast, sauerkraut, sweaty, horsey, "mousey."

FLORAL: orange blossom, rose, violet, geranium. SPICY: cloves, black pepper, licorice, anise.

Gewürztraminer harvest

These are pictures of Gewürztraminer grapes that were harvested this weekend on the

Shawangunk Wine Trail.