Bountiful Baco Noir

Bunches of Baco Noir grape hanging on the vine

Baco Noir is a French-American hybrid grape that was bred by François (some say Maurice) Baco. Baco (1865 – 1947) was a teacher from the town of Belus, Landes, Armagnac Province, France (south of Bordeaux).

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Savoring Seyval

An image of Seyval Blanc grapes

Seyval Blanc is a white French-American hybrid variety that is grown in the Hudson Valley. The grape is adaptable to different regions and climates, and is grown throughout the eastern United States, northern France, and England.

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Versatile Vidal Blanc

An image of Vidal Blanc grapes

Vidal Blanc, also known as Vidal 256, is a versatile grape that can be made into a bone-dry, steely wine for fish, a barrel-aged wine reminiscent of a Fumé Blanc, or an ice wine that can rival the best dessert Rhine wines produced in Germany.

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Velvety Vignoles

An image of Vignoles Grapes

ignoles, a white grape also known as Ravat 51, has become one of the mainstays of the Eastern North American wine industry. This adaptable grape can produce wines that are comparable to wines produced in the Rhine Valley in Germany.

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Characterizing Chardonnay

An image of Chardonnay Grapes

Chardonnay is the noble grape variety that originally hails from Burgundy, France. It is believed by some to be an accidental or intentional hybrid that was propagated by local Burgundian growers, and is a cross of a Pinot Noir clone and the bulk wine/table grape known as Gouais.

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Refreshing Riesling

An image of Riesling Grapes

The Hudson Valley’s beautiful river, shorelines, and mountains have led some to call the Valley, “America’s Rhineland.” Portions of the Valley have similar geological rock formations of shale, slate, and schist under well-drained clay soils that are similar to those found in the wine producing areas of the Rhine Valley.

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Tantalizing Traminette

An image of Traminette Grapes

Traminette is a white wine grape introduced relatively recently to the world of winemaking. Its cold-weather adaptability makes it easy to grow in the Hudson Valley, and it is rapidly gaining popularity among wine drinkers with an increasing number of Hudson Valley Traminette wines being produced today.

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Keeping it Currant

Mashing currants in a fermenting tank

New York State was once the leading commercial producer of currants in the U.S., which could be found in everything from jams and preserves to syrup and Cassis wine and liqueurs.

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