Author: Kathleen Willcox

Go for the Wine and Cider, Stay for the Food

plated pizza and burgers on a picnic table with a bottle of Brooklyn Cider

In the Hudson Valley, where locally-sourced, handcrafted beverages and food products are center stage, there are many award-winning tasting rooms with their own eateries to suit whatever mood you’re in.

Podcasts That Will Leave You Thirsty for More

closeup of black headphones on a yellow background

Finding an excellent, informative podcast is more difficult than ever. The problem isn’t meager offerings, it’s the sheer volume of voices vying for listeners’ attention.

wine podcasts

Summer is Made for Tanked Wine

Photo of white wine being poured into two glasses, held by one hand.

Great wine starts in the vineyard, but the vessel it’s fermented and aged in can also have an outsize effect on its final taste.

fermenting steel aged wine

Hudson Valley Cheese and Wine Pairings for Locavores

unfinished cheese rounds on rack in a creamery

To pair wine with cheese in the Hudson Valley, locavores should embrace the concept of “what grows together, goes together”.

Cabernet Franc cheese pairing

Finding Summer’s Unexpected and Enchanting Flavors

Bottle of Glorie Farm Gin with two glasses and juniper berries outdoors on a rock.

When the sun comes out to play in the Hudson Valley, our palates tend to follow suit. Thankfully, the producers here are in the mood for tinkering, too.

Cabernet Franc

Five Best Places To Stay in Wine Country

photo of porch with chairs, at the Vanderbilt Lake House.

Visitors get the most authentic experience at small inns and hotels or guest houses that belie easy description, much like the Hudson Valley itself.

lodging resorts

Best Books for Wine Lovers

There is a type of wine book to suit every wine lover, but there are certain books that every wine lover should have within reaching distance of their wine glass.

Wine Bible wine books

Visiting Wine Country – It’s a Family Affair

Wineries used to be places where grown-ups went to escape children, but as our culture, and our relationship with craft beverages has evolved, they’ve become places where the presence of toddling mini-humans isn’t just tolerated, it’s actively encouraged.

Farmers Market Cheese Will Please

There are few more gratifying pursuits than heading to the farmers market for locally made cheese.

cheese pairing

Toasting a Decade of Craft Innovations

Remember when going out to grab a drink meant a mass-market beverage trucked in from afar? So 2008. These days, it’s all about #drinkinglocal, and bars and restaurants not just carry, but feature, New York-made wine, beer, cider, and spirits.

Exploring the Hudson Valley via the Glass – Part 1

photo of couple in a convertible car, driving down the road

Summer is here and the open road beckons. For lovers of great drinks, delicious food and thought-provoking culture and history, there is no better place to set the GPS for than the Hudson Valley.

The Audacious Unifying Vision of the Region’s Craft Brewers

We live in seemingly divided times: across the country, and on all manner of subjects, an “us vs. them” mentality has become our default mode. The days of merry disagreements about everything from sports to movies and politics at the water cooler have gone the way of, well, having time to stand around the water cooler and chat.