Brimstone Hill Vineyard

Initially, the French-American hybrid grape varietals seemed to be the most appropriate for better wines. But as the 1980s progressed some of the traditional European vitis vinifera varieties showed considerable promise. Then, as Cornell University’s renown College of Agriculture and Life Sciences became more focused on growing higher quality wine grape varieties, some of their interspecific hybrid varieties began to blossom in the Hudson Valley. Brimstone Hill has worked with all of these categorical groupings in a strong effort to make distinctive regional wines, which they are proud of.

Throughout the years, their vineyards have expanded considerably. They now have about 10 acres producing, and about three to four acres which are not yet in production. One of the pioneering ventures they are very proud of is the development of a sparkling wine, which is made in the tradition of the French champagnes. Current production is between 7,500 and 10,000 bottles per year.

Brimstone consistently wins awards from the competitions they enter, including recent medals from the prestigious Finger Lakes International for their 2016 Noiret and 2017 Cayuga White. Despite their many years of success, Brimstone Hill still likes to consider itself a small, experimental vineyard dedicated to exploring how to produce wines with a French character here in the Hudson Valley.