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.
The verdant, hilly climes of the Hudson Valley are known and praised for many things. The beauty of its rolling, roiling namesake river; its famed mid-nineteenth century naturalist art movement; its acres of multi-generational fruit orchards and dairy farms; and, lately, as the celebrated place of culinary inspiration for chefs like Dan Barber and Zak Palaccio.
We’d highly encourage you to grab any Hudson Valley Cabernet Franc you can get your mitts on because, as with any small wine region, the quantities are limited.
It’s not just carefully cultivated grapes, grains, berries, apples, and other fruits that lend flavor and variety to the craft beverages produced in the amazing Hudson Valley…
From colonial times until the 1870s, alcoholic beverages made from apples—such as hard cider, apple wine, and applejack—were the beverages of choice in the Hudson Valley. For nearly 300 years, apples were (and still are) by far the most cultivated local fruit, followed by pears, raspberries, grapes, currants, and stone fruits.
Is there another edible object more freighted with historical significance than the lowly apple? Between Eve, Steve (Jobs), and Sir Isaac (Newton), the apple is linked in the popular imagination to the downfall of man, the most significant socio-cultural revolution of our time and the dawning of an age of science.
Delicate grapes, through assiduous hands-on maintenance, the use of rigorous scientific analysis, plus the trademark Hudson Valley pioneer and cooperative spirit, are reaching their full flavor potential in the Hudson Valley.
What struck me most when we started Hudson Valley Wine Magazine almost six years ago was the number of women who are involved in the region’s wine culture.
The Hudson Valley has long sparkled in our country’s crown of priceless jewels. And as the country continues to find its footing economically, the Hudson Valley’s proximity to New York City has attracted an increasing amount of foot traffic from curious vacationers eager to explore their backyard.
The Hudson River Valley has long been known as a world-class destination for art, wine and cultural experiences. From the early days of the 19th century, there was a distinctly entrepreneurial feel to the growth of these three industries in this region.
To the great majority of wine drinkers, the label is the key to the wine they are planning to purchase. A glance at the label on a bottle will reveal a great deal about viticultural origins, style, and most importantly, the sort of taste to expect.