Nostrano Vineyards
Established 2010
845.795.5473
Visit the website
Nostrano Vineyards is a family-owned and operated 75-acre farm, vineyard, and winery in Milton, NY. Although Nostrano Vineyards was established in 2010, winemaker Nic Bozzo’s family has been growing grapes, apples and other fruits on the farm since 1943. Nic himself grew up on the farm and is the fourth generation in his family to carry on the fruit growing tradition on this piece of land.
Even in the early days of the farm, the family made some wine for themselves using their own grapes, but it wasn’t until Nic studied landscape design in New Zealand that he began to envision creating a vineyard back home. Today, Nostrano grows ten acres of wine grapes, three acres of seedless table grapes, and six apple varietals that are original to the property.
Savor This
The 2018 growing season was tough, due to the excessive rain in the Hudson Valley. Nostrano’s Riesling was hand-harvested and sorted to capture the best fruit on the vines, then fermented at peak ripeness to bring out an abundance of fruit flavors. Dense with pome fruit notes and a pleasant finish, there are less than 100 cases of the 2018 Limited Edition Semi-Sweet Riesling available!
Although Nic prefers not to put suggestions into tasters’ heads of what flavors they should be picking up on when they enjoy his wines, he can’t help but notice how his farm’s legacy of fruit production reveals itself in the bottles. “Maybe it’s just my memories, but the grapes that come from where we had peaches planted for years, I’m always catching a hint of peaches from the Rieslings we make from those grapes,” he said. “With the Cab Franc, I’m tasting the black cherries and red currants that were there. So I’m taking some of the past and putting it towards the future to tell the story of how a farm changes over time.”
Nic and his wife Kayleigh, who is the tasting room and events manager, run the day-to-day operation at Nostrano Vineyards and reside on the property with their family. The Tasting Room sits atop a picturesque hill overlooking a serene farm and vineyard vista. Visitors can enjoy estate wines, local cheese and charcuterie boards, and regular live music indoors at a rustic chic tasting bar or al fresco taking in the beautiful Hudson Valley scenery.
Nostrano Vineyards operates a seasonal wedding venue on-site offering a truly unique and personalized experience with complete privacy in Hudson Valley’s wine country.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
2018 Estate Pinot Gris
The 2018 Estate Pinot Gris has been hand-harvested from Nostrano’s highest elevated vineyard and fermented dry with little skin contact giving it a light golden hue. Clean, fresh, and lightly fruity with notes of grapefruit. Limited production.
DIRECTIONS
Hours
JAN–MAR
Sat: 12–5pm
APR–DEC
Fri–Sun: 12–5pm
CLOSED
New Year’s Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day
Staff Picks
WHITE
- Estate Dry Riesling 2017
- Estate Pinot Gris 2018
ROSÉ
- AVA Rosé 2018
RED
- Estate Pinot Noir 2016
- Estate Cabernet Franc 2016
LIMITED
- Semi-Sweet Estate Riesling 2018
COMING SOON
- Estate Baco Noir 2018
MEET THE WINEMAKER
Nic Bozzo
Nic is Nostrano Vineyard’s proprietor, grape grower, and resident winemaker. He completed his B.L.A from SUNY ESF at Syracuse University and studied Winery Design & Eco-Agriculture tourism in New Zealand. “When I was studying landscape architecture, I realized that it pertained to pretty much every aspect of your life,” he said. “Everywhere you look, it’s landscape architecture.” Nic’s case study for school involved designing vineyards, which meant studying everything from how wine is made, to how the driveway into the winery needs to have different focal points.
With his interest in sustainability and land management, Nic has been utilizing his knowledge to design and establish the vineyard and boutique winery, joking that the vineyard now doubles as his giant landscape architecture project to work on for the rest of his life. When Nic isn’t in the production warehouse you can find him pruning grape vines, operating heavy equipment, or handcrafting reclaimed wood furniture for the farm and vineyard.
