Whitecliff Vineyard
Established 1998
845.255.4613
838.209.9248 (Hudson)
Visit the website
Check the website
Michael Migliore,
Brad Martz and
Hailed as “one of the valley’s most ambitious wineries,” Whitecliff takes pride in being part of a vanguard of innovators who have added European wine grapes, high-quality new hybrids, and complex, European-style wines to the Valley’s traditional focus on fruit wines and sweet wines. Their 30+ years of experimenting in both the vineyard and the wine cellar have shaped a winery with deep roots in the region’s traditions, producing wines that offer variety, depth, and serious fun.
After 20 years of running a tasting room that features close to 40 different wines—all fermented, blended, and bottled at Whitecliff, many from their own estate-grown grapes—Whitecliff has learned that taste is thoroughly personal, and that the quality of their hospitality is almost as important to your experience as the quality of their wine. Over the years, Whitecliff has brought many new wines into production to satisfy the broad-ranging tastes of their visitors, and they love to hear people exclaim, “Wow, I like them all!” They are especially proud of their lively, intelligent staff, well-trained in wine, but friendly and welcoming by nature. All of this has led to Whitecliff being hailed by the local press recently as the “Best Winery in the Hudson Valley”.
Savor This
Stop by Whitecliff for Twilight Fridays! Every Friday from June into October, Whitecliff is open till 7pm and offers a special wine cocktail. There is no better way to kick off your weekend than with the beauty and peace of a glass of Whitecliff wine and their spectacular view.
The truest measure of wine quality at Whitecliff is the fact that they were able to bring a truly prestigious award home to the Hudson Valley from the San Francisco International Wine Competition, where their Riesling won “Best White Wine in Show”. That means they beat 1,290 wines from 27 countries and 28 states, in a blind judging by 45 respected judges. This was a victory not only for Whitecliff, but for the whole region, as it closes the discussion as to whether the Hudson Valley’s local wines can compete on the world stage!
Regional, authentic, and artisanal, Whitecliff reflects everything that is unique about the beautiful Hudson Valley.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Hudson Tasting Room Opens!
This June, Whitecliff opened a second tasting room! The site, just outside the city of Hudson, is dramatic: immediately adjoining the Rip Van Winkle Bridge, below 19th-century artist Frederick Church’s historic home, Olana, with a panoramic view of the Hudson River and the Catskills beyond, and directly located on the new Hudson River Skywalk.
The property is an ideal location for grape growing, since the River moderates temperature extremes by serving as a heat
sink—and steep slopes allow cold air to drop down off the fields and the warm air to rise up from the water below. There are 10 gorgeous acres of grapes planted, including Cabernet Franc, Gamay Noir, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling, and the Hudson Valley’s first experimental Syrah.
The location is ideal for wine tasting: beautiful, peaceful, and surrounded by vineyard. Make it a must visit this summer!
DIRECTIONS
Hours
GARDINER: JUN–OCT
Mon–Thurs,
Sun: 11:30am-5:30pm
Fri: 11:30am–7pm
Sat: 11am–6pm
HUDSON: JUN–OCT
Thurs–Sun: 12–5:00pm
CLOSED
New Year’s Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day
Staff Picks
WHITE
- Awosting White
- Chardonnay
- Reserve Chardonnay
- Dry Riesling
ROSÉ
- Estate Rosé of Pinot Noir
RED
- Estate Cabernet Franc
- Estate Reserve Gamay Noir
- Estate Pinot Noir
- Merlot Malbec
- Sky Island
- Syrah
- Two Cabs
SPARKLING
- Estate North River Blanc De Blanc
DESSERT
- 2016 Estate Bourbon Barrel Blonde
MEET THE OWNERS & WINEMAKERS
Husband and wife team Michael Migliore and Yancey Stanforth-Migliore have created Whitecliff over the past 30 years, doing much of the work with their own hands.
As executive winemaker and vineyard manager, and with a Masters in Chemistry from SUNY New Paltz, Michael Migliore applied his background in science to teaching himself the chemistry and art of winemaking. He works closely with Cornell Cooperative Extension and also serves as president of the Hudson Valley Wine and Grape Growers Association. Yancey Stanforth-Migliore oversees sales and marketing, taking inspiration from her previous work as fundraiser for Scenic Hudson.
Brad Martz joined Whitecliff as a volunteer on the 2010 harvest, and brought so much focus, energy, and intelligence to the cellar work that they are now proud to have him as their full-time winemaker. His work brings international awards, and interesting new wines to Whitecliff with every vintage.