Hudson-Berkshire Experience

Winter Passport Savings for the Hudson Berkshire Beverage Trail

cddevito2 — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 12:56:27 +0000

Save $5.00 thru Dec 31st, 2011!!! Buy before December 31st and passports are valid until February 29th, 2012!

Regualary $25.00 now only $20.00

Take advantage of our group rate, and book a tour of six or more and tickets are $15 – save $10.00 per ticket!

http://www.mcssl.com/SecureCart/ViewCart.aspx?mid=1BCFBBF4-C986-4A98-8610-4688F6698300&sctoken=bf2340af51d1475caee81a08df56a707&bhcp=1

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The Troy Record Raves About the Hudson Berkshire Beverage Trail

cddevito2 — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 11:00:43 +0000

Monday, November 21, 2011

A Winery, Brewery, and Distillery in Three Hours in Columbia County

It appears the farmland in Columbia County is very fertile, with pecks of apples, grapes, and other things to make alcohol. My boyfriend and I, after visiting the Hudson Chatham Winery, Chatham Brewery, and Harvest Distillery, are pretty sure the folks in the nearby county could make quality beverages even just from the grass.

Find out for yourself by visiting the Hudson-Berkshire Beverage Trail. It’s possible to do about half the trail in three hours so this can work as a half-day trip or a full day trip.

I’d actually never heard of a “beverage” trail, only wine trails before this local one came up in a Google search. It was initially my intention to just do a wine tour but I’m glad it also included beer and harder liquor. Along with trying non-nationally distributed drinks, it was fun trying things that I knew I’d enjoy and that my boyfriend would enjoy (he’s more of a beer person, I like wine, but then we both enjoy liquor).

We started the trail, which we reduced so we could make the Gazette Holiday Parade in Schenectady, at the Hudson-Chatham Winery where they were having a bread, cheese, and wine festival with several vendors in their site on Route 66 in Ghent.

It was a bit confusing when we walked in since I wasn’t sure what to try first, the food or the drink. So, we made our way around the room and eventually did two $5 wine tastings. I was a big fan of their whites and dessert wines and Jon enjoyed their reds. We bought two to take home and enjoyed pairing the tastings with the food samples where the vendor reps were more than willing to talk about their products.

The next stop was the Chatham Brewery where we had been before. It’s a small operation, literally down an alley off the main drag in Chatham. Since the bf and I first visited the business several months ago, they’ve now expanded their sales offerings to multiple merchandise items like glasses and clothes, along with the growlers of quality beer. But the hours are pretty restricted: just 11am-2pm on Saturdays.

The final stop was the Golden Harvest Farm with the Harvest Distillery in the back which is leased from the farm operation on Route 9 in Valatie. You walk in and there are large wooden barrels everywhere. Tastings are $1 or free if you buy something. We, like many others before us, fell in love with the Apple Jack whiskey which is based on a centuries old tradition of whiskey. I especially loved it with hot apple cider which ended up being our main beverage at the parade that night.

The entire trail also includes Brookview Station Winery in Castleton-on-Hudson, and Furnace Brook Winery in Richmond, Mass.

Troy Record at:

http://cowabungatravel.blogspot.com/2011/11/winery-brewery-and-distillery-in-three.html

posted by Danielle Sanzone at 7:58 PM

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cddevito2 — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 23:07:24 +0000

Hudson Berkshire Beverage Trail Ramble

Noveember 11, 12, 13, 2011

This Veteran’s Day weekend, you can do special tastings of the wonderful hand-crafted wines, beers, and spirits made by the venues on the Hudson Berkshire Beverage Trail for the special price of $15 ($5 for designated drivers). Purchase a Trail passport at the first location you visit, and bring it along as you “ramble” the Trail. Each venue will conduct a special tasting for passport carriers, and will feature a special food item to go with it. Trail members are: Hudson-Chatham Winery, Chatham Brewing, Harvest Spirits Distillery, and Brookview Station Winery in New York, and Furnace Brook Winery in Massachusetts.

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HUDSON-CHATHAM AND BROOKVIEW STATION BRING MEDALS HOME TO HUDSON BERKSHIRE TRAIL

cddevito2 — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 21:56:59 +0000

Brookview Station Winery and Hudson Chatham-Winery both brought home lots of medals to the Hudson Berkshire Beverage Trail, toting back 13 medals to the trail. On your next trip to the Hudson Berkshire Beverage Trail make sure to stop in on these two wineries, to sample these award winning wines, as well as our other award winning trails members like Chatham Brewing, Harvest Spirits, and Furnace Brook Winery.

Brookview Station Winery

Silver – Sunset Charlie

Silver – Whistle Stop White

Silver – All Aboard

Bronze – Pomona

Bronze – Oh What a Pear

Bronze – Just Peachy

Bronze – Scarlotta Bing

Hudson-Chatham Winery

Gold – 2008 Chelois

Gold – Paperbirch Highlands Raspberry

Silver – 2010 North Creek Block Seyval Blanc

Silver – 2008 Empire Reserve Red

Bronze – 2008 Merlot

Bronze 2009 Baco Noir Reserve, Casscles Vineyard

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HUDSON-CHATHAM WINERY SANGRIA FESTIVAL AUGUST 13, 2011

cddevito2 — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 23:02:38 +0000

HUDSON-CHATHAM WINERY
SANGRIA FESTIVAL!
Saturday, August 13, 2011
12 noon – 5 pm

It’s THE event of the season, and this year promises to be better than ever!

There will be 5 sangrias to try – from classic to contemporary – all featuring award-winning wines. Relax with a glass of your favorite fruit-and-wine combo and listen to the great flamenco guitar music of Maria Zemantauski and Jose Mirelles.

To complement your sangria, there will be a great selection of mouth-watering, belly filling Southwestern favorites, including the following: tamales (peanut chipotle beef, pulled pork bbq, tomatillo chicken, and vegetarian black bean chili), and burritos (chorizo, bean with brown rice, cheese, tomato, guacamole and lettuce). Chips and watermelon salsa (with sour cream and guacamole).

Hudson-Chatham Winery
Saturday, August 13 * 12 noon – 5 pm
1900 State Rte 66 * Ghent NY 12075
518-392-WINE
www.hudson-chathamwinery.com

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EDIBLE MANHATTAN LOVES HUDSON VALLEY CASSIS

cddevito2 — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 11:13:12 +0000

Amy Zavato wrote a wonderful story in the July/August issue of EDIBLE MANHATTAN entitled THE CURRANT’S SCOND COMING about the success of cassis in the Hudson Valley. The Hudson Valley is fast becoming known as the New Burgundy for its bright, minerally whites, soft, medium bodied reds, fresh farm house ciders, and cassis.

The thick, intense berry wine with the tart finish has sold out every year!

On the Hudson Berkshire Beverage Trail we’re especially proud of that, because three of the wines featured in the article come from wineries on our trail! Congrats to Brookview Station Winery, Hudson-Chatham Winery, and Tousey Winery! Come on out on the trail and try some of this delicious new wine that’s capturing the imagination of so many!
Today, with more than 12,000 bottles produced in 2011, the Hudson Valley is the largest producer of artisanal cassis. Estimates range as high as 15-20,000 bottles for next year.

Carlo and Dominique DeVito of Hudson Chatham

Sue and Ed Miller of Brookview Station.

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9th Annual Apple Blossom Bash & BBQ

drapp4 — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 20:14:02 +0000

Hilltop Orchards, home of Furnace Brook Winery will be hosting it’s annual Apple Blossom Bash this weekend – Saturday and Sunday, June 4-5 from noon-5PM each day.

This annual event combines the best food, wine and music to celebrate spring at this sprawling Berkshire farm winery.

$20 admission includes:

delicious hot and cold hors d’oeuvres buffet plus BBQ
wine tasting of up to 16 different wines (be the first to taste the new Apple Ice Wine)
souvenir etched wine glass
live musical entertainment by Justin Allen

10% of the proceeds will benefit the local Civitan Club

Relax outside in the gazebo or on Adirondack chairs or inside on leather couches. Guests are welcome to stroll through the orchard in bloom to the hilltop for stunning views or hike on woodland trails.

Visit the web site for more details

Furnace Brook Winery produces 16 different wines including three from estate grown apples

Filed under: Furnace Brook Winery at Hilltop Orchards, Uncategorized Tagged: apple blossoms, BBQ, hiking, wine tasting

New York magazine Loves Hudson Berkshire Beverage Trail

cddevito2 — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 13:18:15 +0000

New York magazine did a whole feature on Columbia County entitled The Five-Point Weekend Escape Plan, Get Back to the Farm in Columbia County, Published on Apr 14, 2011 as a web exclusive.

Prepare for a day of drinking locally produced wine, beer, and spirits with brunch at Banjo Mountain Café, a cozy spot that opened last September in Ghent and is decorated with work by local artists. Next, drive a few minutes south on Rte. 21C to the Hawthorne Valley Farm Store to stock up on organic fruit, beverages, and snacks for the car. Then begin conquering the Columbia County portion of the Hudson-Berkshire Beverage Trail, a boozy pathway that winds from southeast Albany to Hudson. Start off at Harvest Spirits to tour the distillery and taste Core Vodka, made with apples from neighboring Golden Harvest Farms.

Next, drive about seven miles west on Rte. 203 to Chatham Brewing Companyand sample the rotating selection of crisp seasonal ales, rich porter, and the slightly sweet Maple Amber. Brewery tours and growler sales are offered on Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. only, so plan accordingly. Head five miles away on Rte. 66 to the bucolic Hudson Chatham Winery to swill small-batch reds and whites made with a mix of grapes from Hudson Valley, Finger Lakes, and Long Island. When it’s time for dinner, head eight miles south to Philmont’s Main Street Public House, built in 1898, where you’ll rub elbows with blue-collar locals, artists, and the occasional live band. Co-owner Elizabeth Angello serves a rotating menu of craft beers and sources local ingredients to dress up humble dishes like the smoked chicken burrito ($11) and the lamb burger ($14).

Read the whole article about Columbia County:

http://nymag.com/travel/weekends/columbiacounty/index4.html

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FURNACE BROOK WINERY MAPLE SYRUP WEEKEND MARCH 26 AND 27, 2011

cddevito2 — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 12:44:18 +0000

Maple Syrup Weekend

Saturday & Sunday, March 26-27th, 2011

download printable flyer

11:00AM

Noon & 3PM

Noon-4:00PM

Farm Winery Store opens, sit by the fireplace with some hot cider, hot cocoa and a fresh cider donut

Learn now to “tap” a sugar maple tree to get sap

Watch sap collection and see how this clear liquid turns into 100% pure and delicious maple syrup

Watch how maple candy is made – a sweet and all- natural treat.

Wine tasting all day! First taste is free.

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BROOKVIEW STATION RELEASES NEW CASSIS

cddevito2 — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 12:32:16 +0000

Come sample our just released

Black Currant

Conductor’s Cassis

A rich, delicious, tart dessert wine made from New York state black currants. Fabulous with chocolate, with creme brulle’, ice cream, or mixed in white wine or champagne as a wine cocktail, an elegants a lucious treat!

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