Bounty of the Hudson

I had a great time this weekend at the Bounty of the Hudson Food and Wine Festival at Benmarl Winery. After the festival I headed out for vacation, but thought I'd send a note so you all didn't think I disappeared.

Both days of the festival were wondeful. There was great food, wonderful produce and of course - award winning wines.

One wine that I really enjoyed was Clinton Vineyards Seyval. It was clean and crisp. An excellent selection on a hot summers day.

Another wine I enjoyed was Hudson-Chatham's Dry Riesling. His Merlot won an award at the Hudson Valley Wine Competition and is wonderful! I actually have purchased a case, but on a hot day, I was more interested in a refreshing wine. Carlo's Riesling was very good. Carlo's son was also there pouring tastes of their maple syrup. It was fantastic! He was also very educated in the entire process of producing maple syrup and the different grades available. They only brought the amber with them to the festival. Here is a short video of Carlo very busy at the Bounty. Carlo is also a fellow blogger and you can read his blog about the Bounty at http://eastcoastwineries.blogspot.com/


I tried out a new video / still camera at the Bounty. I'll publish more when I return.

Bounty of the Hudson Food & Wine Festival

This weekend - July 26 & 27th is the Bounty of the Hudson Food and Wine Festival. This is truly the ONLY wine festival featuring 100% Hudson Valley Wineries. It is sponsored by the Shawanugnk Wine Trail.It is all taking place at

Benmarl Winery
156 Highland Avenue
Marlboro NY
Time - 12p - 5p each day

It is going to be a wonderful festiva! A place were you can taste from 17 Hudson Valley Wineries. The wineries that will be attending are the 10 wineries from the Shawangunk Wine Trail, Clinton Vineyards, Millbrook Vineyards, Cascade Mountain Winery, Pazdar Winery, Hudson-Chatham Winery, El Paso Winery and Brimstone Hill Winery.

There is going to be wonderful food from vendors like Pamela's Travel Feast, Parties by Thomas and Bridge Creek Catering. Wine Cellars Sorbets will bet here...yummm..I love their Riesling Sorbet and cheese from my favorite Sprout Creek Farm.

I will be there, so if you see me, please stop and say hi. I'll have a taste with you.

Here is video from last years Bounty.

Sauvignon Blanc or Fume Blanc

Well both Sauvignon Blanc and Fume Blanc are one in the same. Fume Blanc is made with Sauvignon Blanc grapes. Back in the 1970's it had an identity problem and instead of calling it Sauvignon Blanc they called it Fume Blanc.

Recently in a conversation with my rep from a wine club located in California she asked me if I would like to purchase some Sauvignon Blanc. Even though my preference is for New Zealand Sauvingnon Blanc I said I would try some. Then she asked about Fume Blanc and she informed me that Fume Blanc is put in Oak and Sauvignon Blanc isn't. I don't like my Sauvignon Blanc oaked, I like it in stainless steel. That was new to me. Since I don't usually drink Fume Blanc, I would have never guessed the difference, because I didn't think there was one.

Maybe I'll pick up a bottle of California Sauvignon Blanc and Fume Blanc and do a taste comparison.

Wine & Boating

Last weekend I spent Saturday on the Hudson River. It was a beautiful day to go boating. Good thing I have friends with nice "toys."

I brought with me a bottle of Marques de Caceres which I had purchased Friday. This was a crisp and fruity dry white wine from Rioja Alta region of Spain. It was made with 100% Viura grapes and was fresh and clean with slight floral aromas and a silky finish. This was a first for me, with this type of grape. I am listening to my own advice and trying something new and I liked it!

It was very nice wine and went perfect with the baba ghanoush and focaccia that were purchased in the morning at the Hyde Park Farmers Market.









View of the CIA from the River

Vocabulary

Resveratrol, a natural compound in the skins of red grapes. Its presence in red wine has been linked to health benefits such as fighting cancer, aging and heart disease.

The Wine Purchase

On Friday I did what I said and stoped at Viscount and purchased 12 bottles of white wine.

The purchase:
Babich Sauvignon
Bonterra Viognier
Bonterra Chardonnay
Toasted Head Chardonnay
Marques De Caceres white table wine
Edna Valley Chardonnay
Simi Chardonnay
Marques de Caceres- Rioja Spain
Natura Sauvignon Blanc
Cline Viognier
Gruner Veltliner - White table wine from Austria
Monkey Bay Sauvignon Blanc

Yesterday while boating on the Hudson we had the Marques from Spain. I'll let you know more about it tomorrow...stay tuned.

OH NO...Out of White Wine

Can you belive it. I have a wine cellar that holds 300 bottles of wine and we drank the last bottle of white last night. I can't remember ever running out of white wine.

Since I will be in Fishkill today, I am going to stop at Viscount and see what selections they have. I am going to take my advice and think out of the box. I am going to head for Sauvignon Blancs, but I must purchase some oaky Chards for my hubby.

Stay tuned for the purhases............

Picking a summer wine

My favorite summer white is a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. Lately I've been trying some Chilean and South African Sauvignon Blancs that are very good. Or stainless steel fermented Chardonnays. They are usually much lighter than the buttery, oaky Chardonnays.

For reds...try a Gamay Noir slightly chilled. Yup, I never thought I would chill a red wine, but this one needs it. It's light and refreshing. ( Served warm is like drinking a luke warm glass of milk...yuck! ) The Gamay will also pair nicely with Salmon.

Millbrook Vineyards offers a Wine Blending Experience

I received a note in the mail from Millbrook Vineyards Saturday about a Wine Blending Experience & Dinner. Sounds like a great evening. One catch..you have to be a member of their Case Club. That's very easy to do.

The evening will begin with a tasting of your blending components; Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon as well as some blends winemaker, John Graziano has created. Then after John explains the inner workings of blending, you become winemaker by creating your own master blend. Once you determine your favorite blend, they will bottle and cork it for you and package it with a personalized wine label.

After your hard work as winemaker, you will be treated to dinner paired with Millbrook wines. The cost for this experience is $115 per person (plus tax)

This is going to be a fantastic experience. When I attended the wine blending at Whitecliff Vineyards, I found it quite educational and enjoying. You will find the experience at Millbrook the same.

For more info on Millbrook Vineyards Wine Blending Experience and Dinner call 845.677.8383 ext 17. Tell them the Hudson Valley Wine Goddess sent you .

Trivia Answer

Sangiovese is the grape in which Chianti is made from.

Hudson Valley Wines win at New York State Fair

The New York State Fair on Monday announced their winners in the state wide commercial wine competition. Fairgoers will be able to view the top award winning wines which will be on display in the "Giant Wine Bottle" in the Horticulture building during the fair. Sample of wines entered in the competition will be available to fairgoers following most of the presentations in the Demonstration Kitchen in the lower level of the Arts and Home Center.

Five local Hudson Valley wineries took away prizes, competing against the best of the Finger Lakes and Long Island Regions, including a gold and ‘Best of Category’ in the Fortified Wines Class for Hudson-Chatham’s ‘Paperbirch Raspberry Fine Ruby’.

BenMarl Winery took Silver for 2007 Seneca Lake Traminette and Bronze for 2006 Hudson Valley Baco Noir and 2007 Slate Hill White

Brotherhood Winery took Silver for 2007 Riesling 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 Pinot Noir Holiday Spiced Wine and Blanc de Blancs and Bronze for May Wine, Ruby Port and Cream Sherry

Clinton Vineyards took Bronze for Cassis and Seyval Naturel

Hudson-Chatham Winery Took Gold and Best of Category for Paperbirch Raspberry Fine Ruby
and Silver for 2005 Hudson-Chatham Merlot andPaperbirch Bannerman’s Castle Amber Cream

Silver Stream Winery took Bronze for their 2007 New York State Cabernet Franc

Entire Results can be found at:

http://www.nysfair.org/docs/results/2008-Commercial-Wine-Results.pdf

Congratulations to ALL!