The birth of a new Hudson Valley Winery

There will soon be a new winery in the Hudson Valley. The Robibero family has owned the property where the former Rivendell Winery sits since 2003 and will be opening a winery sometime early 2010.  This spring they  planted Vidal and Cab Franc on the property and have plans to plant additional varietals next year.

They have completely gutted the facility and put a beautiful deck on the back.

I recently sat down with Tiffany to discuss the winery and their plans.  They are going to have some nice events and programs for you to look forward to.  In the meantime, if you find yourself driving past the property on a Saturday, stop on by and say hi.  They are giving out coupons for a complimentary bottle of wine when they open.

I wish Tiffany and the Robibero Family the best of luck and much success with their new venture.

Here is my interview with Tiffany, who is the Business Manager and Wine Maker.

How long have you owned the property that the former Rivendell Winery is located?

                The property was purchased in 2003.

When you purchased the property what was your original intent?

                We purchased the property as an investment knowing there was an ongoing winery on the premises, hoping that someday we would be able to run the venture ourselves.

What made you decide to open a winery on the property?

 We always wanted to open a winery, we just never expected it to happen as soon as it did. The active winery gave us notice that they were vacating to a new location so we began the long process to pursue our dream.

What were your friends and family’s reaction when you decide to move forward with the vineyard and winery?

                We had mixed reactions of both excitement and disbelief. As the economy started to take a down spiral some people gave us a more a cautious view point but also their blessing. As for our family, they were always enthusiastic and eager for our opening.

How did you come up with the name of the winery?

                Our LLC name is our Family’s Last name, because family is our core value. Our trade name is still in the process of being decided. Some of the possible names we are thinking of are; Half Moon Winery, Moonwalk Winery, Arrow Head Winery, Seasons, Vinaio, Cantina and Milestone Winery.

What varietals of grapes have you planted in the vineyard?

                We planted one row of lacrosse which is a French American hybrid in the spring of 2008 to see how well they would grow. This past spring we planted seven rows of Vidal and three rows of Cabernet Franc. In the spring of 2010 we will be planting additional rows of Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Our goal is to augment our vineyards with additional varietals each planting season.

Have you given thought to the name of your first vintage?

Crazy grapes

What will you be doing differently than any of the other regional wineries?

                Giving people the opportunity to make their own vintage.

List family members and their involvement in the winery?

                Harry- Owner. Wine Maker

                Tiffany- (Harry’s daughter)- Business manager. Wine Maker

                Ryan- (Tiffany’s Fiancé)- Business Manager, Wine Maker

                Carole- (Harrys wife)- Event planner and Tasting room manager

What did you do before starting this business?

                Harry owns and runs a construction company is Westchester. He has been spending most of his time this past year renovating both the inside and outside of the winery. After everything is complete he will continue to run his contracting business while his daughter and fiancé will be running the winery. He plans on helping with the grape growing and wine making end of the business as well.  Carole works in an elementary school and will work at the winery on weekends. Tiffany currently works for a lawyer but will be leaving her job soon to run the winery full- time along with Ryan who has been working with Harry on the winery construction.

How have you been learning about the wine industry and making wine?

                Consulting with other wine makers, wine courses, books, industry magazines, frequent trips to other wineries, and hands on wine making.

Will you be hiring a winemaker? If yes, name.  If no, who will be making your wine?

                Ultimately we want to be the wine makers but to reach that goal we are looking into hiring a wine maker to work with us in the beginning to expand our knowledge and guide us.