Brotherhood Celebrates Their 175th Anniversary

Tonight there is a big party at Brotherhood Winery. They are celebrating their 175th Anniversary.  I'm celebrating my anniversary too, 26 years so it's fair to say if I want to make it to 27, I had to decline my invitation to attend the big party at Brotherhood and spend it with my husband.

I thought I'd give you a tour of 175 years of Brotherhood Winery in pictures, as we do with most anniversaries. We look back on the pictures. *Clink*Clink*

Wine for Wishes

The Elant Foundation is holding an event "Wine for Wishes" Thursday February 2, 2012 at Brotherhood Winery in Washingtonville, NY.  Thursday evening from 5:30pm - 8:30pm for $40 you will enjoy a tour of the wine cellars, hors d'oeuvres, unlimited wine tasting and some exceptional entertainment.

This all goes for a great cause. Elant is a not-for-profit organization providing healthcare and housing programs throughout the Hudson Valley.  Its network includes seven locations throughout the region as well as in-home and day treatment programs. It offers a broad spectrum of services to meet the needs of older adults and chronically ill people of all ages.

Spend Thursday evening, February 2, at Brotherhood all for a good cause with some good wine.

For more information on this event or to purchase a ticket contact jriccardi@elant.org or call 845.360.1410

Hudson Valley Wineries Score Big in the February Issue of Wine Enthusiast Magazine

It was nice to see in the February Issue of Wine Enthusiast Magazine that there were some Hudson Valley Wineries scored, reviewed and listed in the buying guide. Congratulations!  But the list only represented the Pinot Noir scores of the region and there were many other varietals submitted and scored from the regions wineries.

Congratulations to Tousey Winery, Hudson-Chatham Winery, Millbrook Vineyards & Winery, Whiteciff Vineyard & Winery, Oak Summit Vineyard and Brotherhood Winery!

Here is the Hudson Valley Buying Guide via Wine Enthusiast February scores.

TOUSEY WINERY

86  Tousey Winery 2010 Pinot Noir New York $20

85 Tousey Winery 2010 Cabernet Franc Hudson River Region NY $22

84  Tousey 2010Chardonnay Hudson River Region  – 84 $16

MILLBROOK VINEYARDS & WINERY

89   Millbrook 2010 25th Anniversary Pinot Noir Hudson River Region $18.00

88   Millbrook 2010 25th Anniversary Chardonnay Hudson River Region $16.00

87   Millbrook 2007 Proprietor's Special Reserve Cabernet Franc Hudson River Region $29.00

87   Millbrook 2009 Proprietor's Special Reserve Chardonnay Hudson River Region $20.00

86   Millbrook 2008   Cabernet Franc Hudson River Region  $20.00

HUDSON-CHATHAM WINERY

87   Hudson-Chatham 2010 Casscles Vineyard Reserve Baco Noir Hudson River Region $20.00

86   Hudson-Chatham 2010   Cabernet Franc New York $17.00

86   Hudson-Chatham 2010 Old Vines Baco Noir New York $22.00

86   Hudson-Chatham 2008 Empire Reserve Baco Noir New York $22.00

85   Hudson-Chatham 2009 Old Vines Masson Place Vineyard Pulteney Farm Baco Noir Hudson River Region $20.00

84   Hudson-Chatham 2010 Field Stone Baco Noir New York $30.00

OAK SUMMIT VINEYARD

88 Oak Summit Vineyard 2005 Pinot Noir Hudson River Region $35.00

85 Oak Summit Vineyard Chardonnay Hudson River Region $28.00

BROTHERHOOD WINERY

85 Brotherhood 2009 Pinot Noir New York $16.00

85 Brotherhood Grand Monarque Champagne Hudson River Region $25

84 Brotherhood Blanc de Blancs New York $11.00

WHITECLIFF VINEYARD & WINERY

88 Whitecliff Vineyard 2010 Reserve Chardonnay New York $17

87 Whitecliff Vineyard 2010 Cabernet Franc New York $20

86 Whitecliff Vineyard 2010 Traminette New York $16

PALAIA VINEYARDS

84 Palaia Vineyards  2008 Cabernet Franc New York  $19.00

Grand Monarque Ballroom Re-opens

Brotherhood Winery had a disastrous fire in 1999. It destroyed the tasting room and the Grand Monarque ballroom. (click here to read about the fire)  A few years back the tasting room reopened and it is beautiful!

The Grand Monarque Ballroom was built in 1893 and was built for winemaking.  Sparkling wine and still wine was produced in the room. It is rumored that there was a shaft with a dumb waiter from the Ballroom into the cellars below to make it easier to transport barrels back and forth.

The building offers five thousand square feet, creating a facility for indoor events of many different sizes and types. Elegant weddings, private parties and corporate banquets to charity balls, trade shows and cultural events, the Grand Monarque Hall can be designed to accommodate events to meet your specific needs.  The decor and detail that was used to capture the history of the era makes the room so inviting.  I love barrel stave chandeliers that match the larger ones in the adjoining tasting room!



The  building has a beautiful English cobblestone patio that can be used for both indoor and outdoor events.

Everything takes time and thought.  The time and thought put into this remodeling as well as the rest of the remodeling and expansion going on at Brotherhood truly makes them one of the leading winemaking facilities on the East Coast.

 

Halloween Party at Brotherhood Winery

170 years ago a family of explorers and winemakers began hand digging undergound tunnels in Washingtonville, New York. Come celebrate All Hallows Eve below the surface of the earth from where this historical holiday was born.

2009 marked the resurection of the spirit of Halloween in our historical cellars with an EPIC party that lasted far deeper into the night than anyone had anticipated. Everyone who participated went over-the-top with their costumes to impress the "Secret" judges. We know this year's party will surpass all expectations, so get your tickets sooner than never!

Music & Dancing:
DJ Jason Jaso in the Long Vault
8pm-Midnight
OPEN Wine Tasting Bar: 8pm-11pm
Halloween Buffet: 8pm-10pm
Costume Contest: 11pm

Tickets are ALL INCLUSIVE & EXTREMELY limited so order NOW before its too late!

I attended the 2009 Halloween Ball.  I have to admit - Halloween is just not my holiday.  I put on my witches hat and had a blast.    The food and entertainment were great!

Vinum Cafe Now Serving....

I reported last July about Vinum Cafe at Brotherhood Winery. It's a nice restaurant, affordable with entrees approximately $12.95 but they didn't have a liquor license.

The reason behind the lack of liquor was because a law got in the way requiring commercial wineries to apply for and get an additional license. It can be a long process.

It only took less than a year and now you can dine at Vinum Cafe and have a bottle of wine, cocktail or beer with your meal.  

Vinum Cafe is owned by hef Christian Pierrel who cooks up some wonderful meals and is open Wednesday through Sunday.  I would suggest reservations. 

Here is a sampling of just some of the delicious meals you can experience at Vinum Cafe.

Ice Wine

Ice Wine vines @ Inniskillin

I first learned about Ice Wine on a trip to the wineries on Niagara on the Lake while visiting the Falls with my family. It's funny, I went to school for 4 years in Buffalo, NY and visited Niagara Falls Canada quite often but never ventured past the falls.  Little did I know about 3 miles down the road is Niagara on the Lake, a cute town and 22 wineries. Many years later with kids in tow we stayed in this cute town and visited the wineries of course after we saw the Falls. It was the girl in the tasting room at Jackson-Triggs who educated us on the entire process of the ice wine harvest.

When the grapes are harvested for ice wine, it is usually done in the middle of the night between the hours of midnight and 5am.  The frozen grapes must be harvested and crushed before the sun and temperature rise.  She said when it is decided to harvest, a phone chain is started.  Everyone arrives at the vineyard around 11pm and 12am and the harvest begins. This was a few years ago, so I would tend to think it is still done today.

Ice Wine harvest @ Brotherhood Winery

In the Hudson Valley it is rare that a vineyard will harvest grapes in December or January for ice wine.  Last year Brotherhood Winery did just that with Riesling from their vineyard in Hudson, New York.  I was fortunate enough to be there for the harvest.  They did harvest the grapes during the day, but who am I to question it, it was pretty cold out!

I had just left the vineyard around 11am when the videographer arrived.  He did a very nice job with the video below of Brotherhood's Ice Wine. I believe they just released the wine and it is available in the tasting room.  I will have to get over there to get a bottle for review.

Happy Holidays from the Babysitter

I am singing Christmas carols and decorating my tree , thanks to Brotherhood Winery getting my Christmas spirit charged up.  Tonight I went with two of my crazy girlfriends(only ones kidless)to their Tree Lighting, we enjoyed a bottle of Riesling inside the beautiful warm tasting room. We giggled and enjoyed the art work on the walls, look carefully their are hearts in the stones….

 The tree lighting was beautiful with festive tunes and we all sang along. Santa was there to help and after the lighting there were movies for the kids in the main house.   

Of course where there is Santa there will be cookies and hot cocoa for all…. Great memories and an awesome time with good friends…. I highly suggest you mark this event on your calendar as it is all free except the wine and definitely fun for the entire family.

Magic on the Green featuring Brotherhood Wine

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Dutchess County (a program of Dutchess County Community Action Partnership) will be holding an event "Magic on the Green" Saturday September 11, 2010. If you like golf, food and wine this event is something you may want to check out.

The event will feature wine from Brotherhood, America's Oldest  Winery, golf clinic from 5p-6p and a silent auction featuring art created by the "littles" as they are called as well as local artists.

Event tickets are $30 and $50 if you want to attend the golf clinic. The event runs from 6pm - 9pm. Tickets can be purchased at http://magiconthegreen.eventbrite.com/ and must be purchased in advance.

Golf, food and wine to benefit Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Dutchess County.  A wonderful organization mentoring children and making a difference in their lives.

Get out and drink Cabernet on September 2

Cabernet Day - September 2, 2010 is a community owned celebration of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Blend and Cabernet Franc. Here in the Hudson Valley there are producers of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cab Blends and Cabernet Franc.  There are quite a number of vineyards that grow Cabernet Franc, however the Cabernet Sauvignon is grown on Long Island and transported to the Hudson Valley winery for processing.

As I write this there are four Hudson Valley wineries taking part in Cabernet Day on September 2.

1. Brotherhood Winery
2. R Winery at Robibero Family Vineyards  (offering 10% discount for people who would like to purchase their 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon and 2008 Cabernet Franc to use for Cabernet Day.)
3. Palaia Vineyards (offering 10% discount from August 23 - Sept 2 on their 2007 Cabernet Franc)
4. Whitecliff Vineyards & Winery

Where does this take place - the tasting room, your living room, your deck and on all social media sites and blogs including Facebook, Foursquare, Twitter, Friendfeed, Gowalla, Wordpress, Blogger etc...  Just use the #Cabernet hash tag in your post so it will be trackable by the search engines.

What time - all day - it's 5pm somewhere in the world.  It takes place in all time zones.

Why Cabernet Day? Cabernet is one of the most celebrated grapes in the world. Social Media makes it possible to connect with people who share the same interests as you. When you use the #Cabernet hash tag in your posts it makes it easier for people to find you and see what you are saying.  It also makes it easier for you to find people who are talking about the same subject.  It's like a giant table with all participants sitting together over a glass of wine - on September 2 - a glass of Cab.

How do I participate? Add #Cabernet to any thoughts, videos, tweets, blogs or experiences you have on September 2.  Search #Cabernet hash tag on google, twitter, facebook or any monitoring software you use.  Enjoy your Cabernet.

Any updates to participating wineries I will post closer to September 2.

Here is the link to the master invite to Cabernet Day.  http://cabernet.eventbrite.com/ if you want to publicly RSVP and see the participating wineries, restaurants and wine shops.





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Vinum Cafe at Brotherhood Winery

Twice I have had the opportunity to eat at Vinum Cafe located at Brotherhood Winery.  I just haven't had the time to write about it, so I apologize for putting it off. 

I usually tell people when they go out wine tasting to pack a picnic lunch.  Many of the wineries don't have food. Many people don't pack a lunch and wonder where they will be able to catch a bite to eat.  Look no further...Vinum Cafe has opened at Brotherhood Winery.

What is exceptionally nice is everything on the menu is under $12.95.  I've enjoyed a cheese burger and crab cakes at the Cafe.  My dining partner Colleen who happen to be with me both times enjoyed the chicken and mushrooms in a puff pastry and the salmon.  I seem to never have room for dessert and do want to try the Creme Brulee, as I heard it was very good.

There is a nice variety on the menu and the service is good.  The restaurant does have space for groups as well as a patio for outdoor dinning.

At the present time the restaurant only accepts cash, so make sure you bring enough as there is no ATM on site.

Oldest Winery in America meets the Oldest Brewery in America

The 2010 Wine & Beer Festival will take place on Saturday, June 26, 2010 from 1pm to 6pm at Brotherhood Winery in Washingtonville, NY. The event will feature Brotherhood’s famous collection of wines and Yuengling’s amazing assortment of beers along with many other favorite fine craft breweries and some really cool rock and blues bands.

The 2010 Wine & Beer Festival will take place on Saturday, June 26, 2010 from 1pm to 6pm at Brotherhood Winery in Washingtonville, NY. The event will feature Brotherhood’s famous collection of wines and Yuengling’s amazing assortment of beers along with many other favorite fine craft breweries and some really cool rock and blues bands.



Established in 1839, Brotherhood Winery, officially the Oldest Winery in America, has been creating an amazing variety of wines and champagnes for over 170 years and is home to the oldest and largest underground wine cellars in the country.

Founded in 1829, Yuengling Brewing Company, officially the Oldest Brewery in America, is a family owned company in Pottsville, PA now in its sixth generation spanning over 180 years of continuous operation.

It will be a great day of wine, beer and BBQ.  Tickets for the event are $60 per person and include food, entertainment and unlimited beer and wine sampling.  Tickets are available on the Brotherhood Winery website.

Restaurant Week Kick-off - Spotlight on Hudson Valley Wines

Today kicks off  Hudson Valley Restaurant Week. There are many restaurants to dine at during the next two weeks and many of them will be serving Hudson Valley Wines.

One restaurant group that is a great supporter of Hudson Valley Wines is Xaviars, owned by Chef Peter Kelly.  Two of his restaurants participating in Restaurant Week are Restaurant X and The Bully Boy Bar and X20 Xaviars on Hudson.  You will be able to enjoy a prix-fixe lunch for $20 and dinner for $28.  A wine and dine visit a  must!

Hudson Valley wines to be paired with the wonderful dishes Chef Peter Kelly will be creating are; Awosting White from Whitecliff Vineyard and Winery, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from Millbrook Vineyards and Winery and Cabernet Sauvignon from Brotherhood Winery.

It doesn't stop at the the wine.  They have created three wonderful cocktails to be served using Hudson Valley wines and spirits.  If  vodka is your spirit, try the Valley Cosmo made with Tuthilltown Heart of the Hudson Vodka and Creme de Violette.  For rum lovers, try the River Rim Punch made with Tuthilltown Rum, Strawberry and Pineapple.  For the fans of bubbly, try the Hudson Bubble Cocktail made with Brotherhood Blanc de Blanc and St. Germain Liqueur, Blood Orange.

Cheers to the beginning of Restaurant Week!

Mardi Gras and Valentines Day Wine Tasting Party at Brotherhood

Join Brotherhood Winery as they host a Mardi Gras Valentine Wine Tasting Party February 13, 2010 from 7pm-10pm.

This is a great 2 for one holiday event.  Where else can you take your loved one for Valentines Day and celebrate Mardi Gras at the same time with wine and food.

Mardi Gras Valentine Wine Tasting Party will feature wine, food, live music, dancing and of course Brotherhood’s world famous atmosphere. Each of the three open wine tasting bars – The Red Bar, the White Bar and the Dessert & Champagne Bar – will offer a selection of Brotherhood wines and champagnes along with foods and appetizers specifically paired with each tasting bar.

Join Brotherhood Winery and celebrate two of America’s famous holidays at America’s Oldest Winery.  The cost is $50 per person and includes foods and appetizers paired at each tasting bar.  The party runs from 7pm - 10pm .  For more information and to register click here.

A piece of Brotherhood Winery's History

On January 8, 1999 Brotherhood Winery suffered a major fire that destroyed two buildings. I remember that day when I heard about the fire. It was very devastating. People were talking about all the memories they had going to Brotherhood.

Here we are in 2010, 11 years after the fire and Brotherhood has rebuilt the area that the fire destroyed and it's looking better than ever!


 

Brotherhood Winery in the Albany Times Union

There was a nice article in the Albany Times Union yesterday.  I thought it would  be worth sharing with you.


Brotherhood Winery in the Albany Times Union    

What's on your Thanksgiving Table

As the holidays approach, we often find ourselves in the liquor/wine store contemplating our wine purchase.  Should we get a California Chardonnay, an Oregon Pinot Noir, a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand or South Africa? Everybody has their own Thanksgiving traditional meal.


I am very lucky to live in Hudson Valley Wine Country with over 25 wineries. There are regional wines that will match any palate and plate. Whether it's red, white or sparkling, you will fine some wonderful choices here in the tasting rooms as well as the liquor/wine store.  Yes many local wines can be found in the local liquor/wine stores.


What will be on my table Thursday?  One of my new favorites - Traminette. Whitecliff, Palaia and Benmarl all produce wonderful Traminette. In fact I just purchased 2 bottles of Benmarl's Traminette this weekend when I stopped by the tasting room.  For red wine lover at my table, we will have a Whitecliff Gamay Noir along with a Millbrook Block 5 East Pinot Noir.  There might even be some Brotherhood Blanc de Blanc making an appearance too.  What will be on yours?



There is wine produced in almost every state.  This Holiday Season, support your local community and businesses.  When you shop, when you dine, even when you purchase wine "THINK LOCAL FIRST!" (Thank you Charlie North- DCRCOC)

The Halloween Ball

I went to my first Halloween Ball Friday night.  I did dress up, I purchased a witch hat at the Halloween store and dressed in black.  I have to admit the Brotherhood Winery cellars are a great place for a Halloween party.  There are may undiscovered areas of these undergroud cellars.

The cellars were decorated tastefully and for the season.  As you can see my two previous husbands above.

There was a nice assortment of finger foods to munch on by Chef Sean.  Empenadas, Quesadillas, and an assortment of meats and cheese.  They had a nice selection of wine to choose from.  Of course I wanted to be difficult and wanted the dry Riesling which they weren't pouring so I settled for the Chardonnay. 

There were some great costumes. I saw Little Bo Peep and her lost sheep, Raggedy Ann & Andy, some Priests, and Monks, Witches and more.  However, even Cupid couldn't find me a date for the evening.  But I did run into a leprechaun who I haven't seen in a while.

Michelle even got me up and dancing.  Yes, I am picky about the songs I dance to as well as the wine I drink.  Sorry! I am a rock and roll girl.

I am told that next year Brotherhood will be utilizing the entire cellar caves for this Ball.  This was the first year of this event and I hope it continues.  It was a wonderful evening.  I leave you with a video that reminds me of the 'monster mash'.