Wine of the Week: Benmarl 2024 Estate Grown Chardonnay

 After spending an afternoon canning pickles, standing over a hot stove, sterilizing jars, watching the clock for processing time. By the end of it, I wasn't looking for anything fancy. Just a glass of something good to help me unwind. I reached for the 2024 Benmarl Estate Grown Chardonnay.

One sip in, and I wasn't in my kitchen anymore. Benmarl's tasting room sits high above the Hudson River, and that view came right back to me — one of the best in the Hudson Valley.

That's one of the things I love most about wine. It has the remarkable ability to bring back memories and transport you to places you've enjoyed.

The 2024 Estate Grown Chardonnay opens with delicate aromas of white flowers before revealing flavors of crisp green apple and juicy stone fruit. While this Chardonnay is beautifully fresh, it also has a gentle, rounded creaminess that gives the wine wonderful texture without overwhelming the fruit. It strikes that balance between freshness and richness that makes you want another sip.

It's an easy wine to enjoy on its own after a long day, but it would also pair beautifully with roasted chicken, grilled seafood, creamy pasta dishes, or a simple cheese board featuring local cheeses.

About Benmarl Winery

Perched high above the Hudson River in Marlboro, New York, Benmarl Winery is home to the oldest continuously producing vineyard in the United States, with roots tracing back to grape breeder A.J. Caywood's plantings in 1877. The name comes from the Gaelic "ben" (hill) and "marl" (the soil found on the property), given by artist and owner Mark Miller when he took over the land in the 1950s. Today the winery is owned by the Spaccarelli family and holds New York Farm Winery license number one — a fitting distinction for a place that's been growing grapes on this hillside for well over a century.

Beyond the wines themselves, Benmarl has become a destination thanks to its breathtaking panoramic views of the Hudson River, making every visit as memorable as the wines in the glass.

After an afternoon spent preserving the summer harvest, this Chardonnay was the perfect way to slow down, relax, and enjoy a quiet evening.

Have you visited Benmarl Winery? If you have, I'd love to hear what wine you enjoyed while taking in that unforgettable Hudson River view.

 

Hudson Valley Wineries Win at Classic

The Hudson Valley Wineries took home 24 Medals at the NY Wine & Food Classic.  Congratulations go out to Hudson-Chatham Winery, Benmarl Winery, Brotherhood Winery, Clinton Vineyards, Robibero Family Vineyards, Whitecliff Vineyards & Winery, Millbrook Vineyards & Winery, Oak Summit Vineyards,Tuthilltown Spirits  & Stoutridge Vineyards.


Here are the Medal Winners:

GOLD
Hudson-Chatham Winery 2008 Baco Noir Reserve Casscles Family Vineyard

SILVER
Benmarl Winery 2008 Baco Noir
Benmarl Winery 2008 Frontenac
Brotherhood, America's Oldest Winery 2008 Pinot Noir
Brotherhood, America's Oldest Winery 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon
Clinton Vineyards NV Nuit
Hudson-Chatham Winery NV Paperbirch Cassis of Good Farm
Robibero Family Vineyards NV Dry Riesling
Robibero Family Vineyards NV Riesling
Tuthilltown Spirits NV Hudson Baby Bourbon Whiskey
Tuthilltown Spirits NV Hudson Single Malt Whiskey
Tuthilltown Spirits NV Hudson Manhattan Rye Whiskey
Tuthilltown Spirits NV Hudson 4-Grain Bourbon
Whitecliff Vineyard & Winery 2009 Chardonnay
Whitecliff Vineyard & Winery NV Awosting White
Whitecliff Vineyard & Winery NV Redtail

BRONZE
Brotherhood, America's Oldest Winery 2009 Riesling
Clinton Vineyards 2009 Tribute
Millbrook Vineyards & Winery 2009 Tocai Friulano Estate Bottled
Millbrook Vineyards & Winery 2008 Pinot Noir Block Five East Estate Bottled 
Oak Summit 2008 Pinot Noir Estate Bottled
Robibero Family Vineyards NV Cabernet Franc
Stoutridge Vineyard 2008 Seyval Blanc Unfined Unfiltered 
Stoutridge Vineyard 2007 Frontenac Unfined Unfiltered

Empire - 1 State, 3 Wine Regions, 3 Grapes, 1 Wine

What comes to my mind when I hear the term Empire is first the state I live in, second is an Empire Apple. Now Empire has a entire new meaning - A Wine! Empire - 1 State, 3 Wine Regions, 3 carefully selected vineyards, 3 grapes produce one awesome one!

The Empire wine is the creation of Carlo and Dominique DeVito, owners of Hudson Chatham Winery. It is a unique reserve meritage blended from three of New Yorks' most accomplished wine regions. Carlo & Dominique took the signature grapes from each of the three regions, Finger Lakes - Cabernet Franc, Hudson Valley - Baco Noir and Long Island - Merlot to blend this red wine.

Two-thirds of the wine was blended and aged in French oak while one-third was aged in American oak for about 16 months. The wine was then blended together in stainless steel, bottled and released six months later.

Carlo and Dominque are very proud of this blend and they should be. They wanted to showcase a New York State wine in a way not showcased before that represents the three major growing regions in the state. To read more of the story about the creation of Hudson-Chatham Winery's Empire click here.

I got to taste this wine this weekend. The first time I tasted Empire was Saturday, with Dominique and Linda Pierro from Hudson Valley Wine Magizine. The bottle had been recently opened. My initial taste was wow, the Baco Noir really comes through on this wine, with the strong spice of the Cabernet Franc to finish. I liked it, but felt the Baco really overpowered the wine. Leather and smoke with a hint of plum in the background and a long finish accompanied by the spice of the Cabernet Franc.

Sunday was a different day. Sunday I tasted the wine at the end of the day with Carlo. This bottle had been opened for a while so it had been "decanted" so to speak. It was a different wine. Soft, brought out the cherry flavor of the merlot, soft spice of the Cabernet Franc with hints of the cedar of the Baco Noir in the background. It was like I was drinking a different wine. Then again, that's what aeration does. My thoughts are this wine is good now and it's going to age very well.

Hudson-Chatham Winery only made 70 cases of this wine. If you are at the winery, or a farmers market and have the opportunity to taste Empire, and like it, purchase it. If you take the time to decide and come back later, you will be out of luck.

Quadricentennial Labels Commemorate the 2009 Vintage of Hudson Valley Wines

A Quadricentennial Commemorative Wine Label will brand special 2009 releases of Hudson Valley wine to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the discovery of the Hudson River. Participating Hudson Valley wineries will release one red and one white wine made from 100% Hudson Valley-grown grapes or fruit to commemorate the year-long celebration.

These special gold labels are emblazoned with the Hudson-Fulton-Champlain Quadricentennial-themed logo, “ExploreNY400” and will help to place a spotlight on the contributions the region has made in the world of viticulture since its earliest origins. Tourists can visit the wineries or attend one of the many wine events around the region this year and take home a souvenir of the Quadricentennial in the form of a bottle of locally-made wine. More information about the labels and the winemaking history of Hudson River Valley can be found in the Spring 2009 issue of Hudson Valley Wine magazine or online at www.hvwinemag.com.

Nearly 50,000 bottles of these special 2009 commemorative Quadricentennial wines will be available for purchase at participating wineries throughout the Hudson Valley. The wineries include (in alphabetical order):
- Adair Vineyards, New Paltz
- Applewood Winery, Warwick
- Benmarl Winery, Marlboro
- Brookview Station Winery, Castleton-on-Hudson
- Brotherhood Winery, Washingtonville
- Hudson-Chatham Winery, Ghent
- Millbrook Vineyards & Winery, Millbrook
- Palaia Vineyards, Highland Mills
- Pazdar Winery, Scotchtown
- Silver Stream Winery, Monroe
- Stoutridge Vineyard, Marlboro
- Warwick Valley Winery & Distillery, Warwick
- Whitecliff Vineyard, Gardiner

The Hudson River Region is one of nine designated AVAs (American Viticultural Areas) in New York State, and is the oldest winemaking region in the country with its grape growing origins dating back to the discovery of the river by Henry Hudson in 1609. Hudson remarked on the abundance of native grapes and fruits growing alongside the banks of the River during his maiden voyage and shortly thereafter, early settlers were encouraged to grow grapes to make wine. The earliest vineyards in the country are attributed to the French Huguenots who settled in present-day New Paltz, Ulster County. There are now over 30 wineries located in the region on both sides of the Hudson River, with the oldest winery, Brotherhood Winery, remaining the oldest winery in continuous operation in the United States.


About the Hudson-Fulton-Champlain Quadricentennial:
This year, 2009, marks the 400th anniversaries of the voyage of English Captain Henry Hudson, who led the first European expedition to sail up the river that now bears his name, and the voyage of Frenchman Samuel de Champlain, the first to discover the namesake lake. To celebrate these simultaneous 400th anniversaries – as well as the 200th anniversary of Robert Fulton’s maiden steamboat journey up the Hudson River – New York State is planning a yearlong series of events, programs and projects that highlight the discovery of New York, celebrating the State’s Dutch, French and English roots and heritage. For more information go to www.exploreny400.com.