May 31, 2024 | backyard bottles

No, the Hudson Valley is definitely not Napa or Sonoma.
And no, it doesn't have the same stellar wine reputation as Washington or Oregon.

But did you know our own backyard is one of the most intriguing and historically important wine areas in America?

Laying claim to both the oldest continuously operated winery in the US (persisting through Prohibition by making sacramental wines) and the oldest commercial vineyard in the country, the Hudson River Region stretches from just north of New York City to the Columbia County line just south of Albany, and consists of a complex mix of soils, situates and microclimates moderated by marine breezes from valley’s eponymous river and punctuated by the area’s freezing winter temperatures.

Though hybrids like seyval blanc, vidal blanc and baco noir thrive here, more well known, cold-tolerant varieties like riesling, chardonnay and cabernet franc can also be found, with smaller pockets of unexpected grapes like albarino and tocai friulano somehow succeeding more and more.

Also succeeding increasingly is a cadre of young and innovative winemakers farming mindfully and applying a lighter touch in the cellar.

Though we encourage you to get out there and explore the sites of these local producers now that the weather is more favorable, today (Friday 5.31!) we'll be pouring a tasting flight produced here, in our said "backyard," perfect for uncorking and sipping in your actual backyard.

One of the state's only takes on tocai friulano, a very small-batch orange wine produced in local facilities using Finger Lakes fruit and the latest vintage of a favorite Milton-made rosé will all be open.


Click through the links below to learn more about what we're sampling, then stop by  from 4-7 to try them yourself!

Millbrook Winery Tocai Friulano Hudson River Region 2022
Eminence Road 'Basket' White Blend Finger Lakes 2021
Fjord Vineyards Rosé Hudson River Region 2023