ny wine - The Michael Pour

Last week, The Michael Pour traveled to the Hudson River Region in southeastern NY just north of NYC and west of Connecticut. The purpose of my travel was to simply get on the road and venture somewhere new. The story that proceeds is both a wine and travel guide to parts of the Hudson Valley.

Although the weather this time of year can be problematic, I felt the need for a change of scenery. Cabin fever is a real thing in Central NY and this winter season has been brutal.

I landed in Poughkeepsie, NY (say that a few times) in the heart of the lower Hudson River Wine Region AVA, one of NY’s fine wine regions and undiscovered terroirs.

The locals will tell you that there isn’t much going on there, but I beg to differ. The town offers some really cool places to see and experience, including farm to table restaurants, shops, cultural destinations, and on top of that, nice people, hospitable people.

My plan for the week was to be spontaneous and let the universe guide me. Yes, wine is always on the agenda, but I was open to all kinds of fun and experiences. The Red Line Diner in Fishkill, Millhouse Brewery in Poughkeepsie business district, Bonsai Japanese restaurant in Poughkeepsie, and Marist University should be on your radar.

At one of my stops, I visited a local, boutique wine shop called “Boutique Wines & Spirits” in Fishkill, NY. When I literally stumbled upon it, I was pleasantly surprised. The staff were very knowledgeable about local and worldly wine. They were also very helpful and engaging. I wasn’t aware that they are a premier supplier of NY cider and mead and a certified shop for whiskey afficionados.

Follow this link to learn more about them – Boutique Wine Shops to Visit for Vino in the Hudson Valley

My 5-minute stop turned into a 20-minute wine discussion with a seasoned wine associate, Jen, and a young gentleman who just earned his WSET Level 2 in Wine & Spirits from the same school I earned mine from back in the day. The small, quaint shop had beautifully arranged sections with curated selection of bottles, tap system, and a nicely lit ambiance and a signature tree enveloping the room. It was welcoming, cozy and warming in many ways.

He was enthusiastic about sharing his experience, learning what I do, and picked my brain a bit. It was a lovely and fun experience and nice to make wine friends so far away from home. I walked away with a local Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc, which they recommended. I will share info about those wines and wineries below.

I took the shop’s business card and promised to keep in touch and visit next time I’m in the area for the upcoming wine season. I would like to plan an official trip to the region for a wine tour. I am confident that the Boutique Wine staff will be a great resource for my business going forward.

Later that night, I reached out to Paige, the owner of the wine shop, on social media to express my sincere gratitude for the awesome experience. She is certified as a sommelier and pommelier (cider), WSET, and Whiskey. It is rare to find an owner of a wine and spirits shop to be so credentialed. When she responded, we had a nice conversation and discussed social networking and collaboration in the future.

You can find them at http://boutiquewsc.com and instagram @boutique_wines_spirits. The website is well organized with lots of info and accolades. As a wine professional and consumer, I highly recommend stopping in the shop or placing an order for all your wine, spirit, and cider needs and plethora of local offerings.

Keep an eye out for their ongoing events in the area and in the shop. They have put together a nice set of links for everything you need to know on their instagram bio.

Here are the wines I picked up from them. I was able to snap some cool images throughout the week. If you’re in the area, both wineries are about 40 mins apart so they and other wineries on the wine trail can be easily accessed in one half-day. I uploaded a map of New York’s Wine Regions for your geographic reference. Let’s plan a wine trip!

Brotherhood Winery Pinot Noir, New York Premium Selection 2019

Brotherhood Winery, located in Washingtonville, NY, is the oldest continuously operating winery in the United States, with roots dating back to 1839. Founded by Jean Jaques, it survived Prohibition by producing sacramental and medicinal wines. It is a premier Hudson Valley destination, famous for its historic underground cellars and wine tourism.

This Pinot Noir is described by the winery as being light to medium-bodied, with berry, tea leaf and earthy aroma characteristics. Dry, light ruby in color, with berry and cherry flavors and hints of earth and mushrooms. Great value, with real Pinot personality. Perfect with broiled salmon, chicken and veal.

Specifically, the nose display notes of ripe red fruits, like cherry and raspberry, that mingle with hints of earthy undertones. Reviewers note fresh berries, plum, violet, cranberry, cherry, black tea, blueberry, and forest floor.

On the palate, it is filled with berry and cherry flavors along with hints of earth and mushrooms. The wine is described as fruity with a mushroom finish, and well-integrated tannins. It has a soft texture and moderate alcohol content.

On the finish, it promotes smooth tannins and well-integrated oak add depth to the wine, while a lingering finish leaves a lasting impression.

Stylistically, it is described as having a “Burgundian” style with a light brick-red in color. Community reviewers note it is surprisingly light for a Pinot Noir.

Being an older vintage of PN, I can testify to the color transforming to an even lighter brick red now and emerging dried fruit and truffle, soil character. I would recommend drinking this vintage sooner than later. Pinot Noir often deteriorates with age depending on the balance upon release. It currently retails at $17.99 or less (great value).

Whitecliff Vineyard Cabernet Franc Hudson River Region 2023

Founded in 1979 in Gardiner, NY, Whitecliff Vineyard & Winery is a premier Hudson Valley producer known for sustainable, vegan, award-winning wines and over 20 grape varieties. Originally experimental, the vineyard grew into one of the region’s largest, with a focus on cold and climate-resistant hybrids and vinifera and officially opened to the public in 1999.

This Cabernet Franc is a highly regarded, estate-grown, and dry New York red from the Hudson River Region. It typically showcases a light-to-medium body with complex notes of cherry, strawberry, leather, and herbs, often featuring a deep forestry and brush aromatic quality. Pair it with pork BBQ and meatloaf.

It contains concentrated red fruits (cherry, strawberry) with herbal and earthy/leather notes. Bright acidity and a soft, slightly fleshy mouthfeel. It currently retails for about $32, but you can find for less at some online retailers.

This vintage is not yet rated. Previous vintages have earned 90+ points from Wine Enthusiast and received accolades at the San Francisco International Wine Competition and American Wine Society Commercial Competition.

If you want to experience light to medium reds from New York, search for these particular wines as well as other reds at your local wine shop, like Boutique Wine & Spirits or order online. I plan on visiting Brotherhood, Whitecliff, and many other Hudson wineries when the warm weather returns. Here are a few others of note: Milea Estate, Millbrook, City Winery, Neverstill.

New York wine regions are producing some really good classic red wines stylistically close to French Bordeaux and Burgundy, but at an affordable cost and accessible. The improvement over the past decade has been significant and promising for cool-climate red varietals.

If you have any questions or need shopping or pairing advice, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me here or on social media. If interested, our local Syracuse Chapter of Women for Wine Sense is conducting a fun wine event on February 22nd from 2-4 at The Tasting Room, Sky Armory, in downtown Syracuse.

Details are on the website at https://womenforwinesense.org/syracuse-page/ to sign up and become a member. Social media page is @winesensesyracuse. Mine is @themichaelpour. Come follow us and get in on all the wine action! As a board member, you will find me at all the events.

The Michael Pour is organizing monthly wine meetups in the Syracuse, NY market. More info is available is on the instagram page. The purpose of the meetup is for wine lovers of all knowledge and interest levels from the area to gather and learn about wine, socialize, network, and meet new people in a fun, casual setting. If interested, I hope to put one together for March.

If you enjoyed this post, don’t forget to sign up for my free email newsletter so you get notified when stories are poured. You don’t want to miss a drop. The advantage is that you get early access before its published to social media and as a subscriber you will be entered into occasional raffles, giveaways, and event discounts.

Until next time….Is there another wine adventure for me this season? In the meantime, stay tuned and stay warm NY!

“Happy V-Day”

Cheers, Michael

On the largest island in the contiguous US, you will find diverse wine styles from well-structured red wines to refreshing white, rosé, and sparkling wines. The North Fork of Long Island, which is located 75 miles east of New York City, is known for its tranquil waterfront charm, pebble beaches, lush farmland and rich vegetation, and wealth of family-run and sustainable vineyards.

The Long Island American Viticultural Area (AVA) has a similar maritime climate to the classic Bordeaux Region of France due to its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. With being surrounded by water, the area is well protected from the cold and harsh winter seasons and the hottest summers, which is ideal for growing Bordeaux-type varieties.

Unlike other regions in New York, Long Island has always focused on Vitis vinifera grapes because it’s a warmer climate. It doesn’t have to focus just on cool climate and hybrid varieties. Even though it has a warmer climate, Long Island has the tumultuous Atlantic Ocean influence, which is why many vineyards are located in the North Fork sub-region of Long Island. The vineyards here are protected by the Peconic Bay around the island.

Terroir

Terroir is a French term literally meaning ‘sense of place’ describing the growing conditions for wine grapes. As mentioned earlier, Long Island has a very similar climate to Bordeaux but is a little warmer. With more growing days and hours of sunshine, you might expect riper styles of wine. In fact, Long Island has the same latitude as hot Barcelona, Spain. However, because of the cold Atlantic Ocean, Long Island wines tend to be ripe, but not over ripe or jammy compared to traditional warm climates, like California, Spain, and Australia.

One of the other factors affecting grape-growing in Long Island is the higher amount of precipitation, but the free draining, indigenous sandy soils and glacial moraines remaining from the last Ice Age drain away any excess water. This prevents the grapes from becoming bloated causing increased sugar levels, which can be catastrophic for dry wines.

The combination of adequate sunshine, moderately warm weather, gravelly and sandy soils, and proximity to the ocean leads to juicy red wines that are not overly tannic, heavy, or high in alcohol. The resulting red wines have savory aromas and characteristics, and white wines are high in acid with a unique saline profile not found too often in other wine regions around the world.

Long Island Wines

There are Bordeaux varieties, such as Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon, but also traditional-method Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, some edgy styles of Pet Nat, and orange wines. Many of the wines, thanks to the cooling influence of the Atlantic, are lower in alcohol, around 11-12.5%, with lighter styles from Bordeaux and fresh fruit flavors.

Sub-Regions of Long Island

The main AVA is Long Island but, in reality, the main spot where most vineyards are planted is in North Fork, thanks to the protection of Peconic Bay. However, people can source grapes from the entire Island where you will see Long Island AVA on the label.

North Fork of Long Island

The North Fork of Long Island is warmer than the rest of Long Island (including the Hamptons) and receives more sunshine leading to wines with riper fruit flavors and fuller bodies, and often higher alcohol compared to other NY regions in New York. The North Fork of Long Island AVA was established in 1986, sixteen years before Long Island AVA.

Over the last 10 years or so, the North Fork has enjoyed a major evolution with critical acclaim from wine experts and the international wine community. I have become fascinated with the quality and versatility of their wines that I started to use North Fork wines for my company events and wine tastings with clients as well as enjoying them myself and in my travels. Look for their wines to be featured and reviewed here and on social media.

One winery in particular whom I’ve recently become an unofficial brand ambassador for is Macari Vineyards. Macari Vineyards, whose 500 acres features a beautiful and spacious tasting room and covered deck where top-end red flights, a bottle of the cult-favorite ‘Horses’ Pet-Nat, and award-winning Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Bergen Road Red Blend are paired with charcuterie, cheese, and other delicacies.

Macari’s wine estate, which is biodynamic and sustainable, is located in Mattituck overlooking scenic Long Island Sound. The property has been in the family for over 40 years spanning three generations using traditional farming methods. The family themselves nurture the soil and vines. Nearby, Meadowlark, Macari’s sister property, pours small-batch wines and hosts events. Visit their site at the hyperlink above. I look forward to a visit there soon.

The Hamptons of Long Island

Established in 1985, this southern part of the island is better known for celebrity beach houses and where affluent New Yorkers go to get away from it all. However, it’s also a great place for refreshing wines from Long Island, particularly rosé and sparkling wines. Cooler than the North Fork due to massive exposure to the Atlantic Ocean, you can expect higher acid content in the wine along with lighter styles and zesty white wines.

Quick Facts:

There are 90 Wineries in Long Island as of 2022.
Largest island in the contiguous United States.
Established May 15, 2001.
New vineyards planted in 1973 in North Fork sub-region.
1815 acres of vineyards planted.
First vineyards were planted in the 1820s, but all succumbed to disease pressure.
Over half the planted acres in Long Island are in the dedicated sustainability program (LISW).
Merlot is the most planted grape variety in Long Island.

As the parent of the super popular Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc is often overshadowed by its own progeny. It also the parent of Merlot. However, this underrated grape produces some very good, complex, and food-friendly wines that are the best in the world mirroring those from Loire Valley and Bordeaux, France. Cab Franc is truly the signature red grape of Long Island and all of NY.

Wines made from Cab Franc range from light and quaffable to rich and tannic depending on both region and winemaking styles. Cool-climate examples from the Loire Valley, Finger Lakes, or Long Island can be lively and fresh with tart red fruit, green pepper notes, and better than average acidity.

They can be aged in stainless steel for a punchier red fruit expression and lighter style or in oak barrels to add hints of cedar, tobacco, and spice with fuller body. Cabernet Francs from warmer sites like Napa Valley and Paso Robles can result in bigger wines with juicy, ripe fruit, and typically a heavier oak influence with use of American or new oak barrels.

Cheers,

Michael Nagy, michael@michaelpour.com

Tag: ny wine

An Unexpected Wine Adventure in NY’s Hudson River Region