Wine-tasting

Among all the pleasurable things to do when travel is wine-tasting. Last week, I was invited by a friend to spend a couple of days at a family farmhouse in Ghent, Columbia County, Upstate New York. The train ride from Pennsylvania station in New York City to Hudson Town took about two and a half hours. Snaking along the side of the Hudson River, designated as one of the great American rivers, the train cut through the Valley giving me a rare opportunity to enjoy the views and landscapes rich in American history, the Westpoint Military Academy, the stately homes of prominent American leaders, and scattered farmlands on the rolling hills between the Catskill and the Berkshires mountain ranges. Highlight of this trip is a visit to the
Hudson-Chatham Winery, owned by Dominique and her husband Carlo Devito. Dominique is managing this award-winning winery on a day to day basis. On the day of my visit, she organized for me and for my friends the best wine-tasting event that I have ever experienced. She prepared plates of cheeses produced from the local area, the Aged Alpine cheese, the Camembert and Rasberry cheese. She recommended to us which cheese should be serve with what wine form the winery such as: the Hudson River Red, Cabernet Franc, Reisling, Lindenwald White, Ghent Blush and Pomme Bulle. She let us sample the desert wines established under the Paperbirch lable which also won an award. The Highlands Fine Ruby desert wine was excellent. It is a port-style, made from De Chaunac and Baco Noir grapes grown in the Hudson Highlands. It was nice to have wine and cheese in her new wine-tasting room set up in a cottage on a small rolling hill with windows all around looking out on the farmland. This is true to the owners’ concept for the winery,” to showcase and produce distinctive New York State wines in an enjoyable setting”. In addition, I learned many things about wine business from Dominique and enjoyed her lively conversational and enthusiastic style when she introduced new wines to us. For those interested, you can also drive to the Hudson-Chatham winery which is opened Saturday-Sunday 12pm-5:30pm. Appointments have to be made by phone (518-392-WINE) or by emai: info@hudson-chathamwinery.com The winery address is 1900 State Route 66, Ghent, NY 12075.