Last weekend I took a train ride upstate to attend the Hudson Valley Wine and Food Festival. It was such a fun day and full of surprises.
Fave Finds…
I wandered all over the fair grounds, into and out of stalls…tasted great food and wine. But at the end of the day of sipping, I’ve got two favorites that I am looking forward to having again:
2009 Merlot, Coffee Pot Cellars – dry, black fruit aromas, well-integrated French oak flavor, crisp acidity…absolutely fabu!
2009 Chambourcin, Johnson Estate Winery – soft cherry aroma, earthy and delicate tannins…reminds me of a young Burgundy.
Expect the Unexpected…
Speaking of surprises, I was caught off-guard by the fun, diverse and creative approach to wine-making that I experienced from some of the wineries. I tasted a few wines made from fruit juice, like peaches. One wine maker used non-traditional concord grapes to make a few of their wines. The concord grape wines were sweet, reminded me of grape jelly or candy, and had names like “Purple Haze.” Sweet wine was definitely a crowd favorite overall, and many vendors produced sweet versions of classic varietals. Several wineries made ice wine, a sweet wine made by freezing grapes to separate out the ice (water) from the concentrated syrupy grape sugars. I also tasted a sweet white wine spiced with ginger and cloves…it was delish, and I could imagine simmering fruit in it for a smashing dessert.
If you’re interested in more event pics, check out the photo album. All in all, it was a beautiful hot day, a great intro to a fun side of vino, and a fine farewell to summer.
