A Trip To Dutchess County Wine Country: New York

The sunroof open and classic 70’s rock blasting, I drove a winding country road–the smell of fall–earth and pine was hanging in the air.  A gentle breeze sent a flurry of multicolored leaves dancing and eventually settling in the seat beside me.

I’d long wanted to visit the Hudson River Valley during the fall foliage season. Normally I’m not a fan of solo road trips, but I had a super cute car to drive, and an itinerary that included award-winning wineries plus several historic homes turned museums.

 

The Hudson Valley is very agricultural, colored with vineyards, orchards, farms, and forests. The roads can be narrow and serpentine, and often hilly.  You really can’t see far ahead.  You’ll want a comfortable and responsive ride, and the Mazda 3 Grand Touring vehicle fits the bill nicely for me. 

One of my favorite features was the multiple adjustments for the seats. I’m a petite person which makes it challenging to find a car that’s comfortable to drive. Imagine driving on a beautiful country road with almost no one else around, in a 6-speed! It didn’t take me long to go all out.

 

Follow The Duchess County Wine Trail 

My first stop, Millbrook Vineyards, was voted a top winery in the Hudson Valley.

 

As I turned off Wing Road onto the property for Millbrook Winery I thought if a winery could win awards on looks alone, Millbrook had it made. The beautiful landscape had me itching to break out my camera.  Honestly, wine travel is where it’s at – it satisfies all five senses. Even if you don’t love wine the scenery is always stellar.

The harvest was still underway and the vines were heavy with fruit and yellow, gold, and orange leaves. The sky was dark with rain clouds and the smell of earth and fruit filled the air. I could have stayed there for hours just soaking up the fragrance and colors – and photographing everything.

 

Located on the site of a former dairy farm, Millbrook has 30 acres devoted to wine grapes: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet France, and an Italian variety called Tocai Friulano.

Millbrook was the first winery in the United States to plant the Tocai Friulano grape. I do love anything Italian and the Tocai Friulano was no exception. Rich, ripe fruit flavors and a hint of minerality made me want to pair it with some nice Asian food. The 2013 Tocai Friulano Proprietor’s Special Reserve was a gold medal winner in the NY Food and Wine competition.

My tasting was hosted by Jackie, who knows her stuff. Not only that, but she was fun and vivacious.  A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, Jackie spent three weeks in Italy as part of her education. My kind of girl!

Millbrook sources grapes from California and Italy too

Dedicated to growing only grapes that are suited for the soil and climate of the region, Millbrook wines have received accolades from top publications such as Wine Spectator, the New York Times, The New York Daily News, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, and Bon Appetit.

Millbrook also sources grapes from their vineyards in California and Italy. Several wines from the Pebble Ridge Vineyards on California’s central coast are included in the portfolio tasting.

Millbrook is open daily from 12:00 – 5:00 p.m. Be sure to check the website for updates.

Update: Clinton Vineyards is under new ownership

Clinton Vineyards

My second stop on the Dutchess County wine trail was the award-winning and extremely picturesque Clinton Vineyards. The owner, Phyllis Feder, was busy preparing for a busload of wine and food writers when I arrived but generously spent time sharing what makes Clinton Vineyards special.

Ben Feder (founder of Clinton Vineyards and Phyllis’ late husband), was a renowned artist who dreamed of having a world-class winery in the Hudson Valley but understood that the climate was somewhat limiting. He chose to specialize in the Seyval grape, which could withstand the Hudson Valley winters.

“Our mission is to emulate the tradition, quality, and passion of small estate vineyards in France. Happily, wine drinkers around the globe tell us we’ve succeeded.”
  — Phyllis Feder, Owner, Clinton Vineyards

Clinton Vineyards also produces sparkling wines

The first vintage of Seyval Blanc was an instant success. From there Ben went to France and studied at the famous Bollinger Vineyards, where he learned to produce champagne using the traditional methode champenoise.

Clinton Vineyards specializes in producing single varietal wines, all estate bottled from the Seyval, another grape I’d never heard of before. (This is another thing I love about wine: there’s always something new).

Phyllis is a warm person… easy to talk to, and  I soon felt I was with a good friend.  My comfort level increased when she had me pour the wine. Has that ever happened to you?

I tasted the Jubilee Champagne and the 2012 and 2013 Victory White.  Tasting different vintages of the same wine is a great way to learn that there is more to winemaking than growing grapes. Though each wine I tasted was made from the Seyval grape,  each had unique aromas, flavors, and nuances.

Clinton Vineyards also produces exceptional dessert wines, and their Cassis has won many awards. It would make a divine Kir Royal mixed with one of the sparkling wines.

My favorite memory of Clinton Vineyards was a story that Phyllis shared with me. She told me when Ben proposed to her she said, “Yes, I’ll marry you, but I have one caveat, you have to change the color of the label.” Though Ben was an accomplished artist, he trusted her judgment, as Phyllis was quite accomplished in design herself, having worked for a prestigious New York firm. That original color can be seen on the walls in the comfortable and elegant tasting room.

Known as the Jewel in the crown of the Hudson Valley, Clinton Vineyards is open seasonally.

Stay 

If you’re traveling to Dutchess County overnight check out this Hampton Inn by Hilton, conveniently located to many tourist attractions. It has a swimming pool, office center, onsite laundry facilities, buffet breakfast, and clean, modern rooms. You can compare rates on affiliate Hotels.com sites here. 

These fun and modern cabins in Rhinebeck with a view of the river are quite cool too! Here’s the Hotels.com link.

 

My visit was partially sponsored by Dutchess County Tourism and Mazda. All opinions and views expressed are my own.