Upstate New York includes several historic vineyards that produce a variety of award-winning wines.
The State of New York is the home of the largest city in the United States as well as some of the most varied terrain in the northeast. Its upstate regions include the Hudson Valley, the Finger Lakes, and the Adirondacks, and located within these areas are some of the oldest vineyards in the country with tasting rooms that are open to the public.
Brotherhood Winery
The Brotherhood Winery (brotherhood-winery.com) is a historic Hudson Valley winery located in the town of Washingtonville. Established by the Jaques family in 1839, it is the oldest operating winery in the United States. It offers award-winning wines produced from its vineyards in the town of Hudson that range from premium wines (cabernet, chardonnay, merlot, riesling, and pinot noir) to dessert wines (port, sherry, and ice wine). The winery offers individual and group tours of its facilities seven days a week, which include a visit to the underground wine cellars, wine tastings, and a keepsake Brotherhood Winery wine glass.
Hazlitt 1852
The Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards and Winery (hazlitt1852.com) is in the Finger Lakes Region on the eastern shore of Seneca Lake. Established in 1852, this winery has been family-run for six generations. In addition to producingred and white wines, it is known for its Hazlitt Red Cat, a sweet, red wine produced from the local Catawba grapes. The winery provides wine tastings seven days a week and its tasting room was named one of the Top 25 Tasting Rooms in the United States by "Wine Enthusiast" magazine in May 2008.
Pleasant Valley Wine Company
The Pleasant Valley Wine Company (pleasantvalleywine.com), also known as the Great Western Winery, sits near the town of Hammondsport in the Finger Lakes Region. Founded in 1860, it is the oldest winery in the region and it offers Pleasant Valley wines ranging from blush to white as well as the wines from the Caywood and Seneca Harbor Vineyards. It is also the home of the award-winning Great Western Champagne. The property also includes the Great Western Winery Visitor Center, which provides daily, 45-minute guided tours of the eight historic stone buildings and variety of wine-making exhibits. Pleasant Valley was named one of the "Five Don't-Miss Wineries" in the Finger Lakes area by the "Philadelphia Inquirer."
O-Neh-Da Vineyard
The O-Neh-Da Vineyard (onehda.com), on the western shore of Hemlock Lake in the Finger Lakes Region, was founded in 1872. This vineyard produces sacramental white, pink, and red wines (in accordance to Catholic Canon Law) for use by clergy in churches worldwide. To support its production costs, it also provides a variety of white and red table wines through its Eagle Crest Vineyards label. The winery is open to the public from Monday through Friday with weekends available by appointment only.
Stoutridge Vineyard
The Stoutridge Vineyard (stoutridge.com) in Marlboro, approximately 70 miles north of New York City, includes a sporadic history that dates back to 1902. When it was closed by prohibition in 1919, it served as a bootleg distillery until 1956. After years of neglect, its vineyards were replanted in 2001 and the winery opened for business in 2006. It now produces riesling, pinot noir, and special wines made from the Teroldego and Sangiovese grapes on its acres of hillside vineyards. The winery is open to the public from Friday to Sunday throughout the year.
Tags: Finger Lakes, Pleasant Valley, Brotherhood Winery, Finger Lakes Region, Great Western
