There’s more than one river running through the Hudson Valley.
While the mighty Hudson gives the region its namesake, the flowing trails of local vino are what mark the Valley as one of the most beloved wine countries in the United States. The reputation is well-deserved, too. Throughout the Hudson Valley, winemakers craft vintages that are always a cut above the rest. Whether they’re keeping production as close to the estate as possible, prioritizing sustainable practices, or switching it up with cider, the wineries of the Hudson Valley find perfect harmony between cutting-edge practices and traditional techniques.
If the results are any indication, their dedication is a sure formula for success. Hudson Valley wines are award-winners across the board, and that’s not just a figure of speech. Luckily for Hudson Valleyites, they’re all right at our fingertips.
Here, we’re uncorking our most comprehensive vino guide yet—dozens of must-visit wineries and vineyards across the Hudson Valley’s counties. We guarantee they’ll make your spring and summer day trips a lot more fun. Cheers!
The Wineries
Whether you’re a savvy oenophile, a seasoned sommelier, or an eager and curious amateur, you’ll enjoy visiting these Hudson Valley wineries. In addition to proffering distinctive and delicious wines (with some offering just a few vintages and others offering as many as 50), each one has its own ambiance. In addition to tastings, pairings, and tours, some offer lunch and dinner, others live music, dancing, and even wagon rides. Visit one, or make a weekend of it and visit several. Just make sure to appoint a designated driver!
Columbia County
Clermont Vineyards & Winery
Clermont
This family-owned winery with over 4,000 vines was once a farm occupied by herds of dairy cows. Since 2014, cousins and owners Tony Trigo and Vasco Meireles have produced 10 whites (the Aurore sweet or dry are very popular), six reds, and a jeropiga (Portuguese dessert wine). Fun fact: three wines—Grambeira white, Grambeira red, and Val Pedro—are imported from the owners’ cousin’s winery in northern Portugal.
Perfect Pour: Grambeira white
Dog friendly, Dutchess Wine Trail
Hudson Chatham Winery
Ghent
Visiting Columbia County’s first winery (it opened in 2006 and was sold to two CIA alums in 2020) can be an all-day affair. Soak up the sunshine at picnic areas or in Adirondack chairs with some light snacks and the guided HCW Flight, which includes five wines from the cellar like a zesty Frontenac gris and a pét-nat fermented with local peaches. HCW is transitioning into a farm winery (in hopes to begin offering other products such as produce and liquor)—so be on the lookout for 40 French Maran chickens and a buzzing apiary on the property.
Perfect Pour: Estate rosé
Dog friendly, extended summer hours, food available, live music, private events, wine club
Tousey Winery
Germantown
Honey farmer Ray Tousey founded this winery in the early 2000s to sell crème de cassis, a French liqueur made with blackcurrants. But after his daughter Kimberly and her husband Ben (who spent two decades living in Denmark) stopped by for a visit, they saw an opportunity to transform the land into a vinifera grapes (aka common grape vine) focused vineyard. Fast forward 20 years and the duo make 85 percent of wines—such as the popular Killer Red and the proprietary blend Riot—from their estate vineyards and host a bustling tasting room and whimsical backyard garden all season long. Bonus: Enjoy unlimited café menu bites like flatbreads and salad for $10 every Thursday from 5:30–7:30 p.m.
Perfect Pour: Rebellion rosé (blaufränkisch and merlot)
Dog friendly, Dutchess Wine Trail, food available, live music, wine club
Dutchess County
Milea Estate Vineyard
Staatsburg
If you want an upscale wine experience, this is the place. You can book a private tour and tasting where you’ll see how the winery functions, get to sample award-winning wines (like Papa Joe White and the Hudson Heritage vidal blanc) straight from cellar barrels, and tuck into seasonal, Korean-inspired small plates. Or simply unwind on the patio with a picnic basket of local cheeses, charcuterie, and pastries. For the ultimate wine weekend, book a stay at the luxurious circa-1747 Spencer House, a three-bed, three-bath farmhouse with a private pool (two minutes away from the vineyard). Milea even crafts spirits such as Chardonnay barrel-aged gin (their 10 Point Gin is considered one of the best in the country, with gold medal wins from the New York and Denver spirits competitions) and twice-distilled Italian grappa.
@hudsonvalleymag Come with us to @mileaestatewinery for a spring wine tasting! #roseallday #wine #winetiktok🍷 #hudsonvalley đź“ą @Sabrina ♬ Together (Instrumental) – Louis Stephens
Perfect Pour: The 2022 Proceedo frizzante-style rosé
HV Cab Franc Coalition, dog friendly, Dutchess Wine Trail, food available, live music, private events, reservations encouraged, wine club
Millbrook Vineyards & Winery
Millbrook
Weekends are always popping at Millbrook. Every Friday night, mobile eateries—including Oyster Party, Cousins Maine Lobster, Valia’s Wood Fire, and Three Little Pigs BBQ—offer up a fun evening of sipping (grüner vetliners and tocai friulano are favorites) and sampling. In the summer, local bands and artists will hit the stage in the tasting room and there’s an open-air jazz concert series on Saturdays. Plus: Millbrook Winery partners with former New York Yankee center fielder (and jazz musician) Bernie Williams to craft Bernie’s Blend magnum and a French oak-aged pinot noir.
Perfect Pour: Hunt Country rosé
HV Cab Franc Coalition, dog friendly, Dutchess Wine Trail, food available, live music, private events, reservations encouraged, wine club
-Coming Soon-
Hudson Valley Vineyards
Clinton Corners
You may know of HVV’s former name, Clinton Vineyards, which Milea Estate Vineyard bought back in 2022. Dutchess County’s newest winery will debut this fall specializing in sparkling wines such as blanc de blancs and rosé. Currently, their winemakers are experimenting with grapes of both New York (designated as right bank) and Oregon (left bank) origins. Guests will be able to stroll the picturesque grounds with glasses of HVV’s first (and at press time, only) release: Right Bank brut cuvée.
Perfect Pour: Brut cuvée
Orange County
Applewood Winery
Warwick
Come for the selection of sweet fruit wines (from the blueberry Midnight Rider to juicy Ruby’s Kiss with Concord grapes) and stay for pretty views of the orchard and on-site lake—all with a mountain backdrop. Bonus: Applewood crafts their own meads and hard ciders and serves local cheese and charcuterie boards.
Perfect Pour: Pink moscato
Extended summer hours, food available, live music, private events, Shawangunk Wine Trail, reservations encouraged, wine club
Brimstone Hill Vineyard & Winery
Pine Bush
This small, experiential winery explores the flavors of French wines—without the plane ticket. Its nine bottles—from oak-aged Chardonnay to Seyval blanc—emulate what you’d find at vineyards in the Loire Valley and Burgundy. The Domaine Bourmont is made in “méthode Champenoise,” aka a second fermentation process to produce more carbon dioxide, which gives sparkling wines the soft, bubbly texture we know and love. And the price is right: All bottles are under $17.
Perfect Pour: Cab franc or the Cayuga white
Dog friendly, reservations encouraged
@hudsonvalleymag Calling all wine lovers! It’s time to plan a visit to Brotherhood Winery in Washingtonville. // #Winery #BrotherhoodWinery #Washingtonville #orangecountyny #hudsonvalley #hudsonvalleyny // @sabrina.sucato ♬ Lazy Sunday – Official Sound Studio
Brotherhood Winery
Washingtonville
Did U.S. wine-making begin here? Brotherhood is the reportedly oldest operating winery in the country and has been pouring wines for 185 years. Beyond fun events like murder mystery dinners and grape stomps, you can enjoy five-wine tastings of New York-based varietals and traditionals (plus international bottles) and have a meal at the onsite New American eatery 1839 Restaurant & Bar.
Perfect Pour: One of three sangrias: red, white, or Señor white
Dog friendly, food available, live music, private events, reservations encouraged, Shawangunk Wine Trail, wine club
Christopher Jacobs Winery at Pennings Vineyards
Pine Bush
This seasonal winery (open May–October) is ideal for a leisurely hangout with friends or family. The patio offers picnic-style seating with wine samples (including a souvenir glass), sweeping vistas of the Gunks, and light bites. You can also book a 15-minute tasting tour and explore the vineyards and the farm. As summer rolls in, don’t miss specials like white sangria, margarita wine slushies, and refreshing Mint Juleps with bourbon-barrel aged white wine.
Perfect Pour: Holy Cow, a zesty, chilled Cayuga white
Dog friendly, extended summer hours, food available, live music, Shawangunk Wine Trail
City Winery Hudson Valley
Montgomery
If you’re both a vino and music lover—City Winery (located in a former cotton mill along the Wallkill River) is the place for you. Nearly every weekend, you can sip on pét-nat or Strawberry Fields rosé while live bands perform on the indoor and outdoor stages. If you’re looking for something more intimate, purchase tickets to a chef’s tasting dinner, where you’ll indulge in a seasonal multi-course menu paired with wines that complement the ingredients. You can also book a stay at one of two guest apartments in a converted 1920s barn, complete with a sommelier-recommended bottle.
@hudsonvalleymag Check out the new wine releases from City Winery! 🍷 We loved learning about their winemaking process. Video by Sabrina Sucato 🎥 #hudsonvalley #wine ♬ original sound – Hudson Valley Magazine
Perfect Pour: Breeze grenache blanc
Dog friendly, food available, live music, private events, reservations encouraged
Clearview Vineyard
Warwick
This quaint winery prides itself in being the ultimate spot for visitors to “sip, linger, laugh, and enjoy time spent with others.” From the top of the vineyard, you’ll see vistas of Orange County’s rolling hills and the grapevines that produce delicious wines such as the floral Estate Divinity white wine, a hybrid of Cayuga white and Riesling grapes created by Cornell University. You can also enjoy selections of sangria, Aaron Burr ciders, and local craft beers (plus small plates of charcuterie and bruschetta) in the tasting room or on the wood porch.
Perfect Pour: Estate traminette
Dog friendly, extended summer hours, live music, private events, reservations encouraged
Magnanini Winery
Wallkill
This picturesque vineyard literally has it all: 14 acres of grapevines, an on-site distillery where they produce eight styles of grappa, outdoor patios, and a fully operating restaurant. (Each month, Magnanini hosts a six-course Italian family-style dinner complete with wine pairings.) Sit amongst the manicured gardens and fountain with a glass of semi-dry Rosso de Tavola or Harvest Gold, a sweet dessert wine made with Niagara grapes—and don’t miss the artisan antipasto board, which includes three cheeses, fruits, olives, toasted crostini, and house made salumi.
Perfect Pour: Spring Blush dry rosé
Dog friendly, extended summer hours, food available, live music, private events, reservations encouraged, Shawangunk Wine Trail
Rosina’s Winery
Middletown
Michele Callisto—owner of Rosina’s Winery—takes authentic and traditional viniculture seriously: Grapes are harvested strictly by hand; sheep graze in the vineyard in the offseason; and winemaker River Allan, who has a master’s in enology from Cornell University, ensures the 8,000 vines are protected and efficiently interact with the terroir. After walking around the vineyard—which is also home to chickens, goats, and pigs—you can enjoy wine and charcuterie pairings near two lovely ponds. Fun fact: Rosina’s is the first HV winery to produce Barbera and Syrah grapes. You can taste them in Barbera 2020 or Syrah rosé 2021.
Perfect Pour: Sparkling rosé
HV Cab Franc Coalition, wine club, extended summer hours, food available, private events
Warwick Valley Winery & Distillery
Warwick
Home to much more than just wine, Warwick produces a variety of bottles, from classics like pinot gris and Riesling to gewĂĽrztraminer and cabernet franc. They also host a whole line of hard ciders, dubbed Doc’s Ciders, along with fruit-forward cordials and liqueurs.
Its location in the Black Dirt Region means plenty of apple picking at its blossoming orchards and fruit-forward wines such as the Black Dirt Blush, a light red blend, and Black Dirt Red, a smooth Baco noir with a jam-like finish.
Perfect Pour: Harvest Moon
tasting room, live music, grapes, food, Shawangunk Wine Trail
Rockland County
Torne Valley Vineyards
Hillburn
Awarded the distinction of becoming the first fully functioning winery in Rockland County, the vineyard resides on a historic 19th-century country estate. On weekends, guests can enjoy a small plates menu at the Vineyards’ restored Victorian mansion and, after a tasting, take a stroll around the beautifully landscaped grounds overlooking the Ramapo River.
Go for the weekend wine tastings and local music at a charming Hudson Valley winery.
Perfect Pour: Sweet Summertime
tasting room, live music, views, food
Ulster County
Benmarl Winery
Marlboro
Did you know this 37-acre vineyard was in operation when Rutherford B. Hayes was president? Crushing grapes since 1879, Benmarl is best known for its estate cabernet franc and malbec, stunning views of the Hudson River, and summer events like the Seafood & Wine (June 22) and Sangria festivals (July 20–21 and August 10–11). You can also book a one-bedroom bed & breakfast at Benmarl with balcony views of the lush vineyards.
Perfect Pour: Marlboro Village Blush
Food available, extended summer hours, wine club, live music, private events, reservations encouraged, Shawangunk Wine Trail, wine club
Bruynswick Winery
Gardiner
Husband-and-wife team Ryan and Johanna Kiernan opened a winery on this centuries-old farmland in 2021. While the nine sustainable wines (including gewürztraminer, Riesling, and dry rosé) are great, the gorgeous views of the Shawangunks and meandering cows on the property make it extra special. Come on July 20 for the 7th annual Moosic Fest.
Perfect Pour: Estate Chardonnay and traminette
Dog friendly, reservations encouraged, Shawangunk Wine Trail
Fjord Vineyards
Milton
Husband-and-wife owners Matthew Spaccarelli and Casey Erdmann are all about eco-friendly growing practices. Fjord uses the unique micro-climate of the Hudson Highlands to cultivate quality vines like Albariño—white wine from Portugal and Galicia—and a cab franc rosé. (The winery is also a NYS Wine & Grape Foundation-certified sustainable wine grower.) Wine tastings include three or four wines ($15 and $20, respectively) and à la carte meats and cheeses; club members receive four free tastings a year. There are also food pop-ups, including Potato Bar and Oyster Party, throughout the summer.
Perfect Pour: Cab franc
HV Cab Franc Coalition, extended summer hours, food available, reservations encouraged, wine club
Nostrano Vineyards
Milton
This winery atop a hill—with pretty vistas of the Hudson and unbeatable sunset views—had us hooked at one word: Frosés. Nostrano is best known for their frozen rosé slushies, which purées their wines with flavors like passionfruit, strawberry, and apple cider. They also serve up specialty wine-infused cocktails to celebrate holidays like Memorial Day and July 4. Glasses of the semi-sweet estate Riesling or the rustic red are great for al fresco dining with wood-fired pizza, seasonal charcuterie, and Buffalo wings.
Perfect Pour: The Arae (Riesling base) or Rosato (baco noir) pét-nats
Dog friendly, extended summer hours, food available, live music, private events, reservations encouraged
Quartz Rock Vineyard
Marlboro
A haven for fruity vino lovers, Quartz Rock (named after the natural quartz found throughout the property) is situated on Nightingale Farm—comprised of dozens of acres of apple and pear orchards, peach groves, grape vines, and more. These fruits are infused into vibrant bottles of Concord rosé, cab franc iced wine, and the 2021 noiret unoaked (a gold medal winner at last year’s NY Wine Classic), all of which can be enjoyed at picnic benches overlooking the farm. On weekends in the tasting room, you can try their sister cidery’s (Bedrock Cidery) line of hard apple cider or perry.
Perfect Pour: Riesling semi-dry
HV Cab Franc Coalition, dog friendly, extended summer hours, food available, live music, reservations encouraged, Shawangunk Wine Trail
Robibero Winery
New Paltz
This small boutique winery hand-crafts vintages in limited production—so make sure to try any wines that pique your interest with the $20 tasting, or you could blink and miss it. Each flight comes with a choice of four options (favorites include Seyval blanc-Chardonnay blend Serendipity and petit verdot). You can also purchase wine by the glass or bottle and share wood-fired pizza pies (Saturdays only) or plates of artisan cheese, meat, and hummus at the patio near the grapevines.
Perfect Pour: Cab franc
HV Cab Franc Coalition, dog friendly, extended summer hours, food available, live music, private events, Shawangunk Wine Trail
Stoutridge Vineyard
Marlboro
Once an 80-acre abandoned farm and vineyard (which allegedly dates to the late 1700s), Stoutridge has been a gathering place for all things wine and spirits since 2000. You can find hints of its history throughout the property, from the 1800s-era farmhouse to the circa-1910 barn—both with backdrops of the centrally located pond. Despite its antique charm, the vineyard uses modern techniques such as gravity flow winemaking (a gentle extraction of wine textures through a four-step flowing practice) and sustainable production through solar power and an underground wine cellar that naturally ages wines. Stoutridge also produces spirits such as absinthe, brandy, bourbon, vodka, and gin.
Perfect Pour: Seyval blanc-Riesling
Dog friendly, extended summer hours, food available, reservations encouraged, Shawangunk Wine Trail, wine club
Whitecliff Vineyard & Winery
Gardiner and Hudson
With wine production over two vineyards—one with the unique terroir of the Shawangunks and the other with rich soil from the Hudson River—Whitecliff is the one of the region’s largest grape growers. (They harvest over 20 varieties, from DeChaunac and petite Verdot to vignoles and frontenac.) In fact, Whitecliff is the Hudson Valley’s most internationally awarded winery—including multiple double golds for its cab franc, Gamay noir, and vidal blanc. Both tasting room locations not only offer stunning mountain views, but also five styles of flights: Choose from guided (six wines), pick four, best of Whitecliff, the classic flight, and the 2013 reserve reds tasting.
Perfect Pour: Blanc de blancs
Hv Cab Franc Coalition, dog friendly, extended summer hours, Shawangunk Wine Trail, wine club
Grape Expectations
What started as a casual conversation between Doug and MaryEllen Glorie (retired owners of the former Glorie Farms Winery) and Hudson Valley Wine Magazine publishers nearly 10 years ago has evolved into a nonprofit that promotes cabernet franc as the premier wine of the region. The Hudson Valley Cabernet Franc Coalition’s mission is to encourage local wineries to plant cab franc grapes and for oenophiles to fall in love with the distinctly flavored wine. Look for a hawk sticker (chosen for the HV hawks that protect vineyards’ ecosystems) on bottles sold by Benmarl, Fjord, Milea, Millbrook, Quartz Rock, Robibero, Rosina’s, and Whitecliff.
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