Overview of Three Wineries in Dutchess CountyThe Dutchess Wine Trail is a group of wineries located in the eastern part of the Hudson Valley’s beautiful Dutchess County. Whatever season you choose to visit in, traveling the back roads of Millbrook, Clinton, and Red Hook, where the wineries are located, is a ramble every wine Dutchess Wine TrailNeigborhood: Dutchess CountyMillbrook, Clinton, Red Hook, NY 12603 lover should experience. Millbrook Vineyards & Winery Small green signs adorned with grapes lead you on the winery trail beginning on Route 44 off the Taconic State Parkway in Millbrook, New York. Your first stop will be Millbrook Vineyards & Winery. The vineyard is part of a 130-acre estate and is open for tours and tastings seven days a week, year round from noon to 5 p.m. They are closed on major holidays, New Year’s Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. The complimentary tour includes an inside view of the entire winemaking process. From grapes to glass, a guide will lead you through the care of the grape vines, the harvest, the fermentation process, the pressing, the aging, and the bottling. There is a fee for tastings. Millbrook Vineyards has won critical acclaim for their wines, which include Chardonnay, Gamay Noir, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Tocai Friulano, and some additional rare varietals. Their newest wine is a New York State Hunt Country Rosé, which they say is drier and more full-bodied than traditional rosé. Clinton Vineyards After finishing up at Millbrook, you can follow the Dutchess Wine Trail signs northwest to Clinton Vineyards, where visitors can wander through the orderly grape laden vines on their way to the tasting room. The site features 15 acres of land, historic barns, a pond, and lovely gardens. Established in 1976 by Ben Feder, Clinton Vineyards offers a Seyval Blanc white wine, three varieties of Champagne and 7 varieties of dessert wine including “Embrace,” which is made exclusively from organically grown raspberries, and their award winning Black Currant Cassis wine which won the gold for Best Dessert Wine at the L.A. County Fair Wines of the World Competition held in Los Angeles in the spring of 2005.

Chardonnay abounds at every turn. Merlot is hip, as is Petit Syrah. We all know the other wines, too, like Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, and Chianti.But what is a “viognier”?The viognier (pronounced VEE-OH-NEE-AY) grape has been grown in France for several millenia, but in  the mid-20th century, it was slowly dying out, as fewer and fewer wineries chose to make the wine.The viognier wine is a white wine known for having a highly concentrated flavor, but that flavor comes only with much care. The grapevines tend to produce unpredictable amounts of grapes, and there is an extremely narrow window when the grapes can be picked. This labor-intensive process prompted the grape’s decline.As exacting as the viognier grower must be, the wine’s increasing popularity in Europe spawned a resurgence in its growing. As the viognier wine became popular again, an increasing number of wineries re-established or expanded their viognier vineyards. By the early 1990s, the grapes were growing in other areas, too, particularly California and Australia. Today, the wine is gaining popularity in the United States, particularly in California. One of the reasons for its resurgence is its “go-with-anything” flavor, which easily handles traditional white wine dishes (such as fish or pork) as well as some unusual selections, including spicy barbecue and very salty dishes. Its ability to handle strong, salty, and even spicy foods makes it the perfect complement to a summertime barbecue picnic — or even the Thursday evening fast food meal during the week.The wine is commonly described as having an apricot or spicy flavor. However, depending on the variety, it is also commonly described as “smoky” or “oak-flavored”.