Wine and Dine Along New York's Shawangunk Wine Trail, By Melody Schubert

Organized nearly 20 years ago, The Shawangunk Wine Trail offers the most diversity of any wine trail. Located in the Heart of the Hudson Valley. It is home to the nation's oldest continuously operated winery and America's oldest vineyard. Wines produced in the region range from dry complex wines, to soft fruity wines, to sparkling and outstanding dessert wines.

The Shawangunk Wine Trail hosts four major event a year. In the spring it's the Pasta Prima Vino. This event is a benefit for the Hudson Valley Food Bank. A portion of the proceeds are donated to the food bank. In June we go Around the World in 80 Miles. At this event, each winery takes on the personality of another country and serves food paired with their wine from that region. July, it's the celebration of The Bounty of the Hudson. This Food and Wine Festival is held at a different winery every year.

Winemaking is an ancient and honored art, and nowhere is this more evident than at Brotherhood, America's Oldest winery, located in the picturesque village of Washingtonville, NY. The winery was established by a European emigre, John Jaques, who produced the first commercial vintage in 1839. Brotherhood has been in continuous operation since that time - making the winery the oldest in the United States!

Brotherhood is on the NY State and National Register of historic places. In 1886 the winery changed hands. Mr. Jesse Emerson and his son expanded the facility, adding the "landmark" stone building with additional underground cellars that are the largest in the country. Having survived prohibition by the sale of sacramental wine, the winery again changed ownership around 1921. During the "Farrell" era the winery underwent dramatic changes - major expansion, the beginning of a visitor tour operation and the creation of a broad range of award-winning wines. Brotherhood remained a "family business" until a change of ownership in January of 1987.

In 1987, new owners arrived at Brotherhood. Cesar Baeza , an internationally prominent winemaker and viticulturist, began the process of converting Brotherhood into the premier winery of New York State. Winemaster Baeza's first premium varietals were produced at the winery in the fall of 1987. Their winemaster can often be found walking the vineyards, working closely with the numerous winegrowers who supply Brotherhood's grapes. Their proper selection is the first step in the creation of great wines.

The specially selected grapes arrive at the winery to be crushed, with the juice carefully handled as the fermentation process begins. What follows is the blending, the true test of the winemaster's art. Here, Mr. Baeza's expertise comes to the fore as he carefully blends the fermented wine to achieve the perfect, consistent balance. The end of the process is accomplished in their cellars, lined with "limousin" and "nevers" oak barrels. Here our varietals are aged and periodically tasted until the moment arrives for bottling.

What few travelers know is the New York side Niagara Falls, USA has the perfect climate for growing grapes, which has inspired the “Niagara Wine Trail,” and there are plenty of attractions to enjoy nearby like the Niagara Aerospace Museum.