Spring 2006Quarterly Newsletter |
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Richard LewitOwner/Winemaker Jon GautierGeneral Manager Newsletter Writer Belinda TreuTasting Room Manager |
Hudson Valley Food and Wine DinnerJoin us on Saturday June 24th for a fabulous multi-course dinner at the winery featuring the food of our friend Chef Peter Seidman. Many of you may know Peter as the Chef/Owner of the very popular Stoney Creek restaurant in Tivoli. We’re delighted that Peter will be bringing his wonderful cooking back to us; now’s your chance to get another taste. The dinner will be held in the winery barrel room. Peter will use his talents to showcase local Hudson Valley ingredients and match them to Alison wines. Come to our dinner and see why the Hudson Valley belongs on the food and wine map with the Loire, the Rhine and the Rhone Valleys! Spaces are limited and RSVPs are necessary. Email me (jon@alisonwines.com) or call (845-758-6335) to reserve your space. The dinner will be $85 per person, plus an 18% gratuity. See you there! The Tasting Room Is OpenThe tasting room opened for business on a soggy Saturday April 22nd when a few dozen folks braved the heavy rain to taste wine and open our 2006 season. They enjoyed our 2001 Chardonnay, which is still showing some legs; the 2004 Seyval, which is down to only a few cases; our newest wine, the Red Barn Red; the 2002 Cabernet Franc, which just seems to get better; and the 2002 Rose, which is evolving from fruity to peppery, but is just delightful. In addition, there are small amounts of last Summer’s Fraise Strawberry Dessert Wine along with the Cassis. Never fear, Richard has more wine in the wings. The first to arrive will be the 2005 Seyval. Tank tastings show this wine to be fruitier and heavier than the 2004 Seyval, owing to a hotter, drier 2005. We will also be bottling the best of our 2004 red wine—only two barrels’ worth—into a fine reserve table wine. It is a Merlot/Cabernet Franc blend that has a judicious amount of oak, plenty of fruit and good balance. We have also sourced more blackcurrants, so there will be no shortage of Cassis this Spring. More Fraise will of course have to wait for the Summer’s strawberry crop, so there may be a Fraise-less window. But we wouldn’t have it any other way. Our Fraise stands apart from other strawberry wines because of its lively freshness and strawberry essence. We don’t make that much because it is meant to be drunk young—so grab some while you can and see why it’s the strawberry dessert wine for people who don’t like strawberry dessert wines—and, of course, for those who do. In the meantime, the other 2005 wines—Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir—are coming along nicely in their tanks. Soon they will see some wood. And soon we hope to see you in the tasting room! Until then. |