Experience the Beauty and Flavors of the Hudson Valley Wine Region
Visit Vortex
May 15, 2025
Embark on a scenic journey through the Shawangunk Wine Trail in the Hudson Valley, a collection of unique local wineries and now featuring Stoutridge Distillery and Winery, producing exceptional cool-climate wines and spirits since 1984. Discover award-winning New York wineries, from historic estates like Brotherhood Winery and Benmarl Winery to innovative producers such as City Winery, Magnanini Winery, Angry Orchard (ciders), Applewood Winery (mead), and Quartz Rock Vineyard (fruit wines), alongside the distinctive offerings of Stoutridge Distillery and Winery. Explore wine and spirit tastings, vineyard and distillery tours, and the stunning Shawangunk Mountains scenery along this delightful Hudson Valley wine and spirits tour.
Back in 1984, before the region’s brewing and distilling culture was even a glimmer in a farmer’s eye, winemakers already knew there was something special about the cool-climate wines produced here. To spread the word and encourage folks to taste the talent, several of them banded together to organize the Shawangunk Wine Trail, a journey of discovery that would lead wine lovers from one scenic, delicious destination to the next.
Each destination along the trail has a distinct personality, approaching winemaking and hospitality with its own special flair. You’ll find big wineries with all the trimmings and homey, mellow places to bring a picnic; you’ll find the oldest winery in the US (Brotherhood) and the first farm winery in the state (Benmarl.) You’ll find a hydro-powered winery (City) and a winery that loves hosting big family-style Italian feasts (Magnanini.) At Angry Orchard, you can sample fruit-based canned ciders; at Applewood, you can try the Smashed Cherry Mead; and Quartz Rock is constantly finding fresh ideas for the seven varieties of fruit (besides grapes) they produce on their Nightingale Farm.
Clearview is celebrating being named one of the nation’s best by Travel & Leisure magazine. Christopher Jacobs Winery at Pennings Vineyards celebrates summer sunsets each Friday and Saturday with music and feasting. Stoutridge Distillery & Winery crafts their all-natural wines with a gravity-flow process and does their own malting. Robibero handcrafts small-batch specialties that can only be found in their tasting room and that pair beautifully with the wood-fired pizza. Whitecliff’s vegan wine was named Best White in Show at the San Francisco International Wine Competition, and Warwick Valley makes cordials, brandies, and liqueurs at the first craft distillery to open in New York State since Prohibition. And for the first time, thanks to a grant, our local Wine Trail will have its own page in the directory of Wine Enthusiast, connecting to thousands more wine lovers from everywhere.
There’s still time to grab a 2025 Wine Tasting Passport, entitling you to a free flight at each spot, and if there’s a milestone event in your future, remember that most of these gracious spaces will happily host your occasion in unforgettable style. Many are family friendly; many regularly serve up live music with the vino, and on the Wine Trail’s website you’ll find companies offering transportation service so you can sip to your heart’s content: shawangunkwinetrail.com, 845-256-8456.