Applewood Winery Blog

“Riesling is the grape of the 21^st century” declares winemaker Jonathan Hull.

Sommeliers have always loved Riesling for it’s piercing acidity.  Winemakers love it for the wide variety of styles that it lends itself to.  It can range from a dry wine with crisp apple and pear flavors to Sweet dessert wines with honeyed notes.

Applewood Winery is expanding our vineyard in Warwick beyond it's humble beginnings and I am convinced that the vineyard should be converted to Organic or Biodynamic practices.

The separation of food and wine sales is artificial. Wine and food go naturally together and it would increase overall wine sales in NY to pickup your wine with your groceries.

I've always enjoyed when I traveled out of state and could pick up some wine with my vittles for dinner. It makes for much more of an impulse buy and will expose millions more to the mystical, fascinating world of wines.

Yes, Those shelves will undoubtedly be filled with homogenized, blended, French Oaked,"New World" wine.  But for many it will be their first exposure to wine and food together.

I am a winery owner in NY's Hudson Valley and I truly believe that the more wine people drink the better it is for every winery owner out there everywhere. I don't mind the competition it raises the bar on everyone.  Will anyone even recognize a NY wine of unique character and individuality?  I'll save that for another post.

The sale of wine in grocery stores will unfortunately put some Mom & Pop Liquor stores out of business.

The stores that will survive will be the ones that know their stuff. As a winemaker my motto is taste , taste, taste.  I patronize my local wine store all the time because the guy is incredibly knowledgeable and tastes hundreds of wine a month. No clerk at Stop & Shop will ever replace him.

Being a winemaker is often viewed as a sort of bucolic, laid back lifestyle.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  It take a great deal of energy and creativity.

When we first started making wine in 1994 we had two goals in mind:  Making some really great quality wines and having as much fun as possible doing so.  We wanted to share this passion for wine with the world and for it to be an easy enjoyable experience for all.  Our first mission was to make a superior Hard Apple Cider.  We had tasted many commercial hard ciders where the main ingredient is water.  Add some concentrate from China or wherever, some high proof fire water and VOILA! They call it Hard Cider and churn it out like widgets off an assembly line.   

Sometimes I think the Hudson Valley is the Rodney Dangerfield of the wine world. Recently I posted several comments on wine blogs about how no mention is made of Hudson Valley Wines. Lots of mention about Long Island where multi million dollar operations are the norm.

One of the Bloggers sent me back a comment that he hasn't heard much about the Hudson Valley. I told him the reason is that most Hudson Valley Wineries are run by the Winemaker/Owner. Hey, we're out here making wine and growing grapes! We don't have time for fancy marketing campaigns!

The next time you open a bottle of wine do you want to taste a great wine? Or, savor the lingering aftertaste of a 6 month multimedia marketing push?

Jonathan Hull

What's the best way to really get to know a wine? It's to live with it. Have it with a few different dinners. Introduce a bottle to a few of your friends and share it with them. See how it changes over time, drink a bottle in May then maybe wait a few months to have another. There's only one way to do this and that's to buy a case and put it in your closet or garage.

Many people go out to their local liquor store and buy a pricey bottle of wine for a special dinner or get together. They come home with the prized possession and proudly show it off. They share the wine and have a glass or two themselves and the show is over.

When you visit a New York Winery you get to taste many wines right where they come from. But the only way to really get to know and appreciate the wine is to buy a case. Fortunately many NY and Hudson Valley wines are reasonably priced and the winery will offer a discount for buying a case.

The benefits are many. You will get to know the wine much better; How does it age, What foods does it go best with. There are also psychic benefits. You'll know that you are supporting local agriculture, helping preserve open space and of course less energy is used when you buy locally.

But most of all you'll get to enjoy your favorite wine!

"I only drink Cabernet!" It's a statement we sometimes hear in the tasting room. Unfortunately it's part of the culture that is reducing wine to a franchise. You all know the grapes that have been turned into brand names; Chardonnay, Cabernet, Merlot. Maybe some of the smaller chains; Pinot Grigio or Pinot Noir.

Wine lovers enjoy wine that is not a commoditized product. Something that is unique to each region and winery. Wine that says something about where it's from. They enjoy the difference and subtleties of wine.

Some wineries have had great commercial success making wines that are one dimensional and taste the same every time and every year. There is another place you can get something that tastes the same all the time, McDonald's.

That's great for a quick bite to eat.

Wineries in New York and the Hudson Valley invite you to slow down. Take time to enjoy wines that are different, and yourself.

One of the fears that vintners have of the effects of Global Warming is the disruption of thew growing seasons. Here in New York's Hudson Valley grapes start budding out in mid to late April.

A few years ago there were several days in a row of 90 degree temperatures in early April that caused the vines to bud and send out shoots rapidly. It was too much too soon. Temperatures dropped into the 20's at night in just a few days. Much of the new growth and buds were killed impacting the crop for that vintage.

So while vintners are looking forward to the coming Spring, they also don't mind if it takes it's time getting here.

Jonathan Hull