Beer, Wine & Spirits in Kingston

Inspired by his grandfather’s legacy of superior wine crafting, Harry Robibero took the first step in rebooting the family tradition by buying 42 acres of property in the Hudson River Valley with his wife Carole in 2003. He couldn't start harvesting any grapes just yet, however—there was already an operational winery on the premises. He bided his time, waiting for the opportunity to fill his home's glasses and well-concealed flasks with his own cask-aged creations. In 2007, the original winery announced that it was vacating the acreage, opening the door for Harry to finally cut the ribbon on his family's very own vino haven.

After years of revamping the property, the family now welcomes visitors to savor red and white artisan wines by the bottle or glass while playing board games, watching sports on the 52-inch TV, warming up by the indoor fireplace, or listening to music during one of the winery's weekly events. The Robiberos also helm tasting sessions, in which oenophiles can sample a lineup of their expertly handcrafted libations. During the warmer months, they open the outdoor patio so that their guests can sip on sangria or wine while overlooking the lush vineyards speckled across the fertile valley.

Rolling meadows spread out amid rocky slopes, with the gray-blue peaks of the Catskills Mountains looming in the distance. In front of this scenic backdrop, Millbrook Winery invites guests to immerse themselves in the verdant, sprawling landscape of its 130-acre estate. On the more than 30 acres currently under the vine, its growers cultivate varietals such as chardonnay, tocai friulano, pinot noir, and cabernet franc, which are then mashed and fermented into the estate's characteristically dry wines. Having recently surpassed their 24th vintage, the winemakers display evidence of their grape-smashing prowess with a bounty of gold medals awarded by the Hudson Valley Wine and Grape Association, as well as the New York Wine & Food Classic.

When not hiking along a newly laid one-mile walking trail that meanders through the vineyards, guests gather in the winery building—a renovated Dutch-hip dairy barn bedecked with old white-framed windows, bare-wood walls, and exposed ceiling beams. Inside, tasting guides expound on the winery's various types of wine, revealing which grapes were used, how long they spent in the barrel, and their favorite New Yorker articles. In addition to tastings, they pass on their knowledge in a range of events, such as boot-camp training for prospective wine growers. They also grant guests personalization of their vintages with fully customizable wine labels, letting them outfit bottles with their own photos and names.

Thirty years ago, Patricia and Jack Baldwin plunged the stakes of their first vineyard into the fertile soil of their newly purchased parcel of land. By 1985, the couple was hard at work building the foundation for what was becoming a successful microwinery, and they began to create a many different varietals, from their velvety chardonnay to their tart black-raspberry wine. Today, the vineyard produces 15 wines, including its beloved strawberry wine, which has twice won Best Fruit Wine at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. Baldwin Vineyards also sponsors a Strawberry, Chocolate & Wine Festival, which showcases the pairing of its wines with desserts during tastings, tutorials, and big-budget reenactments.

Since 1986, wine experts at GrapesWine.com have dutifully tasted and compiled a handpicked selection of domestic and imported fine wine. Their easy-to-navigate site aids patrons with recommendations, including a list of the best wines under $20. Rotating picks of the week, hand selected by the shop's proprietor, John Caplan, include a vast array of reds, whites, rosés, ports, and dessert and sparkling wines, all of which hail from across the globe, from California to South Africa. Aspiring connoisseurs attend popular wine tastings, led by knowledgeable taster Jim Winston as he recounts the flavorful notes and fragrant bouquets of countless varieties. In-state customers can create a case of favorites and take advantage of free shipping or pick up at a later date.

Since opening in 1975, Haight-Brown Vineyard has churned out 2,000 cases of grape-based libations each year from its nearly 10-acre vineyard and welcomed visitors into its rustic, cottage-like wine house. Emphasizing vinifera and French hybrid grapes, the state’s first-established winery creates a selection of wines that include the Big Red, a bold syrah; the Morning Harvest, a rich malbec; and Honey Nut Apple, a traditional apple wine that incorporates local honey and cinnamon. Vintners share their time-tested expertise during regular classes that teach aspiring oenophiles about a variety of vintages and techniques for cheese and chocolate pairing. Amid the tasting room’s wood accents and crackling stone fireplace, customers sample vintages and attempt to describe taste sensations with adjectives such as “silky” or “very different from milk.”

When Anthony Riccio traced his American roots to Italy and discovered his family name on a bottle of Italian wine it sparked his interest in opening his own vineyard. Anthony named Cava Winery & Vineyard after the Italian word for mine, which calls forth his Mediterranean pride while also reflecting the mining history of his home New Jersey turf. Behind the winery entrance's old, weathered, wooden door, this mining theme carries throughout the tasting room where yellow walls bear artifacts such as old axes, lanterns, and black-and-white photographs depicting miners. A stone angel sculpture stands guard over freestanding wood barrels in this same tasting hall, and in the barrel room, oak vessels sit snugly between rough-hewn-stone walls.

Inside the atmospheric confines, guests sip libations while nibbling on specialty pizzas, seasonal Italian-style tapas, and bountiful meat and cheese platters harvested from nearby meat and cheese fields. A calendar of events excites palates year-round with dinners, wine-and-food pairings, and festivals, which invite guests to mingle inside or spread out over the winery's rolling fields.

Experienced oenologist Deneah Bledsoe employs UC Davis training to fashion wines from the vineyards' varied varietals of grapes, all grown in high-mineral-content soil. The roster of reds and whites, as well as fruit wines, ferment and bide their time, penning memoirs as they age in oak and stainless-steel barrels. Each wine can also achieve its own identity through Cava's custom labels, which patrons design with their own artwork and heading fonts.