Beer, Wine & Spirits in Manorville

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 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.”

A 17-foot-long red oak bar stretches along one of the rustic wooden walls inside Brookview Station Winery. Here, guests can sample vintner Ed Miller’s award-winning wines, which he makes from red and white grapes and locally grown fruits. An offshoot of Goold Orchards, Brookview Station is perhaps best known for its apple wines, including Whistle-Stop White, a semi-dry white wine named 2007's Best Hudson River Region Wine by the Hudson Valley Wine & Grape Association. However, according to the Times Union, the winery has recently trended toward the use of other fruits, producing notable ferments such as The Conductor’s Cassis, a black-currant cordial handcrafted in the traditional style of French artisan winemakers. Visitors can graciously waft Miller’s wares at wine tastings held Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m to 3 p.m.