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.
Here’s a little directory to help guide your exploration:
Beverage DestinationS
ANGRY ORCHARD has built a national brand from its unique Cider House in Walden, where you’ll find exceptional hospitality and fun, inclusive, educational experiences. Cider-making traditions are honored and celebrated through captivating storytelling; there’s a Tree House to discover and an in-house kitchen, and this year you can sample their brand-new line of fruit-based canned cocktails. angryorchard.com, 800-362-7110
APPLEWOOD WINERY in Warwick makes tasty International Red, Riesling, Chardonnay, blackberry wine, and much more, including their Naked Flock Cider. (We hear the new Lemon Ginger Cider tastes like summertime in a can.) At the Pavilion Bar and the Cafe, you can pair your selection with a charcuterie board or a wood-fired pizza. applewoodwinery.com, 845-988-9292
BENMARL WINERY in Marlboro, proud producers of small-batch deliciousness, is home to the oldest vineyard in America and holds New York Farm Winery License #1. They’re hosting a Rosè All Day Summer Kick Off Party June 21 and 22, Sangria Festivals in July and August, and grape stomping in September and October. benmarl.com, 845-236-4265
BROTHERHOOD WINERY in Washingtonville is a beverage epic. Its first commercial vintage was released in 1839, it survived Prohibition by producing wine for medicinal and sacramental purposes, and artfully made wines still age in huge oaken casks in dimly lit cellars. They’d love to have you come by for a tour and a taste and some “tall tales of folly and tragedy” while you learn how it’s done; follow up your tour with some creative American cuisine at the 1839 Restaurant and Bar. brotherhood-winery.com, 845-496-3661
CHRISTOPHER JACOBS WINERY at Pennings Vineyard in Pine Bush, at the southernmost tip of the Shawangunk Mountains Scenic Byway, planted their first grapes in 2006 and opened their farm winery in 2015; a visit here takes you off the beaten tourist track to a whole ’nother corner of our countryside. Try the Stoked Oak, the Holy Cow, the Appleoosa, or the Gold Rush and taste pure Hudson Valley wine passion. penningsvineyards.com, 845-728-8066
CITY WINERY HUDSON VALLEY in Montgomery is what happens when a venue-maker with a love of wine and music sees the possibilities in a 130-year-old mill: a fully functioning hydro-powered winery, tasting room and restaurant, wedding venue, private event space, and indoor/outdoor concert venue. Come by for world-class wines, Mediterranean-inspired small plates, and an adventure; the calendar is always packed with live music, stand-up comics, podcast recordings, and more. citywinery.com/hudsonvalley, 845-424-0222
CLEARVIEW VINEYARD in Warwick, named in Travel & Leisure magazine as a top US vineyard, has just added a new front entrance and enlarged their entertainment platform, making this an even better place to savor the live music and wine pairing plates that flow here all weekend long. Take a walk up the hill to revel in the incredible view from the top of the vineyard, then plop down in the shade of an umbrella on the patio for a glass of something handcrafted. clearviewvineyard.com, 718-496-7848
MAGNANINI FARM WINERY in Wallkill loves hosting big four-course family-style dinners: there’s one for Fathers Day on June 15, a Pesto Pasta Party on July 20, a Cheesy Ravioli Party on August 10, and the Val Taro Accordion Extravaganza on August 24. The Magnaninis bottled their first 1,000 gallons over forty years ago, and they just keep getting better. Eight different wines made from grapes grown, harvested, fermented, and bottled on-site are exclusively available here, as well as house-made gnocchi, ravioli, cappelletti, salami, coppa, and prosciutto to go with. magwine.com, 845-895-2767
QUARTZ ROCK VINEYARD AND BEDROCK CIDERY in Marlboro is kid and pet friendly, and you’re welcome to bring your own food and have a picnic. There’s live music happening every weekend (check their calendar for comedy and food fests) and all of it pairs beautifully with their selection of exceptional wines and ciders; a Wine Associate will bring a flight right to your outdoor table for a uniquely relaxed tasting experience. quartzrockvineyard.com, 845-236-3265
ROBIBERO WINERY IN NEW PALTZ is a passion project for Harry and Carole Robibero, who purchased their 42 acres in 2003. There was a winery there, and Harry was fascinated; his grandfather had made outstanding wines. When that winery relocated, Robibero was born in its place. Come by for a taste of the artisanal results and check the calendar to see what special celebrations might be coming up. robiberofamilyvineyards.com, 845-255-9463
STOUTRIDGE DISTILLERY & WINERY in Marlboro—tucked away beside a grand limestone ridge—has been crafting small-batch spirits and natural wines from local ingredients since 2000 on land where grapes have been grown since the late 1700s. Making all-natural wines with a gravity-flow process, they’re also one of only eight distilleries in America doing their own malting and the only one to use a traditional Scottish kilning floor. Come experience, learn, and taste the results for yourself. stoutridge.com, 845-236-7620
WARWICK VALLEY WINERY & DISTILLERY in Warwick is the oldest cidery in New York State; they’ve been making cider from real fruit since long before it trended, creating their Doc’s Cider brand in 1994, adding a locally sourced, scratch-made cafe back in 1998 and launching their American Fruits line of brandies, liquors, and cordials in 2001, when they became the first craft distillery in New York since Prohibition. Since 2012 they’ve run Black Dirt Distillery, the largest craft distillery on the East Coast. Come, enjoy—there’s live music at the natural amphitheater every weekend. wvwinery.com, 845-258-4858
WHITECLIFF VINEYARD & WINERY in Gardiner is a 30-year passion project created by a couple deeply dedicated to sustainability, environmentalism, and great vegan wines. Both of Michael Migliore’s grandfathers made wine; he’s a graduate-level organic chemist who works closely with Cornell Cooperative Extension on pushing the grape-growing envelope with ever-evolving results. His wife, Yancey Stanforth-Migliore, has absorbed extensive knowledge of the field that she’ll gladly share when you visit their lovely tasting room, which often hosts a variety of pop-up events. whitecliffwine.com, 845-255-4613
Last, but not least, KEDEM WINERY in Marlboro has joined the Trail as a Beverage Partner. The Herzog family started making wine back in 1848, becoming the exclusive supplier for Emperor Franz Josef of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and achieving a reputation across the continent before coming to the United States a century later. And now, here they are, on our very own Shawangunk Wine Trail! kedemwinery.com, 845-236-3651
With a welcoming spirit and a taste for the extraordinary, the Shawangunk Wine Trail invites you to embark on a flavorful journey.
shawangunk wine trail
845-256-8456
shawangunkwinetrail.com
