As a near teetotaler, as a matter of personal preference, I have to admit I’ve visited many, many wineries (and breweries), tasting the libations at most.

I’ve visited wineries as near to my front door as Windham Vineyards and Winery—the highest-elevation vineyard and winery in the northeast—and as far as the big island of Hawaii where the Volcano Winery is the southernmost winery in the United States.

I’ve followed the Shawangunk Trail—well, ok, not the trail but I’ve visited most of the sites—and I’ve dropped in on several wineries east of the Hudson.

I’m a sufficient fan of upstate New York wines that I felt an odd sense of pride when a character in “The Frame,” a first-season, 1967 episode of Mission: Impossible (watched recently on DVD) poured a bottle for his guests.

“How do you like this wine,” asks the host at a dinner party. “As good as any I’ve ever tasted,” replies a guest. “Upper New York State, unbelievable,” says the host.

Early product placement? Probably not. Too vague. But it is a plug for New York’s wine, nonetheless.

You might say I am touched by the grape but I feel there’s something wonderful about winemaking, and I don’t have to be a daily drinker to know it. It excites me somehow to know that this ancient art of winemaking is so widespread here. It’s agricultural, sure, but somehow more.

The greater Hudson Valley region is home to dozens of wineries (33, according to www.newyorkwines.org) that open their doors almost daily to show the public why this area has long been a source for wine. There are approximately 430 acres of vineyard here, with a growing season just short of 200 days.

“We’re the undiscovered treasure of New York wine,” says Debbie Gioquindo, director of Hudson Valley Wine Country, a regional branding project marketing wineries in the region through www.hudsonvalleywinecountry.org. “It’s the oldest wine region in America and the least recognized,” she says. “The Hudson Valley is home to the oldest winery in America, Brotherhood (in Washingtonville, Orange County), and the oldest vineyard in America, Slate Hill in the Ulster County town of Marlboro which is home to the Benmarl Winery.”

According to the folks at Benmarl Winery, “Wine has been made from the grapes of this region since the 17th century when the French Huguenots grew vines and made wine in nearby New Paltz. U.P. Hedrick, author of The Grapes of New York, called the Hudson region ‘the birthplace of American viticulture,’ citing a planting in 1827 at Croton Point as the nation’s earliest commercially successful vineyard.”

June begins an active season for local wineries. In addition to the agricultural chores, there’s quite a bit for the public to participate in beyond the usual tasting room temptations.

On June 12 winning wines from the Hudson Valley Wine Competition (held on April 25) will be paired with award-winning new American cuisine from Terrapin Catering at the Dinsmore Golf Course in Staatsburgh. The event runs from 7 to 11 pm. At this event, The Hudson Valley Wine and Grape Association, along with Hudson Valley Vintners, will be honoring Ben Feder, owner and winemaker of Clinton Vineyards, with the Hudson Valley Veritas Award for his lifetime achievement and leadership in Hudson Valley winemaking. This dinner is open to the public; the cost is $85 per person and includes dinner, wine, tax and gratuities. Prepaid reservations are required and can be made at hudsonvalleywineandgrapeassociation.ticketleap.com.

On June 20 and 21 the wineries of the Shawangunk Wine Trail host the 16th Annual “Around the World in 80 Miles” event. “Each winery chooses to become a different country and they serve food from that country paired with their wine,” says Gioquindo. Tickets for this typically sold-out weekend are $25 per person in advance and $35 at the door if available. Visit www.shawangunkwinetrail.com for advance sales.

Windham Vineyards
Perhaps overlooked by the southern circles of winery visitors is the lone Greene County vineyard, the Windham Vineyards in Windham. The site draws most of its visitors from the mountaintop and the Capital District.

“We’re currently on five acres, with five more under cultivation down the road. It will basically double our production,” says winemaker James Bateman, who owns the winery with his wife, Valerie. Windham Vineyards produces small batches of hand crafted fine wines including Riesling, Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, estate grown specialties, fruit wines and dessert wines. They also offer handmade chocolate wine truffles.

The Windham Vineyard & Winery seeks to grow their grapes with as little spraying as possible. “Spraying is expensive,” Bateman says. “We’re not organic but we want to be as close as possible. How you grow the canopy affects resistance to disease and animals.” Bateman also uses only New York State-grown fruit: “We’re a farm winery, so we only use fruit from New York State,” he says. “We could easily have applied for a winery license and bought concentrate from Chile. We’re expressing ourselves, either from our own vineyard or two other growers we deal with.”

Bateman realizes, too, that the quality of the fruit is not the only guarantee of a good wine. “The winemaker is not the epicenter,” he says. “The winemaker is an observer making sure the wine is not naughty. You cannot make good wine from bad fruit, but you can make bad wine from good fruit.”

In addition to direct sales through the tasting room, wines from the Windham Vineyard & Winery are available through a handful of liquor stores and at two area restaurants. It’s also featured through all-inclusive wine getaways. “Our objective is fairly-priced quality wines that appeal to our customers,” says Bateman.

At Windham Vineyards, the public can more than merely raise a glass in the tasting room or on the expanded deck. Winemaker James Bateman and his wife, Valerie, also host “winemaker for a day” events for those with a hands-on interest in wine. Participants in the “winemaker for the day” packages also enjoy complimentary lodging, lunch with wine at the vineyard and a wine and cheese reception at the day’s end. Currently scheduled for October 3 and 17, the harvest events find participants picking grapes, and possibly assisting in the pressing and crushing.

For more about Windham Vineyards’ unique wines and offerings, visit www.windhamvineyards.com or call 518 734 5214.