Although a couple centuries have passed since the Hudson Valley’s first established vineyards took root, the region is still widely considered a burgeoning wine scene. But even in comparison to the celebrated grape growers of the West Coast and Europe, the Hudson Valley is no forgotten child. With a vast variety of wineries dedicated to navigating the challenges that a Northeast climate and terroir bring, wine tourism has flourished here—from boutique wineries to estate vineyards and the bucolic farms associated with them.
Pinning the region on the map as a respected wine destination is part of the mission of the Hudson Valley Cabernet Franc Coalition. Their primary goal: To make Cabernet Franc our signature grape.
“The Hudson Valley often gets pushed aside in conversations about world-class wine destinations, so we want to raise awareness about the incredible wines we can make in this region and saw an opportunity to use Cabernet Franc as a way to get people excited,” says Linda Pierro, one of the Coalition’s four co-founders. She and her partner Bob Bedford, also a co-founder, are the creators of Hudson Valley Wine Magazine and indie publishing group Flint Mine Press. The remaining two Coalition founders are agriculturalists and wine experts Doug and MaryEllen Glorie, who ran Glorie Farm Winery in Marlboro for 16 years before retiring and selling the property in 2020.
“The idea started after a conversation with Doug Glorie while we were at an industry event,” Pierro explains. “I was tasting his Cab Franc, which was great, and it got us talking about how the region had been lacking in its own identity—and maybe this is what we could be known for. At the time, Benmarl Winery had just been awarded 91 points by Wine Spectator for their Cab Franc, and we knew others were growing and bottling it, too, so we thought this could be the thing our region could hang our hats on.”
Founded in 2016, the coalition currently encompasses eight wineries: Benmarl Winery, Fjord Vineyards, Milea Estate Vineyard, Millbrook Winery, Quartz Rock Vineyard, Robibero Winery, Rosina’s Winery, and Whitecliff Vineyard & Winery. Members get together annually to do a blind tasting with strict specifications in mind to determine which wineries are producing the highest quality. For example, the wine must contain at least 85 percent Hudson Valley-grown Cab Franc.
“There used to be a 12-month-minimum aging requirement, but we loosened that as some unoaked reds, Pet Nats, and others have met qualifications,” Pierro says. “We also alternate sides of the river for our events because the terroir is a little different on either side, and it’s interesting to see how much it affects the wines. Just as the climate here differs from other New York wine regions like Long Island and the Finger Lakes, you can expect our unique environment to play into the specific taste of a Hudson Valley wine.” All wines that pass the taste test are able to include the Coalition’s seal on their bottles, indicating that it meets a certain standard of qualifications.
Pierro says that the organization also works with Cornell Hudson Valley Research Laboratory in Highland to find the specific types of grapes best suited for growing here. “They did a trial planting of Cab Franc clones in a test vineyard to learn about the best ways to prune, manage canopy, and maintain the vineyard,” she explains. “The research will help us to grow better and grow more.” The grape is known to be one of the most winter-hardy red vinifera varieties and our region is capable of producing both complex and lighter-bodied reds. “A Cab Franc typically tastes of deep cherry, berries, and cranberries with a sweet body. The fruit shouldn’t be overboard, but it should shine through as freshness,” Pierro explains.
Coalition member Quartz Rock Vineyard offers a 2022 Cabernet Franc that co-owner Jacqui Heavens describes as bright, vibrant, and fruit-forward; a ruby-hued, lighter bodied, juicy wine with aromas and flavors of fresh raspberry, red plum, cranberry, and strawberry jam. “We made very purposeful, conscious decisions throughout the growing season and throughout the winemaking process to bring out the fruit flavors and tone down the green pepper notes that can be characteristic of Cab Franc,” she says. “The earth, licorice, and leather are still there in the finish, but it's the fruit that really shines through.”
Quartz Rock Vineyard is located at the site of the former Glorie Farm Winery in Marlboro—Heavens and her husband, Dan, purchased the property in January 2020 and changed the name in 2022, but maintained their Coalition membership.
“We find membership to be valuable for multiple reasons,” Jacqui explains. “First, it's very important to us to be part of the community of winemakers here in the Hudson Valley and we value the opportunity to work together whenever we can. Second, the Coalition is bringing awareness to the public about the excellent winemaking that's happening in the region. The Hudson Valley has long been a place of high-quality grape growing and winemaking, but many people still only think of Long Island and the Finger Lakes when they think of New York wine. There are excellent red wines coming out of the Hudson Valley, and Cabernet Franc is definitely one of them.”
“It's not easy to grow any grape, wherever you are in the world,” adds Dan Heavens, who manages the farm. “Growing Cabernet Franc, and vinifera in general, is harder here because it’s not native to this region. But even though there are challenges, there are techniques that can be employed to grow high-quality Cabernet Franc.”
Although the tasting event happens once a year, established members of the Coalition often turn to one another to share their passions and ideas—whether developing new techniques or rediscovering traditional methods of raising, maintaining, fermenting, and promoting homegrown wine.
“We might still be burgeoning, but there is always someone coming in with new ideas,” Pierro notes, “and always something new happening.”
