On a rainy Memorial Day Monday my friend Rich Srsich and I decided to drive up into the hills of the Upper Hudson Valley Wine Trail. I have tasted many of the wines of the region but I had not visited the various wineries personally. It was a good opportunity to see some of this burgeoning trail for myself.
Our first stop was Victory View Vineyard. It is owned by Gerry and Mary Barnhart. Gerry has an exceptional reputation for making some of the best wines in the region. I am a HUGE fan of his! And this visit proved once again why that is so.
Gerry grows only hybrids. And most of them are of the Elmer Swenson/Minnesota cold climate varieties. And he is among a handful of those producers whose wines belong in almost any conversation. Victory View Vineyard produces excellent quality fine wines. Everything Gerry produces is an estate wine. They produce only estate wines.
First bottle was Victory View Vineyard Charlotte La Crescent 2014. This had lovely tropical notes, and hovered somewhere between a Gewurztraminer and a Riesling. It was absolutely lovely classic, zippy, dry white wine!!!!
Victory View Vineyard Abigail 2015 was light and pretty. Citrus, peach and melon all come through as promised.More forward fruit than the Charlotte, this light bright acidic white had a touch more acidity and a hint of sweetness. Very, very pretty!
Victory View Turning Point Marquette 2014 was a smoke bomb of a wine, with deep, dark fruit such as red cassis and dark stewed red fruits, as well as earth and a softness that is luxurious. This wine too is aged in a new American oak barrel for at least six months. I loved this wine!
Victory View Vineyard Independence Marquette Reserve 2014 is aged in newer and older French oak barrels. This is a limited bottling, of their best and oldest Marquette with it's own specific barrel regimen. I loved this wine. It was deep, dark, and rich.
There is no question Gerry and Mary offer some of the best Marquette on the east coast, and belong in conversations about not only the better cool climate wines, not better Marquette varietal wines, but very good red wines in general. Victory View Vineyard produces wonderful wines across the board!
I loved all three reds in a huge way. None particularly tasted like cold climate wines, but instead ere much more reminiscent of warmer climate wines. Deep red stewed fruits, dry, with a nice balance of acidity and tannin, color and oak. Nice, bold fruit. But nice, dry finished.
These were all polished wines, worthy of any wine list. Remarkable!