East Coast Wineries: Steve Casscles Highlights the Return of the Historic High Tor Vineyards in Hudson Valley Wine magazine

In the most recent issue of Hudson Valley Wine magazine renowned cool grape authority, hybridist, and winemaker Stephen Casscles recounts the history of one of the valley's most famous wineries, High Tor Vineyards which was founded by Everett Crosby. At it's height, High Tor was a force to be reckoned with in New York State, for quality and flavor.

Today, Marvin Baum is reassembling that winery, working with Casscles and others, to bring back the vineyard and the label. He's an excerpt, with a link below to Stephen's article and a few I wrote back in the day. Great job, Steve!

A New Beginning for High Tor

Since 2005, history buff Marvin Baum of New City, New York, had been interested in starting a winery and reviving the local High Tor Vineyards name, however with the acquisition of the original High Tor Vineyards property by the Palisades Interstate Park Commission, the prospect of finding adequate land to start a vineyard in New City was extremely unlikely.

However, in 2022, a hidden three-acre former farm on North Little Tor Road became available, not far from the original High Tor Vineyards that had been on High Tor Road. In addition, Baum learned that this former farm had been a private vineyard and winery between 1960 and 1990, so this location seemed destined to be the perfect location for a new vineyard and winery. After acquiring the initial three acres, Baum then acquired an adjoining acre property in 2024 that included a building well-suited for wine making, and additional land for an expanded new vineyard nursery (planted in the spring of 2025) and for a future additional vineyard.

High Tor VIneyards owner Marvin Baum in one of his two nurseries. *Courtesy Marvin Baum*

As of 2025, work continues at the new High Tor with building renovations underway for a tasting room and event space, with plans to open the winery to the public sometime in 2026.

Demonstrating that the pioneering work of the Crosbys continues to this day, Baum has chosen to grow Heritage grapes in Rockland County to make quality wines using organic management techniques. The new High Tor Vineyards plans to produce kosher-certified wines, host small private events, and concentrate on growing Hudson Valley Heritage grape varieties including Bacchus, Campbell Early, Croton, Empire State, Iona, and Jefferson, as well as Agwam, Burdin 6055, Cayuga White (a “grandchild” of Iona developed by Cornell in the 1940s), Chambourcin, and Vidal varieties.

High Tor Vineyards played an important and innovative role in East Coast winemaking with its early pioneering work on French hybrids. That pioneering spirit continues today new wineries promoting Heritage grapes like the new High Tor Vineyards.