People often debate whether “local” is measured by state or by miles. The Hudson-Berkshire Beverage Trail measures it in miles.
Tucked in between the northern-most portion of the Hudson Valley and the Berkshire Mountains, the Trail is home to a handful of wine, beer and spirit producers that cross the New York – Massachusetts state line. If you’ve never heard of them before, they’re offering you an excellent opportunity to check all their members in one spot this Memorial Day Weekend, when they’ll be hosting their inaugural Hudson-Berkshire Wine and Food Festival.
The three wineries involved — Brookview Station, Hudson-Chatham, and Furnace Brook Winery — will be offering wine tastings on both days and have recruited several wineries to join them from across New York and Massachusetts. Likewise, Harvest Spirits will have other distilleries aiding them with more offerings. \
And didn’t I mention beer? It is a criminal offense in my book not to have beer on Memorial Day Weekend, and if you’re on this page you know I’m not talking about Heineken. That’s not what the host of this event is talking about either. Trail member Chatham Brewing and their local pals will be sampling suds all weekend long.
Members of Pride of NY and Berkshire Grown will have locally grown and produced items to try such as gourmet cheeses, baked goods, and grass-fed meats. If you’re looking to do more than just try food, other vendors will be selling larger portions outside the festival.
Besides tastings, there will be classes on both home-brewing and cheese-making, expert seminars on spirits and on wine and food, and book signings by special guest authors.
The event will be held Saturday, May 25 (10 a.m. – 6 p.m.) and Sunday, May 26 (10 a.m. – 5 p.m.) at the Columbia County Fairgrounds in Chatham, NY. Tasting Tickets are $25 for one day of admission, complete with all the wine, beer, and spirits you care to taste. For those not tasting, Regular Admission is $10 for one day of admission with free non-alcoholic cold beverages. Get more details and purchase tickets.