“Napa Valley? No way,” declared Cesar Baeza. “The Hudson Valley is the place to be.” That”™s how Baeza assured his partners from his native Chile when he first mentioned buying a winery in the United States.
Baeza, winemaster at Brotherhood Winery in Orange County”™s Washingtonville for more than two decades, convinced his South American partners to bypass California”™s Napa Valley and come here, “where the weather is absolutely perfect for growing grapes and fruits.”
As executive vice president of the 169-year-old landmark, vintner Baeza not only knows his wine, but he”™s a savvy businessman when it comes to seeing the growing wine industry”™s potential in the region. In these days of “go green,” Baeza says his is a business model people welcome. It has the three P”™s that makes it attractive: “It doesn”™t pollute; it produces beautiful scenery for the region; and it”™s profitable.” Baeza saw Brotherhood”™s potential to become a major destination for weddings, parties and business events, and he has taken on the project with both hands ”“ with a little help from his friends.
As Baeza speaks, workers are busy laying brick paving stone on the new outdoor patio that will be part of an upscale catering hall, designed to accommodate up to 300 people. He projects bookings by early 2008.
While construction goes on in several buildings, one aspect of the major renovation has been completed: The winery”™s old tasting room has gotten a $1.5 million makeover, and Baeza and partners have made it a showplace.
“The stone buildings on the grounds are truly works of art,” said Baeza, “and we”™re enhancing and adding to them.” New doors, windows and renovated interiors have given a face-lift to America”™s oldest continuously producing winery. The new catering hall with its landscaped outdoor patio, a new steakhouse and small, eclectic shops that will line the winding walkways of Brotherhood complete the picture. “It was already a jewel,” Baeza said, proudly, “and now we are giving it the polish it deserves.”
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Let”™s not leave out its major feature: the wine, of course, which is key to attracting visitors. Baeza”™s grapes come from Brotherhood”™s Greendale Farm in Columbia County. “It”™s 60 acres overlooking the Hudson River ”¦ you couldn”™t ask for a more beautiful spot, nor a better one for growing conditions,” he said. “The home Frederic Church (Olana) sits in the distance overlooking the vineyards. Because the land is protected, it will always remain that way. It”™s a piece of heaven on earth, and the vines provide the most glorious grapes.”
Greendale”™s harvest includes chardonnay, pinot noir, Riesling and a small amount of sangiovese grapes. “We have a farm on the North Fork of Long Island, where we produce grapes for our cabernet sauvignon and merlot,” Baeza said. Grapes from local farmers and grapes from the Lake Erie region also make their way to Washingtonville, where they eventually become part of Brotherhood”™s offerings.
Wine expert Kevin Zraly, during a luncheon at Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz in January, extolled the virtues of grape and fruit growers in New York state. Zraly told members of the New Paltz Chamber of Commerce the Shawangunk Wine Trail and its consortium of growers is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the potential for the wine industry.
“New York is number three in the country for growing of grapes produced for the wine industry,” said Zraly. “The climate and soil here are right for the product and many farmers are starting to see the benefit of growing this crop as an alternative. We have Brotherhood, the oldest continuously operating winery in the United States in Orange County and Benmarl Vineyards, the oldest-operating vineyard in Ulster County. With that kind of history, it”™s time to start seriously educating people about the potential waiting.”
Nobody has to convince Baeza of the region”™s potential. The multimillion-dollar investment in Brotherhood and his obvious love for the Hudson Valley region are evident both in the improvements he”™s brought to the winery and in the delight that shines through as he speaks of both. “Napa Valley, it”™s beautiful,” he said. “But the Hudson Valley”™s really is the place we want to be.”
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