Hudson Valley Wine & Food Fest begins Saturday

Poster by Ann Elizabeth Schlegel

  If your taste runs toward Hudson Valley wines, or if you're not familiar with them but would like to be, this weekend is perfect for you.

The annual Hudson Valley Wine & Food Fest will be held Saturday and Sunday at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds. Most of the 50 wine booths will represent wineries from the Hudson Valley, but some will be staffed by wineries from elsewhere in the state as well as by wine vendors representing a wide variety of sources.

Among a varierty of demonstrations and panels, Debbie Gioquindo, a member of the American Society of Wine Educators and author of the new book “Hudson Valley Uncorked,” will be leading three seminars:

Saturday

"Cake Ball and Wine Pairing," learning to pair wines with desserts.

Sunday

"Hudson Valley Signature Grape, Cabernet Franc," featuring a discussion on the grape that has been selected to be the region's signature wine and some of its producers.

"Wine & Cheese Pairing," featuring Gioquindo and "The Cheese Lady," Debbie Decker from Adams Fairacre Farms in Poughkeepsie.

Full event details, schedule, and ticketing information are available on the event website. The Dutchess County Fairgrounds complex is located at 6550 Spring Brook Avenue in Rhinebeck. Phone: (845) 876-4000.

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