The Story by Carlo DeVitoThe story of this wine started three years ago, when I asked several New York wineexperts why no one was openly blending a single wine that would represent the state.While terrior is an important part of wine making these days, blending too is an art. For centuries in Europe, winemakers and

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have turned the act of blending intosomething almost ethereal, creating some of the great wines of the world.But the thought was to make something uniquely New York. Something as big, and bold,and varied, and elegant as the Empire State and New Yorkers themselves. Something thatsmacked of state pride. Why not the first New York Super Wine, as these blends aresometimes called in other regions?This particular wine’s journey began two years ago, in the early spring. It started whenvineyard managers first started roaming their rows during the first stages of bud break. Itstarted in the Finger Lakes, it started in Long Island, it started that same morning in theHudson Valley. Its journey continued as each of the dozens of different decisions in eachvineyard took place – suckering, pruning, leaf pulling, and then to harvest.We worked with some of the premiere vineyards in the state to create three lusciouswines. Then our staff blended them, using a mixture of new American oak and toastedFrench oak barrels to create a unique wine, which featured the bright spots of the threeregions. We polled numerous industry experts and winemakers for their thoughts andadvice, seeking to make a truly unique and different wine. This wine first meldedtogether in these barrels, and then has had five months time to rest in the bottle.Empire is truly something historic and meaningful. It is a wine that truly represents threeof the state’s regions in a whole new way. It transcends old traditional boundaries, andestablishes a new benchmark in winemaking.Most importantly, we hope you will enjoy the quality and richness of flavor that Empirerepresents. It is a wine as big as the state whose name it bears. It is a wine to be enjoyednow with rich, spicy, and flavorful dishes, or worthy of long term cellaring.Hudson-Chatham Wineryis located in Ghent NY. Situated on the former Brisklea Farms Ayrshire Dairy with views stretching to the Berkshires and Catskills, theHudson-Chatham Winery celebrates the spirit of Columbia County's – and New York