Benmarl Winery To Host The Bounty Of The Hudson Food & Wine Festival

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY, June 10, 2008 - Benmarl Winery, home to America's Oldest Vineyard will be hosting the Shawangunk Wine Trail's Bounty of the Hudson Food and Wine Festival July 26th & 27th 2008. This two-day wine & food festival is the largest festival featuring only Hudson Valley Wines. Along with Hudson Valley Wines you will enjoy epicurean delights, farm fresh local produce, and live music by The Bernstein Bard Quartet on Saturday and Andrew Holtz on Sunday.

Wines being tasted this year come from the banner crop that was achieved during the 2007 growing season. The 2007 growing season was the best growing season the Hudson Valley Vineyards have in many years. Visitors will enjoy side-by side tastings of the region's array of wines. Dry, complex, locally grown Seyval, Chardonnay or Pinot Noir, to sweeter apple and strawberry wines. This is the best opportunity to experience the range and quality now achieved by the wines of Hudson River Region.

Event tickets are $25 plus tax in advance and $35 at the door. Event hours are 12pm - 5pm each day. This year there will be transfers available from the Poughkeepsie Metro North Station. There will be a bus service between the Train Station and the Festival on the following schedule: Will meet arriving trains at 12:37, 1:38 and 2:38; Will Depart Festival at 4 and 5PM to catch the 4:31 and 5:31 trains back to NYC. Transfer cost is $10 round trip and must be purchased in advance.

Pictures and video of past year's Bounty of the Hudson can be viewed by clicking the following: 2007 Bounty Video, 2007 Bounty Chef Demo, 2007 Bands at the Bounty, 2006 Bounty Pictures, 2007 Bounty Pictures

Organized over 20 years ago, The Shawangunk Wine Trail offers the most diversity of any wine trail. Located in the Heart of the Hudson Valley. It is home to the nation's oldest continuously operated winery and America's oldest vineyard. Wines produced in the region range from dry complex wines, to soft fruity wines, to sparkling and outstanding dessert wines.

The Shawangunk Wine Trail is the closest wine trail to New York City, Westchester, Albany, Bergen County NJ, and Connecticut. It is conveniently located 85 miles north of New York City, 72 miles south of Albany and 40 miles west of Danbury CT. The Shawangunk Wine Trail is easily accessible by the New York State Thruway at Exits 16, 17, and 18, from Route 17 at Exit 119 and I84 West - 9W North & Union Avenue Exit.

Wine trail members include: Adair Vineyards & Rivendell Winery, New Paltz NY; Whitecliff Vineyards, Gardiner NY; Benmarl Vineyards, Glorie Farm Winery & Stoutridge Winery, Marlboro NY; Baldwin Vineyards, Pine Bush NY; Brotherhood Winery, Washingtonville NY; Applewood Winery & Warwick Valley Winery & Distillery, Warwick NY.
For more information and an up to date media kit visit www.gunkswine.com

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