Bud Break With Pasta And Wine

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY, March 18, 2008 -Bud Break marks the annual spring season in Wine Country when once-dormant vines come to life and the Shawangunk Wine Trail wineries open their doors to host their popular Pasta Primo-Vino event. This year the event is being held the weekend of April 19th and 20th. Celebrate the start of the winegrowing season by visiting each of the wineries on the wine trail as they pair their wines with a delectable pasta dish.

Your taste buds will be tingling with dishes like Pasta Carbonara with Pancetta at Warwick Valley Winery, Fettuccini con Zucca e Pangrattato (with pumpkin and bread crumbs) at Whitecliff Vineyards,"Husband's Delight" comfort food at its best at Glorie Farm Winery and Gnocci in a sage and butter sauce at Benmarl Winery.

Be the first to taste Warwick Valley Winery's 2007 Pinot Gris crafted from 89% Pinot Gris (Pinot Grigio) and 11% Sauvignon Blanc. This wine has a delicate floral and honey aromas are followed by good fruit and welcomed acidity. Also newly released at Warwick Valley Winery for the Pasta Primo Vino is the Harvest Moon, a semi-sweet white wine with 1% residual sugar, made from the Cayuga and Vidal grapes.

When arriving at Glorie Farm Winery, pair their "Husband's Delight" with their first Estate Released 2006 Cabernet Franc. A stop at Whitecliff Vineyards will have you tasting their 2007 Estate Grown Awosting White which is their "Hudson Heritage White," a blend of Seyval and Vignoles. This wine is lovely, soft, low acid with flavors of apricot and peaches. In addition to the Awosting White, Whitecliff will be releasing their 2007 Pinot Gris, 2007 Redtail, 2007 Mt Laurel White and 2007 Riesling for this event.

Celebrating spring with Pasta Primo Vino is a wonderful way to be introduced to Hudson Valley Wines. The new releases available for tasting at the 10 wineries will make you see why Hudson Valley Wine has reached new levels in winemaking.

Event tickets include tasting fees at all the wineries as well as the pasta sampling. The event starts at 10 am each day and runs until 6pm. Tickets for this two day event are $20 per person, can be purchased in advanced or in person the day of the event at any of the participating ten wineries. For more information and to purchase tickets go to www.gunkswine.com .

Organized nearly 20 years ago, The Shawangunk Wine Trail offers the most diversity of any wine trail. It is home to the third largest winery in the New York, the smallest winery in the New York, 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 are: Benmarl Vineyards, Glorie Farm Winery, Stoutridge Vineyards, Adair Vineyards, Applewood Winery, Baldwin Vineyards, Brotherhood Winery, Rivendell Winery, Warwick Valley Winery & Distillery & Whitecliff Vineyards.

###