I attended the Pasta Primo Vino this past weekend. We had a wonderful time touring the Shawangunk Wine Trail. We started out in Warwick at Warwick Valley Winery. They had a nice Chardonnay that I really liked, which I purchased. I went out of my norm and tasted their Winston Harlequin Port which I was surprised I liked. It was made from Baco Noir grapes which attributed to the smoky taste.

After Warwick we traveled to Applewood Winery which I think had the best Pasta. It was Blue Cheese baked Pasta. Yumm! Then we went to Brotherhood and the Marlboro Wineries. Benmarl had good Gnocchi! I also tasted their port too. It was good. I am not a port drinker, but the person I was with likes sweet wine. I kept an open mind and tried some. After Marlboro we went to the wineries in New Paltz, Pinebush and Gardiner. We ended at Whitecliff where we sat on the deck with a bottle of Awosting White and relaxed after a long day.

The wineries were crowded and I was told that Sunday is usually less crowded. I think the next event which is in June, I’ll attend on Sunday.

It’s really nice to go wine tasting in your backyard. I am so fortunate to live in a region that has good wineries. On a typical weekend where I don’t have anything planned, I will think nothing about packing a picnic lunch and going to some of my favorite wineries. Don’t think because you went wine tasting today, next month you will be tasting the same wines. NOT! Wineries release new wines all throughout the year. I will say, if you go wine tasting and really enjoy the wine, purchase it! Don’t wait until the next time. These wineries are small production and they may only have a few hundred cases of that wine. The next time you go to purchase the wine, they may be sold out.