When Physicians Take Up Brewing

It was time once again Thursday for the Nyack farmers' market. And this time around, a new vendor caught my attention: Warwick Valley Winery and Distillery's booth.

It seemed the perfect spot to explore—especially during lunchtime.

The table was decked out with a spread of wines, ciders, liquors and brandies. And while I looked at all the colorful bottles on the table, the generous booth master offered me a taste.

"Red or white?" he offered.

I prefer white, so he gave me the Chardonnay and Harvest Moon to try. They were both very flavorful.

Warwick Valley Winery and Distillery was originally started by two doctors in 1989.  At that point, they were just learning how to grow the grapes, apples and pears.  Their first product was stumbled upon by accident—as a result of having too many apples, they brewed a hard cider. It was aptly named Doc's Draft Hard Cider. 

Now thoroughly inspired, they decided to experiment in the wine making field—and in 1994, they opened their doors to the public. On their website, the doctors admit their wines were novice at first, but improved as the years passed by. Now, they have 10 different varieties of red, whites, and in-betweens for every palate to enjoy.

In 2001, the winery decided to take things even further, opening a Hudson Valley distillery (and receiving a grant from New York State to do so). With such tasty—and some unusually fruity—micro brewing, they stand out in the world of distilleries.

And for those willing to venture beyond Nyack's farmers' market, there are many events at Warwick winery and orchards. The facility boasts a tasting room, café, summertime events with live music and apple and pear picking in the fall.

(It's about one hour northwest, at 114 Little York Road, Warwick).

Currently, Warwick is licensed to ship to 13 different states and can be spotted on the shelves of stores in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Massachusetts. In Rockland County alone there are seven locations carrying their products.

A note: you can find Warwick Valley Winery's booth at Nyack's farmers' market every other week. They also go to other markets in Goshen and their hometown of Warwick. Free tastings are available, too, as well as full bottles.

Nyack appears to enjoy their bi-weekly visits, as the table is always full of curious shoppers (myself included).