As I read through my class project I contemplated whether I should visit a wine vineyard or a distillery. In the end, I choose to visit a distillery which was Red Hook Wine distillery, located in Brooklyn, New York. It was my most likely choice since it was in close proximity and accessibility to public transportation. Thus, I made an appointment to meet with some tour personnel in hopes of gathering information on this wine distillery. On my way there I taught about some of the questions that I could ask the tour guide. Some of the things I wanted to find
out about their agricultural practices, ingredients used, fermentation and distillery practiced. The tour personnel were very clear, professional and knowledgeable.
According to Larousse Encyclopedia of Wine. London: “Wine is the fermented juice of freshly gathered grapes, made in many varieties, such as red, white, sweet, dry, still, and sparkling.” I was very excited to learn more about their local distillery and how they produce their wines. In this case, one of my questions was “Do they harvest their own grapes? and she answered no, all our grapes are grown in New York State. She states that they buy their grapes
from two regions in long Island, that are located in the North Fork and the other in the Finger lakes. According to the New York Times, “Red Hook Winery makes wines using only New
York grapes, but the real treasure is the grappa, distilled in small batches by Coli Alveras, the shop’s foreman”. After harvesting, they would bring the grapes to their distillery where all
production would take place. She also lamented that 85 percent of
Wine barrels in the fermentation room
Wine barrelÂ
Aging wine barrels going through fermentation process
Wine barrel (6chain)
Fermentation room where wine barrels are stored
As you enter the winery you can see tables made from old or used wine barrels.
Container filled with used wine corks.
At the bar one can view or see the different varieties of wines that they sell there.
Tables that you can stand at while having a glass of wine
Me taking a picture in front of the wine shelves.
north forks and 10 to 15 percent come from the finger lakes. My follow-up question was “What was the reason for buying majority of the wine from the North Fork instead of the Finger Lakes?”. Secondly, “Why long Island and not any other region in the US?”. She stated that they wanted their wine to be unique, creative and specific, so instead of buying wine from all over the United State they stick with only Long Island vineyards. She also said that the North Forks have
great soil that retains more sediments, thus giving a more consistent production of the quality of grapes. In addition to its proximity to the water, when vineyards are close to large body of water it maintains a more moderate temperature, which accounts for longer growing season which has a great impact on wine production.
In like manner, I ask her about their fermentation and distillery practices and she state that fermentation for the white grapes takes place in the stainless-steel tanks and a small fraction is done in barrels. Likewise, the same goes for the red whereby majority of the red grapes are
fermented in barrels and a small portion in stainless steel. Thirdly, how long the fermentation process takes? She replied, it can take from two weeks to two months for them even though you can go somewhere else and it’s a total different process. Most times it depends on the years and the amount of yeast in the air. She also stated that you can ferment it two ways by using or letting the yeast that’s in the air which collect on the skins of the grapes. However, if you only use that it’s not guarantee of how long it’s going to take it to ferment the wine as this can take up to five months. On the other hand, you can add yeast which will speed up the fermentation process. I then asked her if they used the chaptalization method, her responds was no we don’t manipulate the wine much. However, they have three different types of wine makers whereby two makes it naturally meaning they don’t add yeast added to the process and the third add yeast that is made in the lab. However, you can taste the difference in the wine that yeast is added. She was very engaging and knowledgeable in the basics of viticulture and wine production. She
was also well informed about the different varietal that they buy in addition to their blending techniques. Case in point, I asked her about their varietal she assert they don’t use hybrid they only used Vitis vinifera (noble grapes) thus, they make three different varietals which was one
single varietal, one red blends and one Rosa during the summer.
Fourthly, I asked her what the difference between the grapes in North Fork and the Finger lakes was? and with no hesitation. She explained how the soil and climate is what set them apart. She even compared the North Fork to Bordeaux in terms of climate and grapes varietals she explained that North Fork produces not only similar wine but singular weather she explains that the North Fork grows grapes just as the ones in Bordeaux such as Malbec merlot, cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc. On the other hand, the Finger lake which has a “continental climate” which is really hot summer and very cold winter produces similar grapes to Germany such as chardonnay cabernet franc. The tour personnel customer service was genuine and welcoming. She not only great us
politely she offers us a taste of their 2016 white wine which was light body, crisp and leave a lingering taste in my mouth like a refreshing lemonade. Thus, this could not be a better experience for me. Overall, the tour guide was very attentive she really listens and answered all my questions in details, which showcase her extensive knowledge of wine. I would recommend
this place for to anyone who wants to visit a wine distillery. It was very well organized with great scenery and rustic ambiance. It’s a nice, relaxing and amazing place to spend your weekend away from the hassle of the city.
 All things considered, visiting Red Hook Wine distillery was a great experience not only was it accessible, it had a great scenery and rustic atmosphere, great wine, knowledgeable tour personnel, you will definitely feel relaxed and happy with the warm and friendly welcome of the staffs whom are not pushy and are willing to answer your question to great extent.
