Beverage Production Experimental Learning Analysis

I had an amazing chance to visit a vineyard and not just any vineyard, Millbrook Vineyards & Winery located 26 Wing Road, Millbrook, NY 12545. 1121. Upon my arrival I was greeted warmly and I was welcomed with warm arms. Millbrook is apart of the Hudson Valley AVA, which is one of the newest AVA’s established in New York State. The techniques that they use are standard industry procedures. They harvest grapes at brix level between 21% and 23% because it gives them the yield 12% to 13% on their wines. Everything is hand harvested straight to the crush pad, then inflate bladder which is pushing the juice out from the grapes.

There are multiple grape varieties grown: the white grapes are: Traminette, Riesling, Chardonnay, Tocai Friulano, and Pinot Grigio (which is not grown there, but in California). These grapes are pressed, and then brought inside for cold fermentation and this process is slower without the addition of yeast.Unlike the white grapes the red grapes are all grown there and they are: Pinot noir, and Cabernet Franc. The red grapes are harvested just the same but they incorporate the crushed grapes with the juice to perform maceration (23 days to 7 weeks) depending on what they want it to look like. The rose process goes through saignee which is also known as the bleeding process which goes through one press. Oaking smooths out rough tannins and polished acicity. If oaked it goes to the oak barrel after fermentation. Partially oakes shas one acreage which contains Tocai Friulano which is located on their (Lollipop Hill) and oaked for 6 months lightly. All their reds are fully oaked. Fully oaked, fermented, and straight from crushed to barrel (for 8 months) are their reserved chardonnays. Every single cork is natural from the bark of cork oak trees. TCA (Trichloroanisole) is somethings that detects a taste of “corkiness.”

Special Attributes AVA, Millbrook is known for hudson Valley Cabernet Franc. The owner is John Dyson, and he founded HVCF. Pioneer of Farm Winery Act Passed in 1976 which has helped aging farm to winery. This gives additional tax breaks.

The importance of barrel aging in that there is a combination of mostly French and American oak (mostly neutral oak) which is more than three years old and less than ten (no longer imparting flavor into wine). Barrel aging also helps malolactic fermentation and converted into lactic acid which is for a mouth feel (what you taste v.s what your brain recognizes. Battonage is the process of starting lees. This is a special metal baton that stirs the lees bag into the aging wine. Battonage and lees are important for malolactic and malolactic is second fermentation. This could be a base wine where you put into barrel to age and add flavors.

I visited Millbrook Vineyards & Winery.

The wine tasting set up per guest.

One of the wines for sale that my mom ended up buying.

Equipment used for making the wine.

The grape vines.

Retail Beverage Shop Analysis/Comparison

For the Retail Beverage Shop Analysis I went to Astor Wine and Spirits, located 399 Lafayette Street. I’ve never visited a winery before so this was going to be my first time and I was really excited. Upon my arrival, I noticed the decor, outside is a red flag with their name on it. It really catches your eyes. I wasn’t the only one walking in multiple people behind me walked in as well. I first browsed around and then went to speak with the store employee. I asked them how exactly are the wines organized since there is such a vast collection of multiple wines. It’s set up by country, then region, and last but not least the grape variety. Within each section each wine are priced at different expenses. The cheaper wines (but not cheap in quality) are on the bottom and as you work your way up the prices get higher. The company has 25 distributors and they work with the distributor strictly made for New York which makes sense. There’s many sections within the store and it is displayed by a circular sign above the section of each wine giving you information about the wines there. What amazed me was that there was a tasting area. I believe that’s a great idea because it gives the customer a chance to taste a new wine before buying and not liking it in the end. A huge wine shop like this should have a reason to be up and standing for as long as they have and I was told it was because of their great customer service (just like any other place, not just wine). They try not to cater and support big wine company or distributors, but instead try to support the smaller companies, which i think is great. Another thing they do is send emails to their customers about their wines. I was really surprised finding out the types of wine that came out of Mexico and I was able to go to the section and take a look. Mexico made red wine and that’s their specialty I was told. Overall, I enjoyed the experience and I would definitely visit and buy wine when I become of age from Astor Wine and Spirits. 

RedWine From Region I Did Not Know Made Wine . Mexico

Sparkling wine Not From France

Red Wine From Spain

Shelf Talker