Apples and Wine Signal Autumn's Arrival

Capital Region Apple & Wine Festival

One thing I’ve learned in my few years in destination marketing is that people travel on their stomachs. Some of the most successful destinations take a regional food, incorporate it into a festival, and voilà! People flock! Autumn brings many people to the Albany area for this simple reason: we have foliage, food, and festivals.

One of such festivals takes place this weekend at the Altamont Fairgrounds. The Capital Region Apple & Wine Festival will be the perfect complement to a weekend that is supposed to be mostly sunny and about 70 degrees. Enjoy a craft and quilt show, car show, food vendors, cooking demonstrations and wine tastings all day while music drifts through the fairgrounds. Tickets are a reasonable $8 for adults and can be purchased at the gate or in advance at Price Chopper locations through September 12. Parking is free, and more information can be found on their website.

Another event you wine lovers will want to add to your calendar is Hudson-Chatham Winery’s BACO-NALIA event on October 18th. If you’ve ever tasted their Baco Noir wine, you understand that it’s some pretty incredible stuff; just read the reviews on their new website here. Well, it’s very exciting to announce that they’ll be releasing some additional Baco Noirs in their tasting room that day: their first Estate Baco Noir (BN) made with grapes from the winery; the '13 BN Reserve Casscles Vineyard; the '13 BN Middle Hope Vineyard; and the '12 Field Stone BN. They join the already released '13 BN Old Vines.

Then, at 1 pm, they'll be doing a first-ever vertical tasting of the Baco Noir Old Vines. This is the chance to taste multiple vintages of this wonderful wine. The cost is a worthwhile $35 per person ($30 for their Case Club Members) and includes wines and food.

To cap the day, at 6 pm, they’re celebrating with a private wine dinner featuring only the Bacos. It'll be a true wine-and-dine celebration of Hudson-Chatham Bacos past and present, paired with a 5-course meal. This event costs $75 per person ($65 for Case Club Members). Email Hudson-Chatham winery about reservations to these events here.

For information on other events and festivals in the area, be sure to check out our events calendar!