Warwick Valley Winery and Distillery

To welcome the first day of fall, two of my friends planned a trip to the Warwick Valley Winery and Distillery for a day of delicious wine and apple picking.

We began the morning with a breakfast of wine. Finding the Black Dirt Red and the Black Dirt Blush to be absolutely phenomenal, I took a bottle of each home. For the dessert option, I tasted the Winston’s Harlequin Port and found it to be deliciously bold and sweet.

Off to the orchards, we loaded our sacks with Honeycrisp, Macintosh, Empire and Gala apples. Honeycrisp being my favorite, I stocked up on plenty for snacks and making applesauce and apple butter. The Empire apples are perfect for baking. Those will be baked into a pie with crust from scratch later this week.

After loading up on apples, we headed over to the outdoor grill and had a lunch of hotdogs, brisket, pumpkin soup, and cheeseburgers. We lounged out on blankets and enjoyed the sunshine and cool breeze.

Warwick Valley Farmers’ Market

Every Sunday from May to November, Warwick plays host to a Farmers’ Market with produce from farms throughout the Hudson Valley as well as artisan cheeses, meats, baked goods, wines, and flowers.

For the past few summers I have had the luxury to stroll through the market Sunday mornings, picking out juicy, ripe peaches, crisp baby lettuce and delicious apple pies. Warwick is as familiar to me as my hometown and I lavish in the vitality of the people and fertile landscape that surrounds an incredibly active and lively downtown.

After a nice ride on Cornelius (I have yet to formally change his name), who recently learned how to jump!, I cruised the windy country roads into downtown Warwick. The market was packed with families and friends stocking up on fresh, delicious produce.

I came home with a gorgeous peach pie, carrots, turnips, cabbage. spearmint, parsley, red parsnips, radishes, fresh cracked pepper goat cheese, and a stunning head of romaine.

I neglected to take photos this time around, but I will be back next weekend. Here is a video from the Warwick Valley Farmers’ Market website: