Red Hook Winery

The Red Hook neighbourhood of New York City’s borough of Brooklyn, opposite the Statue of Liberty, might not seem the most likely location for a winery. Yet the Red Hook Winery has been based here since 2008, founded by Brooklyn native Mark Snyder.

His primary career was in music, including working as rig designer for Billy Joel. But alongside music, Mark’s greatest passion was for wine, and trips to California ended with him connecting with Robert Foley, a celebrated Napa Valley winemaker.

When he decided to get involved in the world of wine, rather than take the easy option and investing in a Californian winery, Mark decided to combine his passion with his New Yorker roots: Red Hook Winery was born.

Ever since the beginning it’s been under the stewardship of Christopher Nicolson, who cut his teeth in Tuscany, and then with Californian legend Ted Lemon of Littorai. He’s assisted by consultant winemakers, Robert Foley, as well as Abe Schoener of Scholium Project.

Seeking to shine a light on the underappreciated vineyards of New York, the winery only makes wines from grapes harvested within the state’s borders. There are wines from the Finger Lakes, to the North-west – the state’s fine white winemaking heartlands, famed, in particular, for the quality of its rieslings. Rather closer to the winery, there are also vineyards of Long Island’s North Fork, just seventy miles or so from the centre of New York City.

While a winery in the heart of the Big Apple could easily be seen as a gimmick, it’s clear that the quality coming out of Red Hook Winery is worthy of attention.