Oak Summit Vineyard

Amongst the rolling hills south of the town of Millbrook, Oak Summit is situated on highlands about fifteen miles east of the river. The view looking west over the vines and across the Hudson Valley, with Shaupeneak and Marlboro Mountain on the horizon, is reminiscent of a Frank Church painting. The winery is breathtakingly beautiful; an archetype of what an artisanal farm winery should look like. Dark purple Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc accompanied by pale green Chardonnay grapes hang ripening in the afternoon sun. Vines are planted in perfect rows on gently undulating hills. A stone country house fronts onto a placid lake with a sparkling white gazebo situated on an island in the middle. Forested hills rises east from behind the house. Small boulders, kindly deposited by the Wisconsin glacier over 10,000 years ago, grace the broad swards of green grass planted around the lake. The setting brings forth the Mark Miller's idea that winemaking is truly a gentleman's game.

Oak Summit was founded by John Bruno, a former Manhattan restaurateur. Bruno owned the classic "Steak House Row" establishment, the "Pen and Pencil". The winery is operated by Bruno and his wife Nancy Nestor. The vineyard is six acres planted on the forty acre estate and is one of the two vinifera only vineyards in the Hudson Valley. Although Oak Summit grows three types of grapes they only produce Pinot Noir and only estate Pinot Noir. Their vines were first planted in 1999 and have produced vintages since 2002. Never in a hurry, their wines are aged for thirteen months in 33% new French oak. They have recently put the remaining cases of the 2005 vintage in the library and are currently shipping a 2006 and a just released 2007.

Oak Summit has advantages that help produce fine wines from Pinot Noir. The vines are planted in Dutchess Cardigan earth which is a glacial till characterized as a course silt loam providing excellent drainage. The soil is less acidic than many other areas in the region which is an advantage for Pinot Noir. The vineyard faces south-west to maximize sunlight exposure and promote ripening. The land was well prepared by ripping and carefully conditioning the soil prior to planting. Most important is that the vines are very well tended. Aggressive canopy management helps to insure adequate sun and heat through the growing season. To concentrate the flavors of the resulting wines one third to one half of the fruit is cut back. These practices are costly and labor intensive but necessary to coax this heartbreaking grape to live up to its potential for grace, elegance, and beauty.

Pinot Noir is the bane of winemakers. The rewards are so tantalizing but the vine is fickle, delicate, temperamental, and overly sensitive to just about everything that go wrong in both vineyard and cellar. Being a grape that doesn't seem capable of producing a mediocre wine, Pinot Noir is either abominable or ambrosia. Given the youth of the winery and vines Oak Summits vintages are a pleasant surprise. They show that New York State can make good Pinot Noir and the challenges the grape raises are not insurmountable. Although Oak Summit's Pinots are Burgundian in inspiration - solid structure, dry, and elegant - the character of the fruit is the primary focus and expression, displaying the classic traits of a fine New York vintage. Oak Summit demonstrates that although Pinot Noir is difficult it can be grown and made into excellent wines in New York State.