4 Dutchess County wine, champagne bars to check out in spring 2022 Leave a comment
Benjamin Franklin might have discovered electricity, but you might not know that he also discovered something better. He once wrote, “The discovery of a wine is of greater moment than the discovery of a constellation. The universe is too full of stars.”
Perhaps Franklin enjoyed a nice glass of chardonnay after a hard day of inventing, and boy can you relate. If you want to discover your own, there are quite a few wine bars in Dutchess County where you can enjoy a good glass of vino. Here are four to sample:
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di’Vine Wine Bar, Wappingers
Located on Market Street in the village of Wappingers, di’Vine Wine Bar comes with an extra amenity – a great view of Wappingers Falls. With the warmer weather (hopefully) on its way soon, you can enjoy your glass of wine and nosh outside on the deck or stay toasty inside.
The Wine Bar offers a variety of options such as sparkling wine —, including a nutty white peach and pear prosecco from Le Colture, Ital and a 2018 green apple spicy Gruener Veltliner from Austria. Of course there’s Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Riesling, Rosé and so much more. To accompany your wine, they offer mouth-watering snacks including an herbed goat cheese crostini, empanadas, meatball parmigiana, basil balsamic peaches, homemade peanut butter chocolate truffles and more.
Details: di’Vine Wine Bar 1 Market St, Wappingers Falls, 845-797-5635;divinewinebarwappingers.com
1915 Wine Cellar, Poughkeepsie
When you visit the 1915 Wine Cellar at 40 Cannon Street in Poughkeepsie, you not only enjoy some great wine, but you also get a lesson in the city’s history. It was in 1915 when Simon King operated a food wagon and then entered the hotel business, naming the building King’s Court. Alongside the Wine Cellar is the King’s Court Brewing Company
The Cellar is closed on Sundays, but if you go on Wednesday, you can order a wine flight that might include Figo Prosecco from Italy and Mercat, which is described as rich pear, green apple and hints of cream. Or perhaps their Les Maranches Macon-Uchizy Chardonnay is more your taste. Other selections of white and red wines and, yes, beers round out the menu. You can order their charcuterie board to snack on during your visit or try Aunt Pauline’s Secret Two Day Lemon Cake with a 100-year-old guarded recipe.
Details: 40 Cannon St, Poughkeepsie, 1915.wine/menu
Reserva Wine Bar, Beacon
If you are looking for a large selection of international wines to sample, head to Reserva Wine Bar right on Beacon’s bustling Main Street. Here you can choose a wine from the Hudson Valley as well as Italy, Austria, Spain, Portugal, South Africa, France, Greece, California, and Brazil. On the weekend, you can enjoy your glass while you listen to live music. And you can’t have the wine and the music without the bites. Reserva Wine Bar offers Pao De Queijo, warm Brazilian cheese bread with guava confit, Brazilian Queijo Coalho or pressed cheese and honey with honeycomb or baked Brie, fig jam and toasted walnuts for two people. It’s one delicious trifecta of a night out.
Details: 173 Main St, Beacon, reservabeacon.com.
Coupe Champagne Bar, Wappingers Falls
Vanessa Goodwin always loved champagne and eventually, she got her friends hooked as well. She then translated her passion, and wine education, into a business: Coupe Champagne Bar. “I just love champagne,” Goodwin says.
Along with the bubbles and a full list of wines — the menu features 30 to 40 types of champagne and sparkling wine, guests can order out from Wagon Wheel Pizza or charcuterie and desserts from Twisted Soul in Poughkeepsie. By June, Goodwin hopes to add her own menu of cocktail foods, as well as a spirits menu.
Goodwin says her aim was to create community-focused gathering spot so along with the drinks and nibbles, she supports women-owned businesses by hosting a rotating array of specialty popups as well as events.
Details: Coupe Champagne Bar, 2656 E. Main St. in Wappingers Falls, 845-632-1072; facebook.com/coupechampagnebar.
Karen Croke contributed to this story.
Lisa Iannucci is a Hudson Valley freelance writer. Contact her at newsroom@poughkeepsiejournal.com
