OAK SUMMIT VINEYARD

"GREAT WINE IS MADE IN THE VINEYARD" has rightly been said by every great wine connoisseur since man first squeezed the noble grape. The Bruno Family chose to make great wine, and therefore have adopted this fundamental principle as their driving philosophy. The concept is that simple; but the execution thereof is anything but.

All the great Estates of Burgundy, all the great Chateaux of Bordeaux, and all the great wineries of Napa have one thing in common - they grow all of their own grapes. Only one great winery of the Hudson Valley shares that common thread, and grows all of its own grapes. Oak Summit Vineyard makes Pinot Noir and only Estate Bottled Pinot Noir in the true Burgundian manner.

Surprisingly, Oak Summit Vineyard has a more southern latitude and more heat summation than both Bordeaux and Burgundy. So, what's the problem? One issue is that the extreme cold of winter kills an average of 25% of the crop each year, and a newly planted vine requires four years to bear a good harvest. This is the problem. The solution is to keep planting replacement vines, and stay way ahead of the Winter Kill. "Its only money," says John C D Bruno, the family member who currently presides here.

Another issue is how to maintain the famous flavor and intensity which are the hallmarks of this vineyard. An abundance of sun and heat in the late season is required. Occasionally the autumns may be deficient in same. This is the problem. The solution is to go through the vineyard in August and discard an average of another 25% of the crop so that the remainder may become more intense. "Its only money," says Bruno again.

There are still other issues, and the solutions are always the same. The old adage that "the only way to make a small fortune in the wine business is to start with a large one" has never been more enjoyably and delightfully embraced than at Oak Summit. Why? Because The Bruno Family chose to make great wine.

Sorry to be so bland, but we can only offer our Pinot Noir. Also sorry to be so modest, but we have entered 32 wine competitions, and won 32 medals, mostly Gold. We also always win Best Pinot Noir in the Hudson Valley, and Best Pinot Noir on the Eastern Seaboard.