Valley Table interview with Clinton Vineyards, Phyllis Feder

7/29/2019 Valley Table interview with Clinton Vineyards, Phyllis Feder

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44 THE VA LLE Y TABLE DE CEM BE R 2011 FEBRUARY 2012 VALLEYTABLE PHOTOS

Seyval Blanc isnt exactly a household name, evenamong wine lovers. A French-hybrid grape (thathappens to grow especially well in the HudsonValley) captured the heart of Ben Feder, an artist, chef,businessman-turned-winemaker, who devoted hisentire vineyard in Clinton Corners to Seyval Blanc.You might say the next thing that captured Federsheart was Phyllis, his wife, who joined him in his

vineyard venture in 1988. The two made a formidableteam, transforming their 100-acre vineyard estate inthe Hudson Valley in the tradition of a small Frenchestate, producing the most romantic of wines(including one named Romance), championing aHudson Valley Wine Country brand and winningconverts to Seyval Blanc. Since Bens death in 2009,Phyllis has taken the helm of the winery; productioncontinues in the careful hands of their long-timewinemaker, Chris Stuart. This summer, at the HudsonValley Wine & Spirit Competition, Clinton Vineyardsmthode champenoise sparkling wine, Jubilee, tookthe honor as Best Wine of the Hudson Valley.

phyllis

federofclintonvineyardsa valley table interview

about the business


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DECEMBER 2011 FEBRUARY 2012 VALLEYTABLE.COM 45

PF The vineyard was planted in 1974; Ben released hisfirst wine in 78that was the 77 harvest. He won all themedals up and down the East Coast. It was a triumph forhim [even though] it was just 300 cases.

The concept that Ben had (he was a Francophile) was toemulate in some way the tradition of the small estatevineyards in France, where they specialize in a singlegrape. Seyval is a French-American hybrid and a goodgrape for the Hudson Valley. The concept is, I think,intelligent; its based on what can grow well here. Ben wentto France and learned about mthode champenoise; hecame back and then did a beautiful mthode champenoise.And he was making a little bit of Riesling.

When Ben and I got together we expanded a bit intomore of the mthode champenoise product and includeddessert wine.

We have our Seyval Naturellethat was the first[champagne]. Then we have Peach Gala. (That was amarvelous discovery. We had been to somebodys housewhere they were pouring a French pink champagneIthink it was called Peche. We said this is pleasant but you

know, its weak. So we thought, lets see what we can do.)We have another one called Royaleits Seyval

Naturalle with a little bit of Nuit, our wild black raspberrywine. Its a blusha gorgeous color. And one is Jubileeitis really for people who say they like dry. The fellow inFrance from whom Ben learned about mthodechampenoise said to him, You know, Americans saytheylike dry but they dont really mean it. However, this is dryand a lot of people truly love it. Its very special.

So, we were making table wineSeyval Blancwewere making four mthode champenoise and one late-harvest Seyval we called Romance. And that was it

everything from Seyval.Enter Norman Greig, who had all those raspberries. He

had tested an automatic harvester for the raspberries andbefore they knew it they had a thousand extra pounds ofraspberries. Norman came here and asked if Ben wouldconsider buying his raspberries and making a raspberrywine. And Ben said, No no, I dont do that. Wespecializewe just grow our grapes to make our wine.Finally Norman prevailed. The wine was so lovely I named itEmbrace, and everybody really enjoyed it, so the thoughtwas well buy another thousand pounds. Norman said,Fine, but you have to pick them yourselfhe didnt buy

the harvester.Then Ben sought other growers and found a couple ofladies on the other side of the river who said, Oh, yeah, wegrow beautiful raspberries, but you should see ourblackberries. So he said, Okay, send me a thousandpounds of blackberries. And then he created Desire. So wehad Romance, Embrace and Desire. We added on from that.

The whole vineyard is a little bit under 14 acres800vines strong. The other day the fellow who is working withme in the vineyard now, he said that the lines of vinesmeasured a little over 5 miles. Isnt that curious? Maybe wecould make a competitionHow many miles of vines doyou have?

You can have a lot of moneyand things still wont go

forward. You need leadership,enthusiasm and the ability to

bring people into the fold andgenerate excitement. Without

that theres nothing.


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46 T HE VA LL EY TA BL E D EC EM BE R 2011 FEBRUARY 2012

Last year the growing season was phenomenalthe vinesdid very well, and this year the vineyard is lookingspectacular. Im very worried thoughwe need more helpin terms of just, you know, workerspeople who doagriculture, who go from job to job wherever they can findwork. Its a tough world, being a farmer. Im already startingto get a little anxious about the harvest in terms of justgetting the right crew together.

In the past, we used to have all these famous fellowtravelers whod come to pick our grapes. They would comeand pick 12 grapes before lunch, have lunch, go back andpick another 22 grapes before it was time for cocktails. Itwas a big partywe ran the biggest parties in DutchessCounty. At a certain point I said we really have to hirepeople, so thats what we did. It would be so marvelous tohave some sort of cooperative where you had a big crewand they can go from one field to the other.

While they concentrated on developing the quality of theSeyval production (Please dont call it Chardonnay), theynevertheless remained open to other possibilities. When New

York State removed the ban on growing black currants, theyjumped at the opportunity to develop a black currant winecassisa very limited-production product that has arguablydrawn the most attention.

PF The cassis was quite a remarkable thing. The blackcurrant plant produced an airborne rust that destroyed pinetreesit was actually outlawed. Cornell developed a strain ofblack currants that were disease free, and their desire was toconvince farmers they should grow it. So they brought Bensome black currants and asked him to create something. Hedidand it was absolutely fabulous.

We had a blind tasting herewe had some wines fromtop producers in Canada, Belgium and Franceand wewon, hands down. The amount that he produced then wassomething like 60 cases; when we saw how well received itwas, we went forward.

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then Im veryflatteredI have my own personal thoughts about how well[other wineries] are making cassis but I dont go there.Everybodys palate is different. I can say that, you know,were the only vineyard in the United States to get a goldmedal for cassis in international competition. (When wesaid we were going to enter the Los Angeles International

Wine Competition, a friend said, Are you guys crazy? Iwas standing on a corner with Ben in 1995 in San MiguelAllende and there was an article about our cassis and aphotograph in Business Weekit was a wonderful thing tohave for Valentines Day.)

High on Feders list of priorities has always been thepromotion and branding of the Hudson Valley, somethingshes pursued through the development of Hudson ValleyWine Country, the Duthess Wine Trail, the Hudson ValleyWine and Culinary Project and as board chair of the NewYork Wine and Grape Foundation. Small, artisanal wineproducers in the Valley dont have it easy. The biggest


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challenge remains getting restaurants and markets andconsumers to buy.

PF From early on, I was very interested in the potentialof the Hudson Valleyan extraordinarily rich place withmany possibilities, not all realizedand some that wererealized were not necessarily known outside of the Valley.A long time agovery long before The Valley TableIwrote a piece (for I forget which publication)I said if youthink you have to travel 3,000 miles for beautiful scenery,wonderful food, good wine, think againits right here inyour backyard. These days I feel even more so about thatbecause, on the wine level, things have evolved a lot since1993. And the world has come to understand a lot moreabout what we have here.

Personally, I think the broader stroke is to bring peoplehere because then they have the experience of seeing all ofthis magnificence, of being on your turf. Thats why farmersmarkets are so exciting. The GreenMarket in New YorkCitywhat a gift that is. That is where you could reallymeet the producers and have a chat.

So, I see our job as getting people here, having them

see what we have to offer. People come down this road ona busyou know, on a farm-fresh tourand they seecows and sheep and goats and an occasional chickenrunning across the road and they think my goodness this isan hour and a half from Manhattan. Its a wholeawakening. Its something that I care deeply about. Thatswhat got me involved in the Wine and Grape Foundation.

It was eye-opening for me to be involved and to see theevolutionyou know, now were nearing 400 wineries [inNew York State]; I think in 1976 there were fewer than 30.And Im happy to say that representation from the HudsonValley continues.


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48 THE VALLEY TABLE DECEMBER 2011 FEBRUARY 2012

In my conversations with a lot of people in the businesshereI used to say, Folks, the Finger Lakes and Long Islandare very proactive. Theyre out there promoting. The HudsonValley is going to get lost unless it really gets more coopera-tive, making things happen And now theres the beveragetrail up in the Berkshiresso to that extent there is more

dimension. The [Dutchess Wine Trail and the ShawangunkWine Trail] have two very separate kinds of focus.

The idea of regional branding was a child of the Wineand Grape Foundation. For all intents and purposes, it wastheir largesse that enabled Hudson Valley Wine Country towork on having a presence at various trade shows and wineevents, to develop a website, rack cardsthat kind of promo-tional stuff. Now there is no specific money earmarked forregional branding. However, we certainly can utilize the winetrail allocations. The Millbrook people and I are very happy tosay Lets create more of a presence for the regionhopefullythe people of the Shawangunk Wine Trail will agree.

I just wish now that the economy, both on an individuallevel and on state and federal level, were such that youknow, projects like supporting agriculture and bringingpeople up [could be supported]. As you know, my ideasabout the Hudson Valley Wine and Culinary Centerwereno longer calling it a center, were calling it a projectare that I see it as a way of bringing together all thedifferent activities that are going to support the world ofagriculture and wine. You can have a lot of money andthings still wont go forward. In order to create thatstructure you need leadership, enthusiasm and the ability tobring people into the fold and generate excitement.Without that theres nothing.

I like to be able to look in almostany direction and see something

beautiful. Its just so reassuring.


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A tried-and-true democrat, Feder isnot shy about stating her beliefs or herinvolvement in politics. Having a guynamed Clinton elected to thepresidency was a marketers dream. Inthose days, it seemed like the ClintonVineyards brand was everywhere. Andthen came the wedding . . .

PF In 92, the Democratic conven-tion came to New York City, and BillClinton was the obvious nominee. Soour wines were everywhere. Im a dyed-in-the-wool Democrat, so was Ben, soof course we were very excited aboutClinton. At the inauguration, we hadchampagne in Washington. It waspersonally rewarding, you know, thewhole idea that we were going to havea man in office after all those yearsfeeling disenfranchised. We felt so

connected. In terms of the wine, itcertainly did bring awareness. Itbrought people here.

We had some interesting negativefeedback when there were thoseproblems that the president hadthere were times when people wouldmake remarks about Bill Clintononehalf of a couple would say, I love thiswine, then the wife would comealong and say, I will not haveanything in my house with that name

on it. We would have to makeremarks like, This is not politicalthisis wine.

A funny dog story: We had a womanin the tasting room who had assembleda rather large order. She went to thedesk and noticed the dogourwonderful black labhad a rubber toybust of Bush [in his mouth]. He hadbeen biting it and at this point he wassitting there chewing on George Bushsneck. The lady said to Ben, What is

your dog doing? Thats the President ofthe United States. And Ben said, Yes,I know. She said, Thats disgraceful.Ben made some comment along thelines of But not as disgraceful as whatshappening to our country, and shesaid, Well, I dont know that Iappreciate your sentiment. And Bensaid, Thats fine if you feel that way.She said, I dont know how I feelabout buying this wine, and he said,It was so nice of you to comeenjoyyour travels around the area. Period.


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50 THE VA LLE Y TABLE DE CEM BE R 2011 FEBRUARY 2012

Clearly, there are times when you have to hold your tongueand hope for the best.

The 14-acre vineyard stretches across rolling hills. Scatteredthroughout the property are sculptures and works of art,gardens and a pond. Each sign was hand painted by Ben, atypographer and artist.

PF I joined the partnership in 1988. Ben was part of aselect group of World War II vets that went to Paris under theG.I. Bill. He was so in love with Paris. I knew we wereabsolutely right for one another on many occasions, but hetook me to Paris once and as we were walking through theRight Bank over to my familys apartment on the Left Bank,he looked up at the sky and he just said, Oh, what a perfectTiepolo blue. And I thought, this is a guy who knows what

Tiepolo blue is and knowsthat I know it.

Ben was a bookdesigner; I was involved inthe graphic design world

at Push Pin StudioMiltonGlaser and those boys.Ben and I collaboratedbasically on how thepackaging should look.We really were a team. Imean we worked welltogether. Its a challengewhen youre married,living together, workingtogetherthe wholedynamic becomes very

sort of complicated, insome good ways and somechallenging ways.

We were together atevents, talking about new

things were going to be doing and then we started havingmore groups coming here [because of], I think, theproliferation of wine clubs and that kind of thing wherepeople started to say, lets go and explore. I was more in-volved in putting things together, handling those groups.

We did a few events here at our place on a coupleoccasions for NOFA. Whenever there was a local

community thing, we were happy to offer our place. Wefeel part of this community, the town, and you want tosupport whatever you can.

Still, there was life before Clinton Vineyards. There wasalways music, and art, and travel.

PF Music has always been a big part of my life. I was verylucky to have grown up in a family where music wasimportant. Before there was Channel 13, we listened to thePhilharmonic and the Metropolitan Opera on the radio. Iused to play but nothing great. I played the cello before Icould read music. (My father-in-law, who I never knew, was


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a cellist with the Philharmonic. I just finished having hiscello restored and donated for deserving students.)

And I was a singer. I sang sort of old standards. I had avery huge range that was not unlike Barbra Streisands. Isang with a jazz combo when I was in college and I lovedthat whole world of swing. But you know, I didnt have theconfidence to be myself nor would I have gotten the supportof my family if they thought I was a performer. But I justadored singing.

When I was in college, the Budapest String Quartetcame, and at the end of the performanceI was part of thewelcoming committeeI was standing next to one of theplayers and he looked at me and in a heavily accentedRussian voice he said, I guess theres no scotch here, and Isaid, Yes, there is, and I went up to my room and broughthim a drink. That man and I became very close, and when Igraduated he kept saying I must come to New York, I mustcome to New York, blah blah blah. That was AlexanderSchneider. We became close friends, and his brother and allthe peoplethey were all part of my world.

Yet, it would be incorrect to say that Feder has lived acharmed life--if a life can be characterized in a word, callhers romantic. She is surrounded by reminders of hergreatest loves--her husband, art and music--and they form acircle around her.

PF I need to live a very long time before Im deserving of alegacy. Ben was luckyhe led a very long and productiveand interesting life. I should be so lucky. I dont know what[my legacy] would be other than that I want very much to dohigh quality wine and I want this place to reflect the aestheticthat Ben and I shared. When I first came here, it was excitingputting it together. When Ben and I were in France I saw all

these wonderful courtyards and such, I said Oh, weve got tohave that. I want to look back and feel proud for what wevedone. People come here after theyve been to other placesand they pick up on the vibe, on the sense of intimacy andthe care that weve put into it and they go away feeling good.Its such an affirmation. One of the things that I love, whetherits in my house or out here, I like to be able to look in almostany direction and see something beautiful. Its just soreassuring, so nice the way you can see the changing

shadows and colors. It means a lot.There are times when I think, my God, what am I doing? I

think back in history to women who were in similar situa-tions in other placeslike in France, where they had to pickup where their husbands had left off, whether they went tothe war and didnt come back, or just died. So I just think,hey, there are ladies out there who did this, so get on with it.

I met Ben on a blind date at Aurora, Joe Baumsrestaurant in New York. I miss Joe. I dont think anybodyknew how to entertain people better than Joe Baum. Hewas quite remarkable. He was a clientthats how I methim.

Isnt it curious about lifethat Joe Baum would be aclient of ours, that then I would meet, fall in love andmarry Ben. And Ben, with his background in music andmy love and friends in music who then became Bensfriends, and all the people who came with that. Theresreally something quite cosmic about it. Magical. 4

Clinton Vineyards450 Schultzville Road, Clinton Corners

(845) 266-5372

Winery and tasting room:ThurMon noon5; Winter: FriSun noon-4:30Beginning Memorial Day: ThurSun noon5:30

Valley Table interview with Clinton Vineyards, Phyllis Feder

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