Sharing A Delicious Fall Bounty at City Winery Hudson Valley

By inside + out | November 10, 2022

Entering the grounds of City Winery on a crisp, beautiful day in October was like stepping into a page from a storybook. The hillside was glorious, with its burnt orange and striking red colored foliage, providing a colorful context to a modern yet rustic venue decorated to the “T” in celebration of the Fall season. We had almost made it to the door when we heard a faint rushing sound, like a muted, rambling river. As we got closer, we saw a solitary artist quietly capturing the lovely landscape before him “en Plein air”: an old brick-red barn alongside the crystal clear waters of a running stream, framed by the trees bursting with the colors of Fall –all leading to the gentle cascade of the waterfall that had been inspiring artists for centuries.

Welcome to City Winery!

INSIDE+OUT was delighted to be invited to City Winery’s Fall Menu Tasting Event. As with anything prepared by Chef Moustakas, it was a delicious experience perfectly paired with luscious wines of City Winery. We were warmly greeted upon our arrival with a glass of bubbly rose, their City Bubbles pink Cava. The dining area’s expansive windows boasted perfect views of a stone fountain, waterfall and a most beautiful outside deck, the ideal place for a crisp glass of wine and one of their seasonal dishes on this fabulous autumn day.

We were escorted downstairs to City Winery’s private dining room, where the sprawling tablescape and rustic industrial space instantly made us feel right at home. Our intrigue was piqued, and our anticipation of dinner was in full play! The table was full of new friends, warm smiles, and, of course, full glasses of excellent wine.

Executive Chef Tony Moustakas and Winemaker Travis Van Caster were great hosts. They guided us through the immersive tasting that heightened our senses and warmed our souls. Dinner included seven courses– of course, every dish was to die for! Chef Moustakas’ culinary genius was sublime, and the wine pairings by Travis were spot on as they revealed the bursting flavors of both dish and wine.

It was nearly impossible to choose, but our favorite course was a crispy butternut squash ravioli paired with a glass of Picapoul “L’Orange.” Needless to say, we were most impressed with every dish on the main menu – dare we say that we can’t wait to try their winter tasting.

Photos and menu notes by Sabrina Eberhard & Ryan Meyer
Another fabulous event at City Winery! Thank you.

Highlights from the City Winery Fall Menu

Hummus (v)
A classic appetizer, fresh pita paired with fluffy sun-dried tomato hummus, infused with rich chili oil.

Crispy Butternut Squash Ravioli (v)
Autumn favorite, inside the crispy ravioli shell, hides the smoothest squash filling. Paired with maple mustard aioli, this dish creates an explosion of flavor and texture.

Burrata (v)
A burrata dish like no other, savor every bite and flavor. Cranberry cabernet relish, cilantro pesto, & orange zest create a rainbow of taste, combined with roasted fennel, toasted hazelnuts, & sourdough to give you only the best burrata experience.

Moroccan Lamb Shank
Let perfectly tender lamb melt into every taste bud, finely spiced & dressed, this mouthwatering dish comes with roasted fingerlings, chickpeas, & carrots.
Pair with any of our merlots to experience one of our most elegant & flavorful meals.

Local Roasted Steelhead Trout (gf)
Velvety-rich steelhead trout overtop creamy sweet potato puree, sliced bosc pears, & delicata squash, drizzled in hazelnut brown butter.
This dish offers only the best composition of flavors & textures, redefining the elegance of autumn seafood.

Shrimp & Grits (gf)
Wild hive grits, shrimp, & pork belly red eye gravy open the gateway to reimagined soul food.
Hints of coffee make this dish delectable, & the range of flavors makes it one of the most unique and delicious grits recipes.

Pecan Tart
An autumn treat that will leave you wanting more, relish every bite before it is gone.
Bourbon caramel over this pecan tart makes it the perfect dessert love story.

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Wines Served! Some of our favorite highlights of the night:

Our absolute favorite is the 2021 Picpoul “L’Orange” natural orange wine.

City Mule, crushable, bright with the right amount of ginger spice.

Love icewine? You HAVE to try the 2020 “Vin de Glaciere” Riesling Ice Wine from the finger lakes.
Rich and fruity and the perfect complement to the nutty and caramel notes of the pecan tart.

And for Chardonnay lovers, you’ll cherish City Winery’s Chardonnay, a buttery taste of heaven in a glass