There’s an evolving rainbow in Beacon and we have Paul Brady to thank. The brightly colored, kaleidoscope of beanies that grace the label of his wines are also for sale at his eponymous wine shop, with its focus on New York goods. “The hats are a symbol of cold, up-north, backwoods culture,” he says. “I’ve been wearing a hunter orange one for over 10 years—it just sort of became our mascot.” Anyone that knows Paul knows this to be true. He is rarely seen without it and it embodies his favorite expression that has organically become the Paul Brady brand hashtag: #upnorthshit.
Paul Brady knows New York wines inside and out. Formerly brand ambassador for the New York Wine & Grape Foundation, he worked to elevate the visibility of New York producers in the global wine market. According to the foundation, there are 471 active wineries in the state. Brady realized many Hudson Valley locals have barely scratched the surface of what our area offers. He wanted to change that and decided that the best way to do that was to become a part of it—all of it.
In his Main Street, Beacon establishment Paul Brady Wine, the entrepreneur and wine connoisseur has combined three ways to support and elevante the New York wine trade in a single tidy storefront—a retail shop that exclusively sells wine, cider, beer, and spirits made in New York, a bar serving flights of New York-made wines (plus cider, beer, and cocktails), and his very own line of wines produced in collaboration with Todd Cavallo of Wild Arc Farm in Pine Bush, Ben Riccardi of Finger Lakes winery Osmote, and others. Or as Brady calls it, “a showcase of New York state agriculture through booze.”
After browsing the selection on the shelves, shop visitors can also buy a bottle and enjoy it at the bar for a corking fee. Or simply pull up a stool at the concrete bar and order by the glass. The ambiance offers a modest design driven by a postmodern tavern aesthetic, with a mix of exposed brick, blackpainted wood, and gentle backlighting. “What people tell me is that it feels very nice and adult,” says Brady. “But also comfortable and chill, and that really has been the goal from the start.” The patrons are a mix of locals, daytrippers, and visitors from afar. Industry night, on Mondays, brings many Beacon hospitality workers together for laughs and discounted food and wine.
While the shop stocks the gamut of classically made to natty wines from across the state, Brady’s own line of wines are more esoteric—focusing on hybrid grapes and low-intervention production methods. His wine cuvée names are just as colorful as his hats, with titles like Rock N Roll Mouthwash, Fauxjolais, Bug Dope, and Low Action Loud. Rock N Roll Mouthwash is a pét nat (short for pétillant naturel, or naturally sparkling) made in collaboration with Riccardi. Almost like a dry Lambrusco but made from old vine Leon Millot and Marquette—both hybrids.
Fauxjolais is a play on Beaujolais, a light red made from the Gamay Noir grape using carbonic maceration (a method in which the first phase of fermentation happens with low or no oxygen and whole grapes). Brady’s collaboration with Cavallo is made in the same way using hybrid grape DeChaunac from Howard Baker Vineyard in Marlboro with gamay skins from Whitecliff's estate added to the ferment.
Bug Dope is a collaboration with winemaker Nathan Kendall (natural winemaker du jour in the Finger Lakes) that is a blend of Gewurztraminer, Chardonnay, and Riesling. Low Action Loud is a collab with Peter Becraft, of Anthony Road Wine Company in the Finger Lakes using mostly Blaufrankish with a little Cabernet Franc and skin-contact Pinot Gris for texture. Brady’s newest release, Melody Harlow, is a white pét nat made from a hybrid grape called Melody that was developed at Cornell that has a crispy summery vibe with bright citrus flavors.
Currently, the shop and the bar are fully stocked for spring with rosé and light-bodied whites from New York State producers. Light bites, charcuterie boards, and veggie boards are supplied by neighboring Beacon restaurant and longtime champion of local wine, the Kitchen Sink. “We wanted everything to be as local as possible,” says Brady. “Everything is from our backyard and prepared in-house at the Kitchen Sink. Meats and cheeses include duck rillettes, chicken liver mousse and pork terrine. The veg boards are super dope! On those, you can find pecan puree, butternut butter, mushroom tartar and focaccia.”
Farm and Food Tours of the Hudson Valley has recently added Paul Brady wines to their itinerary. It’s a one-stop-shop for sampling Hudson Valley’s wine and food scene, and the broader New York wine industry. Amy Bandolik, founder/owner of the Farm and Food Tour says her decision to add PBW to the tour has been such a positive one. “Everything is cool there—the space is hip. The selections are unique. The logo-ed product line of ski caps and custom wines are kitschy-cool,” she says. “One thing that’s not...Paul Brady himself. Not that he’s not cool—he is, but more than that he’s warm. A host in the truest sense of the word.”
Pop into Paul Brady Wine at 344 Main Street in Beacon for some #upnorthshit. On Mondays, the corkage fee is waived—meaning guests can buy a bottle at the shop and enjoy it at the bar. Wednesdays and Thursdays feature different happy hour drink specials. And don’t forget to grab a beanie on your way out. Like Thoreau says, “Live your life, do your work, then take your hat.”
