Page 14 - Valley Table - November 2022-February 2023

NewYork State of Mind
For Rhinebeck resident Paul Brady, it's always wine o'clock. By Matt Moment
When you walk up to Paul Brady Wine on the corner of Main and Eliza streets in Beacon, you’ll notice “NEW YORK WINE” emblazoned on the windows. And when you step inside this modern, spacious shop/tasting room that opened in late 2021, you’ll “discover the history and the now of New York’s most fashionable and delicious wines, beers, ciders, spirits, and more,” says owner Paul Brady. The shop celebrates the local beverage scene, sourcing its selection exclusively from the Empire State.
Before Brady opened his eponymous store, he was a jazz guitarist who performed across the country. But he had
a change of heart. “I was falling out of love with being a musician,” explains Brady. “When I moved to New York
City, I thought, ‘If this whole music thing goes wrong, I’ll
stock shelves at a wine shop’ [even though] I had no wine background at all.” Once he decided to move on, Brady found employment as a barback (the equivalent of a busser at a bar), which ultimately led to him pursuing sommelier status. It was when he finally became a certified wine expert that Brady became “obsessed” with wines native to New York. “It seemed like they weren’t getting the attention that they should.”
His fascination with local vino laid the foundation for his Beacon business. When looking for a location, Brady honed in on Beacon because of its proximity to Ulster County, one of the main grape-growing areas in the Hudson Valley. “Agriculturally, and culturally, it seemed like a good fit,” says Brady.
Paul Brady Wine is part wine shop, part tasting room, part bar, and part liquor store—with ciders, beers, and spirits from over 50 producers around the state. When you visit plan to stay a while. Grab a seat pair your glass of choice with house-made charcuterie prepared by Brian Arnoff, chef and owner of nearby Kitchen Sink Supper Club and Meyer’s Old Dutch.
Brady considers a great wine “light on its feet,” low in alcohol content, high in acidity, and preferably sparkling. The shop offers what Brady considers “an irresponsible amount
of sparkling wine,” including the best-selling “Rock and Roll Mouthwash,” a pét-nat made in collaboration with Osmote Winery in the Finger Lakes and named after guitarist and producer Nile Rodgers. Other custom wines worth trying are Fauxjolais, a red made with deChaunac and gamay grape skins (a collab with Wild Arc Farm in Pine Bush), and Bug Dope,
a dry Finger Lakes white blend of gewürztraminer, Riesling, and chardonnay grapes. His hope is that customers become
as devoted to regional wines as he is. “I love to talk about the history, and [participate in this] movement to use heirloom grapes that are native to northeastern North America.”
12 the valley table nov 2022 – feb 2023
photos by meghan spiro photography