Never Empty: Hudson’s New Tasting Room

neverstill wines Opens Tasting Room
at 739 Warren Street in Hudson, New York

The Mohican people, also known as the People of the Waters That Are Never Still, referred to the Hudson River as “Mahicanituck” or “Mahicanuck,” which translates to “the river that flows two ways” or “waters that are never still,” reflecting the tidal nature of the river. Intended to honor these people and the water that connects much of New York State comes a new wine and tasting room: neverstill.

On Wednesday I had the good fortune of snagging an invite to a “hard hat” showing of neverstill’s tasting room, set to open later this summer.

While still very much under construction, when you walk in the door of 739 Warren Street you get the immediate sense that something magical is forming. Amy Ilias – who spent over twenty years in the position of EVP of Art and Design at abc carpet & home – is handling the design and if you’re familiar with her work you know the tasting room will be elegant but comfortable, with an eclectic flair.

I was led through the bar room and lounge area into their table seating and then further back to their beautiful outdoor space, which will feature a spacious deck to luxuriate upon while sipping some cool white wines.

First, a note about the people. The Neverstill Wines journey began in 1994 when Christy Counts fell in love with wine exploration. I know many people who fall in love with wine and say to their spouse, “We should open a winery!” Very few people have what it takes to do it. Christy does and is kind, charming and clearly very knowledgeable about wine.

From their website: “In late 2022, Christy’s path crossed with Nova Cadamatre, the well-known Master of Wine who was rapidly growing her own wine brands. The two women hit it off quickly and Nova joined the team as winemaker. During the first harvest [in] 2023, Bryce Lianna officially joined the team as Assistant Winemaker. Together, the three women are setting out to showcase what beautiful and world-class wines can be made in New York.”

I had the pleasure of meeting Christy, Bryce and their Hospitality Director Grace and between the promise of a beautiful space and really welcoming company, I am quite confident that neverstill will be never empty. They prefer appointments for tastings but for you? You can walk in off the street because they like you, even though they’ve never met you. That’s just the kind of people they are.

Okay Lodro, but what about the wine? It’s really good. I like wine. In fact, an ideal Sunday for me is spent at the Hudson-Chatham Winery down the road, and through the wonderful gentlemen who run it I’ve learned more about New York wine in the past few years than the previous few decades of drinking it. 

I’m no expert but I know good wine and neverstill is good wine. I sampled their Chernin Blanc which was crisp and refreshing with hints of lemon, lime, and green apple… with a nice level of acidity to it. Think: you’re about to hit up a fantastic Hudson restaurant on a hot summer night and you want something to get you in the mood. The Chernin Blanc will definitely do the trick.

Next on tap was the Riesling which pops with peach and apricot and…I want to say honey (that might just be me though). It has that sweetness you want from a Riesling without being sugary sweet. It strikes the right balance in that regard touting a subtle note of meyer lemon. Best enjoyed poolside at the Maker (or your pool of choice). 

The neverstill grapes are grown at the twenty acre Hidden View vineyard in the Finger Lakes and are hand-harvested. More wines are coming to Hudson from Hidden View but while they go through the process of growing the business, the tasting room will feature additional lovely New York State wines from other makers. 

There is something about a business on the cusp of opening that felt familiar to me. There is always something going wrong while something else is being delayed because of it. You and your colleagues take in the disaster of the day and nod slowly, knowing things will be okay and trusting that you’re building something great. You are not sure when you get to open your doors and actually start welcoming people in, but the very idea of it keeps you motivated through whatever obstacles arise. There’s a palpable air of excitement through the construction occuring at neverstill.

Christy poured me a glass of the Riesling and I asked her when she first tried it herself. It was just days ago. I congratulated her and, because I couldn’t help myself, knowing how much blood, sweat and tears goes into ventures like these, I had to ask: “Were you worried about your first taste?” She seemed relieved that I asked. 

“It’s like having a baby,” she explained. “You love it and think it’s wonderful but what if other people think your baby is ugly?” I promise you this: when neverstill opens their doors, from the design to the vibe to the wine itself, there will be no ugly babies. Hudson is getting a new tasting room and baby, it’s going to be beautiful.