Henry's at the Farm Fine Dining at Buttermilk Falls Inn

Henry's at the Farm Fine Dining at Buttermilk Falls Inn & Spa in New York Hudson Valley

During our visit to the New York Hudson River Valley we dined at Henry's at the Farm, fine dining at the Buttermilk Falls Inn & Spa across the river, opposite Poughkeepsie, in the town of Milton, New York. 

Buttermilk Falls’ is an extraordinary historic 75 acre Hudson River estate that offers a remarkable selection of lodging at the The Inn which has been in existence since  the 1760's, a world class spa, a farm-to-table restaurant, an organic kitchen garden and orchard, trails and an animal rescue sanctuary. 

The 1764 Main House offers ten beautifully appointed rooms plus there are eight unique private cottages/guest houses. 

Henry’s at the Farm adjoins the 40 acre Millstone Farm where fresh produce, eggs and honey source locavore farm to table selections. The restaurant is in a standalone building in the enclave, the dining room up a flight a stairs to the second floor, above the ground floor kitchen below.

Our selections of appetizers and entrees from the Daily Specials and dinner men  ....

Pan Seared Jumbo “Day Boat” Scallops - Hearts of Palm, Crushed Cashews, Brown Butter - We shared this appetizer course, this was to die for and was one of the highlights of the meal.

Shrimp Scampi - Another daily special, we shared this appetizer and it also was to die for, another highlight of the meal. Couldn't get enough bread to mop up the sauces of the appetizers!

Ceasar Salad - Overly creative, this was bordering on weird, basically was two stalks of hearts of Romaine lettuce with what seemed to a drizzle of thousand island dressing on each.

Beet and Goat Cheese Salad - Red, Golden, and Candy Cane Beets, Honey Chevre Cheese, Shaved Fennel, Spiced Pecans, Black Mission Fig - Somewhat minimalist, the portions were small leaving me want a bit more of each of the features.

Millstone Farm Summer Risotto - Zucchini, Yellow Squash, Eggplant, Spinach, Red Pepper, Cherry Tomatoes, Fried Zucchini Flowers. Linda's entree selection, the fried eggplant was a bit offsetting and the Zuchini Flower blossoms were disappointing - a huge setback from the remarkable comparative offering earlier in the week at Chez Francois in Vermillion, Ohio. 

 

Filet Mignon - 8oz. Filet, Foie Gras Butter, Buttermilk Blue Cheese Mash, Roasted Cippolini Onions, Asparagus, Tawny Port Glace. My entree selection, the steak was very good, albeit missing the 'char' of my Pittsburgh preparation request, (leaving me wondering if they knew what I was requesting), the Foie Gras butter and the Tawny Port Glace were delectable, highlights of the preparation accompaniments. The Buttermilk Blue Cheese overpowered the mashed potatoes, overwhelming, even for the most ardent cheese lover, which I thought I was, too much!

Ten Ounce New York Strip Steak from the daily special selections.   A daily special, Richard and Pat split this entree selection and it was excellent, a large portion sufficient for the two to share, prepared and presented perfectly.

From the basic rudimentary winelist, which offered the fundamental selections, at reasonable prices, we chose a moderately priced California Napa Cab.

Robert Sinskey POV - Point of View Napa Valley Carneros Cabernet Sauvignon 2014

To commemorate the three Bordeaux varietals in this blend, each vintage release features three different labels with Photography by producer Rob Sinskey. 

Producer photos of the three labels for 2015

This red Bordeaux Blend consists of estate grown Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon, although I could not find the percentages.

Grown in Robert Sinskey Vineyard’s organic cool-climate Carneros Vineyards, this wine has more in common with the Right Bank of the old world than the Left Bank of the New World. 

RSV’s Vandal Vineyard is in many ways like the Right Bank of Napa with a heat summation similar to Saint-Émilion. Conditions are right for Cabernet Franc and Merlot to thrive here with vibrant fruit that has just the right amount of mouth-watering acidity. This label combines in the blend, those two varieties and a touch of Cabernet Sauvignon to add backbone and longevity, and you have a wine that strikes a perfect balance of supple fruit and elegant structure. This is matured for two years in French oak barrels (30% new) before being bottled and "rested for another 2-3 years in the estate's cellars. 

Robert Sinskey Description: "Deep blackberry and blueberry fruit notes with fresh picked herbs, bramble and forest floor lead to an aromatic bouquet that is shy at first and opens with a swirl in the glass. The first sip explodes with flavor, revealing the intensity of optimally ripened fruit. The wine balances juicy red and black fruit like Santa Rosa plum, black cherry, black/blueberry, cassis and strawberry jam with baking spice nuances of star anise, cardamom and allspice and a touch of bay leaf and mocha. Tightly woven structure is balanced by mouth watering acidity and supple tannins..."

"Like striking a major chord, the three varieties of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, harmonize brilliantly - like they were always meant to be together. The wine opens with floral aromas of violet and rosemary, followed by a fruit stand of aromas and flavors reminiscent of blackberry, black plum, currant and black cherry. The primary fruit notes lead into more complex and earthier notes of black olive, sage, star anise, cocoa and a hint of vanilla that softens an otherwise youthful flavor profile."

Bright ruby colored, medium full bodied, bright vibrant black berry and hints of red berry fruits were accented by notes of cassis, all spice and cardamom and a hint of mocha on a tangy acidic finish. Ideal pairing complement to the beefsteaks.

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3191163

https://www.robertsinskey.com/

https://twitter.com/rsvnapa - @rsvnapa

https://www.buttermilkfallsinn.com/henrys/