Celebrating the Hudson Valley Wine & Food Fest 2023 participating wineries

Back in 2011 Christine Kelley, also known as CK, began running the café at Skydive the Ranch in Gardiner NY. The café was home to food and pleasant company by day and became a bustling speakeasy at night. CK started brewing up large batches of sangria for guests to enjoy after hours, only to have it disappear within minutes. She couldn’t make it fast enough, and the hard-partying skydivers couldn’t get enough of it. Her bold blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Baco Noir is made entirely from New York grapes, and then infused with berries and stone fruits, splashed with a little citrus, and spiked with liquor (and, according to CJ, a sprinkle of love). This red elixir is a more traditional sangria, but not so sweet.

CK’s partner Tom Falzone, co-founder of Liquid Altitude, is a professional skydiver and is the head coach of the West Point parachute team, the Black Knights. He is also the mastermind of product development behind Freefall Sangria. Because of the increasing demand, the couple were encouraged to expand the operation. They purchased a property, taking production from the basement of their old farmhouse to the base of the Shawangunk Mountains. Since then they have shared cases and cases of Freefall Sangria at events throughout the U.S. 

Freefall also offers a fine white sangria that marries New York and California grapes to create a blend of Seyval Blanc and Vidal Blanc, featuring Hudson Valley orchard deliciousness and tropical fruits. And there’s also a bubbly Freefall Sangria Mule, the couple’s twist on the Moscow Mule, fusing their tropical white sangria with ginger beer and lime.
For more information, call (845) 419-3393 or visit https://freefallsangria.com/

Presented by WineRacks.com, The Hudson Valley Wine & Food Festival will take place on September 9th and September 10th at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds in Rhinebeck, N.Y., which will be transformed into a foodie paradise featuring some of the best wines and culinary treats that the Hudson Valley and beyond have to offer.