Dominique DeVito – Owner

Dominique DeVito grew up on a farm in Chester Springs, Pennsylvania, outside of Philadelphia. She went to Mount Holyoke Colllege in Massachusetts, and landed in New York City, where she had a career in magazine and book publishing. She was an editor at the American Kennel Club Gazette magazine, then went on to specialize in pet publishing at Howell, Macmillan, IDG Books, and TFH Publications. She launched several successful pet care series, including An Owner’s Guide to a Happy, Healthy Pet; The Terranova series that was the first to include a care and training CD; and For Dummies books on the care of multiple companion animals.

Dominique launched a freelance career when her twin sons were young, and she has written numerous books on everything from dogs to decorating to cooking, including The World Atlas of Dog Breeds. The learning curve for the winery was steep, but rewarding. Since purchasing the house and land that are now the Hudson-Chatham Winery in early 2006, she has learned more than she ever thought she would about agriculture, wine making, marketing, retail sales, and owning a small business.

She is a huge fan of the riches Columbia County and the area have to offer in everything from local food awareness to cultural institutions to natural beauty.She serves on the board of the Columbia County Chamber of Commerce and Hudson Valley Bounty, and is very active in promoting tourism in Columbia County and the Hudson Valley.

The Hudson-Chatham Winery is proud to be Columbia County’s first winery. Owners Carlo and Dominique DeVito bought the property that became the winery in early 2006, pleased by its south-facing slope, appropriate soil for growing grapes, and great location along Route 66. The site is the last 14 acres of what was once a thriving dairy farm. With the site established, the DeVitos planted the vineyard and built the tasting room. The winery opened to the public in September 2007.

Now in its 8th year, the Hudson-Chatham Winery is a well-established local and tourist destination in Columbia County, voted the Capital Region’s Best Local Winery in 2011, 2012, and 2014, and Columbia County’s Best Winery in 2014 and 2015. People come for the award-winning wines it has produced, as well as for the sunny and friendly tasting room experience, which includes outdoor seating with great views from spring through fall, and a candlelit fireplace in the winter. Since it opened, the winery has featured other locally produced gourmet items in the tasting room, including Hudson Valley artisanal cheeses, jams, sauces, and other gourmet items.

Of course the main reason to come is for the wines, and Hudson-Chatham is proud of its multiple award-winning wines and high scores its wines have received from Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast magazines as well as Edible Manhattan, Edible Hudson Valley, and the Wall Street Journal over the years. It produces a range of wines from dry to sweet to sparkling and dessert wines. An article about Hudson Valley wine and cheese venues in the New York Post (Oct 2012) commented, “Next, head up the parkway to Columbia County, where it’s all about the Hudson-Chatham Winery, which even the biggest snobs will admit can be pretty darn good.”