Sitting on 250 acres in the rolling hills of Amenia, Troutbeck has a storied past as a relaxing and refined country inn that, over two centuries, has lodged the literate likes of Mark Twain, Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson, John Burroughs, and Joel Spingarn. With a guest book like that and magazine-worthy grounds, the estate is itself a celebrity of sorts.
Since reopening under new owners in 2017, Troutbeck has earned acclaim beyond its accommodations for its onsite restaurant. The kitchen is ably helmed by Michelin-starred executive chef Gabe McMackin, whose CV includes time at The Mayflower and Thomas Moran’s Petite Syrah, Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Gramercy Tavern, The Finch. McMackin’s seasonally shifting menu of New American fare and multi-course tasting dinners pay homage to the region’s producers, with hyper-fresh, local ingredients.
McMackin’s food, which recently earned him a James Beard nomination is certainly worth the drive. But it’s not all that Troubeck is dishing up this season. Spring 2022 brings the launch of a beverage residency program with four women leaders in the field. The series kicked off on March 29 with a two-night stand by wine director and educator Lee Cambell.
Things will continue April 26-28, with a visit from Greenpoint Cidery founder and cidermaker Nika Carlson. After educating Troutbeck service staff on her ciders and other styles, on Wednesday, April 27, Carlson will offer a public-facing cider class with tastings and information on the cider-making process, styles, and history. On Tuesday, April 28, Carlson will celebrate the launch of Greenpoint Cidery’s newest release with a party in the pole barn including a curated cider bar, a family-style dinner cooked on the Troutbeck fire truck, and live music.
May 15-17, Victoria James, the James Beard-nominated beverage director for the Michelin-stared Korean steakhouse Côte NYC and founder of the Côte Wine Club, will be in residence at Troutbeck. The main public-facing highlight is a double-header on Sunday, May 15. The Wine Girl author will give a book talk followed by a dinner with wine pairings. She’ll speak with the Troutbeck staff and walk them through her curated wine selections, will be available on the restaurant menu all week.
The residency series wraps up the first weekend in June when, Yola Mezcal co-founder Gina Corell Aglietti stops into town for a smokey stay. The women-led, women-invested brand’s mezcal is made in Oaxaca on cofounder Yola Jimenez’s family farm and bottled by women. On Sunday afternoon, Aglietti will lead a poolside mezcal workshop at Troutbeck, followed by a Yola Mezcal dinner and party in the courtyard and the Pole Barn. Yola Mezcal cocktails specials will be available all week on the Troutbeck menu.
The beverage residency series has a multipronged purpose—each of the industry leaders will educate staff and guests in their area of expertise as well as curate a drink menu and pairing experience, diversifying the voices shaping Troutbeck’s beverage program.
Each of the events is ticketed and open to guests, members, local farmers, and the public.
This article appears in April 2022.
