Taste tests are held Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the winery on 1297 Brookview Station Road.
      Sue Goold Miller, who runs Goold Orchards and the winery with her husband, Ed, said she started thinking about making wines from apples and pears about five years ago.
      About four years ago, the couple was at the Pride of New York Festival when they were approached by Art Hunt and his wife, Joyce, who have a winery on Keuka Lake in Branchport.
      "Mr. Hunt approached us and asked whether we'd ever thought of making our own wines," said Ms. Goold-Miller. "I said yes, and we talked."
      The following year, the couples visited, offering advice and encouragement.
      "There was a lot to go through, however, like filling out a 45-page liquor application, making up a business plan, writing grant applications, and going through the process to get state and federal winery licenses," said Ms. Goold-Miller. "We even had to have the label approved."
      The couple did receive a $15,000 grant through the state Agriculture and Markets Farm Viability to pay for some equipment needed to make the wine.
      "Our intention is to be an agri-tourism destination and also make people aware we are a year-round business," said Advertising and Marketing Director Karen Gardy. "To that end I think we are succeeding."
      A temporary license for the winery was issued September 29, 2006, and the wines were introduced at the Goold Orchards Festival last October.
      "We were amazed at the response," said Ms. Goold-Miller. "People were surprised how good it was. They were shocked we made wine out of apples and pears. We sold out of all we had bottled, about 40 gallons."
      Moving through the holiday season, the winery sold a "staggering" amount of wine, according to Ms. Goold-Miller, who noted that many people made up gift baskets with wines, apples and cheeses. A few businesses, she said, put together gift baskets for their employees.
      "We're down to five cases," she said. "We're just about ready to bottle again."
      A normal bottling makes between 45 and 50 gallons.
      And people stopping in for a tasting, most times left with other products sold at the farm store.
      The process for making the apple- and pear-based wines is about the same as making wine from grapes, according to Ms. Gardy.
      "We press the apples and pears using our cider mill, but it into barrels, add sugar and yeast and work on fermenting it," she said. "The wine is then tested for the amount of alcohol, acidity and pH."
      The wine currently "rests" in plastic barrels, but Ms. Goold-Miller said she and her husband are thinking about upgrading to stainless steel.
      Oak barrels commonly used to ferment grape-based wines are not used because the fruit wines would not age properly in them.
      The semi-dry apple wine is made from a mixture of apples. Ms. Goold-Miller wouldn't name the blend, but the orchard grows 17 different varieties. The pear wine is also made with a mixture of pears, also grown right on the property.
      Both women said they prefer the Pomona wine, made from both apples and pears. All three wines start with a smooth texture and have a clean finish with little aftertaste.
      The apple wine is akin to a sauvignon blanc, and the pear wine to a chardonnay.
      "These aren't wine coolers by any stretch," said Ms. Goold-Miller.
       Mr. Gardy said the wines are low in residual sugars, making for a less dehydrating wine.
      "All while we were working on the paperwork, we were trying out different ways of making the wines," said Ms. Goold-Miller.
      "We kept making it and testing it. The apple wine was very consistent, but we had to work on the pear wine a bit more."
      Her husband, she said, came up with the idea for the apple/pear combination.
      For now, the only marketing being done is through the farm.
      "We're not sure of the next direction," said Ms. Goold-Miller. "We've not enough wine made and bottled yet."
      A lot of wineries are coming on-line in this state, according to Ms. Gardy.
      "It's been said New York is going to be the next Napa Valley," she said.
      "There's a big push out there, which is okay because people in the wine industry are very supportive of each other and are eager to promote each other."
      Mr. Gardy said the wines have been entered into a contest sponsored by the Hudson Valley Wine and Grape Association.
       The event will be held March 24 in Ulster County.
      The Brookview Station Winery gets about 20 to 40 people each week who come in just to sample the wines.
      Prices range from $7.50 for a half-bottle to $14.99 for full bottle of varieties like Oh, What a Pear and Pomona. Other varieties run into the $20 and $30 range.
      "This is such a showpiece for the farm and for the town," said Mr. Goold-Miller. "Our goal is to make very high quality apple and pear wines and we're very encouraged."
      The Goold farm store is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
      The wine will soon be available through the Goold website.