History

Stoutridge was founded in Marlboro, NY in 2000, when owner Steve Osborn and Kim Wagner bought an abandoned farm and vineyard and began reviving the area with wine production and historic buildings. In the early years the vines were replanted and in 2006 they opened Stoutridge Winery, a gravity-flow wine production focusing on natural wines and locally sourced ingredients. In 2017 they expanded to include a Distillery, leading to a unique distillery with its own malting and a traditional Scottish-style kilning floor – something that makes them one of only eight distilleries in the USA with on-site malting. Their history is closely tied to the Hudson Valley and the local community, and the entire process from ingredients to glass takes place on-site with a focus on sustainability and small-batch production.

Production / Manufacturing

Stoutridge combines tradition, innovation and sustainability to create complex and rich flavor experiences. They practice a number of principles: gravity-flow in winemaking, use of solar energy and energy-saving technologies, and an underground cellar/storage area that provides natural temperature control. Their operations include no pumping, filtration or addition of preservatives during winemaking, which supports a slow wine approach. The distillery is equipped with both pot stills and column stills, including a traditional Scottish-style kilning floor – a unique facility in the USA. A central part of their identity is the malt and the malting: they are one of the few distilleries that malt their grain on-site, and the process from grain to glass happens on-site. This includes the use of energy-saving technologies such as heat exchange and extensive solar panels.

Products / Whisky Series

Quartarium Root is highlighted as the foundation for their single malt: a four-year-old malt distilled on-site with double-pot distillation of malt from their own malting and aged in French oak. It is labeled 'Bottled-in-Bond', and the Root designation refers to their oldest and finest single malt. Quartarium Moon and Quartarium Sun are also part of the Quartarium line: Moon is described as a 4-year Bottled-in-Bond brandy, made from naturally produced wine and aged in French oak with an agarwood finish; Sun is described as a bright mastic liqueur that combines eau de vie with unaged brandy and mastiha from Xios. Although Moon and Sun are not whisky, they illustrate the breadth of the Quartarium line and Stoutridge's approach of combining traditional craftsmanship with local ingredients.

Visits / Experiences

Stoutridge offers an experiential visit to their tasting room, distillery and winery. The tasting and visitor facilities are listed on their visit pages: hours are Friday–Monday 11:00–18:00, Tuesday–Thursday by appointment. Reservations are recommended, and private experiences (75 minutes) are offered, led by the Distiller and Winemaker Steve Osborn. Groups larger than eight require at least 24 hours' notice.

Philosophy

Stoutridge places great emphasis on the environment and ecosystem of the Hudson Valley. They focus on locally grown ingredients and on-site production, and employ a sustainable plan with solar energy, heat exchange and energy optimization. Winemaking operates with the Slow Wine philosophy, avoiding the addition of sulfites and other preservatives and where fermentation and aging occur through natural processes and sur lie aging. Their operating model emphasizes land and resource stewardship, combined with a long tradition of craftsmanship and modern technology – all in keeping with the historic site and the local community.