Locating the winery, we were happy to find ample parking and gorgeous views. We walked along a nice path to the entrance to the separate tasting building off of a residential house. Upon entering, it looked more like a wine store than a typical winery tasting bar area. Cramped with lots of liquor, oils, and wines-with loads of signs around displaying the 'rules of the winery' (not your typical intoxicated people won't get served, but literal how he does the tasting rules) Entering the winery, we overheard the owner speaking with another group. He sounded passionate; discussing 'old world wine' and had a lot of wines to run through ...we got our hopes up-but our excitement quickly went away. Our tasting experience was very disappointing. We checked in with our passport (the normal tasting would have been $7 for 7 wines), and we informed of the many rules posted around (like no sharing), and learned apparently another rule is no choosing which wines. The man just started pouring: "Wine 1-a white" "....when we asked what kind of white, what kind of wine, grapes, flavor, etc. we got a grumpy (unintelligible) response. He merely moved onto "wine 2-a sweet". We asked for a tasting sheet to understand what we had in front of us, and he became even grumpier. We noticed there were more dry whites and lots of dry reds, and meekly asked to only do the dry reds. Out of nowhere he brings out bottles of random balsamic vinegar and vanilla extract and suggested we try these instead of wine-but we declined. Maybe we should have because the dry red wines he poured tasted as if they were all skunked. They tasted like took pre-used barrels from making his liquor to make one same red table wine, and then bottled this same wine into a variety of different labels based on it being from a different barrel each. Worst wine we've even had. We weren't given the time to learn anything about the wine, heck he wouldn't even tell us what some blends were blended with. We'd ask and he'd merely repeat the name of the wine and move on to the next. We were pushed in and out in less than 10 minutes. read more

The view there is beautiful but that's really the best part of the place. it looks like a regular suburban home on the outside but is definitely a wine store when you come in. The clincher was that the woman who ran it was very unfriendly to us- she was not polite and didn't seem to want to answer many questions, making us feel like we were unwanted there. We liked the Riesling but the other 'sweet' wines weren't notable. There are a number of other wineries in the area and we would definitely recommend checking them out before coming here. read more

Francesco is very nice, but his personality is not for everyone. He could come across grumpy for sure, but not for us! We got a bottle of Bacchus Noir and a bottle of his balsamic vinegar, which is just amazing! The reason I am giving 1 star less is because I think they should serve some water to clean your palate between the taste. Overall, it was a great experience and the owner is hilarious!! Thank you and will come back in the summer because we noticed the ground were beautiful. read more

Demarest Hill Winery - The owner !! - Wineries Near Me - Warwick, New York

Stop number three. This winery was recommended by a local winery, Clearview Vineyard, also in Warwick, NY. Our party of four continues to merry, merry imbibe more while I became a lush to $7.00 to sample seven wines and keep our souvenir wine glass... woo-ho! A business card, brochure and wine list with descriptions in conjunction with their souvenir wine glass my ever growing collections are abundant and diverse. N.B. Cash only as Demarest Hill Winery do NOT accept plastic in any genre, but checks are accepted. The entrance to Demarest Hill Winery has two cute hand carved wooden bears which one carries a welcome sign. In addition to wine, they also produce vodka of Orange County, Coco Brandy, Lemoncella, Grappa, Sherry or the more for liquid revelry. The associate in the front line of operations who administered our seven different samples of our choice for the tasting was efficient but do not appear knowledgeable and certainly not very informative as a vintner or vintner master. My personal likes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Rose Cabernet Sweet for the reds while I take a delight in Resiling, Peach Wine and Apple Wine for the whites. Sampling the Grappa among other Brandy and liquors are an additional fee to the $5.00. A microscopic sip of the Grappa induce me to la-la land pegs me coughing to oblivion. The Grappa is entirely strong at 105 proof! A single facilty available is relatively clean with a clamorous fan roaring overhead. read more

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Well I can speak for my experience at this winery that I've always enjoyed the wines that I've bought. I don't go too far out of my comfort zone, so I always buy what my wife and I enjoy. We love the Riesling and some of his spirits the ones we like and Francesco has never charged us extra for trying the spirits so I'm not sure about the other yelper who said he had to pay extra. I never leave there without trying half the stuff he has on the shelves, and believe me he has quite a lot. Even when just going for a purchase we end up tasting wether we wanted to or not. Francesco and his wife have always been courteous and friendly every time we visit and talking to the owners of the other nearby wineries they have nothing but respect and praise for him. read more

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This place should be called Robitussin Winery. I'm not a wine expert but good grief! My friend wouldn't even touch the port , and wish I hadn't either. If anything we had some hilarious laughs at how bad it was .... sorry folks read more

Demarest Hill Winery - Wineries Near Me - Warwick, New York

I went to this place years ago, when it first opened, and then again a few years later. Neither time was I all that thrilled with the wines, but they weren't horrible either. However, this New Years Eve my mother had spent $13 on a bottle of spumante from this winery. It was without a doubt, the most vile drink I had ever tasted IN MY LIFE. And I say that, with very good knowledge of sparkling wine/champagne, from Cristal to Moet, to the very fine Spanish Cava's and French sparkling wines such as Comte de Gascon, etc. I knew something was off the minute it was poured. Instead of a light golden hue it was pure yellow, like apple juice....or piss. One sip made me want to puke. The nearest taste I can compare it to is sulfer, though I think it was even worse than that. The most insulting thing about it is that my mother paid $13 for it, when $10 or even $8 can get you a very decent sparkling wine in any liquor store. I mean even Cooks, or Andre is better than this garbage. DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY! read more

Francisco can come across as grumpy or harsh but his passion for wines is evident in every sip you take. It's a "family" Francisco winery meaning it's all him. No frills tasting room but such a great selection. The place has a great view, you can bring your own food, and try some of the most interesting wines ever. I love it!! read more

Demarest Hill Winery - Amazing view as you walk in. - Wineries Near Me - Warwick, New York

WTF! The view is beautiful but don't let that fool you! Warm on the outside and cold on the inside. The young man who check is was nice but god bless him. Grandma was rude and grandpa tried his best to get us out as fast as he could. No information on the wine and no conversation. Now let's get to the product. The peach wine wasn't bad and the Pinot Noir wasn't bad but the Chardonnay (I think) was the worst wine I have ever tasted. Night Train is exceptional compared to the trash that wine was. The Merlot, (mer-lot) as pronounced by grandpa, was worse than the Chardonnay. The nasty taste lingered until I was three mints in. Go if you cant imagine a business can exist and be so poorly run and offer a product that shouldn't be used to remove paint. Stay away if you dislike disappointment just a little bit. read more

Perfect, rustic outdoor seating. Sad we didn't get to meet the owner, but bought a bottle and enjoyed it outside. No frills winery. read more

Demarest Hill Winery - Wine with a view - Wineries Near Me - Warwick, New York

One star for the proprietor. Unfortunately the wine was produced so long ago it has gone bad. Tried over a dozen wines and they were all spoiled. Go somewhere else. read more

At first, you may be put off because of the little old man with an attitude, but he's actually quite funny if you can get his sense of humor. We tasted several wines even bought two since we liked them so much. If you're after a girls weekend in the country with live music and food vendors then this is not a place for you. If you want to stop somewhere for 30-60 minutes to taste some wines an old guy from Italy made, then this is your place. PS- if you hear gunshots, don't worry. They have potato guns in their fields to scare animals away. The animals are not shot- it's just a loud sound to scare them away. read more

If you happen to enjoy absolutely terrible wine, this is the winery for you! My wife and I decided to stop here as we drove up to Beacon for a wedding weekend without looking at any reviews or information about the winery. This was our first mistake. We should have known something was wrong from the second we pulled into the parking lot and there was only one car...in the middle of the day...on a beautiful Saturday... during Labor Day weekend.Things only got worse from there. We got out of the car and within 30 seconds heard a blast from a shotgun....uhh what's going on? Then made our way to the tasting room that almost look abandoned from the outside. There was a sign that said to ring the bell for service and then to come on in...so we followed the directions and got inside. There was another couple finishing their tasting and walking out with completely dejected looks on their faces. We approached the bar and requested a tasting. The elderly gentleman (who turned out to be the proprietor) gave off the feeling that he really wanted to be somewhere else. Every question we asked was met with a nonchalant response. Now, the tasting. I've tasted some great wines and I've tasted some decidedly mediocre wines, but never have I tasted so many wines from one winery/tasting that were basically undrinkable. We tasted at least 12 different wines (all different varietals) of the 50+ (who makes 50 different wines?!?) and there were only a couple that didn't make us want to vomit. The information we were able to pull out of our host: he retired 13+ years ago, bought the property, and decided to make wine without any prior experience. He made all the wines and only made the best wines (according to his palate). If it isn't great, he doesn't sell it. If i had to describe the taste of the wine I would combine the smell of dirt, sweat, and dirty feet with the taste of rubbing alcohol and vinegar/wine that has turned into vinegar. I felt so bad for this old man that I picked up half a bottle of the porto fino and went to pay for it and our tastings. We didn't have enough cash (had no idea it was cash only) to cover the tastings ($5 each) and the bottle ($15) and offered not to get the wine and just pay for the tastings. Instead he just took the $19 we had and called it a day. While this was very generous, it seemed like he was anxious to actually getting rid of a bottle of wine. Conclusion: if you've read this much, do the smart thing and pass over this establishment...it's not even close to worth your time. Until it's sold and/or comes under a winemaker that actually knows what he/she is doing this is a winery to avoid at all costs. read more

Deserves 0 stars! If you're considering going here, do yourself a favor and AVOID this place at all costs. Their so-called wine tastes more like dirty feet and rubbing alcohol combined. My friend and I went for the tasting (unfortunately) which started off with the Chardonnay Supreme. I nearly puked. In fact, half way through, my friend and I managed to duck out while the owner wasn't looking to avoid the remaining 2 or so glasses in the tasting...and my sober friend puked because she couldn't stomach it. It was damn awful, and I have nothing good to say about the wine there. I guess at least it was only $5 for the tasting, and we got a few laughs out of that experience. read more

Francesco and his wife are living their dream! Best wishes. A fun wine tasting experience with a very sweet man!

EEK! I am glad this wasn't the first Warwick winery we visited. Two stars at best because the owner had a lot of personality once he got done complaining about how he doesn't make any money to two of the other guests. I feel bad saying it - but I feel like I must be honest to other Yelpers - the wine was awful. Where in the hell is this winery buying their oak? I wouldn't be surprised if these wines were barreled in cedar or pine, but in reality they are most likely throwing really cheap oak and hardwood chips into stainless steel. There is a very awful fault on the finish of every wine, and it is the same for all of the wines tasted here. Some sort of acetic almost cedar/pine like finish. Like a mix of Acetaldehyde and Ethyl acetate maybe? Not sure, but the same fault came up on all of the whites most particularly the "Super Chardonnay" and Riesling, as well as the Noir. Something has gone terribly wrong there, and I feel awful for the wine maker. He brandishes a lot of medals but they are for grappa and brandy. Should have tasted those instead. read more

One star for the great view from the picnic area and the other star for the balsamic vinegar. Out of the 7-8 wines and/or potions we sampled, I was able to enjoy only the balsamic vinegar. It tasted good straight, so I imagine it would be great for cooking. As mentioned in other posts, Francesco the owner has an impressive life story but his humor or lack of - is not for everyone. This place would make a great scene for a "Hitchcock" type of movie. It was an experience worthy of 2.5 stars. read more

Worst wine I've ever tasted in my life. My friends and I all thought it tasted like poison. Couldn't even finish the tasting. I feel terrible even writing this review as the owner seemed like a very nice man, but the "wine" tasted more like gasoline. Something is very, very wrong there. read more

The wine was absolutely the worst I've ever tasted. Everything tasted like vinegar, which isn't surprising, since it was obvious the bottles had been opened weeks, if not months, before we got there. However, the worst part wasn't the wine but the fact that the owner said the n-word more than 8 times in 5 min (referring to Meghan Markle and her mother at the royal wedding). Horrible atmosphere and not safe for any POC. read more

This is not your typical wine tasting. We have been here multiple times and it's like a wine tasting on crack! In a good way! The owner says a tasting is $5 for 5...47 tastes later including balsamic vinegar and grappa we always buy a few bottles. Most of the poor reviews have to do with his air cannon for bird control. We are moving this summer and will miss Francesco and his wife. If you have a good sense of humor and adventure, don't pass this place up. If it grows he'll ferment it! read more

We visit this winery every fall and sometimes spring too. The owner is adorable and since we are Italian, he reminds me of my grandparents. His passion is wine, he loves talking about it. He told us his son had a home across the valley & on a nice day the scenery is spectacular. I don't agree with any of the low ratings.... everybody has different tastes for food and wine. VISIT and do a tasting. read more

DON'T MISS OUT ON THIS PLACE!! So great!!! I've been to a lot of different wineries over the years and I thought this place was adorable! It's run by the owner who experiments with all different sorts of wine and spirits. There are some I liked, some I didn't, which is typical of any winery. If you expect to be coddled, then this isn't the place for you. You need to ask some questions. The owner tells you about the wines as he pours them, but doesn't overindulge you. He's got a great story and is so sweet! He has won SO MANY awards for his wines over the last couple years, just ask to see them - he'll tell you all about them! And the balsamic vinegar.... BEST I HAVE EVER TASTED!!!!!! I'm glad I didn't read the reviews for this place before we went or else we would've missed a great spot! If the wine wasn't good, they wouldn't have won multiple awards over the last couple years! The place has character and it's a diamond in the rough. Please, PLEASE don't miss out on this charming little spot! read more

Coming from wine country, I've been very disappointed with NY wine. Demarest is certainly not the same crap we found elsewhere. I should note that the owner has a taste for vinegar; and some of his wine exhibits a vinegar flavor. However, in the midst of the sour flavored wines, there are the best wines I've found in NY so far. read more

Really not a fan of their wine but I do like the friendly conversation I had with the person in charge of the wine tasting. Love the view of the area. read more

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It is what it is. A no-frills store-front with a fantastic location and a selection of "meh" wines in pretty bottles. It was the last stop on a day of wine and cider tasting after visiting The Warwick Valley Winery in Pine Island, Blue Arrow Farm in Glenwood, Apple Daves in Warwick and the Pennings Farm Cidery. All of the other venues had cafe food, live entertainment, little shops for browsing and just a wonderful fall outdoor experience (some had children's activities and pick your own.) This place was fine for the last stop after an exciting day, but it seems to lack anything "joyful". There was zero energy to the place. If it was the only game in town that would be fine, but there are so many more places in Warwick that are full of fun (and happy to have you.) This place is fine if you are looking for something quiet, but we felt sad here. Not really for us, but maybe for some folk who like to simply sit and sip. read more

Most intimate & personal Winery experience! I really don't understand how some ppl left 1-2 stars. Francesco & his wife are amazing. Thank you for having us !!!! Do not miss this place. read more

This place was more of a distillery AND winery. Their spirits were good while the wine was mediocre. We had an interesting time there. If you enjoy being yelled at by an old Italian man and wine shoved down your throat, this is the place for you!!! read more

Amazing place!!! Absolutely gorgeous views, delicious wine, amazing customer service and all around great highly recommended place! We were greeted by the owners who lived next door and are old school Italian wine makers. Since these times make it tough to taste during Covid, we couldn't do tasting indoors so instead they recommended certain wines which we decided to buy and drink outside which trust me was worth it! Wine is relatively inexpensive, yummy and the owners were so nice as they did not rush as as we looked over all the bottles. I am saddened by some of the reviews as they don't advertise to be sweet wines but they are good so please ignore the bad reviews the owners are lovely and the wine/view well worth it. read more

Because it grows its own grapes, Demarest is apparently vulnerable to birds that eats grapes. I am told tt is legal in New York State to use air cannons to keep birds away from crops during daytime in season, and that is what Demarest does and has done for years. Whenever birds get too close, the cannon goes off. This summer the noise has been far more prevalent than in past years. Although it is not terribly disruptive to people living more than a mile from the winery (though I imagine is very annoying for closer neighbors), it is an ongoing and unpredictable nuisance, and it is frightening to dogs in a much wider radius.This is not our first growing season in the area, but it is the first time the noise has been an invasive issue, whether because of more air cannons or more birds I do not know. It has significantly disrupted our schedule because our very social and active dog is so frightened of the repeated distant thumps of the cannon that when we are out walking he will freeze on the spot and then start pulling us toward the house. I have read that there are other effective ways to keep birds away from vines but that they are more expensive. I understate that Demarest is probably a small business that does not have a huge profit margin, but I think given that the noise it is creating is negatively impacting a surprisingy large geographical radius, a more neighbor-sensitive policy might be good business. I have been to other local cider mills and wineries occasionally and to local farms and orchards many times. I cannot comment on the quality of Demarest's product, only on its impact on its community. The area's farms and orchards are among its great assets. We are happy to support local agriculture. The air cannon noise created by the winery doe not strike me as a truly necessary tool for local agriculture to be using in a relatively heavily populated area. read more

The scenery is amazing here. And they grow quite a lot of grapes in comparison to the other wineries in the area. The peach wine was tasty. While I sympathize with his entrepreneurial spirit that is where the good news ends. The wine tastes awful and like it was left open for 40 years before we consumed it. Also, they only accept cash which may not work well for some folks. read more

This place is downright scary. It was part of our tour and we were excited driving up the long driveway because it is such a beautiful view. There was only one car in the enormous parking lot (should have been a clue to us as every other winery on the tour had a lot people. Upon entry is was extremely dark and musty. The wife greeted us with our snack (1 small square of a cracker and a pice of dried cheese it had obviously been left out for quite some time) the man at the bar was very gruff and just poured us his choices which were all horrible and then practically forced tastes of vinegar down our throats. It was extremely uncomfortable and we felt that the stuff he was selling was very old. We will avoid this place on next years tour and thereafter as it simply isn't worth the time read more

The owner, Francesco, of this winery is 83 years old and still continues to produce wine without the assistance of handmaids. Trained in the hills of Italy over 50 years ago, he brings old school Italian winemaking to modern times. No frills, nothing fancy but one must engage in conversation with such a interesting man. He will tell you stories of his past, pour you taste after taste and share his secrets. Really more of a life experience rather then just a simple wine experience. Tip... Try the balsamic, it is outstanding. read more

Place was great. Amazing view and the wine taste better than a few places I went to. Francesco was an awesome person which made the experience great. Awesome place to visit with friends! read more

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"Undrinkable" was the word used by more than one person who tried some of the wines. We won't go back. There are PLENTY of other wineries within 15 minutes of this place. read more

First, I am not a wine connoisseur or expert to say the least. I do know when something tastes good or not. There are no words to describe how BAD the wines at Demarest Hill are. I went there a week ago and I still cannot get the pungent vinegar/acidity taste out of my head. I don't care about how cute the owners are or how beautiful the scenery is, I went to taste the wine and tasted crap instead. I cannot imagine anyone buying this wine or giving it an award for that matter. It's that bad... read more

Went there October 3rd 2010 Sunday at 4:45 PM The Italian lady served us was in her 50's. Cons: 1. The wines being sold are just way way OVER PRICED. I do not see any reason whatsoever the justification for such heavy price. The surrounding vineyards had similar products that were ten dollars less. Their apple wine (half the bottle from Warwick Vineyard is priced at $16.99). 2. The Italian lady serving us on this particular day was having a very bad day. She kept saying Italian words to us that I have no idea what she was talking about. She told us to keep our tasting the same because it would cause her grave hardship and more work if we ordered differently from one another. OMG! 3. The Italian lady could not answer questions about productions, grape contents, aging, etc. Visibly, she was very agitated. The more the people coming in, the more she was agitated. 4. There was a tip basket at the store to "help pay for the new paved road", as if the hefty wine bottles aren't pricey enough. 5. The $5 drinks get you a glass you keep, HOWEVER, most of the drinks in the lists are AN ADDITIONAL $1 more per sample. 6. Wines are based on Italian grapes imported here from Italy and grown at the vineyards. The winemaker lacks the expertise in making proper red wines. I have been to many many vineyards already but this is perhaps the most amateur of them all. In summary I have no pros to mention for this place other than the newly paved road. The place is too pricey with no justification. The customer service needs to be revamped. Avoid this one at all cost read more

Crazy owners. Both yelled at us for parking in the wrong spot. We left before even getting out of the car.

Undrinkable. Do not go here. The old man poured wines that had long since turned. I literally had to spit out the wine. We left as fast as we could. Not to mention the dirty pouring room and entire lack or character or ambience. Sorry to say, but its true. read more

Too bad you cant give this place 0 stars. I felt like I was walking into the Twilight Zone. Although I don't know much about wines, I am pretty sure he was serving me vinegar. He was pretty rude and really didn't register the faces me or my girlfriend were making as we tried he disgusting vintages. Average price was 15-20 per bottle but if anything bottled tasted like what he was serving at the tasting, you couldn't pay me to take a bottle off his hands. The stuff was not even suitable for cooking. I would avoid this place at all costs. read more

Avoid at all costs. Wine tastes like murky acid. Properly LOOKS gorgeous and serene but they blast the radio on speakers outside. Imagine sitting on a beautiful ledge looking out at the mountains and listening to an ad for beef jerky. The place is off. read more