Seminary Hill is the world’s first cidery using Passive building standards in Callicoon, N.Y. The property features a full-service farm-to-table restaurant and a MICHELIN Key boutique hotel outfitted by local studio Homestedt.
Located in the Sullivan County Catskills, Seminary Hill is the next frontier for travelers seeking deeper exploration of the region. Spread across 12 acres of organic orchards certified by the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York, the property features a ground-floor cider production facility and second-floor farm-to-table restaurant with celebrated architecture by River Architects and a boutique hotel outfitted by local studio Homestedt just two hours from New York City.
As the world’s first cidery using Passive building standards, Seminary Hill emphasizes its commitment to environmental stewardship and energy efficiency. River Architects in Cold Spring, N.Y., built the barn-style cidery and tasting room with interiors clad in wood reclaimed from the underwater pilings of the demolished Tappan Zee Bridge. The design references the area’s traditional bank barns, with a ground-floor cellar for cider production and a second-floor tasting room overlooking the Delaware River. To earn Passive building status, River Architects designed the building’s exterior walls to have much better insulation than building codes typically require: this includes triple-pane windows that trap heat inside during the winter and protect from overheating in the summer.
Seminary Hill’s orchard-driven cider reveals the distinct qualities of each year’s fruit. The cider makers grow 60 varieties of apples and pears in rocky clay at 1200′ on a south-facing slope. Seminary Hill holistically manages its orchards in cooperation with nature: its fruit has the complex aromatics, sharp acids, and tactile tannins needed to ferment and blend ciders with depth and nuance. Seminary Hill never adds artificial flavors or colors, ensuring all natural flavors and textures shine through.
Award-winning ciders at GLINTCAP 2023 (the world’s largest cider judging competition) include Cackling Hen (an easy-drinking, semi-sweet cider named after Callicoon, an old Dutch word meaning wild turkey), Delaware Dry (a bone-dry cider), and Hen’s Teeth (a fortified apple dessert wine that takes center stage in Seminary Hill’s cocktail program, with riffs on classics like the Old Fashioned and Manhattan).
The Tasting Room at Seminary Hill is a full-service restaurant. Ingredients for the New Nordic-inspired menu—a culinary movement emphasizing local, seasonal, and sustainable ingredients—come from Sullivan County and throughout New York State. Standout starters at The Tasting Room include Fried Chicken Skins (Buttermilk, Hot Sauce), Sourdough Bread (Cultured Butter, Whipped Chicken Fat), and Grilled Peas & Chanterelles (foraged locally). Popular main courses include the Snowdance Farms Half Chicken (Grits, Braised Greens, Chicken Skin Gravy) and Steelhead Trout (Potatoes, Cider, Dill).
While the Sullivan County Visitors Association encourages day trips to the region, just 90 minutes from New York City, Seminary Hill offers guests a place to sleep at The Boarding House, outfitted by local studio Homestedt and one of the first properties to be designed a MICHELIN Key Hotel. Designers Anna Aberg and Tom Roberts of Homestedt renovated the two adjacent historic homes, which are part of the Callicoon Downtown Historic District. With Kilim rugs, luxury WRIGHT mattresses, and linen bed sheets, The Boarding House follows the elegant simplicity of the Shakers.
The homes feature eight private apartments, ranging from one to four bedrooms. Kitchenettes feature single induction stovetops, a complete set of cooking pans, and service ware — everything needed to cook simple meals. Each apartment features one to four private bathrooms, many with restored vintage clawfoot tubs and complimentary luxury bath amenities. Guests enjoy a cozy communal library, covered porch, and expansive parlor kitchen with a complimentary weekend breakfast service.
From Orchard to Glass
The Crowd Pleaser: Cackling Hen 2022
An easygoing pétillant cider with just a touch of sweetness, balanced by tannins and spice. Approachable for every palate, it’s the bottle to open at holiday parties.
The Premium Pick: SHOC Estate Reserve Still 2022.
A dry, still cider made from more than 20 apple varieties grown in Seminary Hill’s organic orchard. Complex yet elegant, it’s a refined gift for serious wine and cider drinkers.
The Bundle: SHOC Estate Reserve 2019, 2021, and 2023.
A rare three-year bundle that captures Seminary Hill’s orchard in its infancy. Each vintage is distinct—indigenous fermentation in 2019, a classic pétillant in 2021, and a vibrant pét-nat in 2023—together offering a one-of-a-kind tasting journey that’s impossible to replicate.
For more information or to plan a visit, please visit www.seminaryhill.co.
About Seminary Hill: For owners Doug Doetsch and Susan Manning, Seminary Hill in Callicoon, N.Y., is a homecoming. Doetsch is descended from a Callicoon family, and the couple wanted to give back to the region. The result is a working cidery with a 12-acre orchard, full-service restaurant, and MICHELIN Key boutique hotel. Visitors can immerse themselves in weekly tours and tastings where they’ll discover cider made from blends of over 60 apples and pear varieties grown on the property. Seminary Hill cider is available for purchase online with nationwide shipping and at select restaurants, bars, and wine, beer, and liquor stores throughout New York State.
