On Broadway in Kingston, NY sits a minimalistically designed tasting room that serves local brews, wines, and kombucha in addition to the star attraction, Hetta Glögg. Nordic in history, glögg is a port wine mixed with brandy that is mulled with a warm array of spices like cinnamon, cardamom, raisins, and orange rind. Hetta, which translates to “heat” in Swedish, not only sounds good but also hints to the most popular serving method. The tasting room provides an opportunity to experience Nordic glögg in an intimate setting over 3,500 miles away from its roots. Not just a tasting room, production, and distribution are happening out of the back of the consciously-selected stock bar.
Historically, Glögg was used as a welcoming drink for guests. Typically served warm due to the climate where it originated, the drink provided an opportunity for the hostess to catch up with their party patrons as they refilled their mugs. People started mulling wine with the intention to bring it back to life after it had spoiled. The addition of another alcohol and the introduction of heat and spices revitalized the wine and gave it a second chance at life. While warmed and in a mug is a common way of serving Glögg, it can also be poured over ice, mixed into cocktails, or even be a substitute for vermouth in Manhattans. Due to its unique flavor profiles, mixologists have found a vast array of uses for the spiced drink.
Darren Davidowich, his brother Kevin and his sister-in-law Amy(of Norwegian descent) brought Glögg to the Hudson Valley about 7 years ago. Really anyone can make mulled wine causing the trio to wonder if people would be interested in buying a pre-made version which would eliminate the time, energy, and quantity limitations encountered with mulling wine yourself. They started a business in Rhinecliff, but as Hetta became more than a hobby, they outgrew the space and moved to the multipurpose facility they have now in Kingston.
As Hetta is extremely efficient to make, the manufacturing set up was not very complex to develop but did call on some critical thinking skills that Darren says he and his brother acquired working on a farm together in New Jersey growing up. Most pertinent though, the loading dock at this facility provided a means to get Hetta where it needed to be: store shelves.
Hetta is available in over 300 stores in the northeast concentrated in New York, New Jersey, and Vermont. Darren is looking to grow business next year. Whereas most wine products benefit from the experience-driven business model of which the Hudson Valley, Hetta is better sold at festivals and in retail outlets. Although there is a tasting room, it is only open two days a week. “Wine tourism is not what it used to be in the Hudson Valley. People used to come up from the city in rented limos with their friends and would return home with cases or their unique finds to last them until the next trip”, said Darren. And it’s true! Due to changes in distribution and e-commerce, there’s no need to leave your couch to get your favorite wine. This change and the rapid growth of competing venues, both wine and other categories (beer, spirits), forced wineries to create an experience around the tasting by adding entertainment, a dining experience, and/or accommodations. Although the folks at Hetta are pleased to offer an on-site tasting experience they remain focused on a distribution model to spread their glögg to a wider audience. The team at Hetta spends their time building awareness, telling the story, and demonstrating the versatility of the product in order to generate more sales for the retailers that carry their product.
To expedite growth, Hetta is looking for new products and collaborations. First, Darren is looking to bring Fiz to the market. Fiz is a canned beverage containing glögg, water, and CO₂. This carbonated version of glögg is great for the summer and shows yet another way to enjoy the spiced drink. Additionally, Hetta is looking forward to a collaboration with Fruition Chocolate Works (whom we have also featured in the Food & Beverage Corner) using either fully manufactured glögg or some portions of the mulling spices to create a well-paired final product of wine and chocolate.
Hetta is made using grapes from the Hudson Valley to make the port wine, however, to source anything else locally is economically inefficient and in some cases agriculturally impossible. Regarding the market, Darren says, “People in the Hudson Valley are open to trying new things”. He has success at festivals for wine and food since people are so receptive to new products coming to the Hudson Valley.
What Hetta lacks in local sourcing, it makes up for with ambitious community collaboration. The design for the logo on their bottle comes from Carla Rozman, a graphic designer in Kingston, NY. She was mentored by Woody Pirtle, an acclaimed design professional. The design on the label featuring the Dala Horse (which is symbolic of goodwill and hospitality) was scrawled on a napkin between the two of them and brought to fruition by Carla.
Hetta also features local artist Cheyenne Mallo in their tasting room. Her trail map inspired mugs are perfect for sipping warm glögg. In the future, when revamping the website, Darren hopes to feature more local brands in the imagery for the product. “Anyone can go to HomeGoods, buy a mug and return it after a shoot”, he says. He would prefer to use his platform to highlight other Hudson Valley businesses.
Darren Davidowich devotes much of his time to Hetta but he also co-owns a design and construction development firm in Rhinebeck, NY called The Art of Building. Balancing his time between the two can be challenging, he admits; however, the production of glögg offers some flexibility. Nonetheless, during the growth he’s hoping to experience over the next year, Darren will most likely be looking for some part-time help.
To keep up with Hetta, you can visit their website, follow them on Facebook, or add them on Instagram. The tasting room is open during the following hours:
| Friday | 4–9 PM |
| Saturday | 3–9 PM |
If you are or know a food & beverage manufacturer in the Hudson Valley, we would love to hear from you! Email us at info@hvtdc.org for more details.