NY Wine & Culinary Center in the gin business

NY Wine & Culinary Center (Bill Dowd photo)

If the New York Wine & Culinary Center continues its present inclination, it may have to modify its name.

The NYWCC facility, located on the shore of Canandaigua Lake in the picturesque Finger Lakes city of Canandaigua, opened 10 years ago as a showcase for New York State wines and foods. Since then, it has maintained a busy wine-centric pace while steadily increasing its involvement with tastings and special events involving New York beers and spirits.

Its latest project is a collaboration with Black Button Distilling of Rochester to launch Garden Gin, a collaboration spirit that will be released next Tuesday at the the center's 4th annual "Garden Party," according to an announcement made Tuesday. It is an herbaceous London Dry-style gin with herbs and licorice notes and a strong juniper nose, according to officials.

Proceeds from the sale of Garden Gin will go to NYWCC’s "Culinary Camps for Kids" program and other educational programming.

“We love what the NYWCC does to bring unique New York products and educational programming to the community,” said Jason Barrett, president and head distiller of Black Button. “This collaboration presented us with an opportunity to develop a ... gin with tastes and inspiration from NYWCC’s garden."

The new product will be available at Black Button Distilling, at NYWCC, and at select retailers.

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