Raging fires devastating wine country in California

A typical disaster in California wine country. (AP Photo)

• From The New York Times

Fatal wildfires scorching eight Northern California counties this week have dealt a devastating blow to the important wine and tourism industries, destroying more than 1,500 buildings, including historic wineries.

Although the seasonal harvest is nearly complete, the conflagration threatens to disrupt tens of thousands of jobs and destroy valuable stores of grapes waiting in bins, barrels and bottles to be fermented or aged. The extent of the damage will be unclear for days because the fires are blocking many winery owners from reaching their facilities.

Tourism in the region — a multibillion-dollar economic machine that includes high-end hotels, wine-tasting tours and upscale cuisine — is suffering as the flames claimed many establishments and forced many others to shutter for the rest of the week.

“It has been a devastating fire,” the Sonoma County Winegrowers group said in a Facebook post. “Reports of fire damage to wineries, businesses and homes continues to grow.”

The blazes — which have left at least 11 people dead — continued to rage on Tuesday. Seventeen separate fires, across 94,000 acres, have forced more than 20,000 people to evacuate.

Go here for the full story.

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Wine Enthusiast reveals 45 NY wines rated 90 or higher

Wine Enthusiast magazine has just released a "Buying Guide: New York State Wine" that rates  45 different wines from 25 New York wineries rated at 90 points or above.

The magazine's editors note that its November issue's  "batch of reviews show wines from New York offer a dizzying array of diversity.

"New York wine is often priced under $20 at entry level. These wines represent a breed of painstakingly made, small production pours that offer remarkable value."

Also, Wine Enthusiast's "Top 100 Best Buys" include Wagner Vineyards' 2016 Unoaked Chardonnay (#60), Dr. Frank Wine Cellars' 2015 Dry Riesling (#74), and Glenora Wine Cellars' 2015 Riesling (#99).

Click here for the complete buying guide.

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NY gewürztraminer judged best in Sommelier Challenge

New York State entries earned some top-level awards in the Sommelier Challenge International Wine & Spirits Competition recently held in San Diego.

• Penguin Bay Winery won "Best Gewürztraminer" and took home a Platinum medal  (94 of 100 possible points) for its 2016 Gewürztraminer. 

 

• Swedish Hill Winery took a Gold medal (92 Points) for its Riesling.

 

• Goose Watch Winery Viognier also took a Gold medal (90 Points) for its Viognier. 

Penguin Bay is located in Hector, Schuyler County; Swedish Hill in Romulus, Seneca County, with a tasting room in Saratoga Springs; and its sibling Goose Watch is in Romulus.

Complete results from the competition are available online.

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'Riesling Road Show' taking Finger Lakes statewide

With more than 200 brands produced in the region, Riesling has put the Finger Lakes on the serious oenophile's map. To return the favor, the Finger Lakes Wine Alliance is in the process of hosting a "Riesling Road Show" this month to shine the spotlight on its star varietal.

The month-long series of trade tastings celebrating the exceptional range of Rieslings produced by Finger Lakes Wine Alliance member wineries spans New York State, and will culminate with a restaurant takeover in New York City. Some are trade-only events. Others are open to the public. The series already has stopped in Buffalo and Rochester. Remaining events:

• Tuesday, September 19 -- Trade tasting , 7 to 10 p.m., at The Point, Albany

• Tueaday, September 26 -- Trade tasting 7 to 10 mp.m., p.m. –10 p.m. Xaviars X20 on the Hudson, Yonkers

• Wednesday, September 27 -- Trade luncheon , noon to 2 p.m., 12 p.m. –2 p.m. Pierre Loti Wine Bar, Chelsea (Manhattan -- 258 West 15th at 8th Avenue)

• September 24-30-- Trade luncheon, noon to 2 p.m., in conjunction with the Chelsea Drinks Project, the FLWA will collaborate with Pierre Loti Wine Bar to host eight wines from the Finger Lakes.

•  September 24-30 --Finger Lakes Rieslings will be featured at Pierre Loti Wine Bar's three locations in New York City. To begin the week, Wine Lovers of NYC will host a public wine tasting (reservations are required)

• Sunday, September 24 -- Pierre Loti, Union Square (53 Irving Place), a sit-down Riesling tasting 2 to 4 p.m.

The cool climate and shale-rich terroir of the Finger Lakes has proven over the years to be very conducive to cultivating the Riesling grape. Allowed to develop slowly, it produces a complex, aromatic and balanced wine. As many as 950 acres in the region are devoted to Riesling grapes, with most producers making two or three styles, for a total of 230,000 cases.

Fourteen of those producers are showcasing their wines during the Riesling Road Show: Atwater Estate Vineyards, Boundary Breaks Vineyard, Buttonwood Grove Winery, Chateau LaFayette Reneau, Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery, Finger Lakes Wine Co., Glenora Wine Cellars, Heron Hill Winery, Knapp Winery, Lakewood Vineyards, Rooster Hill Vineyards, Sheldrake Point Winery, Three Brothers Wineries & Estates, and Wagner Vineyards.

The Finger Lakes Wine Alliance was Founded in 2004 as a not-for-profit corporation whose mission is to increase the visibility and reputation of the Finger Lakes region, its wines and wineries. The alliance is comprised of359 members and 15 affiliated businesses and vendors, and it is guided by a board of directors comprised of principals representing all four wine trails and non-wine trail wineries of the Finger Lakes.

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Fox Run hosting educational seminar on ports, sherries

Fox Run Vineyards is teaming up with the organization Women for WineSense to host an educational seminar on ports and sherries of the world.

Each guest will have the opportunity to taste four sherries and four ports selected by winemaker Peter Bell. Chef Brud Holland will pair the wines with small plates.

The event is scheduled for Monday, September 18. Check-in will start at 5:30 p.m., and the event will begin at 6:30. Tickets, available online, are $45, or $35 for Women for WineSense members. (Not familiar with Women  for WineSense? Click here for details.)

Fox Run Vineyards is located at 670 State Route 14 in Penn Yan, overlooking Seneca Lake. Phone: (800) 636-9786.

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Interview with first U.S. female Master of Wine

Nova Cadamatre (photo provided)

• Nova Cadamatre, director of winemaking for Canandaigua Winery and owner of the boutique Trestle Thirty One winery, has become the first female American winemaker to pass the Masters of Wine exam administered by the Institute of Masters of Wine. There are just 369 Masters of Wine living in 29 countries. She was interviewed by Sam Filler, executive director of the New York Wine & Grape Foundation.

Question: So, how does it feel to be the first female winemaker in the United States to pass the Masters of Wine exam?

Answer: It feels amazing just to pass, but to be the first female winemaker to achieve it is still pretty unbelievable. I’d like to think that it means women are taking on a more prominent role in the industry overall. I have worked with so many talented women, so I’m always a little skeptical of the numbers that only show 10% of the winemakers in this industry are women.

Q: There are many certificates and programs for wine and wine and spirits education at this point. Can you tell us a little bit about the difference between the Masters of Wine program and the Master Sommelier program, for instance.

A: Definitely. The Master of Wine (MW) and the Master Sommelier (MS) programs are the top certifications for this industry. The MW is more production and industry focused while the MS is more service oriented. I think each serves a very important role but are quite different in their approach to wine. There are many other certifications, including the Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) out of London, the lower level Sommelier certifications, Certified Specialist of Wine, and Certified Wine Educator certificates. I’ve gone through the WSET program and I highly recommend that for increasing general wine knowledge. I started with level 3 and then went on to my diploma as a stepping stone for my MW.

Q: What advice would you have for recent college grads who would like to enter this field? 

A: Try to get internships in as many different areas of the world as possible. It’s important to learn widely and from as many winemakers in as many styles as possible when you are young. By having this wide breadth of experience, you can draw on it later in life when you begin to specialize.

Q: A lot of people have seen the movie "SOMM" by now and know how rigorous that exam process is and how dedicated the professional must be to pass. Tell us a about the level of commitment needed to study for the MW exam. How did that affect you?

A: Over the eight years I studied to become an MW, it became part of my job and home life. There were weekend mornings that were totally dedicated to tasting with a group when I was out in California. I traveled extensively to learn as much as I could. I spent late nights up studying and lunch breaks mind-mapping theory questions. Every time I flew I took theory questions with me to mind-map and write full essays for. My family was incredibly supportive although I know by the time I passed both the Theory and the Practical (tasting exam) seven  years in, it was starting to wear on all of us. 

Go here for the rest of the interview.

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Heat wave 'raisining' California grape crop

Heat-shriveled California vineyards.

• From Food and Wine.com

... California vineyard owners aren't worried about hitting the beach; they're concerned about the grape harvest. ... Unseasonably hot weather played havoc throughout California wine country, with some winemakers complaining that their grapes have shriveled into raisins.

Temperatures on September 1 spiked to between 105 and 109 degrees in major wine regions, including Napa and Sonoma, the hottest weather those two areas have seen on the first day of September in at least 40 years, according to Farmer's Almanac data ... .

"I've been making wine for 34 years, and I don't think Napa's ever seen this excessive heat at this stage of ripeness," said Pam Starr, co-owner of Crocker & Starr Wines in St. Helena. In her part of the Napa Valley, temperatures were over 110 degrees three days in a row. ...

The result of such heat is a well-known phenomenon: The grapes can turn to raisins while still on the vine.

Go here for the full story.

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HV wine competition ends with a tie at the top

The outcome of the Hudson Valley Wine & Spirits Competition this year produced something we don't see very often. A tie for "Winery of the Year" honors.

The event, held at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds in  Rhinebeck as part of the annual Hudson Valley Wine & Food Festival, drew 111 entries -- 94 wines, 13 ciders and four spirits, evaluated by 16 judges.

To qualify for the competition, all entries were required to be produced and bottled in the Hudson River Valley AVA (American Viticultural Area) with fruit from the Hudson River Valley or elsewhere in New York State. The event was organized by the Hudson Valley Wine & Grape Association, under the leadership of Debbie Gioquindo. The major results:

Winery of the Year: Tie between Tousey Winery of Germantown and Benmarl Winery of Marlboro

Best in Show/Best Wine: Whitecliff Vineyard's 2016 Vidal Blan

Best Rosé: Tousey Winery's 2016 Rebellion Rosé

Best Sparkling Wine: Benmarl's 2012 Blanc de Blanc

Best Red Wine: Robibero Family Vineyards' 2013 Cabernet Franc

Best Fruit Wine: Christopher Jacobs Winery's Appleoosa

Best Dessert Wine: Brotherhood Winery's Late Harvest Riesling

Best Cider: Brooklyn Cider's 2016 Half Sour

Best Spirit: Hudson Valley Distillers' Clear Mountain Gin 

Go here for a complete list of wineries and awards.

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Saving precious wine collections from nature's fury

Xpeditir founder Adam Gungle (photo provided)

• From the Reuters news agency

Swooping in ahead of Hurricane Irma's feared weekend arrival, an emergency response team is rescuing rare treasures -- some of them survivors of world wars and all of them liquid -- from harm’s way in Florida and Louisiana.

Wine collections worth millions of dollars are being stashed out of reach of the Category 5 hurricane, moved from homes to local bunker-like storage units or shuttled to temperature-controlled warehouses as far away as New Jersey.

Many are owned by philanthropists aging the wine to perfection before donating it to a charity auction, often to raise disaster relief funds, said Adam Gungle, chief executive officer of Xpeditr, a high-end wine transporter based in Elizabeth, New Jersey, and Toronto.

“The wrath of a hurricane can ruin delicate pieces of liquid history,” Gungle said. “Hurricanes Andrew, Katrina and Sandy ruined tens of millions of dollars worth of fine wines."

Go here for the full story.

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NY wines show well in August competitions

Here is the latest batch of top awards earned by New York State wines in August, according to the New York Wine & Grape Foundation:

San Francisco International Wine Competition

Goose Watch Winery -- Best Rosé and Double Gold for its 2016 Cabernet Franc Rosé, Best Native American White and Double Gold for its 2016 Diamond, and Gold for its 2013 Lemberger.  Click here for all results.

Atlantic Seaboard Wine Competition  

 

Osprey's Dominion Vineyards -- Best Cabernet Sauvignon for its 2013 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon.   

Arbor Hill Grapery -- Best Fortified Wine for its Ambrosia and Best Traminette for its 2016 Traminette.  

Coyote Moon Vineyards -- Best Sweet Fruit Wine for its 2015 Razzle Dazzle. 

Thirsty Owl Wine Company -- Best Sweet White Hybrid for its 2016 Diamond.  Click here for all results.
 

World Wine Championships  

Casa Larga Vineyards -- 92 points (Gold) for its Meritage on Tastings.com .

Drink Outside the Grape

Kaneb Orchards -- Best Cider for its Cranberry Crisp.

Dan Berger International Terroir Trophy

Coyote Moon Vineyards -- The Terroir Trophy recognizing the winery for producing exceptional wine in a region considered challenging for growing grapes.  

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Cheesemakers tour incudes wine and beer samplings

On last year's tour.

One of early autumn's nicer rural events is the Washington County Cheese Tour with Wine and Beer. And, for the 11th annual event, six different venues are on the itinerary.

On a self-guided tour, visitors can make stops on their own schedule to sample the artisan cheeses as well as sample the craft beverages. Note that despite the name of the event, the trail meanders into Vermont.

The tour is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. next Saturday and Sunday, September 9-10. Participating businesses:

• R.S. Taylor & Sons Brewery, Salem
• Victory View Vineyard, Greenwich/Schaghticoke
• Argyle Cheese Farmer, Argyle
• Consider Bardwell Farm, West Pawlet, VT
• Dancing Ewe Farm, Granville
• Moxie Ridge Farm and Creamery, Argyle  

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One-vine winery flourishes in a Manhattan brownstone

Latif Jiji

What is smaller than a boutique winery? I'm not sure if there is a formal term for it, but I know where it is located.

Meet Chateau Latif, located in a Manhattan brownstone that is home to Latiff and Vera Jiji.

As noted in a feature story in the Jerusalem Post, " ... the winery’s grounds are their 15-by-45-foot backyard. The grapes come from a single vine, measuring more than 100 feet, that grows out of the garden, up the exterior wall and onto the roof."

The fruit produced is a Niagara grape, native to New York State. The first harvest was in 1984, and Jiji has been cranking out his small line ever since.

Go here for a fascinating story about how an immigrant from the Middle East wound up becoming a U.S. citizen, engineer, and smaller-than-boutique winemaker.

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Wine shipping records confusion prompts crackdown

(c) Sovos Compliance 2017

Many states are cracking down on what they perceive as illegal alcohol shipping, with New York, Michigan, and Illinois at the top of the aggressive stance, according to a report on Forbes.com.

Part of the states' shipping crackdown comes from confusion over shipping reports. Alex Koral, industry outreach advisor at the direct-to-consumer (DTC) tracking organization ShipCompliant, “Many wineries will use third-party fulfillment centers to facilitate their orders. When the common carrier files a report with the state, they’ll list the fulfillment center as the source of the shipment … . The states won’t have a record of that location being connected to a licensee … . It looks like it’s an illegal order, even though it was properly coming from a legal, licensed winery.” He says only North Dakota and Virginia license fulfillment centers.

Go here for the full story from Forbes.

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Finger Lakes may become National Heritage Area

• From WAER.com

The Finger Lakes region has its fingers crossed about the tourism potential that could come with receiving a certain federal designation. 

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) recently announced a bipartisan bill to consider the region a National Heritage Area. If passed, the Finger Lakes region, which contains 14 counties and 26 state parks [and dozens of wineries], could become part of the National Parks system.  Coleen Fabrizi, chair of the Finger Lakes Tourism Alliance, says the name would be excellent for the region’s economy. ...

If the bill succeeds, the Finger Lakes will undergo a Feasibility Study Process, taking about a year to assess the area’s natural beauty and historical significance. Tourism in the Finger Lakes is already a nearly $3 billion dollar industry. Fabrizi finds the region earns this with its many sights and attractions.

"New York State and the Finger Lakes Region are not places you come and explore for a day.  There is so much to see and do.  You can experience it for weeks and months at a time and never run out of things to do."

Go here for the full story.

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Upstate Riesling tops NY Wine & Food Classic competition

The Governor's Cup

Buttonwood Grove Winery's 2016 Riesling was awarded the Governor’s Cup, top honor in the annual New York Wine & Food Classic competition, in judging finished Wednesday in Watkins Glen.

Buttonwood Grove, purchased in May 2014 by David and Melissa Pittard from founders Ken and Diane Riemer, is located at 5986 State Route 89 in Romulus. Phone: (607) 869-9760.

CK Cellars/Torrey Ridge Winery of Penn Yan and Sparkling Pointe Vineyards & Winery of Southold, Long Island, tied for “Winery of the Year” honors.

This year, a total of 81 Double Gold, 88 Gold, 454 Silver, and 241 Bronze medals were awarded. (Double Gold medals require unanimity among the judging panel, whereas Gold medals require a majority vote.) This year's competition included 915 New York wines, 27 hard ciders and 16 craft spirits from across state.

The “Best of Category” awards, all of which made winners eligible for the Governor’s Cup, went to:

• Best Sparkling Wine: Sparkling Pointe Vineyards & Winery 2014 Topaz Imperial, Méthode Champenoise
• Best White Wine: Buttonwood Grove Winery 2016 Riesling
• Best Pink Wine: CK Cellars/Torrey Ridge Winery Catawba
• Best Red Wine: 3 Brothers Wineries & Estates 2016 Zweigelt/Cabernet Sauvignon
• Best Dessert Wine: Goose Watch Winery Classic Cream Sherry

"Best of Class" awards go to Double Gold or Gold medal wines in classes of at least seven entries. They were:

• Best Oaked Chardonnay: Osmote Wine 2014 Chardonnay
• Best Unoaked Chardonnay: Martha Clara Vineyards 2014 Chardonnay
• Best Gewürztraminer: Dr. Konstantin Frank 2016 Gewürztraminer
• Best Dry Riesling: Lucas Vineyards 2015 Dry Riesling
• Best Medium Dry Riesling: Dr. Konstantin Frank 2016 Riesling, Semi-Dry
• Best Medium Sweet Riesling: Buttonwood Grove Winery 2016 Riesling
• Best Sweet Riesling: Fox Run Vineyards 2014 Lot 11 Riesling, Lake Dana Vineyard
• Best Overall Riesling: Buttonwood Grove Winery 2016 Riesling
• Best Sauvignon Blanc: Paumanok Vineyards 2016 Sauvignon Blanc
• Best Pinot Grigio: Seneca Shore Cellars Pinot Grigio
• Best Grüner Veltliner: Dr. Konstantin Frank 2016 Grüner Veltliner
• Best Other Vinifera White Varietal: Kontokosta Winery 2016 Viognier
• Best Vinifera White Blend: Bedell Cellars 2016 Taste White
• Best Traminette: Johnson Estate Winery 2016 Traminette
• Best Vignoles: Anthony Road Wine Company 2016 Vignoles
• Best Cold Climate White Varietal: Weis Vineyards 2016 Heart of the Lake
• Best Hybrid White: 3 Brothers Wineries & Estates Nearly Naked
• Best Diamond: Thirsty Owl Wine Company 2016 Diamond
• Best Niagara: Chateau LaFayette Reneau Niagara Mist
• Best Rosé: Chateau LaFayette Reneau 2016 Pinot Noir Rosé
• Best Blush: Owera Vineyards Cazenovia Blush
• Best Catawba: CK Cellars/Torrey Ridge Winery Catawba
• Best Merlot: Damiani Wine Cellars 2012 Merlot Reserve
• Best Pinot Noir: Martha Clara Vineyards 2015 Estate Reserve Pinot Noir
• Best Cabernet Franc: Fjord Vineyards 2015 Cabernet Franc
• Best Syrah: Clovis Point Vineyard & Winery 2014 Syrah
• Best Other Red Vinifera Varietal: Thirsty Owl Wine Company 2015 Malbec
• Best Vinifera Red Blend: 3 Brothers Wineries & Estates 2016 Zweigelt/Cabernet Sauvignon
• Best Cold Climate Red Varietal: Tug Hill Vineyards 2015 Marquette
• Best Hybrid Red: Stone Age Winery Reugeon de Chaunac
• Best Fruit Wine: 21 Brix Winery Raspberry
• Best Cider: Hazlitt 1852 Vineyard Cider Tree with Citra Hops
• Best Spirit: Finger Lakes Distilling Seneca Drums Gin
• Best Port: Hazlitt 1852 Vineyard Light Port
• Best Late Harvest: Wölffer Estate Vineyard 2014 Diosa Late Harvest
• Best Ice Wine: Leonard Oakes Estate Winery 2015 Vidal Blanc Ice Wine
• Best Vinifera Sparkling White: Sparkling Pointe Vineyards & Winery 2012 Blanc de Blanc, Méthode Champenoise
• Best Vinifera Sparkling Pink: Sparkling Pointe Vineyards & Winery 2014 Topaz Imperial, Méthode Champenoise
• Best Hybrid Sparkling White: J.R. Dill Winery Cayuga White Rise

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10th Sangria Festival at Hudson-Chatham Winery

Renovated Ghent tasting room (photo provided)

The Hudson-Chatham Winery recently opened its third tasting room, in downtown Troy, but it is hoping its followers come to the original venue this Saturday. That's when its 10th annual Sangria Festival & Jazz Fest will run from  11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Founders Carlo and Dominique DeVito have grown the event into something a bit beyond the usual tasting, thus the addition of  "& Jazz Fest" to the name. Admission runs from $12 to $15.

The winery and original, renovated tasting room is located at 1900 Route 66 in Ghent, Columbia County, about midway between its two namesake communities. Phone: 518-392-WINE. Its two satellite tasting rooms are located at 6036 Main Street in Tannersville, Greene County, and 203 River Street, Troy.

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A Canadian view of the Finger Lakes wine scene

A view of Keuka Lake (photo provided)

• From the Toronto Globe & Mail

“Wine, Wings and Water” promises the sign leading into Hammondsport, NY, a small town on Lake Keuka in the Finger Lakes region that thrives on thirsty summer tourists.

That slogan isn’t likely to change the minds of the people who long-ago decided that Upstate New York wine was more suitable for use as a punch line than for pairing with meals.

But, given that the region now is home to world-class Riesling, standout Gruner Veltliner and delicious fizz, the rest of us should re-think Finger Lakes wine.

Go here for the full story.

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Why are Long Island sustainable winemakers selling off?

David Page and Barbara Shinn (photo provided)

• From Vinepair

Shinn Estate Vineyards brought sustainable winemaking to the mainstream. So, why did its owners just sell it?

Since its first wines were released in 2002, Shinn Estate Vineyards on Long Island’s North Fork has been a force in the region. Until the winery arrived on the scene, the Long Island wine industry hadn’t been shaken up much since the early 1970s when it started. Although there were dozens of vineyards, they were mainly a destination for weekend day-trippers. The wines were sold locally, and in some cases, in New York City. But with the arrival of Barbara Shinn and her husband David Page, all that changed.

The couple had spent years in the hotly competitive New York restaurant business, most notably as the owners of Home, a successful West Village spot where they got out ahead of the comfort-food craze. They arrived on the North Fork with a farm-to-table sensibility, a talent for marketing, and a desire to push Long Island wine production in a new direction.

That direction was toward sustainable farming and a rejection of the longstanding belief that chemicals were the only way to control pests, mold, and mildew in a humid, maritime climate. But it wasn’t easy going. Many in the industry dismissed their point of view as impossible — crazy talk by a couple of arrivistes in a region that had already been producing wine for almost three decades.

Go here for the full story.

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Hudson-Chatham opens tasting room in downtown Troy

Exterior of Hudson-Chatham Winery's new Troy tasting room. (photo provided)

Hudson-Chatham Winery's ongoing expansion plans are moving along nicely. The Columbia County winery and tasting room was founded in 2007, added a second tasting room in 2015, and now has added a third tasting room to its lineup.

The new venue -- called Hudson-Chatham Winery Troy -- is located at 203 River Street in downtown Troy, briefly the home of Sweet Sues whose chef-owner Sue Dunckel maintains a connection with the site by providing its breakfast and lunch fare. The menu includes, obviously in addition to H-C wines and adult beverages from other local producers, coffee made for the winery by Chris' Coffee Service of Albany. Plans call for a broadening of the menu to include local artisanal cheese varieties.

Troy hours are 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, although hours may be extended on Fridays and Saturdays. Brunch will be offered on Saturdays and Sundays.

“Everything we do is Hudson Valley or Capital Region,” Carlo DeVito, who runs the winery with his wife Dominique, told local media. “The idea is that it’s local, local, local, local.”

The new venue is managed by Mackenzy Morgan. DeVito said plans are being discussed to add several more satellite tasting rooms at locations to be decided.

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Adirondack Winery debuting its second tasting room

The new location (photo provided)

Adirondack Winery today announced an official grand opening date for its second tasting room, a venue that has been operating in soft-opening mode for the past week.

The new facility, located at 4971 Lake Shore Drive in Bolton Landing, is open daily from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Owners Michael and Sasha Pardy have scheduled the ribbon cutting for 11 a.m. Wednesday, July 26, for media and local officials. At noon, the facility will open to the public with free wine tastings, food samples and a raffle basket until closing at 9 p.m.

The location is opposite Tops Market, between Palazzo’s Pizzeria and Bob’s Ice Cream. The building is owned by Robert and Dawn O’Keefe, owners of The Huddle Kitchen restaurant and bar, also on Lake Shore Drive.

Ava Dally, who has been the manager of the winery's original Lake George tasting room on the village's Canada Street for three years, now manages both tasting rooms, with support from two assistant managers and a staff of about 20 part-timers.

Commenting on the expansion, Sasha Pardy said, “For over nine years, thanks to our Canada Street tasting room visitors, we have been fortunate to see growth year after year, from a 1,000-case microwinery in 2008 to a 13,000-case winery now with over 500 club members, shipping to 35 states and selling our wines at nearly 400 liquor stores and restaurants across upstate New York.

"We’ve always wanted to have a second tasting room, we just had to find the right time and the right location. As we have become more familiar with the Lake George tourism economy over the years, we recognized that Bolton Landing would be a great spot to open. The business owners in Bolton Landing are all very supportive of each other and the visitors and residents have a deep love for this little town."

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