Montezuma preps to go to market

SENECA FALLS, NY -- The Montezuma Winery is looking for vendors for its upcoming farmer's market schedule.

The market will be held on Fridays from 3 to 7 p.m., June 11 through October 8.

Pre-registration of vendors is required. Montezuma is accepting applications from New York State-produced agricultural products and craft vendors with products made completely by the seller.

Further information is available from Donna Lahr, promotions manager at Montezuma Winery & Hidden Marsh Distillery, at (315) 568-8190.

Montezuma is located at 2981 Auburn Road, corners of Routes 89 and 5/20.

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NY Brewfest set for Governors Island

NEW YORK -- The 4th annual NY Brewfest will be taking over the spotlight on Governors Island on June 19.

The event, presented by Heartland Brewery, is scheduled for 3:30 to 8 p.m. It is a celebration of craft beer and will showcase samplings from New York State breweries as well as from craft brewers elsewhere.

NY Brewfest is a craft beer sampling event sanctioned by the New York State Brewers Association. A commemorative four-ounce glass is given to all attendees at the information booth/entrance. Admission allows samplings from more than 300 styles of handcrafted beers from more than 100 breweries. Local foods will be available for purchase, and New York bands will perform throughout the evening.

This year's Brewfest also will offer seminars, with tastings of limited edition brews, led by brewers from around the state.

Water taxis will run all day between Governors Island and Manhattan's Pier 11, Brooklyn and New Jersey.

No one under age 21 will be admitted to the event. Tickets are $55 (including water taxi transport to and from the island) and are available online or at any one of the seven Heartland Brewery locations in New York City.

A limited number of $75 Connoisseurs' Pass tickets, which allow 2:30 p.m. access to the event and a special tasting glass, also are available. Music Lover tickets (includes water taxi transportation but no beer sampling) are available for $25.

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• NY Brewfest Website
• Bringing Water To An Island
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'Wines & Wickets' on calendar in New Paltz

NEW PALTZ, NY -- A sure sign of spring is the activity in the city's Historic Huguenot Street neighborhood.

Beginning Saturday, May 1, the DuBois Fort Visitor Center there will be from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day except Wednesday.

From 4 to 6 p.m. that day, the annual "Wickets & Wine" event will be held on the lawns, combining casual croquet with tastings of wines and lemonade. All skill levels are welcomed to participate.

The National Historic Landmark neighborhood preserves what is believed to be the oldest continuously inhabited street in America with its original houses. The principle structures were built by Dutch immigrants in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Each house today is presented in a different time period from the 18th through the mid-20th centuries.

The neighborhood is open for public tours that begin at the DuBois Fort Visitor Center.

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• Historic Huguenot Street
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New Brooklyn Winery hires a winemaker

BROOKLYN, NY -- The Brooklyn Winery has hired its first winemaker.

Conor McCormack (right), who had been on the winemaking team at Crushpad, the urban winery in San Francisco, also worked at such California wineries as Rutherford Hill, Brehm and Audubon Cellars. However, he is not exclusively a Left Coaster. He also worked at the well-regarded Astor Wines and Spirits in Manhattan.

As he did at Crushpad, McCormack will oversee all aspects of wine production for Brooklyn Winery, which is labeled an "urban winery and winemaking center."

The facility is a work in progress. The plan is for it to open for the fall 2010 harvest season. It will have three main offerings:
• Make your own wine with with a group of your friends, family, or co-workers. The staff will assist in every step.
• A tasting room to sample wines produced throughout the year by McCormack.
• Rental space for events such as parties, corporate events and weddings.

For the fall 2010 winemaking season, the facility will offer several varietals of red wine, then expand the possibilities in 2011. The winemaking season will include wines from the northern hemisphere (New York, California, Oregon, etc.) Winemaking in the spring harvest season, participants will use grapes from the southern hemisphere (Chile, Argentina, etc.)

From start to finish, the winemaking process takes 8 to 10 months. Fall 2010 winemakers will bottle their wine in summer 2011.

Co-founders John Stires and Brian Leventhal worked together for ExpoTV.com, a social media company, and got the winemaking bug by making wine with co-workers and friends at Make Wine With Us in New Jersey.

As a result, they left their jobs and headed for Brooklyn to create their own winemaking operation. Their mission statement:

"Our goal is to provide a unique, entertaining, and educational winemaking experience in a welcoming atmosphere. Whether you’re a vinophile with an experienced palate or you’re completely new to wine, we’re here to provide you with a fun and friendly venue to enjoy the beauty and complexities of wine."

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• New York State Wine Examiner
• New York State's Beverage Trails
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Bite-sized winery profiles in new archive

Think you know all there is to know about New York State's wineries?

Guess again. I've been creating an archive containing mini-profiles of New York vineyards and wineries of all sizes and styles. Some of them have built reputations, some are brand-new, others fly under the radar.

Go here for a look at these bite-sized offerings. There already are 21, but with the number of New York wineries closing in on 285, there will be more to come on a regular basis.

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• New York State Wine Examiner
• New York State's Beverage Trails
• Dowd's Guides

Queens Farm Museum to auction its first wines

GLEN OAKS, NY -- Wine is enmeshed in the history of civilization, so it seems only right that the first wines from a museum's own vineyards will be auctioned off on Tuesday, May 18.

The auction will be held in the barn at the Queens County Farm Museum in Glen Oaks, the only commercial wine grape grower so far in New York City.

The Farm Museum is the longest continuously farmed site in New York State and these wines are part of its viticultural history. Museum staffers have been growing Merlot, Chardonnay and Cabernet grapes on a half-acre plot since 2004. The museum will sell 900 cases of its first wines at the auction.

In addition, a special collection of first wines will be auctioned:

• 10 bottles of the museum's 2006 Adriance Blend
• 10 bottles of its 2006 Merlot
• 10 bottles of its 2007 Chardonnay

The bottles are etched with a unique number, and a certificate of authenticity will be issued.

The 8 p.m. event will include hors d'oeuvres by Tamara Reynolds, co-author of "Forking Fantastic! Put The Party Back In Dinner Party," a wine tasting conducted by guest sommelier Shana Reade, DWS, and live jazz by Phil Costa.

Tickets may be purchased online at $60 per person. (Search Queens Farm, New York.)

The Queens County Farm Museum is located at 7350 Little Neck Parkway. Phone: (718) 347-3276. Its history dates to 1697 and it occupies New York City's largest remaining tract of undisturbed farmland and is the only working historical farm in the city.

The complex encompasses a 47-acre parcel that is the longest continuously farmed site in New York State. It includes historic farm buildings, a greenhouse complex, livestock, farm vehicles and implements, planting fields, an orchard and herb garden.

The Farm Museum is owned by the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, operated by the Colonial Farmhouse Restoration Society of Bellerose, and is a member of the Historic House Trust of New York City. It is open year-round seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. On Saturdays and Sundays tours of the historic farmhouse and hayrides are available from 11:00 a.m. to 4 p.m., weather permitting. Admission is free except on special-event days and for all group visits at all times.

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'NY Wine Month' targets the Capital Region

ALBANY, NY -- It has long been a thorn in the side of the New York State wine industry that beyond areas of winery concentration more restaurants and wine merchants don't offer much selection of state-produced wines.

That is behind the month-long promotion that makes May "New York Wine Month" in the Capital Region. Numerous restaurants and wine merchants are joining forces with 46 New York winemakers to feature their products -- to varying degrees at each establishment -- throughout the month.

Says Jim Trezise, president of the sponsoring New York Wine & Grape Foundation, "We’ve been planning this promotion for months in conjunction with wineries, wholesalers, retailers, and restaurants to showcase the homegrown wines that, quite frankly, have traditionally been under represented in our state capital.

"It’s time for Albany to discover the industry that contributes more than $3.76 billion annually to the state economy. When you buy New York, you build New York."

• Participating restaurants:

Antipasto's, 1026 Route 146, Clifton Park
Bell's Café, 387 Main Street, Catskill
Cambridge Hotel, 4 West Main Street, Cambridge
Hana Japanese Steakhouse, 1620 Western Avenue, Albany
Kelsey's Pub at the Crowne Plaza, State & Lodge streets, Albany
Kitchen at the Dovegate Inn, 184 Broad Street, Schuylerville
Kristel's Lodge, 113 Vunk Road, Broadalbin
La Serre Restaurant, 14 Green Street, Albany
Lake Ridge Restaurant, 35 Burlington Avenue, Round Lake
Log Jam Restaurant, 1484 State Route 9, Lake George
Marché at 74 State, 74 State Street, Albany
Mario's Restaurant, 429 Canada Street, Lake George
Max London's Restaurant & Bar, 466 Broadway, Saratoga Springs
Milano, Newton Plaza on Route 9, Latham
Milano North, 2490 Main Street, Lake Placid
Mouzon House,1 York Street, Saratoga Springs
New World Bistro Bar, 300 Delaware Avenue, Albany
One Caroline Street, 1 Caroline Street, Saratoga Springs
Outback Steakhouse, 145 Wolf Road, Colonie
Primo's Restaurant, 231 Broadway, Saratoga Springs
Provence, Stuyvesant Plaza at 1475 Western Avenue, Guilderland
Scotti's Restaurant, 1730 Union Street, Schenectady
The Century House, 997 New Loudon Road, Latham
The Jonesville Store, 989 Main Street, Clifton Park
The Wine Bar & Bistro on Lark, 200 Lark Street, Albany
Wheatfields Bistro & Wine Bar, 54 Crossing Boulevard, Clifton Park
Wheatfields Restaurant & Bar, 440 Broadway, Saratoga Springs

• Participating wineries:

Adirondack Winery
Anthony Road Wine Company
Brookview Station Winery
Brotherhood Winery
Bully Hill Vineyards
Casa Larga Vineyards
Chateau Lafayette Reneau
Dr. Konstantin Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars
Eagle Crest Vineyards
Earle Estates Meadery
Four Chimneys Organic Winery
Fox Run Vineyards
Glenora Wine Cellars
Goose Watch Winery
Heron Hill Winery
Heron Hill Winery
Hosmer Winery
Hudson-Chatham Winery
Hunt Country Vineyards
Imagine Moore Winery
King Ferry Winery
Knapp Winery
Lakewood Vineyards
Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars
Merritt Estate Winery
Millbrook Vineyards & Winery
Montezuma Winery
Peconic Bay Winery
Penguin Bay Winery
Pleasant Valley Wine Company
Prejean Winery
Ravines Wine Cellars
Red Newt Cellars
Shaw Vineyards
Sheldrake Point Vineyards
Standing Stone Vineyards
Swedish Hill Vineyards
Thirsty Owl Wine Company
Thousand Islands Winery
Three Brothers Wineries & Estates
Torrey Ridge Winery
Villa Bellangelo
Wagner Vineyards
Warwick Valley Winery
Whitecliff Vineyard
Wolffer Estate Vineyard

• Participating wine merchants:

B & M Wines & Liquor, 138 South Central Avenue, Mechanicville
Bona's Discount Liquor, 56 Elmwood Avenue, Gloversville
Boscia's Liquor Discount House, 2710 Broadway, Schenectady
Brewster Liquors, 1515 Route 22, Brewster
Country Wine & Spirits, 680 Mariaville Road, Schenectady
Daly's Liquor Mart, 115 Palatine Plaza, Palatine Bridge
De Mi's Wines & Liquor, 52 East Main Street, Johnstown
Delaware Plaza Wine & Liquor, 180 Delaware Avenue, Delmar
Empire Wine & Liquor, 1440 Central Avenue, Albany
Fairview Wines & Spirits, 160 Fairview Avenue, Hudson
Grapevine, 3039 Route 50 Wilton Square, Saratoga Springs
Harmony House Marketplace/The Wine Seller, 184-190 Remsen Street, Cohoes
Hoosick Street Wine Cellar, 260 Hoosick Street, Troy
Jones & 50 Wine & Spirits, 4208 Route 50, Saratoga Springs
Kinderhook Wine & Spirits, 2967 Route 9, Valatie
Libby's Wine & Liquors, 170 South Broadway, Saratoga Springs
Loudonville Wine & Spirits, 475 Albany Shaker Road, Loudonville
M & S Liquor, 95 East Fulton, Gloversville
Midtown Wine & Spirits, 77 Milton Avenue, Ballston Spa
Nassau Liquor Store, Nassau
New York Wine Cork, 217 Glen Street, Glens Falls
New York Wine Tasting Company, 2400 Albany Street, Schenectady
Newton Wine & Spirits, 588 New Loudon Road, Latham
Parkview Liquors, Richfield Springs
Plaza Wine & Spirits, 404 Rowland Street, Ballston Spa
Purdy's All Seasons Wine & Liquor, 70-72 Congress Street, Saratoga Springs
Rotterdam Wine & Liquor, 1400 Altamont Avenue, Rotterdam
Sand Creek Wine & Liquor, 98 Wolf Road, Colonie
Saratoga Wine Exchange, 42 Phila Street, Saratoga Springs
Save-More Wines & Liquor, 444 Broadway, Menands
Scotia Wine & Liquor, 221 Mohawk Avenue, Scotia
Spirits of Saratoga Wine & Liquor, 6 Lowes Drive, Saratoga Springs
Spirits of the Adirondacks, 107 Townsend Avenue, Johnstown
Town & Country Wine & Liquor, 830 Hoosick Road, Troy
Village Discount Wine & Liquor, 92-94 Main Avenue, Wynantskill
Wheelers Liquor Store, 1145 Central Avenue, Albany
Wine & Spirits of Slingerland, 1365 New Scotland Road, Slingerlands
Wine Cellar, Stuyvesant Plaza at 1475 Western Avenue, Guilderland

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Green travel can save you some ... green

The state has done a little twist on its iconic "I ❤ New York" logo. It's gone green, as you can see by the accompanying logo.

Empire State Development unveiled the logo this week as part of an initiative that includes promoting green-certified restaurants and hotels, as well as the state’s parks, beaches, waterways and mountains.

The "I ❤ New York" program has chosen 10 "must-see" iconic green travel destinations for 2010 that span the state’s 11 tourism regions. The destinations include national icons such as Niagara Falls State Park, the Catskills and the Adirondack’s high peaks, among others. Special itineraries around these destinations will be promoted on the newly re-launched "I ❤ New York" website.

The 10 are:

1. Niagara Falls State Park
2. Letchworth State Park
3. Taughannock Falls State Park
4. Adirondack Park
5. Empire State Building
6. Fire Island National Seashore
7. Storm King Art Center
8. Catskill Scenic Trail
9. Waterways of the Thousand Islands
10. Roosevelt Baths and Spa

When travelers choose one of these destinations they will find itineraries that may include an eco-certified hotel, several green restaurants to choose from, activities and events that are green in nature -- from hiking to snowshoeing to visiting a farm, winery or eco-certified spa. They also will be able to travel all summer at a “green” 20% discount on Amtrak or rent a hybrid car from Enterprise.

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• Re-Launched I ❤ New York website
• Dowd's Guides

Brooklyn Uncorked drawing 20+ NY wineries

BROOKLYN, NY -- The 4th annual Brooklyn Uncorked will be pairing Long Island wines with city food.

Tickets for the event, scheduled for Wednesday, May 5, at BAMCafé (above right) in the Fort Greene area, now are on sale -- $40 per persons for the event, $50 per person to include a subscription to Edible Manhattan, Edible East End or Edible Brooklyn.

Brooklyn Uncorked is the coming-together of winemakers and food artisans from opposite ends of Long Island. They'll be offering samples to attendees strolling the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM).

Wineries signed up so far include, alphabetically:

• Bedell Cellars
• Bouké
• Brooklyn Oneology
• Channing Daughters Winery
• Clovis Point
• Corey Creek Vineyards
• Gramercy Vineyards
• Grapes of Roth
• Jamesport Vineyards
• Lieb Family Cellars
• Long Island Merlot Alliance
• Macari Vineyards & Winery
• Martha Clara Vineyards
• The Old Field Vineyards
• Palmer Vineyards
• Raphael
• Roanoke Vineyards
• Sherwood House Vineyards
• Shinn Estate Vineyards
• Waters Crest Winery
• Wolffer Estate
• Plus, the New York Wine Stand, a program of the New York Wine and Grape Foundation and Pride of New York, to feature New York wines at city greenmarkets, with samples of New York State Rieslings as part of Riesling Month.

Many participating wineries will feature rosé releases to highlight winery participation in the May 2010 Run for the Rosés benefit for CancerCare, a national non-profit offering free social services to individuals with cancer as well as to their family members.

Among those creating dishes for the event are:

• Dallis Coffee
• D. Colluccio & Sons
• Dressler
• DuMont
• Good Fork
• Gramercy Tavern
• Great Performances
• Katchkie Farm
• Liddabit Sweets
• Orwasher's Bakery
• Palo Santo
• Savoy
• Stinky Bklyn
• Tanoreen
• Tipsy Parson
• Txikito
• Watty & Meg

Brooklyn Uncorked will run from 4 to 8 p.m. Members of the public can sample during the event, with an early session open to the food and wine trade. Trade should RSVP by e-mail to event director Samantha Seier.

BAMCafé is located at the Academy at 30 Lafayette Avenue at Ashland Place in Brooklyn. Phone: (718) 636-4100.

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ON THE WEB
• Brooklyn Academy of Music
• Long Island Wine Council
• New York Drinks Events Calendar
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'Rendezvous with Riesling' in Canandaigua

CANANDAIGUA, NY -- A reminder, that the 4th annual "Rendezvous With Riesling" event is set to begin from 7 to 10 p.m. Thursday, May 6, at the New York Wine & Culinary Center here.

The event, which touches off "Riesling Month" throughout the state, will involve the entire Center with facility tours, tastings of Rieslings and other New York State wines, sampling of foods that pair with Rieslings and are grown or otherwise produced in the state, plus live music to set the mood.

More than half the participating wineries will be represented by their winemakers or owners, offering guests an opportunity to meet several industry leaders in one location. In addition, the tasting will be one of the first occasions to taste 2009 vintage Rieslings. A special "Riesling Demonstration & Dinner," featuring television chef William Cornelius, will take place in the Center's Wine Spectator Educational Theater during the event.

"Rendezvous with Riesling" is open to the public. Tickets are $45 per person. Seating is limited for the formal events on the agenda, and all attendees must be 21 or older with a photo ID. Reservations may be made by phone at (585) 394-7070 or online. The Center is located lakeside at 800 Main Street in downtown Canandaigua.

Sonnenberg Gardens & Mansion undergoing facelift

CANANDAIGUA, NY -- The gem of the Sonnenberg Gardens & Mansion State Historic Park is its 127-year-old mansion veranda and two primary garden structures.

That gem is getting a polishing, with a complete refurbishing scheduled to be completed thanks to a $1.8 million historic renovation project funded as part of an existing program to revitalize the state's state parks and historic sites.

The funds were allocated in 2006, well before the current financial woes, as part of the state purchase agreement which allows Sonnenberg to restore the veranda porches on the south and west sides of the 1887 building; the Belvedere colonnade and its red-roofed marble pavilion, and the white pergola spanning the hedgerows of the Old-Fashioned Garden. Re-construction is expected to run through early July.

"Once the renovation is complete in the 2010 Garden Season, visitors will be able to enjoy more of our unique garden features and have access to additional space along the Mansion Veranda and porches,” said David Hutchings, Sonnenberg’s executive director.

In 2006, when the estate’s future was in question, Sonnenberg’s property was purchased by the state under a five-year working agreement whereby the state relieved $1.4 million of secured debt, primarily short-term loans. As part of the deal, $1.8 million was set aside for future capital renovations as well as a matching grant from the federal government's "Saving America’s Treasures" program, valued at $367,500.

Sonnenberg is seeking additional private funding for a number of future projects including renovations to the Japanese Garden Tea House, greenhouse complex repairs and a Roman Bath stabilization project.

"With the past and current economic climate, the timing on this project getting started couldn’t be better as it will not only benefit Sonnenberg visitors but also local contractors and renovation specialists," said Dan Davis, assistant regional director of the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation's Finger Lakes Region.

Sonnenberg, a 50-acre estate, once was owned by Canandaigua philanthropist Mark Clark Thompson. One of America’s longest surviving estates from the Victorian Era, the property has been operated since 1973 as a seasonal public garden attraction supported by a small paid staff and hundreds of dedicated volunteers.

It is located at 151 Charlotte Street. Phone: (585) 394-4922.

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• Sonnenberg Events Schedule
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Canajoharie entry wins NYS water competition

William M. Dowd photos

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY -- Water, water, everywhere ... and plenty to drink, think about, consult over, run through valves and purification systems ... and so on.

That was the scene Wednesday at the Saratoga Hilton/City Center which was hosting the annual conference of the New York Section -- American Water Works Association (AWWA), a statewide organization of professionals involved in the drinking water industry -- water/wastewater plant operators, utilities, municipal officials, academics and consulting engineers.

It also was the spot where I joined three other judges from the industry to select the best drinking water in New York State, an honor that went to the Village of Canajoharie. Its water now moves on to the national AWWA competition, scheduled for June in Chicago.

Judges conducted a blind test, sampling a variety of waters from various parts of the state, looking for clarity, taste, smell, aftertaste, and scoring on a 5-point system for each category. While it may not seem at first glance that judging water samples would be much of a chore compared to judging, say, wines and spirits, having done all of those liquids I can attest to the fact that water judging has its difficulties. All the entries were top quality, no discolorations, funky odors or bad aftertaste. On my final scoresheet, I had one entry just two points ahead of a trio tied for second place. I retasted all four, knocking the leader down by one point but still keeping it at the top.

As it turned out, the total points awarded by the four judges wound up ranking the finishers in the same order I had picked them:

• 1st -- Village of Canajoharie, 107 points.
• 2nd through 4th -- Tie among Bethpage (Long Island) Water District, New York City and Greenlawn, 102 points each.
• 5th -- Village of Monroe, 95 points.
• 6th -- Monroe County, 91 points.

The other judges were Joseph Mantua, national president-elect of the AWWA; Manoj Ajmera, a consulting water engineer from the Capital Region, and Dr. Connie Schreppel of Utica, current chair and director of an upstate water distributor. The event was coordinated by Rochelle Cassella of Liverpool, executive director of the New York Section - AWWA.

SCENES FROM A CONVENTION

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• American Water Works Association
• The Water Library
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The Big Brew coming to ... everywhere

NORTH GREENBUSH, NY -- You know how difficult it is to get a few people to do the same thing at the same time? Like, setting up a golf foursome, or arranging which night for a group dinner at your favorite restaurant, or finding what day fits into everyone's schedule for that horseshoe tournament.

Now imagine trying to get thousands of homebrewers to brew the same beer ... simultaneously ... on six continents. If you can, you'll have an idea what will happen on May 1 when the 13th annual Big Brew takes place to celebrate National Homebrew Day.

In the Capital Region, for example, the event will be held at the Hennessy Homebrew Emporium in this Rensselaer County town where, Clif Mark tells me, more than 60 people brewed the day's special beer last year.

"This year's recipe honors Greg Noonan, the godfather of Vermont brewing and a pioneer in the craft brewing industry," Mark said, "He passed away this past October." The recipe is for a 1991 80 Shilling Ale.

The event is organized by the American Homebrewers Association to mark National Homebrew Day, which falls each year on the first Saturday of May. More than 3,000 homebrewers from North America, Europe, Africa, Asia, South America and Australia are expected to participate this year.

Hennessy will provide free grains to all participants and join them in brewing the 80 Shilling Ale. Hennessy also will provide food, including their version of the Bacon Explosion, and other freebies for all participants. At noon Central Time, homebrewers will raise their glasses of homebrew ales and lagers for a simultaneous toast to homebrewing, a hobby that hundreds of thousands of people around the world enjoy.

Hennessy Homebrew Emporium is located on 470 North Greenbush Road (Route 4) in North Greenbush. Phone: (518) 283-7094.

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ON THE WEB
• American Homebrewers Association (AHA)
• Upstate Restaurant Examiner
• New York Drinks Calendar
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1st Saratoga Brewfest draws a sommelier

BALLSTON SPA, NY -- The inaugural Saratoga Brewfest is being planned for the wide open spaces of Saratoga County.

The Ellms Family Farm, at 448 Charlton Road, will be the site of the Saturday, June 19, event which is split into two parts.

The event will begin with a noon to 1:30 p.m.VIP Tasting and lunch with the brewers.

Greg Engert (top right), beer director/partner at ChurchKey-Birch & Barley in Washington, DC, will be the guest speaker. In March, Food & Wine magazine named Engert one of its "Sommeliers of the Year," the first time the magazine ever selected a beer professional for the honor.

Then, from 2 to 6 p.m., the general session will be held, which will included craft beer tastings and live music.

Tickets will go on sale May 1.

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ON THE WEB
• Saratoga Brewfest website
• Ellms Family Farm
• Dowd's Guides
• Upstate Restaurant Examiner
• New York Drinks Calendar

TAP New York next weekend at Hunter Mountain

HUNTER, NY -- Two major craft brewing awards are up for grabs next weekend when the annual TAP New York event takes place at Hunter Mountain.

At least 36 breweries are signed up for the event (confirmed list here), with beer experts and non-experts ready to pick the Matthew Vassar Cup and F.X. Matt Memorial Cup award winners on Saturday. The Vassar Cup recognizes the best craft beer brewery in the Hudson Valley. The Matt Cup recognizes the best craft beer brewery in the state.

The two-day event is held in the Catskills at the base lodge at Hunter Mountain in Greene County, running from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday (April 24) and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday (April 25). Attendance is restricted to people 21 or older. No children will be permitted to enter the event, including infants in strollers or carried by an adult.

TAP New York began in 1997 as the Hudson Valley Beer and Food Festival. Originally, it was held at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, but moved in 1999 to accommodate the ever-growing attendance. In 2001, its concentration broadened from the Hudson Valley to the entire state and the name was changed.
The current event includes food, demonstrations and live entertainment as well as beer tastings.

Cooking demonstrations will be conducted by Paul Minbiole of Brown's Brewing Co. in Troy, Ian Gunderud of Skytop Steakhouse & Brewing Co. in Kingston, Marcus Guiliano of Aromathyme Bistro in Ellenville, and Joe Messina of Amici Vineyard Winery in Washington County and founder of Adventure in Food Trading Co.

Ticket prices vary widely. Full details can be found here.

Past winners of the Vassar Cup:

2009: Keegan Ales, Kingston
2008: Brown's Brewing, Troy
2007: Lake Placid Pub & Brewery
2006: Captain Lawrence Brewing Co., Pleasantville
2005: Lake Placid Pub & Brewery
2004: Original Saratoga Springs Brewpub
2003: Lake Placid Pub and Brewery
2002: Great Adirondack Brewing, Lake Placid
2001: Gilded Otter, New Paltz
2000: Woodstock Brewing Co., Kingston
1999: Big House Brewing Co., Albany
1998: Troy Pub & Brewery (Brown's), Troy

Past winners of the F.X Matt Cup:

2009: Keegan Ales, Kingston
2008: Ithaca Beer Co.
2007: Lake Placid Pub & Brewery
2006: Black Forest Brew Haus, Farmingdale, Long Island
2005: Lake Placid Pub & Brewery
2004: Chelsea Brewing, New York City
2003: Brewery Ommegang, Cooperstown
2002: John Harvard's Brew House, Lake Grove, Long Island
2001: Brooklyn Brewery

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• Upstate Restaurant Examiner
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Rhubarb Fest & Car Show at Montezuma

SENECA FALLS, NY -- Class cars, rhubarb and New York State wine. Now, that's a trio of a different sort.

Montezuma Winery is putting out a call for owners of any type of antique and/or classic car to register for its Rhubarb Festival & Classic Car Show.

The annual event is scheduled for noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 5, at the winery.

The event will include wine, food and live music. All registered car owners will receive a free wine tasting for two, plus being entered in the prize drawings giveaway.

This is strictly a showoff event, with no judging but also no registration fee. Advance registration is required by June 1.

Montezuma Winery & Hidden Marsh Distillery are located at 2981 Auburn Road (corner of Routes 89 and 5/20). Phone: (315) 568-8190.

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ON THE WEB
• Montezuma Winery
• Dowd's Guide to NY Car Collections
• Dowd's Guides
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NYC restaurant inspection grades must be shown

NEW YORK, NY -- You won't see them on mobile food carts, but the city's 24,000 or so restaurants will be required to display large letter grades near their entrances to show customers how they fared in health inspections.

The city Board of Health recently approved the regulation by a 6-2 vote. Restaurant inspections already have been available online.

"The grade in the window will give you a sense of how clean the kitchen is, and it will give every restaurant operator an incentive to maintain safe, sanitary conditions," Health Commissioner Thomas Farley said in a statement.

This is not a first. Los Angeles has been posting public grades for a number of years.

While numerous restaurant owners expressed support for the new program, that feeling was not unanimous.

"They're doing a disservice to the public," said Marc Murphy, a vice president of the New York State Restaurant Association and owner/chef at the Manhattan restaurants Landmarc and Ditch Plains. He said the regulation will result in a situation in which grades could change from week to week, depending on a city inspector's whims, and that even a grade of B could be fatal to some fine dining establishments.

The new program gives restaurants that receive grades lower than an A time to improve their sanitary conditions before they have to post anything. For them, a second inspection will be conducted within a month, and the second grade will be posted. Restaurants will be allowed to post a "Grade Pending" sign during any appeals process.

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ON THE WEB
• NYC Restaurant Inspection Reports
• Dining in New York City
• Dowd's Guides
• New York Drinks Calendar

NY in midst of vineyard/winery boom

Chateau Niagara new plantings

You may have noticed my recent postings about wineries and vineyards with names not readily familiar to most people in New York State. That’s because we’re undergoing an explosion in the number of such operations.

I’ve written about the likes of JD Wine Cellars, Robibero Family Vineyards and Sherwood House Vineyards. But Jim Trezise, the busy-bee who runs the New York Wine & Grape Foundation and keeps close tabs on such things, has done me one better by putting together this rundown of newcomers:

Recently opened:

• Chateau Niagara in Newfane
• Victorianbourg Wine Estate in Wilson
• Elfs Farm Winery & Cider Mill in Plattsburgh
• Ledge Rock Hill Winery in Corinth
• Rose Hall Estate winery in Tioga Cente
• The Saratoga Winery
• Izzo’s White Barn Winery in Cayuga
• Angelica Winery in Angelica

Soon to open:

• The Hidden Vineyard in Calverton
• Amazing Grace Vineyard & Winery in Chazy
• Vesco Ridge Vineyards in West Chazy
• Natural Selection Farm in Corinth
• JD Wine Cellars in Macedon
• Magnus Ridge Winery in Rock Stream
• Robibero Family Vineyards in New Paltz

As Trezise notes, "These [lists] don’t include some new second locations [satellite stores] for existing wineries like Montezuma Winery, Thorpe Vineyards, Sherwood House Vineyards, and Osprey’s Dominion.

"There are now more than 280 wineries -- not including over 30 satellite stores -- in 46 of New York’s 62 counties, including unlikely places like Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens. Every one of these new wineries or tasting rooms means new investment, jobs, tourism, and taxes for the State of New York, which receives more than $3.76 billion of economic benefits from our industry each year."

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ON THE WEB
• New York Drinks Calendar
• Dowd's Guides

Go Victorian (tea) at Sonnenberg Estate

Photo courtesy Sonnenberg Gardens

CANANDAIGUA, NY -- One of America’s longest surviving estates from the Victorian Era will host an Elegant Victorian Tea on Saturday, May 8.

The Sonnenberg Gardens & Mansion State Historic Park event will include tea served by maids in Victorian costume, inside the 1887 Victorian Mansion. A Victorian tea includes sandwiches, scones, sweets, sorbet (aka “shrub”) and of course, tea, with music from Sonnenberg’s Steinway piano in the background.

Seatings are limited, and will be at 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. Advance, pre-paid reservations are required by calling Sonnenberg. Prices: Adults $24, Sonnenberg members $20, groups of 10 or more $18.50 per person, children ages 4-12 $14.

Admission includes entrance to the gardens, which will be open for touring before each tea seating. Reserved guests will also receive a special discount coupon for use at the Sonnenberg Gift Shop and the Finger Lakes Wine Center on the grounds.

The Queen Anne-style mansion was built in 1887 for New York City financier Frederick Ferris Thompson and his wife, Mary Clark Thompson, as a summer home. Between 1901 and 1920, the widowed Mrs. Thompson and her staff created the nine formal gardens seen today.

The grounds are open to the public from mid-May through early October each year. Sonnenberg is a non-profit organization dependent upon the support of members and sponsors and a volunteer corps.

The estate is located at 151 Charlotte Street. Phone: (585) 394-4922.

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ON THE WEB
• Sonnenberg Gardens & Mansion State Historic Park
• Finger Lakes Wine Center
• Dowd's Guides
• New York Drinks Calendar

NY Wine & Food Fest set in Binghamton

BINGHAMTON, NY -- The 10th annual Roberson Wine & Food Fest is set for Thursday, April 22.

The event, a major item on the calendar of the host Roberson Museum & Science Center (right), typically draws a range of New York State wineries and microbreweries offering tastings, along with a variety of restaurants and caterers from across the Southern Tier.

Tickets are $40 in advance for Roberson members, $45 for non-members. Tickets at the door are $50 for all. The event will be held from 5:30 to 9 p.m.

The Roberson, according to its mission statement, " ... engages people of all ages and backgrounds by providing community-relevant exhibitions and programs in art, history and science education."

The Center is located at 30 Front Street. Phone: (607) 772-0660.

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ON THE WEB
• Roberson Museum & Science center
• Binghamton Convention and Visitors Bureau
• Dowd's Guides
• New York Drinks Calendar

State's newest winery debuting May 1

MACEDON, NY -- Long Acre Farms has been known for quite a few things.

The Amazing Maize Maze, for one, a 13-year-old agri-tourist attraction. The Sweet Corn Fest, for another. Pumpkin Harvest Weekends, Civil War reenactments, medieval war practices for a bunch more.

Now, however, the Wayne County operation is gearing up to debut the state’s newest winery -- JD Wine Cellars -- which will be unveiled on Saturday, May 1, which is opening day for the entire farm complex.

JD Wine Cellars, co-owned by Joan Lawrence Allen and husband Doug Allen, will be offering red, white and fruit wines made from 100% whole fruit purchased from growers in the region. Tastings are $3, but on opening day free commemorative tasting glasses will be given to every taster while the supply lasts.

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ON THE WEB
• Profile of Long Acre Farms/JD Wine Cellars
• Lake Ontario Wine Trail
• Dowd's Guides
• New York Drinks Calendar

NYS wine push targeting Capital Region

William M. Dowd photo

ALBANY, NY -- May will be New York Wine Month in the Capital Region.

More than 45 wineries and several dozen wine sellers and restaurants will be putting the accent on state-produced wines. The program is aimed at increasing the availability of, and attention paid to, New York wines in the area.

"This is another of our programs made possible by the Wine Market Fund -- not in the current budget," said Jim Trezise, president of the New York Wine & Grape Foundation. "Due to relatively limited funding, we decided to focus on just one market rather than spread the funds across the state with little impact.

"Many wineries feel that Albany -- our state capitol, after all -- does not have sufficient representation of New York wines, so we’re trying to do our part by supporting retailers and restaurants which support our wines.

"We shaped the program in coordination with wineries, wholesalers, restaurants and retailers, and will be supporting the effort with print advertising, a dedicated web site, and other means. Watch for more details as we approach May."

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ON THE WEB
• New York Wine & Grape Foundation
• Dowd's Guides
• New York Drinks Calendar

Keuka Lake wineries set globetrotting experience

PENN YAN, NY -- No time to tour the globe? Try "Around the World in Eight Wineries."

It's a project of eight members of the Keuka Lake Wine Trail in the Finger Lakes, set for April 17-18.

Each participating winery will offer a unique dish from a different country and pair it with their wines.

At their starting winery, ticket holders will receive a complimentary Keuka Lake Wine Trail signature wine glass. Each winery along the Trail will offer a choice of four sample wines to accompany the cultural dish being served. All ticket holders will also be entered to win a one-night stay for two at the Inn at Esperanza Mansion resort, a sightseeing cruise on the lake aboard the Esperanza Rose and a certificate for one bottle of wine from each of the eight wineries.

"(This) is an ideal opportunity for visitors to increase their understanding of why certain foods pair beautifully with specific styles of wine,” said Wine Trail President Eileen Farnan. “People who attend the event will be among the first to sample and take home newly-released vintages from our great 2009 grape harvest.”

Participating wineries:

1. Heron Hill Winery, celebrating France
2. Dr. Konstantin Frank’s Vinifera Wine Cellars, celebrating Hungary
3. Stever Hill Vineyards, celebrating the United States
4. Hunt Country Vineyards, celebrating Italy
5. Keuka Spring Vineyards, celebrating Germany
6. Barrington Cellars, celebrating Paraguay
7. McGregor Vineyard Winery, celebrating the Middle East
8. Ravines Wine Cellars, celebrating Ireland

Event hours are Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Advance tickets are $25 plus tax per person for a weekend pass, or $19 plus tax per person to attend on Sunday only. Tickets may be purchased by calling (800) 440-4898, or online. A limited number of tickets will be available at the wineries on the days of the event at $30 per person plus tax for a weekend pass, $24 for Sunday only.

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ON THE WEB
• Keuka Lake Wine Trail
• Esperanza Mansion resort
• Dowd's Guides
• New York Drinks Calendar