State's first 'wine Automat' a new treat

ITHACA, NY -- Those of us of a certain image fondly remember the chain of Horn & Hardart Automats, those wonderful food-vending cafeterias that allowed us to pop a handful of coins in a slot and get treats dispensed to us in return.

I was reminded of them by the new wine vending machines at Corks & More, 708 West Buffalo Street on the West End Waterfront here.

Customers pop in a debit card in and get wine — by the taste, by the half-glass or the full glass. It is the only such operation in New York State.

Ten vending machines dispense 40 different wines, ranging from Opus One ($50 a glass) to local Red Cat (75 cents a taste) from Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards. The devices are made by Napa Technology.

The California company also offers a scaled-down version for home use at about $5,000. You can get the details online.

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Ithaca Beer plans expansion, restaurant

ITHACA, NY -- A brewery, brew pub and restaurant are included in a development proposal submitted to the Town of Ithaca.

The town planning committee last night voted to recommend that the town board give approval to Dan Mitchell, Ithaca Beer Company president and founder, for a planned development zone proposal for a site on Route 13.

Mitchell told the planning committee he wants to build the facilities on about 10 acres of the 82-acre property, and use the rest for agriculture. He said he hopes to eventually expand the brew pub into a full-fledged restaurant.

Ithaca Beer Company began coming into fruition in December 1997 when Mitchell purchased a brewing system from a Texas brewer. After renovating a structure at 606 Elmira Road, the brewery officially opened in December 1998.

The company now sells beer throughout New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Ohio.

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Vineyards tours and tastings at Keuka Springs

PENN YAN, NY -- If you’ve never ventured out of a winery tasting room and into the vineyard itself, Keuka Spring Vineyards will be offering the opportunity on Saturday, June 19.

The event, called “A Taste of the Vineyard,” will offer a one-hour tour of the vineyard three times throughout the day, conducted by Jeanne Wiltberger, daughter of owners Len and Judy Wiltberger. She holds a master’s degree in horticulture and agronomy from the University of California at Davis.

Guests will learn about grape-growing techniques used in the vineyard, such as canopy management, training systems, and practices used to ensure maximum ripeness and quality of wine grapes.

The "taste" part of the day is a series of Keuka Springs wine tastings paired with gourmet cheeses.Tours are scheduled for 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m. Reservations are required and may be made by phone at (315) 536-3147.

Keuka Spring Vineyards is located at 243 Route 54, just outside Penn Yan on the east side of Keuka Lake. The Wiltbergers founded the winery in 1985.

The winery recently pulled down major gold at the Tasters Guild competition. Go here for the details.

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Sports halls of fame abound in state

Fame, as the saying goes, may be fleeting, but in New York State, you have a better-than-average shot at making it stick.

That's because New York has at least 30 halls of fame that are open to the public, filled with honorees ranging from athletes to abolitionists, dancers to doyennes, soccer players to singers.

The number actually tops 30, but that would include virtual halls -- several of which have buildings in the planning stages but most of which are programs of honors rather than physical venues. Plus, numerous schools, colleges, municipalities, teams and business organizations have virtual halls of fame, which pads the total well beyond 50.

I recently attended a wedding reception at the Saratoga Auto Museum in Saratoga Spa State Park. Because it also is home to the New York State Stock Car Association Hall of Fame, I got to thinking of all the sports-related hall of fame sites within easy reach of New Yorkers.

The most visible and best known is, of course, the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown (888-425-5633). But it does not stand alone. There are:

• National Museum of Racing & Hall of Fame, devoted to thoroughbred horse racing, Saratoga Springs (518-584-0400).

•  National Soccer Hall of Fame & Museum, Oneonta (607-432-3351).

• Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame, Goshen (845-294-6330).

• International Boxing Hall of Fame, Canastota (315-697-7095).

• Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame, Amsterdam (518-842-0022).

• National Distance Running Hall of Fame, Utica (315-724-4525).

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