Tasting tidbits and wines on 2 lakes

There are so many wineries in the Finger Lakes region it sometimes is difficult to decide which lake to circumnavigate for a tasting expedition.

On Saturday, January 22, you can take in two lakes' worth in one zig-zag outing called "Between the Lakes." To be specific, wineries from the eastern side of Caygua and the western side of Seneca will be offering tasting events from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., along with some snacks to accompany the wines.

Wineries scheduled to participate, and the tidbits they'll be offering (tidbits are free; fees apply for wine tastings), include:

Americana Vineyards: TBA
Atwater Vineyards: Sauteed red and yellow bell peppers, feta and leeks on crostini.
Bellwether: Hard cider-baked onion and gruyere with baguette.
Buttonwood Grove: Turkey cranberry meatballs.
Cayuga Ridge Winery: TBA
Chateau Lafayette Reneau: Chocolate bread pudding.
Cobblestone Farm Winery & Vineyard: Cheesy hash browns.
Damiani Winery: TBA
Goose Watch Winery: Black Forest brownies.
Hazlett 1852 Vineyards: Hot artichoke dip with baguettes.
Hosmer Vineyards: TBA
Kings Garden Vineyards: Coque au vin.
Knapp Winery & Vineyard Restaurant: Pork, apple, Gorgonzola en croute.
Lakeshore Winery: Winter vegetable soup.
Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars: TBA (from Hotel Clarence)
Lucas Vineyards: Michele's game day salsa.
Penguin Bay Winery: Spicey chicken soup.
Red Newt Cellars: Jambalaya.
Sheldrake Point Vineyards: Sausage and tortellini soup.
Standing Stone Vineyards: Thai chili cream cheese dip with fresh-baked bread.
Swedish Hill: Enchilada soup.
Thirsty Owl Wine Company: TBA
Three Brothers Wineries & Estates: Zero Degrees Riesling.
Ventosa Vineyards: Chili.
Wagner Vineyards: Fiesta ham salad.
Zugibe Vineyards: White chili.

For general information, contact Knapp Winery by phone at (800) 869-9271.

Beer Land coming to state capital

• From the Albany (NY) Times Union's Table Hopping blog:

ALBANY, NY -- ... The former Ballingers nightclub in downtown Albany is being redeveloped as a brew palace called Beer Land. A February opening is projected. The business is leasing the building, at Howard and Lodge streets, home for decades to the restaurant Ogden’s, from Douglas Ballinger.

Ballinger, who with his brothers has owned the New York City club and music venue Webster Hall for more than 20 years, bought the building in 2006 and handsomely renovated it over the course of a year. Ballingers was able to make go of it as a nightclub for three fitful years before closing for good in January 2010. ...

As Beer Land, the building will house three distinct environments ... including a traditional, albeit not exclusively German, beer hall on the main floor. The basement, a cool grotto clad in Helderberg bluestone, right, will largely retain its look but have a separate theme from the main floor, as will the second floor. ... Beer Land has been granted conditional approval of its liquor license for bars on all three floors, according to the State Liquor Authority, and plans to install dozens of draft lines for an eclectic selection of beer on tap, to be complemented by a large array of bottled brews.

(Go here for the full posting.)

Prepare for quiet price hikes

ALBANY, NY -- If your usual snack at your favorite watering hole suddenly goes up by, oh, 7 or 8% at the start of the new year, don't be shocked. It will be a matter of a cost pass-through.

The New York State Department of Labor has filed an order increasing the minimum wage across all service industries from $4.65 an hour to $5, as of January 1, 2011. That will include all tipped food service employees. Given the tight economy, it's a sure bet owners will be looking for ways to make up the difference.

By the way, don't automatically assume the tip you give your server will go precisely as you intend. A provision of the new wage law allows employers to mandate tip pooling.

Veritas' return stars Châteauneuf-du-Pape

NEW YORK -- The Big Apple's largest commercial wine cellar is again available for consumer now that Veritas has re-opened.

Park B. Smith's restaurant, which returned Tuesday after being revamped and re-staffed since the summer, has an immense wine list of 3,300 selections that range all over the globe and all over vintage years.

Smith's favorites are his Châteauneuf-du-Pape segment, which he is offering at discounted prices although most still will be costly, given their provenance. The wines, from the Rhône region of France, are from a variety of estates, including Domaine Pontifical and Domaine de la Mordorée.

Veritas, after dismissing its staff and locking its doors without public notice back in August, now offers New American fare rather than its former pricey a la carte menu. It is located in the Flatiron District at 43 East 20th Street, between Park Avenue South and Broadway. Phone: (212) 353-3700.

Bronx Kids Museum back on schedule

• From the NY Daily News

BRONX, NY -- After years of waiting, a children's museum is coming to the the Bronx. And before it's built, its director wants parents' input.

Plans to build the Bronx Children's Museum have been under way for more than five years since the idea was first pitched by ex-Borough President Adolfo Carrion. But, it wasn't until its board appointed executive director Carla Precht that the museum's expected 2013 opening is becoming more of a reality.

"It's all very exciting," said Precht, who was appointed last January. "We're really seeing things take shape."

(Go here for the rest of the story.)

Check out my New York Drinks Events Calendar, the most comprehensive you'll find anywhere.

Inaugural ‘Soiree des Grands Crus’ set for January

NEW YORK -- Everything you wanted to know about Bordeaux wines may be at your fingertips in January, when 82 Mercer in SoHo hosts the first Soiree des Grands Crus, a social event and vintage wine tasting that will play host to 17 châteaux owners.

They are billed as the new generation of grands crus de Bordeaux estate owners. The wineries make up about 5% of the total production of wines produced in the Bordeaux region. Among featured estate wineries will be Pessac-Léognan, Sauternes, Saint Julien, Margaux, Pauillac, Saint Emilion and Pomerol.

Early Access tickets in very limited number are going for $250, with general admission tickets priced at $185. Admission includes the fine food and wine pairing event, featuring 23 Chateaux. Also included is free registration and participation in the Wine Challenge to win Grands Crus de Bordeaux. Tickets are available online.

Check out my New York Drinks Events Calendar, the most comprehensive you'll find anywhere.

'Battle of the Belgians' set for Saturday

NEW YORK -- Are you a fan of Belgian and Belgian-style beers? Do you have $60 and time to be in the city this Saturday? Then you're in luck.

BeerMenus and Jimmy's No. 43 have teamed up to create "Battle of the Belgians," an event at which consumers can compare top-shelf Belgian and American Belgian-style beers and vote for their favorites.

The event will be held at Jimmy's 43, located at 43 East 7th Street in the East Village, from noon to 5 p.m. Local cheeses, charcuterie and chocolate will be paired up with 30-plus Belgian bottled beers and a dozen taps of American-made beers.

The American beers:

Bruery 3 French Hens
Sly Fox Ichor
Barrier Belgian Dubbel Down
Stillwater Stateside Saison
Bear Republic Ryevalry
Saint Feullien/Green Flash L'Amite
Ommegang Zuur
Sixpoint Belgian Rye
Avery The Reverend
Allagash Interlude
Pretty Things Baby Tree
Kelso St. Gowanus (cask)
Flying Dog Raging Bitch
Goose Island Sofie

The Belgian beers:

Duvel Triple Hop
A'Chouffe La Chouffe
Chimay Red
Chimay White
Chimay Blue
Troubador Obscura
Troubador Magma
Rodenbach Grand Cru
Boon Lambic Kriek
Boon Oude Gueze
Lindemans Framboise
Orval
Westmalle
Rochefort
Petrus Oude Bruin
Dupont Avril
Dupont Foret
Scaldis Refermentee
Vanberg Hop Ruiter

Go here for ticket information. Phone: (212) 982-3006.

Check out my New York Drinks Events Calendar, the most comprehensive you'll find anywhere.

Coney Island bar icon defing eviction

BROOKLYN, NY -- Every other year, Ruby's Bar closes at the end of October when Coney Island begins shuttering things for the winter months. This year, the iconic "dive" bar will be operating at least through the end of this month. Which is particularly interesting since it was supposed to not only close but to vacate the premises as of Friday.

Owner Michael Sarrell told local media "I spoke to my attorney and he's advised me that there's no reason why I can't open up, so I'm opening up."

It is the latest development in a situation created by new property owner Zamperla, which runs Luna Park and took over the buildings housing Ruby's and several other businesses earlier this year and decided not to renew their leases.

Ruby's, which has been on the boardwalk since 1934, has held parties every weekend since its eviction notice was served. Business has boomed so much Sarrell had to restock his alcohol inventory.

"We're hoping we can get enough groundswell support to push the politicians to see what's going up here and to realize that the history of New York City is going away one piece at a time," he told NY1. "This is just one of those pieces, and there's no reason it shouldn't stay."

His lawyers say they are going to court this coming week to battle the eviction move.

(See earlier story here.)

Check out my New York Drinks Events Calendar, the most comprehensive you'll find anywhere.

Brewery Ommegang adding a Belgian cafe

COOPERSTOWN, NY -- Fans of Brewery Ommegang's Belgian-style brews will be able to linger over them at a new Belgian-style cafe the Central New York brewer is planning.

Ommegang is looking for a kitchen manager right now. An ad on its website says the cafe will be opened "on the brewery grounds in a brand new, state-of-the-art facility." Here's a photo of the in-progress visitors center now being built.

Check out my New York Drinks Events Calendar, the most comprehensive you'll find anywhere.

Adirondack Winery undergoes major expansion

LAKE GEORGE, NY -- The Adirondack Winery has expanded -- and moved its wine making operation to a new 4,000-square-foot space.

Sasha Pardy, co-owner and president of the micro-winery that opened 2½ years ago in downtown Lake George, today announced that the company "has relocated its wine making operation ... to a brand-new facility on Big Bay Road in Queensbury." However, its tasting room will remain at 285 Canada Street here in Lake George.

Sasha and co-owner Michael Pardy, the winemaker, are planning to undertake "a major renovation" of the tasting room space in January to include an upgraded tasting bar about triple the size of the current facility.

The Pardys opened their 1,800-square-foot winery and tasting room in Lake George in April 2008. About one-third of the space is reserved for the tasting bar and retail area, which features a viewing window to the back of the space where their 35 wines had been made.

"We’re very fortunate to say that ever since we opened people have increasingly recognized the quality of our wines and become very loyal returning customers. Additionally, the wine tasting experience we offer has quickly become one of the most popular attractions in Lake George as couples and families of all ages have expressed their pleasure at having a unique and different way to enjoy the time they spend in Lake George Village,” said Sasha Pardy. "The winery has been voted the No. 1 Best Place for Wine and No. 1 Best Gift Shop in Lake George two years in a row on LakeGeorge.com’s annual survey. And, on the world’s most popular travel website, TripAdvisor.com, Adirondack Winery is rated as No. 1 of 19 attractions in Lake George with a 4.5 star rating.

"While it’s a good problem to have," added Michael, "the popularity of our wines has exceeded our expectations each season since we’ve been open, leaving us in the tough spot of not being able to make enough wine in our small Lake George space to keep up with customer demand."

The Pardys began their business primarily by making their wines in small glass carboys and pails. The new facility has numerous large stainless steel wine tanks, as well as semi-automatic bottling and corking machines (shown above right).

"At capacity," Sasha said, "we expect this facility to meet our needs until our production hits about 10,000 cases of wine annually, which means it should last us another handful of years. ... There is land for us to expand on this building if we need to."

Check out my New York Drinks Events Calendar, the most comprehensive you'll find anywhere.

Veritas' return stars Châteauneuf-du-Pape

NEW YORK -- The city's largest commercial wine cellar is again available for consumer now that Veritas has re-opened.

Park B. Smith's restaurant, which returned Tuesday after being revamped and re-staffed since the summer, has an immense wine list of 3,300 selections that range all over the globe and all over vintage years. Smith's favorites are his Châteauneuf-du-Pape segment, which he is offering at discounted prices although most still will be costly, given their provenance. The wines, from the Rhône region of France, are from a variety of estates, including Domaine Pontifical and Domaine de la Mordorée.

Veritas, after dismissing its staff and locking its doors without public notice back in August, now offers New American fare rather than its former pricey a la carte menu. It is located in the Flatiron District at 43 East 20th Street, between Park Avenue South and Broadway. Phone: (212) 353-3700.

Check out my New York Drinks Events Calendar, the most comprehensive you'll find anywhere.