New Columbia Co. distillery to open Sept. 1

(L-R) Baker, Pickerell, Welly

ANCRAM -- Last November, I posted a story and photos of a distillery being created near this Columbia County community. Now, owner Jeffrey Baker and master distiller Dave Pickerell have announced a September 1 opening.

On that day, Hillrock Estate Distillery will be open to the public as well as introducing the launch of Hillrock Solera Aged Bourbon.

While there are other distilleries in the Hudson Valley, Hillrock is different in that it is a "field-to-glass" facility. In fact, it is believed to be the first post-Prohibition U.S. distillery to floor malt and hand craft whiskey onsite from its own estate-grown grain.

"I approached the craft spirits movement from a farming perspective, looking to create premier whiskies that reflect the local terroir, in the tradition of great estate vineyards," Baker said.

"After research, I found that there were no truly field-to-glass distillery operations in the United States hand crafting spirits with grain grown and floor malted on the estate. That’s when I reached out to Dave Pickerell to realize our vision."

Pickerell, former master distiller for Maker's Mark and now a consulting master distiller for numerous craft distilleries, has been working with Timothy Welly, distiller and operations manager.

"By controlling every aspect of production from planting and harvesting heirloom grains, to traditionally floor malting our grain, to crafting whiskies in our 250-gallon copper pot still, to aging in small oak barrels and hand bottling, we are able to create premium whiskies reflecting the unique terroir of the Hillrock Estate," Pickerell said.

Hillrock Estate Distillery will open for reserved weekend tours and tastings beginning September 15. Reservations can be made via e-mail or via the website.

Schenectady Museum changes name, direction

SCHENECTADY -- The Schenectady Museum is no more. At least in name.

To better desribe its evolving mission as a regional science center, the facility now is called the Museum of Innovation and Science.

Trudy Lehner, senior director of of marketing at Schenectady tech company Superpower Inc. and a member of the museum's board of trustees, said the name and logo changes reflect the museum's new mission.

The museum has increasingly targeted improvements in interactive science attractions with exhibits ranging from the nanoscale to the galactic.

A major component remains the Suits-Bueche Planetarium.

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Ground broken for Finger Lakes Museum

Lt. Gov. Duffy (center) and groundbreaking crew.

BRANCHPORT -- Groundbreaking  for the Finger Lakes Museum project drew a lineup of local officials who joined Lt. Governor Robert Duffy for the Friday event.

The new educational and cultural center will be located on the Discovery Campus along Keuka Lake.

The project was designated as a priority in 2011 by the Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Council, and it was awarded $2.3 million to support the renovation of the former Branchport Elementary School.

"The Finger Lakes Museum is a transformational project that will create much-needed jobs and provide a significant boost for the tourism industry and local-area businesses," Duffy said.

"The Finger Lakes region is one of the most beautiful areas of New York State, as well as our country, and the museum will serve to reinforce its history and aesthetic beauty. The Regional Council demonstrated great forward-thinking vision in identifying this priority project that uses our past to build a path toward a brighter economic future. We are extremely pleased to see it breaking ground and moving forward with constructing the Discovery Campus, and I look forward to coming back to visit the completed Museum and learn even more about the history and culture of my home-town region."

The Discovery Campus is the first of a two-phase indoor/outdoor natural and cultural complex highlighting the region. The project is sponsored by the museum and will create and retain 100 direct jobs at the museum, create 330 construction jobs, and generate an estimated $12 million to $15 million annually in the region through increased tourism, which will spur local economic activity with area businesses and benefit the surrounding communities.

Don Naetzker is executive director of the museum. Design plans and a virtual tour of the exterior and interior improvements of the Discovery Campus can be seen online.

Vino Volo owners expanding airport line

A typical Vino Volo

Q: Who is happy with flight delays?

A: Airport bar and restaurant owners.

NEW YORK -- Mistral Equity Partners of New York is investing more than $10 million in Taste Inc., a chain of airport wine bars which operates at Vino Volo, according to the Dow Jones news service.

The company runs 18 locations in airports nationally, and plans to open an additional several more, outside of airport security which means a broader potential clientele.

The chain now specializes in wine flights. It also plans to expand beyond airport dining and venture into the cities, to see if its wine sampling model works beyond airport terminals.

The company's current locations include John F. Kennedy International in New York and Newark International in New Jersey.

Konstantin Frank tops in NY Classic

The big winner.

WATKINS GLEN -- Dr. Konstantin Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars finished atop the heap in the 27th annual New York Wine & Food Classic held here Monday and Tuesday.

The Finger Lakes winery's 2011 Semi Dry Riesling won the Governor's Cup trophy, the event's top honor, and the winery itself was named winery of the year.

The Governor's Cup recognizes the best of show, top prize of all 773 entries. The "winery of the year" goes to the enterprise with the best overall showing based on the level and number of awards in relation to entries.

This year's competition included 752 New York wines, nine hard ciders and 12 spirits from the Long Island, Hudson Valley, Finger Lakes, Niagara Escarpment, Lake Erie, and other regions of New York State.

En route to the top award, the Frank entry also was named best white wine, best overall Riesling and best medium dry Riesling, and its overall portfolio of entries earned one double gold, two gold and four silver medals, which contributed to its winery of the year designation.

The "Best of Category" awards, all eligible for the Governor's Cup, went to:

• Best Sparkling Wine: Atwater Estate Vineyards 2008 Cuvee Brut
• Best Blush Wine: Miles Wine Cellars Wisteria
• Best Red Wine: Miles Wine Cellars 2009 Lemberger
• Best Dessert Wine: Sheldrake Point Winery 2010 Riesling Ice Wine
• Best Specialty Wine: Baldwin Vineyards Trilogy
• Best Hard Cider: McKenzie's Hard Cider Black Cherry
• Best Spirit: Finger Lakes Distilling Seneca Drums Gin
• Best Limited Production Wine: Anthony Road Wine Company 2009 Riesling, Martini-Reinhardt Selection Series, Martini Vineyards

The "Best of Class" awards go to Double Gold (unanimous agreement of the judges) or Gold medal wines in classes of at least seven wines. Those awards:

• Best Oaked Chardonnay: Martha Clara Vineyards 2010 Chardonnay, Estate Reserve
• Best Unoaked Chardonnay: Paumanok Vineyards 2011 Festival Chardonnay
• Best Overall Chardonnay: Paumanok Vineyards 2011 Festival Chardonnay
• Best Gewürztraminer: Sheldrake Point Winery 2011 Gewürztraminer
• Best Dry Riesling: Lucas Vineyards 2010 Dry Riesling
• Best Medium Dry Riesling: Dr. Konstantin Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars 2011 Riesling, Semi-Dry
• Best Medium Sweet Riesling: Belhurst Estate Winery 2011 Riesling, Semi-Dry
• Best Sweet Riesling: Wagner Vineyards 2011 Riesling Select, Estate Bottled & Grown
• Best Overall Riesling: Dr. Konstantin Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars 2011 Riesling, Semi-Dry
• Best Sauvignon Blanc: Billsboro Winery 2011 Sauvignon Blanc
• Best Pinot Gris: Thirsty Owl Wine Company 2011 Pinot Gris
• Best Vinifera White Blend: Atwater Estate Vineyards 2011 Riewurz
• Best Vinifera/Hybrid White Blend: Silver Thread Vineyard 2011 Good Earth White
• Best Traminette: Goose Watch Winery 2010 Traminette
• Best Vidal: Long Point Winery 2011 Vidal Blanc
• Best Hybrid White Blend Tug Hill Vineyards Lake Effect
• Best Cayuga: Lucas Vineyards 2011 Cayuga White
• Best Diamond: Goose Watch Winery 2011 Diamond
• Best Catawba: Miles Wine Cellars Wisteria
• Best Cabernet Sauvignon: Kings Garden Vineyards King's Cab, Estate Grown, Produced & Bottled
• Best Merlot: Bedell Cellars 2008 Merlot
• Best Cabernet Franc: Ventosa Vineyards 2009 Cabernet Franc, Old Vineyard
• Best Pinot Noir: Osprey's Dominion Vineyards 2009 Pinot Noir, Estate Bottled
• Best Lemberger: Miles Wine Cellars 2009 Lemberger
• Best Vinifera Red Blend: Atwater Estate Vineyards 2010 Big Blend
• Best Other Red Vinifera Varietal: Bedell Cellars 2010 Malbec
• Best Concord: Coyote Moon Vineyards Fire Boat Red
• Best Mead: Earle Estates Meadery Cherry Charisma
• Best Fruit: Baldwin Vineyards Trilogy
• Best Spirit: Finger Lakes Distilling Seneca Drums Gin
• Best Late Harvest Wine: Anthony Road Wine Company 2011 Sweet Dream
• Best Ice Wine: Sheldrake Point Winery 2010 Riesling Ice Wine
• Best Vinifera Sparkling White: Atwater Estate Vineyards 2008 Cuvee Brut

The awards were based on blind tastings by 23 judges -- four from California, 10 from New York, six from other states, one from France and two from the United Kingdom. The Classic is organized by Teresa Knapp of the New York Wine & Grape Foundation, and is open to all 321 New York wineries from all regions.

Cooking competition at Columbia County Fair

Judging at 2011 event.

CHATHAM -- As soon as you get a bit south of Troy and Albany, the word "bounty" begins popping up like toadstools after a summer rain.

As just two examples, I cite the recent Bounty of the Hudson event and the  Hudson Valley Bounty event set for next week.

Next up is the "Bounty Cooking Contest" at the Columbia County Fair. It's an event that has grown from six contestants in its first year, 2008, to nearly 100 last year.

The competition for professional and amateur chefs is divided into two divisions, adults and children 14-and-under. All contestants can submit dishes in either the "savory" or "sweet" categories. Entries can be soups, appetizers, salads, main courses or desserts. They are due by 12:30 p.m., Monday, September 3, at the Mid-field Arena adjacent to the North Gate stage.

According to the event organizers, all entries must be fully cooked and ready to serve. No electricity or refrigeration is available at the site of the judging. Each contestant must supply the equivalent of eight portions. Applications must be postmarked by August 27.

"We want to emphasize the great things that are grown and produced in Columbia County," said Nancy Ginsberg, contest coordinator and sponsor. "Sometimes we get cooks who have purchased every ingredient locally. More often, though, it is just a few of the items that have come from nearby resources."

All entries will be judged by personnel from the Culinary Institute of America. They will award prizes based on taste, presentation and originality. Adults will receive $250 for first place, $150 for second and $100 for third. In the Youth Division, prizes run from $150 to $50.

"It’s a great event at the fair," Ginsberg said. "We see and taste some wonderful dishes. Last year’s winners included raspberry pear tart, strawberry basil pie and heirloom tomato and feta strudel in the adult division. The kids won with pumpkin pie spiced cream caramel, peach and raspberry tart and a mac-and-cheese El Paso burger."

The Columbia County Fair, a Labor Day weekend fixture in Columbia County for 171 years, is scheduled to open on Wednesday, August 29, and continue through Monday, Labor Day, September 3. Hours are Wednesday 3 to 11 p.m. and Thursday through Monday 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Ticket prices are $10 daily, and $12 Sunday.

Complete contest rules as well as advance tickets can be obtained online. The fairgrounds are located on Route 66 in Chatham (GPS 142 Hudson Avenue). Phone: (518) 392-2121.