Hymn 365

A friend passed along this one:

A minister was completing a temperance sermon. With great emphasis he said, “If I had all the beer in the world, I’d take it and pour it into the river.”

With even greater emphasis he said, “And if I had all the wine in the world, I’d take it and pour it into the river.”

Finally, shaking his fist in the air, he said, “And if I had all the whiskey in the world, I’d take it and pour it into the river.”

Sermon completed, he sat down.

The song leader stood, smiled slightly and said, “For our closing song, let us sing Hymn #65, ‘Shall We Gather at the River’.”

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One time its OK to say ‘Beer me!’

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Nine New York breweries will be participating in the inaugural Saratoga Beer Week that runs this Thursday through Saturday.

The first event is a launch party scheduled for 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday at Olde Saratoga Brewery, 131 Excelsior Avenue. Former Springwater Bistro owner/chef David Britton, now better known as the shorter of two assistants to Robert Irvine on TV’s “Restaurant Impossible,” is signed up to bring his Pies on Wheels mobile pizzeria. Admission is $7.

Breweries involved: Brown’s Brewing, Adirondack Pub and Brewery, Lake Placid Brewing, Brewery Ommegang, Brooklyn Brewery, Davidson Brothers Pub and Brewery, Saranac Brewing Co., Shmaltz Brewing Co. and Southampton Public House.

Go here for the complete Beer Week schedule.

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What do these beers have in common?

They are part of the lineup Esquire magazine has designated the “Healthiest Beer to Drink.” Go here for the details.

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SLA turns LAMP spotlight on licensees

If you’ve ever wondered about the disciplinary record of a particular drinking establishment, or whether a tavern owner has applied for a license, or the proximity of a drinking establishment to churches, schools and the like, the State Liquor Authority has just unveiled something for you.

The SLA has launched a new website providing just such information, plotting every licensed wine, beer and spirits purveyor in New York — from convenience stores to chain restaurants, country clubs, fraternal organizations and neighborhood bars.

It is called by the acronym LAMP — Liquor Authority Mapping Project, and includes locations of schools, churches, police stations and community boards.

It takes a little time to learn to navigate the interactive map, especially in more populous areas where colored indicators overlap each other; as just one example, the screenshot above shows the density of the heart of the state’s Albany Capital Region. But, once you spend a little time on it, you can call up layers that include or exclude any sorts of places you want.

For example, you can see vendors with on-premises licenses or off-premises licenses or both. You also can see various categories layered with churches and/or schools, thereby getting a statistical view of the ratio. There is a zoom factor as well, and the base map is very detailed.

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nIce Festival has a packed schedule

CANANDAIGUA — The nIce Festival, a celebration of ice wines, dessert wines and food, has a busy schedule for its fourth annual festival on Saturday, February 25, at the New York Wine & Culinary Center.

Details and reservations are available by calling (585) 394-7070. Here’s the schedule:

10 a.m. to noon: Sizzle and Chill–Chili Competition
in the Hands-On Kitchen; teams will prepare their specialty chili for public voting to see who has the most Sizzling Chili; pre-registration required–$40pp

Noon to 5 p.m.: Ice & Dessert Wine and Food Tasting
in the Sands Gallery with representatives from area wineries and breweries, accompanied by regional food favorites; $25pp

12:30 to 1:30 p.m.: Winter Wine & Food Pairing
in the Educational Theatre; sample three appetizer portions of seasonal dishes, paired with three different styles of wine, $25pp

12:30 to 2:30 p.m.: Chili Judging
in the Hands-On Kitchen; sample the chili and vote for your favorite; FREE

2 p.m.: Ice Sculpture Demonstration
on the Taste of New York Restaurant’s outdoor deck with Chuck Dawes from Specialty Ice, Co.; FREE

2 to 5 p.m.: Live Music
by Brian Burley and Jeremy Laursen in the Taste of New York Restaurant; FREE

3 to 4 p.m: Wine & Chocolate Pairing
in the Educational Theater; sample three NYS wines–including one Dessert Wine–paired with a sampling of three gourmet chocolate desserts prepared by NYWCC Pastry Chef Andrew; $25pp

3:30 p.m.: Chili Competition winner announced

4 p.m.: Ice Sculpture Demonstration
on the Taste of New York Restaurant’s outdoor deck with Chuck Dawes from Specialty Ice, Co.; FREE

All Day: Signature Drink Specials
in the Taste of New York Restaurant

The NYW&CC is located at 800 South Main Street in this Finger Lakes community.

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‘Wine-in-markets’ push won’t go away

It may have failed in successive budget tries under Governor David Paterson and been ignored by Governor Andrew Cuomo who has been quoted as saying the potential benefits won’t outweigh the potential costs, but the idea of allowing food markets to sell wine won’t go away.

Rather than pushing Individually for such a change, the New York Wine Industry Association, New York State Wine Grape Growers Association, New York Farm Bureau, Business Council of New York State, Food Industry Alliance of New York State, New York State Restaurant Association and allied businesses are jointly calling on the governor to change his stance.

“New York Farm Bureau has long supported the sale of wine in grocery stores because of the enormous opportunities that it would provide to New York’s wineries and grape growers,” said Dean Norton, bureau president.

“Studies have shown that making this common sense modification in state law would create more than 6,000 jobs in wineries and related industries and produce more than $70 million in new sales tax revenue. It’s long past time that we remove this barrier to consumer choice and job creation and become the 36th state to make this important change.”

The alliance cites the marked change in the number of businesses allowed to sell wine in 1974 compared to today, as well as the marked increase in the number of wineries in the same period.

They use the 1974 benchmark because that is the year a push began to get then-Governor Hugh Carey to reformulate the state’s winery license law to make it easier for farm wineries to operate more profitably. In 1976, he did so.

In 1974 there were 4,500 liquor stores in the state through which the then-existing 19 wineries could sell their farm product to consumers. Now, there are fewer than 2,500 liquor stores through which more than 378 New York wineries can sell their farm product to consumers. Thus, the alliance contends, wineries no longer have enough retail outlets to reach consumers.

Opponents continue to insist that mom and pop liquor stores would be severely harmed if other businesses are allowed to sell New York and other wines.

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Zinburger coming to New York

If you’re unfamiliar with the Zinburger Wine & Burger Bar chain, that may change.

The Briad Group, headquartered in New Jersey, has signed a licensing agreement with Fox Restaurant Concepts for rights to develop Zinburger restaurants in the 23 states east of the Mississippi River.

Briad will initially focus on developing Zinburger in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast states, including New York, the company said, without giving specific locations.

Zinburger offers upscale burgers and paired wine selections. The wine menu includes 21 varieties priced from $5 to $15 a glass. Signature burgers include the Zinburger with Manchego cheese and Zinfandel-braised onions and the Kobe Burger with Vermont cheddar cheese and wild mushrooms.

Briad opened a Zinburger in Clifton, NJ, in December 2010. Fox debuted its first Zinburger restaurant in December 2007, in Tucson, AZ. The New Jersey location also has a full bar and offers weekday happy hour specials, which is a strong indication other new Northeast units will follow suit.

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SLA snips strings of Schenectady pub

SCHENECTADY — When more than two-thirds of your drinking patrons are underage, it’s a sure bet the State Liquor Authority is going to take a dim view of the situation.

That’s what happened when the SLA, accompanied by city police and personnel from the state Department of Motor Vehicles, last week raided Geppetto’s restaurant and bar, located at 547 Nott Street, opposite the Union College campus.

The SLA today announced the suspension of the bar’s license, held by D&D Strombolli Shop Inc.

In the raid, Geppetto’s was charged with 36 violations covering such items as sales to underage patrons, unlicensed bouncers, paying employees off the books, and failure to supervise the premises. Four DMV minors were ticketed by the DMV for having a fake ID. The SLA said its agents documented 16 direct sales to minors and obtained 16 additional admissions of minors purchasing alcohol. In addition, three bartenders were charged with 15 counts of unlawfully dealing with a minor for making the sales.

“Cracking down on underage sales is a priority and the SLA will not hesitate in taking emergency action against bars that cater to minors,” SLA Chairman Dennis Rosen said in a statement. “We will continue working with the Schenectady police and our partners in law enforcement across the state to hold licensees accountable.”

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Manhattan condo offers 24-hour veggie juice bar

• From The Gothamist.com

NEW YORK — Apartment buildings in New York are famous for their crazy luxuries. But, with doormen and gyms now de rigueur, new offerings need to turn things up a notch if they want to get noticed. And to that end the new Madison Jackson building, once upon a time P.S. 12 in the LES, takes the (vegetarian) cake. Because in addition to “a 24-hour doorman, concierge, organic laundry, and alteration services” as well as a gym offering “cranial sacral therapy,” the building has its own “24-hour vegetarian organic room service.” Yes, really.

Of course the building, a block below the Williamsburg Bridge at 371 Madison Street, isn’t just about juice bars and organic laundry. There are duplex 700- to 1,500-square foot loft-like apartments (starting at $542,000) to sell here! But considering the building took nearly 30 years to go from school to condo, you’d think the developer would have made the actual apartments sound more appealing. If you don’t mind low-ceiling sleeping lofts (“not suitable for basketball players”) and cheaply finished kitchens (“to keep costs low”), this one is for you. And who needs a Viking range, anyway? You can always order a juice!

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Niagara Wine Trail gets a ‘world’s best’ designation

• From the Batavia (NY) Daily News

The Niagara Wine Trail, which extends into Orleans County, has been named one of the top 10 wine trails in the world.

The Weather Channel announced the list … putting the Niagara Region, in both the United States and Canada, as the No. 7 top wine trail.

That’s a major declaration for a wine trail that didn’t even exist 15 years ago. Since then 16 wineries have opened along the Niagara USA trail … . The Niagara Wine Trail USA already is using the bold proclamation from the Weather Channel in a marketing push.

[Go here for the full story.]

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HV Food and Beverage Alliance gets going

• From Westfair Online

Combine dairy farmers, meat producers, vegetable growers, and beverage makers, sprinkle in some unique niche food businesses, toss with some packaging companies and distributors so each can find the ingredients it needs to work expeditiously, and you’ve created a winning recipe for harnessing the power of agri-business in the Hudson Valley.

That’s the goal of the new Hudson Valley Food and Beverage Alliance, which held its first roundtable at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park on February 2. More than 200 companies, economic leaders and home-grown food and drink purveyors attended the standing-room-only conference.

PepsiCo, Gillette Creamery, Crown Maple Syrup Farm, Tuthilltown Spirits and restaurateur Peter X. Kelly were just a few of the dozens of attendees representing Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester counties.

[Go here for the full story.]

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Dept. of Competitive Information

Attention all New York State winemakers. There’s bad news/good news coming from the land of your biggest domestic competitors.

• The bad news (for California): Late freezes and untimely rain negatively impacted California’s wine grape harvest just as vintners had predicted. The 2011 harvest was down 7% to 3.3 million tons. When table grapes are included, the overall tonnage of the California fruit still was down, by 3%.

• The good news (for New York): See above.

According to the preliminary harvest report released Friday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, reduced supply has meant increased prices for California wines in general.

Napa County had the highest prices for grapes with an average $3,400 per ton, an increase if 5% from 2010. Grapes from Sonoma and Marin counties sold at an average of $2,081 a ton, up 3%.

Factoring in all wine grape-growing regions in California, the average price for red wine grapes went up 12% to $702 a ton, while for white it went up 8% to $541.

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NYers collect 16 double golds in Tampa

TAMPA, FL — New York wines collected a whopping 155 medals at the Florida State Fair International Wine & Grape Juice Competition held Thursday through today.

(OK, I don’t know at what point a total begins to “whop,” but 155 seems a reasonable amount.)

Of that count, 16 were double gold (unanimous vote of the tasting panel), 22 gold (majority ote of the panel), 65 silver, and 52 bronze, led by a trio of double golds for Liberty Vineyards & Winery’s entries — Purple Haze, 2010 Riesling, and White Side of the Moon.

Other New York double gold medals went to Americana 2009 Finger Lakes Chardonnay, Lawyer Family Winery; Arbor Hill Healthy Purple (grape juice); Glenora 2010 Finger Lakes Late Harvest Riesling and 2003 Finger Lakes Brut Methode Champenoise; Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards 2010 Finger Lakes Homestead Reserve Riesling and 2010 Finger Lakes Chardonnay; Heron Hill 2009 Finger Lakes Ingle Vineyard Riesling and 2010 Finger Lakes Semi-Sweet Riesling; Keuka Spring 2011 Finger Lakes Riesling; Lakewood 2010 Finger Lakes Chardonnay; Montezuma Finger Lakes Fat Frog Red; Swedish Hill 2010 Finger Lakes Riesling and Viking Red; and Wagner Vineyards Finger Lakes Sparkling Riesling.

Gold medals were awarded to Americana 2010 Finger Lakes Crystal Lake; Anthony Road 2010 Finger Lakes Gewurztraminer; Brookview Station Hudson River Region The Conductors Cassis; Casa Larga 2008 Finger Lakes Estate Fiori Delle Stelle Vidal Ice Wine; Chateau Frank 2006 Finger Lakes Estate Bottled Blanc de Noir; Dr. Frank 2010 Finger Lakes Dry Riesling, 2010 Finger Lakes Muscat Ottonel, and 2010 Finger Lakes Semi-Dry Riesling; Fulkerson 2010 Finger Lakes Vidal Blanc Iced Wine; Hazlitt 2010 Finger Lakes Vidal Ice Wine; Heron Hill 2010 Finger Lakes Dry Riesling;

Also, Hunt Country Finger Lakes Classic Red and 2010 Finger Lakes Estate Bottled Cayuga White; Keuka Spring Finger Lakes Harvest Blush; Lakewood 2010 Finger Lakes Rielsing, 2010 Finger Lakes Dry Riesling, and 2010 Finger Lakes Borealis; Owera New York Bettys White; Swedish Hill Finger Lakes Riesling Cuvee and Spumante Blush; Torrey Ridge Finger Lakes Niagara and Finger Lakes Diamond.

Full competition results will be posted online.

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NY Beer Co. puts craft breweries on the map

NEW YORK — The New York Beer Company is nothing if not an equal-opportunity beer plugger.

People who drop in for a mug at the craft beer emporium should feel welcome no matter what part of New York they call home. That’s because of a wall-size map of New York, showing the location of every craft brewery in the state.

The huge beer hall, created by the craft brewmasters from the House of Brews in Hell’s Kitchen, also boasts a running stock market-style ticker displaying all sorts of information, from sports scores to current beer prices. Some of the communal tables have their own beer taps.

The beer list includes 40 taps and 50 bottles and focuses largely on a lot of lesser-known brews.

The New York Beer Company is located at 321 West 44th Street. Phone: (631) 475-6944.

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‘Bia Maith’ beer dinner in Troy

TROY — The folks at Brown’s Brewing never seem to run dry of ideas for their monthly beer suppers, especially since Luca Brunelle took over the kitchen last year.

The latest is called “Bia Maith,” Celtic for “good food,” scheduled for Tuesday, March 6 — sort of a St. Patrick’s Day adjacent date — at Brown’s Revolution Hall event space. Reservations, which must be made by March 2, are $60 per person, $55 for Mug Club members.

The menu:

Four Leaf Clover Scotch Egg

Fried golden atop potato nest with bearnaise and fried leek twigs
Paired with Hefeweizen

Claddagh Chopped Salad

Mixed greens with tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, glazed carrots, capers, red potatoes and smoked salmon in a dill buttermilk dressing, finished with a Parmesan crisp
Paired with Tomhannock Pilsner

Smoked Barbecued Brisket

Served with bacon-caraway sauerkraut, white bean cake, Jack Daniel’s BBQ and fried pickles
Paired with Porter

Lucky Charms Crispies Ice Cream Sandwich

Paired with Cherry Raspberry Ale

Reservations: By phone at (518) 273-2337 or online. Revolution Hal is located at 425 River Street, just north of the Green Island Bridge.

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Analysis: Spirits industry bucking world global economic woes

NEW YORK — A weak economy may be wreaking havoc on many industries, but the distilled spirits industry experienced growth in 2011 while taking more market share again from beer.

That was among findings released by Distilled Spirits Council President and CEO Peter Cressy at the industry’s annual briefing for Wall Street analysts and reporters on Tuesday. But, he warned, uncertainty about the economic recovery and the impact of new taxes could derail future growth.

Distilled spirits exports exceeded $1 billion for the fifth consecutive year, reaching a projected record $1.34 billion in 2011 (based on 11-month totals). Total spirits exports grew 16.5% over the preceding year, while American whiskey — which constitutes 69% of total exports — grew 13.6%.

An ongoing trend towards open markets and sensible transparent regulations, as well as a focus on communicating the heritage of the products in new markets, contributed to the trade growth. Among significant trade victories in 2011 were the passage of the U.S.- Korea Free Trade Agreement, which will eliminate the 20% tariff on bourbon/Tennessee whiskey upon implementation of the agreement, and the World Trade Organization’s final ruling that the Philippines’ excise tax on distilled spirits is discriminatory and in violation of WTO rules.

“As countries around the world lower tariffs and other barriers, American spirits products are finding new audiences fascinated by the rich heritage and unique character of these great brands,” Cressy said.

He attributed the market share growth to industry innovation and the consumer return to a preference for premium-priced spirits. Other significant factors contributing to the positive outcome, he said, were ongoing national market modernization trends and a willingness by policymakers to hold the line on taxes.

In other points of the report:

• Federal government data showed that underage drinking and drunk driving fatalities are at historic low levels.
• Industry suppliers saw year-to-year volume growth of 2.7% to 195.8 million 9-liter cases, and sales growth of approximately 4% to $19.9 billion, reflecting a consumer return to premium products.
• Vodka, which accounts for 32% of industry volume, was up 5.9% to 63 million 9-liter cases, but in the super premium category, volume rose 12.7% and revenue rose 15.9%, $160 million now totaling $1.16 billion.
• In the largest whiskey category, bourbon and Tennessee whiskey, overall volume was up 3.9% to 16 million 9-liter cases, and revenue was up 3.9% to $2.0 billion. But, again, the largest growth occurred in the super premium category where revenue was up 11.4% for a total of $180 million. “These results show that the hospitality industry is helping drive the national recovery and job creation, but it remains critical that legislators don’t derail future economic growth through higher taxes,” Cressy said.

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Winter construction working at Columbia County winery

Work is proceeding nicely in this Winter of No Snow on the new tank room at the Hudson-Chatham Winery in Ghent, Columbia County.

Go here for a Facebook album of photos detailing the project.

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Expanded distillery courses at Warwick Valley

WARWICK — The distillery segment of Warwick Valley Winery & Distillery is catching on with the pubic.

In fact, in addition to its fourth distillery demonstration and tasting series scheduled for February, Warwick has added an intermediate course in March for those who have taken the introductory series.

Every Saturday in February, master distiller Jason Grizzanti will walk the group through the distillery setup, explaining the process of making spirits, followed by a tasting session and lunch.

Every Saturday in March, Grizzanti will hold will an intermediate course that includes hands-on activities plus a guided whiskey tasting.

The introductory course fee is $50, the intermediate course fee $60, or admission to both can be purchased for $100, using coupon code DEMOPROMO during checkout. The intermediate course is limited to 15 people.

Warwick Valley Winery & Distillery, which makes fruit brandies and liqueurs under the American Fruits brand, is located at 114 Little York Road in Warwick, Orange County. Phone: (845) 258-4858.

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Happy 4709, now get your dragon on

Today is the start of the Asian lunar new year 4709, celebrated in China, Japan, Korea and Vietnam — and by Asian Americans — in anticipation of the coming spring.

Considering the surprisingly mild winter we’re experiencing, looking ahead to spring seems rather simple.

During the 15-day celebration, we’ll be seeing many dinner and drink specials at our local Asian restaurants. Chain-wise, P.F. Chang’s will be handing out its version of hóng bāo, red envelopes traditionally containing money, but this time containing gift certificates.

Chang’s also is also offering a promotional Dragon Punch cocktail featuring Chinese beer, vodka infused with dragon fruit and sriracha, a Thai hot sauce.

Here are a few more Asian cocktails you can easily whip up to join in the fun.

RED LOTUS
From About.com/cocktails

1½ ounce vodka
1½ ounce Lichido (lychee) liqueur
1 ounce cranberry juice

Pour the vodka, Lichido and cranberry juice into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well. Strain into a chilled old-fashioned glass filled with ice. Garnish with lotus flower or several peeled lychees on a skewer.

BEIJING BELLINI
From China 1 Antique Restaurant & Lounge, NYC

3 parts Champagne or dry Italian prosecco
1 part lychee wine or liquor
1 lychee nut dropped to bottom of glass

Served in a tall champagne flute. You also can blend peeled lychee nuts in their own sweet juice and use with the bubbly.

CHINESE MARY
From Bar None.com

1 ½ vodka
3 ounce sweet-and-sour sauce
Dash of lemon juice
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
3 drops soy sauce
3 drops Tabasco sauce (optional)
Pineapple (juice or pulp)

Make like a Bloody Mary, improvising with ingredients until you find your preferred taste and texture. It may be helpful to Ken add extra vodka to thin out the sauce. Heated, this mixture also makes a good sauce for various foods.

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Shochu tasting contest will warm up the city in February

NEW YORK — Aficionados of the Japanese vodka called shochu or the rice-based awamori will be in heaven February 6-11 when 16 different bars and restaurants in the city participate in a tasting contest billed as the “1st NYC Shochu & Awamori Tasting Contest.”

Here’s how the organizers explain the competition:

“You will taste and learn five different kinds of shochu/awamori and memorize their flavors. Then you will be asked to match 3 brands from memory and accumulate points. The three contestants with the highest points from each restaurant/bar will receive gift certificates of $200, $100 or $50 and be invited to compete in the final event at the Kitano Hotel on Park Avenue on February 15.”

Contest participation fee is $30 per person. That covers two free drinks (including a shochu/awamori cocktail) and edamame. Full participation details are available here.

The venues involved:

Onieals
174 Grand Street

Kibo Japanese Grill
111 East 18th Street at Park Ave South

Uminoie
86 East 3rd Street

Solas
232 East 9th Street

Amber
432 6th Avenue

Bao Noodle
391 2nd Avenue

Moco
516 3rd Avenue

Kitano Hotel
66 Park Avenue

Natsumi
226 West 50th Street

Shimizu Sushi
West 318 West 51st Street @ WJ Hotel

Shochu Bar Hatchan
210 East 44th Street

Yakitori East
210 East 44th Street

Samurai Mama
205 Grand Street, Wiiliamsburg

One or Eight
66 South 2nd Street, Williamsburg

Fushimi
Various locations

Bozu
296 Grand Street, Williamsburg

The shochu and awamori brands:

• Zuisen (awamori)
• Gokuu (barley)
• Satsuma shiranami (potato)
• Shiro (rice)
• Beniotome (sesame)
• Kappa no sasoimizu (potato)
• Ginza no suzume (barley)
• Ginza no suzume kohaku (barley)
• Kaikouzu (potato)
• Ryukyu oukoku (awamori)
• Kannoko (barley)
• Kumesen (awamori)
• Tombo (barley)

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Ice bar cometh to Watkins Glen

W ATKINS GLEN — Here’s a way to be sure your drink is on ice. Literally.

On Friday, February 17, the public will be admitted to the Harbor Hotel beginning a 5 p.m. to belly up to a 7,000-pound hunk of ice that will by that time have been meticulously carved into a working bar. Plans are to operate that unique venue through Sunday of that Weekend.

Specialty martinis, wines and local beers will be available, along with light hors d’oeuvres and live music.

Advance ticket sales are $15 each, available online. A portion of the event revenue will be donated to the American Red Cross.

The Harbor Hotel, an AAA Four-Diamond Award hotel,  is located at 16 North Franklin Street in this Finger Lakes city. Phone: (607) 535-6116.

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1st Sirah-finished Irish whiskey is here

A special U.S. market-only project teams up Concannon Vineyards of California and Cooley Distillery of Ireland to introduce a product being shipped to vendors this week.

It’s Concannon Irish Whiskey, distilled in Ireland from a barley and corn mash, matured in bourbon barrels for a minimum of four years, then finished for four months in former Concannon Petite Sirah wine barrels, shipped in from California, before blending.

“The United States is presently the largest market for Irish whiskey and growing,” said John Concannon, fourth generation vintner at Concannon. “We’re thrilled to offer a unique take on the category to American consumers with Concannon, a fiercely independent spirit from Ireland’s sole craft distillery that shares the heritage of both cultures as so many Irish-Americans do.”

Concannon Irish Whiskey will sell at a suggested retail price of $24.99 for the 750ml bottle.

Concannon Vineyards began with its first planting in 1883 near Livermore, CA. Cooley Distillery was established in 1987. It also produces Kilbeggan, The Tyrconnell, Connemara and Greenore brands. The company is in the process of being purchased by Beam Brands.

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Fueling up has new meaning at Sunoco

Sunoco is in the process of expanding its “Craft Beer Exchange” program at its APlus convenience stores across the state.

I first reported on the program last summer back when it began as a pilot program in the Buffalo market. (Details here.) Now, it has been expanded to the Albany, Syracuse and Rochester markets.

It offers a rotating selection of up to 12 craft beers available to-go in 64-ounce growlers. Customers also can create their own six-packs from a range of 12-ounce single bottles for $9.99. Selections change seasonally and include beers from such microbreweries as Long Trail, Ithaca, Victory, Flying Bison, Troegs, Red Hook, Smuttynose and Brooklyn.

The Albany area Sunoco stores in the program are located at 62 Exchange Street at Everett Road and 1465 Washington Avenue.

The tap list at the Exchange Street location includes Stone Arrogant Bastard, Bluepoint Blueberry, Magic Hat #9, Samuel Adams Winter Lager, Davidson Brothers Oatmeal Stout and Old Burnside Ten Penny Ale.

The tap list at Washington Avenue includes Kona Longboard Lager, Old Burnside Ten Penny Ale, Brooklyn Monster Barleywine Ale, Widmer O’Ryely IPA, Adirondack Beavertail Brown, Magic Hat #9, Sam Adams Alpine Spring, Bluepoint Blueberry Ale, Ommegang Hennepin, Southern Tier IPA, Stone Arrogant Bastard and Davidson Brothers Oatmeal Stout.

A complete tap list for all the 50 or so locations across the state is available online.

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27 spots will host ‘Between the Lakes’ wine, food tastings day

Here’s a good bet for a nice day in the Finger Lakes: The “Between The Lakes Wine & Food Day,” set for noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, January 28.

The event, which will be held at 27 wineries located on the west side of Cayuga Lake and east side of Seneca Lake, will feature local wines and foods, with tasting room fees still in effect but samples of anything from stews, soups, dips, and desserts are free with the tastings.

If you need additional information, call (800) 869-9271.

Participating wineries:

• Americana Vineyards
• Atwater Estate Vineyards
• Bellwether Hard Cider
• Buttonwood Grove
• Cayuga Ridge Winery
• Chateau Lafayette Reneau
• Cobblestone Farm Winery & Vineyard
• Damiani Winery
• Goose Watch Winery
• Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards
• Hosmer Vineyards
• Kings Garden Vineyards
• Knapp Winery & Vineyard Restaurant
• Lakeshore Winery
• Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars
• Lucas Vineyards
• Montezuma Winery
• Penguin Bay Winery
• Red Newt Cellars
• Sheldrake Point Vineyards
• Standing Stone Vineyards
• Swedish Hill Winery
• Thirsty Owl Wine Company
• Three Brothers Wineries & Estates
• Ventosa Vineyards
• Wagner Vineyards
• Zugibe Vineyards

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NYC targeted for state wine campaign

NEW YORK — The New York Wine & Grape Foundation began putting extra effort into promoting New York wines in the Big Apple last year. This year will be no different.

A new campaign called “New York Drinks New York” will be held through the first quarter of this year, centered on New York City. The multi-pronged campaign is for wine trade, media, and consumers, intended to set the stage for a long-term effort to raise awareness about the quality of New York wines.

The program of activities will include “cellar visits” by media and trade representatives to the Hudson River Region, the Finger Lakes, and Long Island; a multi-day market visit to New York City by the 38 participating wineries; in-store tastings at city retailers; an advertising campaign; and a dedicated website going live February 1. The Foundation also will introduce a new logo specifically designed for the initiative. The signature event will be a grand tasting at Astor Center in Manhattan on March 12, featuring wines from the 38 participating wineries.

The calendar of activities:

January 22: Cellar visit to Hudson River Region (trade and media)
January 29-31: Cellar visit to the Finger Lakes (trade and media)
February 19-21: Cellar visit to the Finger Lakes (trade and media)
February 26-27: Cellar visit to Long Island (trade and media)
March 8-10: In-store tastings at participating retailers (general public)
March 12: Grand tasting of New York wines at Astor Center (trade, media, and general public)

“We’re not urging New Yorkers to buy New York wines because they’re local, but because they’re high-quality products at reasonable prices” said Jim Trezise, president of the Foundation, “but the added benefit of buying really good, affordable New York wine is that these consumers are also supporting their own state economy.”

All New York wineries were invited to participate. Those that decided to do so, by region:

Finger Lakes – Anthony Road Winery, Atwater Estate Vineyards, Chateau LaFayette Reneau, Dr. Konstantin Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars, Eagle Crest Vineyards, Fox Run Vineyards, Glenora Wine Cellars, Heron Hill Winery, Hosmer Winery, Inspire Moore Winery, King Ferry Winery, Knapp Vineyards & Winery, Lakewood Vineyards, Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars, Pleasant Valley Wine Company/Great Western Winery, Red Newt Cellars, Sheldrake Point Winery, Standing Stone Vineyards, Swedish Hill Winery, Thirsty Owl Wine Company, and Wagner Vineyards.

Long Island – Baiting Hollow Farm Vineyard, Bedell Cellars, Channing Daughters, Macari Vineyards, Martha Clara Vineyards, Palmer Vineyards, Paumanok Vineyards, Raphael Vineyard, and Wolffer Estate Vineyard.

Hudson River Region – Benmarl Winery, Brotherhood Winery, Clinton Vineyards, Millbrook Winery, and Stoutridge Vineyard.

Niagara Region — Leonard Oakes Estate Winery and Spring Lake Winery.

Thousand Islands — Thousand Islands Winery.

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