You may have gotten some ideas this past weekend at the AWA’s 4^th Annual Bridal Weekend at Dunham’s Bay Resort. Sasha and I were there amongst other great local vendors and had a great time meeting all of the local brides-to-be. We were giving out samples of our wines as well as displaying some of the many wine-themed favors and gifts that we offer. While we have a large selection of favors and gifts, our custom-labeled wine really steals the show!

Custom-labeled wine is a classy and sentimental way to separate yourself from all of the other weddings you’ll be attending this year. Our mini bottles make great favors that your guests can take home and enjoy or save and cherish for years to come. Our large bottles can serve as table wine, adding a touch of personalization to your centerpiece, or as gifts to your family and bridal party. Whichever way you choose to incorporate our custom-labeled wine, it will most certainly reflect your love and gratitude in a unique and memorable way.

Had I known about custom-labeled wine when I got married a few years ago, I would have loved to incorporate it into my wedding. I gave out wine bottle stoppers to match my theme but it would have been so nice to have a custom-labeled bottle from our wedding day to open with my husband on a special anniversary! It is too late for me but I will definitely be recommending this to the brides-to-be in my life!

I will also be recommending our Bachelorette Party Package! With a wine tasting session for you and your girlfriends and a hand-painted wine glass and custom-labeled bottle of wine for the bride, you can’t go wrong starting your night at the Adirondack Winery Tasting Room!

So, if you or someone you know has a wedding on the horizon, stop by our Tasting Room to see how you can incorporate your own personalized, custom-labeled wine into your special day and take a look at some of the examples we have on display. While you are there, check out the other wine-themed gift and favor ideas that we have to offer and ask about our Bachelorette Party Package. You’ll probably want to do a wine tasting too; Wedding planning can be stressful – you won’t get through it without a little WINEing!

Cheers!

We have had an exciting 2011 and are grateful for such a successful year. We celebrated the debut of our new tasting room, won some gold medals and gained some more wonderful customers and friends! As we get ready to say farewell to 2011, we look forward to what the New Year will bring!

With New Year’s Eve fast-approaching, many of you may be looking for new and fun ways to ring in the New Year. Like myself, you may not be a big champagne fan and you don’t want to find yourself empty-handed at midnight! On any other night I would be happy to have a glass of my favorite Adirondack Winery Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc or maybe a glass of Cabernet, but for New Year’s Eve I will be stirring up something fun and fruity that my guests will be talking about right through the New Year!

Visit the recipes section of our online store and try one of the wine cocktail recipes at your New Year’s party this year! Our Red, White and Night Wine Cocktail recipe is a sweet treat that will transform your party from ordinary to extraordinary. All you need is Adirondack Winery’s Red Barn (Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon), a little lemon juice, simple syrup, vodka and some fresh raspberries for this fabulous signature cocktail.

For a new twist on punch, the Fremont Fruit Punch will surely be a party pleaser. Using a bottle of our Strawsling or Prospect Mountain White, mixed with fresh fruit and fruit liqueurs you will have a delicious wine cocktail that will disappear as quickly as you filled the punch bowl!

For these and other delicious wine cocktail recipes, visit the Adirondack Winery online store and make us part of your New Year’s celebration!

Wishing you all a happy and healthy 2012!

Until next year, Cheers!

Six Flags Great Escape Debuts Exclusive Line of Locally-Made, Private Label Wines

LAKE GEORGE, N.Y. — December 15, 2011 — Just in time for the Holiday Season, Six Flags Great Escape Lodge is pleased to announce it has launched its own line of private-label wines produced by Lake George-based Adirondack Winery. The new line of wines, which will be sold exclusively at The Great Escape Lodge & Indoor Water Park, include Log Cabin Chardonnay, Rustic Merlot, Lodge Red (Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon), Blushing Escape (White Zinfandel) and Adirondack Strawsling (Strawberry Riesling) and are all from Warren County’s only winery.

Eric Gilbert, General Manager of The Lodge commented, “We are proud to show our support of locally-made products with the debut of this exclusive line of wines created for us by Adirondack Winery. We are confident that our guests will not only be pleased with the variety and uniqueness of these wines, but also their unequivocal quality.”

“We are so pleased that The Great Escape Lodge has shown their support of hard-working local small business by choosing us as the producer of their line of house wines. We’ve been working on this venture together for quite a while and the Great Escape Lodge staff has been a pleasure to work with,” said Michael Pardy, Adirondack Winery’s CEO and Wine-Maker.

“The American public is increasingly recognizing the importance of supporting local business and buying locally-made products and it’s great to see that one of the area’s largest companies, The Great Escape Lodge, is on board with this movement,” said Sasha Pardy, Adirondack Winery Co-Owner, President and designer of the wine label.

Another supporter of our  local business that we make a line of private-label wines for is the Lake George Steamboat Company. You can find the Adirondack Winery’s “Steamboat Sangiovese,” “Blushing Minne,” and “Mohican Pinot Grigio” when you hop aboard Lake George’s famous steamboats (the Minne Ha-Ha, Mohican, or Saint Sacrament). These private-label wines are also available at The Boardwalk Restaurant.

For more information on our private-label wine service for your business please email ILoveWine@adirondackwinery.com.

While you were all tasting our finest wines and shopping our large selection of wine accessories, I couldn’t help but make my own list of holiday gift ideas for my wine-loving friends and family. I was able to grab some Woozies, magnets and wine glass charms for some stocking stuffers and a hand-painted wine glass for a fashionable, wine-loving friend of mine!

Our cork cages are a creative way to save your favorite wine memories. Do you know a world traveler? A globe-shaped cork cage would make a great accent to his or her home. Our Tasting Room has so many unique gift ideas for any personality and budget!

Holiday parties are my favorite part of the holiday season and whether you are a guest or hosting the event, the Adirondack Winery has everything you need to make your party a memorable one. Don’t show up empty-handed! Be sure to thank your host or hostess with a bottle of our award-winning wine or one of our elegant gift baskets. I will be bringing a bottle of our limited edition Winter Glow! This plum-spiced Pinot Noir will fill the room with the aromas of cloves, nutmeg and a hint of cinnamon when warmed up and it pairs wonderfully with a spiced dessert or cookies!

Stop by our Tasting Room in Lake George for endless, unique gift ideas that your friends and family will truly treasure this holiday season and sample some of our delicious wines while you shop! We are open Mon.-Thur., 11a-6p, Fri.-Sat., 11a-7p and Sun., 11a-5p. If you can’t make it into the Tasting Room, be sure to shop our online store for the same great selection of gifts and wines!

I hope you all enjoy the holidays and I look forward to keeping you up-to-date with everything that is going on at the Adirondack Winery!

Cheers!

Adirondack Winery Cleans up with 3 Gold and 3 Silver Medals at the 2011 World Value Wine Challenge

Lake George, NY (October 11, 2011): Adirondack Winery is proud to announce that its locally hand-crafted wines earned three Gold medals and three Silver medals at the 2011 World Value Wine Challenge.

The World Value Wine Challenge (“WVWC”); put on by the Beverage Testing Institute, is recognized as the nation’s most comprehensive annual competition for wines priced $20 and under. According to BTI, wines priced at $20 and below per bottle represent over 90% of all wines sold in the United States and value-conscious consumers are searching for the best wines for their budget.

Adirondack Winery President, Sasha Pardy said, “Adirondack Winery is pleased to provide its customers not only with great wines, but good value, as the majority of its 35+ wine types are priced under $20.⁰⁰.” With taste and value a top priority for consumers in today’s economy, competition was steep for wineries at the World Value Wine Challenge. Adirondack Winery’s wines were judged alongside thousands of wines from across the Globe.

Adirondack Winery's Wines that Won Gold and Silver Medals at the 2011 World Value Wine Challenge

The WVWC judges awarded Adirondack Winery’s Muscat with 91 points, earning it a Gold Medal and “Exceptional” status. The Muscat was also named a “Top 10 White Wine $15 and Under” and the “Best Value US Muscat“! The judges described their Muscat as having “bright aromas of honeyed spiced apples and pear compote with a rich, supple fruity medium-to-full body and bright watermelon and mango sorbet flavor and a long, tangy finish.”

Adirondack Winery’s Orchard Blossom (Green Apple Gewurztraminer) and Sauvignon Blanc were both awarded 90 points, Gold Medals, and were named a “Best Buy” in their categories. The Orchard Blossom was also ranked in the Top 10 in its category. Adirondack Winery’s Cabernet Sauvignon, Rocky Shiraz, and Red Carriage (Cranberry Chianti) were awarded 88, 87, and 85 points, respectively, earning them each Silver Medals and “Highly Recommended” status.

Adirondack Winery started entering International wine competitions in early 2009 and with these latest awards, 29 of its wines have earned 52 medals in total, including 7 Gold, 22 Silver and 23 Bronze Medals.

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ABOUT ADIRONDACK WINERY:

Adirondack Winery opened April 17, 2008 as the region’s first micro-winery. Winemaker and CEO, Michael Pardy, sources grape must from various vineyards to create the more
than 35 wine varietals on Adirondack Winery’s wine list. All of Adirondack Winery’s wine labels feature photographs of landscapes, landmarks, and special events in the local region, created by Sasha Pardy. Since Adirondack Winery began entering select wine competitions in 2009, 29 of its wines have earned 52 medals. Adirondack Winery’s wine making facility is located in Queensbury, NY and its Tasting Room is located in Lake George, NY.

The 2011 INDY International Wine Competition, now in its 38th year, took place August 3rd – 5th at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. The few wines that Adirondack Winery entered were evaluated by 52 judges alongside nearly 1,850 other wines submitted by wineries across the world.

Adirondack Winery’s Tempranillo garnered a Silver Medal, while its Sauvignon Blanc, Orchard Blossom (Green Apple Gewurztraminer) and Red Carriage (Cranberry Chianti) and earned Bronze Medals. Adirondack Winery’s Tempranillo is a new wine that the Winery introduced in Mid‐June 2011 and winery customers apparently agree with the judges, because the wine sold out unexpectedly fast ‐‐ in less than two months!

“Each year, we enter a few of our wines in a small handful of wine competitions, so we are very pleased to earn one Silver and three Bronze medals for our wines when such steep competition is involved,” said Adirondack Winery President, Sasha Pardy. Since Adirondack Winery began entering select wine competitions in 2009, 28 of its wines have earned 46 medals.

To create the Tempranillo, Adirondack Winery CEO and wine maker, Michael Pardy, sources high quality grape must from Merced, California. Utilizing stainless steel drums, Pardy’s wine making techniques produced a medium‐to‐full‐bodied dry red wine that exhibits tones of plum, berries and herbs on the palate, with slight earthy notes of leather and Spanish olives. It is nicely balanced with tannins, oak and just the right amount of acidity. “Tempranillo is traditionally a grape used for blending with Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot to improve color and acidity; but we thought we’d give it a try as a stand‐alone wine and it worked out beautifully. The result is a very food‐friendly red wine. I only wish we made more of it in our first batch,” said Pardy.

The wine labels on these award winning wines were created by Sasha Pardy and feature photographs of landscapes and landmarks of the local region. The Tempranillo features a photograph of The Falls of Carillon of the La Chute River in Ticonderoga, NY; the Red Carriage features a photograph of a traditional horse drawn carriage ride enjoyed by many during summers in Lake George; and the Sauvignon Blanc features a photograph of the golden colors of autumn at Shepard Park in Lake George.

ABOUT ADIRONDACK WINERY:

Adirondack Winery opened April 17, 2008 as the region’s first micro‐winery. Winemaker and CEO, Michael Pardy, sources grape must from various vineyards to create the more than 35 wine varietals on Adirondack Winery’s wine list. All of Adirondack Winery’s wine labels feature photographs of landscapes, landmarks, and special events in the local region, created by Sasha Pardy. Since Adirondack Winery began entering select wine competitions in 2009, 28 of its wines have earned 46 medals. Adirondack Winery’s wine making facility is located in Queensbury, NY and its Tasting Room is located in Lake George, NY.

Our main goal this time of year is to insure that any wine that is ready to be bottled is bottled.   This may seem pretty simple and kind of obvious but for us it’s very important for a few reason’s…   one is that this time of year our supply of bottled wine draws down and we simply need more.   Secondly all our wine is allowed to rest and age for  1 – 2 months in the bottle.    (Keep in mind that the wine has spent many months stored in tanks at this point).   So simple math would say that anything bottled today won’t be ready to sell until September or October which is just in time for the Holiday season.    In another post I will explain more on why we let the wine rest and age in the bottle.

Our other main time consumption is transporting wine from the wine making facility to our tasting room in Lake George, and our retail wine store customers around the area; as well as  planning and starting our wines for next year, and trying to keep up with inventories of finished wine and supplies.   (It’s amazing how much time we spend on this but it still never seems right!)

One other task that comes up every year at this time is our forecasting  of the next year.   It’s hard to believe that in August 2011 we are already thinking about August 2012!   We have many decisions to make such as if we are going to make any new types of wines,  how much wine to make, and what equipment needs to be bought.    So here we are heading into mid August and the weather is going to start turning to more fall like, and eventually the leaves are going to start changing colors, but at the winery that just means getting ready for next year.

I hope this blog helps everyone understand a little more what happens around here in the summer time when winery life gets a little hectic!

Sincerely,

Mike

We were also named:
#1 for Best Shopping for Souvenirs (1st time!… that’s for all of you who recognize what great souvenirs our wine bottles make!)
#2 for Best Overall Shopping (3rd year in a row…. we’re only behind the Outlets!)

We always appreciate any recognition we recieve, it make us so proud that so many locals as well as visitors enjoy our wines and cosider us to be an excellent place to shop as well.

Thanks Again,

Sasha & Mike

LAKE GEORGE, NY (June 2, 2011):  Adirondack Winery is proud to announce that four more of its wines can be counted amongst its growing list of award winning wines. At the recently held 24th Annual Tasters Guild International Competition, Adirondack Winery’s Amethyst Sunset (Blackberry Merlot) and Prospect Mountain White (Peach Chardonnay) were awarded Gold Medals; while its Winter Concerto (White Chocolate Port) won Silver and Muscat took home Bronze.

Tasters Guild International is a Wine and Food Appreciation Society based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. This year’s wine competition brought 30 experienced wine industry experts together to judge the wines submitted from all over the world. “We are particularly pleased to have earned gold medals at this competition, as we only entered four wines and this was an International competition, where our wines were judged alongside 1,847 wines entered by 335 wineries from 11 countries,” said Adirondack Winery President, Sasha Pardy.

With this latest competition, Adirondack Winery is proud to say that 22 of its wines have earned 39 medals at International wine competitions; which now includes four gold medal-winning wines. Adirondack Winery’s Pinot Grigio and Semillon wines recently earned Gold medals at the 2011 Finger Lakes International Wine Competition, which was held March 26, 2011.

To create these wines, Michael Pardy, Adirondack Winery’s CEO and wine maker, sources high quality grape must from California. The wines are crafted in stainless steel tanks at the Pardy’s newly relocated and expanded wine making facility in Queensbury. The Gold medal-winning Amethyst Sunset  is a semi-sweet, light-bodied Merlot infused with blackberry. The Prospect Mountain White is a light, semi-sweet Chardonnay infused with Peach.

The wine labels on these award winning wines were created by Sasha Pardy and feature photographs of landscapes and landmarks of the local region. The Amethyst Sunset (Blackberry Merlot) label features the sun setting at the close of the Adirondack Balloon Festival. The Prospect Mountain White (Peach Chardonnay) boasts an exceptional view of Lake George taken from Prospect Mountain.

ABOUT ADIRONDACK WINERY:
Adirondack Winery opened April 17, 2008 as the region’s first winery and today is recognized as one of the region’s top tourist attractions. Winemaker and CEO, Michael Pardy, sources grape must from various vineyards to create the more than 35 wine varietals on Adirondack Winery’s wine list. The winery’s Tasting Room is located at 285 Canada Street in Lake George, while its wine making facility is located on Big Bay Road in Queensbury, NY. All of Adirondack Winery’s wine labels feature photographs of landscapes, landmarks, and special events in the local region, taken by Sasha Pardy. To date, 22 of Adirondack Winery’s wines have earned 39 medals at International Wine Competitions. For more information, visit www.AdirondackWinery.com