An analysis of wineries near Cooperstown, NY.
The Cooperstown Beverage Trail is a thirty-seven-mile loop featuring three main wineries, plus Fly Creek Cider Mill's apple wines and hard ciders. Montezuma Winery's Cooperstown location offers Finger Lakes wines and Hidden Marsh spirits in a renovated thrift store. Rustic Ridge Winery, on the Bennett Family Farm in Burlington Flats, features over twenty New York State wines. Pail Shop Vineyards in Fly Creek offers a true local winery experience. They grow and ferment true local grape varietals on site in a timber frame barn. Fly Creek Cider Mill, a historic water-powered mill, produces its own apple wines and ciders, and also offers grape wines from partner wineries. Most spots are family and pet-friendly with outdoor seating and picnic areas, and ratings are consistently high, from four point six to four point nine.
Pail Shop Vineyards is a true local winery experience. They make their wines in small batches and they crush, press, ferment, and age their wine right at the winery in Fly Creek. They have adopted a “minimal impact” approach to grape growing and winemaking so that the true expression of the vineyard and grapes is reflected in the wine. Their wines have great depth of color, body and flavor due to their commitment to minimal processing. And their Painted Pail Sangria is an easy-drinking, fruity, and fresh blend of wine & juice – it is absolutely delicious! The tasting room is constructed of old timbers cut from the hillside above the vineyard and it is full of charm and character. The outdoor area has a pond, picnic tables, Adirondack chairs, fire pits and plenty of room for families to stretch out and enjoy. It's dog and kid friendly, offering tastings, wine by the glass, and Sangria at Sunset live music on Thursdays and special events on many Saturdays.
Montezuma Winery Cooperstown - The Martin family opened its Cooperstown satellite location in 2021 by renovating a former thrift store into a space with a live-edge tasting bar, a gift shop, and indoor and outdoor seating. It's family and pet friendly, with a fenced dog park out back. Wines are produced at their main Finger Lakes facility in Seneca Falls, and they also offer spirits from Hidden Marsh Distillery, plus homemade fudge. Tastings start at ten dollars for six wine samples.
Fly Creek Cider Mill's Farm Winery produces apple wines and hard ciders, all made from one hundred percent New York State-grown apples. They also offer grape wines like Mill Pond Red, Riesling, and Cider Mill Rosé. Their popular Apple Frost wine is made entirely at the mill using their own cider.
Rustic Ridge Winery - Rick Bennett started the winery in two thousand ten as a hobby that turned into a business, calling it Burlington's oldest winery. They offer over twenty New York State wines, with a good mix of sweet to dry whites and reds. You'll also find local Amish cheeses, jams, and maple syrup for sale. Visitors can bring a picnic lunch and enjoy the relaxed, rural setting with views overlooking the farmland and vineyard. It's part of the Cooperstown Beverage Trail, and right next door is their High Burl Brewery for craft beer.