Announcing the CWT "Field Trip" series!

Today I'm excited to introduce a new feature on the blog which I hope to continue on a semi-regular basis: the CWT Field Trip Series! Every now and again instead of reviewing a wine, I'll use my descriptive powers (and a little imagination) to take you with me on a tour of a great New York State winery. If you've never been to one, winery tours and tastings are a great way to spend time learning about and trying the great wines our region has to offer. 

There are literally hundreds of vineyards and wineries around the Empire State, many (most?) of which offer tastings, tours and in some cases restaurant fare for your gastronomic pleasure. If you live in the tri-city area, there are many that would make easy morning/afternoon jaunts or day trips. For weekend trips and longer, you can drive one of New York's regional wine trails to check out what each area has to offer. If you like wine and/or want to learn more about it, trips like these are a blast. Check out Uncork New York for a list of NYS wineries (or grab a FREE brochure next time you're in Personal Wine Cellar), then just hop in the car and go! For a worry-free --though less wallet-friendly-- wine-tasting adventure, rent a limo and cruise to your destinations in style. The built-in designated driver is handy if you'll be hitting up several wineries in one day.

Check out the Casual Wine Taster this Friday for a virtual visit to our first destination: Johnson Estate Winery in Westfield, NY—and don’t forget your signed permission slip (kidding). To whet your whistle, here are some photographic highlights of our visit...

New York's oldest estate winery, Johnson Estate has been going
strong since 1961, and the farm has been in the family since 1911.
Pretty impressive!

We did a whole lotta tastin'! 29 wines to be exact; that's almost
as many wines as I am years old. I said almost...

We took a 2.5 mile tour of the vineyard...

we "ooohed" and "aaahed" at the gorgeous panoramic views that my
camera phone just does not capture well...

we saw this awesome Firebird with a giant luggage carrier resting
on a zebra-print blanket being held in place by a hand stuck out the passenger's side window.
(side note: we did NOT see this at the winery.)

In the interest of full disclosure, I should tell you that my visit to Johnson Estate was also a business-related excursion; soon I will be representing their fantastic wine portfolio in the Capital District as their brand ambassador (how cool is that?!). But I won’t lie to you; I had more fun visiting them than any working stiff has any right to have on the job. Oh, and their wines are top notch. Several are highly rated and have won awards. Deets (or as human beings call them: “details”) coming Friday...