Author: vintage20wine

Shop owner, writer, low-key wine sampler, Ren Faire aficionado, book worm, and mother to two crazy small persons. Living the good life.

Complete Your Holiday Meal with Smoking Loon Wines!

Vintage 20 has Holiday Wine Pairings featuring Smoking Loon Wines Friday 4/19/19 4p-7p. Open Easter Sunday from 12-3, on call if ya need us from 3-6!

Easter Sunday is This Weekend

easter

And you know it– we’re OPEN. One of the great benefits of our location is we are pretty much always around! Vintage 20 Wine and Spirits will be OPEN from 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM for your last minute holiday needs. If you find yourself in a place of desperation between 3 and 6:00 PM (hey, wine emergencies happen), just give us a call at 518-895-1098. We’ll be happy to open up for you!

Fabulous Wine Pairings To Go!

smoking-loonIf you’re not sure what to serve with your holiday meal, you will definitely want to stop by our tasting this Friday, April 19th between 4:00 PM and 7:00 PM. We’ll have a nice variety of wines from Smoking Loon open, free to try! Let us know what’s on the table and we can recommend something that will go along great! Try one, try ’em all. The tasting is FREE and we will offer you 10% off your purchase of our featured wines during our tasting event. Smoking Loon is a real bang-for-you-buck sort of wine anyway, so you really can’t lose.

And of course, I am crossing my fingers for some sunshine and a warm breeze. Cheers, friends!

 

Cote Mas Sparkling Rose Tasting

Vintage 20 hosts a free tasting, featuring Cote Mas Sparkling Brut Rose on Friday 4/12/19 from 4p to 7p.

I think it’s safe to say that I am officially desperate for Spring! Pretty much all of the tastings we’ve scheduled for the next month focus heavily on my desire to drink something chilled and preferably out-of-doors. Anyone else dying to break in their deck and patio furniture? I can’t be alone here!

cote-mas-sparkling-roseMy trusty cell phone weather app assures me that it will indeed be a glorious weekend, so it’s a great time to stop by Vintage 20 Wine and Spirits for a free sample of a new-to-us wine: Cote Mas Brut Rose. It’s pink. It’s bubbly. It’s got some rich fruit flavors. Guys– we deserve this.

Tonight ONLY (Friday April 12th 2019) we’ll have a bottle of this bad boy open to try for free, AND we’ll give you 10% off your purchase of our featured wine if you decide to take it home with you. Good deal! That’s tonight from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM. Hope to see you there! Cheers, friends!

Spring is in the Air with Blossom Bros.

Spring is in the Air with Blossom Bros. Join us for a free sample this Friday 3/22/19 from 4p to 7p.

I don’t know about you, but I am LOVING this sunshine! It’s mid March, we’re just adjusting to Daylight Savings robbing us of a precious hour of sleep, and we are just about into “fake spring”. If you live in upstate New York, you know that “fake spring” is that glorious trickster stretch of several days to a week where the sun is warm, the birds are chirping, and most of the disgusting dirty snow melts. Usually about a week later the temperature drops again and we all curse the heavens, but it’s a sure sign: ACTUAL Spring is on the way!

blossom-brosThis is the time of year I start to think less about hearty reds, and focus my attention on lighter cocktails, fruit flavors, and chilled glasses. Enter Blossom Brothers Wine Spritzers. Light, refreshing, bubbly, and no added sugar. These guys really hit the spot.

We’ll be sampling them for FREE this Friday, March 22nd from 4pm- 7pm. Stop by and give them a try! Take some home and we will give you 10% off your purchase of Blossom Bros. during the tasting event. Hope to see you there!

Absinthe and More! Tasting this Friday

Vintage 20 hosts a FREE absinthe (and more) tasting featuring products from Saint Lawrence Spirits on 3/1/19 from 4p-7p.

Take a “trip” with us this weekend!

KIDDING. Kinda.

Our friends at Saint Lawrence Spirits are back in town, and we’ll be sampling the usual suspects AND something new to Vintage 20 Wine and Spirits: Absinthe!

There is a lot of rumor and mystery surrounding absinthe and it’s legality here in the United States, so let’s talk about that for a minute because it’s soooooo interesting!

absinthe-albany-nyThe first noted consumption of absinthe was in Switzerland in the 18th century, but it’s popularity grew in 19th century Europe (particularly in Paris) as many famous writers, artists, and practitioners of the bohemian lifestyle considered it their drink of choice. I mean, of course it was. Depending on just how bohemian you were, your absinthe came with it’s own special spoon to melt sugar over it, by adding water or lighting it on fire. Of course. Totally normal behavior for alcohol consumption. Not.

Which Brings Me to the Downer…

Whether absinthe has, or has ever had, hallucinogenic properties is hotly debated. It’s ingredients can include anise, wormwood, fennel, and other botanicals. Absinthe also contains small amounts of the chemical compound thujone, which gives it a trace menthol flavor. This compound takes the blame for the supposed “trip” that we hear about, but it’s teeny tiny amounts are unlikely to cause actual psychedelic effects. Womp womp. It is, however, a high alcohol content spirit and I think we all have a friend or a self that is greatly affected by THAT. absinthe-schenectady

Banned in the U.S. in 1915, absinthe has only been legal here since 2007. All things considered, that is a short amount of time. And with no fanfare or hullabaloo about it’s reintroduction to bars and store shelves, absinthe is a spirit that continues to be a bit mysterious and underappreciated.

No More! Stop by this Friday, March 1st from 4 PM to 7 PM to try TWO great absinthe, lovingly crafted by Saint Lawrence Spirits. Like everything else they do, these are made with high quality ingredients and a passion for creating a superb, locally sourced spirit and it shows! You definitely do not want to miss this free tasting event. Hope to see you there.

Cheers!

Can You Feel the Love?

Join us on Friday 2/8/19 for a very special pre-Valentine’s Day tasting, featuring Barefoot Pink Moscato.

Anybody else out there in reader-land ready for Spring? Because I am. February always feels like this never-ending wasteland of short days and dirty snow piles. The air in my house is stale and my kids are quite literally bouncing off the walls. I say bring on the seasonal allergies of April and May! At least I’ll be outside.

While it’s not my thing, February *does* bring us one bright light (okay, two if you’re a football fan)– Valentine’s Day. A day for you to shower your special someone (or yourself! You’re special, too!) with goodies, specifically marketed to jolt you out of your post-holiday slump and back into your wallet! Yay, consumerism!

barefoot-pink-moscatoWE CAN HELP! Stop by one of our famous free tasting events. We have them every Friday from 4:00pm to 7:00pm. This week it’s Barefoot Pink Moscato– a perfectly sweet wine for your sweetheart! As always, we offer at 10% discount on the featured wine during any tasting event. And if you’re feeling like saying EFF CAPITALISM, you can try and not buy. At Vintage 20 we’re not pushy, but we are happy to help. 🙂

Hope to see you this week. Cheers!

 

 

XXX Tennessee S’Mores Whiskey Tasting

Vintage 20 Wine and Spirits hosts a free liquor tasting featuring XXX Tennessee S’Mores Whiskey on 1/11/19 from 4p-7p.

We’re back! I mean, not that we’ve gone anywhere, really, but the holidays are oh-vahhh, and we are taking a step back and a collective breath here at Vintage 20, looking at our tasting schedule, and seeing empty spaces. Let’s fix that beginning this week!

xxx-smores-whiskeyJoin us Friday January 11th for the first official tasting of the year! We’ll feature something sweet and tasty that you can sip by a cozy fire– XXX Tennessee S’mores Whiskey from XXX Distillery. I bet you didn’t think you could get a whiskey that tastes like graham crackers, but I am here to prove you wrong! Toasted marshmallow and graham cracker, with the full body warmth of a rye-heavy whiskey. Pretty darn tasty!

Try some yourself this Friday between 4 and 7PM right here at Vintage 20 Wine and Spirits! Stay warm and enjoy the rest of your week. Cheers!

Local Love: KyMar Farms Distillery

Our month of Local Love continues with a KyMar Farms Distillery tasting on Friday 12/21/18 from 4pm-7pm.

‘Twas the week before Christmas and all through the store,

We’ve sampled local-made spirits galore.

It started last month with some Helderberg Mead,

“Let’s finish the year out,” we quickly agreed.

“With our favorite locals, both spirit and wine.

If we host one a week we’ll have just enough time.”

Then Saint Lawrence Distillery, next Hummingbird Hills,

Wondering what’s next? Well, you’re in for a thrill!

When what to your wondering eyes should appear,

but Kymar Farms this Friday– it’s practically here!

With their fine malted whiskey and Mapple Jack too,

and some other great wines and fine spirits will do.

So stop by on Friday between four and seven,

you’re sure to believe you’ve found homegrown heaven.

And you’ll hear us exclaim ‘ere you drive out of sight,

“Thanks for shopping local, and have a great night!”

THANK YOU for celebrating with us.

— Lyssa at Vintage 20 Wine and Spirits

 

Local Love: Hummingbird Hills Wine Tasting

Join us on Friday December 14th to celebrate our second anniversary at Vintage 20 Wine and Spirits! Hummingbird Hills will be here from 4-7pm!

This Friday is SUPER special at Vintage 20! On this date, two years ago, we opened our doors for the first time. And we’ve been living the dream ever since!

There is a whole lot to love about what we get to do every day, and that’s in no small part because of the community we live and work in, so THANK YOU! We can’t wait to see what’s in store from here until forever.

Help us celebrate this milestone with a FREE wine tasting, featuring one of our very favorite local wineries: Hummingbird Hills!  They’ll be here from 4pm- 7pm sampling their unique and delicious local wines. This time of year, I highly recommend the Elderberry Wine, and the Pumpkin Patch Spice. YUM. As always, the wine tasting is FREE, and you’ll receive 10% off your purchase of these wines during the tasting!

hummingbird_hills_winery

The winery itself is just a hop, skip, and a jump from here in Fultonville, NY. If you have the time they offer a fantastic deal on Groupon for a wine tasting that comes with a chocolate, and cheese platter. You should definitely check that out! Plus, Ken and Kimm are about the nicest people you ever laid eyes on. You’ll love visiting them at their awesome winery.

Next week we will continue our month of Local Love with some more fantastic stuff from a local winery/distillery. Stay tuned 🙂

Keeping it Local in December: Week One, Saint Lawrence Spirits

Vintage 20 Wine and Spirits kicks of a month of Local Love with a Saint Lawrence Spirits tasting on 12/7/18 from 4-7pm!

This month marks the second anniversary of the day we opened the doors here at Vintage 20 Wine and Spirits, and we’ve been loving it ever since. To celebrate, we’ve invited some of our favorite local wineries and distilleries for our weekly tasting events!

This week we have Saint Lawrence Spirits back with their craft distilled, locally sourced, seriously delicious spirits! If you missed our last tasting with Saint Lawrence, you don’t have to kick yourself too hard. Just come on down this Friday, December 7th between 4PM and 7PM. Hope to see you there!

 

Jean-Luc Colombo Cotes du Rhone

Jean-Luc Colombo Cotes du Rhone tasting at Vintage 20 Wine and Spirits on Friday 11/30/18.

Are you all tired of talking about the holidays yet?

Cause I’ve kind of got them on the brain, and not entirely in a good way. Retail wine and liquor (or really any retail) be CRAZY this time of year, and I am feeling it big time. Plus, with all of the fun early-winter illness that’s been running around our household (yay, pinkeye!), I feel both exhausted and wired in a way that’s beginning to just feel like late November/ early December to me.

My frazzled demeanor and lack of time to relax has me looking forward to sampling an easy drinking wine this week. Jean-Luc Colombo Cotes du Rhone has a lot to offer in that department. Food friendly, delicately spiced, and budget-conscious, this one is a great choice to warm you up on a chilly December evening. It’s the sort of wine you might want to have on hand to bring to a holiday party, or as a last minute gift to give a friend or coworker that you have forgotten about in your haze of hurry-up-and-shop. I speak from experience: ALWAYS have a few spare gifts on hand!

jean-luc-colombo-cotes-du-rhone

We will have a bottle of Jean-Luc Colombo Cotes du Rhone available to try this Friday, November 30th, from 4PM- 7PM. As always, it’s FREE to try, and if you decide to purchase this wine during our tasting, we’ll give you 10% off. It’s a good deal any way you look at it.

Now excuse me while I go find my hiding 5 year old and attempt to put a single eye drop in her eye without being jumped.

Cheers, friends!

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