The ever-evolving story of wine sales at the New York State Fair is taking another turn this year: For the first time, all restaurants and vendors on the fairgrounds who have a license to sell beer will be able to sell New York state wine by the glass. Each glass holds 10 ounces. The Uncork New York Wine Village,...
Montezuma Winery of Seneca Falls is one of the vendors selling wine slushies at the New York State Fair.The ever-evolving story of wine sales at the New York State Fair is taking another turn this year:
For the first time, all restaurants and vendors on the fairgrounds who have a license to sell beer will be able to sell New York state wine by the glass. Each glass holds 10 ounces.
The Uncork New York Wine Village, where 13 state wineries will sell their products (and some will serve the popular wine slushies), is also moving to a more prominent position along Restaurant Row. It will be about 20 feet from its previous location between the Coliseum and the Toyota Dairy Building and will have an entrance on each side of Restaurant Row.
“New York is the second-largest wine producing state in the country and the third-largest producer of grapes,” State Fair director Dan O’Hara said in a news release Wednesday. “We want to help improve awareness and access to New York wine and are doing so by significantly increasing the number of outlets at which fairgoers can purchase New York wine.”
Allowing more vendors to sell wine required a change in state law, which was passed by the state Legislature and signed by Gov. David Paterson this year.
In 2008, the State Fair caused a buzz — both positive and negative — when it moved the wine tent from near Chevy Court to the spot adjacent to the Coliseum and downsized the slushies from 32 ounces to 10 ounces. At the same time, the fair started allowing customers to take the slushies out of the wine tent. Until then, patrons had to consume the slushies in the tent.
The State Fair will run from Aug. 26 through Sept. 6.