QUEENSBURY, N.Y. (NEWS10) – The name suggests that Adirondack Winery is all about the grapes. That may be true most of the time, but this weekend, something else is the apple of the local business’ eye.
From Friday to Sunday, Nov. 3-5, Adirondack Winery will celebrate the launch of Extreme Heights Cidery, a new branch of the Big Bay Road-based company made to brew up a new brand of hard cider. The brand is starting off tall with three varieties – each one named after one of the 46 Adirondack High Peaks. “Mt. Marcy” is a classic semisweet cider; “Algonquin” has notes of cranberry and ginger; and “Haystack” tastes like pumpkin pie. All three will be available to sip and sample at both tasting rooms.
The High Peaks have a special meaning to the Pardy family, owners of the winery. Sasha and Mike Pardy’s daughter, Ella, finished the task of climbing all 46 mountains herself at 15 years old. Just like that, her accomplishment inspired the theme.
“Through every accomplishment in life, you go through extreme heights to get there – quite literally when you become a 46er – and that is why we felt it was fitting for Ella to be the inspiration for this brand,” Sasha Pardy said. “After opening our new tasting room and winemaking facility in Queensbury, we knew there was an opportunity to expand and offer our customers more.”
The launch party runs all weekend at Adirondack Winery’s Lake George tasting room at 295 Canada St.; and its more recent location at 395 Big Bay Road in Queensbury. Free samples will be on tap, with full glasses and bottles of cider ready to buy, and commemorative stickers while they last. The Queensbury location will also host musician James Mullen on Friday, and Peter Annello on Saturday, both from 4 to 7 p.m.
Adirondack Winery cut the ribbon in 2022 on its new space in Queensbury, the 14,100-square-foot result of a $26 million dollar project to create an entertainment and tasting space that could also amp up the winery’s production. This past spring, the winery celebrated 15 years in business.