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Constellation Brands has acquired Empathy Wines and plans to use the digitally native wine brand to expand its own direct-to-consumer platform. The acquisition is part of Constellation’s vision to be a “bold and innovative, high-end portfolio of distinctive brands and ...

Jordan Harris has been hired as winemaker by Heron Hill Winery. Named to Wine Enthusiast’s Top 40 under 40 winemakers in 2013, Harris comes to Heron Hill from Tarara Winery in Leesburg, Va., where he was winemaker and general manager. ...

Recipe 21, a division of LiDestri Foods Inc., on Thursday rolled out its hand sanitizer line for the general public in direct response to COVID-19 relief efforts and the nationwide supply shortage. LiDestri previously had adjusted its spirits production at ...

Tagged with: children of restaurant employees covid hand sanitizer hold in the wall gang camp LiDestri palmer's recipe 21 Red Wings

Lester Eber, who worked for more than six decades in the wine and liquor industry, much of that time representing the former family-owned Eber Brothers Wine & Liquor distribution company in Rochester, died April 5 from complications of COVID-19. He ...

Tagged with: Eber Brothers Metropolitan Package Store Association New York Wine & Grape Foundation obituary Sam Filler Souther Glazer's Wine and Spirits

With restaurants and a hotel scheduled to open later this year, the Lake House on Canandaigua resort has scheduled a virtual job fair April 23 to fill out the ranks at the resort. At the same time, the resort on ...

Tagged with: Constellation Brands job fair Kevin Kenyon Lake House on Canandaigua Sands Family Simon Dewar

Beer is booming for Constellation Brands, particularly its Modello brands,the Victor-based company shared in an annual financial report Friday.  Gains over the previous year resulted in a dividend of 75 cents per Class A share and 68 cents per Class ...

Tagged with: beer Bill Newlands Constellations covid-19 Modello spirits wine

Fairport’s Iron Smoke Distillery is the latest craft distillery that is switching from making liquor to making alcohol-based hand sanitizer in this era of pandemic.  But Iron Smoke is partnering with Rochester Midland Corporation, a 140-year-old company specializing in sanitation, ...

Tagged with: hand sanitizer Iron Smoke Distillery Rochester Midland Corporation

Constellation Brands is committing $2.5 million in donations to help provide relief in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.  The international beverage company based in Victor announced Thursday that its donations, made in partnerships with some of its major brands, ...

Instead of grilling a gorgeous steak and creating a beautiful plate presentation late last week, restaurateur Tony Gullace  was alone in the kitchen at Max at Eastman Place, cutting raw steaks and sealing them by Cryovac so customers could cook ...

Tagged with: Aaron Lipp Antler Run Distilling Aunt Rosie's Black Button Distilling Co. com Finger Lakes Distilling Jason Barrett Max at Eastman Place Max's Chop House Sam Jividen Sandra Holloway ShopLocalli Steuben Brewing Co. Tasteful Connections Tony Gullace

Much as car makers were pressed into service to make tanks during World War II, today’s COVID-19 pandemic has led Black Button Distilling to turn over its operation from making spirits to manufacturing hand sanitizer.  “We are uniquely qualified to ...

Tagged with: black button distilling hand sanitizer Jason Barrett Monroe County Medical Society

When Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced the closure of restaurants, bars, gyms and movie theaters earlier this week, he also effectively closed the tasting rooms of more than 500 wineries statewide. Preventive efforts like this aimed at lessening the severity ...

Tagged with: Andrew Cuomo Anthony Road Wine Company Colleen Hardy covid-19 John Martini Living Roots wine wineries

The Upstate New York economy was already showing signs of a slowdown before the pandemic showed up. M&T Bank’s economist Gary Keith had prepared a presentation on the Upstate New York economy for for Upstate Capital members in Buffalo Thursday ...

Tagged with: Big Ditch Brewing Co. Buffalo economy Gary Keith M&T Bank Noa Simons Upstate Capital Upstate New York

A claim by a public relations firm made the rounds last week that suggested consumers are avoiding Corona beer because they’re confused about whether it’s connected to a virus with a similar name that is scaring much of the world ...

Tagged with: 5WPR beer Constellation Brands Corona Deb Gabor hard seltzer Sol Marketing The Atlantic

A Penn Yan winery is again receiving attention from the James Beard Foundation. Red Tail Ridge Winery’s owners, Nancy Irelan and Mike Schnelle, have been nominated for a 2020 James Beard Award in the category of outstanding wine, spirits or beer  ...

Tagged with: James Beard Award James Beard Foundation Mike Schnelle Nancy Irelan penn yan Red Tail Ridge Winery

The late John Brahm III, founder of Arbor Hill Grapery and Winery in South Bristol, Ontario County, was honored at the Unity Awards Banquet Wednesday on the opening day of a wine industry conference in Henrietta. Brahm, who also founded ...

Tagged with: BEV NY Boundary Breaks Vineyards Brown Hound Downtown Empire Merchants North Fox Run Vineyards Hans Walter-Peterson Jim Trezise John Brahm Karen Aumick New York Wine & Grape Foundation Peter Bell