Cazenovia (WSYR-TV) -- Wineries are no longer limited to the Finger Lakes region. In Madison County, you’ll be able to sample wine, beer and hard cider – all in a day’s time.
Good Nature Brewing in Hamilton and the Harvest Moon Winery at Critz Farms are now open. They’re the first two stops open on the Cazenovia Beverage Trail. Owera Vineyards is set to open by the end of the summer and Empire Brewery is planning a site on the trail next summer.
“We use anywhere from 5 to 10 different types of apples in the mix to do the cider,” said Matthew Critz.
And just like the Critz Blissful Moon Cider goes with a salmon dinner, Matthew Critz says his cider pairs well with the winery and breweries along the new Cazenovia Beverage Trail.
“I think we're going to work really well together, The Beverage Trail. Certain times a year we have a big draw and we can bring people to our partners. Other times our partners will draw more people and working together I think we'll all do much better,” Critz said.
People can stop in to refill their Red Barn Raspberry Cider, stop for lunch in the town and by the end of summer, head over to a wine tasting.
Six-and-a-half miles down the beverage trail sits
Owera Vineyards, where the grapes are almost ready and the wine tasting room will be ready in September.
It's Madison County's first winery. They use cold-weather hearty grapes from Minnesota.
Kristie Fondario, with Owera Vineyards, says as even more stops join The Beverage Trail, it will transform Cazenovia into a destination.
“We welcome them with open arms. The more the merrier and it just makes us a stronger beverage trail here…Whether a winery, distillery, another brewery or apple farm, we welcome them absolutely,” Fondario said.
For now, there's wine, beer and cider stops, a taste for all palates just 30 minutes outside of Syracuse.
The Cidery at Critz Farms will be open every Thursday through Sunday, from now until Christmas. When the four sites are open, they expect 25,000 people to make their way down the Cazenovia Beverage Trail.
