Tag Archives: wine

Scattered St. Patrick’s Day

Posted on March 18, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

I’m not one to  party heartily all day on St. Patrick’s Day (or any other day for that matter, because I poop out too soon and always have).  However, yesterday when I saw a picture on Facebook of a California friend raising a glass with a group in a nicely decorated pub, I thought, “Why am I sitting home?”  I also reasoned that it would make a good blog post.

First I put on as much green as I could muster, which is harder than it sounds, because so many of my clothes do not fit my current rotundity.  I resorted to Christmas socks and one Christmas earring (my three earrings almost never match, and I found two others green enough).  One excuse I decided was the weather was in fact a little Christmas-like.  I figured if anybody called me on it, I would get a very sad look on my face and say, “I thought I looked pretty.”

I went first to the Elks Lodge, where one member called out another member on not wearing green.  He agreed he was not wearing green.  I pointed out that he was Italian, and again he agreed.

“You will wear red on Thursday for St. Joseph’s Day,” I speculated.  Note to self: wear red on Thursday for St. Joseph’s Day (I am part Italian myself).

After one glass of wine (and not a shot of Jameson, although another member offered to buy for anybody who wanted one) I went to the End Zone, where the owner, Brock looked so cute, I asked if I could take his picture.  He agreed, but lamented that I must not think he was cute the rest of the time.

A sly leprechaun. I was going to put “sly little leprechaun” but, well…

After a glass of wine there, I went across the street to Stone Soup American Bistro and Beer Garden in search of food.  I ordered a McDowell’s Big Mick smash burger, which had Cooper cheese, lettuce, pickles, onions and 1127 Sauce.  I chose the 1Velo 2 Pour Red Blend to go with it.  It was yummy!

I also took a picture of the menu, but this is more colorful.

After that I went home to crochet and watch television.  I hope all of you enjoyed your St. Patrick’s Day or run of the mill Tuesday as much.

 

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Snowman and St. Patrick’s Saturday

Posted on March 15, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

I did not exactly have a Scattered Saturday, but during my gyrations, I thought I might come up with a blog post.  I did not care to drive anywhere; there was not a lot of snow accumulation, but I didn’t trust the roads since we had started out with rain.  Walking would be all right, I thought. I wanted to get to the post office by two to mail out my usual Saturday post cards.

As I walked, I saw something odd at the side of the road.  I couldn’t tell what it was, till I got up close.  It was a snowman head! Not of actual snow, but one of those lawn decorations of wire and plastic. I looked around but did not see a headless snowman anywhere.  I did not want to leave the head to be run over countless times and ruined, so I picked it up and carried it along.  Then I had the idea to stick it in one of the remaining snowbanks.

He fits right in!

And on I went to the post office, where I realized I had lost the glove I took off to take the picture.  Well, I needed the exercise of more walking so retraced my steps till I found the glove.  Phew!  It was cold out, so gloves and hat were needed.

I went on to get some money out of the ATM at Cliff’s (to plug a local business) (yes, Cliff’s has many locations throughout the region, but it is a family-owned business based locally).  Then I was right across from Valley Wine and Liquor (another local business), so I went in for the Saturday wine tasting, which ran from one to four.  I did not purchase any wine, since I was walking and wine bottles can get pretty heavy, but I made notes of what to purchase later.

Regular readers know I like to drink wine.

This picture was actually taken at a previous date.  I wanted to show off my new bracelet from One Of A Kind Designs Handcrafted Jewelry by Debora Bruce.  It is a Facebook based business, run by a friend I have known since elementary school.  She makes some lovely pieces.  I must purchase more.

I did some more walking in the cold and ended up at the Elks Lodge, where I enjoyed a glass of wine.  I took a picture of a fellow Elk who was nicely dressed for St. Patrick’s Day weekend.

I think he had been golfing.

I myself was wearing a little green but failed to take a selfie.  Maybe today when I am out and about.  Since we all seem to be celebrating St. Patrick’s day all weekend.  Or I could wear a toga, because today is the Ides of March.  You know, Julius Caesar? In any case, I have gotten a lengthy (for me) blog post out of my Saturday activities.  If you read the whole thing, I thank you.

 

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It Was a Sauvignon Kind of Day

Posted on February 6, 2026 by mohawkvalleygirl

I have not done a wine tasting post in a while.  In fact, I go to fewer wine tastings these days, but Valley Wine and Liquor in Herkimer has them almost every weekend.  In fact, many area liquor stores do, but Valley is the closest one for me.  When I still worked it was oh so handy to stop by on my way home on a Friday.  When I would go adventuring with my friend Kim on Saturdays, we often stopped in to taste, if something was going on.  I have a lot less wine in my house since I stopped being so faithful!

This weekend, Valley Wine and Liquor has tastings Thursday through Sunday.  I speculate that they are helping people get stocked up for Super Bowl parties.  I have not been invited to a Super Bowl party, but one never knows when a last minute invite may come along.  I needed exercise, so I walked down to the store Thursday afternoon.  I questioned my ability to carry multiple bottles of wine home but hoped for the best.  Sasha, one of the regular pourers, was sampling Bonterra Organic Wines from California.

We love wine!

We started out with Cabernet Sauvignon, which I declared very tasty.  Regular readers know I do not have a sophisticated palate and rarely taste notes of anything, but I liked this.  I liked the Red Blend, too, but not as much.  Alas, I neglected to ask what it was a blend of so cannot tell you.

For whites, I was quite taken with the Sauvignon Blanc.  I told Sasha I found I liked California Sauvignon Blancs best.  She said she liked all California wines.  Indeed, there are great wines coming from CA.  I liked the Chardonnay a lot, finding it not the least bit buttery.  I know some people like buttery chardonnays but I prefer the crispy, unoaked ones.

I purchased the Cabernet Sauvignon and the Sauvignon Blanc.  I confess I did not enjoy my walk home.  Two bottles of wine are heavy for an old, un-muscular broad like me!  It reminded me of a blog post I made years ago, when I walked home from the much missed Ramar’s Liquors with my even more missed dog Tabby and a box of wine.  I could have made a whole post about yesterday’s walk home but prefer to give a shout-out to a local business instead.

Valley Wine and Liquor is located at 326 S. Caroline St., Herkimer, NY.  You can check their website at shopvalleywine.com for the tastings schedule.

 

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Oh Yeah, We Tasted Wine

Posted on October 15, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

I just realized I neglected to make a blog post about my sister Cheryl’s and my stop at Montezuma Winery in Old Forge two weeks ago.  Me, neglect wine? Say it ain’t so!

Wine? Yes, please!

We have been to the original Montezuma Winery in the Finger Lakes, and I visited their tasting room in Cooperstown with my friend Kim.  I did not realize they were in Old Forge till Cheryl suggested we stop there.

I started with the Duck Duck Lam Goose Co.  It was just too cute a name to resist!  It is a red sparkling wine.  I do love a few bubbles!  I felt it smelled New Yorky, which to me is a great compliment.  Then I foolishly asked what grape it was.  Hello!  Lam Goose Co/Lambrusco?  Silly me!  (I even wrote “silly me” in my tasting notes).

I love a wine with a goose on the label!

I took tasting notes on the other wines I tried, but none of them are very descriptive.  Regular readers know that I rarely taste “notes” of anything, nor can I describe the “finish,” but I do like to come up with something a little more interesting than “good”  and “I like this one.”  My favorite was the V0luer 2023 Pinot Noir.  Cheryl tasted all different ones from me, because she likes sweet wines better. Of course we made the usual jokes about how she is sweet and I am not.

We finished up with Judd’s Grape Pie, a grape liqueur.  It was indeed grapey and very sweet.

I do love tasting wine.  I wonder if I can get anybody to go with me to the Finger Lakes any time soon.

 

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Good Apple Stuff!

Posted on October 1, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

Last weekend (before all the dog stuff went down), I had the pleasure of tasting the wares of Beak and Skiff at Valley Wine and Liquor in Herkimer, NY.  They were offering only a fraction of their many products, and I am now anxious to try more.

The first thing I tasted was the Honeycrisp Vodka.  Vodka made from apples instead of potatoes?  Interesting!  I liked it.  When I said it was seasonal, because of the apples, Kyle, the pourer, hasted to assure me it was available year round.  I am not a big vodka drinker, but this one could change my mind.

Kyle and I had a fun time tasting. Of course I did most of the tasting.

The same vodka with blueberries added was also good.  I also enjoyed the Pommeau, a French drink combining brandy and apple cider.  There was one wine, Honeycrisp Apple Wine.  I found it a good middle of the road wine: both dry and sweet wine drinkers could enjoy it.  The last thing I tasted was the Bourbon Cream Whiskey, 75% cream, 25% whiskey.  Yummy!  That would be so good in a cup of coffee!

Beak and Skiff Apple Orchards is located in Lafayette, NY.  Of course Mohawk Valley Girl was even more delighted to find she was sampling local products (yes, I talk about myself in the third person sometimes).   Lafayette being closer to Liverpool than Herkimer, I envisioned a visit to my sister Diane in the near future.   I think she would be delighted to visit Beak and Skiff with me and see what else they have to offer.

 

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A Delightful Dinner

Posted on September 25, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

Today I found myself in Little Falls around dinner time and decided to check out Trattoria Giorgio’s.  It is in the space previously known as Ruggiero’s Trattoria, which I always liked.  I found that it is still a delightful place to eat.

I guess it’s also known as a Tap and Tavern.

I took a seat at the bar and perused the menu.  I wanted to get a glass of wine with my meal but would not know what to drink till I decided what to eat.  I went with one of the specials:  a grilled chicken BLT.  I thought it would pair well with Chardonnay.  I don’t really know a lot about wine pairings, but I know in general white goes with chicken.

While I waited for my food I worked on a letter to my sister Diane and chatted with the bartender and other patrons.  The bar is in a U shape, which is handy for  conversation.

My sandwich was delicious.  As usual, I cut it in half and took half home with me.  It came with chips, but I figured the chips wouldn’t travel well in the same box with the sandwich.  They were not the homemade kind anyways.  But I kept nibbling on them while I finished my drink.

I was in Little Falls to attend a meeting of the Flash Fiction group at Little Falls Public Library (preview of coming attractions).  If I make that a regular Wednesday thing, I may make dinner out a regular Wednesday thing too.  There are a few more places along Main Street in Little Falls I would like to eat at (another preview of coming attractions!).  But I will make Giorgio’s a regular stop.

Giorgio’s is located at 546 E. Main St., Little Falls, NY, phone number 315-823-1414.

 

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Happy Lame Weekend!

Posted on July 19, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

I was just about to do something useful when I remembered, I never made my Lame Post Friday blog post!  OK, I probably wasn’t really about to do anything particularly useful.  Who is the arbiter of what is useful anyways?  Not me! (Ooh, I just flashed on when I was a kid, and you all yelled, “Not It!” then argued about who actually said it last and had to be It) (And how about, “Last one there’s a rotten egg, first one has to eat it!”)

So much for my parenthetical stroll down Memory Lane.  Save it for Throwback Thursday, me!  Quick, throw in a picture, because I obviously do not have much of substance to say.

See me in the back, looking like the Statue of Liberty? That was not my intention.

Here is a picture from July 2019, when I participated in the DooDah Parade in Ilion, NY with Ilion Little Theatre (ILT).  ILT did not participate in this year’s DooDah Parade, which was last night, but I was there covering the event for Sentinel Media. That is one reason I did not make my blog post yesterday.  I may make a whole blog post about that (Preview of Coming Attractions), but right now my phone is across the room charging, so I can’t transfer pictures to WordPress (First World Problems).

Who me? Drink wine?

This is a completely unrelated picture.  I include it  because it’s Saturday.  I may, in fact, have a glass of wine.  I hope you will feel free to indulge in whatever you may like and have a wonderful weekend.

 

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A Little Music is Always Nice

Posted on June 20, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

Fratello’s Pizzeria in Frankfort, NY used to be a regular stop for me, but not so much lately.  However, tonight, after attending the Frankfort Town Board Meeting to cover it for Sentinel Media, it was right on my way to stop as I drove home.  I did not know if there would be music, but I thought I could use a little food.  I decided if there was a parking space readily available, I would stop.  There was!  And there was music!

He is very talented.

Ryan Quinn was playing a James Taylor song as I walked in, “Fire and Rain.”  It is kind of an emotional song for me, because of the line, “But I always thought that I’d see you again.”  It makes me think of Steve, my late beloved husband.  I’m not the only one.  At the time of Steve’s passing, at least one friend referenced the song, talking about how hard Steve’s death hit him.  But I don’t mean to bring everybody down.  It is a beautiful song, and Ryan did a great job with it.  However, I was happy when he went on to “Benny and the Jets.”

I ordered a mixed sub as a wrap and a glass of wine.  It was delicious.  I chatted up Tony, who was my favorite Wednesday bartender a few years ago. She was waitressing tonight.  She still has the alpaca pen Steve and I got her at Paca Gardens.  How fun is that?

No keyboard pictures tonight, but he did play it.

Before I left I danced my way into the room where Ryan was playing to take a picture and leave a tip.  “Thank you,” he said, “for your interpretive dance and your tip.”  I thanked him instead for the music.

Fratello’s Pizzeria is located at 158 E. Main St., Frankfort, NY, phone number 315-894-8484.  You can follow them on Facebook to keep updated on their musical entertainment.

 

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I Make it Through Monday

Posted on June 17, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

It is late in the day on Monday (for me), and I think all I can manage is a Monstrous Monday post.  Has it been a Monstrous Monday?  In some senses, yes.  I had great ambitions for cleaning my house which did not come to fruition.  I mowed the lawn, actually starting the power mower myself, which regular readers may recall is not easy for me.  I did a little more yard work late in the day, but SO MUCH is still to be done!  I hang my head in shame.

This is a good boy!

If only I had Gene Wilder to comfort me thus!  This, of course, is a shot from Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein, one of a very few perfect movies, in my not so humble opinion.

Maybe it’s Maybelline.

Why is my computer underlining “Maybelline”?  I looked it up!  Anyways, this is a shot from a less than perfect movie, but a perfectly cheesy movie which I love to watch, The Brain That Wouldn’t Die.

In fact I did.

OK, this is not a monster but some find it good advice for a Monday.  I am not advocating alcoholism.  To me, the sitting down, pouring yourself a beverage, and relaxing is the point. Sometimes my beverage is seltzer and lemon.  Sometimes it is coffee or tea.  Full disclosure:  right now it is Chardonnay.  Happy Monday, everyone.

 

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I Raise a Glass of Farewell!

Posted on June 15, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

I like to use my blog to highlight businesses and attractions local readers can decide to go to themselves.  Today, however, I am going to talk about a business we can no longer visit, as I bid a sad farewell to a Prospect Falls Winery and wish its owners a happy, enjoyable retirement, which I am sure they richly deserve.

There’s a classy place to put a bottle of wine!

I first went to Prospect Falls Winery in 2016 and thought it was pretty awesome.  I went back numerous times as well as seeing them at events such as the Cheese Festival in Little Falls, NY.  More recently, I found their wine available at the Raindrops on Roses Wine Tasting Room in Herkimer, NY.

I was very sad to hear that Nick and Margaret Keblish were retiring and closing the winery.  Of course I wish them well; I could hardly expect them to continue to make wine till they dropped dead.  I was happy I made one last trip to see them before they closed shop for good.

A present to the winery from another fan.

Of course I tasted wine while I was there, and chatted with the owners and a few others who were there tasting or drinking.  I took my last opportunity to purchase a few bottles.

Isn’t that beautiful?

In addition to wine I purchased two wine glasses and a t-shirt.  Silly me, why am I not wearing the t-shirt today?

May they have a lovely retirement!

And so, farewell, Prospect Falls Winery!

 

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