The vineyards of Chautauqua County have long been a keystone of the region. All along the county roads, drivers can see acres upon acres of vineyards stretching into the distance. These wineries are a great source of pride and income for the county, and this past Friday, the Dunkirk and Fredonia Chamber of Commerce honored them at their annual wine festival.
The annual "Grape Expect-ations" wine festival, organized by Stephanie Pulvino and Heidi Seddon, has been going on for only four years, but it's proven to be an immensely popular event. Hundreds of local residents turned out for the wine tasting last year, enjoying themselves while supporting the local wineries.
"It's a great opportunity for local wineries to gather and promote their business," said Pulvino, president of the Dunkirk Chamber of Commerce. "We had a great turn out last year - over 300 people."
This year was not much different. The crowd built up in the sitting room of the Clarion and didn't dissipate until much later; the hors d'oeurves and sampling tables were packed for hours with cheery, laughing locals. People arrived with friends, family, and coworkers to enjoy a heady start to the weekend.
The atmosphere of the Clarion truly helped set the mood of the event: the posh decor, dim lighting, and light jazzy guitar (played by Marshall Seddon throughout the evening) made the night feel more like a dinner party in a penthouse. The constant buzz of conversation and clink of glasses helped.
"It's nice and quaint," said attendee Lisa Clark. This was the first time attending and admits that she is used to a larger venue, but remarked that the selections of wine was excellent.
And why wouldn't there be? Six local wineries had tables set up in the room; representatives from Willow Creek, Vetter, Sparkling Pond, Liberty, Mazza, and Merritt vineyards were in attendance, and glad to share samples of the various wines their respective wineries produce.
Mark Lancaster, representing Vetter Vineyards in Westfield, said that what makes the wine from his family's winery (as well as others in the region) unique is that "everything is done on location. The grapes are grown and fermented, the wine is bottledright on the premises." When you buy wine from these makers, you keep the business local, which means a strengthened regional economy and - many believe - a more delicious bottle.
Opinions about the favorite wine of the evening were split amongst the guests. There were mentions of Liberty Vineyards' unique sangria and Sparkling Ponds' "Woman Pleaser," but the phrase that seemed to be most repeated was "chocolate wine."
Specifically, Willow Creek winery's Chocolate Temptations and Chautauqua Chocolate wine. "People come through and say that they don't like chocolate wine," said Jacques Rose, representing the winery. "Then they taste ours," he added with a grin.
"We use 100 percent semi-sweet chocolate," added the winery's manager Ray Bernisky. This, he claims, is what truly sets their wine apart from the others. "One tastes like a chocolate covered cherry; the other tastes like a Tootsie pop," making this wine (as their website claims), truly a dessert in and of itself.
The evening wound down with a silent auction, a new addition to the event. Bidders could place their tickets to win various prizes, such as bottles of wine, locally made jewelry, or a cruise on the lake, all donated.
"The money we make this evening will go to the Dunkirk and Fredonia Chambers of Commerce, which then goes back into the community," Pulvino said.
