Empire State Cellars Provides New Sales Channels for New York’s Small Wineries, Distilleries & Breweries

Empire State Cellars (ESC), which offers only New York produced beverages, topped the $1 million dollar mark in direct sales from its location at Tanger Outlet Center in Riverhead, NY. The tasting room, which is a satellite location of the Peconic Bay Winery, embodies Governor Cuomo’s initiatives to promote New York’s growing craft-brewers, micro-distilleries and farm-wineries by supporting small businesses from around the state. Empire State Cellars showcases more than 825 different bottlings, including hard to find vintage wines, rare and unusual beers, and a unique selection of amazing new craft-distilled spirits.

“Since opening in 2011, we set out to provide the very best New York had to offer and were amazed with the sheer diversity and overall quality from our producers,”said Empire State Cellars General Manager Jim Silver, who is also GM of Peconic Bay Winery and of ESC-X, which exports New York wines to China. [pullquote_left]A million dollars worth of New York produce consumed locally means a lot of jobs, a lot of taxes paid, a lot of protected crops and farmland and it’s only the beginning.”[/pullquote_left]

Many small vineyards, breweries and distilleries, including Arrowhead Spring Vineyards, Hudson-Chatham Winery and Long Island Spirits have seen their brands grow and sales rise thanks to Empire State Cellars. Both the store, its national e-commerce website and distribution arm provide these local purveyors with the opportunity and the means to promote their wines, beers, ciders and spirits to an entirely new, and much appreciative audience. “Empire State Cellars has been a boon to the New York State wine industry, drawing attention to the fine wines produced across the entire state, from the Niagara Escarpment, to Long Island. Arrowhead has seen strong growth in sales for our red wines as a result of Empire State Cellars’ promotional efforts,” said Niagara County’s Arrowhead Spring Vineyards proprietor Duncan Ross whose wines are among ESC’s top sellers.

[pullquote_left]Our goal is to provide our customers with a comprehensive, curated portfolio of products that showcase the best of bottled New York“[/pullquote_left]Dubbed “The Most Important Store in the State” by the New York Cork Report when it opened in 2011, Empire State Cellars has already lived up to the challenge to represent the full diversity of New York’s artisanal producers. “Our success, and the growth in popularity of locally crafted beverage brands, has been empowered in no small way by Governor Cuomo’s Fine Winery Bill,” said Paul Lowerre, owner and President of Lav-Cor Agricultural, Inc. parent company of Empire State Cellars, Peconic Bay Winery, and the new Standard Cider Company.

For further information on the history and offerings of Empire State Cellars, please visit www.EmpireStateCellars.com.