Blog
March - Maple Madness
March - Maple Madness - Celebrate at Johnson Estate with Maple Liqueur & French Crêpes!
In Western New York and Pennsylvania, the maple tapping season usually begins in March and we begin to see tubing and pails attached to large sugar maple trees. Soon the maple syrup will be simmering away and the local sugar shacks and pancake houses will be open for business.
Johnson Estate's Maple Liqueur
Winemaker, Jeff Murphy, loves maple syrup and made an aperitif using estate-grown grape spirits, Vidal wine, and local syrup. The Maple Liqueur tastes like a combination of ice wine and sherry, with a hint of maple on fhs finish. Johnson Estate released this new liqueur in March 2015, just as the region’s tapping season began. To celebrate NYS Maple Weekends, Fred suggested that the winery serve Maple Liqueur and crêpes, which Fanny Tauzin-Dauga, a 2014 French winery intern, made for us during her stay here. So each year, Johnson Estate, a member of the NYS Maple Association participates in Maple Weekends.
A Tasting Room Tradition - Celebrating with French Crêpes
It has become Johnson Estate's annual tradition to serve Julia Child’s French Crêpes and Fancy Ground Nuts with a glass of the Maple Liqueur on the NYS Maple Association’s designated weekends. This year, Chef Edward Work from the Athenaeum Hotel will be flipping crêpes both weekends ($5/person). We’ll also be selling French Crêpe kits (white flour as well as gluten-free, buckwheat) so that you can make these treats at home. We also sell locally-made maple syrup and other maple products.
Mar 2, 2020 at 9:11 AM
PermalinkJanuary 17-20 - All About Ice Wine
All About Ice Wine at Johnson Estate!
What it is, how it is made, and why it is packaged in small bottles. Come see!
- Special Offer: Buy one Sparkling Rosé Ice Wine (750ml) and get a $15 off a second bottle or a $15 Gift Certificate to use another day.
- Register to Win the Grand Ice Wine Basket: We're doing a drawing at the end of the weekend for an "ice wine gift basket". Just sign up with your email!
- Photo Album: See how this "mid-winter" harvest is done!
- Did You Know?: A series of questions to learn all about ice wine.
- Ice Wine Flights: Ice Wine & Dessert Pairings (three ice wines, fancy nuts, & cookie)
Vertical Flights - Taste different vintages of ice wine & compare! - Pairing Lists: Want to know what to pair with ice wines? Recommendations available.
- Recipes: We'll also have our favorite recipes to pair with your dessert wines.
- Fancy Nuts: Austrian Hazelnuts, and other choices to pair with our award-winning ice wines.
- Birch Gift Boxes: Buy a bottle of ice wine - and the Birch Gift box is just $5.
- "Best Award Ever": 98 Pt. Award Winner! 2017 Chambourcin Ice Wine - limited supply
Jan 13, 2020 at 2:30 PMA December Dinner in the Tasting Room
Every year, the Patterson Library hosts an August auction - and this year loyal supporters of the Library purchased a dinner hosted by Johnson Estate Winery
(actually, there were two dinners, but that is another story).
We are sharing photographs and Chef Edward Work's menu for the dinner held on December 13th in the tasting room when it was all decorated for Christmas. Chef Ed is the head chef at the Athenaeum Hotel, but off-season, is able to share his talents with us and others. The meal was delicious and perhaps offers readers some food and wine pairing ideas!
* * *
Appetizers
Artisan Cheese and Charcuterie Board with Assorted Pickles, Olives & Jams
Bacon-Wrapped Dates Stuffed with Blue Cheese
First Course
House-Made Fettucinne with Butternut Squash Cream Sauce &
Wilted Greens, Roasted Butternut Squash & Pumpkin Seeds
Semi-Dry Riesling
Main Course
Red Wine & Herbed Beef Bourguignon, Parsnip Potato Purée,
garnished with Crispy Root Vegetables
Cabernet Sauvignon
Salad
Shaved Kale & Brussel Sprouts with Hard Boiled Egg, Hazelnuts, Craisins, Pecorino Cheese,
Rye Croutons & Sherry-Bacon Jam Vinaigrette
Sparkling Traminette
Dessert
Orange & Almond Cake with Chantelle Cream,
Orange Supreme, Almond Bark & Dark Chocolate Shavings
Cream Sherry
Dec 15, 2019 at 10:36 AMLake Erie Wine Country - Harvest Wine Weekend - Gourmet's Guide & Recipes
Oct 28, 2019 at 5:04 PMEdible Western New York - Nature versus Nuture - In Jennifer's Kitchen
Stephanie Burdo, editor and publisher of Edible Western New York, shares an afternoon in Jennifer Johnson's fall kitchen.....here's her article, complete with photographs by Jill Bornand.
This article includes recipes for quince - the "prehistoric" apple which has been grown in North American since the Colonial days - but alas is not always so easy to find today. A number of our customers are interested in purchasing quince fruit - and as our quince trees were decimated by fire blight, we have little fruit and not of the quantity or quality which I would feel comfortable selling. I've contacted three orchards which I thought were likely to have quince - but have struck out so far.
We'll keep looking for some resources on quince fruit to share.
As Edible Western New York's focus is good, local foods, I would be remiss not to remind readers to visit its website, where one can search articles and events and sign up for the Edible WNY Newsletters. In addition, three other resources for those who are interested in locally produced
fruit and vegetables as well as meats.
www.postapples.com (North East, PA) - vegetables and apples
www.facebook.com/chautauquaregionfarmtotable
Cornell Cooperative Extension Website - Chautauqua-grown
Oct 15, 2019 at 6:30 PMLake Erie Wine Country Wineries Strike Gold!
April 21, 2019 For Immediate Release Contact Monica Mazur, 877-326-6561
Lake Erie Wine Country Wineries Strike Gold at the 2019 Finger Lakes International Wine Competition
Westfield (NY) – Eight local wineries went up against over 650 competing wineries from all over the world and came away with a disproportionate share of the top honors. There were over 2800 wines entered in the 19th Finger Lakes International Wine Competition held on April 13th and 14th in Rochester NY. This event has become the largest charitable wine competition in North America, as each of the over 2800 entries contributes over $50 to Camp Good Days and Special Times, a camp dedicated to bringing smiles and memories to children with cancer.
Of the 64 top honors awarded (Best of Class or Double Golds), twelve were won by the over one-hundred New York and Pennsylvania wineries entering the competition. Of those twelve Best of Class or Double Gold awards presented, four of them – or one third - were earned by Lake Erie Wine Country wineries! In addition, the eight LEWC wineries who submitted wines to this competition also earned seven gold medals and multiple silver and bronze recognitions as follows. Complete results available at https://fliwc-cgd.com/winners-2019.asp.
Summary of Awards Earned by Lake Erie Wine Country Wineries:
21 Brix (Portland, NY) - Best of Class, Sparkling - 2017 Bruttella
Gold - Ella’s White Niagara
7 silver and bronze medals
Johnson Estate Winery (Westfield, NY) - Double Gold – 2017 Freelings Creek Semi-Dry Riesling
Gold - 2017 Freelings Creek Sweet Riesling
Gold - 2017 Maple Liqueur
Gold - 2017 Solstice Sangria
7 silver and bronze medals
Presque Isle Winery (North East, PA) - Double Gold – Eskimo Kisses (dessert wine)
5 silver and bronze medals
Yori Cellars Winery (North East, PA) - Double Gold – Famiglia (red wine)
12 silver and bronze medals
Arrowhead Wine Cellars (North East PA)
Gold - “Midnight Proposal”
3 silver and bronze medals
Lakeview Wine Cellars (North East PA)
Gold – 2017 Traminette
4 silver and bronze medals
Liberty Vineyards & Winery (Sheridan NY)
Gold – “Lucy in the Sky Sweet Rosé”
5 silver and bronze medals
Heritage Wine Cellars (North East PA)
10 silver and bronze medals
Lake Erie Wine Country (LEWC) is a marketing association of 23 wineries located along the shores of Lake Erie in western New York and Pennsylvania amidst 30,000 scenic acres of juice and wine grape vineyards. Additional information found on the LEWC website, www.LakeErieWineCountry.org.
Apr 29, 2019 at 11:40 AMPhotos of Tastes of Germany
TASTES OF GERMANY, April 12-14, 2019 at Johnson ESTATE Winery
Last night's hail storm would not make one believe that we are on the cusp of spring - but here are some other signs!
April 12-14, Wine & Cheese Weekend, Lake Erie Wine Country
Johnson Estate Winery featured Flammkuchen, or Flame Cake, paired with Sweet Riesling.
April 13, ESTATE Dinner: A Taste of Germany - May Wine Release
Featuring Exec. Chef Edward Work, Heirloom Restaurant, Athenaeum Hotel
Tablescape by Mary Marzec
Chocolates from Le Rouge by Aarti, Westport, CT
Apr 15, 2019 at 4:21 PMEstate Dinner: May Wine Release - A Taste of Germany
The evening starts with appetizers in the Tasting Room, followed by a multi-course dinner and wine pairings in the warehouse prepared by Executive Chef, Edward Work of the Heirloom Restaurant (Athenaeum Hotel at Chautauqua Institution). Tablescape by Mary Marzec.
White chocolates from Le Rouge by Aarti, Westport, CT.
Second Course
Main Course
Dessert
Mar 12, 2019 at 5:03 PMValentine Ice Wines - Two for the Price of One!
Just for Valentine's Day
Ice Wine - Two for the Price of One
Use Code: VALENTINESDAY
Valentine's Day is just a week away. Would a bottle of ice wine be a good way to celebrate it?
Johnson Estate has three vintages of award-winning "frozen by Mother Nature" true ice wines
and is featuring a "Two for the Price of One" sale just for Valentine's Day.
Vidal Blanc Ice Wine, $49.49 (375ml)
Honey and peach flavors - try it with goat cheese and honey toast.
Chambourcin Ice Wine, $49.49 (375ml)
Hints of berry and raisin - pair with chocolate, cinnamon, and walnuts.
Sparkling Rosé Ice Wine, $49.49 (375ml)
Fine mousse-like bubbles with mild strawberry flavors.
Sparkling Rosé Ice Wine, $69.49 (750ml)
Perfect for that Valentine's Day party (serves eight +).
We also have:
Birch Boxes - Especially made for our ice wine boxes
Austrian Hazelnuts or Cinnamon Walnuts to pair with ice wines.
Feb 8, 2019 at 5:14 PMMid-Winter Diversions - Burns' Night Supper
Robert Burns' Night Supper
Johnson Estate Winery's owners, Fred and Jennifer Johnson, have celebrated many Burns' Night Suppers over the years, beginning when they lived in Canada. And right, most of the guests are not Scottish! While Fred doesn't own a kilt, those dinners have included guests who did wear them. Jennifer swears that the best reason to attend annual Burns' Night Dinner at the The Caledonian Society in Cincinnati is to see gentlemen dressed in kilts and jackets with elaborate ruffled shirts. These dinners were always fun - and as described in this "how to", always included poetry readings and sometimes bagpipes and dancing. Mostly celebrated with friends in Cincinnati and in western New York, some of them Scottish or of Scottish descent, our menu of the dinner hosted with friends, varied little from the one listed below.
We've added wine pairings, but please know that Scotch is always served. These days,
we might serve a Hudson Valley Single Malt Whiskey, now sold in the winery
(we're sorry, we do not have the license to ship this product to your home).
Appetizer:
Paté of Westfield Fisheries’ Smoked White Fish
Pair with sparkling or still Traminette
First Course:
Cock-a-Leekie Soup or Leek and Potato Soup
Pair with Toasted Oak Chardonnay or Pinot Noir
Main Course:
Haggis, Tatties & Neeps (Mashed Potatoes & Mashed Turnips)
Colçannon (Mashed Potatoes with Leeks & Cabbage)
Vintner's Cabernet Sauvignon or Founders' Red
Cheese Course:
Scottish Oat Cakes, Cheddar & Stilton Cheeses
Cream Sherry or Ruby Port
Dessert Course:
“Cranachan” - Toasted Oats with Whipped Cream & Fresh Raspberries
with a drizzle of Scotch Whiskey
Jan 25, 2019 at 10:01 AM