Some announcements and happenings from around New York wine country. If you have news that you'd like to be considered for this almost-weekly column, please let us know via email.
 

Finger Lakes

Vineyard Training Series at Damiani Wine Cellars
Damiani Wine Cellars is offering a five-part vineyard training
designed to allow participants to "follow a vineyard from dormant vine
pruning to harvest." Grower Phil Davis will lead the sessions, which are
slated to run 90 minutes each. The first is April 3 and will provide a
vineyard tour and lessons on pruning. Later sessions will focus on
trellis work, shoot thinning, and harvest preparation.

Participants
will have the chance to work with native grapes as well as noble
European varieties like Pinot Noir. Sessions costs $25 each or $110 for
all five courses. Damiani, located on southeast Seneca Lake, will limit
the group to 15 people.

Long Island

Martha Clara Vineyard to Offer Viticulture/Winemaking Course
Martha Clara vineyard manager Jim Thompson and winemaker Juan Micieli-Martinez have announced a program they are calling "Vines to Wines." During this five-session seminar, participants will learn about what it takes to grow grapes on Long Island and will maintain their own block of merlot that will be harvested in the fall and made into wine.

It kicks off on April 24 and costs $1,200 and includes three cases of merlot from the block participants maintain throughout the season and a wine dinner at the the end of the last session. Visit the MCV site for more details.

Sherwood House Vineyards to Open Second, Year-Round Tasting Room
If you've visited Sherwood House and tasted their wines in the tiny, un-heated shack smack dab in the middle of their vines and wished they had a tasting room that was open year round, wish no more. Owners  Barb and Charles Smithen have just approval for  the opening of their second tasting room at 1291 Main Road in Jamesport.

The grand opening is this Saturday (March 27) from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The original "tasting cottage" will open for the season in May.