Thousand Island Winery named NYS Winery of Year

 JEFFERSON COUNTY, N.Y. -- "It's an honor. You've got 265 wineries."

Thousand Islands Winery owner Steve Conaway says it might be the highest honor for any winery in the state. His company was awarded the 2009 New York State Winery of the Year.

"You've got wineries like the Brotherhood Winery that's the oldest in the U.S. Also, you have Constellation Brands, which is the largest company in the world. Then you've you the small, medium and large wineries in between. So to be picked out of 265 wineries as winery of the year, it's an honor," Conaway said.
 
Thousand Islands Winery wines have won 21 local and national medals over the past few years, but officials say it's not only the product that led to the award. Conaway's winery is credited with helping pave the way for the other wineries to start up in the area and helping to create the Thousand Islands Seaway Wine Trail, which this year will feature four wineries and could bring more than 60,000 people to the North Country.

"If it wasn't for Steve's vision, I don't know that our wine industry here in Jefferson County would be where it is today," said Jefferson County Agricultural Coordinator Jay Matteson.

"There's strength in numbers. One winery by itself doesn't create a wine trail and you can't create this synergy," Conaway said.

Local officials say this award has put Northern New York wine on the map and from here on, Jefferson County wine will be known throughout the state, nation and world.

New York is the third largest wine producing state in the nation the largest east of the Rocky Mountains.