The Journey of Still on the Hill
A Journey of passion and community: The success of our new winery
02 Feb 2024|Michele Burke
Now that the winery is finally open, I feel a mixture of relief, excitement, and fatigue. It has been a lot of hard work, but we're also having a great time. It's heartwarming to witness the support from the local community and see Tom reconnecting with his old friends.
Surpassing our expectations, the success of the winery can be attributed to the overwhelming support of the community. Of course, there are challenges and obstacles along the way, such as managing day-to-day operations, ensuring stocked inventory, and introducing new wines to our customers. However, the most fulfilling aspect has been the incredible support from our community and the opportunity to share our love for wine and spirits.
It's been truly fantastic to meet new faces and welcome new neighbors, as everyone has been wonderful.
In the short term, our goals for the winery include organizing craft activities, yoga sessions, and entertainment. Looking ahead, we aim to set up a deck and host more events like bridal showers, baby showers, and birthday parties. Our long-term goal is to maximize our facility by hosting a wider range of events.
Despite the occasional challenges, we are ecstatic about our decision to open the winery. We have no regrets, as it's been a lifelong passion for me, and I am loving every minute of it.
Our Grand Opening!
03 Dec 2023|Michele Burke
We are thrilled to share the resounding success of our winery's grand opening yesterday! The event was a true celebration of good wine, great company, and unforgettable moments.
The turnout exceeded our expectations, with a multitude of people joining us to commemorate this special occasion. Laughter filled the air as guests mingled and enjoyed the delightful ambiance of our winery. The photo booth added an extra touch of fun, creating countless memories captured in photographs.
To express our gratitude for the support, we gifted special surprises to the first 50 guests. It was heartwarming to see the excitement on their faces as they received their tokens of appreciation. Furthermore, the lucky recipient of our door prize, a lovely lady, was overjoyed with her win, adding an extra layer of excitement to the day.
We were delighted to witness the enthusiasm and appreciation for our wines. Guests reveled in the diverse flavors and exquisite craftsmanship that our winery proudly offers. The positive feedback and enjoyment expressed by our visitors truly made the day memorable.
Not only did our wines captivate the guests, but our gift shop also proved to be a hit. People explored the unique apparel, treasures, and mementos available, finding items that resonated with their taste and style.
The atmosphere throughout the event was filled with happiness, creating an environment where good times were shared and new connections were made. We are immensely grateful to everyone who attended and contributed to the success of our grand opening.
As we reflect on this remarkable day, we look forward to welcoming even more wine enthusiasts and creating unforgettable experiences in the future.
Uncorked: navigating the path to opening a winery
03 Aug 2023|Michele Burke
It’s been an exciting journey bringing Still On The Hill to life.
We are thrilled to soon be sharing our passion for wine with our friends and neighbors. With three months to go, we’re busily preparing for the electrical installation, and interior walls & insulation, as we build our new 24’ x 52’ deck.
Now that the essentials are being ordered, the time has come to infuse our winery with our unique vision. Decorating is a thrilling opportunity for us to create an ambiance that resonates with the winery's spirit. I’m hopeful and confident that our ideas and attention to detail will ensure an inviting and memorable experience for all who enter.
We’ve worked hard in creating a new and innovative concep that will allow us to feature the wines of many award winning wineries, and share their pride with the world. We’ve been so pleased with the response we’ve received from these wineries across the state. Everyone is so enthusiastic and eager to be part of this exciting venture. It’s amazing to see how people have come together to lend a hand and provide great ideas! We can't wait to get started!
Not only will our winery offer a unique and enjoyable experience for wine lovers, we also want to provide a space to relax and recharge. Our spacious deck is the perfect spot to enjoy a glass of wine, as you take in the vibrant array of colors in
the woods. Each season offers a different spectacle, from the lush greenery of spring to the fiery hues of autumn. It's a view that invites peace and wonder, a constant reminder of nature's beauty and the tranquility it offers. The woods' view is not just a sight to behold, but an experience that engages the senses and soothes the soul.
As our October grand opening approaches, I’m feeling a mix of anxiousness and unbridled excitement. As we juggle
the needs of our established fence company and the challenges of starting a new venture, we are determined to make this winery a success for our everyone!
Running the fence company while simultaneously launching a winery is incredibly difficult. The demands of the fence business are at their peak during this time, adding an extra layer of chaos to our lives. However, I embrace the challenge, finding solace in the belief that great things are born from taking risks.
It can be both exciting and strenuous to run one business, let alone two. If I could offer some advice to a budding entrepreneur, I’d tell them to stay organized, creating a structured plan to tackle each task efficiently.
Also, make time for yourself and your spouse. Self-care and support systems are vital for maintaining balance and sanity.
Take help when it’s offered. Don’t underestimate the immensity of collaboration and teamwork.
And, most of all, love what you do and have fun!
We’re ready to take this journey and we can’t wait to share the experience with everyone!
So, let the countdown continue, and cheers to embracing new adventures!
From dream to reality... 6/17/2023
02 Aug 2023|Michele Burke
Building our own winery, from the bottom-up, is an incredible experience. Step-by-step we are watching our dream come to life.
Things are really moving forward. Anyone who knows Tom Burke, knows that Tom can’t ever sit still, so he has launched the construction of our massive outdoor deck, overlooking the woods.
And soon the builders will be back to install the windows and finish the exterior!
As far as the interior goes, the plumbing is now complete. The next major step inside the building is the floor. First we have to level the ground with stone, before Joe Goodrow installs the elements for our radiant heat. Once that’s done we can bring in the concrete. After that, things will really get moving!
A recent trip to the Finger lakes proved to be a successful endeavor. Every vineyard I visited was thrilled at the prospect of having their wines showcased by our winery, and having them made available in our area. It’s so nice to have met everyone face to face, and to really have felt the support and positive energy from our vendors.
In addition to the famous Finger Lakes, we also will be selling wines from the four other major regions in New York. This includes the Hudson Valley region, where I am particularly excited to feature selections from America’s oldest winery, Brotherhood!
All-in-all, we can expect to see an eclectic variety of reds and whites
including Sunflower White, Traminette, Riesling, Chardonnay, and even a bubbly Moscato! We also will have a Cabernet Sauvignon blend, Merlot, Cab Franc, Pinot Noir, and many, many more that I’m excited to share.
There will be such a wide variety of flavors for our guests to experience right here in our tasting room, as well as from our gift shop!
Our gift shop will also feature unique pieces from local artists, jewelry, baked goods, and honey and cheese! But that won’t be all. We have new ideas popping up everyday!
Our future array of events and entertainment are sure to bring even more excitement to our guests. Saturdays & Sundays we’ll have Yoga and Pilates, as well as Mimosas and Bloody Marys!
We’re also planning to have a trivia night, a paint night, and food trucks!
It's an exciting time as our dream of owning our own winery is becoming a reality. With real progress and plans being made we are confident that we will be opening our doors on-time in October. We can't wait to share our passion for wine with all those who visit our tasting room!
Building a dream
12 May 2023|Rani Giangreco
Michele's 1st Bog!
For the past decade we’ve dreamt of building a family owned and run winery for us to enjoy in our retirement. A place to make new friends, revel in quality time with the friends we have, savor great wine, and of course, to have a good time!
To sum it up, our winery will be about family, friends and relaxation.
One night, while hanging out with family (and enjoying some wine!), we started discussing our new winery-to-be, and what we might call it. We were throwing names around, and talking about what we wanted this winery to feel like, and be like. My brother-in-law, Dick, said, “We’re all still on the hill.” And that was it. Right away we knew that was the one! (Tom‘s parents purchased this property in 1955, and on it, on this hill, is where they built the family homestead.) We purchased it in 2002, and still reside there today. The new winery is being built right next door, on the same hill.
The anticipation of that building actually being built right here on our property is so exciting for Tom and me. (We can’t wait!) We couldn’t wait for the builders to begin. We probably drove Mark crazy, calling him all the time, asking him when he was going to get here! It’s just a wonderful and exciting adventure, and we’re doing it together. -Designing the building, doing the layout, picking the colors, the windows, doors, concrete, heating, etc. And we haven’t started on the inside!! It is all so it’s nerve-racking, but it’s fun at the same time. Right now, we are just looking forward to seeing the building constructed!!
Once it’s built and ready to rock, Still on the Hill Winery & Spirits will sell wines from all over New York! There are a lot of very good wines in New York that are not sold in liquor stores, nor restaurants. The idea is to bring them here, to our area, so all can enjoy the experience from other regions in our state. Of course, we will be making our own wines, too. We’ll be making dandelion wine and rhubarb wine (recipes from Tom’s dad!) We also have a few secret recipes of our own that we can’t wait to share!
Aside from wine, we decided to take things one step further by also offering New York distilled spirits! These, too, will come from various regions in our state. And…. We will be making our own Krupnic and Raspberry liqueur! About 6 months ago, my Aunt Judy and I were discussing the winery. I learned from her that my father produced his own homemade liquors! (So I’m guessing it’s in my DNA, Lol.) It is something that I love to do, and I have a good time with it. And from what I understand, so did my father. I even ended up getting a couple of his recipes from my step-mom, Margy, when she came to visit Coco (our beloved Sheltie). I’ll be making these, as well as some different recipes of my own (more to come on that subject!)
To top it off, we will ALSO be selling craft beer and ciders from Western New York & Rochester!
Opening a winery and running our fence company, in prime season, is nuts!! Things can get very crazy!! But we love it, and we’re having a good time doing it. Of course, we’ve run into, you know, some frustrating situations, but all-in-all it’s been very exciting, as well as a little scary. It’s a big venture for us at our age (I’m at retirement age). But Tom and I don’t sit still, we’re always having fun, always doing something together, and this has been another fun adventure for us. We are so looking forward to all of our family and friends coming and spending time with us, and enjoying all of our efforts.
-Michele Burke