
Is the Sap Bucket Art Reception at the Depot Theatre the first time you ever heard of Amazing Grace Vineyard & Winery?
I suggest you head over to The Depot Theatre between 5:00 and 7:00 PM for the artists’ reception featuring a wine tasting from local Chazy, NY winery Amazing Grace Vineyard & Winery. (Essex on Lake Champlain)
A vineyard and winery in Chazy, New York? I was three degrees closer to shocked than surprised when I was told that Amazing Grace Vineyard, a local wine grape grower and wine maker was just up the proverbial road.
Amazing Grace Beginnings
Owners, Gilles and Mary Fortin settled on the winery as a retirement business, though both continue to be educators at Momot Elementary School in Plattsburgh, NY. Established in 2008, their new business was a roaring success!
The combination of the famous song and a granddaughter named Grace made the naming part a snap. They spent a year and half getting their license and putting the stainless-steel tanks, crushers, de-stemmers and bottling system in place.
They planned to grow slowly, but things took off faster than expected as campaigns publicizing the Adirondack Coast as a wine-country destination were promoted by the Chamber of Commerce and others. (Press Republican)
The first year, the Fortins produced 800 bottles of wine and were sold out by August. They knew then that they had a success, and last year they were predicting the production of 4,000 bottles (Press Republican).
Award-Winning Wines
Not only are Amazing Grace wines popular, but the Fortins have developed three award-winning wines! They won a silver and a bronze medal in 2001 for their Winter Blues and Violet’s Blush wines. The silver-medal winner was a blueberry-Niagara blend, and the bronze a blend of Niagara and strawberry. Last year, they won a gold medal for their Concord wine in the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition (Press Republican).
Amazing Grace specializes in native, French hybrid, and fruit wines. Find a full list of their wines on their website.
Our mission is simple: Make great tasting wines and sell them at an affordable price, treat all customers as friends and family, and try your best to help and support your community. It is this mission that has made us an extremely successful small farm winery. (Amazing Grace Vineyard & Winery)
Events & Tours
Amazing Grace Vineyard & Winery is especially known for their summer concert series, which serve as a fundraiser for charities. Stay up to date with their events here. They also offer their vineyard as a setting for personal events, such as weddings, picnics and bridal showers etc.
The vineyard also hosts wine tasting tours. The Fortins completed a 1,400-square-foot expansion at their vineyard last year, including a large and inviting new tasting room!
Amazing Grace Vineyard & Winery Information
- Hours: The tasting room is open on weekends, and vineyard is open by appointment.
- Website: www.amazinggracevineyard.com
- Email: mary@amazinggracevineyard.com
- Telephone: 518-215-4044

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