Sunday sales are a hit with wine drinkers, sellers

You can purchase your favorite wine just about any time.

The New York State Liquor Authority posted a message on its Web site Aug. 23 stating that all liquor and wine stores with six-day licenses had been converted to seven days a week.

The business owners no longer had to notify the authority which day of the week they would give up retail business. It is now up to each individual store owner how many days a week he wants to serve his customers.

Several area wine stores have elected to open at noon on Sunday, the earliest time allowed by the state, providing an abbreviated shopping day that ends by 5 or 6 p.m.

Lee Blaser at Bottles and Corks in Corning has seen the Sundays continue to get busier and busier now that the holiday shopping season has arrived.

According to Lee, customers like the opportunity to shop on Sunday. She added that customers are glad that they decided not to close another day of the week.

GCP Discount Liquors in Horseheads has been open from noon to 5 p.m. for the last six Sundays. According to floor manager Justin Ferris, the extra day of business is still catching on. He feels it will help the business for the holidays. They seem to be generating the same kind of sales with the same kind of customers as any other day of the week.

At Savino's Discount Liquors and Wines in Elmira, owner Rocco Savino says that the new rule is spreading the business over the full seven-day week, making it more convenient for customers. He said that people entertaining out-of-town guests on weekends appreciate being able to stop in and shop there on Sunday.

Lighthouse Liquors and Wines in Southport also has embraced the opportunity to sell its products seven days a week.

"This is our first holiday season," says co-owner Kit Baer. "It's a new business, you have to be here. It does not run itself."

What do Kit's customers think about the store being open seven days a week?

"It's pretty good," says Tom Leszyk of Elmira, who stopped in with his wife on Sunday. "I didn't even know they were open on Sunday. We're getting some wines and spiced rum for the holidays."

Lighthouse also has expanded its tasting schedule to include the new Sunday hours. It was the second Sunday visit for Leslie Osburn, who lives just around the corner.

"It's wonderful to be able to sample wines before buying them for a special occasion," Leslie says. She especially liked the Diamond and Blue Moon wines offered by Montezuma Winery of Seneca Falls on Sunday.

The Blue Moon is made with blueberries. The flavorful wine was voted the "Best Fruit Wine" at the International Eastern Wine Competition last spring. Montezuma also offered a cranberry wine that is made with berries harvested in the Tug Hill Plateau region in the Adirondacks. It starts out with a semi-sweet fruit flavor but finishes with the tart taste of cranberry lingering in your mouth.

As you head into this year's hectic holiday shopping season, don't worry if you didn't get to do your wine shopping by the time the stores closed Saturday evening. Make a little time on Sunday to pick up your favorite wine and maybe sample some new ones too.

Jeff Richards' wine column appears Saturdays. For comments or questions, he can be reached at 607/271-8279 or 800/836-8970, ext. 279, or e-mail: jrichards