“We are very proud of planting the Cabernet grape and it doing so well,” said Cupp, adding that the first vines planted were a leap of faith for the family. “I remember planting that very first vine and wondering if it would even grow since I do not particularly have a green thumb. I had never even potted a plant before.”
Ten years later, that leap of faith has paid off with a very successful vineyard and winery, a growing list of wines with both national and international awards and the recent opening of a Saratoga branch of the original wine tasting room—the Thirsty Owl.
“My dad [Ted Cupp] is very gregarious and really enjoys people,” said Josh of the atmosphere and theme they try to promote, noting that the goal of the Thirsty Owl is for people to socialize, have fun and sip a few good wines. “It is fun, informal and a good time.”
The Thirsty Owl Outlet and Wine Garden opened mid-March in what was the Kimberly Inn at the corner of Broadway and Lincoln Avenue.
The former rooming house was totally renovated and now features bright, airy rooms with dozens of large windows creating a feeling of bringing the outdoors in, gleaming hardwood floors and artistic lights made from old wine bottles and hung from the ceiling.
With a centrally located square bar in the center of the room, the ambiance of the tasting room is lighthearted and inviting for social gatherings and encourages easy socializing.
Getting here to Saratoga, though, has been a circular path.
The Cupps have been Saratoga regulars for years—Ted has a love for the ponies.
“He loved the harness track,” said Josh, adding that his dad owned standardbreds for a number of years and raced them in Saratoga on a regular basis. The one golf course they still own, Rome Country Club, actually has a horse farm located on the premises.
While he likes to start to spin the tale of how his dad went into the wine business because his tastes had begun to mature from Jack Daniels and beer, Josh said that in reality Ted was looking for a cabin by a lake when he made friends with Jack and Mary Plane.
The couple, it turns out, were thinking of selling their home on the shores of Cayuga Lake and with it came some vineyards that had been lovingly nurtured through-out the years.
“They wanted someone special to take over,” continued Josh, who, along with his wife Maite operate the Saratoga Thirsty Owl. “Dad was looking for a cottage on a lake—he ended up with 150 acres and a vineyard.”
Josh noted that while the family was game to take on the challenge, the land and the vineyards needed some work to ready for production.
“It needed a lot of work,” said Josh, noting that in addition to getting the vineyards in shape to produce wine-worthy grapes, they also had to build a winery, a wine tasting room and find some good, knowledgeable help.
That is when winemaker Shawn Kime came on board, teaching the Cupp family how to nurture their existing vineyards, to plant new ones, when and how to harvest and how to create a fine wine.
“He has been the best of the best,” said Josh of Kime, who along with many of the original staff is still with the family business.
“We had a lot of work to do to produce a wine,” added Josh, noting that the family went from 1,200 cases and four kinds of wine to 18,000 cases annually and nearly two dozen varieties, including the labor intensive Ice Wine which recently won a double gold at the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition. It was one of 3505 entries from 20 countries and was the first time the winery had attempted to make the special vino.
“Do you know that it has to be picked by hand, each individual grape, and the temperature has to be 15 degrees Fahrenheit?” said Josh, continuing that each picked grape produces “two to three drops” of juice.
Josh said they designed the tasting room of the Thirsty Owl to be inviting and fun for customers.
“It is a fun social setting and so interactive by design,” said Josh, adding that already they are developing a loyal following of clientele. “You don’t need to be a wine connoisseur or have a wine IQ of 130 to try it—wine tasting is so interactive and social.”
Josh noted that they pride themselves on finding just the right wine for a customer, which is part of the joy of running the facility.
“Even if a customer comes in with a spouse or a friend who prefers beer or something else, I guarantee I can find something they may end up liking,” said Josh. “I take pride in trying to find a wine for someone that they will like. It is like learning a new food—it opens you to a whole new world.”
He said they have plans of landscaping the outside like “English gardens,” opening the porch to customers to use and hope to have the restaurant portion of the establishment opened by this summer.
“We are actively interviewing chefs and want them to develop the menu and the kitchen,” said Josh, pointing out that they want to keep the restaurant portion just as light-hearted and entertaining as the tasting room. “We want to bring someone in and do things a little differently—something to compliment the tasting room.”
As for the wine, Josh said they have a little of everything from the dry white wines to the rich Dessert Wine, a sweet red wine. Several of their wines, said Josh, have won various awards including the 2011 Vidal Blanc, a multiple gold winner, the 2011 Diamond—best in class and multiple gold winner and the 2011 Snow Owl, a perfect white blend.
“It was certainly a leap of faith to go with a berry that is not sweet originally,” said Josh.
As for their new location in Saratoga Springs, Josh said it was something they were more than ready to do.
“Getting this satellite location up and running has been a great experience,” said Josh. “We love Saratoga and we are some seeing some really nice customers—a wonderful cross-section of folks who enjoy Saratoga as much as we do.”
The Thirsty Owl Outlet and Wine Garden is open Sunday through Thursday, Noon–8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, noon to 9 p.m. Wine Tastings are five wines for $5. Call (518) 587-9694 for more information.
