Finally! An era ends in New York City and the New Age ushers in easy availability of New York State's wines to Manhattanites and tourists. And might I add attractive availability.

For years it's been nearly impossible to find a place to buy wines made in the state of New York in New York City. While this might have been more acceptable when America's wine growing regions had been humbled to near extinction by Prohibition or during the recession (remember that far back?), the absence of New York's wines on New York City wine shop shelves during flusher economic times, and the expansion of wines regions across the U.S. and around the world, has been just short of a flashing neon sign going "What?!", "What?!", "What?!".

Several years ago wine merchants Bob Fink and Bill Rudowski at McAdam Liquors on Third Avenue seized the moment and turned McAdam into "the place" to find the wines of the Long Island wine region in Manhattan. They continue to give broad support to Long Island wines, carrying some 175 from 19 vineyards. Prior to their enterprising turnabout New York City retailers pretty much put their noses in the air when it came to the wine artisans of New York state, bordering on a peculiar reverse chauvinism. Many people were surprised to find out that wines were even made in the state and retailers Weren't risking any of their expensive shelf space to promote wines that might include something as unfashionable as a hybrid grape variety.

So it will come as a pleasant surprise for you to meet the owners and visit perhaps the definitive answer to this predicament, Vintage New York - wines, foods and accessories. That would be Susan Wine, a former partner in the elegant Quilted Giraffe that was itself a revolution in redefining the way we think and embrace American food today. And Robert Ransom, scion of one of the Hudson Valley's "best efforts so far," Rivendell winery. Susan's Barnard education and heady restaurant background make her suited to "taking New York State wines over the fashion barrier" while Rob Ransom's experience as the marketing manager and cellarman in family winemaking provides for an experienced hand with managing their product lines as well as graphic design and "look" of the attractive Vintage New York space.

Vintage New York operates under the laws of a New York winery and the state of New York has been generous to anyone who wants to plunge into wine growing and winemaking. To help out they've removed the standard wine and liquor retailing shackles for winery tasting and sales rooms. In a New York winery tasting room you can taste all the wines you want and buy food and water. And you can do it seven days a week.

The pair of New York state oenophiles struck their plan in January of 1998 and, after spending a year searching for suitable space, put together the impossible, a friendly and co-operative trio of landlord, architects and building contractor. The results are warmly apparent in the renovated space on the northeast corner of Broome and Wooster down SoHo way, achieving their goal of "putting New York wines in it lifestyle environment." Upon entering your eyes rise from the attractive display of 150 racked wines, through a variety of intriguing accessories and packaged foods to the upstairs tasting bar. This is where you want to be eventually. After whetting your appetite looking for Finger Lake Rieslings, Pinot Noirs and Long Island's best and hard to find reds and whites, just to scratch the surface, you can mount the stairs to this relative paradise where all wines are available for tasting, There is a tasting fee but it's cheerfully refunded when you purchase $50 or more.

Plans are already afoot for a paired 'meal of the day and wine offering' in conjunction with the neighborhood Gourmet Garage, as well as three Saturday events in the Fall that will match Manhattan chefs with winemakers from Long Island, the Finger Lakes and the Hudson Valley. An attractive space downstairs will be used for classes as well as catered parties around New York State wines.

Reaching out beyond their store location there's a web site in development and Gault Communications will handle their press releases and targeted mailings. The best way to keep track of their progress is to contact the store at 212-226-9463 and since they're open 7 days a week 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. you're likely to find an answer just about anytime. If you're living outside Manhattan there's a chance you may see them in your borough sometime in the future if they are able to realize plans to set up additional shops.

When asked about impressions they've had so far, Susan volunteered that she was impressed with the number of people who moved to Manhattan originally from Up State, now very happy to find the wines they had enjoyed when living there. There's also a strong interest in Riesling and Pinot Noir amongst Manhattanites.

What's in the future for New York State's wineries? Susan sees all the regions attempting to broaden their wine offerings away from their "traditional" niche reputations. More red varietals for the Finger Lakes, more white varietals for Long Island and more of everything and increasing quality in the Hudson Valley. Erie, up on the far northwest, continues for the most part in their traditional hybrid and labrusca dominated wines.

Vintage New York has just become the place to peer into the rich basket of New York State winemaking.