The holidays may be over, but that doesn’t mean the party has to end. All it takes is a visit to the Winery of Ellicottville to lift your spirits. While many are familiar with this local stop on Monroe Street, few know the rich history behind this family owned and operated business.

Dominic and Linda Spicola opened the Winery of Ellicottville in July 2010 with their daughter, Beth, and her husband, Sam Sheehy. But they’ve been at it a lot longer than that. Dominic’s father, Francesco, emigrated from Sicily in 1968. Growing up, Dominic and his father made wine for the family every year, following the traditions of Francesco’s homeland. Today, the wines at the Winery of Ellicottville are made with the same patience and practice learned from Francesco, with the help of some new world techniques.

Their wines are 100% local New York, with the majority of the grapes grown in Chautauqua County and a few varieties from the Finger Lakes region. Visiting the lovely Winery located on 14 Monroe Street, you may not be aware that all of the wine is made on site, using a combination of stainless steel tanks and oak barrels. The wine is also bottled and labeled there.

Showcasing an impressive array of wines, the family sells more than 14 different bottles of wine, including their first round of barrel-aged reds released in the fall. In December, they just released the all-new EVL BLUE, a surprisingly popular blueberry wine that is flying off the shelves. Another new must-try item is the Sparkline Riesling, which is a limited run of 25 cases. The most popular wines at the Winery are the EVL Red (lightly sweet and fruit-forward red), Sweetest Thing (sweet red) and Snow Fox (sweet white). But if you want to know what Dominic drinks, you will find him sipping on Noiret, 2010 Pinot Noir and EVL Red.

Throughout the year and particularly in the fall, Sam is in the vineyards. During harvest he can be found processing the grapes into juice and beginning the wine-making process. But stop by the Winery of Ellicottville most days of the week and you will find a member of the Spicola-Sheehy family happy to show you around. Linda manages the Tasting Bar and gift shop, while Beth works behind the bar on the bustling weekends. A special treat every weekend in January, the Winery is offering a wine-and-food pairing event. Each event, hosted by Dominic or Sam, will feature Winery of Ellicottville wines paired with appetizers for just $15. For more information, stop by the Winery or give them a call at (716) 699-1055.