What a beautiful, CLEAN, friendly, and inviting venue!…read more Aside from incredible cider at more than fair prices (try the classic, the Mule cider, and the Imperial (if you want more bang in your cider)), Nine Pin is absolutely SPOTLESS inside - so impressed with how clean this place is. Also impressive are their Bavarian pretzels with Cider Cheese, the ambient music, the selection of games to play, and their robust calendar of events. The team members working there are super friendly and knowledgeable. One of the highlights of this visit was watching a couple at a nearby table order a cider flight, and it comes as an impressive display of nine tap offerings framed in a nine-pin bowling pin diamond - WOW!!! Though I am not in Albany often, I do have a few friends in the area and rest assured the next time I am in this city, Nine Pin will be where I ask to meet up with all of my friends. I'm excited for another trip here. Well done Nine Pin!

Given my strong opinions on supermarket apples and apple picking, it's no surprise that an…read morealcohol-containing formulation of this fruit gets me talking. Nine Pin serves up excellent cider and impeccable service. Flights are available with four or nine varieties. Signature started things off, signaling that Nine Pin is a purist, or at least traditionalist, rather than a drinkable dessert purveyor. (Availability may vary; Yelpers aren't legally liable for enticing descriptions of beverages that may not be available during your visit). Per the above disclaimer, I feel vaguely guilty about mentioning W.A.R.P., as I may have been there for the final days of this fall offering. which isn't currently listed on the website. This stands for Wild Apples of the Rensselaer Plateau and it lived up to the iconoclastic description. Pear was smooth and subtle. Given Nine Pin's proclivities, Black Cherry may have been the perfect match, sweeter than its peers but not cloying. An encore 4-drink flight meant a tough choice in skipping one of the 9, but the knowledgeable and generous bartender (cidertender? cider king?) gave me a sample of a hops variety (exact name forgotten) that was very appealing. I had feared it would be too close to beer. Belgian, which is Signature fermented with Belgian Abbey Ale Yeast, felt sort of beer-adjacent so it was my least favorite. Ginger Mule was enjoyable, sweet than expected. Imperial was like the movie PCU, great start but lost some appeal by the end. Cranberry was refreshing, one level less sweet than cherry. Since too much positivity is boring, I'll end on this note: why doesn't "the world's greatest city" have a place like this? Wallingford, Salem and Wallkill can enjoy cider flights but NYC? Oh well, at least the brilliant Nine Pin Cider is only a PATH, Amtrak and two buses away.

Such a fun, joyous, and friendly place for any event. Great food, excellent wine, lots of history!read more

This winery is incredibly charming and absolutely beautiful. The barn is pristine, spacious, and…read morefeatures modern amenities, including nice restrooms and a bar in the back with a penny counter which was so cool. The ambience is rustic. There's definitely something to catch your eye, especially at the bar. Reminded me of a Tuscan beach bar shack It's quite adorable with the cozy room off to the side decorated with a teapots. The outdoor yard area is also spacious. Convenient parking that you can see the horses near the stable from. It's just a quick drive and easy to locate from Albany. I would highly recommend without hesitation.

Super cute spot. We stopped as we headed back from Vermont and enjoyed our cheese board and wine…read moresampler. The ladies working were so nice too at the counter. We would love to stop by again during summer.

Had my 60th birthday party here. I was VERY nervous about the party. But the staff knew how to calm…read moreme and helped create a perfect event: 1. I was given a glass of Blanc de Blanc (highly recommended) and 2. They know events; them to do their ji. It was a BEAUTIFUL, fun, fantastic party (all my guests said so!). I would recommend for every type of event. It's beautiful, the wine is good, and the staff are GREAT!!!

This small cider/winery is an excellent stop on your tour through the Berkshires. They have some…read moreinventive ciders and wines that don't follow the "rules" of flavor profiles. Using grapes shipped from CA and mixing with apples crown on site, this small batch operation is a delightful stop. Specifically, I want to shout out our wine guide who took us through several of their wines. She made our experience there memorable with her amazing personality, charm, and humor. The space is small but offers a variety of options to hang out and enjoy their wines and ciders - inside by the fireplace, outside on the screen porch, or outdoors on the patio. We loved our time at Hilltop and hope to return.

Sara is the best! She is friendly and very knowledgeable about all of the wines. We loved the…read moreunique flavors and the story behind them all. Once we had tasted a bunch and decided on a glass she suggested that we take a walk through the Orchard up to the top of the hill, which was so peaceful and scenic. Of course we got a few bottles to go and the delicious donuts. We would love to come back.

The mead here is amazing. Go and enjoy some of Ray's hard work! It's seriously delicious. The Hades…read morewas my favorite (pleasantly zippy), but the blackberry, and Midas would have been great as a full pour too. I will for sure be back the next time I'm in Albany.

Cool spot! We sampled a variety of meads. They have traditional meads as well as some more…read moreinventive ones including a jalapeño mead and a winter spices mead (my fav). Nice ambience too and excellent service. Our bartender was very knowledgeable about the various meads and attentive. Small place but when we visited on a Saturday afternoon it was not busy. They have a book exchange and board games. Free popcorn! I would definitely come back here. I was considering bringing home some meads but I thought their bottle prices were a bit steep at between $25 and $35. Meads in our local area (MA and RI) are more in the $20 bottle range from local spots. Don't miss the cool mural in the back!

We stopped in on July 6th and were helped by Alysiah. There were 6 of us and we did tastings…read more They have wine, cider and liquor. Everything was wonderful. Alysiah was helpful, informative, fun and patient. We had a great time! And walked out with several bottles!

While in Lake George for the Memorial Weekend, decided to do some wine tasting one evening. Came…read moreacross Adirondack Winery which had availability as we walked in - perfect timing, though they were also quite busy with customers. Note: Wine tasting cost is per person (not pay for 1 person and share) and it is for 7 tastes with a take home glass. So select your wines wisely... and rank them to see if there is any of them you would like to purchase. We also added a couple of chocolate bonbons to wash the the wine tastings down with. Tried a variety of red, rose, fruit, dry.... and ended up purchasing 2 bottles to bring home - Celebratory Red and Ruby Red, which we rated best of all the ones we tastes. It did take awhile to select and get our tastings but have to be a little patience given timing and the crowd. Looking to come back again next time in town. Cheers!

We had the most wonderful experience here last night! We were trying to find something to do near…read moreGhent and my friend found this vineyard that offered wine tasting, an activity none of us have ever done before and thought it would be a relaxing way to spend the evening. We were hosted by the most knowledgeable and gracious couple (Lisa and Francis) who were welcoming and made our first experience a memorable one. We learned about the history behind the vineyard, the amazing artwork that decorates it (inside and out) and left feeling more well versed with wine. I am normally not a Chardonnay fan but since their Chardonnay is made in a steel barrel, it doesn't have the same buttery taste that an oak barrel would.. and I LOVED IT! (if y'all read this review, I hope that's correct). I also was surprised that I really liked their Sherry, which is one of the highest proofs spirits that they serve. It was strong but it was something enjoyable to sip on! (Def went home with a bottle of each) We happened to arrive in a night where us wasn't busy so if you arrive and it looks quiet, do not leave! We ended up receiving VIP one-on-one service that may have been different if the place was packed (which they mentioned it was the night before) The couple who spent time with us were so friendly, and after noticing a gift basket assembly on the table, even let me purchase it since I live in the city and wouldn't be back up this way for a while. Our only regret was not getting there earlier in the day so that we could enjoy the outdoor experience of the venue, since the property is covered in beautiful grassy fields and sculptures that are even on some of the bottle labels. This is a highly recommended place! Ask about their cute gift baskets and make sure to go before the middle of December before they close for winter. They will reopen in April... and I will def be back!

Sabba Vineyard is absolutely charming. The owner, Abby, is passionate about this wonderful winery…read morehe's created. The vineyard, located in Old Chatham is gorgeous and adorned by pieces of Abby's own metal art sculptures. Recently visited on a Saturday when they have live music as delightful background for sipping wine and enjoying a cheeseboard. Great to have another beautiful winery in the Capital District.

The ambiance and decor in this place were super cute and cozy. We enjoyed sitting on a couch by the…read morefireplace. I got the flight and really enjoyed all of the wines that I tried. The staff were very knowledgeable and helpful, and they let us try a rose before it was released to better inform us as we selected bottles to purchase. I'd definitely recommend this spot and would love to visit again!

From the owner: Our Hudson tasting salon provides a chance to experience Neverstill wines and a few of our favorite…read moreNew York State wines and spirits. Neverstill Wines are made from estate fruit sourced from the Hidden View Vineyard and other nearby Finger Lakes vineyards, but Hudson is our home. Before Henry Hudson lent his name to the Hudson River, it was known as “the water that is never still,” an ode to the impatient, ever changing tide of the Empire State’s main waterway. Today, the Hudson River still inspires awe- linking the upstate agricultural bounty to the isle of Manhattan, the highland peaks to the endless sea. Like the river from which it gets its name, Neverstill is a wine that links all of New York, from the Finger Lakes to the Hudson Valley.