Family, sacrifice & resilience

 Comerford’s Irish Boxer Winery is a testament to our ancestors. We stand on the shoulders of immense sacrifice and our winery reflects the Comerford tradition. Our family farm is in Ellicottville, New York which is well known for its heavy snowfalls and cold temperature. So, we needed to select a resilient grape that would endure harsh winters. We selected Itasca which is the newest cold-hardy release out of the University of Minnesota Breeding program. 

Itasca produces a dry white wine that is light yellow to straw in color and has aromas of pear, melon, and subtle honey notes. To enhance the experience, we blended in both Riesling and Niagara creating a smooth taste. Niagara is a native grape which evokes floral jasmine. 

My partner in this project is Hope Concannon. Like our wine, we blended two resilient families together. We hope our five kids take over the vineyard one day and continue to honor our past. - Founder John Comerford