It was a surprise to see a sign for a new brewery and an adjacent winery on the north side of the Ridge just east of Trimmer Road. The brewery is expected to be open later in the summer but the winery has already opened.
A visit to the facility on May 1 found people busy stocking shelves and setting up displays even as workmen were putting the finishing touches on the floor and other details of construction.
The labels on the wine bottle indicated they were from “A Gust of Sun” winery, Ransomville, NY. The store manager said the owner would be arriving later and probably would be glad to answer any questions I had. So I returned later and met Shane Gustafson, who with her husband, Erik, already operate a similar facility as a farm winery in the Town of Cambria, Niagara County. The Ridge, Route 104, also goes through Cambria. At their Parma location they will be offering tastings as customers come in but will also sell wines for carry out. There will be seating at tables or at the bar.
Other items offered will be specialty chocolates made in Buffalo, various wine paraphernalia and arts and craft items from area artisans. This will be on a rotating basis with items changing periodically. Shane said a formal opening is being planned for sometime in June. In the meantime they will be open on a limited basis.
I told Shane about the hamlet of Parma Corners a mile or so east of there, which was the site of the first public house in Parma built in 1809. More were to be erected until in 1830 there were seven public houses and a distillery at or near the “Corners.” They did well, housing construction workers until the Erie Canal was completed and new places were built along the route of the canal.
Further west on the Ridge, opposite Hinkleyville Road, a hops plantation has been started on the Moncony Farms property, suggesting perhaps another brewery. Who knows how many more might come along to grace this historic roadway where many such establishments catered to the needs of stagecoach and horse back travelers for so many years.
