“It’s been a lot of hard work over the past 18 years,” Pardy said.
Times Union: Adirondack Winery’s Sasha Pardy named one of NYSRA’s ’10 Women to Watch’ in hospitality
‘Excellence is a ‘wow’ experience,’ says Pardy, who’s provided to the Capital Region community for nearly two decades
By , Staff Writer
When Sasha Pardy co-founded Adirondack Winery in 2008 alongside her husband, Michael, she had no idea what was to come: new business ventures, an expansion, rebranding efforts, evolving industry demands and operating through a global pandemic.
What started in an 1,800-square-foot tasting room tucked in the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains in Lake George expanded into a second location in Queensbury during 2022. It features a 14,000-square-foot winemaking facility and tasting room with a restobar and upstairs event space dedicated to weddings, corporate events, dueling piano shows, comedy shows, book clubs and more. The two locations attract thousands of people per year and have become gathering destinations for locals and visitors alike.
Pardy was recently named one of New York State Restaurant Association’s “10 Women to Watch” in hospitality for 2026, a list that also included Delmar restaurateur Casey Carroll. Each honoree “seems to do it all and does it with excellence,” according to the NYSRA. “despite the bumps in the road.”
“For me, excellence is a ‘wow’ experience. I want people to see us as memorable. I want people to say ‘wow, I had a great time’,” Pardy said.
For Pardy, that experience extends beyond her tasting rooms. In addition to being the co-founder of Adirondack Winery, Pardy has served on the board of the Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce & Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) for more than 15 years and is the founder of the Adirondack Wine & Food Festival, celebrating its 10th anniversary on June 27 and 28 in Lake George.
Last year’s festival generated $3.6 million in economic impact for the region, according to the Warren County Economic Development Corporation. The two-day event grew from 40 vendors and 2,500 attendees in 2015 to more than 130 vendors and over 6,500 attendees, Pardy said.
“To me, it’s always been important to keep the health of Lake George going, and I know that as the winery owner and having such a popular attraction, that we were creating events that were bringing people to town regularly, and I saw an opportunity to put on a really big event,” Pardy said about her decision to start the wine and food festival. “It’s like the kickoff to summer in Lake George and a really important event for our local community.”
Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce & CVB Executive Director Gina Mintzer wrote in Pardy’s “10 Women to Watch” in hospitality nomination that Pardy “exemplifies a ‘rising tide lifts all boats’ mindset.”
“She has demonstrated time and again that true leadership in hospitality is rooted in collaboration, accountability and a shared commitment to long-term success,” Mintzer added.
Pardy maintains a detail-oriented mindset right down to Adirondack Winery’s wine labels, which were rebranded in 2014 to include the scenery of the Adirondacks.
“The trademark for us has always been the nostalgia of Lake George,” Pardy said. “Lake George has always been a place people call home away from home. Families come year after year, but at the same time, you have new people coming all the time, too. We knew it was important to have something for everybody.”
In 2023, following a boom in business during the COVID-19 pandemic when alcohol consumption surged, Pardy launched a spin-off brand called Extreme Heights Cidery, inspired by her daughter, Ella, who hiked all 46 peaks of the Adirondacks. It was a decision Pardy made in observing evolving industry demands.
“It’s really dealing with things like younger people not drinking as much as they used to, so we have some lower-alcohol alternatives. Cider is sexy and cool and lower in alcohol,” Pardy said, adding her company has created a lower-alcohol wine called Golden Glow and is innovating a canned wine cocktail.
To cater to a larger non-drinking crowd in other ways, Pardy looks to continue to offer shareable food options and add more in-person experiences.
“You absolutely cannot be adverse to change. If you don’t change quickly, then you’re going to be left behind,” Pardy said. “It’s hard as a small company to respond as quickly as big markets can, but that’s not a reason not to do it.”
To keep up with all her responsibilities, which include caring for her children Ella and Ethan, Pardy said she’s always “buzzing around like a lightning bolt.”
“There’s a big responsibility,” Pardy said. “I don’t just have my two kids to worry about, I have all of the mouths that all of my staff are feeding as well to worry about.”
Clifton Park resident Annette Paome said she’s been coming to Adirondack Winery’s tasting rooms since 2008. Among the winery’s range of 30 to 35 wines, her favorite is its seasonal lavender-infused semi-sweet rosé called “Serenity,” which was first released in 2020.
“They’re always doing something new, always changing things. They’re always coming up with something innovative,” Paome said. “(Pardy) is always striving for the next hill.”
