Grand Opening of The Commmunion in Syracuse, New York
Cha McCoy, international woman in wine, does it again. Previously featured in Forbes for leaving behind a corporate career to become a wine consultant and event sommelier, McCoy can now add retail proprietor to her growing list of achievements. Last week, she debuted her first shop dedicated to the wines and winemakers she loves in downtown Syracuse, New York. She named it The Communion Wine + Spirits, a reference to her goal to break down bariers about wine while bringing people together.
McCcoy, a Certified Sommelier, grew her expertise through hours of visits spent in the world’s great wine regions. Her experiences prompted her to create a consumer wine tasting event called The Communion, a series in which she shares wine and food with her community. The Communion started in NYC, expanded to cities abroad, and eventually took her to Charleston where she landed the role as the Beverage Director for Charleston Wine + Food Festival. Other accolades include recognition by Wine Enthusiast Magazine as Top 40 Under 40 Tastemakers and Wine & Spirits Magazine Rising Black Voices in Wine.
McCoy at the ribbon cutting for her new retail wine shop The Communion.
The downtown Syracuse brick-and-mortar shop will be a place for exploration. McCoy hopes it becomes a haven for enthusiastic wine and spirit lovers, amateur and advanced alike, seeking quality at an accessible price point. Her vision lands far from the tpyical dusty bottle shops or discounted warehouses found in the region. Rather, the Communion offers a purposeful selection of wines and spirits from smaller producers and family-owned wineries.
“I chose Syracuse to service a need. Through my research and immersion into the city, I learned that Syracuse, though located within driving distance to one of the top-rated wine regions, the Finger Lakes, persisted as a wine desert. I am here to change that narrative. I believe Syracuse can be the destination that it once was” says McCoy.
The space will serve as a retail wine and spirits shop for patrons to discover both global and New York producers. In addition, The Communion Wine + Spirits will function as an event space and hub for education, dinners, and wine club experiences, for which McCoy has received rave reviews from Wine + Spirits, Wine Enthusiast, Grub Street, and Food & Wine.
The Communion dinner experience, which started as a pop-up in 2017, will continue to travel the world, inviting people from different backgrounds and her community to have a seat at the table. Curious drinkers can continue to rely on The Communion for a wine adventure, focused on inclusivity.
Examples of The Communion retail space’s events will include:
- Finger Lakes Wine Tours
- “Flight Cru Wine Club” Returning with Global Wine Tours
- “Sunday School” Wine Education
- Tasting sessions from winemakers and distillers
- Private tasting services (both on- and off-site)
- The Communion Dinner Events
The Communion Wine + Spirits 109 S. Warren Street Syracuse, NY 13202
Visit www.chamccoy.com to learn more about the event space and stay up to date on future happenings.
Along wth Finger Lakes wine country, McCoy’s location in upstate New York provides just the excuse you need to road trip up north.