Owego’s farm winery is an all season get-away

Tucked away off Route 96 in Owego, N.Y., and nestled amongst beautiful dense trees in a park-like setting is Glen Park Vineyards, a farm winery. A stop along the Tioga Beverage Trail, the winery is located at 633 Allen Glen Rd.  

The business first opened its doors in 2014. New proprietors, Lynn and Rick Linkowski, assumed ownership in September of last year.

Glen Park Vineyards, complete with a purpose built production area and tasting facility, produces an ever-expanding selection of red and white wines, as well as hard cider. Craft beers are also sold on-site, but not produced there.

The peaceful and rustic appeal of Glen Park Vineyards is a draw for visitors, and many like that it is close-to-home. 

Both Lynn and Rick shared that they have been pleased with the reception from guests to date, and many who have remarked that they were, “Happy to find Glen Park so close to home.”

Looking back, original owners Fred and Chris Collins were inspired to pursue a small prototype vineyard after a Finger Lakes wine tour. They passed the wine torch to the Linkowski’s who officially reopened the business on Oct. 24, 2021.

Today, the Linkowski’s, self-taught vintners, are passionate about everything-wine. They are avid collectors of wine, and explained, “We had always hoped to own a winery and be able to produce our own wine some day.”

A recent harvest produced a good first yield, although the dry summer posed a few challenges.  

Rick remarked, “It was not a lot, but very good quality,” and both consider the business still in the learning process and start-up phase.             

The Linkowski’s are transitioning to Tioga County from Southern California. Lynn grew up in Windsor, N.Y., while Rick’s roots are in San Diego.

A seasoned professional in the restaurant business, Lynn is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, and brings to the table a vast array of experience. For more than 20 years and counting, Lynn has enjoyed a second career in intellectual property. She likes the contract of the legal world and the winery, balancing her interests. She hopes to be able to expand the menu offerings at Glen Park in the future.  

Guests will enjoy charcuterie boards featuring local, organic cheese and sausage produced by Engelbert Farms, and accompanied by chutney, warm honey, mustard, fruit and crackers. Or, guests can choose a Mediterranean board filled with hummus, cheese, olives, vegetable selections and nuts, along with fresh pita and crispy pita chips.

Rick also spent many years in the restaurant business, working in fine dining restaurants and honing in his passion for wine. As a second career, he has worked as a grip for more than two decades in the film industry, primarily in California, but also filming in other states and countries.  

As for the overall property, the wow-factor of its extraordinary craftsmanship remains. After passing through a gated driveway, visitors are welcomed into a grand entrance complemented by spectacular lighting.

Inside, your eyes are immediately drawn to a mix of old and new world style beams, custom accents, beautiful stairs and balustrades, and red oak flooring in the loft. A door that was built from reclaimed Douglas fir stands out as a conversation-starter.

The winery features a relaxing area where a warm fire is built for the winter months, and in the summer an outside patio with seating is a draw for guests who choose to gather outdoors. There is also a loft area on the second floor of the building that features ten tables.  

While in the initial search for a property, Lynn explained that she had searched on-line utilizing a popular real estate database when Glen Park caught her eye.  With family nearby in Windsor, a tour was quickly planned.

She said she was in awe at first sight, and remarked, “It was meant-to-be.”

Now that the season has turned, Glen Park Vineyards welcomes guests to warm up to a cozy fire while enjoying a glass of wine, with mulled wine to be offered soon.

The Linkowski’s are also serving up inventive cocktails, such as their specialty sangria, or their “Fall in a glass,” otherwise known as Cideria. The drink consists of hard cider, fresh sweet cider and cherry juice, and then garnished with a skewer of cinnamon sugar apples.
Glen Park Vineyards is accepting reservations for private events such as bridal showers, anniversaries or retirement celebrations, just to name a few, and is a perfect setting for a more intimate gathering of up to 49 people indoors.

Hours will vary during the upcoming months, so the Linkowski’s suggest you check the website or social media for hours of operation and special event announcements. Just recently, Glen Park was host to live music, with more events to come.

The Linkowski’s welcome you to visit, and both shared, “We love all of the people here, and we thank the County and everyone who has helped and inspired us.” 

For inquiries, call (607) 414-0634 or email owegowineco@gmail.com. For information or to complete an online form, visit glenparkvineyards.com. You can also find them on Facebook and Instagram.