Written by Megin Potter| Photos by Rob Spring Photography
The new owner of the Saratoga Winery goes all out for your big day
When Annie Rose Brill became the General Manager of the Saratoga Winery in 2020, she had no idea she’d own it just three years later.
Originally from Chicago, she and her husband, Andrew, met while they both attended Skidmore College in Saratoga. They married in 2012 and have two children, Peter, 8, and Mitzie, 5.
In 2021, the Saratoga Winery’s owners, Rich and Tara Nimmo, told Annie they were looking to sell.
“I’m a big believer in fate and the universe. Andrew and I had been talking about owning our own restaurant and then this just fell in our laps. It was an opportunity I wasn’t going to let pass us by,” said Annie.
After two years of learning how to navigate the world of small business loans, they closed on the property in June 2023.
Double the Event Experience
Annie, the former Event Director at the Mansion at Saratoga, fell in love with weddings when she was planning her own.
“For my wedding, I planned and obsessed (psychotically!!), and assumed everyone did that, but when I realized they didn’t, and that I could help them, that’s what I did. I’m good at understanding the big picture and the event as a whole, but I’m also obsessive about the details.”
Today, Annie has provided full-service wedding coordination for more than 400 weddings and says there’s nothing she hasn’t seen. And, with Andrew, who most recently worked as a Mazzone Group Sales Manager, by her side, Annie has a partner she can depend on.
“His work ethic is incredible. There’s nobody I trust more to get it done as equally well (or better) than I would,” she said.
The Secret Ingredient
Since coming aboard, Annie has made some major changes at The Saratoga Winery. To facilitate weddings (the venue’s keystone events) their new year-round hours on Saturday and Sunday are 10am – 4pm. They now serve an award-winning brunch menu of Upstate Pub Fare including an amazing selection of sandwiches, their popular wood-fired Hangover Pizza, Falafel Nachos, and Cinnamon Space Buns that are out of this world!
Created by Executive Chef Alex Kenney, their catering menu features items suitable for casual and formal events alike including a barbeque buffet, filet mignon, and prime rib options. Incorporating many handcrafted wines into their dishes, their menu offers upscale dining with regional flare.
The Saratoga Winery’s sous chef, Corey Henry, is also their Beverage Director, crafting signature cocktails with juices and syrups made in-house. As talented as their culinary team is, Annie said that when prepping and catering an event, there’s always one extra-special ingredient added.
“When you spend this much time with each other, its important to like each other, have fun, and laugh.”
In addition to a total rebrand, Annie executes the many levels of logistics and works with you closely to ensure a seamless, hassle-free wedding for up to 175 people in a rustic but refined reception space filled with farmhouse tables, Chiavari chairs, and twinkling bistro bulbs. From the restaurant’s covered deck, to their four wine cabanas, the bright yellow 1940 International orchard truck, and lawn games in Saratoga’s biggest backyard, Annie makes the outdoors work for you.
Next on her list – resuming in-house wine making.
To learn more, find The Saratoga Winery on Facebook, Instagram, and at
www.thesaratogawinery.com
