This weekend in Montezuma there will be a little something for wine lovers and nature lovers alike.

For the past four years, the Montezuma Winery and the Montezuma Wildlife Refuge have partnered for the Wildflowers and Wine event to benefit the restoration of the wetland complex.

“The winery has been a really good partner all along the way,” said refuge visitor services manager Andrea Stewart. “It's a nice way to highlight both the wildlife side of things and community side of things.”

Each year for the event, the winery will make a limited edition specialty wine to complement the bird that the refuge has decided to focus the day's event around. This year, that bird happens to be the Cerulean Warbler, Stewart said.

At the refuge, visitors can go on guided canoe and kayak tours to view the wetlands up close before heading to the winery to taste the new wine.

“There will also be guided bus tours to take people into areas (of the refuge) that are typically closed to the public,” Stewart said. “Because the Cerulean Warbler is a rare nester, there are not many nesting sites through New York, but we have very good spots for that in the complex.”

Although Stewart said typically when people hear the word wine in the name of an event, they tend not to think family-friendly, this event will have lots for everyone. There will be displays from conservation groups, live birds of prey demonstrations, coloring stations, temporary tattoos and more.

“The Cerulean Warbler is a brilliant color of blue, so there will be lots of blue,” Stewart said. “We'll also have a binocular watch; we'll put out (mounted birds) for them to find and then when (the children) are comfortable using the binoculars, they can bird spot on their own.”

Besides wine tastings, the winery will also offer Cayuga Creamery ice cream made with the Cerulean Warbler wine, live music, decoy carving demonstrations and the Montezuma Fire Department will host a chicken barbecue for a $5 fee.

Part of the proceeds from the wine will be donated to the Montezuma Wetlands Complex to continue the restoration efforts.

“Now we're even getting into establishing shrub and reforesting on the refuge,” Stewart said, noting that the complex also partners with the winery throughout the year in this effort.

If you go

What: Wildflowers and Wine

When: 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday

Where: Montezuma Wildlife Refuge and Montezuma Winery, Routes 5 and 20, Seneca Falls

Cost: Free

For details: Call 568-597