finger lakes wine country

Spend some time driving around one of the Finger Lakes. Each lake offers amazing views, hiking trails, wineries, cute small towns and various places to stay. Also nearby the amazing town of Ithaca and the top -notch Corning Museum of Glass.

There are few places in the world that rival the beauty and hospitality of the Finger Lakes. Every season has a different "flavor" around the lakes. Winter time offers a slower pace and the chance to have the winemaker pour your tasting - talk about insight into the wine! Spring time offers the land coming back to life and some fabulous events around the lakes. Summertime and the living is easy -- but be prepared for busy tasting rooms. Take your time to stroll through the gorgeous grounds of the wineries. Buy a bottle and enjoy the vistas! Autumn is breathtakingly beautiful as the foliage changes. You can do some lakes in a weekend (Keuka, Cayuga, Canandaigua) but Seneca Lake especially needs several days to really enjoy - and be safe!

The Finger lakes wineries in western New York State offer an enjoyable visit almost any time of year, but the sunny cool days and colorful fall leaves make autumn our favorite time to visit.Our personal favorite lake wine trail is the Seneca Lake Wine Trail with over 30 wineries on the west and east sides of Seneca Lake (about 35 miles long) that stretches from Geneva at the north end to Watkins Glen at the south end of the lake. You can travel down one side of the lake and then return back up the opposite side for the most enjoyable trip. The Finger lakes wineries play host to several tasting events throughout the year with several food and wine pairings offered on weekends in the summer and fall, and most wineries offer free foods to sample with your wine selections. Our personal favorite winery is the Hermann J. Wiemer winery near Dundee on the west side of the lake. (Make sure you don't skip this one!). You will need to plan both weekend days in order to visit the majority of the wineries and enjoy the delicious selections offered in this region of NY state.

Whether your taste runs to dry reds and whites or to sweet wines; there is a new favorite waiting for you in the Finger Lakes. When you are tired of wine (as if that were possible) try one of the many microbreweries nestled in with the wineries. The scenery is gorgeous whether you drive or hike along the lakes and where there is water, there is great boating, swimming and fishing. I favor the wineries between Seneca Lake and Cayuga Lake but there are so many wineries in the area that a weekend just begins your exploration. Tasting fees are cheap compared to Sonoma and are often refunded if you purchase a bottle or two. Case discounts are available for those who want to stock their cellars. If you like racing, there is Watkins Glen for cars and the Finger Lake Race Track for the ponies.

Lots of great wineries around the Finger Lakes and lots of good restaurants too. If you want to buy some of the wines, go ahead, but it can be more cost efficient to make a list of the wines you liked and from what winery. Then you can go to a wine and licquer store and save 2 to 3 dollars a bottle.

There is nothing better on a crisp autumn day than to visit the wineries of the Finger Lakes. I particularly enjoy the Keuka Lake and Seneca Lake Establishments. Each winery has a different way of showcasing their wines and products . There are tastings and on special occasions many offer food. You can sit on an outside deck to sip your wine and take in the amazing views or stay inside and feel free to ask questions. The Finger Lakes offer so many varied attractions and the wineries are a great place to start. Don't forget to try the Ice Wine from our region. Once you have visited, you will want to return time and time again.

The Finger Lakes Region of Upstate New York is magnificent, no matter if you're visiting for the first time or returning for the tenth. As a long-time resident of Rochester, the Finger Lakes is what I'd miss most if I ever leave. More than Niagara Falls. Watkins Glen, Buttermillk Falls, and Taughannock Falls are breathtaking state parks. Award-winning wineries are plentiful, and many offer beautiful views of Seneca and Canadiagua Lakes. You would be very hard pressed to find something not for everyone in the Finger Lakes. In this fast and furious world we are living in, the Finger Lakes offer limitless sanctuary from today's hustle and bustle.

They have a red that pairs with "Chicken Wings and Pizza" - Need i say more?? The owners are very uncondescending and helpful when you ask about the wines/pairings and are more than helpful to explain the process and what the wines are.

My wife and I were driving north, through the spectacular finger lakes countryside, stopping for lunch at the Bully Hill Vineyard Restaurant. Its been many years since we stopped. The view from the parking lot was awe inspiring -- we took several photographs of the lake, with vineyards marching down to the water. Walking up about 40 steps on a well maintained and attractive set of step, surrounded by flowers and shrubs we arrived at the level of the hillside where the restaurant, a gift shop, and the winery are located. We stopped to take photographs of the spectacular, unusually large, morning glory blossoms. Entering the restaurant we were greeted by the hostess, Walter Taylor's wife. Because it was a cool day, we chose to sit inside, but there's a great deck the provides a wonderful view of the lake and vineyards -- perfect for a warm and sunny day. Walter Taylor's original artwork appears on the walls of the restaurant. We learned from his wife that Walter was a self taught artist. We've enjoyed his unique wine labels for years and it was a pleasure to view more of his work. The food was delicious and the service excellent. Of course we enjoyed a glass of the winery's product with our meal. After a wonderful lunch we wandered into the gift shop, where I purchased a set of 50 of Walter's idiosyncratic wine labels as a souvenir and remembrance of one of the most interesting and unique personalities our Finger Lake's Wine Country has produced. Walter died many years ago. The story of his creative fight for the Taylor name on his wine is still told and re-told in Upstate New York and beyond. The labels that annoyed the Coca-Cola company, the company that had purchased his family's Taylor Wine Company (but not the Walter Taylor wine company) contained his name, with a black magic marker line through "taylor", to comply with a court ruling. That wasn't good enough for the court. Despite losing the right to his name, Walter Taylor created a successful winery and it now has an excellent restaurant I am pleased to recommend.

Several times a year we visit Keuka Lake wine trail. We have stayed in different bed and breakfasts, camped at Hickory Hill campground and also just take a drive down for the day. My favorite wineries are #1 McGregor's. Rooster Hill and Dr. Franks. Bully Hill is a lot fun and they have a restaurant. There are always events going on so check it out online before you make your plans. Some wineries charge for tasting and if you buy their wine, it is given off the wine you buy. I guarantee you will find a great wine and any of the wineries I mentioned above!

Whether you like wine or beer or cheese or fruit, the Finger Lakes are the best! The scenery is beautiful each season of the year with the water, the hills, the green landscapes and the picturesque small towns all contributing.Each lake has it's own 'personality' when it comes to the wineries. Seneca has the highest concentration ... it seems you just left one and another appears! And the wines are so numerous there is at least one for everyone's palate. But wine is meant to be enjoyed with food, so the cheese makers and fruit growers and the fantastic small restaurants scattered about all interact to provide the options to delight foodies as well.So old Dad doesn't like wine? Then take him to one of the growing number of breweries and I'd guarantee he'd find several that he'd thoroughly enjoy whetting his whistle with!To do the region justice, it's going to take several ... likely many ... weekends (or weeks if you're so inclined!) to enjoy the area fully! That's why I'm glad we're within an hour of the area so we can visit at will. I encourage you to come visit too!

My wife and I have been visiting the Finger Lakes wineries for many years and kind of got into a rut. We enjoy 12 area wineries very much (Weimer, Shalestone, Damiani, Bilsboro, Anthony Road, Ravines, Heart & Hands, Keuka Springs, Heron Hill, Kemeter, Shaw Vineyards and Glenora) but seeing three of them four times a year gets us into a bit of a cycle. Last year we decided to branch out. New, and delectable wineries we added to our "favorites list" are Serenity, Zugibe, and Hector Wine Company. We encourage you to continue to savor the Finger Lakes wineries and other attractions available in the area, and to explore new venues, including shops, cheeseries (is that even a word?), restaurants and the like. There is a terrific growing tourist industry that deserves your attention. Enjoy it.

July and August in the finger lakes region is stunningly beautiful and uncrowded. In fact, it can be difficult to find places to stay because the area is not that populated. Bed and Breakfasts, especially ones right on a lake, are a great option but book up to a year in advance. Most are surrounded by wineries, particularly on Seneca and Cayuga Lakes, which are the two largest of the finger lakes and generally have the best wines. Don't miss Swedish Hill; Americana; Lamoreaux Landing; and Sheldrake.

The wineries have theme tours-especially in the fall. This is a great way to sample the many excellent wines this area has to offer; and it is fun as well. The Finger Lakes area is quite picturesque as you make a leisurely round of the wineries. You could stop at the Canandaigua Wine and Culinary Center first for some samples and information. I went on the Keuka Lake tour, as it has several wineries a short distance from each other. This region has quite a few good places to stay ( I stayed at B&B's) and places to eat. There is also the well known Naples Grape festival in the Fall-though that is getting more and more crowded. By all means give this area a try! You will not regret it.

what could be better, right? The Clifton Springs Spa is a clinic in a wing of a hospital. Not exactly the "spa" of my dreams, but will do in a pinch. Good natural mineral bath, nice and hot, good massage. I tasted wine at Ravine's in Geneva and was happy with their whites and a couple reds, the Keuka village and the Cab/Franc both were delish. The Pinot Noir was thin, watery. The Finger Lakes are a beautiful region and I've had the pleasure to visit many times. Highly recommend.