After mentioning the Finger Lakes region as a wonderful producer of Ice Wine in a recent post, I wanted to expound on how great the region is as a whole. This touristic wine region is little more than a half day’s drive from New York City. It’s a string of 11 deep lakes sculpted centuries ago by glaciers. Today, green carpets of grapevines line the roadways, climb the hills, and cascade down to the lakes, supporting more than 100 wineries. New York State, primarily because of the lakes region, now ranks third behind California and Washington in wine production in the U.S. Once you find your way up to the Finger Lakes region, here are some places you may want to stop.

Hammondsport is a good starting point, and is home to the nation’s first bonded winery – Great Western.  This winery offers tours and historic exhibits in eight remarkable stone buildings dating back to 1860. After Great Westen, you can ead up the way to Bully Hill Vineyards, a small village unto itself, and close to two of the region’s finest wineries – Heron Hill and Dr. Konstantin Frank’s Vinifera Wine Cellars. Further up and a short swing away from the lake is Hunt Vineyards, manned by a sixth-generation family of winemakers.

Seneca is the largest and deepest of all the lakes and has the most wineries lining its shores. Route 14 heads south along the lake, passing an inviting procession of wineries. Key stops include Hermann J. Weimer winery (producer of German-style Rieslings) as well as the Fox Run and Anthony Road wineries. Farther south is Glenora Wine Cellars, home also to a modern inn and restaurant overlooking vineyards and the lake. A little past Glenora, is Fulkerson Winery, which offers home winemaking supplies and lessons.

Climbing north along the eastern shore of Seneca, you’ll pass a baker’s dozen of wineries. Key stops should include LaFayette Reneau (famed for sparkling wine), the rustic Hazlitt 1852 Wine Cellars at Hector (with a huge selection of native New York wines and a massive tasting bar), Red Newt Cellars (notable for its cult-wine Cabernet Sauvignon) and the stylish Grecian-pillared Lamoreaux Landing in Lodi. Nearby is Wagner Vineyards, a winery and brewery.

The last stop on the trip could be the Cayuga Lake Area, where many of the wineries are making surprisingly good blends using European varietals, hybrids, and Native American grapes. That group includes Goose Watch, Swedish Hill, and Lucas Vineyards.

For more information or to plan a trip, check out www.fingerlakeswinecountry.com.

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