Finger Lakes Region
Libations
There are 187 Wineries, Cideries, Breweries, and Meaderies in the Finger Lakes Region. It could take you weeks to visit them all and you would probably be pretty hammered the entire time, so we will let you know which ones are our favorites to save your liver and your time! There are 4 different wine trails in the Finger Lakes that all have their unique things to see and do. Check out the Daycation section to get a couple of great itineraries for your FLX (how cool people abbreviate Finger Lakes) libation tasting adventures.
Seneca Lake Wine Trail:
34-Wineries, 4-Cideries, 4-Distilleries, 6-Breweries
The Basics - the Lake is 37 miles long with 22 of the wineries on the West side and 12 on the East. Unless you are very selective with your stops, it is best to only attempt one side in a day. The southeast section of the Lake has a concentration of very good wineries with primarily dry wine options, and the Northwest section has great wineries as well. Geneva and Watkins Glen are good towns to stay in before/after your wine tour.
Most popular Wine Varietals - Reisling, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay
Best Wineries - Herman Weimer (Reislings, best Chardonnay in the FLX), Damiani (Saperavi, Sparkling Brut), Boundary Breaks (Sparkling Gewurztraminer, Dry Rose), Ravines (Reisling, Pinot Noir, Ampersand Port)
Fun Destinations - 3 Brothers Winery - with 3 Wineries, a cidery, and a brewery it covers all of the beverage bases. With a pirate themed, love themed, and standard winery, it is meant to have a great, fun vibe. Glenora Winery - monthly summertime jazz concerts in the vineyard and the Leaves and Lobster in the fall make it more than just a place for a taste. Belhurst Estate Winery - Housed in a beautiful castle built in 1885, the winery is a small part of the great things to do. Lodging in the castle comes with complimentary wine that flows from a spigot in the 2nd and 3rd floor hallways!
Keuka Lake Wine Trail:
20-Wineries, 3-Cideries, 1-Distillery, 2-Breweries
The Basics - Keuka is called the Crooked Lake because of it’s Y shape. It is 18 miles long and 45 miles to drive around the entire Lake, so you can definitely do the entire trail in a day. Penn Yan and Hammondsport are both great places to stay for your trip.
Most popular Wine Varietals - Reisling, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay
Best Wineries - Dr. Konstantin Frank (Reislings), Heron Hill (Rose, Blaufrankish), Macgregor Winery (Sparkling Reisling, Dry Rose)
Fun Destinations - Bully Hill Vineyard - Founder Walter Taylor’s family owned Taylor Winery that was purchased by Coca-Cola in the 70’s. Walter was quite a character and the story about his fight with the corporate behemoth is very funny. He painted all the labels as well. Domaine Leseurre and Weis Wineries are a mile away from each other and the French and German inspired wineries make you feel like you are in those countries when you are tasting the wines.
Cayuga Lake Wine Trail
16-Wineries, 9-Cideries, 3-Distilleries, 4-Breweries
The Basics - Starting near Seneca Falls and ending in Ithaca, Cayuga Lake is the longest of the Finger Lakes at 38 miles. There are numerous apple orchards around the lake, hence the higher ratio of cideries to wineries than any of the other FLX trails. Most of the wineries are in the central part of the west side of the lake, which is only about 20 miles from Ithaca. With Cornell and Ithaca College within its borders, Ithaca is a thriving and eclectic city with numerous good restaurants that make it a perfect place to crash after your Cayuga wine/cider tasting experience. The Cornell Cooperative Extension is a research center based on farming which has helped wine growers in the region hone their craft and improve the quality of the wines and ciders produced throughout the state.
Most popular Wine Varietals - Pinor Noir, Reisling, Rose
Best Wineries/Cideries - Heart and Hands Winery (Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Rose), Hosmer Estate Winery (Reisling, Rose), Blackduck Cidery (Dry Ciders)
Fun Destinations - Have you ever tried Mushroom Flavored Vodka? Yes, it does sound gross, but the Mushroom Spirits Distillery in Seneca Falls makes it, and it is good. Finger Lakes Cider House - with over 20 different ciders on the menu along with a tasty restaurant serving foods made from locally sourced farms, it is a good place to hang your hat for a sandwich, listen to a band, and have a glass of cider or a cocktail.
Canandaigua Lake Wine Trail
6-Wineries, 1-Distillery, 3-Breweries
The Basics - This is the smallest and newest of the Finger Lakes wine trails. Since Canandaigua is the smallest lake in the Finger Lakes and appropriately so, has the least wineries, you can easily hit all six of the wineries in one day. Heron Hill has the best wine of any of them, but it is only a tasting room. Save your trip to Heron Hill until you visit their actual winery on Keuka Lake. Stop in Canandaigua for lunch, dinner or both. It is a beautiful town with a lot of great food options.
Most popular Wine Varietals - Reisling, Rose
Best Wineries - Arbor Hill Winery (Reisling, Noiret), Inspire Moore (Dry Rose, Meritage Blend)
Fun Destinations - Hazlitt Winery has the biggest selling wine in the Finger Lakes - Red Cat. As part of your tasting, you get to say the Red Cat chant in unison with your fellow tasters. “Red Cat, Red Cat, its an aphrodisiac!” The wine is very sweet, but the winery is a fun experience.