Finger Lakes NY Visit

My wife and I together with a couple of friends will be visiting New York in late June and will have about 3 days to spend in the Finger Lakes region doing some sightseeing as well as wine tasting. I have had a quick look at the wineries there via the Finger Lakes Wine Country web site and have selected a few wineries based mainly on their Rieslings and Gewurztraminers. I figure we can do about 3 wineries a day together with visiting some other of the tourist venues (e.g Corning Glass Museum etc). The listing I have so far is below. If anyone has any suggestions, either for other wineries or wines not to be missed I’d appreciate hearing about them. Note: We are planning to visit the New York Wine & Culinary Center in Canandaigua, so we will have the chance to taste there as well.

Keuka
Dr Frank, Ravines, Heron Hill

Seneca
Glenora, Fox Run, Hazlitt, (Shaw), (Hermann J Wiener)

Cayuga
Hosmer, King Ferry, Sheldrake

Thanks,
Mike

Not sure why you have Wiemer in parenthesis but in my opinion that is the one winery not to miss.

It has been a long time since I was last in the FL but at that time Hazlitt was nothing I would recommend. Maybe things have changed. Close Hazlit are Red Newt, Lamoreaux Landing, and Chateau LaFayette Reneau that may be better options. Also Glenora was o.k. but I was never really impressed with anything they I tried there.

For Keuka I think if you can only do three than those are the ones to visit. If you can work it in, Lunch at Bully Hill use to be very good.

Things change and it was more than 5 years since I was there*, but I second Brian's comments on Wiemer, Glenora and Bully Hill.




*but will return there in July

[David M. Bueker]

You have to go to Wiemer! I think they make the best wines in the region.

I stayed at Glenora in fall 2008, and tasted quite a few of their wines. I wasn't very impressed, but several were nice.

Hi Mike,

To just give some brief input on your list:

Keuka: about right. Personally, I would skip Bully Hill, even for lunch.

Seneca: Skip Glenora, Hazlett (unless you like sweet red in a frat party atmosphere). Definitely Wiemer, and replace Glenora with Anthony Road. Shaw is also worth a visit if you like small, hands-on type places. The east side of Seneca has a number of good choices which should not be missed: Damiani, Lamoreaux, Shalestone, Silver Thread, Red Newt, and Atwater are all doing good stuff. Also, the best places to eat near Seneca are in this area: Dano's, Red Newt and Stone Cat Cafe.

Cayuga: Hosmer and Sheldrake are about the best on the west side - you might also try Thirsty Owl or Lucas. Treleaven was once the only winery on the east side, but now there are a couple more. In particular, Heart and Hands is a new place focusing on Pinot Noir and Riesling - some say they are already making the best PN in the FL. If you make it over to that side of the lake, that is the one I would not miss. For eats try Hazelnut Kitchen in Trumansburg or the cafe at Sheldrake. Otherwise, Ithaca is filled with great choices.

Through another website I became acquainted with Don Kilcoyne, owner and winemaker of Catherine Valley Winery, located on the East side of Seneca Lake - 1st winery North of Watkins Glenn. Great folks, small winery and some very nice wines. http://www.catharinevalley.com/

i get to go there for just a day every year. i really wanted to dislike Hazlett - really commercial looking in a bad way - like the only reason you would go there was to get a buzz. BUT, the wines spoke a different story - the whites especially were really quite good. i'd go there if i were you; the whiplash is fun. i would also mention as someone else has Thirsty Owl. as for the other stuff: yes to the corning museum; but do not miss the Glen itself. Not the town of Watkins Glen but the Glen after which it is named. Lovely spot right on the edge of town as i remember.

Indeed the Corning glass works are well worthy of a trip. If in the area though do not miss travelling the extra few miles to visit Watkins Glen State Park and the falls there. Among the most beautiful scenery you will find in the USA.

Best
Rogov

Keuka: about right. Personally, I would skip Bully Hill, even for lunch.

Joe,

I use to enjoy lunch at Bully Hill when I use to visit. Never did enjoy the wines and the last few times I went I skipped the tasting altogether. Been a decade since last there. Has it gone downhill, other places now better, or is it just that you think skipping Bully Hill entirely is the best for "other reasons".

Keuka: about right. Personally, I would skip Bully Hill, even for lunch.

Joe,

I use to enjoy lunch at Bully Hill when I use to visit. Never did enjoy the wines and the last few times I went I skipped the tasting altogether. Been a decade since last there. Has it gone downhill, other places now better, or is it just that you think skipping Bully Hill entirely is the best for "other reasons".

Hmm, the closest choice would be 'other reasons': I'd just rather give my business to a place that makes good wine. Do they serve other wines besides their own (some places like Red Newt do)? But they might be the best choice in the area, since the restaurant situation around Keuka is dire. I find the highly-recommended place on the square in Hammondsport very over-rated.

I think Joe Moryl has it right. I'll add a couple of comments: All of your Seneca Lake choices except Hazlitt are on the west side of the lake. If you're going to stay on the west side I'd follow Joe's advice and add in Anthony Road. Seneca is a big lake, so if you decide to visit wineries on both sides you'll need to plan your visits. Depending on where you go, driving can take up a fair amount of time.

I agree with Joe's suggestions for the west side of Seneca, but if you're interested in Rieslings and Gewurztraminers you should note that Shalestone's motto is "Red is all we do." No white wines there.

Finally, I visited Shaw with MarkS, who posts here, almost two years ago. I found it a very interesting visit. In addition to being small and hands-on, Steve Shaw has some definite and maybe even idiosyncratic ideas about winemaking. The wines were interesting, and I've got a few put away, including both Riesling and Gewurztraminer. It will be interesting to see how they develop.

Thanks everyone for the comments and advice. The list has been changed accordingly (see below) and will probably change even more once we get some idea of distances and organize accommodation, but its a good start.

Keuka: Dr Frank, Ravines, Heron Hill

Seneca: Hermann J Wiener, Anthony Road, Fox Run, Shaw, (The east side of the lake still under consideration but I keep being told that "this is not just a wine tasting trip")

Cayuga: Hosmer, Thirsty Owl, Sheldrake

Thanks,
Mike

This thread saved me some work! My wife and I, along with three other couples will be visiting the Finger Lakes in July....I love this place!

-Mike

I’d definitely hit up the Red Newt Bistro for lunch http://rednewt.com/web/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=42&Itemid=103 great food, most of it from local ingredients. The wines are great as well. Standing Stone, Lamoreaux and Chateau Lafayette Reneau are close at hand as well.

I’d definitely hit up the Red Newt Bistro for lunch http://rednewt.com/web/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=42&Itemid=103 great food, most of it from local ingredients. The wines are great as well. Standing Stone, Lamoreaux and Chateau Lafayette Reneau are close at hand as well.

So, Ed - where will we be going for NiagaraCOOL this year (Sunday, June 27 - Seneca Lake).

I’d definitely hit up the Red Newt Bistro for lunch http://rednewt.com/web/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=42&Itemid=103 great food, most of it from local ingredients. The wines are great as well. Standing Stone, Lamoreaux and Chateau Lafayette Reneau are close at hand as well.

So, Ed - where will we be going for NiagaraCOOL this year (Sunday, June 27 - Seneca Lake).

I need to wait and see how some issues play out but I think itwould be rude to bypass sometime forum participant, Scott Osborn at Fox Run. Scott also promotes his wines outside of the local area.

I sent Scott a link to this thread and he will welcome us with open arms. He was an active participant in the community a few years ago and I let him know his perspective has been missed. I'll start a new thread as we get close. Perhaps some folks who come will want to go right from the winery tour home. If we do dinner in the FL, we could possibly visit more wineries.

i get to go there for just a day every year. i really wanted to dislike Hazlett - really commercial looking in a bad way - like the only reason you would go there was to get a buzz. BUT, the wines spoke a different story - the whites especially were really quite good. i'd go there if i were you; the whiplash is fun. i would also mention as someone else has Thirsty Owl. as for the other stuff: yes to the corning museum; but do not miss the Glen itself. Not the town of Watkins Glen but the Glen after which it is named. Lovely spot right on the edge of town as i remember.

Maybe I was a bit unfair to Hazlett, but the few times I've been in the tasting room I've found the atmosphere really unpleasant. Drunken contents of white stretch limos there for the Red Cat (as in Catabwa, the sweet, red 'hot tub' wine that is their best seller). But you are correct: some of their offerings are actually quite good. The 2001 Hazlett Cab Franc is one of the best I've tasted in the Finger Lakes.

Everything said about the lack of ambience at Hazlitt is true, but try their '08 Gewurztraminer. I've found it at $10 in some stores and it's hard to beat.