Many of you will know of our brew reviews, but that's not all that's available to imbibe.
Welcome to the Finger Lakes of New York State, otherwise known as the Wine Country. Nestled between Syracuse and Rochester, the Finger Lakes bring many tourists to west-central New York for their wonderful products and beautiful scenery. Some of the primary lakes from which to choose, among the several other that make up the area, are Cayuga, Seneca, Keuka, and Canandaigua. Each are surrounded by rolling hills and wide outlooks that will take the breaths of visitors, which is why the area is also a popular location for destination weddings. Rieslings and white wines are some of the best in the area due to the soil, but the reds and rosés can be just as good.
While in the Finger Lakes, consider one of the several area-wide events in the region, such as the Seneca Lake Wine Trail's annual summer kickoff event. The trail member wineries, sometimes numbering a couple dozen, sitting on the east and west sides of Seneca Lake will participate. Starting at one of the random locations, visit each winery, tasting what they have to offer as both a wine and food pairing. Do try to bring a non-participating driver with you, as it will become quite intoxicating, even after spreading the trip across the full complement of days. The cities of Geneva to the north, and Watkins Glen to the south, can provide good resupply or stopping points. Even if some of the wineries don't participate in the trail event, they can still be great places to visit for a short wine or even beer tasting, depending on the location.
A trip to the Finger Lakes would not be complete without a visit to the Windmill Farm and Craft Market. Situated outside of the village of Penn Yan, the Windmill is where vendors from around the area of many different walks of life come together on Saturdays during the summer season. First started by the Gunderman family in the 1980's after a trip to a similar outfit in Pennsylvania, the Windmill caught on quickly and saw several mile-long lines of backed up traffic. Although today's market days are not as popular as they once were, the wonderful environment cannot be denied for those seeking local purchases.
So if your Internal Compass takes you to the central or western parts of New York, be sure to stop in the Finger Lakes and the Wine Country.
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