Good Wineries/Attractions around the Finger-Lakes
 

Will be staying near Corning for a week in July and want to spend a day touring the Finger lakes area and seeing some wineries.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Which wineries are the most fun? Are there other attractions, like the Seneca Lake tour or Watkins Glen, that might be worth doing?

Thanks!

Four of us toured around +Seneca Lake starting at watkins Glen. We had a great time - stayed up at the tip of the lake in a nice hotel on the lake. Each day we'd start out good and halfway through we'd have to take one glass and each take a sip of that.

Needless to say - each winery is great - I remember Anthony Road and Logan Ridge and another that made a truly delicious ice wine. Ummmmmm!!

Go and enjoy

Drove at Watkins Glen International myself, but you have to go with a driving school. However, you can get a map of the original Watkins Glen grandprix course that uses public roads at the Chamber of Commerce and drive that old circuit at your leisure.

Also ate at several wineries around Watkins Glen. Everyone we went was wonderful.

No racing fan, here. The Finger Lakes wine fest http://www.flwinefest.com/
is in July, which is lots of fun. We stayed at Glenora, which was very nice. Food was great on the sprawling back porch. I wasn't crazy about many wines there, some were downright bad. The whites were much better than reds (my fav) and many rieslings were excellent.Given the climate and growing season, that makes sense. We went to both sides of Seneca Lake and found some fun wineries and some great food. It was hard to find accomodations in the summer, though. Many places were booked well in advance. We had to stay in some dive for the first night, LOL, but even that wasn't so bad given the friendly people and the charm of the area.Corning had a really nice music festival- I hope you get to enjoy that.Seneca lake has enough wineries to fill your bill, also if you enjoy outdoor activities, there are some excellent parks and water sports available.

The best wineries--Konstantin Frank, Herman Weimar, Shalestone--are not necesarily the most fun. They tend to focus more on quality wines, not hoopla.

There are a few others--Fox ?Something? (I think it may be Fox Run), Glenora, which offer more of an "experience" geared to the tourist who is just casually interested in wine.

I just throw this distinction out there so you'll be aware of it and can tailor your winery visits to the expectations you have.

While you're in Corning, you may also want to visit the Glass Museum.

Hello Alisa,

My hubby and I visited this area last year and our FAVORITE winery was the Wagner Vineyards. Not only did they have a really nice IceWine - Icewine is very sweet, but they had a beer brewery and a great restaurant. The restaurant overlooked the Lake and Vineyards and a number of the dishes used the wines and beer. Here is there website: http://www.wagnervineyards.com/.
As for Corning we did visit the Museum of Glass which was interesting, make sure you go to the first glass blowing show and they give away a free piece that was made the day before!!

A large number of the Finger Lakes wineries are producing some amazing wines - both red and white. Some of my favorites are Lamoreaux Landing, Hazlitt, Fox Run - all on Seneca Lake. Be sure to check out the wineries on Keuka Lake - especially Keuka Overlook. The Wine Festival at the racetrack is July 16 - 18th and is a lot of fun. Also, be sure to check out Amberg winery at the northern tip of Seneca Lake.

I love Seneca Lake and Keuka Lake wineries. For Seneca, start on the East side (which makes sense since you're coming from Ithaca). Start at Atwater and work your way up to Wagner. If you love reds DO NOT MISS Shalestone (a small boutique winery that only makes reds). I would then have lunch in Watkins Glen, and tour the Gorge -- a major attraction not to be missed! Anyone in town can help you out. Then head up the West side -- from Lakewood to Glenora.

If you have time for Keuka, make sure you hit the West side (Dr. Frank's a must!) and have lunch in Hammondsport at the Village Tavern.

Here are some web-sites to help you out:

www.uncorkny.com -- will have all local events by lake, along with location/web-sites of all the wineries)

www.visitithaca.com -- there are some great activities do in Ithaca such as the state parks, the commons, and Cornell.

The Wine Festival at the Race Track is AWESOME! Its really the best way to sample all the wines, and you get to meet so many interesting people!

Make sure you right a trip report!

Thanks so much for all the great info. You are all great! I'm leaving on the 17 so may miss the wine festival-damn. I will certainly post a report when I return.

Has anyone been on the Seneca Lake cruise. Is it hokey? I am bringing my BF to the area for the first time and want to show him the sights.

Thanks again!

Yes, its a bit hokey, but its great to see the lake. I think the Gorge is a better way to spend your time -- you can hike up and down the gorge and get some great pictures. I guess it depends what your interests are -- if you feeling like kicking back and relaxing - the boat. If you are more adventurous and want to hike and see an amazing, unique site - the gorge. You can always do both!

I reread your post -- the most fun winery is Arcadian on the West Side. It is on your right side going north up the lake, after Lakewood, before Glenora. The wine isn't the best, but the atmosphere and the people who work there are a blast. Best to go there after you've been to a few wineries and are a little "relaxed", if you get my drift! Last 2 times I went there they gave out marti gras beads for the best jokes. They also sell kinck-knacks and cheese. Have fun!

Desperately searching for my old records....we liked Lamaroux (sp?_ as well. I think that's where they had a cat, Chardonnay, who strayed in then refused to drink anything but bottled water, LOL. It also constantly knocked over displays in the room. One fun winery was Seneca Shores Cellars. They have a medieval theme/dress and the bottles are kind of cool. Have a great time- it's a lovely area and they are really making strides in the wine production.

Lamoreaux Landing, I think it is.

I'm not sure about the cat, but Lamoreaux Landing has great wines -- we love the house red. The architecture of the building is great. That is just past Wagner on the East side of Seneca. I can't believe I forgot the mention it in my 1st post.

Hi Alisa,
I happen to have grown up in the area,
and now live in Asheville, NC. I just went home last weekend for a visit, and I swear I am always amazed at how gorgeous it is!
Go for Captain Bills boat ride on Seneca Lake. There is a website.
It's fun, and a cruise on the lake should not be missed.

Go to Glen Motor Inn for dessert and sit
where you can look out over the lake.
That is right up the hill from Capt. Bill's. I'm not sure how the food is, but the view is great.

If you like to hike, the Gorge is beautiful. It is a mile or less from
Capt. Bills. They charge to hike, but it is worth it. You don't have to go all the way to the top. Hike until you get tired, and then turn around.
Have Fun!

K.

If you drive up near Geneva, eat dinner at Port's (service can be a bit slow on Friday and Saturday nights), on 14 just south of Geneva. It's delicious!

We had dinner at the Glen Motor Inn last summer -- we were the only people under 40 in the whole place (and I'm 25!!!). Dinner was so-so, service slow, so we didn't stay for desert. Jerlando's on the main drag in town is good for Italian (suprising, I know, but the wait in line is worth it!). There's another restaurant right by Captain Bill's -- cannot remember the name...but it is rather new and the food/service is pretty good. You can view the lake from there, but the view is not as good as Glen Motor Inn.

Ginny Lee's cafe at Wagner's Winery is pretty good (although a pricey). We like going to Ginny Lee's for Sunday brunch. On Friday nights, Wagner has a band on their huge deck and you can order wine or beer (yes, they also brew their own beer) right from a deck window -- kinda like ordering from an ice cream stand, but more fun!

Glen Mountain Market on the main drag is a great, quick place for lunch.

Kgibson -- can you believe The Grapevine shut down!! It is now for sale. I think the owner's husband is taking a new job out of state.

You can tell how great the Finger Lakes area is, as the posts here have been great & passionate! I love it!! New York RULES!

ethaete,
I'm not familiar with the Grapevine.
I grew up in Odessa, about 6 miles
from Watkins. I love Jeraldos too!

On another subject, do you happen to know a good caterer in the area?
I am going to be getting married in July, and we are having a small reception at Seneca Lake at my sister's
cottage. I would like a fairly simple
luncheon for about 40 people. I don't
want to spend alot of money, nor do I
want the food to taste bad! Any suggestions?
K.

Red Newt and Chateau Lafayette Reneau (sp? are two other good wineries, both at the southeast end of Seneca Lake. We rent a limo with neighbors each fall and tour around, it is absolutely beautiful.

I went to a wedding catered by the Lincoln Hill Inn in Canandaigua and they did a great job.That's a good place to eat as well.

kgibson -- I'm not much help in the catering world -- let me check with my friends. My assumption would be that any of the wineries that have restaurants (ie. Wagner, Red Newt, Glenora) would serve great food, but don't know how expensive it would be. I went to a wedding at Red Newt last summer, however I wasn't impressed with the amount of food given -- pretty skimpy. But that could have been the bride and groom's fault.

Your reception sounds great -- I'm so jealous of your reception plans at your sister's cottage!! I would love a cottage of my own on Seneca, unfortunately the prices are way out of our range nowadays.

I'll post later today if I can about caterers. Good luck! ET

Alisa: definitely visit Watkins Glen State Park (Gorge). If you hike all the way in you can come out via the Indian Trail (on the rim) & cross a bridge to see the Gorge from above.

Captain Bill's is a really fun and relaxing boat ride.

kgibson: I wonder if Uncle Joe's restaurant in Geneva would cater your luncheon? They are not overpriced & the food is (according to my Italian husband) "better than my grandmother's cooking."
Good luck & congratulations!