Earlier this summer, we went wine tasting in New York's Finger Lakes region. Not all the wine we had was worth drinking, but these places deserve a stop.
Make sure to step over the cat when you walk into Chateau LaFayette Reneau. This winery, on the east side of Seneca Lake, keeps things rustic with its tasting room in a converted barn and its famous-for-Upstate feline mascot.
Like many vineyards in the area, Reneau levies a tasting fee of $4, but you'll get to keep the glass--and you get to try up to 12 wines. (Or more! On our recent stop, they let us sample all 20 offerings.)
After your epic flight of Rieslings and Chardonnays, stake out a spot on the back porch and unroll your picnic supplies. If you'd like to linger longer, there's also an inn on the property.
Earlier this summer, we went wine tasting in New York's Finger Lakes region. Not all the wine we had was worth drinking, but these places deserve a stop.
No real trek through the Upstate wine country is complete without a stop at Dr. Konstantin Frank's Vinifera Wine Cellars. It's a bit of a drive to get there, but if it weren't for Dr. Frank, there might not be Finger Lakes wine.
Growing up in the Ukraine, the doctor studied methods to grow high-quality vinifera grapes (think Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay and Riesling) in colder climates. When he later moved to the Finger Lakes, his winery, started in 1962, was the first to grow these European varieties in the area--and the first to prove it could be done.
After Dr. Frank passed away in 1985, his family took over, continuing the production of top quality wines. You'll also find some more esoteric stuff here, like Rkatsiteli (a white), Fleur de Pinot Noir (a non-vintage red) and a Blanc de Blancs (a Champagne-style bubbly).
Earlier this summer, we went wine tasting in New York's Finger Lakes region. Not all the wine we had was worth drinking, but these places deserve a stop.
Despite the name, not all the wineries in this region actually overlook lakes, and the best of that bunch is undoubtedly Six Mile Creek. Just a 7-minute drive from downtown Ithaca, the winery is almost urban in its setting at the south end of Cayuga Lake.
Owners Nancy and Roger Battistella opened their vineyard in 1987, focusing on small yields and the local microclimate. Unlike many of the other wineries north of Six Mile Creek, where the deep lake provides a moderating influence, the growing season is particularly short in Ithaca. Because of that only white wine grapes are grown on-site.
That said, all the vinification and bottling happens here, and thanks to the Battistella's use of grapes from other regions, the reds are some of the best made in the Finger Lakes. Particularly interesting is Quintessence, a blend that varies in composition from vintage to vintage. Also distinctive is Six Mile Creek's grappa--though it's not for the faint of heart!
Earlier this summer, we went wine tasting in New York's Finger Lakes region. Not all the wine we had was worth drinking, but these places deserve a stop.
Unlike many of the wineries on Seneca Lake, Villa Bellangelo sits a little bit off Highway 14. We actually drove right past it, but after whipping a quick U-turn, we realized that there's a big sign marking the drive.
Bellangelo rocks an Italian vibe, complete with a Vespa on the porch of the tasting room. The theme continues in the wines, which are mostly dry. You'll find plenty of crisp whites--we liked the stainless steel-aged Chardonnay--and an atypical-for-the-region Sangiovese. (That's the same grape Italians use in Chianti and Brunello di Montalcino.)
Perhaps the biggest surprise at Bellangelo, though, isn't the wine on offer. The tasting room has free WiFi and plenty of seating, making it a great spot for checking in with the office while enjoying a glass of wine and a sweeping view of the lake.
The fickle little fruit that became so popular thanks to a horizontal movie about failed expectations, insecurity, wine tasing and adultery has been having a major moment in the media sun. No doubt that means big crowds at Fort Mason in San Francisco this weekend for the Pinot Days festival.
The list of producers 180 strong, so if you like pinot noir, chances are you'll be a kid in a candy store. Besides lots of knobs walking around with their complimentary wine glass strung around their neck like drab-suburban bling, serious oenophiles can hear talks form some of the top Pinot producers in the world as well as meet wine makers from all over.
The one thing that caught our eye was the "Focus Tastings." You're poured 16 different wines to taste and try to determine how each differs. They call it education, we call it paying $65 to have purple teeth!
We've spent the last few days touring around Upstate New York, investigating some of our old favorites and finding new places to add to our Upstate Travel Map. It's been going pretty well!
We hope to bring you more on the region later this summer, but in the meantime, here are some wineries that we've enjoyed on our latest trip. Trust us, you won't mind 100-degree heat when you're sipping on a frosty Finger Lakes Riesling.
The Food & Wine Classic, takes place this weekend in the swellest mountain town in the USA, Aspen, Colorado. It's the Art Basel of American cuisine, a place where you can sample some of the country's finest wines, attend a "Future of Flavor" seasoning seminar by high cuisine juggernaut McCormick and steal away to the US Open viewing lounge to gripe to other dudes about how all you want to do is play some golf and get away from your wife and her drunk friends.
Beginning this Friday afternoon, there are some really quality events such as the Sam Adams beer pairing with food and a documentary about Spanish wine country held at the Aspen Opera House. (We're pretty sure Aspen is the only ski town with an opera house.)
If you're a wine aficionado but don't want to trek all the way to Napa this spring, you can keep it East Coast during the the 12th Annual Nantucket Wine Festival from May 14-18.
The fest is staged entirely in downtown Nantucket, making everything walkable and easy to find. And what's "everything" you ask? An amazing line-up including seminars from famous epicureans (Jody Adams, Anthony Susi and more) to an auction dinner at the White Elephant to a special "Great Wines in Grand Houses" program where guests enjoy intimate wine tastings in some of the island's classic--and classy--homes.
Tickets are going quickly for all events, but if you want to splurge, buy the "Grand Cru" for $550 per person and you'll have an all-access pass to the week's events. If you're looking for a quaint spot to stay, check out The Cottages, a collection of 33 little rental homes set on Nantucket's wharf, a short walk from downtown. Don't forget your whale critter tie!
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