I am traveling with the fiancé to the Finger Lakes at the end of the month and am quickly filling up my dance card with wineries to hit up while I am there. I have searched previous threads on the subject on here, but wanted to see if there were any new wineries or wineries left out of previous threads I should hit up.
I have been to all of those except Bloomer Creek and think you have picked some really good ones. I would suggest 2 more for you, both on Seneca Lake. You definitely should do Damiani and Standing Stone. Damiani makes some real kick ass reds. Last time I was there, a few months ago, they were pouring a 2010 single vineyard Pinot and Syrah and both were excellent. You will not be sorry you stopped in.
I only suggest Standing Stone for their desert wines, although most of their other wines are ok but have never really blown me away. The desert wines are really fantastic and are great values. They make Gewurtz, Chardonnay, Vidal Blanc, and Riesling Ice wines and I always end up going home with a few bottles.
It doesn’t rate a special appointment, but it looks like you’ll be driving by Hosmer. If you’ve got some room in the schedule it’s worth dropping in. The digs are unimpressive (the tasting room looks like a tacky upstate NY small town gift shop, which it sort of is) but the wines are good and offer great value, even by FL standards.
However, you’ve obviously done your homework and there isn’t a lot to add.
I was going to suggest this also. As for the ‘select wines’, are you referring to the Martini Rheinhart bottlings? If so, I agree. The two recent rieslings tried there about a month ago were excellent.
A little further north, Billsboro on the W side of the road is making some friendly wines at good prices.
I think you’ll find surprises everywhere, but if you only did those you would come away pretty happy I think.
Shalestone is an interesting winery. Not a member of the wine trail and all they do is red. Haven’t tried anything from them in a couple of vintages though. Right near Standing Stone, Red Newt, and Lamoreaux.
I think that you have a great lineup. I would agree that Anthony Road Reserves deserve a taste. Ravines has actually opened a tasting room near Geneva. So it depends on where you are staying if the original Ravines or the new one work better for you. Drop me a note if you need anything while you are here.
Assuming it is still there (it was as of 2006), I would add Shalestone which makes some pretty impressive reds and is right down the street from Standing Stone (which I concur is best for its dessert wines).
For dinner, checkout Stone Cat, right in the same SE corner of Seneca Lake.
Heron Hill is also worth a look, particularly their Ingle Vineyard Rieslings. More petrol and apple butter than you’re going to find in any other Finger Lakes riesling, and without the limey zing. I was thrilled because the wines are sound, and the rieslings are very unique for the area. Sounds like a great trip!
Everything sounds great everyone. Thanks for the suggestions. The only task now is to convince the fiancé that another day of tasting is a splendid idea!
