This month Vegas Wine News reports on a wine destination that few of us in the western United States know much about; the Finger Lakes region of up-state New York.  Elaine and Scott Harris of the vinolasvegas blog spot recently traveled to the Finger Lakes, and helped contribute invaluable information for this article, as well as providing all the photographs reproduced herein.

 

    The Finger Lakes region consists of  11 different lakes which lie just south of U.S. Interstate 90 between Buffalo and Syracuse. Rochester, New York, provides the nearest commercial airport for the area.  It takes a little more than an hour to reach the Finger Lakes from Rochester.  The drive from New York City takes almost six hours, but weaves through some beautiful countryside along the way.

 

    Formed by glacial action millions of years ago, the lakes have long, narrow shorelines, surrounded by rolling hills covered with forests, and, more recently, vineyards.  From a distance, the lakes appear as “fingers” of blue stretched out upon a carpet of green, and this feature gives rise to the name of the region.  It all makes for very beautiful scenery.  The Lakes have extremely clear water and are very deep.  Good size trout and salmon populate the lakes, and provide a bonanza of fishing opportunities for the sportsman.

 

    Designated an American Viticultural Area (AVA), the Finger Lakes region has gained increased respectability in the world of wine during the past 30 years.  Prior to that, the region was often known for sweet, monolithic wines made primarily from native or hybrid grapes.  Now, the area can make a legitimate claim to produce some of the best Rieslings and Gewurztraminers in the United States. Most of the wines come with a very reasonable price tag.

  

 

 

    Scott and Elaine timed their trip to coincide with the annual Finger Lakes Wine Festival.  The town of Watkins Glen, located at the southern tip of Lake Seneca, hosts this event each summer.  It runs over a three day period, from Friday through Sunday.  The party kicks off on Friday with a rollicking toga party.  Locals come dressed in some outrageous costumes, and encourage visitors to join in.  Admission into the festival costs $30.00 each day.  

 

    Once inside the festival grounds, visitors may sample wines from over 70  vintners from the entire Finger Lakes region who display their wines for tasting.  Visitors stroll down such festival named areas as Pinot Avenue, Riesling Boulevard, or Cabernet Courtyard.  The festival offers wine seminars, culinary classes, and plenty of good eating opportunities in addition to wine tasting.  Live music, and cooking demonstrations help entertain the crowd.  The festival provides both a fun experience and a nice introduction to the wines of the region.  It will also give the tourist a good idea of what to see and do in the Finger Lakes area.

 

 

 

 

    Dr. Konstantin Frank, going against many skeptics, pioneered the production of vinifera grapes in the area.  In turn, these efforts helped region gain notoriety as a quality wine producing area.  Today, Fredrick Frank operates Dr. Konstantin Frank’s Vinifera Wine Cellars, the scion of his grandfather’s innovative methods.  It remains as one of the top wineries to visit on a trip to the Finger Lakes, and won “winery of the year” for New York State in 2001 and 2006.  The wines have received accolades from the eminent wine critic Robert Parker, Wine Spectator and Wine & Spirits magazines.  Located on the west side of Lake Keuka, it takes about forty minutes to make the drive from Watkins Glen along the Keuka wine trail.

 

 

 

    Have fun drinking wine and taking in the rural ambience of up-state New York…