Destination of the Week

New York

Pop quiz - what's the United States' second largest wine producing region.   Virginia?   Michigan?   Well, it's New York State where grapes are grown and wines are produced all the way from Long Island to Lake Erie.   Throughout the Finger Lakes region, you'll find some of the best vineyards which contribute to the great wines produced there.  

The Finger Lakes wineries are the ones most people hear of.   Their names are Canandaigua, Keuka, Seneca, Cayuga, Owasco and Skaneateles (west to east).   According to Iroquois legend, the Great God Manitou attempted wanted to reward the Iroquois for their courageous fighting and their homage the Spirit. He gave them a sample of their happy hunting ground in the lakes - the result of his leaving his handprint in the land.

Today, camping, biking, and hiking are big sports but there's room for just about any other sport in this 9000+ square miles of beauty.   There are wildlife refuges, waterfalls - over a thousand - in and around a national forest and 25 state parks.   Swimming, boating, and water-skiing abound and there are plenty of fish to be caught.   If you like waterfalls, get to Taughannock Falls where the water drops farther than at Niagara Falls.

Not outdoorspeople?   There are plenty of festivals, as well as cultural events and, of course, shopping.   Get to Cayuga Lake for museum touring.

And wine.   There are over seventy wineries in the Finger Lakes region.   Fifty of them produce over 85% of New York's wines.   There are wine trails around or along Keuka, Seneca, and Cayuga lakes which can be hiked, walked or driven and the tastings and tours along the way are always made fun by owners and staff with their arms wide open.

Check out Finger Lakes Association for more information.

In addition to the Finger Lakes Region, New York is experiencing tremendous growth of the wine industry outside the traditional viticultural areas.   In fact, you can experience wine in Syracuse, Binghamton, or even Sterling.   Actually, you'll find wine in over half of New York's counties including wineries along the west side of the Hudson River which have created the Shawangunk Wine Trail.   Then, on the east bank you can try the Dutchess Wine Trail.

Then, continuing east, you'll find over three thousand acres of vineyards and 25 wineries on Long Island.

The actual Long Island Wine Region is in Nassau and Suffolk counties.   Here they produce world-class chardonnays, Cabs and Merlot.   These wines continue to grow in popularity and are now becoming regional leaders as well as gaining distribution worldwide.   If you live in Manhattan, escape to the Long Island Wine Region is a great weekend escape.

Actually, from most of the Eastern Seaboard, New York is an easy trip for touring and wine tasting.   Pick a weekend, get in the car and go!   You'll find some great tastes as well as beautiful countryside.   Definitely worth the drive.

Check out The Wine Experience Radio Shows on New York Sparkling Wine.

Got a destination in mind? Start planning your trip here.