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Heading to Rochester NY and looking to stop in Finger Lakes, recommendations?

 
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Heading to Rochester NY and looking to stop in Finger L... - 4/19/2024 9:29:44 AM   
BobInNH

 

Posts: 59
Joined: 4/9/2022
Status: offline 		Heading to an event at RIT in Rocherster, NY and being a big fan of Reisling, we can finagle a morning at a couple of wineries. Does any one have any recommendations that are reasonable close to the thruway?

bob

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RE: Heading to Rochester NY and looking to stop in Fing... - 4/19/2024 11:25:09 AM   
KPB

 

Posts: 4649
Joined: 11/25/2012
From: Ithaca, New York
Status: offline 		Sure. From 80 up near Rochester you would be in easy driving distance from the top of Seneca lake (on the north west tip of the lake close to the city of Geneva). Start with Ravines. Excellent wines -- in fact they are famous for their Riesling, which is often one of the best of any given vintage. This said, 2023 was a tough vintage around here and I haven't tried their most recent releases. Slightly south of them would be Fox Run, also quite good. I tend to favor the very dry whites, by the way; if you prefer a slightly sweeter wine, a little further south you have Hermann Weimer, a big name around here and probably best in an off-dry style. In fact I just tried one of their vineyard designated wines, "Flower Day" -- it was quite nice. Kemmeter is quite good, close to Weimer.

If you want to make a day of it, a loop around Seneca could be a good option for you. There are good restaurants (Dano's, for example, or Stonecat, or the Ryan Williams lunch-only counter), plus a bunch of places with outdoor picnic areas and a take-out window offering cheese plates or pizza or other kinds of small things. You would drive down (probably on the west side), then loop back up on the east side on 414, where you have Ryan Williams, Forge, Hillock and Hobbs, Leidenfrost, many more. In that list, Forge is the one I absolutely love.

Another option is to head for one of the lakes more to the west, but then I'm less able to help -- I find such good wines from the Seneca area (especially Forge and Ryan Williams) that honestly, I don't really drive to the other lakes often!



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Ken Birman
The Professor of Brettology

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RE: Heading to Rochester NY and looking to stop in Fing... - 4/19/2024 12:41:02 PM   
champagneinhand

 

Posts: 10281
Joined: 5/30/2011
From: Upstate New York, California born.
Status: offline 		Weimer, Fox run has some nice wines. I quite like a lot on the West side of Seneca and then heading down West towards skeins where you can hit a tasting room for Heron hills and then Ravines as you descend into Hammondspot where you can check out Konstantin Frank or Dr. Frank who is one of the founders of growing vinifera grapes up in this area.

He has wonderful sparkling wine, some interesting desserts like botrytis effected late harvest Pinot gris that ages well and overall solid wine. But really the Finger Lakes are filled with quite a bit of a changing landscape because of microclimates and the different rock and such make’s terroir just something getting understood though most are doing a decent if not excellent job these days. Just remember that dry is still a bit off dry.

FLX winery makes some neat reds but a great quick bite of lunch if you enjoy sausage called the FLX weinery on West Lake road of Seneca. You should try their Syrah, as I was shocked that it was pretty cool weather good.

It’s a growing place but with caution because of wine glut and trying to figure out Gen Z. But definitely interesting and beautiful area.

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RE: Heading to Rochester NY and looking to stop in Fing... - 4/19/2024 2:06:52 PM   
carman63

 

Posts: 1
Joined: 3/9/2024
Status: offline 		Hi there, relatively new to CT and probably my first on here. My wife and I had a quick (2 night) stay on Seneca Lake last week. We have our favorites, and tried some new places.

Kueka Lake - Dr Frank, Weis, and Domaine LeSeurre are worth a visit (the last 2 are walking distance from each other). Ravines I believe has a tasting room near Weis, we didn't have time to investigate though.

On Seneca, starting on the west side and going counter-clockwise, Fox Run, HJ Wiemer, Hillick and Hobbs, Forge Cellars, Silver Thread, Boundary Breaks all make (IMO) outstanding Rieslings at prices between $18 and $35.

I didn't mention Standing Stone but they're owned by Wiemer and you should be able to hit either and buy wines from either. If you get to Silver Thread (quite a way off of the highway near Lodi) try the Gridley Bluff or Doyle Fournier. They age nicely.

If you get over to Cayuga Lake, Sheldrake Point is worth checking out. But that's a lot of options for you. Enjoy the area!


Edtied for spelling errors and correcting a winery name.

< Message edited by carman63 -- 4/19/2024 2:08:42 PM >

(in reply to BobInNH)
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RE: Heading to Rochester NY and looking to stop in Fing... - 4/19/2024 2:35:59 PM   
KPB

 

Posts: 4649
Joined: 11/25/2012
From: Ithaca, New York
Status: offline 		One observation: the midrange wines can seem rather similar, and it isn’t necessarily worth the trouble of visiting ten places that all offer indistinguishable bottles. So pick places with differentiated styles or that are working with different varietals, and think in terms of maybe three visits, then lunch, then maybe two or three more. Only a real obsessive could work their way through seventy five tasting glasses…

Riesling is the standout here, but Gewürztraminer and Gruner Veltliner are often excellent, and some of the hybrids can be remarkably good, like Vignolles. Try some of the VT and ice wines, too. Chardonnay has yet to really succeed here in my view, but we have some really good roses and sparkling wines lately.

Reds are very hit and miss, and I myself steer clear of them. Yet Leidenfrost once bottled an absolutely stunning reserve Cabernet franc, in 2007. Miracles can happen.

So I would try for variety on this visit, pick wineries with some varietal and style in mind: Forge for dry Riesling, Ravines for their off- dry (they call it dry) Riesling and their sparkling white, etc. If you try the full lineup at each place you’ll drink way too many mediocre wines and you’ll burn out quickly.

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RE: Heading to Rochester NY and looking to stop in Fing... - 4/19/2024 2:39:47 PM   
Soxgirl

 

Posts: 474
Joined: 4/14/2011
From: Boston, MA
Status: offline 		Forge Cellars, east side of Seneca Lake is great. Partners with Chateau de Saint Cosme, sells their wines as well. Specializes in dry rieslings. Ravines is also great-has two tasting rooms. Wiemer also a favorite.

(in reply to carman63)
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RE: Heading to Rochester NY and looking to stop in Fing... - 4/19/2024 2:43:37 PM   
Ibetian

 

Posts: 3568
Joined: 7/15/2007
From: Sarasota, FL and the Berkshires
Status: offline 		Hi Soxgirl,

Good to see you around again!

Our boys seem to be struggling again, especially on defense and with injuries, but we have a good young core, help on the way over the next couple of years, and the starting pitching has been terrific so far despite injuries.

Go Sox!

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“I was a glutton at the banquet and spilt the finest wine,” Mick Jagger, Wandering Spirit

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RE: Heading to Rochester NY and looking to stop in Fing... - 4/20/2024 3:44:15 AM   
cjsavino

 

Posts: 776
Joined: 8/29/2008
From: Central NJ
Status: offline 		We were just up that way and had a nice tasting at Flatt Rock, a bit rustic and not one of those big tourist places. Also stop at Muranda Cheese.

(in reply to Ibetian)
Post #: 8
RE: Heading to Rochester NY and looking to stop in Fing... - 4/20/2024 5:54:51 AM   
BenG

 

Posts: 841
Joined: 5/5/2009
From: Australian in Idaho
Status: offline 		If you're heading back to NH via Albany, Empire Wines has a good selection of Finger Lakes riesling if there are any you missed out on.

(in reply to cjsavino)
Post #: 9
RE: Heading to Rochester NY and looking to stop in Fing... - 4/20/2024 7:03:50 AM   
BobInNH

 

Posts: 59
Joined: 4/9/2022
Status: offline 		Thanks everyone. Given we only have a morning (we have a 7-hr drive back to New Hampshire) we're going to Ravines and Fox Run. I appreciate all the help and will leave a trip report.

Bob

(in reply to BobInNH)
Post #: 10
RE: Heading to Rochester NY and looking to stop in Fing... - 4/21/2024 6:31:31 PM   
Chip Merlot

 

Posts: 529
Joined: 10/13/2013
From: NJ
Status: offline 		Surprised no votes for Bloomer Creek here. If you like very un-manipulated wine, that's the place to go. Everything is very good and one of the most charming tasting rooms (rustic and bohemian) that I've ever been in.

Also a fan of Forge, glad to see others are as well.

(in reply to BobInNH)
Post #: 11
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