The Finger Lakes Wine Trails -- The Finger Lakes region, with more than 75 bonded wineries and some 10,000 acres of vineyards, is one of the nation's great wine-producing regions. The region is continually growing in name recognition and estimation among wine aficionados, and many visitors compare it to the Napa Valley of 2 decades ago. A cool-climate viticultural region -- comparable to the Burgundy and Champagne regions in France -- the Finger Lakes are ideal for growing vinifera, or noble (European), grapes. The region produces excellent Riesling, pinot noir, chardonnay, sparkling, and rare ice wines.
Grape growing and wine production are fundamental to the region's economy and tourism. The wine country is centered around four main lakes: Cayuga, Seneca, Keuka, and, to a lesser degree, Canandaigua. Wine trails have been organized to facilitate touring and tastings at the wineries that circle the lakes. They are: Cayuga Wine Trail, Seneca Lake Wine Trail, Keuka Lake Wine Trail, and Canandaigua Wine Trail. Pick up brochures on the individual trails in the region as well as the Free Map & Guide of all the wineries in the Finger Lakes, and see the listings and sidebars on each wine trail below. Even though I introduce the wine trails and highlight some of my favorite wineries in the sections dealing with the southern parts of the lakes, the wineries are also accessible from bases in towns (such as Geneva, Seneca Falls, and Skaneateles) at the northern ends of the lakes.
Whether you're serious about your wines or just learning, in a group or alone, hitting the wine trails is a blast: scenic, educational, and fun -- and, if you're a wine fan, delicious. Most wineries in the region charge a small tasting fee (typically $1-$2), and many will apply that expense to any wine purchases. Hopping from one winery to the next is easy, and if you're not careful, it might be easy to overdo the tasting. You may want to think about someone else doing the driving; limo and bus wine tours are quite popular in season. For organized wine tours in limousines and other multipassenger vehicles, contact one of the following wine transportation and tour specialists: Finger Lakes Winery Tours & Transportation (tel. 585/329-0858; www.fingerlakeswinerytours.com); Quality Winery Tours (tel. 877/424-7004; www.qualitytran.com); VRA Imperial Limousine, Inc. (tel. 800/303-6100; www.implimo.com); Park Place Limousine and Transportation Services (tel. 585/223-6244; www.rochesterlimousine.com); and Grapevine Country Tours (tel. 800/536-8123; www.grapevinecountrytours.com).
