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Wine
Tasting Techniques
Look. Pick up the glass by the stem so to
appreciate the wine's color. Look through the rim; hold it up to the light.
Cabernets lean towards purple or dark red; Pinot Noirs to ruby tones.
Swirl and smell. Watch how the wine coats the
glass; inhale its fragrance. Young wines tend to be fruity, with buttery,
cherry or plum flavors. Mature wines have complex perfumes; experts can detect
cedar, spices, even chocolate.
Sip. Let the wine slide over your tongue, to
appreciate its taste and texture.
Swallow. Enjoy the aromas as you exhale; savor the
wine's aftertaste (finish).
Spit. It's perfectly OK to spit into the "dump
bucket" instead of swallowing the wine.
A micro-history of American wine-making
In 1624, English law required that 20 grapevines be planted for each adult male
colonist. As American Ambassador to France, Thomas Jefferson visited many
European vineyards, returning to Monticello with cuttings of vitis vinifera,
which produces the finest wines. Unfortunately, his plantings succumbed to
phylloxera, a parasite to which the European vines had no immunity. Eventually,
American hybrid wines flourished from New York to California. World Wars,
Prohibition, and the Depression were all major setbacks for American
wine-making; the tide didn't turn until the 1950s, when Ukrainian immigrant Dr.
Konstantin Frank successfully grafted vinifera to native root stock.
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Location:
The Finger Lakes region is located in upstate New York, about 250 miles
northwest of New York City, and about 75 miles southeast of Buffalo.
Activities:
Native American tradition explains that the Finger Lakes were created by the
Great Spirit; the sixth lake was caused when his hand slipped. Today we credit
glacial action, but either way, beautiful scenery abounds, with dramatic gorges
and waterfalls to explore at Watkins Glen, Taughnannock Falls, and other state
parks. Just south of the Finger Lakes, be sure to visit Corning, home to the
famous and recently renovated Corning
Museum of Glass and the fascinating
Rockwell Museum featuring American art of the West, Steuben glass, and
antique toys. If you prefer your activities to be loud and fast, then the
racetrack at Watkins Glen
International will be your choice.
More area info.
Wineries:
Most of the 58 area wineries are found on the sloping hillsides leading down to
Keuka, Cayuga, and Seneca Lakes.
The Keuka Lake Wine Trail
follows scenic Route 54A as it hugs the shoreline of this Y-shaped lake. Just
north of Hammondsport on the lake's west side, is
Bully Hill Vineyards. Their delightful restaurant, open in season for
lunch daily, plus weekend dinners, offers lake and hillside views. Minutes
further north is the winery of
Dr. Konstantin Frank, who pioneered the growing of vinifera grapes in
the eastern U.S. 35 years ago. The
Seneca Lake Wine Trail has 21 wineries surrounding this 630-foot-deep
glacial lake. Although it lacks the intimacy of some of the smaller wineries,
Glenora Wine Cellars includes quality dining and lodging at the same
location (see below). From Watkins Glen, it's just a short drive east to the
Cayuga Wine Trail, where ten wineries line the lake's western shore.
Inns:
First choice in Hammondsport is the
Blushing Rose, with four comfortable, well-equipped country
Victorian-style guest rooms. A block away is the
Village Tavern, a restaurant with a casual atmosphere, reasonable food,
and an amazing wine list.
In Dundee, overlooking Seneca Lake, is the recently built
Inn at Glenora, with 30 handsome, well-equipped motel-style guest
rooms, each with a lakeview deck. The spacious restaurant has lake views,
friendly staff, and good food. Just five miles north of Watkins Glen,
overlooking the lake, is the
Reading House, with four guest rooms simply decorated with beautiful
quilts, comfortable antiques, and homey charm. In Corning, about 15 miles south
of Watkins Glen is the Rosewood
Inn, a welcoming seven guest-room B&B with delightful owners and yummy
breakfasts.
Canandaigua area inns include the
Morgan Samuels B&B Inn, a handsome 1810 mansion with gracious grounds,
seven lovely guest rooms, and exceptional breakfasts.
Sutherland House has five guest rooms with country Victorian decor,
most with fireplaces, whirlpool tubs, and TVs. Authentic Colonial charm plus
all modern comforts await you at the handsome
Acorn Inn, a stagecoach inn built in 1795.
More Finger Lakes inns.
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