Finger Lake Vineyards (New York, Buffalo, Ithaca: how much, hotel, home)

[upatthecape]

So I noticed there are more than a couple vineyards in the finger lakes region of upstate NY from google searching. Is it a big trend up there?

I always thought vineyards needed a mild climate to grow, like northern California or Oregon. Upstate New York has a very bipolor climate.

[Finger Laker]

2nd largest wine producing region in the country - more than a trend, it's very well established and only growing

Cbaillo could probably speak more intelligently than myself on the climate, types of vines, etc ......... but yeah, it's far from a small operation

riesling grapes seem to thrive and a lot of the late harvest/ice wines always rate out highly

there are some very good pinots

then you have the fun of wines made with regional grapes - nothing like the nose you'll get from wines that hit you with concord & niagara

i also find the tastings to be a lot more enjoyable than napa and sonoma (although I found sonoma a lot more enjoyable than napa)

if you ever get the chance, check it out

[havoc315]

The Finger Lakes is an up and coming wine region. The regions closest to the lakes have "micro climates" that are appropriate for wine growing, often compared to German vineyards.
I first experienced Finger Lakes wines about 15 years ago, at which time it was mostly second-rate American varietals, but some pretty decent Reislings.

This past summer, my wife and I did a little wine country tour through the Finger Lakes, and saw how much the vineyards are maturing. They have moved into full exploration of European varietals. They have the most success with colder-growing grapes, like Riesling and Gewurtztraminer, but they really experimenting with everything. While I wouldn't compare it to Burgundy or Oregon, but I tasted a few decent bottles of Pinot Noir. Even found a Cabernet or two that weren't bad, as well as some decent Chardonnay.
Nothing that compares to Napa or Sonoma, but then again-- the price tags were a fraction as well.
And the main thing to remember, is how new these vineyards are. The growers are still experimenting with what works, and what doesn't.
Due to the limited amount of actual grape-growing geography (really need to be right on top of the lakes), and the short growing season, it might never become a massive wine exporting region, but I do believe the area is on its way up in becoming a destination for wine lovers.

And I read one study on global warming, that suggests the California wine industry could be destroyed in 30 years, and the New York Finger Lakes could become the ideal region. But I'll leave that to science fiction for now.

[upatthecape]

Thanks for the info, I need to check it out next season. Is Ithaca a nice place to live? I've heard some pretty bad stuff on upstate cities such as utica and syracuse..

Ithaca looks nice though.

How is the climate compared to the NYC area? More overcast/colder or about the same?

[Finger Laker]

a bit colder, a lot snowier, not as bad in the summer with the water and green areas

I like ithaca, but it's not for everyone

hardest thing about upstate NY is jobs - if you secure one then it's just the typical back and forth between what you prefer between a rural and city lifestyle

[BuffaloTransplant]

Originally Posted by upatthecape

So I noticed there are more than a couple vineyards in the finger lakes region of upstate NY from google searching. Is it a big trend up there?

I always thought vineyards needed a mild climate to grow, like northern California or Oregon. Upstate New York has a very bipolor climate.

"More than a couple"?

Good grief! There are tons. I know the ones that are all along the Finger Lakes, all along the shores of Lakes Ontario and Erie..... and they are hewre for 100+ years, some of them! We also make the best darned ice wine in the state. This is BIG business.

Try Hunt Country, Salmon Run, Dr. Frank, Heron Hill.... I can't list them all and have no clue about all the Niagara vineyards; we do a Keuka/Seneca Lake run twice a year to get the wines from the source.... any of the Finger lake wines. You will like what you try!

[Finger Laker]

Originally Posted by BuffaloTransplant

Try Hunt Country, Salmon Run, Dr. Frank, Heron Hill.... I can't list them all and have no clue about all the Niagara vineyards; we do a Keuka/Seneca Lake run twice a year to get the wines from the source.... any of the Finger lake wines. You will like what you try!

and that's only a sampling of above west lake road on Keuka Lake which is stunningly beautiful

when I was back home this past october picked 5 pounds of fresh apples on an orchard by Keuka and spent a whopping $1.75 for it

there is a nice roadside stand by Hun Country where you can purchase good grape pies

I like Hunt Country because it has a very rural/homish type feel to it

Dr Franks is great because it's intimate and free - Salmon Run is from the same proprietor

Heron Hill is just stunning

Bully Hill is a lot of fun

Keuka Lake Vinyards is newer and was fun to stop by - actually have a bottle of their Leon Millot in my rack that I need to crack open sooner rather than later

Another new addition that I enjoyed was the Keuka Lake brewery - packed a growler of their red ale for the trip back to Phoenix as well

between the wineries, the lakes and the natural beauty I'd highly recommend a visit

[Krisps]

Along Lake Erie, mostly in Chautauqua county and into Pennsylvania, is a huge area of vineyards. It's mostly for grape juice but wine producing is growing. The key is Lake Erie being warm in the fall to extend the warm season and cold in the spring to prevent a premature start in the spring and the ridge line that parallels the lake. It's quite a place to be in the fall.

I'm not familiar with the wineries in the Niagara area, but that area both in the US and Canada is becoming a hot place for wine.

I don't think you're ever too far from some good vino in NY.

[annerk]

The wines produced in the Finger Lakes are primarily sweeter varieties, and with one or two exceptions you won't find the quality produced in the Sonoma/Napa area, or even North Fork on Long Island. The sweeter varietals can handle cooler climates, and ice wine demands it.

They are producing ice wines as well as Reislings and some Pinots, plus a few varietals such as Catawba that aren't really found elsewhere. The tasting rooms are pretty laid back, you're not going to find any of the elegance of Napa. (You're also not going to find anything that Spectator, Parker, Tanzer, Spurrier, etc. are giving rave reviews to.)

Go for the fun of it, not to seek out incredible world-class wine. It is a pretty area, and generally speaking you won't find the traffic congestion and prices of Napa. There's a brand new higher end hotel in Watkins Glen with reasonably priced rooms that seems pretty centrally located for the various wineries in the area.

[CBaillo]

its not a trend, or a pocket of remote vineyards. I moved from CA to NY to start my own vineyard/winery, because land was way cheaper than CA, and it was more of a possibility than a dream.
The finger lakes is a MASSIVE operation as far as grapes and wine are concerned. Studies show that in 50 years, there is a strong chance that it will be the WORLDS BIGGEST producer of grapes.

the area is primarily known for wine made from the labrusca family of grapes (instead of the vinifera family of the great wine grapes). The labrusca varieties are what's known as the "foxy" grapes, the native grapes like Catawba, Niagra, Cayuga, Concord, etc. SO, naturally, wines tend to be more on the sweeter side of the fence. THat's what the region is known for, and if you are not a wine snob, youll find some amazing wines being made here. There are quite a few of the "traditional" wine grapes that do quite well here, actually. Gewurtztraminer, Riesling, Cabernet Franc, etc do wonderfully up here and people who have had finger lakes Riesling more often than not, end up liking it more than the dry climate versions. You can find the great reds here, but they are not going to be anything like you would be used to if you drink dry reds frequently.

The grow/warm season here, contrary to what popular belief would have you think, is actually more than sufficient time to take grapes throughout the full grow cycle. The finger lakes also offers the unique microclimates needed for wine grapes. The lakes arent small lakes. Each lake is anywhere from 20-40 miles long, and between 200-800 feet deep, big and large enough to affect weather on a small scale. The soil is just right as well, and its great all around.

Like I said though, one needs to come to the fingerlakes wine trail (which is centered MOSTLY around Seneca Lake), with an open mind and a willingness to try new things. If one does that, then theyll find some amazing wines.

EDIT:

given some of the replies to you I'd like to state that the wine scene here is nothing like CA. I respect CA's wines a lot, BUT I HATED the image and stuffiness that came w/ CAs wine scene. That is not found here. People here usually consider themselves farmers here before they consider themselves "winemakers". They don't pop their color up and turn their nose up, b/c they make wine...they are more down to earth and know that all a winemaker is is a glorified dishwasher, and janitor. tasting rooms will be more family friendly, and warmer, and more "down home" w/ tons of hospitality. People do wine here not for the scene, or the money, or the fame...they do it because they love it, and most only make enough to get by, and break even.

CA's trend for a while now has been to overoak the hell out of everything. wineries cover up flawed wines (of which there are more now than good ones) with oak. You find more fruit forward wines here..the approach is a lot different than CA, so be prepared to see a lot of things that are different.