Finger Lakes Wine Touring Advice Needed (New York, Aurora: where to stay, good hotel, home)
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I'm planning a surprise weekend getaway to the finger lakes region for a wine tasting tour with my fiance. We're about a three hour drive away, so we'll drive up on Saturday morning. I'd like to plan a wine tasting tour with a driver on Saturday, spend the night Saturday night, maybe tour a winery or just drive around Sunday morning or early afternoon, then drive back. I'm tentatively planning this the weekend of the 7-9 of November.
Which one of the lakes would you guys recommend? Are the prices (for wine, dining, hotels, etc.) pretty similar at all of the lakes? We like dry red wines, particularly pinot noir, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, and the occasional white, though we're always open to trying other varieties. Are some lakes better than others for particular grape varieties? Or are there vineyards that have a variety throughout the region?
A B&B isn't out of the question, but my fiance doesn't really care for them as much as a hotel, so that's the route I'll probably go. She had lousy experiences both times she's ever done a B&B. Does anyone have any good hotel suggestions? Or even a great B&B suggestion?
And does anyone have any suggestions for a driver service for our wine tasting tour? I'd prefer a service that provides an education about the area and the wineries and a driver who can tailor our tour to our tastes in wine, rather than just a chauffeur that takes us where we ask to go.
I've been searching the internet, and I'm not finding much non-commercial information. Most everything that I've found has been websites set up by each of the different wineries, hotels, B&Bs, or touring services... So of course, each of them is the best in the area! lol
I know I've got a bunch of questions, but I'm hoping you guys can at least help me out with some of them.
Do you want to stay in more of a small town or one of the cities in the region? I ask due to other possibilities for things to do or it may be a matter of wanting a quaint feel. Becca8377 is poster that should have some great ideas in regards to the topic.
My sister, who would like to be a reviewer, goes every year...I sent her your post...if
her pc is not down, ha, she will give you what you kneed to know.
Crossing fingers.
I have only done the tour once about 5 yrs ago.
She is right in Syr.
(I'm in CO now.)
I recommend Seneca Lake as it has the most wineries available. Their wine trail website will give you tons of info - Seneca Lake Winery Association
You will find that, in general, Finger Lakes wines tend to be much sweeter than the ones that come out of Napa Valley and elsewhere. For dry wines on Seneca, I HIGHLY recommend Billsboro and Monello (the owner of Monello is a personal friend of mine, and that winery's anniversary party will likely be that weekend).
If possible, I'd recommend staying down in Watkins Glen - cute little town right on the lake that's got a bunch of shops and whatnot, plus a state park with a waterfall right smack dab in the middle of it. There are a few hotels and B&Bs right in Watkins Glen and you'd be fine at pretty much any of them.
I've only ever done them as day trips but I will say that I love the town of Aurora on Cayuga lake and typically do a stop there for lunch at the Pumpkin Hill Bistro Pumpkin Hill and stop at the Mackenzie Childs barn where all the stuff is made MacKenzie-Childs - OurStores The inns in Aurora are hotels but resemble B&B's, this site lists 3 of them Inns of Aurora: Lakeside Dining & Accommodations. Many of the rooms have fireplaces, if you click on the link to the room they will show you pics, here is an example of one of the rooms Inns of Aurora: Lakeside Dining & Accommodations » 3 Village View King/Fireplace Aurora is also home to Wells college which has a beautiful campus to walk around.
I also agree with Becca8377 that Seneca lake and Watkins Glen is really great too, I just know less about them.
Thanks for the quick replies! I'd prefer to stay in a small town with a more quaint feel, rather than a city.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Becca8377
The Finger Lakes region has my heart!
I recommend Seneca Lake as it has the most wineries available. Their wine trail website will give you tons of info - Seneca Lake Winery Association
You will find that, in general, Finger Lakes wines tend to be much sweeter than the ones that come out of Napa Valley and elsewhere. For dry wines on Seneca, I HIGHLY recommend Billsboro and Monello (the owner of Monello is a personal friend of mine, and that winery's anniversary party will likely be that weekend).
If possible, I'd recommend staying down in Watkins Glen - cute little town right on the lake that's got a bunch of shops and whatnot, plus a state park with a waterfall right smack dab in the middle of it. There are a few hotels and B&Bs right in Watkins Glen and you'd be fine at pretty much any of them.
Thanks for this information. I'll definitely be looking up those two wineries and where to stay in Watkins Glen.
I've only ever done them as day trips but I will say that I love the town of Aurora on Cayuga lake and typically do a stop there for lunch at the Pumpkin Hill Bistro Pumpkin Hill and stop at the Mackenzie Childs barn where all the stuff is made MacKenzie-Childs - OurStores The inns in Aurora are hotels but resemble B&B's, this site lists 3 of them Inns of Aurora: Lakeside Dining & Accommodations. Many of the rooms have fireplaces, if you click on the link to the room they will show you pics, here is an example of one of the rooms Inns of Aurora: Lakeside Dining & Accommodations » 3 Village View King/Fireplace Aurora is also home to Wells college which has a beautiful campus to walk around.
I also agree with Becca8377 that Seneca lake and Watkins Glen is really great too, I just know less about them.
Wow. Thanks for all this information and the links. I'll be checking these out!
Just another thought on places to stay on Seneca Lake - may want to look into Geneva as well which is on the north end of the lake (Watkins Glen is the south). Maybe even check out Belhurst Castle to stay in (on the pricier side)
I second Bellhurst and Inn of Aurora. I don't drink wine, but my mom was in town over the summer and she loves a dry red. Most wines she tried were much too sweet. Three Brothers on Seneca Lake is a very cool place, but the wine wasn't very good. Out of all the places we tried, my mom was fond of Zugibe Vineyards 4248 E Lake Rd Geneva, NY 14456. It is a stone's throw from the better known Three Brothers. These are all at the top of Seneca Lake
I'm not a wine drinker, but I third Belhurst Castle in Geneva. I've been to a couple of weddings there and it is a great setting right by Seneca Lake. Geneva is a small city of about 14,000 people, but has a nice, historical Downtown. Downtown Geneva, New York 14456 - The Difference is Downtown!
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