Earlier this week, I went on my first wine tasting since the beginning of March, when Covid-19 changed almost everything in America. While I was originally hesitant to visit tasting rooms because we are in the middle of a seemingly never-ending, global pandemic, I am extremely pleased to say I felt safe at each one of the wineries we visited. Masks were required unless sitting at a tasting or dining table, social distancing was observed as much as possible and I saw high touch surfaces being cleaned regularly. Bravo to all the staff, winemakers and management teams for the safe, enjoyable experience.

Each one of the wineries we visited had outstanding wines and service. Since each is different in its own way, I will be writing my tour review in a 4-part, blog series so that each winery receives the review it deserves. Keep your eyes out for the next 3 articles highlighting my experience at each winery.

When planning for the trip, I knew that I wanted to stop at Wagner Vineyards after tasting their award winning, Dry Riesling, in a wine class this past spring. I was delighted to see that Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars, a winery that has been reviewed by fellow wine lovers on Instagram, was right next to Wagner! So, of course, I made a reservation there too. With the few hours left in the day, I searched for one last winery to visit and came across Standing Stone Vineyards. They were recently acquired by Hermann J. Weimer Vineyard and I was curious as to what they had to offer.

Although we went on a Monday and reservations probably were not needed, I would highly recommend always making them. It helps the winery plan for your arrival and guarantees that your experience is as flawless as possible. Our timing worked out perfectly because we did not feel rushed and had a few minutes after each tasting to take pictures. Here is a copy of our itinerary.

11:15 – 11:45 Tasting at Wagner Vineyards

12:00 – 1:00 Lunch at the Ginny Lee Café at Wagner Vineyards

1:00 – 1:15 Wagner Vineyards Gift Shop

1:30 – 2:45 Tasting at Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars

3:00 – 4:00 Tasting at Standing Stone Vineyards

Each winery offered a diverse selection of outstanding wines, but the following three were my overall favorites of the day. They were so good that I took a bottle (or two) of each home.

1. 2019 Dry Rosé of Cabernet Franc from Wagner Vineyards
2. 2015 T23 Unoaked Cabernet Franc from Lamoreaux Landing
3. NV Farm Red from Standing Stone Vineyards

Next time I am in the area, I will be visiting Idol Ridge on the east side of the lake, and Glenora Wine Cellars, Hermann J. Weimer Vineyard, Ravines Wine Cellars, Fox Run Vineyards, Red Tail Ridge and Billsboro Winery on the west side.

I may be a little biased since I grew up in this area, but I think that the Finger Lakes are the most underrated wine region in the world. Located in the heart of New York State, they are at the same latitude as Germany and France, making this the perfect place for cool climate vineyards. The lakes were carved by glaciers millions of years ago, paving the way for deep, cool, temperature moderating waters. Since the larger lakes do not freeze in the winter, they act as a source of heat and the cold waters help keep the vineyards cool in the summer. This also helps to extend the growing season! The Finger Lakes are known for making world class, award winning Rieslings, but also for making outstanding Gewürztraminer, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc.

Seneca Lake, named after the indigenous Americans from this area, is actually its own sub region (or AVA, American Viticultural Area) of the larger Finger Lakes AVA. This means that the wines produced on Seneca Lake have distinctive character because of the geographical location and soils. Seneca Lake is the one of the longest Finger Lakes at 35 miles, and it is the deepest, going down 600 feet. It is said that the east side of the lake provides the most favorable microclimate for grape growing of all the Finger Lakes. I have to agree, the wines I tasted during this tour were some of the best I have had in awhile. There is so much more to be said about the wineries on Seneca Lake and in the Finger Lakes region in general, so I will definitely be writing more about it in the future.

If there is anything you would like to know about the Finger Lakes or my recent experience, make sure to leave a comment below!

Up Next In the Series

part 2 // Wagner Vineyards Estate Winery

part 3 // Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars

part 4 // Standing Stone Vineyards