TRAVEL WITH AGNESS

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BY RANDY AGNESS

Dear Winter I’m coming as the daylight is starting to get longer and the winter weather is setting in with the coldest temperatures in a very long time. There’s a lot of positives going on in my world. First, in western New York, we have our sports teams and their having successful seasons. The Buffalo Bills are back! The Bills Mafia are uniting enthusiasm and finding new ways to break folding-tables I guess. If we are lucky, the Buffalo Bills will be hosting the AFC Championship. I haven’t been to one since 1993 they played in January 23, 1994 against Kansas City Chiefs. It’s not fortunate that there will not be a championship game in Buffalo despite an outstanding effort.

But we are quickly approaching the Olympic games in early February for 13 days while a blanket of snow is everywhere in sight. I’m a big fan of the winter events being we have access to so many of these same activities so close by including downhill and cross-country skiing, ice skating, hockey and so many more.

What many people do not know is that these same sports are all around us to enjoy and participate in. And I’m already booking hotel reservations for the 2023 World University Game which will be taking place in our Olympic City Lake Placid scheduled to start on January 12th. The other interesting fact is that an Olympic style village and updating the venues like the Hockey arena to the tune of 97 million dollars and tens of millions to the others to match world elite class status. So if your like winter sports, you’ll be doing the same. Agness Wine Cellars is supporting the creation of the Miracle on Ice Statue. and Chocolate – Wine & Beer? I’ll tell you! First, the Super Bowl occurs on February 13th this year and Valentine’s Day is the 14th of course. If you don’t plan the number of events might take your attention away from what’s important and could create hurt feeling. What you can do is contact the Seneca Lake Wine Trail about participating in the Wine and Chocolate Weekend on the first weekend in February. You’re going to taste some really great wine and try some super chocolate treats from 16 wineries.

It’s an excellence opportunity to discover wonderful gift options when visiting. If that’s not possible, consider attending the Finger Lakes Welcome Center on February 12th from 9 am to 1 m located on Lakefront Drive in Geneva with many local craft vendors including Agness Wine Cellars providing wine tastings with amazing chocolates samplings as well. I personally think you will see the most stunning Welcome Center imaginable.

If you’re not a couple and looking for craft beers, then greater Rochester has some of the best craft breweries to visit for amazing and unique tastes including chocolate stouts that will be surprisingly delicious. I can easily recommend K2 Bros that continually have new releases on a regular basis. I could provide the listing of every one of the more than 32 neighborhood craft brewing companies as I can say support your local brewery and have fun. What most don’t realize is that the number of breweries has grown at an incredible rate from 2018 to 2019 as 1000 new breweries have started up. In New York, there are now over 450 breweries and in almost every county. Cities like Rochester, Syracuse and Buffalo, smaller cities including Canandaigua are developing their own beer trails starting rapidly such as Naked Dove, Young Lion, Peacemaker, Twisted Rail and some I haven’t even visited as yet - Frequentem Brewing, Square Knot. Three Huskies Brewing, Bee Hive Brew. This is a very interesting situation. I can’t believe the speed at which this is developing. T

he distance from Rochester or Syracuse to Canandaigua is less than an hour away. Taking a weekend in February to sample the variety of brews and different styles is tempting for sure. And there’s a number of really great restaurants as well. Try out Nolan’s or NY Kitchen when the appetite starts to kick in. I’m looking forward to 2022 to investigate these breweries first hand and report back on the creativity and flavors from these upstarts. I know that there will be one more on the way as well, maybe more. I’ll be sure to let you all know about Drumlin Field Brewing Company as I personally have an real interested in its success.