Wine, Women and … More Wine

Sampling Fermented Grapes in the Finger Lakes

By Mary Mihaly

When my niece Emily suggested a road trip à la Thelma and Louise (minus the grim ending, of course), my first idea was the Finger Lakes. We’ve both studied wine and love our vino, so we never pass up a chance to explore wine regions.

It’s a short drive (especially when you’re catching up on family gossip) — just over four hours from Cleveland’s West Side to our first stop, Billsboro Winery in Geneva, New York. It was a good choice, thanks to our server, Cary Becraft, who poured our flights and updated us on who’s producing what on Seneca Lake in April. “A few wineries aren’t on summer schedules yet,” she said, “but you’ll still find plenty of great wine.”

Did we ever. We focused on Seneca because, of the 130 wineries in the Finger Lakes, more than half are in the Seneca Lake AVA (American Viticultural Area). We had less than

A FEW TIPS:

• Don’t try to conquer all 130 wineries in one trip. Seneca Lake is easy to find, easy to get around for your first trip, and provides all the diversity and tastes you could want. Slow down, pick a few stops and take in the scenery.

• Prepare for weather that might be slightly warmer than Cleveland’s. The lake moderates temperatures, which helps to keep the grapevine roots from freezing.

three days, and while we wanted to hit as many wineries as possible, we also wanted to relax and relish the breathtaking scenery.

First Of Many

We sat in the sun at friendly Billsboro, sampled their citrusy dry Riesling and peachy Albariño, and set off for Anthony Road Wine Company— where, not coincidentally, Cary’s husband, Peter Becraft, is head winemaker. We were surprised by the sweetness of their Lemberger (also known as Blaufränkisch), which to me tasted like a fruity cold cereal in spite of its peppery, earthy notes. Their rosé of Cabernet Franc was more mellow.

• Collect all the maps and literature you can and don’t rely on one; some are produced by associations that not all wineries belong to. Shalestone, for instance, doesn’t appear on some winery trail maps and if you want a fine red, you’ll want to go there.

• At this writing, you can find some 17 breweries and five distilleries along the Seneca Lake shore. If you feel like a beer (or a beer flight), give them a shot (pun intended).

Tasting throughout the Finger Lakes (FLX) helps keep your getaway affordable. This ain’t Napa, where many tastings are by appointment only and can cost $100 or more. In the FLX, most wineries charge $10$15 for a flight and welcome walkins. A few more of our Seneca Lake favorites:

Where To Stay

bottle I won’t come home without: their Seyval-Chardonnay. The Seyval cuts through what could otherwise be Chardonnay thickness, and it’s delicious.

I’ll risk my reputation here and declare that Damiani Wine Cellars is one of the two finest red-wine producers in the Finger Lakes. Like many great winegrowers, they limit the amount of grapes that mature on each vine so the flavors are concentrated and complex, yet the wine is silky-smooth. Tastings here are $15, the pours are generous and you get to keep the glass (don’t you love your souvenir glass collection?) Take a seat on the balcony and enjoy the lake view while you sip Meritage, Saperavi and an extraordinary Cabernet Franc.

• el Lago Resort & Casino, dellagoresort.com

• 41 Lakefront Hotel, Trademark Collection by Wyndham, wyndhamhotels.com

• Belhurst Castle and Winery, belhurst.com

At Prejean Winery, we were reminded that two of the same varietals, even of the same vintage, can be vastly different. Prejean’s 2021 Goldfinch Chardonnay and Reserve Chardonnay were anything but identical, though the only difference in production was the barrel. The Reserve was fermented in American oak, while the Goldfinch was in Grand Vosges (French) oak. Don’t forget to greet Scrappy, the sweet geriatric dog.

You get a vineyard view from the deck of Bagley’s Poplar Ridge Vineyards on Seneca’s eastern shore. Enjoy it with the one white

If you love red wine and know the Finger Lakes, you’ve already guessed that my other red producer of choice is Shalestone Vineyards—whose sign in front declares, “Red Is All We Do!” Shalestone, too, produces a big, heady, dense Saperavi, and like all of their reds, the tannins are barely detectable. But my favorite bottle here is Cross Rows, a blend of Merlot, Syrah and Lemberger—a smooth, fruity wine that reminds me of melons topped with my grandmother’s sweet black raspberries.

For discovering new, cool-climate wines, you can’t top the Finger Lakes.