Touring
& Tasting
in Upstate New York ’s
Wine Country
TRAVEL
By Diana Loeffel, CTC
Owner of Old Farm Travel.
For more information contact Diana at oldfarmtravel@aol.com
As a relatively new resident of New York State, I am
constantly amazed at some of the facts I have learned
about my adopted state. The latest amazing fact is
that this state ranks third in the nation in total wine
production, only outranked by California and Washington,
and is the only Eastern state included in the top five
wine producing states! Since I am a wine lover, this
statistic really peaked my interest on the subject.
The topography of the state holds 5 geographic regions
that can be categorized as distinct wine regions: 1) Finger
Lakes, 2) Eastern Long Island, 3) Lake Erie/Chautauqua,
4) Niagra/Escarpment and 5) Hudson Valley. I have
chosen two of the regions to highlight here, the Finger
Lakes and the Hudson Valley; both suitable for a
delightful day trip outing from the Capital region.
In terms of numbers of wine production history, the
Finger Lakes area produces the most wine by volume
and dates back to the Civil War. It is amongst a most
picturesque region dominated by 11 long narrow lakes
stretching from north to south. Three of these lakes:
Seneca, Cayuga and Keuka host the majority of the over
120 wineries. They consider themselves a year round
destination, but the peak visiting times are summer and fall.
Many people follow the wine trails around the lakes
and as a result tasting rooms can be crowded. Visiting
the wineries in the off season does allow for a more
personal wine tasting experience and the likely chance
of speaking to an owner one on one. Many also offer
private tours by appointment and a few offer ongoing
tours of the actual wine making process. Most are open
7 days a week but it is always best to check ahead with
the local tourist information offices or on the internet.
10 55PlusLivingGuide.com
NY is one of the
Top 5 WINE
Producing States!