Where I’d go wine tasting in the Finger Lakes
Sixteen wineries to go to, plus other spots to eat and drink during your visit!
A colleague recently asked me what my favorite wine region is, and my answer was pretty immediate. “It’s a tie,” I explained. “The Rhône, and the Finger Lakes.”
His head whirled back, a bit in shock. “The Finger Lakes? Really? I need to know more. What stands out to you about the region?”
There’s so much. Even before I became a sommelier, the region felt dear to me. My husband and I made a number of trips, and for a brief period we even considered buying a house and moving there for good. But then my dreams of becoming a sommelier got in the way, and despite how lovely it is, we decided we’re more city people and not rely-on-a-car people or in-bed-by-nine people.
I was afraid that my love for this region would fade as I learned more about wine. Yet after a trip there last summer, I was pleasantly surprised with my pre-sommelier palate. The wine was still excellent, and even after road tripping through some of the most beautiful regions in France, the Finger Lakes has its own stunning beauty that still ranks high on my list.
So, what is it about the region I love so much? How did I respond to my colleague?
Why you should make a trip to the Finger Lakes
It is a top-tier cooler climate region in America. After the Judgement of Paris in 1976 when Napa positioned itself as a serious wine region to pay attention to by outranking some of the top wines in Bordeaux, it has become a common practice to compare American wine regions with those in France. Some would say the Willamette Valley in Oregon is our answer to Burgundy. As for the Finger Lakes, that’s our answer to Germany. The climate is idyllic for cooler climate wines. Instead of big, bold, oaky reds and whites, we’re getting lighter styles with lower ABV, searing acidity, and playful aromatics.
There are some stellar dry Rieslings. My first real introduction to fine wine was on a trip to Germany with my family in 2014, when I drank some of the most stunning dry Riesling. It changed my perception of Riesling (“too sweet!”) and when I discovered that same style of winemaking in the Finger Lakes, it was hard not to fall in in love. It’s the varietal that makes this wine region so special.
The climate also works for other German and Austrian varietals. Both countries with wine that I absolutely adore! I love being able to find juicy Blaufränkisch (most call it Lemberger) and austere Grüner Veltliner local to me.
The producers are top notch, yet the region stays affordable. So many producers have roots in German winemaking and moved to the area because they found the climate to be similar thanks to the lake effect, and there was so much room to expand and try new things as winemakers. Plus, staying in the area is massively affordable compared to other wine regions in America, especially if you compare it to the North Fork this time of year. During our trips to the area we’ve either camped in some rural cabins or found unique Airbnbs in Ithaca, and we had a blast. It feels like more of an authentic experience for what the region is—grassroots, down to earth, living like a local off the land.
Students at Cornell are driving the industry into the future. This is probably the most exciting part of the region that I love to geek out about. Climate change is always top of mind in the wine industry, and Cornell’s agriculture programs are doing something about it. They’re developing hybrid grapes that work well in our current climate, and they taste pretty fantastic. Cayuga is probably one of the most popular, a white grape varietal that’s a hybrid of Schuyler and Seyval Blanc, and it does really well across the Northeast. I think it’s inspiring to see students thinking of solutions to keep this industry alive, and you get to reap the benefits of their hard work when you wine taste in the region where they are experimenting.
Where to go wine tasting in the Finger Lakes
Osmote: Up-and-coming winemakers with bottles that will make your jaw drop, the Osmote family is producing low-intervention wine (not natty!) on a farm along Seneca Lake. The tasting room is an outdoor tasting experience with a panoramic view, so bring the sunscreen and your shades, you’ll need it. Don’t skip on their unoaked Chardonnay and the bagged (yes, bagged!) “Pocket Wine” Cayuga if they have it.
Nathan K at Hickory Hollow: Nathan Kendall was named Winemaker of the Year by Vinepair in 2023, and for good reason. A owner and winemaker at Hickory Hollow, his Green Label Riesling is the wine I always refer to when I need to convince someone to take the Finger Lakes seriously.
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