Just finished reading the exciting novel- Wine & War- “The French, The Nazis and the Battle for France’s Greatest Treasure (it wasn’t the Mona Lisa) by Don & Petie Kladstrup. I read a few chapters every evening as I drove through New York State’s Greatest Treasure- “The Finger Lakes”. This is a suggested itinerary for a trip from NYC. It is not a review of wineries. I will lay out my trip, make suggestions where to get information and let you choose your pace.
Brief History- Originally the area was home to the Seneca and Cayuga Indians. The opening of the Erie Canal allowed both industry and population to grow. The first Women’s Right’s Convention was held here. Glen Curtiss pioneered the first flying airplane here. It is also the birthplace of the modern wine industry in the Eastern United States. The lakes moderate the climate, with Indian summer arriving in the late fall, through the growing season.
Pioneers like Konstantin Frank, Charles Fournier and Herman Weimer proved that vinifera vines, especially Riesling, Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc could be grown in New York’s freezing winter climate. Many grape growers decided to build wineries themselves. The vintners know the land because their families have lived and worked here for generations.
The Adventure began- Day 1- it is about 250 miles (4 ½ hours) from NYC to Ithaca, my first stop. The Statler Hotel is on the Cornell University campus- (607) 257- 2500. If you don’t want to tour Cayuga wineries on your own (or any other lake), call Rick Mehlenbacher of New World Tour Co-(607) 387- 6292. . Many of the wineries have cafes attached, so lunch can be enjoyed with your wine, usually overlooking the water. Ithaca is the city of 150 waterfalls. Stop at the Taughannock Falls overlook. Professionals and students in the famed Hotel School run the Statler. The school was founded in 1922 and was the nation’s first hospitality management degree program. If you are lucky you can peek into the wine class with over 800 students. A must is dinner at the Banfi Restaurant at the Statler. You might want to check out College Town and the downtown Ithaca Commons pedestrian marketplace for breakfast.
Day 2- Watkins Glen famed for the International Speedway sits at the southern end of Seneca Lake. It is about a ¾ hour drive from Ithaca. There are wineries on the east and west sides, enough for a full days sampling. I stayed at the Inn at Glenora Winery on the west side in Dundee. The Inn is a recent addition and its restaurant Veraisons is excellent. My room overlooked the vineyards and had a Jacuzzi and fireplace. Call (800) 243- 5513 or click here.
Day 3 &4- in less than an hour I was in Corning and its famous Corning Museum of Glass. The Radisson Hotel is right downtown and within walking distance of many fine restaurants. The newly renovated (2001) Rockwell (Bob, not Norman) Museum of Art is a few blocks from the hotel. It contains the largest collection of Native American Art in the East. You can use Corning as your base, as I did, and stop in Hammondsport (3/4 hour) at the southern tip of Keuka Lake. This is the sparkling wine capitol of New York State. Visit the Glen Curtiss Museum of Flight and Local History and decide if the Wright Brothers or Glen Curtiss was the true pioneer of aviation. After visiting wineries you can stop at Pen Yan at the northern end of the lake for dinner. It is one of two communities in New York State listed in the “Guide to the Best Small Town Living”.
Day 5- If you want to continue visiting wineries you can drive 1 1/2 hours from Corning to Canandaigua Lake and then another hour on to Rochester. If you turn around at the town of Canandaigua it is 6 hours back to New York City.
Because there are over 70 wineries in the Finger Lakes region (Casa Larga just outside Rochester is the end of the trail) you can add days depending on your stamina. If I weren’t headed to Rochester as a judge in the Finger Lakes Wine Competition, I probably would have stopped at Hammondsport and headed home, with many vinous memories.
Sources of Information- 1- Wineries of the Eastern States- Marguerite Thomas 3rd. edition – Berkshire House Publisher. 2- Ask for the Uncork NY brochure and maps of all the wine trails. Cayuga (longest), Seneca (deepest), Keuka (most scenic), Canandaigua and Lake Ontario (newest). They list each winery, address, phone, website, hours and directions. 3- Finger Lakes Information (800) 548- 4386.
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