The Finger Lakes Cayuga Lake Wine Trail
New York State wines have made a name for themselves over the years and now rival wines from California, Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley. The Cayuga Lake Wine Trail is the longest wine trail in New York State. With more than fifteen wineries and sixty restaurants, bed and breakfasts, and tour companies, you’ll want to spend the entire weekend in a wine, culinary, and scenic experience.
Cayuga Lake is one of five Finger Lakes located in central New York State. Its climate is ideal for growing vines. Wineries in the Cayuga Lake area are located 1 hour from Rochester and Syracuse, 2 hours from Buffalo, 4 hours from New York City, 6 hours from Boston, and 2 1/2 hours from Albany, the capital of the condition. Wineries are located along the west and east sides of the lake, with most of them on the west side of the lake. Visitors can also experience Watkins Glen State Park, as well as visit Cornell University, both of which are close to the wineries. The picturesque and impressive waterfalls and other natural splendors along the lake create a relaxing atmosphere while traveling along the wine route.
The Cayuga Lake Wine Trail is a year-round experience, with each season offering a different set of activities and experiences to enjoy while tasting the wines and visiting some of the old historic towns. Some of the wineries along the trail include Montezuma Winery, Swedish Hill Vineyard, Cobblestone Farm Winery & Vineyard, Knapp Winery, Goose Watch Winery, Buttonwood Grove Winery, Cayuga Ridge Estate Winery, Thirsty Owl Wine Company, Hosmer Winery, The Vineyard Seldrake Point, Lucas Vineyards, Americana Vineyards, Six Mile Creek Vineyard, King Ferry Vineyard, and Long Point Vineyard.
You can find travel and transportation companies that include everything from executive limousine service to a party bus for groups of any size. Information can be found at Seneca County Tourism or the Seneca County Chamber of Commerce. Many of these tour companies are located in the towns near Cayuga Lake.
The wine country in the Cayuga Lake area offers events throughout the year that include everything from festivals to special dinners. Many of the individual wineries also host their own events ranging from wine tastings to wine dinners. Almost every month there is a Cayuga Wine Trail event that can be a festival, tour or celebration. The first event begins in February with the annual Mardi Gras and ends in December with the annual Holiday Shopping Spree. A wine lover can purchase a season pass to these Cayuga Wine Trail events and they are transferable if you wish to invite a friend or family member.
Watkins Glen, just off the Cayuga Lake Trail and just below Seneca Lake, is home to the region’s largest wine celebration with more than 75 wineries. The festival takes place every July and is a great place to experience not only Cayuga Lake wines, but also wines from the rest of the Finger Lakes region.
New York wines are quickly becoming the world’s best-known secret when it comes to wines outside of California. Its variety and quality match that of the country’s best-known wine-producing areas, and the Finger Lakes area’s scenery is unmatched by other regions of the country.