Finger Lakes AVA is located 5 hours north, away from New York. If you ever want to experience a top-notch winery visit, consider visiting them. I have been there a couple of times, and I wish to stay longer. Therefore, it will take me a few trips back and forth to discover all the Wineries in the Finger Lakes AVA. However, below are some tips and tricks for your next Finger Lakes wine trip. Tips and Tricks for your next Finger Lakes Wine Trip article is one of my evergreen posts, which means that I will keep you updated on the new visits I make to the Finger Lakes AVA. So, bookmark this post as it grows with new wineries and wines to discover.
According to amateurgastronomer.com, Riesling is the Finger Lakes’s undisputed signature white wine grape. But should this region’s signature red wine grape in upstate New York be Cabernet Franc or Lemberger? The answer isn’t clear. My tip and trick for your next Finger Lakes wine trip: try both, and you decide. Try their reds; try their whites. Plan ahead of time. Visit as many wineries as possible within the two sub-regions of this unique viticultural area. Moreover, this region is known for its Sparkling Wines, so try some bubbles!
Driving! Yes, if you live in New York City, I advise getting a car to drive up there. Then, to move from the Wineries to the Hotel and Restaurants, you will need a vehicle. Finger Lakes AVA is the countryside, so do not think a bus will promptly take you from side to side as they do or try to do in New York City. You got this if you come from other states and are used to the countryside! Get your map going. Assign a Designated Driver by day so you can all visit and enjoy the wineries safely.
Finger Lakes AVA encompasses different wine trails that have grown throughout the centuries. It has been an American Viticultural Area since 1982. Since then, it has grown around eleven glacial lakes thoroughly. According to Wikipedia, the area around Canandaigua, Keuka, Seneca, and Cayuga Lakes contains most vineyard plantings in the AVA, often called “finger lakes” because of their “finger” form. Hence, the magic happened around these bountiful and beautiful finger-long-shaped lakes. As a result, the vineyards have grown the best Riesling in America.
There are two sub-regions in Finger Lakes: Seneca Lake AVA and Cayuga Lake AVA. There are more than 30 wineries in each sub-region. For this reason, you need time and good planning when visiting. The first time I saw it was in 2018. I just had time to visit the Seneca Lake AVA wine trail and only visit some of their wineries. After that, I am only sharing a few limited recommendations of the ones I saw. However, please keep reading and scrolling down since I am leaving you on this post. Here are some links to excellent articles by experts in the area containing all the information you need if you ever want to visit Finger Lakes AVA.
There are a couple of sub- ava’s in Finger Lakes, one per Lake or sort of
Keuka Lake AVA Wine Trail
Cayuka Lake AVA Wine Trail
Depending on where you are staying and the time you have to visit, I recommend visiting a few wineries in each sub-ava to get a feel for what the Finger Lakes AVA is about and its particularities and differences due to its microclimates and history.
An American Viticultural Area (AVA) is a designated wine grape-growing region in the United States, providing specific geographical and climatic factors contributing to the unique characteristics of the wines produced there. These areas are defined by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) and are used to label American wines to indicate the origin of the grapes used.
Sub-AVAs are like the unique fingerprints of larger American Viticultural Areas (AVAs). They are characterized by distinct geographic features, climate, soils, and other factors that set them apart from their surroundings. Winemakers and vineyard owners often use these designations to showcase the unique qualities and characteristics of the wines produced within these smaller, more specific regions.
I recommend staying in Geneva if you like hotels or cabins with an Airbnb. If you are looking for a more spacious place, a friend recommended Ithaca, closer to Keuka Lake but farther away from Seneca Lake. Remember that to get into the different wine trails, you must keep driving in between. A designated driver will always have to be in place!
Want to know more about the unique Finger Lakes terroir? Check this post from Wine Review Online: The Earthly Story of the Finger Lakes: A Unique American Terroir.
Last but not least, I recommend you read this masterpiece by Adrian for winetraveler.com, which compares Old World wines to Finger Lakes Wines.
Read more about tricks and tips about traveling into vineyards here.
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