FINGER LAKES WINERY TOURS
Finger Lakes November 6-9, 2022 (SOLD OUT)
Sunday to Tuesday or Sunday to Wednesday ***PRICING***
New Schedule: 2023 TBA
Two days, Sunday to Tuesday: Two payments of $549 per person based on double occupancy
( Single occupancy add $99)
Three days, Sunday to Wednesday: Two payments of $689 per person based on double occupancy
(Single occupancy add $149)
Our wine tours include everything in the price once you arrive at the location. We include the bus transfers, wine tastings, hotels, all meals and any other activity that is listed on the itinerary.
The Finger Lakes region now has well over 100 wineries. And TripAdvisor named the Finger Lakes the #1 wine Trail in America. And all of this is just three hours from the Hudson Valley.
As restaurant owners we have personal connections with the best wineries in this region. We are taking you to our friends' wineries.
The two lakes that we visit in depth are Keuka and Seneca. Both of these lakes host most of the wineries in this region. We have listed our favorite ones on both pages of this website.
Do you want to tour some of our favorite vineyards and hotspots throughout the Finger Lakes?
Then keep reading...
Sunday to Tuesday or Sunday to Wednesday ***PRICING***
New Schedule: 2023 TBA
Two days, Sunday to Tuesday: Two payments of $549 per person based on double occupancy
( Single occupancy add $99)
Three days, Sunday to Wednesday: Two payments of $689 per person based on double occupancy
(Single occupancy add $149)
Our wine tours include everything in the price once you arrive at the location. We include the bus transfers, wine tastings, hotels, all meals and any other activity that is listed on the itinerary.
The Finger Lakes region now has well over 100 wineries. And TripAdvisor named the Finger Lakes the #1 wine Trail in America. And all of this is just three hours from the Hudson Valley.
As restaurant owners we have personal connections with the best wineries in this region. We are taking you to our friends' wineries.
The two lakes that we visit in depth are Keuka and Seneca. Both of these lakes host most of the wineries in this region. We have listed our favorite ones on both pages of this website.
Do you want to tour some of our favorite vineyards and hotspots throughout the Finger Lakes?
Then keep reading...
Welcome to the Finger Lakes with Jamie and Marcus! This is the most exciting trip we have put together yet in the Finger Lakes. We are visiting many new wineries, and restaurants and extending it by a day and a half!
We will start the adventure on a Sunday afternoon with two visits and dinner. And end Wednesday afternoon at a winery. You will also have the option to do only two days or all three days.
Sunday
We will meet at the Harbor View Hotel at 1 pm. We will park here and meet our van to venture off to Damiani Winery.
At Damiani, we will meet up with Jeremy and taste their amazing wines.
Damiani Vineyard produces wines that tend to soften the line between feminine sophistication and bold vitality. Anyone who knows Lou Damiani would agree that this characterization of his vineyard perfectly mirrors his energy in life – thoughtful, passionate, and strong. This site was hand-planted in two separate instances on Howard Gravelly Loam soils, the lower block in 1997 and the upper block in 2000.
The sweeping western-facing slope of Damiani Vineyard captures brilliant sunlight and warmth throughout the year, creating wines of depth and maturity. Here, Merlot reigns supreme, however, other varieties such as Cabernet Franc and Syrah are not far behind in the spotlight. Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling, Pinot Gris, and Pinot Noir are among the other varieties planted at this site. Modest-sized varietal plots ranging from ½ to 2 ½ acres, allow attention to be focused on the specific needs of each vine, and therefore care can be given on a vine-by-vine basis. With its rugged terrain and minimalist intervention, this vineyard has grown into the landscape as opposed to growing upon it. While canopy management is strictly followed, the vineyard floor is left uninterrupted, driving the roots of the vines deep into the earth, gathering and expelling valuable nutrients to the grapes.
Finger Lakes Distilling
Our next stop is just a walk away. We go next door to taste and tour Finger Lakes Distilling.
Finger Lakes Distilling is an NYS Farm Distillery, which means they’re a small operation making a handcrafted product. It also means they’re able to devote all their attention to everything made; they don’t take any shortcuts. Flavored vodkas and liqueurs are made in the traditional manner, by soaking real fruits in the spirit. They don’t add extracts or synthetic flavoring to speed up the process. Their whiskeys rest in oak barrels for as long as they need to until they mature into the rich aged spirit we offer with pride.
After our visit with Finger Lakes Distilling we will head back to Watkins Glen, here we will check into our hotel and get situated. Tonight will eat Thai for dinner and drink some local wine.
Monday
Breakfast will be at your leisure in the hotel restaurant. Of course, breakfast is taken care of, Just present the voucher that you were given at check-in.
After breakfast, we will head up to the west side of Seneca lake. Our first stop is Hickory Hollow Wine Cellars. Hickory Hollow is also home to Nathan Kendall Wines. It's a father-son combo. Here we will taste both lines of wine. The winery is usually closed on Monday but they will open up special for us.
Nathan Kendall Wines was founded in 2011 by Finger Lakes native Nathan Kendall. He is an internationally trained Winemaker who has experience in Sonoma, Willamette Valley, Waipara (NZ), Adelaide Hills (AUS), and Mosel (GER), although the plan was always to return to the shores of Seneca Lake. His passion is to create wines in an old-world style using quality grapes and minimal intervention.
Having traveled throughout the world focusing on cool climate regions and varietals, the Winemaker's focus is on Riesling and Pinot noir. All lots are carefully sorted, and the pristine fruit then undergoes long spontaneous fermentations. Post-fermentation, the wine ages for months on the gross lees to enhance the texture. Wines are then carefully racked, never fined, and gently filtered before bottling. The bottled wines then receive 2-3 years of bottle age to evolve and achieve the best possible expression of the Finger Lakes.
Today we will grab lunch from a local eatery before our visit to Keuka Lake.
Our first stop on Keuka Lake is Point of the Bluffs Vineyards.
Established in 2008, Point of the Bluff Vineyards offers award-winning wines in a beautiful setting overlooking Keuka Lake. Their boutique size allows their winemaker with more than 30 years of experience to be closely involved in every aspect of the process from planting to bottling. Visit our tasting room on the west side of Keuka Lake and sample artfully-crafted wines, overlooking stunning views!
Next, we head up the block to Stueben Brewing for a beer!
Steuben Brewing Company is a New York State Farm Brewery. Opened in 2014 on farmland located on the west side of Keuka Lake. Steuben Brewing is family-operated and brewer-owned.
They source the best local ingredients and foster relationships with the farmers who grow the grain and hops. They focus our efforts on the small, yet bustling, farm brewery to provide the freshest and most expressive beer possible.
Tuesday
Breakfast will be at your leisure in the hotel restaurant. Of course, breakfast is taken care of, Just present the voucher that you were given at check-in.
Our first winery today is Anthony Road
John and Ann Martini moved to Anthony Road in 1973 at the urging of a friend that touted the joys of grape growing in the Finger Lakes. They loaded up 2 young children and left their home in Baltimore. For the first decade or so they grew grapes for other producers. But that all changed in the early 80s. And they rolled out their Anthony Road line of wines. Currently, John and Ann's four children run the vineyard and winery. Currently, there are 12 grandchildren, ranging in age from 2 to 21 years old – many can be seen rolling down the hill, running through the gardens, and “helping” around the vineyard and winery.
This is not just a job for them – but a labor of love and their home!
Today we will grab lunch in Hammondsport on Keuka Lake. And then we will head off to see our friend Peter Weis!
Born in Zell Mosel, Germany, Winemaker Hans Peter Weis grew up in the vineyards and cellar of his family's winery. It is there that he gained his passion for wine. Continually learning and working with his family to learn the techniques and traditions of the Mosel. Once he was of age he furthered his education by receiving his degree in Winemaking, Business & Agriculture.
After university, he decided it was time to travel away from home and gain experience throughout different wine regions. This is how he ended up finding his way to the Finger Lakes region of New York just a few short years later. He spent 11 vintages in the Finger Lakes working as a winemaker and vineyard manager before deciding it was time to start his own winery.
In the spring of 2016 he and his wife Ashlee, a native of the Finger Lakes, decided they would begin this adventure together and open up Weis Vineyards.
Next, we head back over to Seneca Lake to Fox Run Vineyards for a tour and tasting. Long before the hundreds of travelers, wine-tasters, and oenophiles graced the tables and tasting bars of Fox Run, it was cows that explored the property. For more than a century, Fox Run was a dairy farm. The first grapes were planted in 1984, and in 1990 the Civil War-era dairy barn was converted to a winemaking facility by Larry and Adele Wildrick, the founders of Fox Run Vineyards. In 1994 Scott Osborn and his first business partner, Andy Hale, purchased the winery from the Wildricks. With 50 acres of east-facing vineyards on glacial soils, the winery produces a remarkable range of limited-production, estate wines.
We will head back to the hotel to unwind before dinner. Tonight we will walk two blocks to Graft! Graft is our favorite restaurant in the Finger Lakes. Chef-Owner Orlando serves amazing Farm To Table Cuisine paired with local wine. Graft is very small and hard to get into. We are never able to get in here. So this is a real treat!
Wednesday
Breakfast will be at your leisure in the hotel restaurant.
Here we will check out before we venture off to Atwater Vineyards just minutes from Watkins Glen.
This trip will sell out. If you are interested please inquire at (845) 647-3000.
We will start the adventure on a Sunday afternoon with two visits and dinner. And end Wednesday afternoon at a winery. You will also have the option to do only two days or all three days.
Sunday
We will meet at the Harbor View Hotel at 1 pm. We will park here and meet our van to venture off to Damiani Winery.
At Damiani, we will meet up with Jeremy and taste their amazing wines.
Damiani Vineyard produces wines that tend to soften the line between feminine sophistication and bold vitality. Anyone who knows Lou Damiani would agree that this characterization of his vineyard perfectly mirrors his energy in life – thoughtful, passionate, and strong. This site was hand-planted in two separate instances on Howard Gravelly Loam soils, the lower block in 1997 and the upper block in 2000.
The sweeping western-facing slope of Damiani Vineyard captures brilliant sunlight and warmth throughout the year, creating wines of depth and maturity. Here, Merlot reigns supreme, however, other varieties such as Cabernet Franc and Syrah are not far behind in the spotlight. Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling, Pinot Gris, and Pinot Noir are among the other varieties planted at this site. Modest-sized varietal plots ranging from ½ to 2 ½ acres, allow attention to be focused on the specific needs of each vine, and therefore care can be given on a vine-by-vine basis. With its rugged terrain and minimalist intervention, this vineyard has grown into the landscape as opposed to growing upon it. While canopy management is strictly followed, the vineyard floor is left uninterrupted, driving the roots of the vines deep into the earth, gathering and expelling valuable nutrients to the grapes.
Finger Lakes Distilling
Our next stop is just a walk away. We go next door to taste and tour Finger Lakes Distilling.
Finger Lakes Distilling is an NYS Farm Distillery, which means they’re a small operation making a handcrafted product. It also means they’re able to devote all their attention to everything made; they don’t take any shortcuts. Flavored vodkas and liqueurs are made in the traditional manner, by soaking real fruits in the spirit. They don’t add extracts or synthetic flavoring to speed up the process. Their whiskeys rest in oak barrels for as long as they need to until they mature into the rich aged spirit we offer with pride.
After our visit with Finger Lakes Distilling we will head back to Watkins Glen, here we will check into our hotel and get situated. Tonight will eat Thai for dinner and drink some local wine.
Monday
Breakfast will be at your leisure in the hotel restaurant. Of course, breakfast is taken care of, Just present the voucher that you were given at check-in.
After breakfast, we will head up to the west side of Seneca lake. Our first stop is Hickory Hollow Wine Cellars. Hickory Hollow is also home to Nathan Kendall Wines. It's a father-son combo. Here we will taste both lines of wine. The winery is usually closed on Monday but they will open up special for us.
Nathan Kendall Wines was founded in 2011 by Finger Lakes native Nathan Kendall. He is an internationally trained Winemaker who has experience in Sonoma, Willamette Valley, Waipara (NZ), Adelaide Hills (AUS), and Mosel (GER), although the plan was always to return to the shores of Seneca Lake. His passion is to create wines in an old-world style using quality grapes and minimal intervention.
Having traveled throughout the world focusing on cool climate regions and varietals, the Winemaker's focus is on Riesling and Pinot noir. All lots are carefully sorted, and the pristine fruit then undergoes long spontaneous fermentations. Post-fermentation, the wine ages for months on the gross lees to enhance the texture. Wines are then carefully racked, never fined, and gently filtered before bottling. The bottled wines then receive 2-3 years of bottle age to evolve and achieve the best possible expression of the Finger Lakes.
Today we will grab lunch from a local eatery before our visit to Keuka Lake.
Our first stop on Keuka Lake is Point of the Bluffs Vineyards.
Established in 2008, Point of the Bluff Vineyards offers award-winning wines in a beautiful setting overlooking Keuka Lake. Their boutique size allows their winemaker with more than 30 years of experience to be closely involved in every aspect of the process from planting to bottling. Visit our tasting room on the west side of Keuka Lake and sample artfully-crafted wines, overlooking stunning views!
Next, we head up the block to Stueben Brewing for a beer!
Steuben Brewing Company is a New York State Farm Brewery. Opened in 2014 on farmland located on the west side of Keuka Lake. Steuben Brewing is family-operated and brewer-owned.
They source the best local ingredients and foster relationships with the farmers who grow the grain and hops. They focus our efforts on the small, yet bustling, farm brewery to provide the freshest and most expressive beer possible.
Tuesday
Breakfast will be at your leisure in the hotel restaurant. Of course, breakfast is taken care of, Just present the voucher that you were given at check-in.
Our first winery today is Anthony Road
John and Ann Martini moved to Anthony Road in 1973 at the urging of a friend that touted the joys of grape growing in the Finger Lakes. They loaded up 2 young children and left their home in Baltimore. For the first decade or so they grew grapes for other producers. But that all changed in the early 80s. And they rolled out their Anthony Road line of wines. Currently, John and Ann's four children run the vineyard and winery. Currently, there are 12 grandchildren, ranging in age from 2 to 21 years old – many can be seen rolling down the hill, running through the gardens, and “helping” around the vineyard and winery.
This is not just a job for them – but a labor of love and their home!
Today we will grab lunch in Hammondsport on Keuka Lake. And then we will head off to see our friend Peter Weis!
Born in Zell Mosel, Germany, Winemaker Hans Peter Weis grew up in the vineyards and cellar of his family's winery. It is there that he gained his passion for wine. Continually learning and working with his family to learn the techniques and traditions of the Mosel. Once he was of age he furthered his education by receiving his degree in Winemaking, Business & Agriculture.
After university, he decided it was time to travel away from home and gain experience throughout different wine regions. This is how he ended up finding his way to the Finger Lakes region of New York just a few short years later. He spent 11 vintages in the Finger Lakes working as a winemaker and vineyard manager before deciding it was time to start his own winery.
In the spring of 2016 he and his wife Ashlee, a native of the Finger Lakes, decided they would begin this adventure together and open up Weis Vineyards.
Next, we head back over to Seneca Lake to Fox Run Vineyards for a tour and tasting. Long before the hundreds of travelers, wine-tasters, and oenophiles graced the tables and tasting bars of Fox Run, it was cows that explored the property. For more than a century, Fox Run was a dairy farm. The first grapes were planted in 1984, and in 1990 the Civil War-era dairy barn was converted to a winemaking facility by Larry and Adele Wildrick, the founders of Fox Run Vineyards. In 1994 Scott Osborn and his first business partner, Andy Hale, purchased the winery from the Wildricks. With 50 acres of east-facing vineyards on glacial soils, the winery produces a remarkable range of limited-production, estate wines.
We will head back to the hotel to unwind before dinner. Tonight we will walk two blocks to Graft! Graft is our favorite restaurant in the Finger Lakes. Chef-Owner Orlando serves amazing Farm To Table Cuisine paired with local wine. Graft is very small and hard to get into. We are never able to get in here. So this is a real treat!
Wednesday
Breakfast will be at your leisure in the hotel restaurant.
Here we will check out before we venture off to Atwater Vineyards just minutes from Watkins Glen.
This trip will sell out. If you are interested please inquire at (845) 647-3000.
Some of our past trips to the Finger Lakes, watch below!
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Here are some of our favorite wineries in the Finger LAkes...
Seneca lake
Seneca lake is the largest of the finger lakes. With an average depth of 450 feet it holds 80% of all the water in the finger lakes. Because of its depth it creates a very unique thermal climate that winemakers seek. There's an actual section of the lake that's referred to as the banana belt. With the depth being that deep the lake never freezes. And the warmth from the water will gently blanket the coast of the lake.
Seneca lake Wineries that we love
HERmann J WIemer
Standing stone Vineyards
FULKERSON winery
ATWATER
DAMIANI
SILVER THREAD
ZUGIBE
JR DILL
LAMOREAUX LANDING
ANTHONY ROAD
FOX RUN
Atwater Vineyard
Hickory Hollow wine cellars
Nathan Kendall Wines
Finger Lakes Distiling
Both weekends include Finger Lakes Distilling
Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel, it's our favorite hotel!
Both Finger Lakes trips include this 4 Diamond Water front hotel! Named “Best Waterfront Hotel in the Nation” by USA Today, the Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel sets the standard for luxury accommodations as the area's only AAA Four Diamond property. Nestled on the shores of Seneca Lake in the picturesque town of Watkins Glen and adjacent to Glen Harbor Marina, our hotel provides the perfect vantage point from which to explore the area.
KEUKA LAKE
Keuka Lake is the only Y shaped lake throughout the finger Lakes. It's just 20 minutes from Seneca Lake. This 20 minute drive will take you into a separate micro climate. This lake has higher elevation and creates different wine expressions. Some wineries have property on both lakes to balance out the qualities of each climate.
