Finger Lakes Wine Tasting Trails

The Finger Lakes region located in Western New York is home to over 80 different wineries. The area is also known for Watkins Glen International Raceway, the Corning Museum of Glass and the town of Elmira. Elmira was the home of Mark Twain the author of “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”. This town offers a golf course and a theater named after Mr. Twain along with a tour of his study. The region boasts spectacular scenery and incredible fall foliage. You will find sources of beauty and inspiration during any season of the year. Some of the most popular activities around the Finger Lakes are the wine trails. If you have a taste for wine these trails are definitely a “must do”.

Keuka Lake Wine Trail

Keuka Lake was the site of the first bonded winery in the area. This winery was established in 1860. The first Vinifera vines in the area were planted on Keuka Lake. You will find the wineries and their owners to be welcoming and accommodating and vintages of wine to suit your pallet no matter what your preference.

There are nine wineries available on the Keuka Lake Wine Trail. You can purchase tickets online at 800-440-4898. These tours are self-guided. You will be assigned a winery for your first stop and the direction after that is up to you. Designated drivers are given a discount on ticket price. There are also companies that offer limousine, bus or van tours of the area. The mailing address for this wine trail is 2375 Route 14A, Penn Yan, NY, 14527.

Seneca Lake Wine Trail

Seneca Lake is one of the longest of the Finger Lakes stretching from Watkins Glen, NY north to Geneva, NY. This lake is also the deepest of the Finger Lakes. The water temperature of this lake rarely drips below freezing in the winter making this a prime location for grapes to grow. The first winery opened near Seneca Lake in the year 1866 and the number of wineries in the area today is close to 50.

The wine trail is hosted by 28 different award-winning wineries. Along the trail you will visit each winery with views of the vineyards and the beautiful scenery of the Finger Lakes. The address for the Seneca Lake Wine Trail is 2 N. Franklin Street, Suite 320, Watkins Glen, NY, 14891. They can be reached by phone at 877-536-2717.

Cayuga Lake Wine Trail

The Cayuga Trail began in the early 1980’s with only four wineries on its itinerary. Today there are 15 different destinations on this trail that winds around the second largest of the Finger Lakes. This lake is located just east of Seneca Lake running north from Ithaca to Seneca Falls. The trail hosts are large variety of wine tasting special events throughout the year. There are quaint bed and breakfast establishments nearby and the Cayuga Lake State Park. The address for this wine trial is P.O. Box 123, Fayette, NY, 13065. They can be reached by phone at 800-684-5217.