Finger Lakes Wine-derings

-- I've been hearing rumors that UPS is finally actually shipping wine from out of state wineries, who have the proper approval and license, directly to New York customers. The last I had read, UPS was approved, but the logistics of what documentation UPS would need to have the customer sign when receiving a shipment of wine had yet to be worked out. If there are any New Yorkers out there who have received a shipment of wine (legally) from an out of state winery, please leave a comment or email me.

-- Lenn over at LennDevours is taking a survey to see if there is interest in a publication that would provide information specifically on all the wine regions of New York state. If you have an interest in New York wine, and I assume you do since you are here, please take the survey.

-- I stumbled on to a website by Photographer Jim Emery that has some good photos of the Finger Lakes area and from all over the country. I love good photography and a lot of Jim's photos are truly stunning.

-- I find the process of how real cork is made fascinating. A cork oak tree must be at least 25 years old before the first harvesting of the bark, which cork is made from, can be made and then the bark can only be harvested every 9 years. The harvesting or removal of the bark from the tree must be very precise because if the cut is too deep, the tree can be killed. The tree grows only in Portugal, Spain, and North Africa. Here is more info on cork.

-- I had hoped to ride the Rochester high-speed ferry to Toronto this year, but that will not be happening now that funding for the ferry has been cancelled by new mayor Robert Duffy because the ferry was losing too much money. Some say the ferry was never given a fair chance, but I think most agree that the city could simply not afford to operate the ferry with the losses it had produced. Here are comments about the decision from the Rochester Business Journal. Hopefully, a private company will take over operating the ferry and make it profitable.

--Remember to get your tickets for the upcoming Wine On Ice wine event on Jan. 27 & 28 at First Arena in Elmira NY. Wine On Ice features 32 Finger Lakes wineries presenting tastings, along with other vendors and entertainment.

-- If any of you are looking to buy a Finger Lakes winery and have 1.75 million dollars to spare, have I got a deal for you. One of my favorite wineries on Seneca Lake, Logan Ridge, is for sale. It is one of the most beautiful wineries in the Finger Lakes with a great view overlooking Seneca Lake and a fantastic restaurant and beautiful tasting room. I'd buy it, but all my cash is tied up in investments that I can not liquidate at this time. Yeah, right.

-- The wines that I have been drinking lately have actually been Non-Finger Lakes wine. I've had a very good Chardonnay from, believe it or not, Idaho- Sawtooth Winery and some German Rieslings. But there's a lot of winter left and the cellar is stocked with my favorite Finger Lakes wine to get me through.