Sunday, July 26, 2009

Seneca Lake's Newest Winery


For all of you fruit wine (non-grape) lovers out there, Seneca Lake's newest winery, Fruit Yard Winery, may be right up your alley. Since it is located only a half-mile from my house on Route 14, about 10 miles north of Watkins Glen on the west side of the lake, I have been watching the construction with some curiosity and, with it's roadside farm stand look, I thought I would be buying fresh produce there. On its recent opening, alas, it was a winery.

Fruit Yard Winery is the brain child of Dave Dimarco, who also owns Seneca Shore Winery a few miles to the north, and Dave Shope, an experienced Finger Lakes winemaker with a love of making quality fruit wines. Along with wines such as Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Traminette, etc. (some from Seneca Shore's stock), they produce 7 sweet fruit wines - Pear, Peach, Cranberry, Cherry, Strawberry, Plum, & Blueberry (all in 375ml bottles), with more to come.



The highlights of my tasting were the Strawberry wine ($7.99, 375ml) with strawberry jam flavors and the Plum wine ($7.99, 375 ml), a very complex fruit wine with layers of plum, cherry, strawberry, and apricot into a nice long well-structured finish.
If you are looking for something a little different while you are tasting around Seneca Lake, stop in to the Fruit Yard.








Friday, July 17, 2009

Finger Lakes Wine Festival


It's time again for the Finger Lakes Wine Festival this weekend and Tommy the Wino and me, The Finger Lakes Weekend Winos Duo, will be performing at the Wine Festival at Watkins Glen Speedway this Sunday from 10am to 1pm in The Brewers Garden. Stop by for some Rock, Blues, & Wino Originals. We'll see you there!!! FLWW

Friday, July 03, 2009

Finger Lakes News & Notes - July 3, 2009


- Finger Lakes Wine Country has started the Painted Barrels event. The barrel pictured is from Hearts & Hands Winery, whose owner Tom Higgins suggested the idea of Painted Barrels as a way to promote Finger Lakes artists and wineries. Its barrel is beautifully painted by Finger Lakes artist, Melissa Littlejohn, of the famed pottery company. MacKenzie-Childs of Aurora, New York. For more info on Painted Barrels, click here.
- Check out July events in the Finger Lakes

- Holly Howell writes on wine blends

- Naples store showcases Finger Lakes artists

- Wine Spectators James Molesworth enjoys Anthony Road Riesling at Red Newt Bistro

- Also read Molesworths’ blog of his recent Finger Lakes visit here

- Jeff Richards writes on the new Finger Lakes Distillery

- Enjoy wine and racing this weekend at Watkins Glen Speedway

- Proposals for Finger Lakes Museum considered

- Baltimore's Terry Sullivan writes about his Finger Lakes travels

- The Wine Trail Traveler website has some nice info on Finger Lakes wineries

- Enjoy Music and Finger Lakes Wine at Taughannock Falls State Park

- If you are looking for ideas of things to do in the Finger Lakes, check out "100 Things To Do in Finger Lakes Wine Country This Summer"

- Finger Lakes wines do well in Los Angeles International Wine Competition, with Chateau Lafayette Reneau 2008 Dry Riesling and 2008 Late Harvest Riesling winning Best of Class awards. Congrats to CLR!!! See complete results here

- The Why Wine Blog visits the Finger Lakes

- The Professor writes about Finger Lakes wine
- If you are interested in making wine at home, Fulkerson Winery's Steve Fulkerson gives you good advice on his youtube videos

I hope your summer is going great & Happy 4th of July to all my fellow Weekend Winos!!!