The Sophisticated Life
  • Home
  • About
  • Travel
  • Food
  • Wine
  • Travel With Me
  • Work With Me
  • Contact
No Result
View All Result
The Sophisticated Life
  • Home
  • About
  • Travel
  • Food
  • Wine
  • Travel With Me
  • Work With Me
  • Contact
No Result
View All Result
The Sophisticated Life
No Result
View All Result
Home Blog

Finger Lakes Wine Country: Seneca Lake Wine Trail Guide

by Nadeen
September 22, 2019
A A
Seneca Lake Wine Trail, Finger Lakes Wine Country, Upstate New York,

Welcome to another delicious wine post. In September I attended my 3rd TBEX travel conference in Finger Lakes Wine Country. From the moment TBEX announced the North America conference location I knew I would be there. As many of my readers know, I am on a mission to visit as many wine regions around the world as possible. Therefore, Finger Lakes Wine Country has been on my bucket list. I touched on my tour of the Seneca Lake Wine Trail in my last post. I was able to attend a day tour of the Seneca Lake Wine Trail as part of the conference. I had it easy. All I had to do was get on a tour bus with 2 fantastic tour guides and be whilst off to 3 wineries with vineyards on the Seneca Lake Wine Trail. However, since I realize how helpful my travel guides are to you, I decided to take notes and do some research to get you the information you need to make the most of your trip to Finger Lakes Wine Country. Here is a Seneca Lake Wine trail Guide which includes helpful links to maps, tours and resources in the area. Warning-throughout the post I will be sharing a lot of pictures of the mouthwatering wine I had along the Seneca Lake Wine Trail. I suggest having a tasty glass of wine handy when reading this post 🙂

wine tasting in finger lakes wine country, wine tasting along the seneca lake wine trail, seneca lake wine trail guide, american wine regions, finger lakes wine country
At the Elmira Airport we were greeted with individual bottles of Sparking Rose by Pleasant Valley Wine Company. Pleasant Valley was one of the original wineries in the area.

How to get there: The Finger Lakes are located in upstate New York. To get to Seneca Lake Wine Trail in particular, it’s a 4 hour 15 minutes drive from NYC, 1 hour and 30 minutes drive from Rochester NY and 2 hour 20 minutes drive from Buffalo NY. There are also buses that go between NYC and the Finger Lakes area. If you choose to fly, there is an airport close by. Elmira Corning Regional Airport (ELM) is 30 minutes driving distance from the Seneca Lake Wine Trail. You will likely have to connect at another major airport before landing at Elmira airport. From Atlanta I flew to Detroit Michigan then took a connecting flight to Elmira. If you live in the NJ/NYC area there are direct flights to Elmira from Newark NJ airport (EWR). I rented a car at the airport and I was ready to explore.

wine tasting in finger lakes wine country, wine tasting along the seneca lake wine trail, seneca lake wine trail guide, american wine regions, finger lakes wine country
Learning about wine making and the vineyards on the wine trail.
wine tasting in finger lakes wine country, wine tasting along the seneca lake wine trail, seneca lake wine trail guide, american wine regions, finger lakes wine country
Beautiful views of Seneca Lake from Boundary Breaks Vineyard

Seneca Lake Wine Trail Maps: Having a map of the Seneca Lake Wine Trail will help you decide which wineries you would like to visit and where to stay. Here is a link to a great wine trail map.

wine tasting in finger lakes wine country, wine tasting along the seneca lake wine trail, seneca lake wine trail guide, american wine regions, finger lakes wine country
Very cool name and label. These booklets had very useful information on the wine trail.

Where to stay: There are several hotels in the Corning and Finger Lakes area. During my time there I stayed close to the airport at the Marriott Courtyard hotel. However, several of my travel blogger friends stayed closer to downtown Corning. They enjoyed the Staybridge Suites and the new Hilton Garden Inn which are both walking distance from the Corning Museum of Glass. From this area you can also stroll down to the Gaffer District which I wrote about in this post. There are several other lodging options to choose from in Finger Lakes Wine Country and along the Seneca Lake Wine Trail. There are Bed & Breakfasts, campgrounds, lakeside retreats and rental properties. Here is a list of places to stay along the Seneca Lake Wine Trail.

wine tasting in finger lakes wine country, wine tasting along the seneca lake wine trail, seneca lake wine trail guide, american wine regions, finger lakes wine country
I love sparkling wines and I love Riesling wines so this was perfect!
wine tasting in finger lakes wine country, wine tasting along the seneca lake wine trail, seneca lake wine trail guide, american wine regions, finger lakes wine country
Lunchtime views at Wagner Vineyards. They have a restaurant on site.

What to drink: The Finger Lakes wine region is the largest producer of wine in New York State. The Seneca Lake AVA (American Viticultural Area) lies within the Finger Lakes AVA. It is the largest wine trail in the area with 35 wineries. The climate in the Finger Lakes has been compared to Germany. Therefore, it is no surprise that Riesling rules in the Finger Lakes. While wine tasting along the Seneca Lake Wine Trail, I sampled several types of Riesling. Riesling is one of my favorite white wines and I had several types there. There was Riesling Reserve, Sparking Riesling, Riesling Semidry, Dry Rieslings…I was in Riesling heaven lol. I also sampled my fair share of Gewurztraminer. Also delicious. In terms of Chardonnay, I realize that I prefer Unoaked Chardonnay. If you feel the same, definitely head to  Boundary Breaks Vineyard. If you prefer red wines, be sure to sample Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc. Of course there are red and white blends and rose available as well.

wine tasting in finger lakes wine country, wine tasting along the seneca lake wine trail, seneca lake wine trail guide, american wine regions, finger lakes wine country
There are so many great Rieslings to try along the Seneca Lake Wine Trail. Sweet, Medium Sweet, Semi-Dry, Dry…
wine tasting in finger lakes wine country, wine tasting along the seneca lake wine trail, seneca lake wine trail guide, american wine regions, finger lakes wine country
The beautiful wine tasting room at Boundary Breaks Vineyard
wine tasting in finger lakes wine country, wine tasting along the seneca lake wine trail, seneca lake wine trail guide, american wine regions, finger lakes wine country
Delicious Chardonnay and I love their message.

Wineries to visit: Depending on how long your visit is to Finger Lakes Wine Country, you could visit all the wineries. I think this may be a goal for my next trip there LOL. But realistically, I suggest narrowing it down to the wineries that are close to your lodging, that are in close proximity to each other and/or the ones that specialize in wine varietals that you enjoy. You can also take an organized tour which would include certain wineries and vineyards. During the conference I was given the opportunity to spend a day wine tasting along the Seneca Lake Wine Trail. Although we only visited 3 wineries, there were samples from other Seneca Lake wineries at each location. We learned about and sampled wines from 10 different wineries in 1 day! Several of the winemakers mentioned that they all work together. There is a sense of community and the feeling that if one succeeds they all do. We visited Wagner Vineyards, Boundary Breaks Vineyard and Lakewood Vineyards. The properties were beautiful with Wagner and Boundary Breaks having beautiful views of Seneca Lake. If you plan on vineyard hopping during your visit, look into “The Passport“. This allows you to enjoy wine flights at different wineries along the lake for one cost vs. paying individual tasting fees. There is even a “Polar Passport” that can be purchased during the off-season from December to March. This year the cost is $30 plus sales tax for 1 passport per person. It allows you to visit 16 wineries.

wine tasting in finger lakes wine country, wine tasting along the seneca lake wine trail, seneca lake wine trail guide, american wine regions, finger lakes wine country
Pours from the winemakers made this experience very special.
wine tasting in finger lakes wine country, wine tasting along the seneca lake wine trail, seneca lake wine trail guide, american wine regions, finger lakes wine country
Glenora Wine Cellars had several great types of wine available. “Willow White” was light and refreshing.

Tours & Transportation: In terms of getting around the Finger Lakes area, you can rent a car from Elmira airport. This will allow you to visit areas beyond the Seneca Lake Wine Trail including the Corning Museum and Watkins Glen State Park. If you decide you would like to spend your days wine tasting worry free there are several options available. You can take an organized tour of the Seneca Lake Wineries, hire a private guide or hire a private driver. I definitely recommend planning ahead for one of these or having a designated driver during your trip. Here is a helpful link on tours and drivers. And, since the wineries are along a lake, you can also tour the area by boat. I think I will do that on my next trip to Finger Lakes Wine Country.

wine tasting in finger lakes wine country, wine tasting along the seneca lake wine trail, seneca lake wine trail guide, american wine regions, finger lakes wine country
Wine, wine and more wine, We sampled wines from 10 different wineries in one day.

Seneca Lake Wine Trail Events: Last but not least, check out this link for a list of festivals in Finger Lakes Wine Country and on the Seneca Lake Wine Trail. For festival goers, they have year round events.

wine tasting in finger lakes wine country, wine tasting along the seneca lake wine trail, seneca lake wine trail guide, american wine regions, finger lakes wine country
Pinot Gris lovers head to Lakewood Vineyards for this delicious wine.

 FlywithWine: If you are wondering how to get back home with all the delicious bottles of wine that you purchase in Finger Lakes Wine Country, take a look at the items on the FlyWithWine website. Use this link for a$25 discount! Also inquire about shipping at the various wineries.

wine tasting in finger lakes wine country, wine tasting along the seneca lake wine trail, seneca lake wine trail guide, american wine regions, finger lakes wine country

I hope you have enjoyed my Seneca Lake Wine Trail Guide. Have you been to Finger Lakes Wine Country or to the Seneca Lake Wine Trail? If so please be sure to share your experience with us below.

Check out the Finger Lakes Wine Country website as well as the Seneca Lake Wine Trail website for more information.

Although I attended a complimentary tour of the Seneca Lake Wine Trail in Finger Lakes Wine Country while attending the TBEX conference, all opinions expressed in this post are my own.

This blog post contains a referral link for FlyWithWine. Users of the link will received a discount when purchasing and I will received a credit on my account.

Pin this post for future reference:

wine tasting in finger lakes wine country, wine tasting along the seneca lake wine trail, seneca lake wine trail guide, american wine regions, finger lakes wine country

Sign up to learn about luxury travel with food + wine experts all over the world.

Curated small group trips where all you have to do is pack your bag, relax & enjoy!

+ Receive my free packing & to-do lists for International travel!

Thank you! Check your email for your checklists!

Tags: finger lakes wine countrynew yorkseneca lake wine trailusawine countrywine tasting
Previous Post

6 Amazing Reasons to Visit Finger Lakes & Corning New York!

Next Post

Weekend Getaway to Long Island: Things to Do

Nadeen

Nadeen

Dr. Nadeen White is a "Blogger by Day, Physician by Night". She is an award-winning travel blogger, Amazon bestselling author and speaker. The Sophisticated Life Blog covers affordable luxury travel, culinary travel and wine. Her domestic and international travel guides gets people to the destinations of their dreams. So, if you are living the sophisticated life or desire to do so, this is the blog for you!

Related Posts

photo by Adam chandler courtesy of charleston wine and food festival
Wine

2022 Charleston Wine + Food Festival-Recap!

March 31, 2022
sonoma county wineries and restaurants, sonoma, california wine region, sonoma wines, wine tasting
Wine

Sonoma County Wineries & Restaurants.

December 13, 2021
things to do in malibu california, malibu restaurants, wine tasting in malibu, malibu beaches, shopping in malibu
Travel

Things to do in Malibu California this Weekend.

March 21, 2022
asheville travel guide, things to do in asheville north carolina, places to stay in asheville, where to eat in asheville north carolina
Travel

The Ultimate Guide of Things To Do in Asheville, North Carolina!

September 22, 2021
black-owned businesses in asheville north carolina, hood huggers tours, black-owned business in asheville, asheville north carolina, black-owned restaurants in Asheville, downtown Asheville,
Travel

Black-Owned Businesses in Asheville, North Carolina.

September 22, 2021
midtown atlanta travel guide, discover atlanta, visit atlanta, midtown atlanta, atlanta georgia, planning a trip to atlanta
Travel

Midtown Atlanta Travel Guide: Things to Do & See!

March 4, 2021
Next Post
Polo match in long island, visit long island, exploring long island, a long weekend in long island new york

Weekend Getaway to Long Island: Things to Do

Long beach long island, boardwalk, allegria hotel, where to stay & eat in Long Island New York

Where to Stay & Eat in Long Island, New York

Comments 2

  1. Kerwin says:
    4 years ago

    Nadeen,

    Thanks for the review. I had a chance to visit two of the regions wineries. O.K., tastings; so I can echo your feelings.

    So many great wines in this region.

    Kerwin

    • Nadeen says:
      4 years ago

      Thanks for reading and commenting on the post. The wines there are delicious!

No Result
View All Result
Subscribe for updates!

Subscribe for updates!

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Best-selling Travel Ebooks Available for Download

Travel Guides to Your Favorite Destinations

USA Wine Guide for Travelers

Culinary Travel Guides: Food & Wine

Recent Posts

Blog

Introducing Culinary Travels by The Sophisticated Life!

by Nadeen
November 15, 2022
Food

Black-Owned Brunch Spots in Atlanta

by Nadeen
April 27, 2022
  • This is Vik Iceland 🇮🇸!!! Have you been here? 
Do you normally chase the deal or destination? I normally chase the destination but this time I chased @delta deal to Iceland. I didn’t even know if I would have anyone to go with. In the end 2 woman from a travel I’m in went but I hung out on my own for most of the trip. 

I ❤️ Black sanded beaches! Besides this one I have been to them In Santorini Greece 🇬🇷 and Maui Hawaii 🌸 How about you? 

One of the reasons I posted this is to show Black women are adventurous! Including Black women over 50!!! I booked this tour the night before, got up at 6am and jumped on a tour bus solo. Because seeing this beach was on my bucket list for Iceland. It did not disappoint! 

Do you recognize this beach from a TV show?!!

#vikiceland #reynisfjarabeach #reynisfjara #blacktravelmovement #blacktravelfeed #essencetravels #travelnoire #adventuretravels #blackoutdoors #blackwomentravel #blackgirlstraveltoo #women50andovercandoit
  • Happy Monday!!! The answer is ZERO!! I love this trend because it speaks to me. Even when I haven’t been fond of a destination, I never regret the trip. I always learn something new about the place and about myself. It’s called growth. 

How about you?! 

#igtrends #montegobayjamaica #montegobayjamaica🇯🇲 #traveladdicts #luxurytraveller
  • Thank you @africanamericanvintners for this special #blackhistorymonth2023 feature!! Thank you for showcasing the vast diversity of your members and uplifting us in the industry!! 🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽

Repost from @africanamericanvintners
•
"Find your niche, do the research and network."

- Dr. Nadeen White | Owner & Creator/Editor/Curator, The Sophisticated Life & Culinary Travels by The Sophisticated Life

❤️🖤💚❤️🖤💚❤️🖤💚

To celebrate Black History Month, we
  • In my last reel I gave you a long list of foods you should try in Turkiye. Now I’m suggesting the drinks you should try! 

Have you ever had Turkish coffee ☕️? Whew it’s strong! Head to my new blog post “Your Guide to Turkish Food” to find out why-the link is in my stories or thesophisticatedlife.com 

My favorite Turkish drinks-
Turkish tea 🫖 I drank it a few times a day and brought canisters home for me and as a gift 
Salep-thick sweet goodness-but this drink has an interesting history and current dilemma. Read why 
Sherbet-NOT dessert! a refreshing herbal, slightly fruity drink. Not sweet
AND of course I tried Turkish wine 🍷 mostly red blends and dry white wines. 

Have you been to Istanbul or Turkiye? Have you had any of these? Let me know what you think of my blog post! 

@goturkiye @goaheadtours #goistanbul @gogastro #turkishfoods #turkishdrinks #turkishcoffeetime #turkishtea #tslculinarytravels #culinarytour #blacktravelfeed #blackluxurytravel #blackpeopledotravel
  • I am so incredibly proud of @marty_sandiego 🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽 I met Martinique Lewis years ago before we both found ourselves as co-founders of @theblacktravelalliance where she currently serves as President. She is also the founder of @abctravelgreenbook among other amazing things. This TV show was meant for her!! Please share this post & watch the show on February 6th!!

Repost from @marty_sandiego
•
MY SECRET IS OUT!!! WATCH ME ON @natgeotv FEB.6 FOR MY SHOW ENTITLED ‘’BLACK TRAVEL ACROSS AMERICA’’ ! 

You can’t talk about American History without including Black History! These are the spaces and places that celebrated our stories and paved the way for the future ! If ANYBODY is going to tell the world, IT’S GONE BE ME!!! So tune in!

#blackhistorymonth2023 @natgeo #blackhistorymonthfacts #blacktravelmovement
  • A NEW Blog Post!! Yes 🙌🏽!! Head to thesophisticatedlife.com to read my Turkish Food Guide. It lists out all these yummy foods I ate in Istanbul and gives you interesting facts & history of the dishes!
We ate at about 21 restaurants from fine dining to street food daily!! So there was a lot to cover. 

Have you been to Istanbul? If so which food was your favorite? 

#goturkiye #goistanbul @goturkiye @goturkiyeus #gogastro #culinaryarts #tslculinarytravels #turkishfoods #istanbulfood #istanbulrestaurant #istanbulstreetfood #foodguide #culinarytourism #istanbulturkey🇹🇷

Black-Owned Businesses

black-owned businesses in asheville north carolina, hood huggers tours, black-owned business in asheville, asheville north carolina, black-owned restaurants in Asheville, downtown Asheville,

Black-Owned Businesses in Asheville, North Carolina.

September 22, 2021
black-owned rosé wine brands to sip on this summer, rosé wines, black-owned wines, rosé wines, summer wines, black-owned wines, black-owned wineries, mcbride wines, black girl magic wines, brown estate wines,

Black-Owned Rosé Wine Brands to Sip on this Summer.

April 27, 2022
atlanta black-owned restaurants, black-owned restaurants in atlanta, atlanta restaurants, brunch in atlanta, atlanta restaurants

45+ Black-Owned Restaurants in Atlanta You Should Support!

May 15, 2022
black-owned wineries, black-owned businesses, black-owned wines, black winemakers, black wines, black owned wines, black owned wineries, black podcasts, wine, wineries, winemakers. wine regions, napa valley, wine tasting

50+ Black-Owned Wineries & Businesses You Should Follow & Support.

March 15, 2022

Explore the U.S.A

photo by Adam chandler courtesy of charleston wine and food festival

2022 Charleston Wine + Food Festival-Recap!

March 31, 2022
sonoma county wineries and restaurants, sonoma, california wine region, sonoma wines, wine tasting

Sonoma County Wineries & Restaurants.

December 13, 2021
things to do in malibu california, malibu restaurants, wine tasting in malibu, malibu beaches, shopping in malibu

Things to do in Malibu California this Weekend.

March 21, 2022
asheville travel guide, things to do in asheville north carolina, places to stay in asheville, where to eat in asheville north carolina

The Ultimate Guide of Things To Do in Asheville, North Carolina!

September 22, 2021
  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Myrtle Beach Restaurant Guide for Foodies!

The Best Myrtle Beach Restaurants: A Guide for Foodies!

August 6, 2020
15 fun facts about quebec city canada, travel to canada, canadian

15 Fun Quebec City Facts

August 7, 2018
Diner en Blanc Guide for First-Timers! Everything you need to know to attend this magical event! Includes information on purchasing tickets, preparing for the event, costs and what to expect at Diner en Blanc!

Diner en Blanc Guide for First-Timers!

September 19, 2019
Dubai Trip

Dubai Travel Guide for First Time Visitors!

April 2, 2020
Dubai Trip

Dubai Travel Guide for First Time Visitors!

How I spent 5 Days in Dubai and Abu Dhabi! A Desert Safari, Camel rides, Burj Khalifa, High Tea at Burj Al Arab, Shopping in Souks, Visiting the Grand Mosque and so much more!!

How I Spent 5 Days in Dubai and Abu Dhabi!

Visit Jamaica: Land I Love!

Cruising the Mediterranean Sea on Norwegian Epic!

hagia sophia istanbul turkey

Istanbul Travel Guide

February 7, 2023
turkish food, istanbul food, istanbul food guide, meze, mezze, turkish cuisine

Your Guide to Turkish Food

February 8, 2023
culinary travels, culinary travels by the sophisticated life, culinary tours, culinary tourism, group travel, food and wine tasting

Introducing Culinary Travels by The Sophisticated Life!

November 15, 2022
black owned brunch spots in atlanta, black owned restaurants in atlanta, brunch in atlanta

Black-Owned Brunch Spots in Atlanta

April 27, 2022
The Sophisticated Life

  • About
  • Travel
  • Blog
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy

© 2022 The Sophisticated Life

The Sophisticated Life

  • About
  • Travel
  • Blog
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • About
  • Travel
  • Blog
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy

© 2020 The Sophisticated Life

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • About
  • Travel
  • Wine
  • Food
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
  • Travel With Me
  • Work With Me
  • Privacy Policy

© 2020 The Sophisticated Life