Wine, Women, and More Wine
Even in winter, many wineries are open for visitors to sample the fruit of their land. So after reveling in Seneca Falls’ women’s history sites, we enjoyed some late afternoons savoring just some of the many award-winning wines of the region. The wineries add a fun – and educational – dimension to a vacation that offers multiple layers of American history. More than 70 vineyards dot the rolling hills along five Finger Lakes (Keuka, Canadaigua, Oneida, Seneca, Cayuga). The sloping hillsides and deep lake water combine to provide moderate temperatures, which increase "air drainage" essential in protecting the vines against extreme temperature changes. Following passage of the 1976 Farm Winery Act, the Finger Lake region converted farm land into what is now 10,414 acres of vineyards. Since then, these grapes have given birth to world renowned, superior vintages, distributed in most countries. Many wineries boast gold medals for their award-winning wines, won year after year, and proudly displayed as you enter the wine-tasting room. The Finger Lakes sprawl in their elegant, distinctive form between Syracuse and Buffalo, just south of the I-90 Thruway. The Erie Canal, an engineering feat, was opened in 1825, connecting the great Lake Erie from Buffalo to the Hudson River to New York City. Then 360 miles long and 4 feet deep, the Erie Canal made east-west travel possible for settlers – and vast commercial development followed. By 1828 several lateral internal canals were built connecting Cayuga and Seneca Lakes. Free-flowing traffic and communication built thriving communities in the area – and many of these towns, like Seneca Falls, became hotbeds of political discourse for the Temperance, Abolitionist, and Women’s Rights movements, spurring a series of profound social and cultural changes in the country. The Temperance movement was predominantly spearheaded by women, who could rally publicly for this social cause and still maintain their "respectability". Many women thereby developed sharp organizational and orating skills fighting for a teetotalling society. I admit it – having tasted wines from the Finger Lakes region, I’m kinda glad our foremothers ultimately lost this battle. Time allowed us to visit only five vineyards this trip: Seneca Lake’s Lamoreaux Landing, Wagner Vineyards, Knapp, Sheldrake Point, and Swedish Hill vineyards on Cayuga Lake. All the wineries offer tastings and free tours of their individual vintage processes, and some feature restaurants and spectacular lake vistas (even in winter!). We were treated graciously by the estate’s owners, who generously offered personal tours and merry samplings of their vintages. There was something for everyone’s preference: Sparkling, Riesling, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Port, ice wines and more. Fortunately, chauffeured limousine services are available for reasonable rates in case you plan on hitting all seventy vineyards during your visit! The Finger Lakes region is a wonderful get-away trip for Vermonters to enjoy themselves and experience the roots of American women’s rights – all just several hours away. We returned with a more educated perspective on the wine industry, as well as several bottles of our favorites to enjoy with friends back home! For an informational directory on visiting the Finger Lakes region vineyards, go to www.vermontwoman.com and travel via our Web links! |
The
winds were wild; the temperatures hovering near zero, the lakes and vineyards
of the Finger Lakes deep under a February snow. Yet the warm atmosphere
of good cheer and friendship – and the award-winning regional wines
– allowed us to feel transported to sunny Napa Valley for a day!