Epicure
Chateau Lafayette Reneau, the most
photographed winery in the region,
is another stately vineyard that has
a stellar view of Seneca Lake. For
$3, one of the lighter tasting costs,
we sampled six wines on its large
outdoor patio. The winery is also
home to an inn, built in 1911, which
sits on the property’s 140 acres
of vineyards, ponds, woodlands and
brick house. This winery is a fair
choice for those looking for
a more dignified winery outing.
Zugibe Vineyards, established on
2005, and working on 40 acres of
land, is one of the newer members
of the Seneca Lake Wine Trail. But
Zugibe holds its own, due to its
wines’ innovation and complexity. For
$5, we sampled five dry and semi-dry
wines, which are the vineyard’s
specialty. At this winery, we also
enjoyed a view of Seneca Lake from
the back porch of the estate.
Ventosa Vineyards, a friendlier and
more casual winery, has one asset
the comprehensive tour, sampled
seven pre-chosen vineyard wines and
enjoyed them outside on the lush
grass, overlooking Seneca Lake in
front of the vineyard’s grape plants.
Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards, voted one of
the top 25 tasting rooms in the United
States by Wine Enthusiast Magazine,
holds a much more quaint and casual
operation than Wagner Vineyards and
is more family-friendly. At Hazlitt,
staff walked us through background
stories of their wines, such as that of
the Red Cat and the 2012 Vidal Blanc
Ice Wine, or “liquid candy.” During our
tasting of six wines for $5, we also
basked in the antique-barn appeal of
the tasting room. Although there isn’t
as much grounds to enjoy as that of
Wagner, since Hazlitt makes their
wine in Naples, New York, there is
a small party pavilion, The Oasis.
This is located just outside as
a casual beer and wine bar as
well as light restaurant.
that no other area wineries have Tocai Friulano, an Italian grape found
in the region, which is only grown
at Ventosa. At this vineyard, we
enjoyed a view of Seneca Lake,
with a tasting for $3. We also had
lunch at the full restaurant on the
premises, Café Toscan, which serves
light Italian cuisine with vegetables
from its own private garden.
The Seneca Lake Wine Trail has an
expansive group of wineries which,
luckily, can be visited throughout
the year on organized tours, so that
travelers can sample as many fine
wines as possible