Rustic Roots

By Alice Feiring

The glacier-scarred landscape of the Finger Lakes region in northwestern New York is a great place to hike, ski, fish and swim. It's also the source of a number of excellent wines to quench your thirst. The sloping terrain and complex soil are hospitable to more than 80 wineries, many of which have sprung up in the past decade. And the growing wine culture has spawned quite a few decent dining possibilities. You may even find the region reminiscent of the budding Napa Valley of the late 1970s.

Grapes that thrive here are classic cool-climate growers. The best wines offer mouth-watering qualities that leave you wanting more. The Chardonnay can be light and fresh, the Riesling limelike, the Gewurztraminer spicy, and the glorious grape of Burgundy, Pinot Noir, velvety. The wineries are friendly and ready to receive. Some, like Fox Run, have gift shops stocking local products like Lively Run Goat Dairy (love the goat feta). There's a cool cafe next to Bloomer Creek called the Stonecat, which has become a local winemakers' hangout. The summer fruits are fantastic (Red Jacket Orchards' apricots are not to be missed), and there are a bunch of really fun hokey events like Fox Run's annual Garlic Festival, which takes place Aug. 7-8 this year. (See foxrunvineyards.com.

Cayuga and Keuka lakes are well known for their wines, but I favor those from the region's largest lake, Seneca. Wines here are still reasonably priced, and you'll probably want to take home a few bottles when you visit. (Warning: wine is fragile. I ruined a delicious case of Fox Run Riesling on a beastly hot day a few years back when my car's air conditioner was on the fritz.) On the east side of the lake, must visits and buys include the wineries Silver Thread (the area's only organic producer), Standing Stone and Red Newt. Among the preferred west-side wineries are Fox Run and the rightfully acclaimed Hermann J. Wiemer. Try to snare a room at the Geneva on the Lake resort, a real beauty equipped with pool and croquet, the perfect balm after a hard day on the wine trails.