It’s time to give New York wineries the acclaim they deserve; California gets a great deal of attention, and deservedly so, but wineries on the east coast are giving them a run for their money. The top regions for wine tasting in The Empire State include the Finger Lakes, Long Island, and the Hudson Valley. Most have incredible scenery, and many also have delicious food to pair with their wonderful wines.
Best Wineries and Vineyards in NY
No New York wine tasting vacay is complete without a trip to the Finger Lakes region. It’s located between Syracuse, Rochester, and Elmira-Corning and consists of 11 lakes. Three main wine trails wrap around Keuka Lake, Seneca Lake, and Cayuga Lake; you’ll also find breweries, distilleries, chocolates, cheeses, restaurants, gift shops, and outdoor activities, and it’s a great vacation spot. Travel + Leisure lists their favorite Finger Lakes wineries, starting with Ravines Wine Cellars. It’s in Seneca Lake and features a rustic, lovingly restored barn. They serve delicious meats and cheeses to complement your selections, and you can visit the nearby Geneva on the Lake Boutique Resort Hotel; it looks like an Italian villa.
Also on the Seneca Wine Trail, Boundary Breaks in Lodi is renowned for its fruity cabernet franc and other reds; nearby attractions include Finger Lakes National Forest and Rue Claire Lavender Farm. Stever Hill Vineyards is on the Keuka Lake Trail, and you’ll enjoy the laid-back atmosphere with its renovated barn and large back deck. Visitors rave about their Old Barn Red and boozy, sweet slushies. Vineyard Views isn’t too far from here and has a fantastic view, a comfortable outdoor terrace and a highly-reviewed dry marquette and traminette.
Prettiest Wineries to Visit on Long Island
Long Island wineries are also known for their amazing sceneries, and one that gets mentioned often is Castell di Borghese Vineyard in Cutchogue. Guests enjoy the sauvignon blanc, pinot noir, and cabernet France here and sometimes head to the nearby Magic Fountain for ice cream afterward. Pindar Vineyards is another top producer: they have 20 varieties of grapes, and the red table wine is especially popular. You’ll also like the RGNY, a certified-sustainable vineyard that offers a viognier with hints of pineapple and their unfiltered cabernet franc.
Hudson Valley is the oldest wine-making region in the United States, and its wineries can be just as impressive. Travel New York Now likes Robibero Winery near New Paltz; it’s set on the Shawanbunk Mount Ridge and has handcrafted, small-batch wines, fine cheeses and wood-fired pizzas on weekends. These writers also mention Benmarl Winery; it’s the oldest vineyard in the U.S. and offers 20 varieties of handcrafted wine. Magnanini Winery, Restaurant & Distillery in Wallkill came in at number three. They bottle eight wines on-site, and the restaurant serves up Northern Italian cuisine.
Best of the New York Wineries
There’s also Rooftop Reds in Brooklyn; don’t miss this the next time you visit NYC. When searching for the top wineries, you’ll likely want to know which wines from the best wineries and vineyards earn the top rewards. NYup.com shares a list of the 2021 35th annual New York Wine Classic. 2021 winners in the top categories. This list is great to have when you’re planning to make some wine tasting trips in the Empire State, and here are some of the highlights.
The two top wineries were in Long Island: Pindar Vineyards and Paumanok Vineyards. The award for the best white went to Pindar; they won for their Dr. Dan’s Signature Collection Gewurztraminer 2019. The best red was Paumanok Vineyards’ Assemblage 2015, and the best pink award was for the Finger Lakes’ Ryan William Vineyard’s Pinot Noir Rose 2019. Here are a few more:
Best Cabernet Sauvignon: (Hudson Valley) Brotherhood 2017 NY Premium Selection Cabernet Sauvignon
Best Cabernet Franc: (Finger Lakes) Lamoreaux Landing 2019 T23 Unoaked Cabernet Franc
Best Merlot: (Finger Lakes) Goose Watch 2015 Merlot
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