Exploring Wineries in Ithaca New York

Although most people look to the West Coast for the top wineries in the United States, New York has a lot to offer the wine enthusiast. Exploring wineries in Ithaca, New York, is a good way to verify this.

Ithaca, a small town located in western New York, may not seem like the place to go for great wine. A closer look, however, shows that Ithaca is located in the Finger Lakes region of New York, a region that is known for producing some of the United States' best wines. New York wines are gaining in popularity ? due to the different varieties of wines and blends that are produced here. The climate and soil is excellent for growing grapes, and Ithaca winery excursions are becoming a large part of many tourists' vacations in the area.

One of the most popular winery exploration packages in the Ithaca area is offered by Finger Lakes Winery (315-828-6289), based out of nearby Geneva, New York. Finger Lakes Winery offers many different forms of transportation for your experience; including stretch limousines, cars, buses, and trolleys. The company is willing to pick you up from any spot in New York State (although most people choose to stay in the Finger Lakes region). The company is also willing to create a custom private experience for you and your group, and can accommodate groups that are large or small in size.

When touring the wineries of western New York, you have a choice of several different ?wine trails?. The Seneca Wine Trail is most often recommended to people who only have a short amount of time to see the area. There are over 30 different wineries that are located on this trail, and each of them is open and willing to do tastings for groups. Many different varieties of wines are produced on this trail, and you will be able to taste all of the different types from the region while visiting this area. The Cayuga Wine Trail is a bit more relaxed ? here, you can take the time to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Finger Lakes region as well as see the vineyards.

The Keuka Wine Trail includes eight wineries, but some of these are the most well known of the area. Your trip on this trail starts with a horse drawn hayride through a vineyard, and you will learn about the wine making process while riding. Additionally, you can enjoy the scenery of beautiful Keuka Lake (one of the few ?Y? shaped lakes in the world) as well as stopping at world renowned wineries Bully Hill and Dr. Frank.

Experiencing all of the wineries in Ithaca, New York, can't be done in a single day, so if you want to see all three of the wine trails, you will need to spend quite some time here. Of course, the beauty and surroundings of the Finger Lakes make a longer vacation here very enjoyable.