Finger Lakes, NY - Wine Tasting by Boat

Wine tasting is always essential when I head back to my home town, Ithaca, NY, located in the Finger Lakes Wine Region on Cayuga Lake.  The lake is dotted with numerous wineries and on this year's trip we added a new twist to our experience - visiting the wineries by boat.

A family gathering at my sister and brother-in-law's lake cottage is always a treat.  On a gorgeous August afternoon, a group of us boarded their sleek speed boat and traveled to several of the most picturesque wineries on the lake.  After an exhilarating fifteen minute trip, we made our first stop, and docked at Sheldrake Winery.

Just docked at Sheldrake Point and ready to taste some wine.

Sheldrake Point Winery

A rare moment when the there isn't a crowd at the tasting bar.

A short walk up a sloping hill brought us to the tasting room.  After finding a place to gather along the esthetically pleasing tasting bar, we selected the wine and cheese pairing.  For $5 you could taste five wines paired with small bites of a variety of cheeses.  The pairings were excellent and added a little extra fun to the wine tasting experience. 

This group is enjoying their wine!

When it comes to Finger Lake wine, I usually prefer the Dry Riesling and Pinot Gris, and this was no exception. Others enjoyed their Dry Rose, Cabernet Franc and Gamay Noir.  After taking a quick tour of the small gift shop which displayed crafts and food from local atrisans, we bought a couple bottles of wine, took in the panoramic view and headed back to the boat for the next stop. 

Heading back down to the boat.

Goose Watch Winery

The next stop was Goose Watch Winery, located high on a hill above the lake.  A quick call ahead and we were met us at the dock with the electric cart to drive us up the steep hill past rows of vines already heavy with purple grapes. 

The Goose Watch vines are laden with purple grapes.

The view from the Goose Watch tasting room is nothing short of spectacular.  A back deck spans the length of the building and offers unparalleled views of Cayuga Lake. On a day as gorgeous as that, the word breathtaking was not a cliché, it was the real deal. 




View from inside the Goose Watch tasting room.

After taking a quick tour of the kitschy gift shop, we gathered around the wrap-around bar to sample the wine.  There are a few gems in their selection.  I particularly enjoyed the sparkling Pinot Noir Brut Rose, the Pinot Gris and Villard Blanc.  Some of the gang decided to drop a couple extra bucks to sample their Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, and they gave it the thumbs up. 

Tough choice deciding which wines to taste.

After purchasing a few more bottles, our happy bunch headed back down the hill to board the boat for the cottage.  Perhaps I’ve tasted finer wine, but I have not experienced a more fun-filled wine tasting excursion than this one.  I’m already looking forward to our next visit when we can hopefully check out a few more of the Finger Lake wineries that smartly welcome the boating crowd.



A stroll through the gift shop brought smiles.