Y Keuka Lake?

Because every winery has an amazing view! Here's the one from Dr. Konstantin Frank in Hammondsport, NY. Dr. Frank was the man responsible for bringing the European grapes that we all know and love (Vitis Vinifera, or Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, etc.) to the Finger Lakes and making quality wines from them where no one had been able to before. At the winery, they greet you for your tasting and spend as much time as you want talking about the wines, making everyone feel like a VIP. Plus, the tasting is free! How often do you see that? I liked their 2007 Gewurz, but I think their most interesting wine is Rkatsiteli - an eastern European grape that pays homage to Dr. Frank's roots. It's totally unique - I really enjoyed the green olive flavors of the 2007 release and took home a bottle.

At Heron Hill Winery I tried some good Rieslings, including their 2007 Reserve Old Vines Riesling ($24.99), 2006 Classic Dry Riesling ($12.99), and 2006 Ingle Vineyard Riesling ($15.99). The Reserve Old Vines was an Alsation style and had a really nice long finish thanks to slightly higher alcohol (13% compared to 12% on the other two). Here I also learned that 2007 was the best vintage of the century for Pinot Noir in the Finger Lakes. I am now curious to explore this further. Their Reserve was good, but for $29.99 I thought I might be able to do better.

My hunch was affirmed at Ravines Wine Cellars, where I was WOWed by their 2007 Pinot Noir, a Burgundian style full of cherry and spice, which I didn't hesitate to buy at $22.95. Ravines was a great way to end the day. I did their wine and chocolate pairing, featuring Hedonist Artisan Chocolates from Rochester, NY. There were a lot of wines to like here, including:
2007 Dry Riesling
2008 Sauvignon Blanc
2007 Chardonnay (with Hedonist sesame milk chocolate)
2006 Cerise (red blend - 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Lemberger - with Hedonist cherry dark chocolate)
2007 Pinot Noir
2007 Cabernet Franc (with Hedonist cranberry orange peel dark chocolate)
2006 Meritage (Bordeaux blend - Cab Sauv, Cab Franc, Merlot - with their very own infused Hedonist truffle)

I got to taste the wines for free and received a 20% discount on the bottles I bought because of my affiliation with Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard! Apparently winery employees are eligible for these bennies at all Finger Lakes wineries. Too bad I didn't know that for the prior two ;)

PS Keuka Lake is just west of Seneca Lake and is shaped like a 'y'