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Cayuga Lake Wine Trail                    March 2012
In This Issue
Specialty Winemaker Events
Winemaker for a Week Contest
"Say Cheese" & More
King Ferry
March Events
 Quicklinks
 

If you need to break free of those Cabin Fever blues, now is the time by visiting the wineries along the Cayuga Lake Wine Trail . Here you can attend Cheese events, St. Patty Day Events, Dinners, Concerts and so much more.

The great thing about the wineries is their diversity. You can participate in a multitude of tasting experiences from wines made from vinifera grapes such as Riesling, Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc. Other wines to try are the ones made from Hybrid grapes especially our name sake Cayuga White. Some of the wineries specialize in fruit wines such as Montezuma's Blue Moon made from blueberries, Knapp's Peach Wine, Buttonwood's Blackberry Briar and at Bellwether Hard Cider their product of course is made from apples.

Besides wine Montezuma makes mead from honey and their Bee Vodka, a distilled product, yes you guesses it is made from honey. Three other wineries have pot belly stills, Knapp, Six Mile Creek and Swedish Hill. They make all their distilled products from grapes.  So head on down to the wineries along the Cayuga Lake Wine Trail for that one of a kind tasting experience.

Cayuga Cathy  

 

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Specialty Winemaker Events

 Two wineries are offering great venues for you to learn more about wine making.

Cayuga Ridge Estate Winery's  2012 "Vigneron & Winemaking Workshop.
March 31, 2012 10:00am
Learn grape growing and winemaking during our condensed Vignernon tutorial, all in oneCR day! Spend a hands-on morning in the vineyard learning to prune, tie and cultivate for a fruitful yield. After a hearty provided lunch, participate in the cellar barrel tasting, evaluating wine characteristics, and blending your own personal bottle to take home.

Fee: $125.00 pp
25% discount wine purchases

Pre-register via 800-598-9463 or crew@fltg.net

www.cayugaridgewinery.com 

 

 


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Knapp Winery's Vineyard Management & Wine Making.

Take a year long journey to experience what entails in becoming a winemaker during Knapp Winery's Vintage 12.

Knapp Winery is looking for a few good men or women-- that are passionate about wine and have the desire to understand the art of good winemaking. Enthusiasm is paramount when trudging along a row of vines or learning to prune, tie or pick grapes under various weather conditions. 

 

Knapp vinesBudding winemakers will be assigned a row of vines from Knapp vineyards for one growing season. Each student will work on essential wine operations through the course of the year and receive hands-on training from Knapp professionals. The schedule is meant to immerse the pupil in the fundamentals of viticulture and winemaking techniques. Each pupil will walk through the key phases of grape growing. As the growing season comes to its peak they will determine the right time to pick and process their grapes. Each step will take each individual closer to producing their own personal vintage.

 

The program is designed for serious hobbyists and passionate wine lovers. Owner, Gene Pierce says, "This is very much a hands-on practical program, not a lot of theory. If you have ever wanted to learn the basics of vineyard care and winemaking this will beKnapp Wines a great program which will be taught by people who actually do the work". Each grape growing and winemaking phase will include instruction from Knapp Vineyard Manager, Chris King and Knapp Winemaker Steve DeFrancesco. A special blog will be added to the Knapp Winery website for questions and answers so students may interact with professionals as needed during the program.

 

The program is scheduled to begin in March of 2012 for a cost $995.00. Only five apprentices will be selected for the 2012 vintage. Presently there is only one opening left. Interested people should contact: Belinda Venuti at Knapp Winery 800.869.9271. Click on the Program Timeline  and Apprentice Tools for more info. 

 

 

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Winemaker for a Week Contest

Step Into the Winemakers Boots so to speak in the Finger Lakes of New York.

Enter to win the unique opportunity to stay nestled among the vines in the wine region of New York's Finger Lakes and experience the unique opportunity to become a Winemaker for a Week sponsored by Finger Lakes Tourism Alliance, Greek Peak and the Cayuga Lake Wine Trail. 

 

Through the 'Winemaker for a Week' program contestants will enter to greek peak logowin a week long stay for two at  Greek Peak Mountain Resort in Cortland, NY. Greek Peak's facility, nestled in the beautiful countryside of Cortland County, will bring you into a luxurious lodge setting with an in house spa, indoor waterpark, and brand new Adventure Center. Greek Peak is a short drive away from the  Cayuga Lake Wine Trail, one of the Finger Lakes premier locations to experience award winning wines. The winner and a guest of their choice will have the opportunity to work with premier winemakers atLP Winemaker Long Point Winery, King Ferry Winery,and Six Mile Creek Vineyard. Our winning winemaker will see and have hands on experience with the full vine to bottle process by picking the grapes, viewing and assisting in crush, lending a hand in the cellar and more! This experience will be the perfect opportunity to have any questions answered pertaining to grapes, the winemaking process, bottling, and everything in between! Don Schafler, last year's winner, pictured to the right is checking to see how full the tank is rising with the wine being siphoned from the barrels. 

 

Nancy Tisch will show the contestant the sales side of the wine industry. It is here that our winemakers in training will be able to pour and sample tastings at  Bet the Farm Winery and Gourmet Market.  

 

Here's a glimpse of the week long itinerary. To enter to win, please visit  www.winemakerforaweek.com. 

 

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"Say Cheese" & More

Savor the spectacular tastes of artisan cheese and fine wines along the Cayuga Lake CheeseWine Trail located in the Finger Lakes at our cheesiest event "Say Cheese" & More on March 24th and 25th. Receive a wineglass and wine tote bag at your first starting point winery and travel along the trail for an experience of wine and cheese pairings that include scrumptious cheese recipes.

  

 

 

Each winery will be paired with a Finger Lakes Cheese Trail creamery offeFL Cheese Trail logoring you different samples of their product plus a recipe.  Snow Farm Creamery will be at Six Mile Creek Vineyard sampling their feta cheeses with a Spinach Feta Risotto. At Lucas Winery you'll find Sunset View Creamery offering their Deep Seneca sharp cheddar made into delectable Macaroni Cheese. At Swedish Hill Winery Muranda Cheese Co. will serve their Checkerboard Cheddar Quiche made with their Checkerboard Cheddar. Including the recipes the creameries will offer samples of their cheese as the wineries will serve wine tastings, a smorgasbord of distinct flavors.  

 

"We are so excited to be doing this event again this year says Andrew Fish from 4 Tin Fish Farm.  It is such a great opportunity to reach new customers with our product and to form partnerships between the Wine Trail and the Cheese Trail.  Last year was so much fun meeting so many new people and having such positive feedback about our cheese.  We're excited to be tasting our Feta this year as we didn't have it ready for market at last years event.  We look forward to seeing new faces and connecting with our regulars."

 

 

Say Cheese winnerWe're hosting a special "Say Cheese"
photo contest so make sure to take all your favorite photos over the weekend and enter them via facebook or email. There will be different categories such as funniest, best wine and cheese pairing and most creative. We've devised that the winner who takes the best wine and cheese photo at the event will win a Specialty Gift Basket from our local creameries and wineries. The picture to the left is last year's winner Linda Zilgme from Buffalo and her crew.  

 

   

Here is a list of Finger Lakes Cheese Trail Creameries participating in the event:  

 

Keeley's Cheese Co
Finger Lakes Dexter Cheese Creamery
Muranda Cheese Co.

Lively Run Goat Dairy 

Sunset View Creamery 

Shtayburne Farm

Snow Farm Creamery  

Kenton's Cheese Co.(website under construction)

 

We are offering a selection of Say Cheese packages at various different hotels and inns in Ithaca, Auburn and Seneca Falls. Each package includes accommodations, transportation for two and two tickets to the Say Cheese event. Think of it, all the fun and none of the hassle in traveling from winery to winery.  

 Latourelle

Make sure to hand in your ticket at the end to be eligible for our Grand Prizes.  

Cobtree Vacation Rental Resort,  Homewood Suites in Ithaca, 

Finger Lakes Bed & Breakfast Associationand LaTourelle Resort & Spa.  

 

 

Advance tickets: $20.00 per person plus handling fee and sales tax. Designated Driver tickets available for $15.00 per person plus handling fee and sales tax. Tickets can be purchased online at www.cayugawinetrail.com , by calling 800-684-5217, at any area Wegmans stores or through Event Brite. 

 

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King Ferry Winery Announces Donation to Fight Hunger in the Community

   

King Ferry Tacie & Pete

In support of the Food Bank of Central New York,King Ferry Winery donated a $4,405 in 2011, (and an additional $695 in January 2012 for a total of $5,100) to help fight hunger in upstate New York. The Food Bank serves as a central supplier to local food banks throughout the region. The funds were used in support of a "value added processing" purchase, allowing the food bank to buy food directly from processors for ten cents a pound. Through this program, the King Ferry Winery funds were used to buy 9,890 lbs. of apples, 14,450 lbs. of onions, and 3,540 lbs. of winter squash to date, leaving $1600 still available for future purchases.  

 

The winery generated the donation directly from tasting fees, with $1 from each $3 fee going to the charity. Owner Peter Saltonstall has been impressed with his customer's enthusiasm for the program - "The response by the public was phenomenal. While the economy recovers it is important to remember that there are many people in great need of the basics that many of us take for granted. We hope to continue this program and have some interesting plans for our future participation that we will share with our customers soon.We have found our partnership with the Food Bank to be incredibly rewarding, and we would like to challenge the other Finger Lakes wineries to support this organization." Director of Operations Chris Couch adds, "Our customers have been very happy to find out that a part of the tasting fee goes to the Food Bank. We even had some of our Frequent Buyers, who do not pay tasting fees, insist upon donating a dollar each time they visit us!"

 

King Ferry Winery plans on continuing the program through 2012.

 

 

 

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March Events

Ladies

March 10: BUTTONWOOD GROVE WINERY, Ladies Day at the Winery 

Special treats for "The Ladies Day Out" with live music, pottery & jewelry vendors, chocolate & wine pairings & much more (12-5pm)

www.buttonwoodgrove.com

 

 

 

MurandaMarch 10: SHELDRAKE POINT WINERY,~ Muranda Cheese Co.~ For the month of March, both of Sheldrake Point's two tasting rooms (Cayuga & Seneca locations) will exclusively host one of our cheese makers each Saturday. Our cheese makers will be sampling their artisan cheeses, talking about their process, and selling their handcrafted cheeses on site for your convenience. Come out and enjoy a great day of wine & cheese at Sheldrake with our cheese makers all month! www.sheldrakepoint.com 

 

shel hhMarch 11: SHELDRAKE POINT WINERY, Join Holly Howell for the Magic of Wine & Cheese Tasteshop. Rochester Democrat & Chronicle wine writer and certified sommelier Holly Howell hosts 2 wine & cheese "tasteshops" at Sheldrake Point on Cayuga Lake. This brilliant speaker and instructor teaches you how to pair our cheeses with the right wines to complement each other beautifully. Choose From one of two seatings: 11am -1pm or 2pm-4pm Tickets are available through the winery at 607.532.9401 x106. or email at events@sheldrakepoint.com www.sheldrakepoint.com 

 

March 10 & 11: GOOSE WATCH WINERY, Cabin Fever Days

Winter got you down? Come out of hibernation and join us for great end of winter sales and Winemaker's Dozen Case specials!

www.goosewatch.com

 

March 10 &11: SWEDISH HILL WINERY, Cabin Fever Days

Winter got you down? Come out of hibernation and join us for great end of winter sales and Winemaker's Dozen Case specials!

www.swedishhill.com

 

Farmstead

March 17: SHELDRAKE POINT WINERY,~ Finger Lakes Farmstead Cheese Co.~ For the month of March, both of Sheldrake Point's two tasting rooms (Cayuga & Seneca locations) will exclusively host one of our cheese makers each Saturday. Our cheese makers will be sampling their artisan cheeses, talking about their process, and selling their handcrafted cheeses on site for your convenience. Come out and enjoy a great day of wine & cheese at Sheldrake with our cheese makers all month! www.sheldrakepoint.com

 

 

March 17 & 18: COBBLESTONE FARM WINERY, St. Patrick's Irish Weekend

Celebrate the luck of the Irish!  Enjoy fine wines paired with complimentary Irish fare such as Irish stew, potato leek soup and scones.  Toast the day with green wine and sample jellies, preserves, salsas, hot sauces, butters and mustards. For more details!  www.cobblestonefarmwinery.com 

 

March 17 & 18: MONTEZUMA WINERY, Luck of the Irish Mead Celebration

This St. Patrick's Day celebrate like a King with our special Mead tasting. Mead, the drink of the Irish Kings, is the oldest alcoholic beverage known to man. During this event visitors get to sample varieties of Meads paired with a sampling of Irish foods plus learn how Mead is made. Fee $3.00 per person, Free for Case Club members and guest.www.montezumawinery.com

 

 

March 18: BELLWETHER HARD CIDER, "Cidermakers (Almost Annual) Get Together and Potluck Dinner".  We put on an annual potluck Bellwetherdinner and cider tasting where people are encouraged to bring ciders that they make or have bought for sampling.  This will include commercial as well as amateur cidermakers.  There is no contest, no judging, just good fun, good cider (mostly) and a chance to talk with others about how to make cider.  You don't have to make cider to attend.  Anyone who is interested is welcome. www.cidery.com

 

 

 

March 18: SIX MILE CREEK VINEYARD, Winter Wine Speak at the Creek. The final installment of three classes we hold in winter designed to improve your palate, vocabulary, and overall wine knowledge. Classes are suited for both the seasoned and novice wine lover. Time TBD. Call for reservations (607)272-WINE, space is limited. www.sixmilecreek.com

 

 

March 24: KNAPP WINERY & VINEYARD RESTAURANT, Not to Short of Flavors Wine Dinner. Short ribs, petite filets, and baby scallops can be considered little bites individually, but lined up in a gourmet menu there is nothing short of a gastronomical adventure. Each dish packed with bountiful flavors can produce a wild eating experience. So when they say good things come in small packages our chef has taken this to the limit. Fragrant, delicate and savory, every entrée stands apart from the other. Each course will be paired with two wines from Knapp Winery, Zugibe Vineyards or Glenora Wine Cellars. Please call and make your reservations 800.869.9271 www.knappwine.com

 

March 29: KNAPP WINERY & VINEYARD RESTAURANT, Knapp Vineyard Restaurant. Opens for the Season.  The restaurant is open seven days a week 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM, April through November.The Vineyard Restaurant is also happy to accommodate your private gatherings any time of the year, please call us for availability. www.knappwine.com

 

March 31: CAYUGA RIDGE ESTATE WINERY, Vigneron Winemaking Workshops  

Join other friends of the vine and become a CAYUGA RIDGE ESTATE VIGNERON. In the finest wine making tradition, have your very own vineyard to tend. It's fun, easy, and very rewarding! Please contact us directly at 800-598-9463(WINE) or crew@fltg.net for more details.  We will be happy to provide you with details. www.cayugaridgewinery.com

 

Keeley'sMarch 31: SHELDRAKE POINT WINERY~ Keeley's Cheese Co.~ For the month of March, both of Sheldrake Point's two tasting rooms (Cayuga & Seneca locations) will exclusively host one of our cheese makers each Saturday. Our cheese makers will be sampling their artisan cheeses, talking about their process, and selling their handcrafted cheeses on site for your convenience. Come out and enjoy a great day of wine & cheese at Sheldrake with our cheese makers all month! www.sheldrakepoint.com 

 

 

 

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 Upcoming Events 

 

 
Contact Info
Executive Director
Cathy Millspaugh
(800) 684-5217
info@cayugawinetrail.com