Do you love feeling the sunshine on your back, playing in the dirt and the smell of fresh herbs? Then you're not going to want to miss our next event, our Wine & Herb Festival on Friday,April 27-29 or May 4-6.  We're hosting our 20th annual event and are giving away a specialty packet of wildflower seeds in addition to all those spectacular herbs including something new, a strawberry plant. These herbs as in the past few years are tenderly grown by Dickman Farms of Auburn. If you've never visited their Garden Center please do so, it will take you aback like being in a heavenly oasis of flowery wonder.  

Hours for the event are Friday 1:00pm till 5:00pm, at Montezuma, King Ferry, Long Point and Six Mile Creek wineries only. On each Saturday of the event visit the east side wineries, Long Point and King Ferry, one hour early at 9:00am. Visit all the rest of the wineries on Saturday and Sunday 10:00am till 6:00pm. Guests receive a souvenir wine glass, a plant carrier plus a garden plan and instructions.

At this event each wine is paired with an herb dish complimenting the plant each winery is giving away.Here is a list of our select herbs: Boxwood Basil, Cilantro, Dill, Lemon Balm, Marjoram, Oregano, Parsley, Purple Basil, Purple Lavender, Rosemary, Sage, Stevia, a Strawberry Plant, Sweet Basil, Tarragon and Thyme. This year Swedish Hill is serving their Mexican Chicken Soup, their herb is cilantro. At Thirsty Owl Wine Co., Old "Thyme" Macaroni Salad is on the menu for they have thyme. Six Mile Creek Vineyard will be serving their Basil Hummus Recipe. Yes you guessed it their herb is Sweet Basil.

Imagine being picked up in a luxury bus, touring the wineries along the wine trail and enjoying fine wines and delectable treats as you receive all your favorite herb plants. Join us for our worry free complete travel packages.Each package includes accommodations for either one or two night stays, transportation for 8 hours and tickets to our Wine & Herb event.

Make sure to turn in your filled out ticket at the last winery you plan to visit. Participants are eligible to win one of our Grand Prizes from: Courtyard by Marriott in Ithaca, Experience! The Finger Lakes in Ithaca,Kidders Landing Restaurant along Cayuga Lake in Interlaken and Mirabeau & Spa in Skaneateles and Rogue's Harbor Inn.

Advance Sale Tickets: Single Ticket $35.00, Couple Ticket $50.00 plus handling fee and sales tax. Designated Driver tickets are available. Tickets at the door are $5 more. Order your tickets early for we have a limited amount.

For more information or to order tickets call the Cayuga Lake Wine Trail office at 1.800.684.5217, online:  www.cayugawinetrail.com or purchase at any area Wegmans.

We're reducing our carbon footprint...

Thirsty Owl Wine Company's newly installed solar panels went fully operational on March 21.

We are now able to take advantage of these beautiful early spring days to power both our winery & tasting room, while also feeding energy back into the grid.

Solar panels installed on our Tasting Room, facing south, with the "Thirsty Owl Mobile" parked in the lot.  

More panels. These are installed on "The Barn", facing west. __

The Inverter Stations. This is where the "magic happens."

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 win 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 at 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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