Ithaca, New York

My husband has been on a long term project at Cornell University, so we took the opportunity to spend  a weekend in Ithaca, NY in November of 2014.  I truthfully wish we could have coordinated this earlier in the year - coming from SC it was COLD!  I think we also would have enjoyed the fall color more a few weeks earlier.  But we still bundled up and had a great time  :)

Our view from lunch the first day - even with bare trees and snow on the ground, the lakes were GORGEOUS.

Our first stop was Taughannock Falls.  It was about a half mile flat trail walk back to the falls from the parking lot, and we had some beautiful scenery on the way…

The falls themselves.  The water is still flowing in the middle, but frozen around most of the edge.  I wish I could have truly done justice with these pictures - it was absolutely breathtaking.

After the falls, we stopped at our first winery.  I'm not sure how many people are aware that the Finger Lakes region of New York is a large wine producing area - it was news to me.  The microclimate there near the lakes make them ideal for some of the sweeter and iced wines, but they do some nice drier wines as well.  This shot was taken at the Sheldrake Point Vineyards.  They have a very cute tasting room and we enjoyed their reds.

Hosmer Winery.  A much more rustic feel, but very friendly people.

The next day, we headed out with a tour of Seneca Lake by Experience Finger Lakes.  Our driver Chris was very knowledgable and taught us so much about wine making in upstate NY.  And thankfully, it had warmed up just a little so we could enjoy some of the views!  The tour was a group and we were pretty tight in the bus, but they did hand out free water bottles and snacks and did everything they could to keep us comfortable.  Try for a seat closer to the front  :)  We did enjoy that the tour arranged a private tasting at each winery so we were never standing in line or being rushed.

Our first winery was Silver Thread Wine Cellars.  A gorgeous tasting room and a wonderful view!  This is a small winery and owned by Paul and Shannon Brock.  Shannon gave us a short tour and did our tasting herself.  They specialize in Riesling and focus more on dry wines, but also have some semi sweets.

Our next stop was Red Newt Winery.  A very spacious tasting room with a great view off the deck.  The staff here was great about suggesting food/wine pairings and we really enjoyed their reds.  They specialize in Reisling and also have a great bistro if you are looking for a lunch stop.

Our last stop of the day was the one I had been waiting for - Damiani Wine Cellars.  Chris told us that they specialized in big reds, regardless of the climate, and he was right - they were really good!  They also have their own chocolatier, which meant that every wine we tried had a chocolate pairing.  Add that to a beautiful view over the lake and we were in heaven.  I even managed to strike up a conversation with winemaker Lou Damiani and got myself a nice taste of a 2007 Reserve Cabernet.  My only complaint is that the tasting room was relatively busy, but we still had a private tasting at the corner bar.

On my last morning in Ithaca, my husband and I went for a hike up the Cascadilla Gorge.  Cornell is divided by two huge gorges and they are so remarkable when half frozen.  Anyone visiting Ithaca should take this walk!  Lots of stairs, but very doable.  We thought it was a pleasant hike.

We also popped by the Ithaca Farmers Market.  I imagine it would be much more interesting and vibrant in good weather, but you could still see how cute it would be  :)  We loved trying local hard ciders!

Our last stop before heading to the airport was Six Mile Creek Vineyards.  It has a nice view, but the tasting room was a little hectic and was right next to a busy shop, so I found it a little harder to relax.  

All in all, I enjoyed my short time in Ithaca.  If you are thinking about a trip, I think October would be ideal as the color would be just overwhelming.  Some fun wineries with some very interesting wines.  Friendly people.  Quaint college feel.  Gorgeous countryside.