I read through the other threads. I am looking for & would appreciate some help with vins to visit, dining, & where to go/what to see. We will be staying near the Seneca Lake.

Vins (from other threads):

Chateau Frank
Dr. Frank
Dr. Konstantins Franks Vinifera Wine Cellars
Standing Stone
Chateau LaFayette Reneau
Anthony Road
Fox Run
Sheldrake
Treleaven
Red Newt
Hermann J Weimer
Heron Hill
Swedish Hill
Knapp
Wagner
Casa Larga
Wiemer
Lamoreaux Landing
Shalestone

…I don’t know anything about any of 1 of these vins. And, obviously, I cannot do all of them. I’m actually only looking to visit 5-7 is all. I would appreciate some help with the vins not to be missed if/when in the area. Thank You!

Also, none of the threads I read talk about dining: breakfast, lunch, & dinner. I can use some help in this area also. Although, some one did mention the food (& the view) @ the Glen Iris Inn on the Genesee river. Otherwise, I will have to rely on WS. Thank You again!

And, I can use some more help on where to go/what to see. One of the thread talked about the following:

Hiking through Watkins Glen Gorge then finish up @ the Seneca Lodge & State Park. Then catching the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge. Montour Falls were also recommended as well as Letchworth State Park.

Thanks as always!

lcc, i'll follow in your footsteps.

we did the hudson valley deal last weekend(only hit 3 wineries, 2 of which were not mentionable). hiked in mohonk, drank in new paltz, an all in all fun weekend. i'd recommend it.

after LI, of course.

Chateau Frank Good reviews by self and WS
Dr. Frank Same as above
Dr. Konstantins Franks Vinifera Wine Cellars This is the same as DR Frank
Standing Stone Maybe
Chateau LaFayette Reneau Blow it off
Anthony Road Good reviews by self and WS
Fox Run Good reviews by self and WS
Sheldrake Maybe
Treleaven Yawn
Red Newt Good reviews by self and WS
Hermann J Weimer Good reviews by self and WS
Heron Hill Good reviews by self and WS
Swedish Hill Yawn
Knapp AVOID
Wagner If you have nothing else to do
Casa Larga AVOID
Wiemer Try to pack it in
Lamoreaux Landing Try to pack it in
Shalestone Yawn
Glenora AVOID

Cascata Winery AVOID
Castel Grisch Estate Winery AVOID
Four Chimney Farm Winery Some good product
Bellhurst Winery Wine is not fit to drink, Stayed there 2 weeks ago, and had their tastings. YUCK
Prejean Winery Not too bad, had better
Amberg Wine Cellars They have a long way to go
Billsboro Winery Tried some last trip. Not recommended

THREE OF THE WORST
Bully Hill Vineyards
Pleasant Valley Wine Company
Chateau Renaissance


Look here for wineries, maps, etc.


The above are my comments for these wineries with my 40 years experience with these wineries. I know Borad-O and I may disagree on a couple of thes.

Pick up teh new issue of WS with the cover on NY State wineries. They provide capsule reviews.

The best wines to try are the Rieslings. Frank, Anthony Road, Frank and heron hill.

Check the map before you go. Some of these are on Keuka LAke, Some on Seneca, And others on Cayuga. And its a LOOONNNNGGGG ways around these lakes.

Letchworth State Park.has a great resturant. Name slips my feeble mind today. Glen Iris II think. CALL FOR RESERVATIONS!!!!!!

Montezuma Swamp, only if you like wildlife

Wakins Glen & Montour Falls. [only 4 miles apart] . Make sure that there is a lot of water on teh falls, else its boring

Seneca Lodge = Great for old Formula One race memories. Food sucks, poor wine list. If you like sports car racing [or that NASCAR stuff} try to go to the Watkins Glen Race track for a tour. Just about 3 miles from the lodge. In fact, you can drink the old Formula One race circuit in Watkins Glen. It started on the city streets, and went past the lodge, and over the Glen.

The resturants listed in WS are all good hits.

Just returned from there 2 weeks ago. I hit seven of the wineries. All good folks, and will treat you right.

Have a safe trip. Really set out a battle plan before you start

I'd recommend staying at Geneva-on-the-Lake. The dining room is as good as we've found in the area.

Call Dr. Konstantin Frank and arrange a tasting first thing in the morning, 9AM, with Fred Frank.

Do the same on another day with Hermann J. Wiemer. Hermann is a pleasure and his Riesling is the best dry Rioesling in North America, imo.

The other don't-miss is Lamoreaux Landing, a beautiful property with knowledgeable people in the tasting room. After that, you're into the kind of plonk they make in Niagara.

The others:

Atwater- mid 70s to low 80s wines

Lafayette Reneau- horrible

Red Newt- nice place for lunch. wines mid 70s to mid 80s

Standing Stone- good Riesling and ice wine. Everything else horrible

Shalestone- some of the better reds in the area, mid 80s

Sheldrake Point- a little above average for the area

Knapp- decent Port-style wine, at least their wines are cheap

Swedish Hill- Swedish swill

LCC,

When are you planning the trip? I'm not far from the Finger Lakes and maybe we can get together.

This website has a helpful interactive map: http://www.fingerlakeswine.com The site is run by the local paper so it's very commercial but the map is good.

There is another luxury hotel with a great restaurant I will try to find the name of for you.

MTP

MTP, it's not the Bellhurst Castle, is it? I'd recommend against staying there.

Reviewing the posts from this thread & prior threads, I narrowed it down to these:

Frank
Hermann J. Wiemer
Lamoreaux Landing
Standing Stone
Shalestone
Anthony Road
Fox Run

I assume that some of these make Ice Wines as well, right? They don’t just make dry wines.

Board_O, Geneva On The Lake is already booked for the time frame that interests us. And, as a matter of fact many places are already booked. This was our backup plan if Europe fell through. Well, Europe fell through, so were are kind of late to book a place:

http://www.glenora.com/gln_ldinn.html

Any one know anything about this place?

MTPockets, I am going to send you a PM to discuss. Thanks, that would be great.

Thank You all again.

Interesting motel. Located down the hill a bit from Gelenora tasting room. Good view of lake. Typical motel style. Breakfast duuring week is only a continemtal style.

As for winery, its on my list to avoid.

suggest looking at Ithaca and Cornell for lodging if others in area are booked.

Your use of the word, “Motel”, scares me Edward. It does not cost like a Motel. I hope it is a bit more classier or more luxuries than I would picture & associate with the word, “Motel”. They don’t have pics of the rooms or much info. But, they do say “Luxury Accommodations”. I know, I know advertising, but a Motel?!?

I wanted to stay close to the lake.

I can do w/o their continental breakfast, & get a “real” breakfast elsewhere.

Picture a low slung single story building built of wood, Resturant at one end, and all the rooms go from there to the south. About 14 units Park directly in front of your room. To me that is a motel. If you stay there you are trapped between two lakes and you will need to proceed north or south to get to the other Finger Lakes wine trails.

And it looks like this!!!!!!

There is a hotel in Geneva located ON THE LAKE!!! Great views. Its the Ramada. From there you can go west and pick up the western Finger Lakes trail, and Keuka, or east and pick up the east Finger Lakes trail, and Cayuga east and west. 5 & 20 is a good road. 89 not bad to Ithaca, 14 will take you to the Glen in about 45 minutes. Watch for radar in 14. Its heavy.

You can see Geneva On The Lake from an upper window of Ramada.

PS: This is my old home town, and stopping grounds. Spent about every summer weekend at the Glen racing sports cars for 23 years.

Yep, that one is booked also, Edward. Thanks!

lcc, if you're checking online and find the hotel booked, try giving them a call. When we checked online for our trip last summer, Geneva-on-the-Lake showed up as fully booked. I called the hotel and we got a suite in 5 minutes.

Board-O,

It is not the Belhurst. It is a small boutique full service hotel farther south I need to get the name from some friends who stayed there.

MTP

Go with Board-O idea. Call Call and get on a wait list.

MT

are you thinking of
Chapman House Bed & Breakfast
562 S. Main St. Near Hobart
Geneva , NY 14456
Phone: (315) 781-1847

or

Paradise on the Lake Bed & Breakfast
4136 High Banks Rd.
Geneva, NY 14456
Phone: (315) 585-9901

Any other B&B in the city I would not even suggest.

The place I couldn't remember is The Esperanza Mansion in Bluff's Point, NY at the Northwest Corner of Keuka Lake: http://www.esperanzamansion.com/main.html

The mansion is beautiful but the latest reviews of the food were only so-so.

I'd pass on it but I wanted to get the name back to you.