Blaufränkisch of Upstate New York's Finger Lakes Region

The Finger Lakes wine region of upstate New York has always held a special place in my heart.  It’s the reason why I first started to get into wine from my annual visits I use to take to the region many years ago.  Sadly, I haven’t been back since my first born was just a baby so I’m long overdue considering he is about to be 9 in a couple months.  A friend and local fellow wine lover, Alison Miller of Artisan Wine Group, recently had a wine tasting girls' night at her house with Laura of the Wine Travelista, where our theme was the Finger Lakes wine region.  We were also joined by our other wine loving friend, Laura of the WineTravelista. I was thrilled to revisit this beloved region. 

When our World Wine Travel writer's group’s theme this month was featuring lesser known regions, I immediately thought of the Finger Lakes for a couple reasons.  One, because I’ve always been a big fan of this region, and two because of my recent wine tasting of the Blaufränkisch grape from this region that I thought would be a unique and fun grape to share that most may not be familiar with.   

Let’s look at the Finger Lakes wine region and more about this grape along with the featured wines. 

The Finger Lakes wine region 

If you’re in the Boston area, like myself, the Finger Lakes wine region is about 400 miles west taking about 6 hours to reach.  If you’re coming from the Canadian side in Toronto, it’s about a 3.5-hour ride.  The Finger Lakes is well worth the drive and visit no matter your location as you’ll be swept away by the vineyards lining the shores of the many lakes that inhabit the region.  As you’ll see from the map, the region gets it name from the shape of the lakes in the form of fingers that were carved out by glaciers thousands of years ago.   

Sourced from Finger Lakes Wine Alliance

The Finger Lakes AVA, American Viticultural Area, was established back in 1982 and encompasses three different wine trails across Seneca Lake, Cayuga Lake and Keuka Lake.  The region contains 11 lakes, but the prior 3 lakes mentioned along with Canandaigua Lake make up the majority of where the 150+ wineries are located.  Cayuga Lake is the longest of them at 40 miles long and Seneca Lake claims the deepest at over 600 feet deep. 

The Finger Lakes region is a cool climate region where the lakes create a cooling affect for the vineyards during the warmer months and it also helps protect them from the first onset of frost as it approaches in the fall/winter timeframe.  Each lake and has its own depths and elevations that all create microclimates within each AVA and wine territory. 

You’ll find a find a large variety of grapes produced through the Finger Lakes wine region, but it’s most known for its world class Rieslings.  Each winery you visit will most likely produce Riesling in a variety of styles from dry to semi-dry to semi-dry and sweet.  Other vinifera grapes include Cabernet Franc, which is another known grape of this region, as well as Pinot Noir, Merlot, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Grigio and Gewurztraminer.  There are several unique grapes like Blaufränkisch, Saperavi and Gruner Veltliner as well as hybrids like Seyval, Cayuga White, Vignoles, Vidal Blanc and Chancellor to name a few. 

The Blaufränkisch grape 

I became familiar with Blaufränkisch when I first started visiting the Finger Lakes region about 20 years ago since it was introduced in wineries at that time as Lemberger.  This is typically what it is called in Germany. The grape is rooted in Austria but is found across several eastern European countries to include Slovenia, Hungary and others. 

Blaufränkisch does particularly well in the Finger Lakes cool climate.   

Although Blaufränkisch can be produced in a variety of styles, as I experienced from the two wines I’ll be sharing, there are some common characteristics that you will find.  It’s a dark-skinned grape that lends some nice color to the glass.  It’s a mid to late ripening grape.  It typically will show darker fruits along with spice and possibly some pepper.  It brings good acidity and tannin to the wines and because of this is very food friendly and versatile. 

The Blaufränkisch Wines of the Finger Lakes

We tasted two Blaufränkisch from both Ravines Wine Cellars and Knapp Winery.  Two very different styles of Blaufränkisch so it truly is a matter of personal preference.  Although I personally enjoyed the Ravines Blaufränkisch, I think the Blaufränkisch from Knapp Winery, with a little chill, can be enjoyable as well. 

Ravines Wine Cellar is located on Keuka Lake and is celebrating 25 years since it was first established.  Today, Ravines has 130 across multiple vineyard sites at both Keuka and Seneca Lake.  Owners, Morten and Lisa Hallgren, aim to produce wines that are dry, and mineral driven which also practicing sustainable farming methods.  

Ravines Wine Cellars on Keuka Lake - sourced from Ravines Wine Cellars

Morten and Lisa Hallgren - sourced from Ravines Wine Cellars

The 2015 Ravines Wine Cellars Blaufränkisch I could not locate technical notes on, and I didn’t see it is something that they still produce today based on their website, except in their Ravinous Red where it is blended with Merlot for their wine club members.  This wine was dark ruby in color with aromas of jammy fruits (raspberry, plum, black cherry) with a hint of black licorice and spice.  Medium to fuller-bodied, prior fruits listed showing nicely on the palate.  It was well-balanced with a touch of vanilla with subtle tannin.  ABV 12.5% 

The Knapp winery is located on neighboring Cayuga Lake.  It is in celebration of its 40th anniversary from when the original owners, Doug and Susan Knapp, first established it.  It did change hands in 2021 with new ownership over to Cole and Karen Wilson.  

Sourced from Knapp Winery

Karen and Cole Wilson - sourced from Knapp Winery

The 2021 Knapp Winery Blaufränkisch was a very different wine from the prior tasted.  A transparent light brick colored wine with aromas of white pepper, wet rock and a mustiness.  This wine was more sour, tart cherry with pepper and dried herbs.  ABV 11.2%, SRP $29.  Knapp’s Blaufränkisch also won “Best in Class Blaufränkisch in the 2022 Governor’s Cup”.

There is no better way to understand wines by visiting the wineries themselves, but you can always start getting familiar with them by locating these wines in your local market or by joining the wine clubs.  The Finger Lakes wine producers are crafting quality wines well worth experiencing that define their territory and show the capabilities of what has developed in this region.   

Discover many of the world’s lesser-known wine regions with our wine writers' group.  Here are some of the topics being covered.

Robin from  Crushed Grape Chronicles dishes on “Liechtenstein, Valle d’Aosta and the Umpqua Valley – a few wine regions you may may not be familiar with”

Martin from Enoflyz Wine Blog shares “Beyond the Usual: Discovering Teran from Slovenia’s Coastal Karst”

Gwendolyn from Wine Predator showcases “Discovering Virginia Wine + Cuisine via the Governor’s Cup Case 2025: 3 Red Blends with Ham, Gratin, Greens”

Cathie from Side Hustle Vino adds “Off The Beaten Vineyard in Guanajuato, Mexico”

Andrea from The Quirky Cork brings “Greece’s Most Ancient Grape Finds a Home on the Slopes of Meliton”

Camilla from Culinary Cam writes “Rkatsiteli: An Ancient Grape from the Oldest Wine-Producing Region on Earth”

Terri from Our Good Life joins with “New-to-Me Wine Region: Affinitas Sarga Muskotaly in Hungary”

Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm pens “Sipping a Chardonnay from the Fingers Lake Area”

Susannah, at Avvinare, writes about “Discovering Brda in Slovenia”

You can find many of the wines of the Finger Lakes on Wine.com in support of Vino Travels or try out many of the region's wine clubs.

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*I may receive compensation for any wines purchased through affiliate links.

 

Wines from Around Upstate New York's Finger Lakes Wine Region #WinePW

The Finger Lakes wine region holds a special place in my heart.   It’s where I first grew to like and appreciate wine.  A dear friend introduced me to the area many years ago since he used to work at Fox Run Vineyards.  I used to take annual trips there, the last one being a couple years back now.  I was thrilled to have the opportunity to receive a number of samples and have fun pairing some of them with our Wine Pairing Weekend (#winePW) crew.  Let’s get started!

Where is the Finger Lakes wine region?  It’s located in upstate New York, just south of Ontario Canada.  The drive for me is about a 6 hour ride from Boston.  There are eleven lakes parallel to each other that look like fingers from north to south.  The main viticultural lakes are the Seneca, Keuka and Cayuga lakes along with Canandaigua.  These lakes were developed during the Ice Age by glaciers that left behind soils like shale and limestone that give these wines their particular mineral characteristics. 

View over Keuka Lake from one of my favorites, Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery

This region has so much to offer in addition to its wineries, including breweries, distilleries and wonderful farm-to-table experiences at many of the wineries and local restaurants.  In addition, the miles upon miles of farmland, corn fields and vineyards overlooking the lakes is simply beautiful.  Many of the wineries operate  events throughout the year to giving you the perfect excuse for a visit.  I used to attend an annual multi-course wine paired “garlic dinner” at Fox Run Vineyards attended by the owners and winemakers.  It was just glorious set in the vineyards under a tent overlooking Seneca Lake. 

The climate of the area is tempered by the lakes allowing ideal conditions for the grapes of the area to grow.  The Finger Lakes is best known for their Rieslings and Gewurztraminer wines and I feel in love with the enticing aromatics and flavors of these wines.  I’m also a fan of their Cabernet Franc and I’ve enjoyed many other unique Cornell developed grapes as well as cold climate grapes that do particularly well there. 

I’ve been fortunate to visit 3 of the 4 wineries I sampled this week and just imagined myself there in the tasting rooms.  We all need a getaway at this point with everything going on so it was nice to mentally escape for a bit. 

Lakewood Vineyards 

My last visit to the Finger Lakes was the first time I visited Lakewood Vineyards located in the town of Watkins Glen on the southwestern side of Seneca Lake.  If you visit this area you must stop and visit Watkins Glen State Park.  It’s a beautiful place to walk off many of the calories consumed upon your vacation.   

Lakewood Vineyards is family owned and was founded in 1988.  The grandsons of the founder today run the winery with Chris Stamp producing every vintage to date since their establishment and David Stamp overseeing the vineyards that date back to 1952.  I really enjoyed both of these Rieslings with varying levels of residual sugars and they both paired perfectly with the dishes I prepared. 

2018 Lakewood Vineyards Dry Riesling – A dry Riesling with crisp acidity and peach and lime notes.  ABV 11% SRP $15.  I paired this wine with a grilled pork chop and pear risotto.  I also added a side of bruschetta topped with ricotta and truffle honey.  It particularly complemented the pears in the risotto. 

2018 Lakewood Vineyards Riesling – Straw colored and floral aromas with ripe peach, pears and citrus.  It was rather light and delicate with good acidity up front with peach satisfying the palate.  ABV 10% SRP $15.  I paired this wine with a thai shrimp pasta comparing it with the Red Newt Riesling mentioned next.  As I assumed based on the amount of residual sugars listed on the bottles that this wine would pair better with the dish.  It brought out the lime flavors in the thai peanut sauce.

Red Newt 

Red Newt is located in Hector, NY on the southeast part of Seneca Lake.  Started in 1998 by David and Debra Whiting, Red Newt provides an opportunity to experience food and wine of the Finger Lakes at its finest with their onsite bistro.  I sampled their flagship wine, Circle Riesling that I’m very familiar with, but wanted to call out to their single vineyard Sawmill Creek Riesling.

2013 Red Newt Sawmill Creek Vineyards North Block Riesling - It was quite interesting to experience the difference in this single vineyard compared to the Circle Riesling.  Sawmill Creek Vineyards belongs to the Hazlitt family of Hazlitt Vineyards that have been growning grapes there since 1862.  It is only about a half mile from Red Newt.  This single vineyard is located on steep slopes made of shale soil.  This wine was pale straw colored with a distinct nose of ripe peaches, apricots and especially petrol.  Very luscious, ripe fruit dominating the palate.  With very low alcohol at 8% and high residual sugars I enjoyed drinking this wine on its own.  Although you’ll see I did pair it in a standoff with Lakewood Riesling for comparison this is the type of Riesling I like to sip solo. SRP $24 

Buttonwood Grove Winery  

Buttonwood is the only one I haven’t been to although I have heard of it before.  It’s amazing to me over the years from when I first started going almost 20 years ago to see how many wineries have been established in that time frame.  Every time I go there always seems to be a new one.  Buttonwood was purchased by the latest owners, Dave and Melissa Pittard, in 2014. Located on the western side of Cayuga Lake they make classic vinifera grapes on their 25 acres.  It seems you can stay at the property and they also have a summer music series.  Sounds wonderful!   

2019 Buttonwood Grove Winery Rose' – This wine is made from 100% Cabernet Franc grapes.  Juicy acidity with wild strawberry flavors.  I picked up a hint of wet stone as well.  It had decent weight and was rather refreshing.  ABV 12% SRP $16.  This warmer weather has us using the grill a lot as you can see so I paired it with a grilled chicken dish topped with a blueberry, balsamic and maple syrup sauce and a side of kale.  The blueberries in the sauce paired nicely with the red fruits of the rose’.   

Have you been to this wine region?  I’d love to hear all about it! 

Join my fellow food and wine lovers as they share their journey through the Finger Lakes wine region.  Catch us live on Twitter this Saturday at #WinePW 11am EST.  See you there!  Also, some of the wineries of the region are having great free shipping deals on 6+ bottles so make sure to check them out.  

• Wendy at A Day in the Life on the Farm is Exploring the Wines of New York’s Finger Lakes Region.
• Camilla at Culinary Adventures with Camilla pairs Bibimbap with Garden Banchan + Forge Cellars Classique Riesling 2017.
• Lori at Dracaena Wines is Delving Into the History of the Finger Lakes with John Wagner.
• David at Cooking Chat shares Finger Lakes Wine Paired with Everyday Favorites.
• Cindy at Grape Experiences posts An Impressive New York Treasure: the Finger Lakes Wine Region.
• Teri at Our Good Life pairs Zero Degree Riesling with Pan Seared Scallops over Cheesy Grits.
• Jeff at Food Wine Click! writes New York Finger Lakes – I Hope You Like Riesling!
• Jill at L’OCCASION gives us New York Finger Lakes: Wine For Summer Pairings.
• Pinny at Chinese Food and Wine Pairings matches New York Finger Lakes Wines – Lonesome Stony Rose and Fox Run Rieslings Paired with Quick-Prepped Seafood.
• Jane at Always Ravenous posts Picnic Fare Paired with Finger Lake Wines.
• Rupal at Syrah Queen discusses The Charm Of New York Finger Lakes Rieslings and showcases
  
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*These wines were provided as samples, but opinions are all my own.

A Taste of the North Fork with Bedell Cellars

Being in the Boston area there aren’t as many destinations for winery visits as those living out on the west coast, although I have tried some locally.  My favorite go to place for winery visits is upstate New York to the Finger Lakes, but back in 2007 I traveled out to the North Fork of Long Island to visit their wineries and was rather impressed.  I have yet to go back, but recently tried the 2017 Bedell Cellars Taste Rosé and it made me want to pay a visit back to this area.  Bedell Cellars sticks in my mind to this day out of all the wineries I visited and I loved their merlot I tried back then. 

Part of the WineStudio program that I’m part of had an online chat one night with winemaker Rich Olsen-Harbich from Bedell Cellars.  He is the only winemaker in North America to entirely use indigenous yeasts.  He feels that it’s the best way for a terroir to shine in the cellar.  He also helped find the Long Island Sustainable Winegrowing, which is the first on the east coast and only one of 12 on the planet.   

Bedell Cellars started in 1980 by Kip and Susan Bedell before it was purchased in 2000 by art collector, Michael Lynne.  He incorporated world renowned contemporary artists for the label work along with the skills of winemaker Rich Olsen-Harbich, whom has established it as a certified, sustainable winery.   

The North Fork built their reputation off growing European grapes on the east coast which was unheard of back in the beginning phases.  As Rich stated that “making wine on the east coast is not for the faint of heart and it’s incredibly hard work”.  He compares their wines to that of the old world and uses Bordeaux as a model as well as the western Loire in France due to a similarity in the weight and balance of wines in both wine regions.   

Rich stated that “my approach to making great rosé starts with targeting sites in the vineyard that would produce what I’m looking for: low alcohol, crisp acidity and bright aromatics.”  All the grapes are carefully hand harvested and sorted.   

The 2017 Bedell Taste Rosé is blended different every year. This vintage is comprised of 60% merlot 30% cabernet franc, 5% syrah and 5% cabernet sauvignon.  The grapes are pressed gently in whole clusters before they are fermented with the indigenous yeasts. It’s salmon pink in color with notes on strawberries on the nose.  It’s a dry wine, medium bodied with a lengthy finish.  SRP $18. ABV 11%    

Have you been to the Long Island wineries?
 

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