We have been friends for nearly 20 years. Together, we have supported one another through child raising, divorces, marriages, illness, and retirement. We have become lifetime friends. This trip began in 2020 when we decided to have a long weekend in the Fall to celebrate one of us turning 50, one turning 60 and one just because. We brought along my sister, Lisa, to be our designated driver. And then the pandemic shut down the state and the world. It took us 3 years to reschedule. And here is our adventure.
Only one of us had been on a wine tasting trip. We didn't want to be wasted the whole time, but wanted to enjoy the experience. We decided to do 3-4 wineries per day, allowing 1-2 hrs each. The hard part was fitting them in during their open times.
Check out our itinerary here.
Let's get this party started!
Deer Run Winery was a our first stop. The winery was beautiful and quaint. The tasting area was small, but a nice way to begin the trip. The food here was exceptional! A lot of locals came in while we were there.
If you like pottery, this is the place to go! We all wanted to buy one of everything. Wizard of Clay is family owned and operated. The artists were in the back making pots, mugs and trays while we were shopping. They shipped items to me with no problem. I LOVE my new pie plate and coffee mug!
OSB Ciderworks was so much fun. The owner loved that we were there just to go to wineries and enjoy ourselves. We got a tour, talked to a couple of locals and had some popcorn. He let us try all the ciders! And this is why we needed a DD!
When you can't figure our why anyone would spend 3 hours at a Corning factory (think white baking dishes with blue flowers) but then get to experience this incredible glass museum and not a baking dish in sight! The museum has glass that is a couple thousand years old to demonstrations of glass blowing right in front of you. It's an experience worth seeing.
Get your tickets here.
Barnstormer Winery has a classic, upscale vibe that is set in a barn. The wine was incredibly good. The mulled spiced wine was fantastic! 2 bottles came home with me.
We were there in October and this winery was all ready for the Halloween festivities. They had a special tasting you could chose. Wines paired with Halloween candy! Who would think Nerds Gummy Clusters went well with a sparkling wine???? The property was lovely and had a Spooky Trail adorned with demon baby heads!
We did a self guided tasting while enjoying a nice lunch at Fox Run Vineyards. The wine wasn't bad, just not spectacular. The food was really good. The cheese bread was incredible!
A cheese lover's heaven! Muranda Cheese Company is a working dairy farm. They have converted a big barn into their cheese tasting room and event area. The barn is so warm and inviting. The cheese is OMG good! If you are in the Waterloo, NY area, this is a must do stop!
Bully Hill ended up being our favorite winery we visited. The wines were on the inexpensive side and they were fabulous in taste too. We had time our last day and we even went back for another tasting! They had everything from very sweet to dry. Both red and white were good. Their new port wine was excellent as well. The giftshop had all kinds of things to buy. I highly recommend the blackberry butter! It's very tasty in cottage cheese and on toast. Bully Hill has a fantastic smokehouse restaurant as well. Their food was fresh and tasty. We purchased many bottles of wine and they ship, just in case you wondered!
Heron Hill has been named Top 10 Most Spectacular Tasting Rooms in the World by Travel & Leisure magazine. The view was amazing. The wine was good too. This is one that you need a reservation for, especially during the summer months when the tourist are plentiful. They have a great wine called Eclipse. Get some to enjoy during the next lunar or solar eclipse.
I hate to be negative about any location, but this was our least favorite winery. It came highly recommended, unfortunately it was the worst experience. We were able to get in without a reservation, but then others were being turned away. The chairs were maybe some of the most uncomfortable seats I've ever sat in and the tasting took forever. None of use cared for the wine at all. If you like Riesling you might like it. We did not.
Arbor Hill was so much fun. The lady serving drinks could have been Moira Rose's (Schitt's Creek) sister! She was so funny! They have a grape juice tasting as well for the littles or anyone who isn't drinking. The Methodist Holy Wine was really good! In the back of the winery is Brew & Brats, a German restaurant with a fantastic pretzel board. We happen to be there when the Finger Lakes Alpine Band was there for Octoberfest.
Think hippie chick decides to make wine! We loved Inspire More Winery. The bottles were lovely and inspirational. The wine was fabulous too. The port wine was probably the best port I've ever had! The grounds were spectacular and just had a wonderful vibe with a John Lennon portrait, crystals, and boho purses for sale.
Another fun winery. The wine was ok, but not spectacular. I think the red cat was the fun part.