Finger Lakes Times Readers Choice Awards

Vote for all of your favorites!

The third annual Finger Lakes Times Readers’ Choice Awards began with a nomination phase on May 14th, continues with the voting phase through July 3rd, and will conclude with the August 1 special section unvieling the 2020 FLT Readers’ Choice Award winners.  There will be no seconds, thirds, or honorable mentions – only winner – in 71 exciting categories, including some new ones this year.  As an added bonus, one voter will win, by random from all completed ballots, $250. Voting is unlimited VOTE HERE

-June, 2020/Finger Lakes Times

DFLX 2019 Thanksgiving Wine List

We reached out to several of our wine-producing friends to get their take on Thanksgiving meal pairings, and their wines that fit the bill. Their answers are included below followed by a list of recommended wines based upon a tour we recently took to find you some great holiday pairing options.

November, 2019

Veraison to Harvest: Statewide Vineyard Crop Development Update #9

September is generally a high leverage point in our growing
year. The outcome of the season is often very much still in
doubt when we reach Labor Day, and September goes a long
way toward determining the quality of the grapes. Like
2018 before it, 2019 was no exception- the difference being
that while we needed September 2018 to come through for
us, it basically tied our leftfielder’s shoelaces together and
tackled the mascot.

November 8, 2019 / Edited by Tim Martinson and Chris Gerling

Wine grape harvest in the Finger Lakes: What will 2019 vintage bring?

It’s looking like the 2019 wine grape harvest in the Finger Lakes will be a good one for the region’s signature wine.

-October, 2019 / Don Cazentre

Closure Trends for Sauvignon Blanc

Wine Business Monthly reveals results of Closure Survey specific to Sauvignon Blanc; winemakers discuss their choices.

-September,2019 / Stacy Briscoe

Weekend in the Finger Lakes: Wineries, restaurants on northern Seneca Lake near Geneva

The wine region — named top wine region in the USA Today10Best Reader’s Choice poll in both 2018 and 2019 — is vast…That’s why I recommend biting off the Finger Lakes in small geographical chunks; you can spend more time enjoying food, wine and recreation and less time driving (even though the drives are amazingly picturesque)…Read More

-September, 2019 / Tracy Schuhmacher, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

Going Beyond Riesling in the Finger Lakes

I’ll admit it, when I go to a winery in the Finger Lakes, I’ll always try their Riesling and their Cabernet Franc, the two flagship grapes of the region since they can tell you a lot about the winemaker’s individual approach to production; but, I also love to see where they’ve taken risk, where they are experimenting, and what’s setting them apart from the other wineries.  Read More…

July 10, 2019 / Kate Meyers Emery

In the Finger Lakes, A Trend Toward Elevated Wine Tastings

“…Billsboro Winery on Seneca Lake south of Geneva offers a series of private group wine tastings, with winemaker Vinny Alperti. These explore older vintage or “library” wines,” with explanations of the factors that give each its distinctive “personality.””

-July 3, 2019 /  Don Cazentre

Rosés of Pinot Noir from Around the World: The 2018 Vintage

Rosés made of Pinot Noir are the stars of this year’s rosé tasting. They’re typically light red in color, fragrant with red cherry and pomegranate scents, medium bodied with good fullness in the mouth, and flavorful with flavors that mirror the bouquet… Billsboro 2018 Rosé of Pinot Noir Finger Lakes ($17) 89 Very pale copper. Revealing minerals and faint red berry scents, this Pinot Noir rosé is crisp on the attack with light flavors of cherry skin and stone fruit. Light but balanced. Handpicked from Sawmill Creek Vineyards on the southeast corner of Seneca Lake, given 6 hours skin contact, cold fermented in stainless steel. RS 1 g/L Alc 13%. Vinny Aliperti is the winemaker… Read More

-June 13, 2019 / International Wine Review