What do you do when you are taking a road trip from New Hampshire to Kansas City? Well, I for one will stop at some wineries. I left NH on a Sunday because I figured by the time I was at the winery I wanted to visit, it would be Monday and far less crowded than going on a weekend. Plus, I went in the late morning and early afternoon. It was pretty awesome to be the only person doing a tasting. Personal service!

Road trips can be boring, but I have my music and my podcasts to keep me company. So, I headed out on this journey halfway across the US. I had my pumpkin spice latte in hand and hit the road.

My plan was to visit 2 or 3 wineries in the New York Finger Lakes region before heading west to Missouri. So, I decided to go to one of the most well-known wineries in the Finger Lakes region, Dr. Konstantin Frank. Dr. Frank was the first to grow European varietals in the Northeastern part of the US and to bring the New York region into a state of world class wine-making. He founded Vinifera Wine Cellars in 1962. The region and this winery in particular are known for their amazing Rieslings and sparkling wines.

The scenery is spectacular and far removed from the hustle of the highway. I myself got lost winding through the back roads following the curve of the lake…no GPS. But, what a view of Keuka Lake! The wine did not disappoint. I prefer a dry wine and they had several to taste. They offer a large selection of reds, whites and sparkling with a rosé thrown in for good measure. I was most interested in their Rieslings. I’m not typically a fan of Riesling but their Eugenia Riesling was wonderful and delicious. This wine was bone dry with a crisp acidity that I truly enjoy. It has notes of pineapple and lime that really bring the acidity forward. I bought a bottle to take with me. Overall, great experience at this lovely winery with a great view! www.drfrankwines.com

I decided to spend the night in the Finger Lakes and arrived at the Belhurst Castle, a beautiful renovated castle on Seneca Lake. I stayed in the vintage Carriage House but there are several suites in the main building along with 2 other lodgings: The Vinifera Inn and the White Springs Manor. The Belhurst Estate Winery has a winery and tasting room on-site. So, of course I had to check it out. They also have craft beer and hard cider to taste. For the wines, they offer a tasting of 5: white, blush, rosé, red, and sparkling. I decided to go for the sparkling and the reds. The sparkling was a citrusy, fun Naturel Sparkling that tickled my nose and palate. My other favorite was an earthy, peppery, Cabernet Franc with bold tannins. Just what I needed to take the chill away from the coolness rolling off the lake. I walked to the on-site restaurant and had a Caesar salad with steak tips and a full glass of the Cab Franc. It was a nice end to a long drive and an interesting wine day. www.belhurst.com

The next morning it was back on the road but not without stopping at Fox Run Winery. This winery overlooks Seneca Lake. The staff is friendly, and being the only person in the tasting room, I got some extra attention! They offer a large selection of wine (whites, reds, rosés, sparkling) including a delicious Cab Franc “cooked” the usual way and an unusual unoaked ‘Ikehu’ Cab Franc that I found very interesting with a subtle floral nose and almost a lively raspberry and plum essence…I bought a bottle to take with me. They also offer some of the varietals in cans: Whites including Artic Fox, Chardonnay, Semi-dry Riesling along with a dry red blend. Kind of cool! www.foxrunvineyards.com

I jumped back into my SUV, turned on the tunes and headed out, once again. Next stop, Missouri and another famous winery and then on to Kansas City to see what I can find there.

Stay tuned…

Cheers!