Imagine sailing through the Sea of Cortez in a slow race against time as the sun sets on Lover’s Beach. You hold steady, sipping a Two Hands Shiraz from the Barossa Valley as the 65-foot catamaran edges closer to the rocks. You stretch to see the tip of the Baja
Peninsula where sea lions bask in the fading light.
The playful crew replenishes your plate with hors d’oeuvres, smoked meats, cheeses and fruit while Chick Corea’s Ultim
ate Adventure brings you a magical concert on the water. Suddenly all heads turn seaward as the season’s last gray whale disappears into the Pacific.
Our jazz and wine cruise aboard the Tropicat in April was an unforgettable wine-tasting experience, a fitting end to a dream vacation.
But to truly appreciate where this smooth liquid comes from, you need to enjoy it off the water and down to earth, in the comfort of your own home, or better yet, as close as you can get to where it is made.
I have the best of both worlds in North East, Pa. the small, lakeside community where I live. Hidden in plain view are 30,000 acres of vineyards where growers have toiled for more than 150 yea
rs perfecting the first native American grape. Wineries dot a landscape so beautiful that an ad agency in the Napa Valley reportedly chose one of our stock photos for a billboard campaign. Who could blame them? I can’t think of a better backdrop for a ultimate wine-tasting experience than under the No
rth East sun--except maybe Cabo San Lucas.
Photos by Rich Gensheimer
The Culinary Tourist appears every other Thursday and by chance in Gather Essentials: Travel. A published author, Lisa has several new projects in the works, including a cultural cookbook and companion travel DVD.
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Comments: 34
Mariana, you would love the ice wine from our region. We are known for our brisk winters so there are usually plenty of frozen grapes for ice wine, though not last year--which was mild by comparison. If you come this way, I will introduce you to my friends the Mazzas. They have earned many gold medals for their ice wine.
Elizabeth, while Mr. Gensheimer, an old navy man, enjoyed being under sail, our kayaking adventure on the same trip was quite another story. See those rocks he photographed so beautifully? The next day he was sandwiched between them, waves crashing this way and that, while his paddle floated out to sea with his favorite fishing hat. I'm told he had it for 30 years. Thank goodness I found a glass bottom boat with an accomplished swimmer to go in for a rescue, or he would have been on the bottom of this deep blue sea. He will gladly join you as a landlubber from here on out ...
Thanks for the invite!
Richard, Seneca Lake reminds me of Europe. A vintage wine and a vintage sailboat, now there's a great combination. Is it possible to purchase a subscription to Life in the Finger Lakes? We go there often and it would be helpful in planning our trips.
I live near the Finger Lakes, and love the Life in the Finger Lakes magazine. It's a real gem. We stayed on Seneca lake a few years ago and adored it, but lately we've been on Honeoye and Keuka the most. I love them all. Sigh. If any of you are in the area soon, let me know. I have four book signings coming up on Keuka Lake this year. And be sure to eat at the Esperanza restaurant (inn) if you are near Keuka. Or The Three Birds. Or Miller's Essenhaus, for good home cookin'. ;o)
This is just beautiful. And yes I have tasted those Ice Wines.
Thanks for sharing this with us.
really like the way you connected the ideas, and the two places. thanks.
credit card 800-344-0559
mail Finger Lakes, PO Box 1080, Geneva NY 14456-9975
$12.95 four quarterly issues
My Fruit of the Vine articles are worth it alone!
Thank you, Lisa, for the chance to plug a great magazine.
Aaron--Please do post the dates for your book signings. We will be visiting Keuka Lake sometime this summer or fall. We love to go antiquing on Hammondsport's village square and also found a wonderful prime-rib restaurant not far from Penn Yan where we could sample the local wines. Thanks for the restaurant recommendations. Could one of them be the prime rib place? We can't remember the name.
Richard, thanks very much for the magazine info. I look forward to reading your articles.
This is a wonderful essay. The images are just stunning. The pink sunset is perfectly romantic. Does it get any better than that? Thank you for sharing your experience. What a lucky traveler you are.
:O)
Nancy, I checked out the web site for Domaine Hudson--sounds like a delightful place! We go to Philadelphia a few times a year for research or to visit the Pennsylvania Humanities Council, so we will make a point to visit Wilmington soon. Thanks for the recommendation.
Nana-Passed along your thanks to Rich. He is much obliged.
Tonia-As you well know, it is easy to disappear inside a good photograph. I'm hope you can make refreshed from your mental escape.
David-all of the wines we tried were excellent, though I must say, we were so busy looking around, that we didn't do the wines justice.
Dorine, there are some wonderful B & Bs in North East. I would recommend the Grape Arbor Inn, 814-725-0048, in the center of town; the Vineyard Bed and Breakfast, 814-725-8998, out in the country, off I-90; and Lakeview on the Lake Motel, 814-899-6948. The motel is really sweet, an old-fashioned and beautifully landscaped, one-story motel right on Lake Erie. You can call the chamber or send and email; I'm sure they can send you an information package. 814-725-4262 or info@nechamber.org Be sure to contact me if you are going to be in the area!