By Evan Dawson, Finger Lakes Editor

*Editor's Note: Title subject to change based on whims of nature

My wife and I spent a peripatetic day racing down one side of Cayuga Lake, then through Ithaca, then up Seneca Lake and back to Cayuga. We had the chance to revisit some of the candidates for the New York Cork Report 2010 Finger Lakes Wines of the Year (more on this year's program this week, by the way).

I also was fortunate to convince some producers to stop long enough to chat, pour new wines and talk harvest.

Soon you'll see a handful of fresh stories as a result:

  • Changes at Damiani – in the wine and in the new tasting room
  • The story of the brand new Finger Lakes Wine Center in Ithaca
  • The profound success of the dessert wine program at Standing Stone

And that's just the beginning. Here are some images from a glorious fall day in the Finger Lakes – one that was packed with thirsty crowds at every stop. 

 

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Image 1: The new Damiani Wine Cellars tasting room, located directly next door to Finger Lakes Distilling, was so packed that the extra space downstairs had to be opened for visitors

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Image 2: Atwater Estate Vineyards recently knocked down a wall in the tasting room to make space for an additional tasting bar — which was only barely enough to handle the surge of Saturday tasters

 

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Image three: A near-perfect sunset as seen from the east side of Seneca Lake

 

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Image four: A group of customers decides there's nothing wrong with enjoying dessert first, as they close the long and successful day at Standing Stone Vineyards.