I'm ecstatic! I received my October 2010 issue of Budget Travel on Friday and was immediately drawn to the bottom right portion of the cover: "You Picked the Best...Wine Region." The envelope, please! According to Ryan Bradley, the author of the article that begins on page 25, "...Budget Travel readers picked <the Finger Lakes>...as the world's most beautiful wine region- beating out heavyweights like France's Loire Valley, Italy's Piedmont, and, yes, Napa." Who knew?!
Mr. Bradley then goes on to describe, as I'd hoped to do here some day, a road trip up to Dr. Konstantin Frank's winery and Heron Hill Winery, both located in ever-so-scenic Hammondsport, NY. I had something of an epiphany on this very same road trip within recent memory and repeated it this past summer. The drive to Dr. Frank's literally took my breath away that summer. When this happened, I thought, "I've had my breath taken away before but, but, but: that was in Italy!" To have this happen again so close to home - and to have this vista overlooking Keuka Lake make my beloved Ithaca pale in comparison - was nothing short of life-changing.
Plus, the wines are great at both wineries! So don't think twice: go to Heron Hill and Dr. Frank's. It's well worth the trip. To be sure, I will share some more phenomenal finds in Hammondsport. But before I sign off, let me put in a quick plug for Mark Klammer, a ceramicist - aka potter - who is a neighbor of Dr. Frank's (http://www.klammerpottery.com). Love the glaze colors, love the neat, crisp design, love the location. A true artist that - I believe - left Ithaca for Hammondsport - and having made the trip, I confess that someday, I may do the same. C. Cat, 9.21.10@10:21pm.
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