Wining and dining in 2005

Finger Lakes wineries want to tickle your taste buds in 2005.

It's only six weeks until Valentine's Day weekend, but there are lots of other things to do between now and then.

For those looking for a mid-week dining treat, Veraisons Restaurant at Glenora Wine Cellars in Dundee is serving slow-roasted prime-rib dinners every Wednesday from Jan. 12 through April 17. The prime rib, which is available in three portion sizes, comes with a salad and a trip to the potato bar.

On Saturday, Jan. 15, wineries on the west side of Cayuga Lake and the east side of Seneca Lake will host their "Between the Lake Winery Party" for the third time. No tickets are needed for admission to this free event.

Hosting wineries will provide hors d'oeuvres to sample while tasting their wines. What a great way to get out and stretch your legs in mid-January.

Also returning this January are wine tastings at Wildflower Cafe in Watkins Glen. In their effort to create a little excitement in town, "We came up with the idea to invite only new and emerging Finger Lakes wineries to our annual Winter Wine Tasting Series," says cafe co-manager JoAnn Kingsley.

According to JoAnn, Wildflower's chef Randy Savoie will work with representatives of the participating wineries to pair tapas-type appetizers with the wines to be presented each night.

When I asked Thirsty Owl Wine Company tasting-room manager Mary Dauber what wines they would be providing, she responded, "We always bring Riesling."

I am sure that several of the six wineries lined up so far will want to show off their Riesling wines as well. It is a grape variety that has excelled all over the Finger Lakes.

Mary also said that Thirsty Owl would probably bring their pinot noir wine, as that variety and the Riesling grapes are the oldest vines at the winery. She added that they would also probably offer their "Lot 99," a red-wine blend of chancellor and pinot noir grapes.

The Lot 99 wine gets its name from a tract of land where the grapes are now grown. It was given as payment to a soldier after serving in the Revolutionary War.

There are some other taste sensations being brewed in the neighborhood, too. Wildflower owner Doug Thayer began making beer in the bakery upstairs last winter and obtained a license to operate the Roosterfish Brewing Company. His two beers, Black Walnut Ale and Butternut Pale Ale, are on tap, at the Crooked Rooster Pub in Watkins Glen and have received good reviews.

JoAnn's brother David Kingsley recently came back to Watkins Glen from the Catskills and will begin roasting coffee at the Wildflower Cafe. JoAnn says that David is looking for "people who are as fanatical about excellent espresso as he is." She says that he plans to be ready to offer fresh roasted coffee in the Wildflower by the time of the first wine tasting in January.

Jeff Richards' wine column appears each Thursday on the Twin Tiers Life Food Page. For comments or questions, he can be reached at 607/271-8279 or 800/836-8970, ext. 279, or e-mail: jrichards@stargazette.com. Wine tastings at Wildflower Cafe
- Jan. 20: Rock Stream Vineyards.

- Jan. 27: Catharine Valley Winery.

- Feb. 3: Belhurst Winery.

- Feb. 10: Villa Bellangelo.

- Feb. 17: Damiani Wine Cellars.

- Feb. 24: Thirsty Owl Wine Company.

Wine Guy columns about four of the above featured wineries are archived online at www.stargazette.com. To read them, visit the site and select "News," then "Southern Finger Lakes," then "The Wine Guy." Look for the columns dated June 5, 2003 (Thirsty Owl); Jan. 3, 2004 (Catharine Valley); Sept. 25, 2004 (Belhurst Winery), and Oct. 2, 2004 (Villa Ballangello)