My first taste of wine and writing about it

I have a confession to make.

You have to promise not to tell a soul.

I'm 22, a recent college grad, and I'd never tasted wine.

Never. Not even a quick swig at the family reunion. Not even on my 21st birthday. Not even with those flavorless wafers for Holy Communion.

On the college drinking scene at Delaware State University in Dover, I was the designated driver in the group. Actually, I never had to be designated because everyone knew I didn't drink often. I was what you call a "lightweight."

Wine was certainly not something I ever thought I'd try, until I moved to the Twin Tiers. Now here I am, your "lightweight" Wine Gal, without a clue about wine. I hardly knew where to begin when I was asked to visit two wineries as a bonus to The Wine Guy 2004 Tour. Maybe they should call this one "Wine Tasting for Dummies" instead ...

REBECCA TOWNS/Star-Gazette Wagner Vineyards in Lodi includes Wagner Winery, Wagner Brewery and the Ginny Lee Cafe along the eastern side of Seneca Lake. The business has a 25th anniversary this year.

Wagner Winery

The atmosphere was reserved and mature. Everywhere I looked, there were wine racks sprinkled with wine accessories and decorative displays. There was so much to see - it was breathtaking.

Star-Gazette Photographer Rebecca Towns and I were greeted by the owner's daughter, Laura Wagner Lee, and given a tour of the 25-year-old winery.

"Winemakers are chemists and biologists," she said as we toured the octagon-shaped wine cellar. "There's an art to it."

As Laura explained how wine was made, I struggled to understand.

Here's what I learned: Grapes grow, are picked, crushed, fermented, filtered and sometimes aged to make wine, and for different tastes, you do different things. Not bad for a novice, huh?

After the tour, it was time to bring on the bubbly.

Our gracious host led us to the tasting area, but not before offering advice about wine preferences.

"The first thing to remember is that you know what you like," she said.

With that in mind, we were presented with wine glasses, a bowl of plain popcorn and a container to spit out the wine after tasting it.

The tasting began with one of the driest wines, the Reserve Chardonnay. The $14 wine was too bitter for me, but the Virginia Southern belle within would not allow for public spitting of any kind. I instead munched on a bit of popcorn to cleanse my palate before trying the next sample.

The wines became sweeter as we continued to sample them. Laura set it up that way. In her winery wisdom, she must have known that the sweeter the wine became, the more I would like it. I was especially drawn to the fruity tastes of the $7 Delaware and $10 Niagara wines. They had a smooth, slightly familiar taste that Laura said was linked to their native origins.

After sampling everything from Grace House Pinot Nior ($12) to Riesling ($10), Cayuga White ($7) to Vidal Blanc Ice Wine ($20) - all while still refusing to spit anything out - I was a little woozy, but clear on my preference.

The $5 alcohol-free blush won, hands down.

Once a lightweight, always a lightweight.

REBECCA TOWNS/Star-Gazette The 2 ½-year-old Tickle Hill Winery in Hector will soon be introducing five more wines to their list, bringing their total to 20 selections.

Tickle Hill Winery

We arrived to find Tickle Hill's co-owner Valerie Rosbaugh patiently awaiting our arrival.

Valerie had me at hello.

Her pleasant, inviting aura warmed the room. The atmosphere was friendly and relaxed. We approached a small counter where Valerie proudly displayed her wine collection - about 15 wines.

As I deliberated over which to taste first, I noticed the unique labeling of each bottle. It was unlike anything I'd ever seen. A hand-drawn picture of a hill on a sunny day adorned each bottle. It was simple, but brilliant. Most of all, it seemed to best capture the spirit of Tickle Hill Winery.

"You will always see the hill," Valerie said of the label. "We're not going to take it off."

I settled on the $10 Peach Fuzz, a specialty wine, for my first sample. It went down smooth and was delightful to the taste. I followed with an $8 blush, Tickle Me Pink, that was equally as pleasing. I learned that the Peach Fuzz had won a silver medal at the 2003 New York State Fair.

Valerie beamed with pride as she told me all about it. "That was the only wine we sent," she said.

Delightful tastes aside, there was something else I detected in the Tickle Hill wines. Something that made the experience memorable. It was tender loving care.

Watching Valerie's face light up as she talked about her beloved 2 ½-year-old winery was magical. It was as if she tried to insert her passion for wine in each bottle Tickle Hill produced.

She looks forward to debuting five new wines to bring their selection to 20.

"We like to take our time," she said. "You have to be totally dedicated."

Surprisingly, the winery is sparsely advertised. This is intentional. With the exception of an entry in a free map and guide, Valerie said most visitors learn about Tickle Hill through word of mouth. It appears to be working.

"It's been busy 24-7 since we opened," Valerie said.

If you go ...

Phone: 607/582-6450; 866-WAGNERV (924-6378).

Web site, e-mail: www.wagnervineyards.com; info@wagnervineyards.com.

Winery hours: open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily year-round. Last tasting at 4:30 p.m.

Tickle Hill Winery, 3831 Ball Diamond Road, Hector.

Phone: 607/546-7740.

Web site: see www.winecountrycabins.com/to_do/wine/wineries/tickle.htm.

Winery hours: Open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.