Lakewood Vineyards in New York's Finger Lakes region offers affordable tastings of both dry and sweet wines, and a tasting room with a view!
If you're traveling in the Finger Lakes area of New York, chances are you might feel a bit overwhelmed by all the winery options.
Right — that's maybe not actually a problem, is it?
Since it can be a challenge to narrow down which ones to visit, I'm giving you a peek at a number of the ones we checked out on our last trip.
We mostly focused on Seneca Lake, while adding in a few stops around Keuka Lake.
Lakewood Vineyards in Watkins Glen is a fantastic place to stop and do some (affordable!) wine tasting.
Here's what to expect from a visit!
What Experiences Are Available at Lakewood Vineyards?
You can stop in for a tour and tasting on weekends, or a vineyard hike and tasting on Wednesday, Friday or Saturday. As of 2024, these tickets are $20 each.
If you're interested only in doing a tasting, you can do that any day! For small groups (6 people or fewer), tastings are just $5, which we thought was a pretty great deal.
Should I Book Ahead at Lakewood Vineyards?
If you have a group larger than six, you need to book a tasting ahead of time.
Of course, it's always a good idea to make a reservation even for a smaller group, or if you're interested in any special events at the vineyard.
What Is the Tasting Like?
The tasting room has beautiful views of the vineyard. On warm days it becomes an open-air venue.
You can choose between Flight A and Flight B (dry vs. sweet) for your wine tasting. We opted for the dry tasting.
The vineyard dogs are on site, and they roam around and welcome visitors! We met two of them, but there are more.
We learned during the tasting that because it's such a short growing season here (five months), their reds aren’t as dark as what we might be used to. But they're still flavorful!
Favorite Products
We especially loved their Sidekick, a rather tart white wine that had a little bit of a sour note. Proceeds from this beverage go towards the humane society.
I typically prefer dry reds, but the Sidekick had really nice flavor.
The compact bottles make it a great choice for packing in a cooler and pairing with a camping meal!
We also enjoyed the bubbly candeo, which tasted a lot like Prosecco.
It's perfect for mixing with sparkling cocktails like this rhubarb champagne or a mimosa.
What Else Can I Do in Watkins Glen?
A visit to Watkins Glen isn't complete without walking through the gorge and all the waterfalls at the state park (weather permitting). There's a well-kept campground there too.
Within a 10-minute drive you can also choose from Barnstormer Winery, Finger Lakes Distilling, The Elf in the Oak, or JR Dill Winery.
Lakewood Vineyards was a nice spot with great views. If your style is sweet wine or dry white wines, it's especially good!
Do you have any other questions about visiting Lakewood? Let us know in the comments!
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