Upcoming Events in Watkins Glen

The next few weeks in Watkins Glen are full of "Don't miss" events.
August 5-7 is the Italian American Festival. To get the full line-up of activities, go to: www.watkinsglenitalianfestival.com
There is a Parade, Craft Marketplace, Pasta Eating Contest, and Fireworks.

August 11-14 is the weekend for Nascar!
www.theglen.com for information

If you are waiting to visit Watkins Glen - Stop waiting! It doesn't get much better than this!

Keeping Cool in the Glen

Oppressive heat has settled on Watkins Glen in earnest! There are several things you can do to stay cool, or at least trick yourself into thinking you are cool.

  --Wet your hair! The evaporation will cool your head.
--  Run cold water over your wrists for 10 seconds, which will reduce your body temperature for about an hour.
--If you don’t want to go swimming, at least put your feet in the water. The body radiates heat from hands, feet, face and ears.
--Wear light colors.
--Always-Always-Always wear sunscreen and reapply often.

Make sure to hydrate. Of course, water is the #1 choice, but what are the #2 choices? You can beat the heat with cool summer drinks! The best choices are full of flavor, subtle or fruity, and just plain refreshing.

There’s no end to the array of icy drinks available at the Victory Lane Lounge! For some pure summer refreshment, let me recommend the following:

 Andrew’s Famous Rum Runner- A citrusy mixture topped with a generous lashing of rum.

Cranberry Mojito- These are ideal for lazy yet important summer conversation.

Ametista-This cocktail, almost decadent, tastes like the “Tropics in a Glass”.

Sprizza Pesca- Mix Sparkling Prosecca with Peach Mango Rum, add frozen peach slices for garnishment for pure summer refreshment. 

 Gin and Tonic- Crisp, classic combo

I'm not a beer drinker, but have it on good authority that Blue Moon (served with an Orange wedge) is the perfect summer beer.

Don’t forget- Drink Responsibly!

Seneca Lake

This weekend is indeed the Finger Lakes Wine Festival.

While this is a well attended and fun event, I hope that everyone will see more than the wine. There are beautiful lake views, hills of grape vines, blossoms of purple wisteria, and lots of sunshine!

Seneca Lake, the second longest of the Finger Lakes is named for one of the Iroquois Nations. The name means "People of the Great Hill". The Lake is 38 miles long, and at the southern tip, sits Watkins Glen.

Seneca Lake is the "Lake Trout Capital of the World"! Because the Lake is so deep, it doesn't freeze. The average depth is 291 feet, and at the deepest point is between 625-798 feet deep, depending on who you ask. At one time, it was used as a submarine test site because of the depth. The water is basically cold, but in the summer, the top 10-15 feet warms up to 70 to 80 degrees.

If you could go back in time, you would find this area was the center of Seneca Indian Nation. In the 16th Century or earlier, the Iroquois League was formed by the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga and Seneca Nations. The Tuscaroro Nation joined later. Iroquois ancestors have lived in the Finger Lakes area since at least 1000 AD. "Iroquois" translates to "People of the Longhouse".

At the height of their power in the 17th Century, there were about 12000 Iroquois. Iroquois villages dotted these shores. The Iroquois were known to be great farmers, fishers and hunters. Deer were plentiful in the area. "The Three Sisters", corn/beans/squash were the mainstays. During the Revolutionary War, most were wiped out when the villages and crops were burned to the ground. An epidemic of smallpox that came from French Traders also dimished their numbers.

White settlers arrived in the area around 1790. Life was hard for these settlers, until the 1820's when the Erie Canal was opened, and the area was perfect for trading. The remaining Iroquois lived peacefully among the settlers, and remain in the area today. Currently in New York State, there are about 17,000 Iroquois, with about 7,500 being Seneca decendents.

I hope that you will take a few minutes during this weekends Wine festivities to think about those times, those people, The People of the Great Hill.

The Joy of Enduring Winter

Icewine is a rare gift from a magical Finger Lakes winter!

It is believed that icewine goes back to Roman times. But the popular legend is that a German winemaker was away from his vineyard during harvest and when he returned home, his grapes were frozen on the vine. He carried out an unorthodox harvest and pressed the frozen grapes for fermentation. The result was the first eiswein. He was amazed by the high sugar content.

Watkins Glen and the Finger Lakes Region is a natural for icewine production with its warm summers and cold winters. It’s one of the coldest wine regions in the world, with deep snows and bone-chilling temperatures. The grapes are left on the vine past normal harvests. The freezing and thawing of the grapes dehydrates the fruit and concentrates the sugars, acids and extracts in the fruit, intensifying the flavor and adding complexity to the wine. The harvest is done by hand, and the optimal time is mid-December to mid-January. Without the extreme cold, there would be no icewine. (One note: grapes that are artificially frozen are not icewines, but ice-style wines.)

The juice is typically fermented for several weeks followed by a few months of barrel aging, stopping naturally. Icewines are attractive while young, although some aging is practiced. The result is ultra-rich flavor with sweet honey-like nuances. The alcohol content is higher than regular wines, averaging 11.9%.

Icewine is intensely sweet! The balance is achieved by its acidity which gives a clean dry finish. The nose recalls lychee nuts. The seductive taste  will transport the palate to warmer climates. The tastes of tropical fruits with hints of peach nectar and mango are (reportedly) best when chilled, but I prefer mine from the freezer.

Icewine can be an appetizer, or served with dessert. There are several ways to use icewine, blend with Brandy to make a liqueur or to make jelly.  The jelly is fabulous, but I prefer the simple drink. Serve with fruit or fruit tarts, especially apple or pear tarts; with a plate of cheeses, particularly a nice blue cheese; blend two of the most delicate substances on the planet and serve with crème brulee (!); or serve by itself.
When you are visiting the Finger Lakes Wineries, make sure you taste the Icewines! Winters wonder juice. A rare gift from the magical Finger Lakes winter… handpicked at the coldest moment of a winter’s night, each frozen grape creates just one drop of icewine.  One smooth, luxurious, exquisite drop.

Chateau Lafayette Reneau

See below for information on the new "Featured Seneca Lake Winery".

Deb Whiting

To our friend: You will be missed.
Our condolences to the Whiting and Red Newt Families.