Seneca Lake Wine Trail Presents

5 Reasons to Visit the Seneca Lake Wine Trail this winter

Picture of a hand holding a glass of white wine, with a lake and vineyard in the background

While it’s no secret that summer and fall are truly stunning seasons to visit the Seneca Lake Wine Trail, don’t miss out on another beautiful time to visit: late fall and winter!

Here are just 5 of the many reasons why November-March are a great time to come wine tasting on the Seneca Lake Wine Trail…

Reason #1: Lodging rates are more affordable outside of peak summer and fall season! Did you know that our website features only lodgers who accumulate an average rating of at least 4 stars across review sites? We take great pride in sending our visitors to the best of the best! Browse them here! (Pictured: 1897 Beekman House)

White man presenting wine to a visitor for a tasting.

Reason #2: You’ll have individualized attention. Outside of peak season, you won’t be competing for space at tasting counters or for attention from staff. It’s much quieter and arguably, far more enjoyable to visit at this time of year if you’re not a fan of crowds.

A winter scene featuring vineyards, a lake, and puffy clouds, with a coating of snow.

Reason #3: The views. After the leaves fall off the trees and vines, you can see the detail of the surrounding hillsides and vineyards. You get a chance to see things that are usually obstructed by vegetation. And who doesn’t love frozen waterfalls? Yeah, we have those, too!

Piece of chocolate brownie next to red wine

Reason #4: Great opportunities to sample delicious wine and food pairing during Wine Trail Event Weekends! We host several trail-wide events throughout the winter season with pairings designed to help you explore the beauty of food and wine. Visit our Event Calendar to explore them all!

Reason #5: Unique winery events. While the summer and fall event calendar is packed with things to do, you could say the wineries have much more bandwidth to roll out events that showcase the best of what they have to offer during this “slower” time of year. See them all on our Winery Event Calendar.

One other thing that many folks worry about is the weather. But it’s important to point out that the Finger Lakes and specifically, Seneca Lake, have a tremendous moderating effect on our weather. We are often erroneously lumped in with Rochester and Syracuse when folks think of our location. We are much further south in the state than those cities, and not typically in the path of Lake Ontario lake-effect snow. So while you hear of those cities getting feet and feet of snow each winter, know that while our ground is often snow covered, it’s not with the huge accumulations received by our neighbors to the north. Not to mention, our highway and road crews are at the ready to keep roads clear and safe for travel.

So there you have it, five reasons to come to the Seneca Lake Wine Trail during the late fall and winter. Ready to plan your trip? Review our resources including maps and brochures here.

Seneca Lake Wine Trail Presents

5 Reasons to Visit the Seneca Lake Wine Trail this winter

just a short drive away

Come visit us in the heart of the Finger Lakes

Stay Connected!