Finger Lakes Blog

Hot Dogs with Grilled Mustard Slaw, paired with Lucky Hare’s Conan the Bavarian German-Style Hefeweizen

Slaw gets a major upgrade when it shares the grill with hot dogs. If you haven’t yet tried grilling cabbage, you’re in for a real treat! The smoky char from the grill softens and sweetens cabbage, and in this recipe we take it one step further by simmering the grilled cabbage in Lucky Hare’s Conan the Bavarian German-Style Hefeweizen. The aromatic clove notes in this refreshing brew

Chicken Panzanella and J.R. Dill’s Sauvignon Blanc

Traditionally a summer salad consisting of juicy tomatoes and stale bread, panzanella makes a perfect light supper. Here we’ve swapped out the summer produce with the abundance of herbs and greens that are the hallmark of spring in the Finger Lakes. Tangy sourdough bread and creamy fresh cheese from some of our region’s finest dairies make every bite of this salad a delightful contrast in texture and flavor. The herbaceous notes of J.R. Dill’s

When Ann Raffetto accepted the job as co-winemaker at Wagner Vineyards, she didn’t think about the legacy she’d leave behind. “We were just trying to work with what equipment we had and trying to make the best wine that we could,” she smiles.

“I always get a little hesitant when people say ‘first woman winemaker’,” notes Ann as she highlights her colleagues working behind the scenes. “Maybe not technically in a winemaker role, but [women] were certainly in every other aspect doing whatever

It sneaks up on you. One day, you find yourself appreciating the heat emanating from your coffee mug. You notice your morning dog walks have become a bit more bundled. The leaves have changed to yellows, burnt oranges and reds, and the weather feels perfect for cable knit sweaters, thick socks, and cozy blankets. Suddenly it’s soup season, yule log channels return, and twinkling lights bring actual neighborhood cheer as the sounds of Mariah Carey can be heard on repeat. The holidays are back!

Few things are more fun than decorating holiday cookies and few are as talented and skilled as Bunny Lyons of Bunny Cakes, LLC in Berlin, N.J. Ms. Lyons has taken the cookie decorating scene by storm and creates the most beautiful cakes and cookies that at times, if only for a brief moment, you want to admire more than eat - a short lived struggle, of course!

Her craft has received plenty of accolades by everyone from local media to the Food Network, where she recently participated in their

Perfect for the holidays or any special celebration are these 5 Easy FLX Sparkling Celebration Cocktails using the finest sparkling wines from Finger Lakes Wine Country.

Try any of these simple recipes using the region’s finest bubbly to celebrate!

Cheers!

Sparkly Raspberry

• 1 bottle of chilled J.R. Dill Winery Cayuga White Rise
• 1 bottle of Finger Lakes Distilling Raspberry Liqueur
• Raspberries for Garnish

Fill your champagne glass or martini glass 3/4 full with your chilled J.R. Dill Winery

Looking for some new unique cocktail recipes to try? Here are five FLX fortified wine cocktail recipes to try at home using some of our favorite fortified wines from Finger Lakes Wine Country.

What’s a fortified wine? Fortified wine is when winemakers add a distilled spirit, like brandy, to the wine. They are typically higher in alcohol content and often considered dessert wines. For these recipes we are going to use two of the most popular fortified wines; sherry and port.

Below are the types

When you’re shopping for a great wine and cheese pairing, the quest to match the right bottle with the right wheel to enjoy together can feel like a guessing game.

Sure, there are a few standard guidelines you can follow—like serving wines and cheeses with similar intensities together. A light, crisp pour of Pinot Grigio and a fresh, citrusy goat’s cheese complement each other well, and a brawny blue wedge may need a bigger-bodied red to match its pungency, for example.

Sometimes, opposite

Next time you’re looking for a fun cocktail, try these delicious red wine cocktail recipes using Finger Lakes Wine Country's famed red varieties like Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot to name a few, paired with easy to find ingredients. Cheers!

Easy & Delicious Finger Lakes Red Wine Spritzer

• 1 bottle of red wine (For a dryer version, we recommend Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon. For a sweeter version, try Wagner Vineyards Sunset Red)
• Club Soda
• Fresh Blackberries, or berry of

As the cooler fall weather and colors are welcomed to Finger Lakes Wine Country so are the flavors of the season in these 3 fun fall FLX-inspired Sangria recipes perfect for any autumn day.

All of these easy to follow recipes require hours of refrigeration before serving which vary by recipe. Be sure to plan ahead! And if you want to switch things up, we recommend using a punch bowl instead of a large pitcher.

Finger Lakes Riesling Fall Sangria

• 2 cups of local apple cider
• 1 bottle of Wagner