Finger Lakes, NY -- The second Preferred Pairings event -- a collaborative between the Finger Lakes Cheese Trail and the Seneca Lake Wine Trail -- will be held Saturday, February 23, from 10:00am-5:00pm at 10 select wineries along Seneca Lake. Partners & Pairings is a series of three monthly events where the creameries of the Cheese Trail pair with different members of the Wine Trail to offer select pairings of reserve wines and artisanal cheeses to their audience.
At the each host winery, their visiting cheesemaker will give a brief presentation about their farm, their process and their cheeses at 10:30am, followed by a day of paired samplings. The winery will have those wine and cheese pairings available in a special packaged deals for attendees. Attendees can also buy the wines and cheeses separately should they prefer.
Tickets to each event are in the series are limited to 400, or 40 at each starting winery, and are only $15 per person when purchased in advance through the Seneca Lake Wine Trail, or $20 at the door the day of the event at select wineries.
February's host wineries are many of the northern Trail wineries. "By having the wineries grouped near each other, it makes it easier for people to get around," explains Carmella Hoffman of Sunset View Creamery in Odessa, just outside of Watkins Glen. "And it's easier on the members of the Cheese Trail too. Each month we're working one-on-one with a single winery to develop the ideal wine pairings for our cheeses. We get to know their product better and they, ours. And working in tandem like that really allows us to craft some great pairings."
The pairings for February 23 are:
Anthony Road Wine Company- Finger Lakes Farmstead Cheese Company
Fox Run Vineyards- Lively Run Goat Dairy
White Springs Winery- Kenton’s Cheese Cmpany
Belhurst Winery- 4 Tin Fish Farm
Ravines Wine Cellars- Keeley’s Cheese Company
Ventosa Vineyards- Muranda Cheese Company
Three Brothers Wineries & Estates- Vanillen Farm
Zugibe Vineyards- Finger Lakes Dexter Creamery
Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars- Jerry Dell Farm & Store
Wagner Vineyards- Sunset View Creamery
The final Preferred Pairing event is March 30. Tickets for the two remaining dates are available in advance through the Seneca Lake Wine Trail. February 23 tickets are still available for all ten starting wineries. Following the three Preferred Pairings events is Wine Trail's popular Wine & Cheese Weekend, April 26-28. This event is also co-sponsored by the Finger Lakes Cheese Trail, and will feature the Trail's cheeses in dishes at the wineries all weekend long. As Tom Murray, of Muranda Cheese Co. in Waterloo puts it, "Think of the Preferred Pairings as a primer to the big Wine & Cheese Weekend in April."
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About the Finger Lakes Cheese Trail
The Finger Lakes Cheese Trail is comprised of 14 working, family dairies throughout the Finger Lakes Region of New York State. They offer a variety of artisan cheeses, including cheddars, goudas, chevres, brie and mozzarella. While a few of the farms do not have visitor hours, most do and encourage visits throughout the year. Trail members’ cheeses are available at their farms, local shops and farmers markets, and several wineries and restaurants throughout the Region. Each year, the Trail hosts four Open Houses at their farms, and encourages the public to come visit and tour their farms. They also participate in many community and Regional events throughout the year. People can learn more about the trail at www.flcheesetrail.com or on their Facebook page, Finger Lakes Cheese Trail.
About the Seneca Lake Wine Trail
In 1986 the Seneca Lake Wine Trail was formed in the heart of New York State’s Finger Lakes Region to attract more visitors to experience its rich history, beauty, and production of world-class wines. Today, Seneca Lake Wine Trail is the largest and most active wine trail in New York State with a community of over 30 wineries, a distillery, three breweries, a hard cider producer and a meadery. The Seneca Lake Wine Trail’s member wineries have won hundreds of national and international medals and are recognized as world class producers of Riesling, Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Honey Wines (Meads).
