It’s finally here!!! Tomorrow I head to the Finger Lakes Region of New York for the eighth annual Wine Blogger’s Conference. This is the conference that I can attribute truly started my love of blogging and where I’ve met some amazing friends along the way.
This will be my fifth wine bloggers conference. I’ve attended the conferences in Willamette Valley, Walla Walla, Santa Barbara and Charlottesville. All have been different – I’ve had incredibly unique experiences along the way.
I’ll start the Pre-Conference with an excursion to the Northern half of Lake Seneca. We’ll start at Villa Bellangelo and will be hosted by Winemaker Christopher Missick who will tell us all about the Seneca Lake Wine Trail. Then we have four experiences – a ten year vertical of King’s Garden Cabernet Sauvignon; a Bellangelo Riesling Experience; a sampling of cheeses from Side-Hill Acres and Schtayburne and a sampling of “other” experimental wines from Bellangelo.
In the evening, we move to Ventosa Vineyards for a subject close to my heart – the theme of Finger Lakes Women in Wine. Women now run 14 percent of the nation’s farms. It will feature scientists, farmers, entrepreneurs and wine makers who will let us sample their offerings. We then have dinner prepared by Chef Heather Tompkins, also the owner of Opus Expresso and Wine Bar.
Our Thursday morning begins at the Anthony Road Wine Company, where we begin tasting wine at 10 a.m. with a presentation from Owners Ann and John Martini. We’ll also taste with Winemaker Peter Becraft who will feature some of his small batch wines. We then move to Fox Run Vineyards for an overview of terroir. We’ll eat, drink, wine, laugh and learn.
After five years of this conference, I say a few things with certainty. There will be late night Cards Against Humanity. However, this year it won’t involve getting late night visits from security at the hotel. We have a #goingrogue group staying at a local bed and breakfast. There will be lots of wine drinking and late night parties. And, this continues to be an event I don’t want to miss – for the wine, the knowledge and most importantly, my friends.
