What to eat and drink in the summer

By Steve & Pam Acker, Managers at the Seneca Lake Tasting Room

Summer on Seneca has brought many pleasures in the form of welcoming new visitors to our tasting room, reconnecting with old friends and neighbors, and of course entertaining with wonderful food and wines from our area. Weekends are fun and busy with mid-week the best time for a visit if a slower pace is what you enjoy. The cool rainy start has given way to the hot, hazy days of August and this has a definite impact of what we eat and drink.

We are frequently asked for advice in pairing wines to a menu or occasion and are eager to help. The bounty at the local farm stands is exceptional this time of year and offers the opportunity to explore some interesting recipes with wine compatibility. One of our favorites is a fresh mixed green salad with roasted baby beets and local goat feta dressed with a delicate balsamic vinaigrette. I often serve this first course with the Ingle Vineyard Riesling 2006. The light citrus fruit and crisp finish of this wine make it a summer favorite.

The release of our new Game Bird Blush also timed perfectly with the warmer weather. It’s a terrific “picnic pink” whose bright fruitiness just begs for grilled veggies, chicken or just sipping during a lazy loll in the hammock!

As the summer winds down our season cranks up. We anticipate a very busy fall and have a few surprises up our sleeves. We recently welcomed Staci to the team here on Seneca. She, along with the rest of our seasoned staff, will be happy to assist you in the retail wine and gift shop and hope to make your visit fun and interesting. We are also looking forward to “Ron” and his roving hot dog cart (aka The Dog Haus) arriving in September along with some Saturday music on the patio. Stay tuned for details and be sure to come by and check us out. Thanks for a great summer and we hope to see you soon!

A great way to enjoy Semi-Sweet Riesling - Sangria!

By Steve & Pam Acker, Managers at the Seneca Lake Tasting Room

Hello again from Steve and Pam at the Seneca Lake tasting room of Heron Hill Winery! The soft scents and gentle warmth of early June beckon us to linger outside just a bit longer. That calls for a glass of Heron Hill Classic Semi-Dry Riesling 2007 on the porch, deck or dock as evening falls.

We welcome back all our good neighbors who have returned for the season to once again enjoy the very special feeling of summer on Seneca. Open daily to serve you, we will be adding a new tasting bar to the patio for those great early summer days when you just don’t want to come inside. If you have friends visiting from out of town (and who living on the lake doesn’t!!!) we invite you to bring them by for a taste and let them experience our award winning wines and the truly unique flavor of the lakes. Then take home a favorite bottle or two to share over dinner and you have an instant party. Check out our gift shop that features many locally produced products that pair beautifully with our wines.

Our event tent will be arriving shortly to accommodate larger tasting groups. Please call ahead if you are planning a group visit of 10 or more so we may better serve you.

Whether you are an avid fisherman, golfer, gardener or beach bum, summer calls for getting together with friends and family for food and fun. As the weather warms and barbeques and picnics become the menu of choice, remember that a well-chilled bottle of your favorite Heron Hill wine is the perfect accompaniment. Pair grilled shrimp or chicken with a fruity white such as our Eclipse White 2006, a warm weather favorite or the crisp refreshing Classic Chardonnay 2007. Try ribs with a Riesling of your choice. For an afternoon event, keep things light with a flavorful White Wine Summer Sangria made with our Classic Semi-Sweet Riesling 2007. The recipe follows.

No matter the season, day of the week or the menu choice, a glass of wine makes an ordinary day a little more fun and festive. We are happy to share some of our food and wine pairings with you and also love to hear some of your own favorites. If you like the idea of hosting your own wine tasting party for some friends, we can help with that as well.

We hope to see you soon at our tasting room and retail shop on Seneca Lake. In the meantime enjoy the upcoming lazy, hazy days of summer with some friends and a glass of Heron Hill wine. We will be!

WHITE WINE SUMMER SANGRIA
Ingredients:
3-Bottles Heron Hill Semi-Sweet Riesling 2007 well chilled
1-litre bottle lemon-lime seltzer
¾ cup orange liqueur (optional)
¾ cup orange juice
Cranberry juice
1-each lemon, lime and orange thinly sliced

Freeze cranberry juice in two ice cube trays several hours before serving. Keep all other ingredients well chilled. In a large pitcher or punch bowl combine wine, liqueur (if using) and orange juice. Add sliced fruit and let sit for a few minutes to combine flavors. When ready to serve, add the seltzer and cranberry ice cubes.

Greetings from the Heron Hill Tasting Room on Seneca Lake

By Steve & Pam Acker, Managers at the Seneca Lake Tasting Room

Greetings from the Heron Hill Tasting Room on Seneca Lake! Spring has finally sprung and this is the beginning of our fourth season as the “satellite” tasting room from Heron Hill Winery. In the spring of 2006 we decided to un-retire and learn about an industry and product we both enjoy…wine. Our career with Heron Hill began with training as pourers and retail staff and soon we were hooked. Somehow our part-time just for fun, get out of the house hobby evolved into a joint managership of the new location on Seneca Lake. We had worked together in our own business outside of Philadelphia for 30 years so we guess the progression was inevitable though not anticipated.

Our customer base continues to grow along with our enthusiasm and respect for this company and its products. The ongoing commitment of our owners, John and Josephine Ingle, the sustainability practices as well as the continuing effort of our team here on Seneca to reduce waste and recycle as much as possible made us “green” before it became a common phrase. We feel lucky to have found such a good fit as it is how we live as well. The skill of Thomas Laszlo, our winemaker, speaks for itself through our award-winning, elegant wines.

We have met so many interesting and wonderful people from all over the world and just around the corner. Wine tasting is truly a unique and pleasurable experience that brings people together. You can witness this on any given day in the tasting room. Pam even has an e-pal from South Africa who happened in one day as he toured the region. We have guests who return regularly, whether to honor a birthday or anniversary or other special occasion to celebrate with us. They started as new guests and have returned to become friends. There is rarely a dull day as you never know who will walk through the door. We both love a challenge and know there is so much more to learn. So for now this is where we want to be and are very much enjoying our time here. Our dedicated, knowledgeable, and fun staff including; Barb, Ashley, Nancy, Brandon, Dick and Carrie, are ready to help you. So stop by, say hello and taste some wonderful wines. We look forward to meeting you and hope to add you to our list of new friends.