Area. Forming a patchwork quilt of ripples down a cliff wall, the bottom of this waterfall is a shallow stream. As we admired the power and breadth of the cascade from a distance downstream, kids and parents played near the water’s edge at the base. What a wonderful way to cool off on a hot summer’s day Wagner Vineyards Estate Winery and Brewery Waterfalls are just part of the beauty of the Finger Lakes. This area is also renowned as a wine-making region, and wineries dot the landscape about every mile or so. For wine lovers, there is an endless array of fine wines to sample and elegant winery estates to visit. And for the serious connoisseur, there are Wine Trails that you can follow from vineyard to vineyard on Seneca Lake, Cayuga Lake, and Keuka Lake. We stopped by Wagner Vineyards Estate Winery about halfway up the eastern shore of Seneca Lake and were delighted to find that it is not only a winery but a brewery as well. Just choose the entrance door that suits your palate and your fancy. We were in the mood for a craft beer, so we chose the brewery side. Out on the back patio deck we discovered a bevy of young women enjoying the second of their 10-stop bachelorette party on the Seneca Wine Trail. They all wore matching t-shirts that stated their role in the wedding, from Bride to Maid of Honor to Bridesmaid, and they were whooping it up while their driver snoozed in the limo in the parking lot. I’m sure our beers were tasty, but the memory forever emblazoned in our minds is that group of beautiful girls having the time of their lives.
It was delightful seeing the many different carriages the Amish drive around.
This horse-drawn wagon displays a danger sign to alert motorists that they may be going a bit slower. Notice the straw hats the boys have on.
Wagner Vineyards also hosts an outdoor summer music series on Friday nights at the Vantage Point. You can watch the sunset while enjoying a picnic with a wine flight or bottle of beer while listening to live music. Amish Country Leaving the modern sophistication of estate wines and bachelorette parties behind, we made our way to the small town of Ovid in the heart of Amish Country. Picturesque family farms replaced the graceful winery estates as we drove between Seneca and Cayuga Lakes, and soon we saw horses and buggies on the road with us. Two-seater open air buggies are used for courting by young Amish men and, in many ways, owning a courting buggy offers them the same thrill and independence as any teenager’s first car. I had a chance to talk with an Amish boy about his new courting buggy, and he proudly showed off its steel tires and drum brakes. It cost him about $3,000, but that didn’t include the engine, of course. He told me horses can cost another $3,000 for a fast one or a little less for a slow one. And of course, like many teens do, he’d saved up for a fast one.
We enjoyed a stop by Wagner Winery and Brewery.
WATERFALLS, WINERIES, AND THE AMISH
COAST TO COAST MAGAZINE SUMMER 2023 | 11
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