June 1, 2018
Warm weather is here to stay, and I couldn’t be more excited about what that means for the wine trail.
In the vineyards, it means the workers went from bundling up head to toe, to going home with a farmers tan. The vines themselves have all gone through the bud break stage and we’re starting to see some very small leaves appearing. Depending on weather conditions, the first protective spray (sulfur-an organic element) will soon be sprayed to protect the vinifera varieties against powdery mildew, which some of you may have experienced in your own garden on some of the larger leaf vegetables: squash, pumpkins, melons, etc.
Inside the tasting room, the managers and guys and gals behind the scenes are getting their summer event lineups squared away, and it promises to be an exciting time! The fun begins on Thursday nights when both Six Mile Creek Vineyards and Lucas Vineyards host their summer concert series. At Six Mile Creek in Ithaca, you can look forward to hearing from popular bands such as Immortal Jellyfish, Purple Valley and Radio London. Lucas Vineyards kicks off their Nautie Summer Nights concert series on June 21st with Black Diamond Express and a different food truck each week.
Friday night takes the fun to a higher level! Americana Vineyards hosts a ‘Friday Nite Pizza Party’ all year long, but it goes outside to their pavilion during the warmer months. You can look forward to weekly pizza specials from the café while listening to local bands such as Bob & Dee, The Tarps, and the Common Railers. Starting on July 6th, Buttonwood Grove Winery hosts a Friday night concert out on their deck, where attendees can purchase BBQ food and glasses or bottles of wine. You can expect to see big acts such as Agonal Rhythm, The Destination and Sim Redmond Band.
All day Saturday offers up a variety of live entertainment. Both Buttonwood Grove and Thirsty Owl Wine Co. offer Saturday afternoon concerts. The Bistro at Thirsty Owl is open, so you can enjoy something delicious off their menu while listening to good music. Buttonwood also has more of their amazing BBQ food to purchase. Americana hosts a game night in the Taproom as well as more live music out in the pavilion.
The entertainment doesn’t stop just because it’s Sunday! Six Mile Creek has another year-round concert series in the afternoon from 2 to 4pm, as does Americana from 4 to 6 pm. Hosmer Winery also offers “Music and Mimosas” with multiple types of mimosa and live music from 1 to 3pm.
Weekly concerts are only the beginning to the fun that can be had on the wine trail during the warm months. There’s a wide variety of events to attend all summer long: two animal shelter benefits, Sunday Yoga, a handful of anniversary parties, monthly wine dinners, an unforgettable 4th of July bash, events honoring cherries, peaches and donkeys, outdoor movies, dancing, and so much more!
For a full list and details on the awesome events we offer, please visit cayugawinetrail.com/events/list/. We really hope to see everyone out on the trail this summer enjoying our beautiful views, delicious wines, delectable foods, and smiling faces!