Experience! WEST CAYUGA Lake Wine Tour with Lunch

Experience! West Cayuga Lake Wine Tour with Lunch Options and Itinerary

This tour is available in three different options:

Shared Tour: Small, guided experience for up to 6 guests (2-3 different households) with knowledgeable wine professional tour guide. This is the enhanced shared group experience for which we are known, now in an extra small format.

Traditional Private Tour: The high-quality experience you have come to expect in an E!FLX tour, now available as a private experience for 2-6 people. Comes with $20 of “Bottle Bucks” per person, that serves as cash towards wine purchases at all stops.

Premium Private Tour Upgrade: All the enhanced features of our traditional private tour (including “Bottle Bucks”) with upgraded premium tastings at each winery. Tastings will feature limited library and reserve wines not typically offered to the public. You can upgrade your Traditional Private Tour to a Premium Private Tour for an additional $50 per person.

Want to get even more out of your private tour? Premium Private Tours offer the option to have a certified sommelier serve as your tour guide for the ultimate experience!

Itinerary:

This full-day wine tour features the best that the Cayuga Lake Wine Trail has to offer – from stunning views to exquisite wines. Visit four iconic wineries, explore the vineyards, learn about the region, while enjoying delicious wines, featured pairings, and local-sourced food.

We begin at either Cayuga Ridge Estate Winery or Buttonwood Grove Winery with a private, behind-the-scenes tour of the vineyard and winemaking process. After your tour, experience a private outdoor tasting, featuring a curated wine list and selected local cheese pairing.

For lunch, you will head down the road to Thirsty Owl Wine Company, where you will have an outdoor lunch with stunning lake views. To view an example of your lunch options, visit Thirsty Owl Wine Company Lunch Menu.

*Please note that on occasions, Thirsty Owl will be unavailable. In these cases, Ithaca Bakery will be substituted as the lunch option.

Next up is Hosmer Winery. Founded in the 1980s, this winery has been a mainstay of quality grape growing in the Finger Lakes region. Here you will experience a specially-designed wine tasting that includes food pairings featuring local cheese, pesto, and chocolate!

Our last winery of the day is Sheldrake Point Vineyard. Enjoy their beautiful lakefront vista while sampling an exclusive selection of wines, each paired with a local cheese. A highlight of the experience is a tasting of their traditionally-made and internationally-recognized Ice Wine, for the perfect sweet ending.

The tour culminates with a trip to the beautiful Taughannock Falls overlook. Standing at 215 feet high, it is the tallest waterfall drop in the Eastern U.S. and is sure to take your breath away.

*Please note that on occasions, our regularly scheduled  partners on this itinerary are unavailable. In these cases, Bet the Farm Winery  or Shepherdess Cellars will be substituted into the itinerary as an alternate stop.

Departure Locations

The following locations are available for pick up and drop off on our Shared Tours:

• La Tourelle Hotel & Spa, 1150 Danby Rd., Ithaca, NY 14850
• Hotel Ithaca, 222 S. Cayuga St., Ithaca, NY 14850
• Trumansburg – To the right of the TFit, 61 West Main St, Trumansburg, NY 

On private tours we provide custom pick-up and drop-off  at your preferred location (additional fees may apply).

Guest Minimum and Maximum on Shared Tours

All Shared Tours require a minimum of 5 total guests in order to run the tour at the listed price. These tours will typically consist of 2-3  separate parties joining together in a shared experience, offering exceptional value for couples and small groups.

In the event that the 5 guest minimum is not met, we will contact you one week prior to the scheduled date where you will be offered the following options depending on the number of guests currently booked:

• Take the tour at a semi-private rate when there are 4 guests who all agree to an additional $50 per guest to run the tour.
• Switch to our Experience! Ithaca Wine and Cider tour, which is a shorter, more compact tour specifically designed for 2-4 guests at an affordable lower rate.
• Switch to the Traditional Private Tour when there are only two guests who want to experience at the most personalized level.
• Reschedule the tour for a future date at no penalty
• Cancel the reservation and receive a full refund

Important Information

• Please let us know if you have any dietary restrictions or special considerations, and we will do our best to accommodate.
• All guests are required to verify they have read and understood our COVID-19 Health and Safety Policies and Procedures, sign an Assumption of Risk waiver and pass a Health and Safety Screening to ensure the safety to all on board.
• For more information about our Health and Safety Agreement and Screening, please CLICK HERE