I sheepishly confess I held the stereotype of New York state wines as the shy, unloved, less enchanting stepsister to west coast wines.

So with a visit to my sister and her family in upstate New York planned, and my growing obsession with wine as a Swirl Girl, it was the ideal time to explore the Finger Lakes region’s vineyards and do something about my prejudice.

Vines on the hillside overlooking Seneca Lake in the Finger Lakes viticultural area of central New York.

Many of the region’s wines (riesling being the most celebrated and renowned) have enjoyed a loyal following in that area, but it’s difficult to find them in stores in South Florida.

The Finger Lakes viticultural area centers around four main lakes: Canandaigua, Keuka, Seneca, and Cayuga. There are more than 100 wineries in the region producing 40 million bottles a year, according to the Finger Lakes Tourism Alliance.

Yowza! I was dizzy from the array of wineries, much less the wine itself. So, I must tip my glass to Lenn Thompson of Lenndevours: New York Cork Report (www.lenndevours.com) for his suggestions of wineries to visit with only a day to spend there.

My sister and brother-in-law, Lisa and Jeff, and I headed north from their house to Watkins Glen at the southern tip of Seneca Lake. With only 4 hours left in the day for wine tasting (the wineries close at 5 p.m.), we had some serious vineyard stalking to do.

Of the 35 wineries on Seneca Lake, we were able to visit four – Red Newt Cellars, Damiani Wine Cellars, Lamoreaux Landing and Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard – all of which were recommended by Thompson for different reasons. And they all offered tastes of 5 wines for $2 to $5, depending upon whether you wished to try reserves.

I tasted rieslings from each of the wineries, as well as some reds (since that’s where most of my misguided notions about Finger Lakes wines resided). Honestly, I gleefully accepted anything they poured for me.

True to their reputation, the rieslings I tried were fruity or floral, bright and crisp, and well balanced across the board, from dry to semi-dry and ranging from 0.6 percent, to 2.4 percent residual sugar.

But what surprised and captivated me were the red varietals, of which I tried cabernet francs, merlots, and pinot noirs, and red blends.

At Red Newt Cellars, I tried the 2007 merlot from Glacier Ridge Vineyards. (Red Newt doesn’t grow grapes, they only make wine using grapes from other growers in the region.) It had a rich, full aroma, which was a good indicator of the richness of the blackberry and plum, and had a slight oak flavor imparted from the barrel aging. Our pourer, Meagz, said many of their red wines from the 2007 vintage will age up to 5 years.

Down the road at Damiani, which prides itself on making small batches of hand-crafted wines, I did a taste comparison between their 2006 and 2007 pinot noirs. The ‘06 was very light in color; pink with an orange tint. It was actually quite captivating and made me think of the glorious hues of a winter sunset in Florida.

That pale color was a hint for the light body of the wine. It was dry and smoky, thanks to the French oak, and had a very short finish. It was weak, as compared to most pinot noirs I’ve drunk.

However, the 2007 flexed its muscle. It had a medium body, with more fruit-forward flavors. The winemaker’s notes say, “Very approachable… this wine represents the fine care and planning of the Damiani owners and will age well for 3-5 years. These grapes were hand-selected, grown and pampered… ” (Oh, how I wish I were a grape.)

Looking back on my tasting notes, I had starred the Estate Red at Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars and for good reason. This wine is a blend of 50 percent cabernet franc, 20 percent each of pinot noir and merlot, and 10 percent cabernet sauvignon.

All in the family: Swirl Girl (Earthy) Jennifer with brother-in-law and sister Jeff and Lisa Farmer at Lamoreaux Landing.

It had a big, inviting aroma and taste of black cherries. It was a powerful wine, but the tannins and acidity were balanced so it was easy to drink. I could just picture my family gathered around the kitchen island on a cold evening, filling our glasses, and telling the same embarrassing childhood stories we tell every time we’re together, especially when we’re drinking too much wine.

The next stop, on the west side of the lake, was the Hermann J. Wiemer vineyard.

As its sign explained, the winery was established in 1979 from the first vinifera plantings on Seneca Lake and founded on the knowledge of a 300-year family tradition of making fine wines in the Mosel region of Germany.

The barn at Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard dates back to the 1800s and is where some barrels are stored and where the wine tastings take place.

Wiemer produces some of the most highly acclaimed rieslings in the region, so those were a must-taste. I tried both the dry and semi-dry, and they stood up to the reputation. But, again, more interesting to me were the reds produced in these hills that celebrate white.

I tasted a 2006 pinot noir rose that had a delicate aroma of strawberries and was soft and round, and finished dry. But the most impressive for me was the 2006 Estate Red, which is a blend of 50 percent cabernet franc, 20 percent merlot , 10 percent cabernet sauvignon, 10 percent lemberger and 10 percent pinot noir. The winemaker’s notes say it’s energetic and well-structured. (Oh, to be energetic and well-structured.)

Most of all, it was smooth with a hearty plum taste and was slightly smoky, which would be due to the six months it spent in older French oak. The Wiemer Web site says it should be enjoyed on a daily basis. Who I am to argue?

My New York wine stereotype lay empty at the end of the day, along with plenty of tasting glasses, and in its place is a less discriminating and more appreciative palate.

Glass of Finger Lakes, anyone?

See more photos from the wineries here.

Want to learn more about these wineries, or order wine direct from the source? Check out their Web sites:
http://rednewt.com/
www.damianiwinecellars.com (Florida isn’t listed in their shipping because some counties here are dry, but you can call or email orders.)
www.lamoreauxwine.com
www.wiemer.com
www.fingerlakeswinecountry.com/