Try award-winning wines and enjoy a gourmet meal along Cayuga Lake at this fun and bustling central Finger Lakes destination.
The Thirsty Owl Wine Company is a legendary Finger Lakes winery, where it is practically impossible to not have a good time. Their large and well-designed tasting room is always bustling, creating a fun and convivial atmosphere. Stop in with friends or make new ones upon arrival.
Step up to the bar for a tasting served by one of the friendly and engaging staff members, who will help you design a menu to your liking, with sweet, dry, sparkling or dessert wines. Savor the many varietals. Among the numerous awards earned by these wines are the Governor’s Cup and the John Rose Award. Be sure to try the Thirsty Owl rieslings, local favorites. Pay a fee for a tasting of several wines and purchase a few bottles to take home.
When you are feeling hungry, stop at the on-site bistro, a well-regarded restaurant that serves dishes suited to the taster’s own pours. Enjoy your meal while seated on the spacious patio that looks over the water. Summer Saturdays feature live music by local artists. At other times, head out to the gorgeous grounds, which have what some say are the best views of Cayuga Lake. The lake is the perfect place to spot the Finger Lakes’ local species of birds, especially the bufflehead, one of North America’s smallest duck species.
Find the Thirsty Owl Wine Company on Cayuga Lake, in Ovid, New York. Drive to the Thirsty Owl in 40 minutes from Ithaca Regional Airport, which has regional and national connections. You can also park your boat at Thirsty Owl. Call ahead for a pick-up from the dock in a golf cart.
The Thirsty Owl is also a mainstay of many Cayuga Lake Wine Trail tours, which depart from a variety of locations in the vicinity. One of these chauffeur-driven tours is the perfect way to turn your wine stop into a wine adventure. Stop at Sheldrake Point winery, just a few miles south along the lake, to compare and contrast tastes.
