UPSTATE NEW YORK WINE FESTIVAL RETURNS IN JULY

Attention wine connoisseurs and weekend warriors: Get out your pens and mark your calendars because today Watkins Glen International is happy to announce the dates for the 2005 Finger Lakes Wine Festival, supported by Corning Museum of Glass. The Festival, entering its ninth season with Watkins Glen International, will take place during the weekend of July 15- 17, 2005.

The Finger Lakes Wine Festival, supported by the Corning Museum of Glass, ranks among the largest wine festivals in the northeast and has gained attention from coast-to-coast. Conde Nast magazine, the Toronto Star, Ladies Home Journal, and California magazine Wine & Spirits are amongst those who were in attendance at the July 2004 event. "We (the Festival) also had some great Television coverage - not only were we featured on the local news stations, but representatives from Fine Living Network and the Food Network attended the 2004 Festival - with plans to feature the Finger Lakes Wine Festival on "Simply Wine" later this month," stated Festival Director Wendy Sutterby. "Publications and authors from across the country have shown great interest in the Finger Lakes Wine Festival because of the ever increasing popularity and reputation of Finger Lakes wines. Wine enthusiasts travel far and wide to our event each year to get a taste of the Finger Lakes."

The FLWF has shown a 5-15% visitor increase each year, since Watkins Glen International acquired the festival in 1996, representing over 9 different states as well as Canada. Today, New York State winery visitors have multiplied to nearly seven-times the size since 1985. Now there are over 200 wineries in New York State with close to 80 wineries in the NY Finger Lakes region.

The Finger Lakes Wine Festival opened at its new home at Watkins Glen International, July 26, 1997, within an infrastructure accustomed to accommodating large crowds and the roar of engines. Once a year, the festival organizers transform the world-renowned road course into the site of one of the East Coast's premier wine festivals. Red wine stains replace oil slicks, the smell of burning rubber is replaced with the delicate aroma of tannins and ripe fruit flavors.

Join us for the region's largest wine celebration - the Finger Lakes Wine Festival, supported by Corning Museum of Glass. The 2005 Festival will officially kick-off Friday night, July 15th at 6pm, as Bacchus toasts a crowd of toga clad guests at the 4th Annual Launch of The Lakes. Start your mornings with a Champagne Breakfast at the exclusive Glen Club, or top off Saturday evening at the Tasters Banquet, where some of the areas finest wines can be sampled with dinner. Over 70 prestigious wineries from New York State will be on hand to offer tastings and sales on Saturday, July 16 and Sunday, July 17. Enjoy quality arts & crafts vendors, gourmet foods, wine seminars, cooking demonstrations, live music, pace car rides, and The Corning Museum of Glass world renown Hot Glass Road Show. Watkins Glen International will once again offer their exclusive weekend camping package. Campers staying Friday through Sunday can enjoy 3 nights for only $30 - including a free Saturday night party with live music. For information, please contact the Watkins Glen International ticket office, toll free, at 866-461-7223, or log into the official website at www.flwinefest.com.

Contact Wendy Sutterby at 607-535-2486 ext. 230 for vendor, sponsorship or advertising opportunities.