Seneca Lake Wine Trail has again increased in size for 2005. Newest members Bloomer Creek Vineyard and Belhurst Winery join 26 current member wineries to bring the grand total to 28 for this year. Wineries have been springing up all around Seneca Lake and many of them see the advantage of joining together to co-promote their properties, pooling funds for marketing and advertising. The most valuable of such projects is the Seneca Lake Wine Trail brochure with its yearly distribution of 450,000 copies throughout New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, New Jersey and other contiguous states.

Hickory Hollow Wine Cellars joined the group in 2004. Located just north of Glenora Wine Cellars, they have enjoyed participating in events that introduce the public to the great wines of the Finger Lakes region. Hickory Hollow Wine Cellars is a partnership between the Oughterson family (Peter Oughterson is a respected grape grower and winemaker in the Seneca Lake region) and the Kendall family.( Suzanne Kendall worked at Hermann Wiemer Winery for many years and brings hospitality and business skills to the partnership.) Two brands of wine are offered: the Hickory Hollow wines and Peter Oughterson's Highland Cellars wines.

The Trail also welcomes Belhurst Winery just south of the city of Geneva. Their new complex includes not only the winery production facility constructed on nearby White Springs Farm but also the Vinifera Inn, Meritage Ballroom, Stonecutters Lounge and the Belhurst Winery tasting room and gift shop located at the original Belhurst property on the western shore of Seneca Lake. It is a beautiful facility with many amenities that will attract visitors.

Bloomer Creek Vineyard, owned by Kim Engle, is rapidly expanding by constructing a brand new tasting room on their property on the east side of Seneca Lake between Chateau LaFayette Reneau and Red Newt Cellars. Long associated with Stonecat Café, a favorite haunt of wine tourists for quite a few years, both businesses have outgrown their present building. Soon the winery will have its own home and the Stonecat Café folks can have more breathing space as well. Kim brings enthusiasm and new ideas to the group.

For more information on these and other great wineries, visit www.senecalakewine.com.