The Chautauqua-Lake Erie Wine Trail

21 wineries in the largest grape-growing region east of the Rockies Find us on Facebook at Chautauqua-Lake Erie Wine Trail Follow us on Twitter @LakeErieWines When it comes to Easter wines, don't put all of your eggs in one basket (North East, Pa.) March 29, 2010 -- Riesling is the traditional wine to serve with Easter dinner, and fruity, sweet Concords are perfect for Passover, but here in the Lake Erie wine growing region, there are many ways to incorporate wine into your holiday festivities. Add a touch of sparkle to your Easter brunch with a bubbly mimosa, create a farm fresh feast with a leg of lamb and earthy Pinot Noir, or sip a sweet cordial as you dip into the kids' Easter basket. With Easter less than a week away, you'll find plenty of wines to pick from on the nearby Chautauqua-Lake Erie Wine Trail. Local winemakers offer the following suggestions: Arrowhead Wine Cellars – Vignoles Known as excellent dessert wine, the versatile varietal offers a sweet counterbalance to salty ham, or succulent lamb and pork. Burch Farms Country Market and Winery – Steuben Crisp, clean with a hint of fruitiness, this delightful wine appeals to the sweet or dry wine drinker and is best served with ham or turkey. Blueberry Sky Farm Winery –Dandelion Wine from this winery overlooking Lake Erie pairs nicely with spring vegetables and ham. Heritage Wine Cellars – Elderberry Wine, voted best fruit wine in Pennsylvania at the Pennsylvania Farm Show, is often served with wild game dishes or after dinner with dark chocolate or cheesecake. Johnson Estate Winery – Freelings Creek Cabernet Sauvignon offers rich red currant and blueberry aromas blended with hints of vanilla and toasted oak. Pair this well-grounded red with tender, sweet lamb. Lakeview Wine Cellars – Dry Riesling Taste lots of fruit up front with a clean citrus finish in this silver award winner, made from grapes locally grown by North East's Rassie Farms. Liberty Vineyard & Winery – Traminette This semi-dry white earned a gold medal in the 2010 Florida State Fair International Wine Competition and a Silver in the 2010 Grand Harvest Awards. With its floral aromas and spicy flavor, Traminette is a favorite for holiday meals that feature turkey and ham. Mazza Chautauqua Cellars – Proprietor's Reserve A meritage style blend of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot touched with French and American Oak with lamb. Mazza Vineyards – Bare Bones White This fresh and simple blend of Vidal Blanc, Cayuga White, Traminette and Riesling offers a touch of sweetness and a crisp, clean finish after a sweet and salty glazed ham. Merritt Estate Winery – Gewürztraminer A gold award winner in Sonoma Valley's 2010 Grand Harvest Awards competition, Merritt's off-dry, rich and aromatic white wine with a bright citrus finish is the perfect accompaniment for ham. Noble Winery – Seyval Blanc de Blanc Seyval Blanc is a hardy French-American hybrid which thrives in the cool Lake Erie climate. This noble, dry, balanced white wine will delight your holiday guests. Penn Shore Vineyards – Vidal Blanc A crisp, semi-dry, white wine in a Germanic style, served chilled, makes a nice addition to the Easter meal. Presque Isle Wine Cellars – Blushing Heron is an award-winning sweet blend of native American Concord and Niagara grapes, perfect with pork or ham. Quincy Cellars Winery and Restaurant – Quincy Merlot is chef-recommended as the ideal accompaniment to rack of lamb or pork. Schloss Doepken Winery – Apple Crisp Celebrates the bounty of last year's local harvest with a delicious dessert wine. South Shore Wine Company – Pinot Noir This dry, medium-bodied red aged in French Oak has hints of red berries and spice, strong enough to stand up to a leg of lamb or pork. Sparkling Ponds Winery – Bubbly and Brisk Seyval, a festive, effervescent version of the winery's popular Seyval, it adds just the right sparkle to mimosas for Easter brunch. Vetter Vineyards Winery – Victorian Chautauqua, a semi-sweet blend of Cayuga, Seyval and Riesling with mild grapey aromas and a grapefruit finish can be served at brunch or with a family dinner of ham or pork. Willow Creek Winery – Chautauqua Chocolate Deep, rich and smooth, this wine's intense dark chocolate flavor is delightfully balanced by crisp flavors of elderberry and fresh grapes. It's the perfect dessert wine for those who favor dry-reds. Woodbury Vineyards – Chardonnay This elegant and very dry Chardonnay was aged for about ten months in American oak. It is well balanced with lemon, pear and vanilla aromas, perfect for holiday turkey and pork. And for those who do want to put all of their eggs in one basket, don't miss the 5th annual Easter egg hunt at Burch Farms Country Market and Winery, Saturday, April 3, beginning at 11:30 a.m. Burch Farms is located at the intersection of Sidehill and Moorheadville Roads in North East. Call for details, (814) 725-0747. Coming soon: WINE & CHEESE GOURMET WEEKEND – Sat., May 1, and Sun., May 2, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. both days. Flavorful dishes infused with artisan cheeses and wines will be served during this popular annual gourmet event along the Chautauqua-Lake Erie Wine Trail. From rich soups and elegant pastas to decadent desserts, our chefs and winemakers are paying homage to locally produced food and wine. Cheeses are being provided by Yancey's Fancy, New York's premiere artisan cheesemaker. Get away to the shores of Lake Erie in the largest grape-growing region east of the Rockies. Tickets are $35 per person, $60 per couple. Sunday-only tickets are $30 per person, $55 per couple. Order online, www.chautauquawinetrail.org, or call toll-free 1-877-326-6561. The Chautauqua-Lake Erie Wine Trail includes 23 wineries along the southern shore of Lake Erie, the largest grape-growing region east of the Rockies. The 30,000-acre grape and wine region supports more than 2,000 jobs and contributes more than $340 million to the regional economy. For more information, see www.chautauquawinetrail.org, Chautauqua-Lake Erie Wine Trail on Facebook, and @LakeErieWines on Twitter. Phone 1-877-326-6561. For more information http://www.chautauquawinetrail.org Chautauqua-Lake Erie Wine Trail on Facebook @LakeErieWines on Twitter Phone 1-877-326-6561 Lisa Gensheimer 814-873-1198 For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: http://www.chautauqualakehomes.com/

Officials reflect on busy snowmobile season

Reported by JOAN JOSEPHSON OBSERVER Staff Writer     Remnants of the snow it brought to Western New York and the Chautauqua County region lie in scattered lumps that are slowly melting into the warming earth. Snowmobiles that once ran over the groomed snow covered trails are being put up for another year. All in all, it was a good year for snowmobiling. Chautauqua County Sheriff's Deputy Sgt. Jack VanZile, who heads the navigation department said there were 23 snowmobile accidents during the 2009-10 season. One of those was a fatality when a snowmobiler hit a tree on Long Point State Park. "We investigated between two and three accidents a weekend," he said. For the first time in several seasons, he adds, no one went through the ice into any of the area's lakes. "We never, ever tell anyone the ice is safe," he said, noting snowmobiles weight between 500 and 700 pounds. What causes the accidents on the trails? Sgt. VanZile ticks off the reasons. "Speed, alcohol and drivers' inadequate knowledge of the trail area," he said. There are sleds that can travel as fast as cars and like cars, need to be kept under safe, sober control. The trails are maintained by snowmobile clubs and are signed to indicate what lies ahead, but snowmobiles don't stop as quickly as a car and this creates problems, Sgt. VanZile said. The sheriff's reports on the snowmobile accidents that occurred each year substantiate this. Sleds have run off the trails and hit trees or have tipped over when an unexpected module is hit. According to its Web site, the main purpose of the Chautauqua County Sheriffs Snowmobile Patrol is to insure safety on the numerous snowmobile trails in this county. The patrol prides itself in its presence on the snowmobile trails and its work as an agency that will help the public. This is accomplished by education, snowmobile inspections for required equipment, search and rescue operations, and enforcement of the New York State Park and Recreation Laws. The snowmobile unit is partially funded by New York State reimbursement from snowmobile registration fees to help offset the costs to the Sheriff's Office. These fees also help the area's snowmobile clubs maintain the trails in Chautauqua County. Chautauqua County snowmobilers became up in arms this past winter when Gov. David Paterson's proposed to make up a budget shortfall by appropriating $1 million from the state's Snowmobile Trail and Development Maintenance Fund. An estimated 1,000 snowmobilers turned out for the eighth annual Snowmobile Ride-In at the Chautauqua County Firemen's Grounds in Stockton to share their protest about Paterson's proposed use of these dedicated snowmobile funds. Ray Head who chaired the Ride-In said the snowmobile clubs in Chautauqua County maintain 410 miles of trails at no cost to the taxpayers. "We use equipment purchased with the funds raised through snowmobile registration fees," he explained. The trails are maintained by volunteers who use trail grooming machines which, according to Head, cost upwards of $65,000 apiece, used. Members of snowmobile clubs pay $45 to register their sleds with $35 of that going to the state's Snowmobile Trail Development and Maintenance Fund. The sheriff's snowmobile unit offer classes free of charge to anyone under the age of 18 and each year, schedules these courses at various locations. According to state law, anyone under the age of 18 years old must have taken and completed a New York State snowmobile safety course and carry their certificate with them at all times while operating a snowmobile. Anyone between ages 14-18 with a valid safety certificate can operate as an adult. Anyone between ages 10-13 with a safety certificate can operate a snowmobile but they must be accompanied by a person 18 years old or older. As a last piece of advice, Sgt. VanZile says its wise to make sure snowmobile sleds are properly maintained before they are stored for next season. Snowmobilers, no doubt, are biding their time until it returns.   Subscribe to The OBSERVER For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com

Holiday Valley Pond Skimming Spring Party

What would Spring at Holiday Valley be without the Pond Skimming Spring Party on March 27! This day of fun also includes the Bump or Burn Dual Mogul Competition (register from 8:30 to 9:30 in Training Center $30, practice from 9AM to 10AM, event starts at 10AM), the Pond Skimming competition (register at 11:00, starts at 1:00), music, cookout and a Margarita bar!

Prizes will be awarded to all pondskimmers. The top prizes will be awarded for best outfit, best skimmer, best crash and best child (age 16 and under).

All the action takes place at Yodeler...bring your friends, your lawn chair, sunglasses and swimmies...and be there!


Holiday Valley Resort & Conference Center
PO Box 370
6081 Route 219 South
Ellicottville, New York 14731
716-699-2345

For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com

New York Maple Weekend

March 27 - 28, 2010       Maple Weekends, Local Maple Producers, Chautauqua County and New York State. Sponsored by NYS Maple Producers; 585-591-1190, http://www.mapleweekend.com   Participating maple syrup producers hold open houses for the public to visit and learn about maple syrup production. Maple goodies and free samples. See website for participating locations. For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com

Looking for your Chautauqua Lake Home with Geo-fencing

This is from Chris Thorman, who blogs about commercial property management software:"

In a nutshell, the article talks about a new technology that automatically sends a text message to a person's mobile phone when they get close to properties they're interested in. The technology hasn't been developed yet for real estate. But when I first read about it, I thought it would be a great way to market real estate and rental properties as a service to you the consumer.   http://www.softwareadvice.com/articles/property-management/searching-for-real-estate-made-easy-geo-fences-plus-mobile-phones-1030410/ I'm trying to spark some discussion on this topic. For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com

January 2010 New York State home sales up 11 percent from year ago

The New York state housing market posted an improved start to 2010 compared to the beginning of last year with sales increasing by 11 percent compared to January 2009, according to preliminary single-family sales data accumulated by the New York State Association of REALTORS. The statewide median sales price jumped more than 30 percent compared to January 2009. New York REALTORS sold 4,468 existing single-family homes in New York State in January 2010, an 11-percent increase compared to the January 2009 sales total of 4,024. January sales did lag behind the stronger than usual December 2009 market, when 7,403 homes were sold. The January 2010 median sales price in New York State of $242,750 represents an increase of 30.5 percent compared to the January 2009 median of $186,085, and is 13-percent above the revised December 2009 median of $213,800.   For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real Estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com