Harvest Season + The Naples Grape Festival

September is when the Canandaigua Lake Wine Trail turns golden. The light shifts, the crush gets underway, and the weekends still hold enough warmth for one more afternoon on the patio. It's the trail's most beautiful season, and it builds toward the weekend the whole region waits for. Here's how to spend the month.

The Crush is On

There's no better time to talk wine than while it's being made. At Acquilano Wine Cellars, Winemakers Night returns Thursday, September 17 (5–9 PM). It’s a relaxed evening where professional, home, and aspiring winemakers trade notes, pours, and hard-won lessons, all with the harvest coming in around them. Weekly Game Nights keep the rest of the Thursdays easy.

The Last Outdoor Sets

Summer's music doesn't quit cold. The Heron Hill Canandaigua Lake Tasting Room keeps live music going every Saturday afternoon (3–7 PM) and an Open Mic every Thursday. Enjoy the last of the season's outdoor sets at golden hour with a glass in hand.

The Main Event

Circle this weekend on your calendar: the Naples Grape Festival, September 26–27. It's two days of food, crafts, live music, and grape pies as far as the eye can see. The trail's Naples wineries are right in the thick of it. At Hometown Wine Company, Levi Gangi plays both days (10:30 AM), the perfect soundtrack to a festival afternoon.

All Along the Trail

The festival is a great excuse to work your way down the trail. Inspire Moore, Arbor Hill, and Hazlitt Red Cat Cellars anchor the Naples end all weekend. Up the lake, Randall-Standish pours among the working rows, Hotel Canandaigua offers lakefront tastings and the last Canandaigua Lady cruises of the season, and Song Hill rounds out your adventure up in Victor.

However you spend it, September is the trail at its golden best, the crush, the color, and one last festival before the season turns. Designate a driver or book a tour, check hours before you go, and give yourself the whole afternoon.

See you on the lake.