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Goose Watch Winery Review

Goose Watch Winery Review

Address: 5480 State Route 89 Romulus,New York 14541.
Phone Number: 315-549-2599
Tasting Hours: Jan-Feb: Fri-Mon 10:00-6:00; Mar-Dec: 10:00-6:00

Region: Finger Lakes AVA, Cayuga Lake AVA, New York
Reviewer: Julie Grice
Review Date: 11/9/2013
Reviewer: Julie Grice
Rating: 5

The Review

Most of the wines on Goose Watch Winery menu have received multiple awards and medals, and after a tasting, it is easy to see why. Goose Watch‘s wines are unique, clean and balanced.

The Place & Experience: &nbspGoose Watch Winery’s main tasting room is housed in a refurbished barn. A large wraparound deck overlooking the lake is filled with picnic tables, perfect for sipping a glass of wine while enjoying the view. On Friday and Saturday summer evenings, the winery hosts a happy hour, with discounted glasses of wine and local baked goods on offer. And as one of the only wineries on Cayuga Lake that is accessible by water, Goose Watch also boasts a boat dock for summertime visitors.

Inside, the lightly colored wood plank flooring and the expansive hexagonal bar makes the space feel more spacious than it actually is, so that even with a large crowd, it doesn’t feel overwhelming. Regardless, when the tasting room is busy, there tends to be a considerable wait between pours. Fortunately, the hexagonal bar lends itself well to chatting between groups of tasters, and the atmosphere is warm and welcoming, so the wait doesn’t feel like much of a hardship.

Goose Watch is linked to two sister wineries: Penguin Bay Winery and

Champagne Houseand Swedish Hill Vineyard. Between the three wineries, they grow about one-fifth of the grapes used for their wines; the rest come from other Finger Lakes region vineyards.

The Wine: &nbspGoose Watch Winery’s strength is in creating high-quality wines that are unique for the area. For instance, the 2011 Villard Blanc is the only one you’ll find produced in New York State. Its crisp flavor and herby aroma earned it a Gold medal from the American Wine Society in 2012. The 2011 Traminette is another wine that isn’t commonly seen in the Finger Lakes region, though perhaps it should be. Made from a premium grape from Cornell, its “parent” variety is a Gewurztraminer. The Traminette carries many of the fruity flavors that are often associated with a Gewurztraminer, but is considerably drier and a bit spicier.

Other creative white wine blends on the tasting menu include the 2011 Riesling-Gewurztraminer, a proposed alternative to a Dry Riesling, and the Snow Goose table blend, described as “fruit salad in a glass.”

On the sweeter end of the spectrum, Goose Watch is the first winery in the Finger Lakes region to offer both Pink and Red Moscato wines. The Pink Moscato is very perfumy and floral, while the Red is rich in berry and other fruit aromas.

In addition to wine, Goose Watch produces bottles of non-alcoholic Blush Grape Juice, made entirely from real juice.

Insiders’ Tips: &nbspStep outside your comfort zone and try some new-to-you wines when you visit Goose Watch for a tasting. While their standards such as the Merlot, Lemberger, and Diamond wines are high-quality, Goose Watch really shines when it comes to the unique and hard-to-find wines. Be sure not to miss the Classic Cream Sherry as well, which is nutty and tastes of caramel.