​If you’re a wine lover like us, you find very few things more enjoyable than drinking a glass of wine outdoors in the summertime.  There’s something special about it: the condensation on your glass, the cool sweet, refreshing flavor of the bottle of Conesus White you just cracked open, the relaxation you feel as the wine buzz kicks in and sun shines on your face. There’s just something truly perfect about sipping on a glass of wine outside in the summertime.

We could go on forever about why we love our Thursday Night Summer concert series so much and why other’s are digging it too, but if we had to name a few things, it would look something like this:

For starters, you can not only drink wine outside, but you come to the winery and enjoy our wine on the lawn just yards from the vineyard where it was grown.  You can bring your family, friends, and chairs all to one place, where you don’t have to cook or be responsible for entertaining.  This experience is all about being present in the moment!

Don’t get us started on the tunes… Concert goers jam to the sweet music of local favorites like The Travis Prinzi Band or Noble Vibes, instead of hitting play on a wireless speaker.

We also have some of the best food vendors in the area hanging out serving up your favorites including Cheesed n Confused, 3 Legged Pig BBQ, and our 2019 Concert Series sponsor, Red Osier.

Basically, we could go on and on about all of the things we do for this series every Thursday evening, but music at Deer Run Winery is so much more than promoting our wines. The flavors and services our partners and bands help bring to you is an experience that is unique and so important for our community (and Rochester area) to take part in. These sorts of things don’t continue unless we support them!

Check out the schedule at: https://www.deerrunwinery.com/upcoming-events.html

There are just seven concerts remaining in the 2019 Thursday Night Summer Concert season, we hope you come see us! Don't forget to tag us in any and all of your concert photos #deerrunwinery #drwsummerconcert

Letchworth State Park is a magical place and a nature-lover's wonderland right in our backyard. Named the #1 state park to visit in the nation, it has lived up to its title and welcomes close to one million visitors each year. For those who want to explore outside the park, we have a few suggestions that may coincide with your visit:
Thursday Night Summer Concerts
June 06, 2019 - September 05, 2019
Beginning at 6:00 pm, enjoy free parking and free music on the lawn.  Deer Run Winery offers wine, wine slushies, beer and more for sale to wet your whistle and we are joined by two or more food vendors so you don't have to worry about dinner!  Bring a chair!
Finger Lakes West Dine & Drinks Tours
Sundays June 30, July 28, August 11, 2019
Deer Run Winery has partnered up with many of our local food and beverage producers to bring you a culinary craft tour featuring businesses around Conesus Lake.  This tour includes transportation on an air-conditioned tour bus and features food and drinks at (4) stops around the lake.  
FLX West Dine & Drinks Fest!
Saturday July 06, 2019 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
A NY craft food and beverage tasting event held at Deer Run Winery under a huge high peak tent on the front lawn.  Featuring live music by Midlife Crisis, attendees will receive a keepsake logo wine tasting glass and admission to the tasting tent featuring 20 NY craft food and beverage producers.  Many will have their products for sale, so if you try something you love, you can buy it to take home with you!  
​Picnic in the Vineyard
Saturday August 24, 2019 6:30 pm 
Personally this is my very favorite event held at Deer Run!  This features dinner served by Partyman Catering outside in the vineyard and it is such a memorable and magical event, you do not want to miss this if your vacation dates correspond and line up with this event.
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These are just a few fun things for you to do while visiting & enjoying our beautiful region!  Summertime fun abounds in Western New York as residents are serious about having fun and packing as much activity into the summer calendar as possible!  We hope to see you at one or more of our events listed above or feel free to stop by our tasting room for a wine sampling and take home some of the finest Finger Lakes wine around!

This past Saturday we had a good turnout for our annual Cinco de Maxo event and as promised here are the recipes we featured for our pairings:

Mexican Chicken Pinwheels paired with our Dry Riesling
Hot Bean Dip paired with Runway Red
Queso Dip paired with Vignoles
Mexican Brownies paired with Max Black.  Please note that for the brownies, I used a Ghirardelli Brownie Mix and only added 1 egg following the box mix instructions which makes for a fudgier brownie, which is the way I like it!  Also, I substituted the water needed with Max Black.  

The Max Mexicana Sangria was made following this recipe and we used Max Black as the red wine base.  

I am also going to re-mention a recipe shared with me a few years ago which I posted on the blog back in 2017. Dori's Chicken French made with our Vignoles.  This is a delicious recipe that I mentioned to guests at the tasting bar who were interested in the recipe.  Feel free to comment on the pairings and if there is ever a recipe that we sampled here that you wish us to share, feel free to contact us at winery@deerrunwinery.com.  We love to hear from our customers! 

Businesses around Conesus Lake have teamed together to bring you a sampling tour showcasing Finger Lake West tastes and flavors!  The guided tour includes transportation on a 26-passenger Niagara Scenic Tours bus equipped with wi-fi, climate control, electrical outlets at every seat and a restroom on board for your comfort.  Just three tours are scheduled for the summer of 2019.  The itinerary will take approximately 4.5 hours and include the following:

1. Arrive at Deer Run Winery at 10:30 am, park your vehicle and you will be greeted with a Shoreless Acres cider donuts paired with a sampling of OSB hard cider.
2. The bus departs for Beachcomber of Conesus where guests will enjoy house made flatbread topped with seasonal ingredients paired with your choice or a mimosa or bloody mary shooter.
3. Depart for NO BS Brew Company where you will be served a flight of three beers and 3 Legged Pig BBQ smoked wings.
4. Head over to Rising Storm Brewing Company and enjoy a flight of 3 beers and be greeted by the Hopp'd N Brew'd Food Truck guys who will be serving up their famous meatballs made with Hopp'd & Brew'd craft beer sauce.
5. Circle back to Deer Run Winery where you will be served a flight of three wines perfectly paired with a local cheese, Red Osier Roast Beef Slider, and a Finger Lakes Cookie Co. Max Black crinkle cookie. 

The above tour is available on the following Sundays: June 30, 2019, July 28, 2019 and August 11, 2019
Each of the businesses involved are excited to bring you a taste of Conesus Lake, the the westernmost Finger Lake. For reservations, click on the link below.  

“Spring is natures way of saying, let’s party.” – Robin Williams

The spring season and warmer weather always creates opportunities for celebration. Whether it’s dinner outside, weddings, baby or bridal showers, or simply sitting in your favorite chair on the porch with a good book, there’s something about nice weather that brings out the best in everything. For us, a glass of wine is always the perfect addition to top off these special moments. 

For events and relaxing moments alike, we are loving our 2017 Riesling. Why should you add this vintage to your next shindig or simply your fridge? Check out our top 5 reasons why it’s the perfect addition below.

1. It makes your palette happy. Our medium dry/sweet Riesling contains 100% Finger Lakes Riesling. This Riesling opens with a citrus blossom bouquet and boasts lemon flavors lingering over a muted mineral finish. There’s nothing over powering about it. Everyone will love it!
2. It’s versatile and pairs well with nearly any dish. Our favorite Riesling companions include chicken, pork, white fish, or take out Thai food.
3. Speaking of wine pairings, it goes best with NY Aged Cheddar. NY aged cheddar is affordable and a crowd pleaser. Serve it along with your favorite butter crackers and you have a match made in heaven!
4. It’s refreshing. When it’s hot out you need something that’s going to keep you feeling good. Thanks to our Riesling’s citrus bouquet, it’s refreshing on its own or you can add to seltzer and ice for a nice wine spritzer.
5. It’s reflects the Finger Lakes Region in all it’s glory. As of recent years, Riesling has become the signature wine of the Finger Lakes and if you’re looking to add that local vibe to your next party, this is the perfect representation of everything good in our region. First brought to the area in the 1950s, Riesling reflects it region and vineyard better than any grape varietal.

We can certainly go on and on about why we love Riesling, but would rather you try it for yourself! Stop by our tasting room next time you’re in the area, order online or pick up one of our bottles at a liquor store near you.
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Want to talk more about events? Hold your upcoming event at Deer Run Winery and take advantage of our 2019 summer event special for just $20 per person. Email us at events@deerrunwinery.com or call us today at 585-346-0850 to learn more.