With a daughter at Ithaca College, we find ourselves traveling down Cayuga Lake quite a bit. This has given us an opportunity to explore the different (and numerous) wineries in the vicinity. On this trip, we decided to give Swedish Hill Winery a try.
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We truly enjoyed our visit to Swedish Hill Winery. This winery has a long history in the Finger Lakes, with generations of grape growers who have mastered the art of wine-making and created award-winning wines. Although Swedish Hill Winery was established in 1986, the Peterson Family was one of the only farmers selling grapes to the few wineries in the region in the late 60s/early 70s.
Wine Slushies & Tastings
We are big fans of wine slushies, and while you can’t throw a rock in the Finger Lakes without hitting a winery, ones that serve their own variety of wine slushies are harder to find. This yummy phenomenon has caught on everywhere yet. So, we’ve made it our mission to hunt down the ones that do.
Our slushies were, of course, delicious; I’ve yet to have a bad one. What made these slushies different were the unusual flavors. We were offered the choice between peach/mango or sangria. I’m not a fan of either peach or mango, so I opted for the sangria. It was as yummy as it was refreshing.
Swedish Hill Winery offers wine slushies in souvenir tumblers or disposable cups. The souvenir tumblers are more expensive but are refillable indefinitely for $10.
This winery has something for everyone. They have the most extensive beverage list of any winery we have visited, with over 50 varieties of wine, hard cider, craft beer, and grape juice.
Gift Shop & Outdoor Seating
On a nice day, this winery is a wonderful place to sit and relax while enjoying a cool beverage of your choice. There is a deck with picnic tables overlooking a lovely pond.
If you are looking for souvenirs or gifts for your wine-loving friends, there is a well-appointed gift shop with all sorts of merchandise.
Meet Doobie & Sven
My favorite part of our visit to Swedish Hill was getting to meet Doobie, the donkey, and Sven, the miniature horse. If you haven’t guessed by now, I love animals and will go well out of my way to interact with them. I spotted Doobie and Sven the moment I reached the deck and made a beeline for them (my slushie abandoned, along with my husband on the deck.)
These guys are adorable, and Sven at least enjoys the attention (Doobie seems a bit shy.) Warning: Please don’t try to feed them the grass around the fence. Sven gets the nibbles and will nibble fingers and toes (as I discovered by watching a fellow animal lover feed him. She had on sandals, and he was curious about what her toes might taste like.)
Getting to Swedish Hill Winery
Address: 4565 State Route 414, Romulus
Google Map Link
Vanriper Conservation Area & Whitlock Nature Preserve
On Cayuga Lake, we found this beautiful nature preserve. The VanRiper Conservation Area and Whitlock Nature Preserve is a small but enchanting stretch of forest that takes visitors down to the lakeshore.
Have you visited Swedish Hill Winery? Do you enjoy wine slushies? What is your favorite winery in the Finger Lakes? We’d love to hear from you. Leave us a comment below.