Visiting Silver Thread in 2024
When folks visit us here in the tasting room – especially if they are first-time visitors to the region – I am always interested in hearing how they choose where to stop. Are they looking for specific styles of wine? Are they looking for certain sized wineries? Are they focusing on names they recognize from their local wine store?
Of course what people are looking for runs the gamut, and asking them questions about why they chose Silver Thread is partially curiosity but also so I can best help them while they’re here. Do they want to hang out for a while or are they trying to get to as many spots as possible in one day? Do they know a lot about wine or are they newbies? And while we can’t accommodate everyone, we try to offer experiences that meet people where they are in their wine journey, no matter where that might be!
Guided Tasting
For those looking to taste wines one at a time while they learn about Silver Thread, we offer an at-the-bar Guided Tasting. Folks have the freedom to choose five wines from a limited list – all of our best sellers included! – and one of our educated staff members will pour them one at a time, introducing guests to each wine and answering their questions. It’s a great way for a new person to get to know us, and it’s for walk-ins only.
Premium Tasting
We also offer Premium Tastings. This flight experience can be booked online in advance OR you can choose it when you arrive. When you book a Premium Tasting, you’ll choose from a list of themed wine flights. Things like Riesling Experience, Holiday Flight, Wine & Chocolate, etc. We usually have at least two flights to choose from, and they always include four wines and some kind of snack (we use a lot of local cheese from Muranda Cheese in Waterloo!). We pour all the wines at the same time so you can drink them at your leisure. The flights are served with a printed placemat that briefly describes each wine, so you know what you’re drinking as you go. A Silver Thread staff member will always check in and happily answer questions. People who are interested in socializing with their group and would rather focus on the environment around them lean toward this option. If the weather allows and space permits, guests get to enjoy the flight outside on our scenic deck. Those who make reservations get priority seating!
VIP Experiences
For folks who want to spend one-on-one time with a Silver Thread educator and learn even more about wine, we offer a variety of VIP Experiences that are reservation only: Vineyard Tour + Tasting, Wine & Cheese Pairing, and Library Wine Tasting.
If you want an intimate look at what’s happening in the vineyard, book the tour! It’s a great way to get up close to the farm: walk the vineyard rows, meet the chickens, and taste grapes off the vine. You’ll sip wine as you walk. This experience ends with a guided, private tasting in our elegant wine library that includes more wine (of course) as well as a delightful cheese board.
The Wine & Cheese Pairing is great for folks who want to delve in to the world of wine pairing. We’ll guide you through pairing three wines with three cheeses, as well as other small bites on the elevated cheese board that accompanies this tasting. This experience is an excellent fit for smaller groups traveling together!
Both the Vineyard Tour AND the Wine & Cheese Pairing are suitable for folks of all wine knowledge levels. You’ll learn a lot no matter how much (or little) you already know.
If you’re pretty well-versed in wine and your cellar at home is growing, consider booking our Library Wine Tasting. Because we mostly produce Riesling, we have a library full of beautifully ageing wines that we regularly take stock of and offer in this tasting! This year, we’ll be featuring 2014 Rieslings, and we always end this flight with one of our lovely, cool-climate Blackbird Reds. This tasting experience is a great fit for wine enthusiasts who are interested in how well-made wines – even from here in the Finger Lakes – can age!
Keep in mind that during the busy season (late May through October), our weekends fill up fast: reservations are encouraged.
We hope this helps you decide which experience you’d like to book with us here at Silver Thread. Whichever one you choose, we look forward to hosting you!
