The Unusual Pairings Wine Event at Red Tail Ridge Winery invites Wine Club Members to experience an evening where food and wine take unexpected turns. Chef Matt Hummel has created four inventive dishes designed to highlight one of our wines, but the pairings remain a surprise until you taste them together.
This exclusive Finger Lakes wine and food experience is designed for curious palates, adventurous wine lovers, and guests who enjoy discovering how flavor, texture, and aroma can completely transform a tasting experience.
Guests attending the Unusual Pairings Wine Event will enjoy:
Each dish was thoughtfully crafted to interact with the wine in surprising ways. Some pairings may amplify fruit notes, while others highlight acidity, texture, or structure. The experience is equal parts culinary exploration and wine education, wrapped into one unforgettable tasting.
đź“… May 23, 2026
đź’˛ $35 per guest
🍷 Wine Club Members Only
Unfortunately, dietary restrictions cannot be accommodated for this experience. Please contact the winery with any questions or concerns prior to booking.
Menu may change based on ingredient availability.
An unforgettable hands-on sparkling wine experience is returning to Red Tail Ridge Winery for our Wine Club Members only.
Join Nancy and the winemaking team for a two-part journey where you’ll create your very own Magnum of Perpétuelle Change Cuvée No. 6 from tirage to disgorgement. Along the way, enjoy thoughtfully paired nibbles from Matt Hummeland an inside look at the sparkling winemaking process.
đź“… June 7, 2026
đź“… November 21, 2026
đź•š Two seatings available: 11:30 AM & 2:30 PM
🍷 Wine Club Members Only
⚠️ Very limited availability
This immersive experience offers a rare opportunity to work alongside our production team and take home a bottle that’s truly your own, equal parts craftsmanship, celebration, and cellar magic.
Reserve your seats early before this experience fills up.
Wine Enthusiast recently released its NY Wines Guide, an insider look at the regions and wineries shaping the future of New York wine. We are proud to see Red Tail Ridge Winery included in this guide. The article highlights producers who continue to raise the quality of wine across the state.
In the NY Wines Guide, Wine Enthusiast explains why New York has become one of the most exciting wine areas in the country. The magazine points to the Finger Lakes as a leader in cool-climate winemaking. Because of deep lakes, glacial soils, and long growing seasons, the region can produce wines with strong acidity and clear structure.
At Red Tail Ridge, we focus on showing the character of Seneca Lake in every vintage. We farm with care, and we make wine with balance in mind. As a result, our wines reflect both the vineyard and the season. The NY Wines Guiderecognizes wineries that follow this same approach, and we are honored to be part of that group.
The Finger Lakes continues to gain national attention. For example, Riesling, Blaufränkisch, and sparkling wines from this region now appear on wine lists across the country. In addition, more writers and critics now look to New York when they search for wines with freshness and aging potential.
You can explore some of our current releases here:
https://redtailridgewinery.com/product/2023-blaufrankisch/
You can also plan a visit to the winery here:
https://redtailridgewinery.com/visit/
The NY Wines Guide shows how much the region has grown. At the same time, it reminds readers that success comes from hard work in the vineyard and careful decisions in the cellar. We are grateful to stand alongside the many Finger Lakes producers who continue to move New York wine forward.
Read the full Insider’s Guide here:
https://www.wineenthusiast.com/new-york-state-wine/
Published in February 2026.
Red Tail Ridge Wine Club Members are invited to an exclusive Barrel Tasting of the 2025 Vintage inside our working cellar. This guided experience offers early access to our 2025 Vintage wines while they develop in barrel.
During this Wine Club member exclusive, Co-owner and Winemaker Nancy Irelan and Associate Winemaker Meagz Goodwin will lead a guided walk through the Red Tail Ridge cellar. Members will taste wines directly from barrel and explore how the 2025 Vintage is evolving. You will learn how oak influences structure, texture, aromatics, and aging potential. This is a rare opportunity to taste the vintage long before bottling.
Barrel tasting gives members a behind-the-scenes look at our winemaking process. You will experience the personality of the 2025 Vintage in its earliest stage and gain insight into blending decisions, vineyard expression, and cellar technique.
After the guided cellar tasting, members are welcome to continue the experience with an additional tasting in the Main Tasting Room.
On the 22nd from 11:30am to 4pm, we will offer a preview of our new food program launching in April. Wine Club Members can pair their tasting experience with select offerings from this upcoming menu.
If you are visiting from out of town for the Barrel Tasting of the 2025 Vintage, your membership includes exclusive travel benefits.
Members receive room discounts at:
1897 Beekman House
FLX Treehouses (please contact us to activate this discount)
Members also receive a transportation discount with Grapevine Country Tours if you prefer not to drive.
This Barrel Tasting of the 2025 Vintage is available exclusively to Red Tail Ridge Wine Club Members. Please log in to reserve your spot.
The Red Tail Ridge James Suckling Report highlights our Cabernet Franc in James Suckling’s Finger Lakes tasting feature, “Fresh and Franc: Finger Lakes’ Post-Riesling Rise.” The report captures a pivotal moment for the region as it gains recognition for cool-climate red wines alongside its world-class Riesling.
In the report, James Suckling’s tasting team places a strong emphasis on cabernet franc. The variety thrives in a cool climate. It reflects site and vintage clearly. Most importantly, it delivers freshness, balance, and restraint.
During the tastings, Red Tail Ridge’s Cabernet Franc Seneca Lake RTR Estate Vineyard captured attention. The wine showed vibrancy and precision. It also expressed a clear sense of place. That recognition speaks directly to our estate vineyard and our hands-on approach in the cellar.
At the same time, the report makes something else clear. The Finger Lakes no longer tells a one-grape story. Instead, it continues to evolve.
Across the region, winemakers now focus on thoughtful farming. They make intentional varietal choices. They emphasize balance over excess. Consequently, the Finger Lakes continues to earn respect on the world stage.
At Red Tail Ridge, we share that vision. We farm with purpose. We work closely with our vineyards. Then, we let the wines speak for themselves. Whether through cabernet franc, riesling, or other cool-climate varieties, our goal remains the same: honest expression of Seneca Lake.
Finally, we invite you to experience these wines firsthand. Visit our tasting room overlooking Seneca Lake. Or, explore our current releases online.
For more insight into the region’s evolution, you can read the complete James Suckling article here:
Fresh and Franc: Finger Lakes’ Post-Riesling Rise.
Being featured by James Suckling marks an exciting milestone. More importantly, it reflects the direction of our region. The Finger Lakes continues to grow, evolve, and impress—and we’re proud to be part of that story.
Published on January 12, 2026
The piece situates Red Tail Ridge Winery’s 2023 Blaufränkisch in the context of the Finger Lakes’ continued exploration of cool-climate red varieties.
Learning New Words, But Make It Blaufränkisch…and by Heather “Coolidge”.
Celebrate Valentine’s Day and Presidents Day Weekend at Red Tail Ridge Winery with an unforgettable caviar and sparkling wine experience. Join us as we welcome our new Chef Partner, Matt Hummel, and enjoy a thoughtfully crafted menu that places caviar service front and center.
Chef Matt Hummel designed this experience to invite exploration and indulgence. Your reservation includes a curated caviar and sparkling wine pairing, and when you arrive, you’ll select the caviar that best matches your taste. From there, your flavor journey expands with an optional menu of chef-driven accompaniments available for purchase.
Enhance your caviar experience with creative pairings such as totones and Chef Matt’s Red Tail Ridge–inspired fried chicken. Guests may also order additional caviar throughout the experience. Vegetarian guests can enjoy a delicious caviar alternative, thoughtfully prepared to deliver richness and depth without fish roe.
Paddlefish Caviar – $62*
Earthy and nutty with buttery richness and a silky finish. Harvested from wild-caught freshwater spoonbill from the Mississippi River.
Polish Osetra Caviar – $72*
Clean and refined with gentle salinity, toasted grain notes, and a creamy texture. Harvested from farm-raised Russian sturgeon in Poland.
Mountain Caviar (Vegetarian) – $36*
Crafted from Japanese cypress seeds with a mild, nutty profile and artichoke-like savor.
Each caviar service includes:
Chive crème fraîche
House-made Kennebec potato chips (potatoes sourced from Silver Queen Farms)
Bugles
One glass per person of Red Tail Ridge Method Champenoise sparkling wine
Together, these pairings showcase the balance of tradition and innovation that defines Red Tail Ridge Winery and Nancy Irelan’s winemaking philosophy.
* For single-guest reservations, we adjust pricing after purchase to remove the second glass of wine.
Raw Oysters   Maine Oysters, marinated apple and kohlrabi
* mignonette available on the side
Potato Milk Buns   Milk bun, egg yolk jam, cultured butter
Buckwheat Hoe Cakes     Empire Syrups sorghum syrups
Sunchoke Tostones    Poached, smashed, and pan fried sunchokes, lemon
Fried Chicken   Buttermilk-brined chicken thighs, bugles coating
Fromage Blanc Ice Cream Cone   Remembrance farms fromage blanc, buckwheat waffle cone
Celebrate a new chapter at Red Tail Ridge Winery with an elevated Valentine’s Day weekend experience designed to delight wine lovers and food enthusiasts alike.
đź“… Reservations are limited
🍽️ Please share any dietary needs at the time of booking.
Reserve your spot and celebrate Valentine’s Day Weekend with us!