This year marks the 20th Anniversary of the Finger Lakes Weekend Wino Website and Blog, a leading online source for wine, craft beverage, food, arts, and entertainment information in the Finger Lakes region. Founded in 2005 by Rob Lane, the blog has grown into a trusted destination for readers who enjoy wine, craft beverages, and Finger Lakes lifestyle content.
With over 30 years of experience as a winery owner, winemaker, and writer, Lane has dedicated himself to exploring the Finger Lakes region and documenting the stories and news of the region. What started out in 2005 as Lane’s passion to understand the wines of the region by visiting dozens of wineries, interviewing winemakers, tasting hundreds of Finger Lakes wines annually and writing about it all, has turned into a source for a weekly roundup of Finger Lakes news.
When the pandemic hit in 2020, Lane recognized the need for a source that could keep the community informed of all the news coming in from many sources. He then morphed his website and blog into the Finger Lakes Weekly Craft Beverage News, a weekly roundup covering craft beverages, arts, food, travel, and tourism. The weekly online issues quickly gained a loyal following and now reach thousands of regular readers.
The blog’s reputation as the longest-running online source for aggregating Finger Lakes craft beverage and lifestyle news underscores its importance in promoting the region’s thriving culture. From highlighting new craft beverage producer openings to sharing local arts and tourism news, the Finger Lakes Weekend Wino has helped tell the story of a region that has become a world-class destination for wine, craft beverages and tourism.
As he celebrates 20 years, Lane reflects on the journey with pride and gratitude: “The Finger Lakes community has given me so much joy and inspiration. Sharing its news and stories for the past two decades has been a privilege, and I look forward to continuing to provide a place to showcase the incredible people, places, and flavors of this region. The craft beverage producers in the region provide much more than just products, they give back to their communities in countless ways and help create a dynamic and growing region that crafts world-class wine and craft beverages.” Lane continues, “I want to also give a shout out to all the great media outlets and reporters who write the stories. My goal is to put them together in one place to create a sort of week-by-week diary of Finger Lakes craft beverage and lifestyle news and point folks to the relevant media sites.”
Lane says that he does not accept advertising and makes no revenue from the website, choosing to see the hours of work gathering, verifying, and formatting the news stories every week as a passion project. Lane concludes, “I really started the website to just keep myself informed of all that was going on in the region, but others were also interested in what I was doing and it really just took on a life of its own.” Two decades later, the Finger Lakes Weekend Wino continues to showcase the best of the region and remains a trusted voice in the Finger Lakes community. Lane is also a Winemaker at Valkyrie Crafted Libations on the east side of Seneca Lake, crafting unique fortified wines called Geistwein, creating fine wine and blending in premium Brandy and local Honey, more information at http://www.geistwein.com
For more information, visit the Finger Lakes Weekend Wino Website & Blog here or contact Rob Lane at [email protected].
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to [email protected].