The magic of wine is in every bottle, each a unique blend of colors, aromas, flavors, and stories.

I live on Keuka Lake just outside of  Penn Yan, NY. Keuka (CUE-kah) lies in the heart of the 11 Finger Lakes, is shaped like a Y with two northern branches, and is the only lake in the world which flows both north and south into outlets that flow to other waterways.

Penn Yan, incorporated in 1833, stands for Pennsylvania Yankee, reflecting the two groups of migrants who settled here and collegially compromised on a shortened version of their combined origins. PY, as we call it, has a bit over 5,000 residents in a county with about 20,000, many of them horse-and-buggy Mennonites who produce wonderful food, quilts, buggies, bikes, buildings, and much else.

Keuka Lake is home to about a dozen superb wineries and lots of wine history. When I don’t have time to winery-hop, I go to Hoban’s in town, a small wine and spirits store with an excellent selection of local wines and many others from around the world. I always start with a couple local selections, then ask about others from different states and countries. The staff is knowledgeable and helpful.

Every bottle, from anywhere, has a different color, texture, aroma, taste, and story. So in this small store in a small town, there are hundreds of different sensory experiences and colorful stories of geography, geology, climate, grape varieties, vintages, family history and much more. 

That incredible diversity is part of wine’s magic, and  also what makes judging in 300 wine competitions a new experience each time, exploring new vintages, varietals, and wine styles.

Wine has been around for 8,000 years. And the reason it lasts is because it’s always new.

WineAmerica’s website has lots more about The Magic of Wine.