Wine Enthusiast recently named the Finger Lakes region as one of the ten best wine travel destinations, and a "soon-to-be-revealed secret." Now that the secret's out, I'll let you in on it. I've been going wine-tasting at Keuka Lake for a decade now, and there is no better way to spend a summer or early fall weekend. If you've been paying attention, you know that people have been talking about Finger Lakes wine for a few years now, and that it's been popping up on some of the hottest menus in the city (especially the whites and dry rieslings). But wine-tasting in the Finger Lakes is such a special experience not just because of the quality of the wine, but because of the authentic beauty of the region and the unpretentiousness of the experience.

Driving down the country roads between vineyards around Keuka Lake, you'll pass rustic red barns, impeccably maintained farms and adorable farm-stands selling flowers and vegetables. The area is heavily dominated by Mennonites, who shun the use of electricity and take pride in keeping up their farms beautifully. The result is that everything is Pinterest-worthy, but no one even knows what Pinterest is. The cute little stand selling firewood in bundles is not on Instagram, and wasn't intended to look "country-chic"--it just is country chic and probably has been for decades.

Because this region is still under the radar, it's about as unpretentious as you can get. No reservations are necessary, everything is inexpensive (about $10 a tasting), and everywhere you go you'll be treated like a friend. Stay at a BnB or rent a house on the lake, and drive from vineyard to vineyard, stopping at antique stores and barns along the way. And you should probably go soon, since the secret's out and all.