It may surprise even many New Yorkers to learn that two high-quality wine regions are within driving distance. We’ve written in the past about the wineries of Long Island, but more recently, we had the pleasure of exploring the Finger Lakes. About five hours by car from Times Square, these long and surprisingly deep bodies of water resemble a set of blue claw marks scratched into the map between Buffalo and Syracuse. It sounds like chilly territory for fine wine grapes, and indeed, the winters can be quite cold. But just as the Rhine and Danube rivers help warm the vineyards on their banks, the heat-retaining and sun-reflecting waters of the Finger Lakes create microclimates conducive to vine-growing.