When the first idea of spring comes in the form of a robin or a flock of geese overhead, central New York noses and hearts turn toward the idea of tilled garden soil, fresh, open farmer's markets and the anticipation of summer flavors. Cayuga Wine Trail helps to jump start that feeling of hope every year with its annual herb and wine festival, an event now in its 15th year.

After 24 years in organization, the wine trail has developed a year-long schedule of six festivals, including the carnival cook-off in June and the grapehound wine tour in July celebrating greyhound adoption. The wine and herb tour began, according to director Cathy Millspaugh, because the wine trail wanted to do a spring event. Out of many ideas, an event featuring dishes prepared with various plants and herbs and paired with the wineries' signature vintages became the plan.

Millspaugh says that the event “skyrocketed” in its first years, with only eight wineries. A decade and a half later, with 16 wineries on board, the event is reinvented every year and is quickly becoming stronger than ever in ticket sales.

This year the festival will feature a few more vegetables. The theme is salsa, prompting the use of many varieties of tomatos, as well as shallots and onions, oregano and two kinds of basil - purple basil and “basal Genovase.” King Ferry winery will use the purple basil and Montezuma will use the basal Genovase. Guests will receive a wine glass and 16 herb or vegetable plants.

The event sold out both its April and May weekends last year, with a total of 3,400 participants. The trail has responded in 2007 by ordering several hundred more glasses.

“Our goal is 3,600,” Millspaugh said. “We are over 2,000 as it stands right now. As long as it continues to steadily grow, we should sell out.”

Several packages are available featuring lodging, transportation, meals and wine trail events through the trail's associates. Packages are listed on the Web site. Information is also available by calling the trail's toll free number.

New at Cayuga Wine Trail in 2007 is the “vino visa,” a tasting card available for a $10 fee that allows visitors to taste at all wineries. All of the wineries are listed on the card, and it is good until the end of the year. Tastings can be spread out throughout the year. The typical tasting fee is about $1 at each winery, with the exception of Goose Watch and Swedish Hill, which now charge $2 per tasting.

At last year's event, visitors received starter plants for spring gardens. This year, the event is sponsored by Dickman Farms of Auburn, and visitors will receive both vegetable plants and herbs. Because Dickman Farms is also supplying plant carriers designed specifically for holding the 16 plants (one given out at each winery), visitors will have a much easier time carrying their plants around.

Dickman Farms supplied the event with the following select herbs and vegetables: basal Genovese, bell peppers, chives, chocolate mint, cilantro, grape tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes, hot peppers, Italian flat leaf parsley, marjoram, onions, oregano, purple basil, shallots, sweet peppers and tomatillos.

In addition to sampling fine dishes prepared with local herbs and paired with signature vintages, visitors are eligible to win one of the event's three grand prizes including a one-night stay at the Packwood House in Skaneateles, a one-night stay at the Hobbit Hollow House Bed and Breakfast in Skaneateles or a two-night stay in the Biggs Room at McLallen House Bed and Breakfast in Trumansburg; one “hot glass show piece,” which is a white vase decorated in purple grapes, and two adult passes to the Corning Glass Museum plus four $10-gift certificates from the Ithaca Bakery. To enter the grand prize drawing, participants turn in their tickets at the end of their visit.

Gift Certificates are available for all Cayuga Wine Trail events. Designated drivers will receive plants and a glass, but instead of sampling wine, they will be offered an alternative refreshment.