Top 10 Wineries in the Finger Lakes
The Finger Lakes lie in upstate New York, west of Syracuse and east of Buffalo. The lakes are 11 long, deep, glacial bodies of water, and Seneca and Cayuga (the two largest) are deep enough to act as giant temperature buffers for the vineyards on their slopes — without the lake effect, vines could not survive the upstate winter. The region was the first in eastern North America to commercially produce vinifera grapes (rather than American hybrids), led by the Ukrainian-American viticulturist Dr. Konstantin Frank in the 1950s. Today it is the most respected American region for Riesling.
Dr. Konstantin Frank
The founding estate. Konstantin Frank arrived in the US in 1952 and proved that vinifera could survive Finger Lakes winters using proper rootstocks. The estate, now run by his great-grandson Fred Frank, produces Riesling, Rkatsiteli, and Pinot Noir from Keuka Lake. Several bottlings are reference points for the region.
Hermann J. Wiemer
Founded by the German-born winemaker of the same name. Now run by Fred Merwarth and Oskar Bynke. The Magdalena Vineyard and HJW single-vineyard Rieslings are the most highly regarded; the estate also makes serious Cabernet Franc and traditional-method sparkling wine.
Ravines Wine Cellars
Founded by Morten and Lisa Hallgren. Their off-dry and dry Rieslings have been particularly successful; the Argetsinger Vineyard Riesling is the standard-bearer.
Sheldrake Point
A Cayuga Lake estate notable for both still and ice wines. The Wild Ferment Riesling and the Reserve Riesling are reliable references; the late-harvest and ice-wine bottlings draw international attention.
Heart & Hands Wine Company
Tom and Susan Higgins's small Cayuga Lake estate, focused on Pinot Noir and traditional-method sparkling. The Vintage Brut and Estate Pinot Noir have built a strong critical reputation in the last decade.
Forge Cellars
A joint venture between Justin Boyette (American) and Louis Barruol (of Château de Saint Cosme in the Rhône). The wines focus on single-vineyard Riesling and Pinot Noir from Seneca Lake's steeper slopes; the precision and minerality are notably Old-World in style.
Red Newt Cellars
A long-established Seneca Lake estate. The Seneca Riesling and the Tango Oaks Riesling are well-respected; the bistro at the winery draws many visitors making the loop around Seneca Lake.
Boundary Breaks
A Seneca Lake estate specialising in single-clone Rieslings — the estate planted multiple Riesling clones in separate blocks so that each could be bottled and labeled separately. The result is a fine study in clonal variation in a single appellation.
Bloomer Creek Vineyard
Kim Engle and Debra Bermingham's small Seneca Lake estate. The wines are unconventional by Finger Lakes standards (extended skin-contact whites, low-intervention winemaking) and have a strong following among natural-wine drinkers.
Lamoreaux Landing
A larger Seneca Lake estate with a long history. The estate produces a full range of Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Franc; the Estate Dry Riesling is a reliable benchmark.
Visiting the Finger Lakes
Most visitors organise their trip around the Seneca Lake wine trail or the Cayuga Lake wine trail; both have dozens of estates within easy driving distance. Find them on the interactive map — filter to Finger Lakes.