ADVERTISEMENT
While the Finger Lakes is now recognized as one of the top wine destinations in the world, you you can follow the roots of that success all the way back to the small lake town of Hammondsport 190 years ago. But here, wine is not just a thing of the past. It’s a way of life, a way of living. It’s about the lake and the grapes and the land and winemakers striving to create something special.
With fourteen wineries—including the first bonded winery in the country, another winery founded on the motto of wine with laughter, a winery that has been eco-friendly since it started over four decades ago, and another winery which sparked the Vinifera Revolution in the Finger Lakes region and beyond—our winemaking roots run deep and the experiences to be found here are quite diverse.
You’ll find some of the most unusual varietals, as well as some of the most award-winning wineries in New York State, on unassuming country roads and scenic byways where passionate, humble, mad geniuses transform the very best nature has to offer into something truly exquisite.
Love fruit wines? Ever tried wines made from rose petals or lavender? How about delicious, dry, hybrid styles like Vignoles and Léon Millot? Don’t forget the elegant vinifera wines like Riesling or Cab Franc. Or others gaining popularity like Grüner Veltliner and Saperavi.
As the region continues to grow, a few winemakers have even been inspired to branch off and start wineries among the farms and rolling hills away from the lakes.
You don’t need to go to France or Germany to taste great wine. Some passionate and talented international winemakers have been called to the Finger Lakes where they carry on family traditions passed down through generations, and where they’re starting new traditions which are being adopted by other wineries throughout the region.
Photo courtesy Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery.
