Finger Lake Wineries

The Best Wineries of the Finger Lakes

The heart of New York’s wine country is the Finger Lakes. This region produces some of the finest wineries found in the United States. From the pioneering efforts taken by Dr. Konstantin Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars to new-age approaches at Forge Cellars, a wide range of wine experiences are to be discovered.

Visitors can sample the lemony, mineral-intensive Rieslings at Ravines Wine Cellars, followed by information on sustainability at Keuka Lake Vineyards. On the move to Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard, one must pause to enjoy their world-class Pinot Noirs, and even more exceptional white wines.

While Riesling is king in the Finger Lakes, wineries such as Anthony Road Wine Co. and Damiani Wine Cellars show off their impressive Bordeaux varietals, in particular their Cabernet Francs and Meritage blends.

At Fox Run Vineyards, there is an end of this journey with the best package of excellent Rieslings paired with their environmental stewardship. Read on for our recommendations for the top wineries in the Finger Lakes!

Dr. Konstantin Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars

Based in New York’s Finger Lakes region, Dr. Konstantin Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars is one of the leading wine producers in the United States. Founded by himself in 1962, this winery revolutionized the area by growing European grape varieties.

Visitors are greeted with Keuka Lake views and by friendly and very knowledgeable staff. The tasting room offers a diversity of wines, all uniquely showcasing the terroir of the Finger Lakes.

Their flagship Riesling is razor-sharp in acidity and blatant in minerality. The Gewürztraminer, redolent of lychee and rose petal, and the fruit-driven Pinot Noir indicate this quality commitment from the winery.

The Grüner Veltliner is a unique standout—a crisp wine with green apple and white pepper flavors. This is a very creative wine for Dr. Frank. Well, Dr. Konstantin Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars is not just a winery; it’s a historic location in American winemaking. Visitors to the Finger Lakes will find that a stop by this winery gives excellent insight into the heritage and wines of Dr. Konstantin Frank.

9749 Middle Road, Hammondsport, NY.
Phone: (800) 320-0735

Hours:
Open year-round, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Saturday, Noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Ravines Wine Cellars

Ravines stands out as a winery that has maintained a dedication to producing making classic, dry wines. It is the work of winemaker Morten Hallgren and his wife Lisa that built the reputation of Ravines by producing wines speaking to the cool climate and distinctive terroir of the region.

This is a beautiful little tasting room with a view of Keuka Lake. They have an amiable atmosphere, and the tastings are guided, which was very enlightening on the procedures of winemaking and the peculiarities of the wines. The staff is knowledgeable yet approachable for added enjoyment.

Its flagship wine, the Dry Riesling, is a benchmark. It has zesty acidity and citrus and stone fruit flavors true expression of the Finger Lakes. The Chardonnay, aged in French oak, is rich yet fresh, with apple and pear notes, while the Pinot Noir shows authentic elegance in its structure and has red berry flavors representative of just how good the region’s red wines can be.

Also among the highlights is Ayre, a semi-dry Riesling where sweetness and acidity are absolutely balanced. It-like all their other offerings is representative of Ravines’ attention to quality and commitment to tradition.

14630 NY-54, Hammondsport, NY.
Phone: (607)292-7007

Hours:
Open Daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Keuka Lake Vineyards

Keuka Lake Vineyards is noted for small-batch varietals with a sense of place. Founded by Mel Goldman, this winery produces using sustainable farming practices with very little intervention in the cellar to ensure wines that express a true sense of terroir from Keuka Lake.

The walls at Keuka Lake Vineyards’ tasting room are comfortable and give views of the lake. Visitors to this winery will have a perfect personal touch while tasting, guided by staff knowledgeable about every process of winemaking.

Keuka Lake Vineyards stars with its Dry Riesling. This wine has crisp acidity, yet the citrus and green apple tones are very much alive varietally—a quintessential Finger Lakes Riesling. Another standout grape variety is Vignoles, a perfect balance between sweetness and acidity and is rich in tropical fruit flavors that mate well with its acid structure. The Léon Millot, an almost unknown red grape variety, impresses with its dark berry flavors and smooth finish that leaves an impression of how skillfully this winery is capable of not only delicate whites but also great red wines.

Keuka Lake Vineyards is known for its environmental stewardship. Their vineyards are managed in a way that is sustainable and key to soil health and biodiversity. This commitment to sustainability translates into the purity and expressiveness of their wines.

8882 Co Rd 76, Hammondsport, NY 14840
Phone: (607) 868-4100

Tasting Room Hours:
May – November
Sunday-Thursday 10AM-5PM
Friday-Saturday 10AM-6PM
December – April
Friday-Sunday 10AM-5PM

Red Tail Ridge

Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard

Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard is possibly one of the top wineries in the United States. This vineyard, founded by Hermann J. Wiemer, a German vintner and pioneer in winemaking, has set some kind of general standard through which an improvement in quality and innovativeness can be achieved within the region.

This vineyard tasting room, warm and inviting, offers beautiful views over Seneca Lake. The staff here is very knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and dedicated to the all-round exposure of the winemaking process and the different characteristics that each wine holds for visitors to sample.

Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard’s genuine star of the show is their Dry Riesling. This wine represents precisely what can be done right in the Finger Lakes: crisp acidity, mineral notes, and flavors of citrus and green apple. Another highlight here would have to be the Late Harvest Riesling with its Classic, well-balanced sweetness, featuring rich and concentrated flavors that taste of apricot and honey.

The Stainless steel-fermented Chardonnay is lean and crisp, with subtle pear and apple notes. Smooth tannins, red berry flavors, and spice are found in Cabernet Franc to spell out suppleness and further underline the estate’s versatility in producing fine red wines.

Long-term sustainability makes up the foundation at Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard. Methods in organic and biodynamic farming are applied at the vineyard to set the wines apart as exceptional yet sensitive to the environment.

3962 NY-14, Dundee, NY 14837
Phone: (607) 243-7971

Tasting Room Hours:
Monday – Saturday, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sunday, 11 AM – 5:00 PM
Subject to change during January – March, please check before your visit.

Anthony Road Wine Co

Established in the 1990s by Ann and John Martini at the beautiful west side of Seneca Lake, the winery has since developed into the leading name in this part of the region, known for offering a large variety of quality wines.

Dry Riesling has an energetic acidity on the mouth that flows through notes of citrus and green apple. The semi-dry Riesling isn’t to be discounted, with its beautiful balance of sweetness and acidity. The red wines, particularly the Cabernet Franc, with red berries and a hint of spice, are showing the promise of those wines here.

Anthony Road’s Chardonnay, fermented in stainless steel, is another highlight. It maintains a bright and clean profile with hints of pear and apple, making it a refreshing choice. The winery also produces a range of sparkling wines that add to its diverse portfolio.

1020 Anthony Rd, Penn Yan, NY 14527
Phone: (315) 536-2182

Tasting Room Hours:
Monday-Saturday 10AM–5PM
Sunday 12-5pm

Forge Cellars

Forge Cellars, based on the east side of Seneca Lake, is making the local wine scene pop. Founders Louis Barruol, Rick Rainey, and Justin Boyette started Forge Cellars in 2011 with one focus: creating unique and quality wines to showcase the region.

Inside Forge Cellars, the tasting room is humble but tasteful and comfortable with all visitors. The staff is highly knowledgeable and enthusiastic, from explaining each variety of wine down to detailing their winemaking processes.

Forge Cellars is known for its Riesling and Pinot Noir. The Classique Riesling probably shines the most in the line of great wines, with brilliant acidity and multifaceted flavors of lime, green apple, and wet stone—eyepopping Finger Lakes. Les Alliés Riesling shows a richer profile, with peach and apricot tones tempered by good crisp minerality.

The Forge Cellars Pinot Noir is equally impressive. If Classique Pinot Noir reflects red-berry flavors found with subtle earthiness and silky tannins, pointing out the potential of the varietal in a Finger Lakes climate, then Les Alliés Pinot Noir speaks to the winery’s meticulous vineyard management and precise winemaking with more profound and more concentrated flavors.

 3775 Mathews Rd, Burdett, NY 14818
Phone: (607) 622-8020

Damiani Wine Cellars

Damiani Wine Cellars is perched on the eastern shore of Seneca Lake. Founded in 2004 by owners Lou Damiani and Phil Davis, the focus on modern viticulture and sustainable vineyard practices has been a huge success.

The Damiani Wine Cellars tasting room is casual, rustic, and surrounded by sweeping views of Seneca Lake. Their staff seems very friendly and knowledgeable, as one would allow each visiting clientele to understand the uniqueness of each wine or the process of winemaking itself.

Damiani has an extensive portfolio of wines, but the real stars of the portfolio are the reds. The Reserve Cabernet Franc rises head and shoulders above that collection with rich, velvety tones of black cherry, tobacco, and spice that fade elegantly smooth. Their Meritage is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot, yielding very complex flavors of dark fruit with almost earthy overtones—truly an art in blending.

But their whites are no less enthralling. The Dry Riesling, with anything-but-languid acidity and bright citrus, speaks for Finger Lakes. Another—the Chardonnay, in both stainless steel and oak—finds that perfect line between freshness and subtle oak influence.

4704 NY-414, Burdett, NY 14818
Phone: (607) 546-5557

Tasting Room Hours:
Monday-Sunday
10am-5pm

Fox Run Vineyards

Fox Run Vineyards is located on the west side of Seneca Lake. Since its establishment in 1984, they have tended an idyllic 50 acres of vineyards .

Fox Run Vineyards has cozy tasting room, which doubles as a scenic viewing point for Seneca Lake. Visitors are greeted by friendly yet knowledgeable staff who help guide consumers through the operation of winemaking and the characteristics of wines in detail.

One of their most impressive wines is a Dry Riesling with bright acidity and flavors of lime and green apple. Its Semi-Dry Riesling sibling hits sweet and tart in perfect balance, certainly one which many people can appreciate. Their Lemberger is one of their lesser-known power reds, with black cherry notes and spice, making it an exceptional example of what the Finger Lakes region can do when looking at ‘heavier’ wine offerings.

670 NY-14, Penn Yan, NY 14527
Phone: (800) 636-9786

Tasting Room Hours:
Monday-Sunday 10am-6pm