The Finger Lakes produce some of the finest Riesling in the world — a claim that no longer requires an asterisk. Over the past four decades, a concentration of serious winemakers around Seneca and Keuka Lakes has built a reputation that stands on its own merits, drawing comparisons to Alsace and the Mosel. But Riesling is only the beginning. Cabernet Franc, Blaufrankisch, Gewurztraminer, and an expanding roster of hybrid grapes have turned this region into one of the most interesting and diverse wine destinations in North America.
There are more than 100 wineries in the Finger Lakes. These are the ones worth planning a trip around.
Seneca Lake
Seneca is the deepest of the Finger Lakes — 618 feet — and the thermal mass of all that water creates a microclimate that extends the growing season and moderates winter cold. The lake effect is strongest on the slopes directly above the shoreline, and the best vineyards here take full advantage of that geography. The Seneca Lake Wine Trail is the largest in the region, but ignore the volume and focus on these producers.
Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard
If you visit one winery in the Finger Lakes, make it Wiemer. The estate was founded in 1979 by Hermann Wiemer, a German-born nurseryman who understood, before most anyone in New York, that these slopes could produce dry Riesling of genuine complexity. Under winemaker Fred Merwarth, the program has only sharpened. The dry Rieslings here — particularly the HJW Vineyard bottling — show a mineral precision and citrus tension that rewards years of cellaring. The tasting room is modern and unhurried. Reservations are required and worth the planning.
Ravines Wine Cellars
Morten and Lisa Hallgren brought a Loire Valley and Provence pedigree to the eastern shore of Seneca Lake, and it shows. Ravines produces structured, age-worthy dry Riesling alongside one of the region’s best Cabernet Francs — peppery, medium-bodied, with none of the green notes that plague lesser versions. The Geneva tasting room is spare and focused on the wine itself, which is exactly the right approach. Their Argetsinger Vineyard Riesling, from old vines on a steep east-facing slope, is consistently one of the top wines made in New York State.
Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars
The Greek Revival tasting room perched high above Seneca’s eastern shore is the most photographed building in Finger Lakes wine country, and for good reason — the panoramic view across the lake from the terrace is extraordinary. But Lamoreaux Landing earns its spot here with wine, not architecture. Winemaker Evan Dawson oversees a range that spans dry Riesling to a Gruner Veltliner to a surprisingly dense Cabernet Franc. The Semi-Dry Riesling, often overlooked by dry-wine purists, is one of the best wines they make: precise, balanced, with just enough residual sugar to amplify the aromatics.
Red Newt Wine Cellars and Bistro
Red Newt occupies a unique space in the Finger Lakes: a winery that is also one of the region’s best restaurants. The bistro serves a rotating menu of locally sourced dishes designed specifically to pair with the estate wines. On the wine side, winemaker Kelby Russell focuses on single-vineyard Rieslings that express site-specific character — the Lahoma Vineyard bottling, from rocky shale soils, is consistently taut and mineral-driven. The Circle Riesling, a blend, is an excellent entry point at a reasonable price.
Boundary Breaks
Bruce Murray planted his vineyard on a dramatic 200-foot bluff overlooking Seneca Lake, and the resulting wines have a clarity that reflects the site. Boundary Breaks produces exclusively Riesling in a range of styles, from bone-dry to ice wine. The Ovid Line North bottling, from the steepest section of the vineyard, is the standout — racy acidity, white peach, a long saline finish. The tasting room is simple and focused, and the staff knows how to talk about Riesling without condescension.
Forge Cellars
A collaboration between Louis Barruol of Chateau de Saint Cosme in the Rhone Valley, Rick Rainey, and winemaker Justin Boyette, Forge Cellars applies old-world rigor to Finger Lakes fruit. The Classique Dry Riesling is the benchmark bottling: fermented with indigenous yeast, aged on lees, and released with more patience than most New York wines receive. Forge doesn’t have a traditional tasting room — they pour at partner locations — but the wines are distributed widely enough to find at local shops and restaurants.
Wagner Vineyards
Wagner has been on Seneca Lake since 1979, and the estate brewery and octagonal tasting room draw crowds, but the wines deserve attention beyond the foot traffic. The estate-grown Dry Riesling is reliable and well-priced, and the Caywood East Vineyard Riesling, from vines planted in the 1970s, shows what mature vines on good sites can produce in this region. Wagner also makes a credible barrel-fermented Chardonnay that competes well above its price point.
Keuka Lake
Keuka is the Y-shaped lake, and its branching arms create multiple aspects and microclimates within a compact geography. The wine tradition here runs deeper than anywhere else in the Finger Lakes — this is where Dr. Konstantin Frank first proved that vinifera grapes could survive New York winters.
Dr. Konstantin Frank Wine Cellars
The most historically important winery in the eastern United States. In the 1950s, Dr. Frank, a Ukrainian-born viticulturist, challenged the prevailing orthodoxy that European grape varieties could not survive in New York. He was right, and the estate he founded on the western shore of Keuka Lake is now run by the fourth generation of his family. The Dry Riesling is benchmark. The Rkatsiteli — a Georgian grape that Frank championed — is worth trying as a piece of living viticultural history. The Eugenia Brut, a traditional-method sparkling wine, is one of the most pleasant surprises in the cellar.
Keuka Spring Vineyards
A family-run operation that consistently punches above its weight in competition. The Vignoles — a French-American hybrid grape — is made in a lush, off-dry style that pairs exceptionally well with the rich dishes of the region. The estate Riesling and Cabernet Franc are both solid and fairly priced. The tasting room is unpretentious, and the staff has a depth of knowledge about the hybrids that most Finger Lakes wineries gloss over.
Domaine LeSeurre
Sebastien and Celine LeSeurre, both trained in Champagne and Burgundy, brought a quietly exacting French approach to Keuka Lake. The Chardonnay here is the most Burgundian in the Finger Lakes — whole-cluster pressed, barrel-fermented, with a textural richness that surprises first-time visitors. The Riesling is elegant rather than powerful. The small tasting room feels more like a friend’s kitchen than a production facility, which is entirely intentional.
Cayuga Lake
Cayuga Lake stretches 40 miles from Ithaca to Seneca Falls, and its western shore in particular has emerged as a strong corridor for serious wine production. The soils here tend toward heavier clay, which gives the wines a different character from Seneca — broader, sometimes earthier.
Heart & Hands Wine Company
Tom and Susan Higgins focus exclusively on Riesling and Pinot Noir, and that discipline shows in every bottle. The Pinot Noir, in particular, is a genuine achievement — light-bodied, translucent, with a red-fruit purity that invites comparison to village-level Burgundy. It is arguably the best Pinot Noir produced in New York. The tasting room is a converted barn on the eastern shore, small and intimate. Heart & Hands produces limited quantities, and bottles sell out; plan accordingly.
Buttonwood Grove Winery
Dave and Melissa Pittard farm 30 acres on the western shore and produce a focused range of estate-grown wines. The dry Riesling is bright and clean, the Cabernet Franc is spiced and medium-weight, and the dessert Riesling is one of the more honestly balanced sweet wines in the region. The tasting room sits among the vines, and the view south toward Ithaca is a strong incentive to stay for a second glass.
Canandaigua Lake and Beyond
Standing Stone Vineyards
Located on the southeast shore of Seneca Lake, Standing Stone deserves its own mention for the sheer quality-to-price ratio. The Gewurztraminer is lychee-scented and bone-dry, which is harder to pull off than it sounds. The Saperavi — a thick-skinned Georgian red — is a rarity in the Finger Lakes and makes for a compelling conversation starter. The Vidal Ice Wine, when available, is stunning. The vineyard sits on fossil-rich Devonian shale, and the tasting room incorporates the standing stone formations that give it its name.
South Hill Cider and Winery
Perched above Cayuga Lake near Ithaca, South Hill blurs the line between winery and cider house. Steve Selin produces natural ciders and pet-nat wines that reflect the wilder side of Finger Lakes fermentation. The Piquette — a light, low-alcohol wine made from second pressings — is perfect for a summer afternoon on the deck. Not for everyone, but exactly right for the audience it targets.
Planning Your Visit
Most tasting rooms are open daily from May through November, with reduced winter hours (often weekends only) from December through April. Expect to pay $10 to $20 per tasting, which is typically waived with a bottle purchase. Reservations are increasingly required at top producers like Wiemer, Ravines, and Heart & Hands — book at least a week ahead during summer and fall weekends.
A focused day allows three to four wineries without feeling rushed. Two days lets you split between Seneca and Keuka with time to eat well in between. The Seneca Lake Wine Trail is the most concentrated route, but Keuka rewards the drive with smaller crowds and some of the oldest vineyards in the region. If you are serious about wine, skip the bus tours — they prioritize volume over quality — and drive yourself or hire a private car so you can control the itinerary.