Quick Facts

  • Established October 1, 1982
  • 130 wineries
  • 9,393 acres under vine
  • 950 acres of Riesling
  • 200,000 cases of Finger Lakes Riesling from Finger Lakes riesling grapes
  • Small, specific producers whose wine reflects place and personality
  • Strong, regional aromatic whites with a focus on Riesling.
  • The average producer makes 2-3 styles of Riesling wine a year.
  • The Finger Lakes is home to over 200 Riesling brands.

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In the Finger Lakes, we take pride in the details.

People, Place, Land, Wine.

Discover our region and its story.

  • The Finger Lakes were carved thousands of years ago by successive waves of glaciers, creating cuts as deep as 618 feet below sea level.
  • The lakes themselves are vital to Finger Lakes viticulture. This is a cool climate region, and the temperature-moderating influence of the deep lakes supports quality grape growing.
  • We are a pre-Prohibition wine region with the first vines planted in Hammondsport, New York in 1829. By 1900 over 50 wineries were established along the lakes.
  • The Finger Lakes AVA was established in 1982 and boasts two sub-AVAs, the Cayuga Lake AVA (established in 1988) and the Seneca Lake AVA (established in 2003).
  • The region is home to almost 150 wineries and 11,000 acres of vineyards and produces about 54,600 tons of grapes.
  • The prominent vinifera varieties grown here are Riesling, Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, Cabernet Franc and Pinot Noir. Hybrids and native grapes also have a proud home in the Finger Lakes.
  • Sustainability is paramount in the Finger Lakes. The majority of grape growers and wineries adopt efforts to maintain stewardship of the land by minimizing the use of synthetic fungicides and pesticides in the vineyard and utilizing renewable energy for tasting room and cellar operations.