Keuka & Seneca Lakes Wineries
Being born and raised in the Hudson Valley region of NY I had never been to the Finger Lakes region. Over the years I developed a love for wine and wanted to visit some of the 144 wineries in the area.
Watkins Glenn was our base for hitting the wineries. They all seem to have views of the lake they are on. In our case was Seneca and Keuka Lakes. Below is the list of wineries we visited and our impressions of them.
- Keuka Spring Vineyards.
- Rooster Hill Vineyards
- Damiani Wine Cellars
- Domaine LeSeurre Winery
- Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery
- Ryan William Vineyard Tasting Barn
Keuka Spring Vineyards.
Address: 243 Route 54, East Lake Rd, Penn Yan, NY 14527
Website: https://keukaspringvineyards.com/
Phone: (315) 536-3147
Tasting Hours: Everyday 11 AM–5 PM
A few miles outside of Penn Yan is the Keuka Spring Vineyards. It’s at the top of a small hill along Rt 54 on the east side of the lake. It overlooks the lake and has quite spectacular views! It’s reason enough to come here even if you don’t happen to like wine.
The tasting room is cozy and inviting and sitting at the bar you have the same views of the lake. They even give you a complementary tasting when you walk in of the Kueklo Sparkling Wine.
Being a red wine drinker I ordered 4 reds and a rose. The Dry Rose I tried was a little on the sweet side for my taste but it was good with definite notes of strawberries. The Cabernet Franc was very light and had delicate notes of cherry.
The Blaufrankish which I had never heard of is a German grape brought over some time ago and being a similar climate to Germany the grape did very well here. It wasn’t a standout but that doesn’t mean it was bad.
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The Miller’s Cove Red was the standout in my book, it was delicious and was a blend of a Red Blend and a Cabernet. And last was the Crooked Lake Red, it was on the sweet side for my taste with notes of cherry.
Doug who was my sommelier was very informative and gave me the history of the winery and if you wanted more information there was a 7 minute documentary you could watch.
What You Should Know:
- Grapes Sourced From: Local and NY sourced
- Open: 1958
- Tours Available: Yes
- Live Music: Yes
- Events: Yes
- Food Available: Variety of food
- Pet Friendly: No
- Other Drinks: No
- Wine Club: Yes
- Tasting Cost: $19
Rooster Hill Vineyards
Compared to Keuka Springs Winery where I came from it was the total opposite. A very small winery but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t as good. As you drive up the short driveway off Rt 54 you will be treated to the same spectacular views of the lake.
The views are worth coming here for no other reason. It’s a pretty small place which I prefer as you tend to get better service. Paul the sommelier was very friendly and helpful.
It wasn’t quite a s formal as other wineries, you pretty much told him what you would like to try and he would accommodate you. I literary had 12 tastings for only $12, by far the best bargain I have have ever had at a winery.
I had a good mix of reds and whites which I normally don’t do. Purity, a Videl Blanc was slightly sweet with notes of grapefruit. Next I had the Serenity, a Traminette, the description said “creamy” and I have to say it was spot on!
What You Should Know:
- Grapes Sourced From:
- Open: 2004
- Tours Available: Yes
- Live Music: Yes
- Events: Yes
- Food Available: Charcuterie plates
- Pet Friendly: Yes
- Other Drinks: Ciders
- Wine Club: No
- Tasting Cost: $15
Damiani Wine Cellars
Address: 4704 NY-414, Burdett, NY 14818
Website: https://damianiwinecellars.com/
Phone: (607) 546-5557
Tasting Hours: Sunday-Friday 10 AM–5 PM, Saturday 10 AM–8 PM
We were driving up RT 14 and saw the very inviting Damiani winery. The outside patio looked like it had great views of the lake. It was not crowded other than a large group of young women on some type of expedition.
Our host Melissa was super friendly and seated us out side so we could sit in the shade and enjoy views of Seneca Lake. We ordered a charcuterie plate with some delicious cheddar and ghouda cheeses along with dark chocolate coffee beans and walnuts.
We each decided to get our own flight but being sick we didn’t share so I can only write about what I tasted.
So being mainly a red wine drinker I ordered the prepicked red flight. I started with the Vino Ros, never had a Marechal Foch wine. Definitely a little different and hard to identify anything in particular other than I liked it.
MC2, A merlot, cab franc and cab sav blend. I rather liked it as it you could a little of each but the merlot being the highest percentage stiff out the most. Sole e Terra was a Pinot Noir, Lemberger, Saperavi blend. Being mostly Pinot Noir it gets most of its flavor from that but the Lemberger adds a little boldness to the wine.
Lemberger, I had never heard of a Lemberger until coming to the finger lakes. I must confess I am not crazy about it but that’s just me. Cab Franc, definitely my favorite, the oak fermentation was noticeable and gave it a distinctive profile.
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What You Should Know:
- Grapes Sourced From: Local and NY sourced
- Open: 2004
- Tours Available: Yes
- Live Music: Yes
- Events: Yes
- Food Available: Charcuterie plates
- Pet Friendly: Yes
- Other Drinks: No
- Wine Club: Yes
- Tasting Cost: $15
Domaine LeSeurre Winery
Address: 13920 NY-54, Hammondsport, NY 14840
Website: https://dlwinery.cloud/
Phone: (607) 292-3920
Tasting Hours: Everyday 10 AM–6 PM
How can you go wrong with a winery that has been running wineries in France for six generations? The Domaine LeSuerre was opened by Céline and Sébastien in 2012 and has become a pretty big operation on Kueka Lake.
We had reservations at the Dr Konstantine Frank Winery at 2pm and had time time to visit one beforehand. We were so happy we did. We were warming greeted at the door and shown to the tasting room. José was our host and gave us the list of wines we could taste.
My first tasting was the Cabernet Franc La Marinière, a light fruity wine with with hints of cherry and cedar. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Next was Pinot Noir Barrel Select, it had a notes of cherry as well with hints of raspberry and silky tannins. While I have never been a fan of Merlots, the Merlot Barrel Select was very enjoyable.
Bolder than the average Merlot it had notes of raspberry, black cherry and a slightly earthy flavor. The Cabernet Sauvignon Barrel Select was my next tasting. Normally Cabs are my favorite type of wine.
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This one didn’t disappoint, it had hints of blackberry, and dark chocolate. Lastly the Réserve Spéciale Barrel Select which was my favorite. It was a blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Unfortunately it was a rainy so we were not able to enjoy the nice views from the outdoor patio. The Domaine LeSuerre was a small boutique winery with warm hospitality and a French flair, I would highly recommend you visit.
What You Should Know:
- Grapes Sourced From: Local and NY sourced
- Open: 2021
- Tours Available: Yes
- Live Music: Yes
- Events: Yes
- Food Available: Charcuterie plates
- Pet Friendly: Yes
- Other Drinks: No
- Wine Club: Yes
- Tasting Cost: $15
Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery
Address: 9749 Middle Rd, Hammondsport, NY 14840
Website: https://www.drfrankwines.com/
Phone: (800) 320-0735
Tasting Hours: Everyday 10 AM–5 PM
Probably the best known and oldest winery in the Finger Lakes is the Dr Konstantin Frank Winery. Dr. Frank is credited with elevating the New York wine industry from mediocrity to wines that are known world wide.
Keuka Lake where it is located is known for its characteristics of shale-based soils and steep slopes. Ideal for Riesling, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir vines.
I must admit the it didn’t have an inviting feel that the other wineries had. We had made a reservation and if you go I would highly recommend you make one. We checked in with the hostess and seated promptly in the tasting area in another building.
It did have the kind of atmosphere I expect in a winery. Our host George was a friendly guy and gave us the wine list for tastings.
You get 5 tastings and you get to select one from each category. I first tried a 2022 Brut. I must admit that I am not at all familiar with Bruts but I rather enjoyed. It was a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.
Next was a 2025 Grüner Veltliner. An Austrian grape, the wine had hints of lime and apricot. Next was the 2024 Pinot Gris, fairly unique to this region it had notes of apples, apricot and cherry.
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Next I had a 2024 Gewürztraminer, another wine I had never had before. I enjoyed it, it had nots of orange and melon. Lastly was the 2023 Old Vines Pinot Noir. The grape for this wine are the oldest vines in the vineyard planted in 1958 and second oldest in the US. It had notes of cranberry, cherry with an earthy tone.
We also ordered a cheese plate what was delish! While I enjoyed the wines, cheese plate and our host, I wasn’t that enamored with winery and didn’t live up to the hype IMO.
What You Should Know:
- Grapes Sourced From: Local and NY sourced
- Open: 2021
- Tours Available: Yes
- Live Music: Yes
- Events: Yes
- Food Available: Charcuterie plates
- Pet Friendly: Yes
- Other Drinks: No
- Wine Club: Yes
- Tasting Cost: $15
Ryan William Vineyard Tasting Barn
Address: 4156 NY-414, Burdett, NY 14818
Website: https://ryanwilliam.com
Phone: (607) 882-9098
Tasting Hours: Everyday 10 AM–5 PM
The Ryan William Vineyard Tasting Barn is an inauspicious place off Rt 414 on Seneca Lake. We saw that it had a nice patio with good views of the lake. It doesn’t exude a lot of character but we hoped for good wine and food as we were looking for lunch.
The patio was not not an improvement in character, it just didn’t have any. Someone needs to do some redecorating, new tables and chairs etc. Our waitress gave us a menu and a wine tasting list and I of course ordered a red and rose flight.
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My first tasting was the 2024 Pinot Noir Rosé, it was dry and delicate with notes of strawberry. The Blanc de Noir is a Merlot that is a Rose because they remove the skins immediately after crush. It was very dry with a bit of an oak taste.
The 2024 Pinot Noir had notes of Bing cherries and nutmeg and was quite delish IMO. The 2024 Syrah was full-bodied and dry with fruit flavors and a slight peppery finish. Lastly the Cabernet Franc had plum notes and a slight hint of cherries, I rather enjoyed it.
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Honestly the stand out was the food. We had Kimchi fries with spicy Korean beef, it had a slight kick and was delicious! Being late morning we had Farm Fresh Baked Egg Quiche, wow it had lots of veggies and came with a side salad.
The standout was desert of strawberry/rubarb crisp with vanilla ice cream, it was unbelievable! It turned out to be the best food of our trip and with some good wine, it was a great experience. They just need to work on the ambience.
What You Should Know:
- Grapes Sourced From: 100% Estate Grown
- Open: 2019
- Tours Available: Yes
- Live Music: Yes
- Events: Yes
- Food Available: Full menu
- Pet Friendly: Yes
- Other Drinks: Yes
- Wine Club: Yes
- Tasting Cost: $15
A Short Wine Guide to the Finger Lakes
Drive the east side of Seneca Lake in October and you pass tasting room after tasting room, most of them small, many of them pouring Riesling that can stand next to Germany’s. This is the most serious cool-climate wine region in the eastern United States, and for a long time almost nobody believed it could exist.
The lakes are the whole story. They are deep, narrow trenches gouged by glaciers, and they do something for the vines that the latitude alone never could.
A Short History
Grapes have grown here since the 1800s. Pleasant Valley Wine Company opened in Hammondsport in 1860 and became the first bonded winery in the country, and its sparkling wine took medals in Europe and got tagged the Great Champagne of the Western world.
For a century the region ran on native grapes like Concord and Catawba, which make wine with a candied, foxy character most modern drinkers do not want. The accepted wisdom was that European vinifera grapes, the Riesling and Chardonnay and Pinot Noir of the great wine countries, could not survive the winters here.
One man proved that wrong. Dr. Konstantin Frank, a viticulturist who earned his doctorate in Odessa on the Black Sea and landed in New York in 1951 with no English and no money, knew the Ukrainian winters he had farmed were colder than anything the Finger Lakes could throw at a vine.
He planted vinifera on the slopes of Keuka Lake in 1958 and bonded his own winery in 1962. The vines lived, the wines were good, and the region has chased that standard ever since.
The other turning point was a law. The Farm Winery Act of 1976 let small wineries sell straight to visitors at the door, and the state grew from 19 wineries to well over a hundred.
Almost all of that growth landed right here.
The Climate
The Finger Lakes sit near the 42nd parallel, the same line as Tuscany, but the feel is northern and continental. Winters are real, summers are warm and short, and the growing season gives you no slack.
The lakes are what make wine possible at all. Seneca runs more than 600 feet deep, and that mass of water holds summer heat into the fall, stretching ripening and shielding the vines from early frost.
In winter the same water keeps the air near the shore from plunging as hard as it does inland. That is why the vineyards climb the slopes right above the water and rarely sit on the flats or the hilltops.
The payoff is high natural acidity in the fruit. That acidity is what makes a Finger Lakes Riesling taste alive instead of flat, and it is the fingerprint of the place.
The Soil
The ground here was scraped and dumped by ice, then carved into by the lakes. What is left on the good vineyard slopes is shale, broken shale, and shaley loam, often with bands of limestone underneath.
Shale drains fast and warms quickly, which is what you want in a cool climate where roots should stay dry and the site should work hard. Frank once said that in a single row of 70 vines the soil type changed seven times, and that patchwork is still the puzzle every grower here is solving.
The Grapes and Where to Drink Them
Riesling is the flag the region flies, in styles from bone dry to sweet, and the best of them carry lime, green apple, and a wet-stone edge. Cabernet Franc is the red that works, lighter and more savory than a California version, with Pinot Noir, Gewürztraminer, and traditional method sparkling rounding out the lineup.
Start with the names that set the bar. Dr. Konstantin Frank on Keuka is where the modern story began, Hermann J. Wiemer on Seneca makes some of the best Riesling in the country, and Ravines, Forge Cellars, Boundary Breaks, and Red Newt are all worth the drive.
The lakes organize everything. Seneca has the most wineries, Cayuga runs the oldest wine trail in the country, and Keuka is the quiet, crooked, historic one.
Pick one lake per day and do not try to taste all three.
Richard is owner and the chief editor of Choice Wineries. He contributes expert content relating to wine making and winery reviews.
After graduating from the DeVry Institute of Technology, he worked in IT for over 20 years before deciding to escape the office and share his passion for wine.
With a passion for the great outdoors, Richard spends a lot of time in Colorado. There he enjoys skiing, snowboarding, mountain biking, cycling, hiking, and of course visiting wineries.
His outdoor adventures are not confined to the continental US. Richard is an avid traveler who flies up to 10 times a year and has visited 18 countries.
Because of his wealth of knowledge and experience, Richard has been invited to contribute articles to many websites, such as Florida Rambler, and has been profiled on travel websites such as JohnnyJet.