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Finger Lakes Wine Region of New York State
It is no stretch to imagine Bacchus, god of wine, surveying the Finger Lakes Region and foreseeing that wine making was a natural fit. Some things just go together - like love and marriage, a horse and carriage, peanut butter and jelly. Well the truth of the matter is that wine and the Finger Lakes Region of New York State is just such a pair. And the two have gone together for almost 150 years!
Innovation and entrepreneurship were hallmarks of the first fifty years of commercial wine making in the Finger Lakes Region. In 1860 Pleasant Valley Wine Company, the first United States bonded winery, opened its doors in Hammondsport, NY. The Urbana Wine Company followed in 1865 and Walter Taylor established Hammondsport's third major winery in 1880. By the turn of the century, forty wineries were operating throughout the region. The heyday of the wine industry came to an abrupt end in 1919 with the passage of the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which banned the manufacture, sale, transportation and importation of intoxicating liquors within the United States. Only six Finger Lakes wineries survived the era of Prohibition, which ended in 1933. One of those wineries, Widmer's Wine Cellars of Naples, New York, is still making wine today! Widmer's produced its first vintage in 1888, five years after the arrival of its founder, John Jacob Widmer, from Switzerland. Mr. Widmer, quick to realize that the soil and climate of his new home were compatible to growing grapes, planted his first vines in the spring of 1883. Under the leadership of Widmer the winery grew and prospered. During Prohibition the Widmers altered production to include unfermented grape juice, fruits and wine jellies, syrups and a limited amount of wine for sacramental and medicinal use. The ability to adapt and change has held the company in good stead. Widmer's product line now contains more than 30 different types of wines - including the traditional ports and sherries as well as wines from varietals such as Niagara, Chardonnay and Riesling. Widmer's Wine Cellars, located at 1 Lake Niagara Lane, Naples, New York, holds guided tours and wine tastings daily. For information about one of the oldest Finger Lakes wineries call 1-800-836-5253 or visit their website at www.widmerwine.com. The Finger Lakes wine industry was slow to recover from the Prohibition Era. The Great Depression, followed by World War II altered consumer demand for wine. As the wine makers of the Finger Lakes entered the latter half of the 20th century, it became apparent they needed to rethink everything they had ever known about their product - and that included the grape itself. Up to this time the wineries of the Finger Lakes had relied entirely on the grapes native to North America, especially the Labrusca variety. Two men may be credited with the revolution in viticulture, which revamped the wine industry of the Finger Lakes. Charles Fournier, a French vintner, came to work for Gold Seal Wineries of Hammondsport in the 1950s, with the goal to upgrade its champagne product, made with native grapes. Fournier's experimentation with French-American hybrids, combining hardiness in the vineyard with the taste characteristics of European wines, opened new doors for vintners of the region. At the same time, Dr. Konstantin Frank, a recent Ukrainian immigrant, became convinced that the vinifera grapes (Europe wine grapes) would grow in the Finger Lakes Region and set out to prove his theory. In 1962 Dr. Frank's Vinifera Wine Cellars produced its first vintage from his vinifera vineyard. These innovations in viticulture played a major role in the development of the next phase of the wine industry of the region. In 1976 New York State passed legislation which allowed for the establishment of small-farm based wineries. Enter the entrepreneur! The creativity and vitality that had characterized the early history of the wine industry was reborn. Today there are over 60 wineries operating in the Finger Lakes Region and producing world class wines of almost every variety. Each one of these wineries has its own story. Two major success stories are Glenora Wine Cellars of Dundee, New York and Wagner Vineyards of Lodi, New York. Glenora Wine Cellars, located on Rt. 14, Dundee, New York was the very first of the "new" farm wineries to open, producing its first vintage in 1977. Glenora specializes in the classic European grape varieties that make the world's greatest wines - Chardonnay, Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. In addition Glenora has become a celebrated producer of handcrafted sparkling wines. Glenora has expanded the concept of a farm winery into a complete "Finger Lakes Experience" for the visitor with an inn and full-service restaurant overlooking beautiful Seneca Lake. It's always busy at the winery with events a varied as a Blues Festival in July to a Make Your Own Champagne Day in December. It's a fun place to visit! For more information call 1-800-243-5513 or visit their website at www.glenora.com. Bill Wagner, a lifelong resident of the Finger Lakes
Region and grape grower, opened Wagner Vineyards of Lodi, New York in 1979
with a vision to create a true estate winery. Located on the eastern shore
of Seneca Lake, the winery has over 250 acres of vineyards under
cultivation, producing approximately 35,000 cases of wine annually. Ever the
trendsetter, Mr. Wagner added a micro brewery, Wagner Valley, to his
operation in the mid 1990s. Wagner offers a comprehensive tour on all
facets of the winemaking operation as well as the viticultural practices
important to the production of quality wine grapes. A tasting of wines,
non-alcoholic grape juice and micro brewed beers follows each tour. A real
treat for the visitor is a meal at the Ginny Lee Café, which offers diners
the opportunity to enjoy Wagner wines and beer with freshly prepared food
while taking in the sights of Seneca Lake and the beautiful countryside. For
information on Wagner Vineyards call 607-582-6450 or visit their website at
www.wagnervineyards.com. While some wineries have gone "big time", smaller winemaking operations remain an integral part of the fabric of the Finger Lakes Region. The Battistella Family of Ithaca, New York went against the advice of "experts" and in 1982 planted their vineyards on land outside the traditional area for growing grapes. The result is a unique and exciting taste for the wines produced at Six Mile Creek Vineyards, located in a restored barn of post and beam construction on Rt. 79 just south of Ithaca, New York, home to Cornell University. This family operated boutique winery produces about 5000 gallons of wine annually from its six-acre vineyard, planted in vinifera and hybrid grapes. Visitors to Six Mile Creek Vineyards are invited to slow down and breathe in the beauty of the Finger Lakes Region. For more information call 607-272-WINE or visit their website at www.sixmilecreek.com King Ferry Winery, located on Lake Road in King
Ferry, New York got its start in 1983 when Peter and Tacie Saltonstall
planted their first vineyard on the family farm on the east side of Cayuga
Lake. Specializing in vinifera grapes - the European varieties - the winery
has become well know for its Treleaven wines, especially its Chardonnays and
Reislings. The trademark of the King Ferry Winery is the commitment to
quality, which is exhibited at every level of the winemaking process.
Grapes are all hand picked, allowing vintner Peter Saltonstall to select
small areas of the vineyard as they reach optimum ripeness. Time-honored
European techniques of wine making are adhered to, right down to the aging
of the wine in French oak casks. The motto at King Ferry Winery is "No
pressure, no pretension - just world-class wines and a friendly staff." Be
sure to stop in and visit. For more information call 1-800-439-5271 or visit
their website at
www.treleavenwines.com Thorpe Vineyards at 8150 Chimney Heights Blvd., Wolcott, New York is not located on one of the Finger Lakes, but rather on one of the Great Lakes - Ontario. Fumie and Jock Thorpe purchased this vineyard overlooking Lake Ontario from a wine hobbyist in 1988. When asked about why they started the business, Fumie will tell you that it "just happened". One of the smallest wineries in the Finger Lakes Region, with only 3 acres of vineyard in vinifera, hybrid and native grapes, the Thorpes produce about 2000 gallons of wine annually. Their size may be small, but their wine is great! In addition to quality wine, the Thorpe's label designs are works of art, perhaps inspired by the beautiful four-season setting for the vineyards - softly-colored spring blossoms, splendid sunsets in the summer, breath-taking fall foliage and the serenity of ice and snow in winter and a lake view to die for. Wine tastings are available from April through December. For more information call 1-315-594-2502. The wineries of the Finger Lakes Region of New York State are riding the crest of interest in and love of wine. The future of the wine industry will bring new wineries, new vintners, new techniques for determining the best locations for planting vineyards, new wines.... But some things will remain constant - the quality of the wine and the beauty and hospitality of the Finger Lakes Region. For more information about the wineries in the Central Finger Lakes of New York State call 1-800-228-2760 or visit www.finger-lakes.com. 2002 WINE EVENTS:Mar. 21-June 21 April 13 & 14 April 27 & 28 May 4 & 5 June 8 & 9 June 22 & 23 July 20 & 21 August 4 Sept. 7 & 8 Oct. 5 & 6 Nov. 2 & 3 Nov. 8 & 10 Nov. 16 & 17 Dec. 7 & 8 Wine and the Finger Lakes Region of New York: A Perfect Match Wine Trails
Canandaigua Wine Trail Cayuga Wine Trail Keuka Lake Wine Route Seneca Lake Winery Assn. Lake Ontario Wine Trail NY Wine & Grape Foundation Tourism Agencies
Ithaca/Tompkins Co. CVB Yates County Chamber of Commerce Cayuga County Tourism Seneca County Tourism Finger Lakes Visitors Connection/Ontario Co. Wayne County Office of Tourism Central Finger Lakes Destinations Group Wineries
Widmer's Wine Cellars, Naples, NY Glenora Wine Cellars, Dundee, NY Wagner Vineyards, Lodi, NY Six Mile Creek. Ithaca, NY King Ferry Winery, King Ferry, NY Thorpe Vineyards, Wolcott, NY courtesy of Finger Lakes Visitors Connection Edited by Dave Shultz |
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"Great wine will
be made in the Finger Lakes Region of New York State."
The story of
commercial winemaking in the Finger Lakes region of New York State dates to
the mid 1800s. An Episcopalian minister, Rev. Mr. Bostwick, is credited
with planting a small vineyard for the purpose of producing sacramental
wines in Hammondsport, NY, located at the southern end of Keuka Lake. The
Finger Lakes region was made to grow grapes - possessing the right soil,
terrain and a favorable climate for the crop - and Hammondsport was
perfectly situated to become the center of the fledgling winemaking
industry.