Finger Lakes Wineries: European Flavors Meet New World Innovation

On a cold spring morning in 1951, Dr. Konstantin Frank was on a mission. He was on a long bus ride from Manhattan into upstate New York, a region dented with 11 finger-shaped lakes. 

Lying south of Lake Ontario and Rochester, New York, these dents were carved out of the geology by receding glaciers, producing the lush, lake-filled landscape we have today. 

Hailing from what was then the Ukrainian region of Russia, Frank set out believing he could grow world-class wine in the Finger Lakes region with grapes indigenous to Europe. At the time, only the American native Vitis labrusca grape was cultivated there. While it had filled the demand for wine, the quality was not the same as Vitis vinifera—the famed species that gave the world the great wines of Europe. Locals didn’t believe it could thrive in this cold climate. Frank’s mission was to prove them wrong. (Photo courtesy of Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery)

From Ukraine to the U.S.

Frank had good reason for his optimism. For decades, his family had been growing Vitis vinifera, which had survived the harsh winters in the Ukraine. 

Having been forced off their farmland in the Stalin era, the well-to-do family had lost everything. They had been pushed into Germany by the Russians due to their ethnic German background. Ironically, there, they experienced anti-Russian sentiment and discrimination. 

Surrounded by hateful treatment from both sides, having endured two World Wars and a Russian revolution, Frank’s family experienced positive interactions with the Americans while in Germany. The Americans provided financial support and much-needed equipment to rebuild Europe, so Frank decided to bring his family to the United States.

Frank was multilingual, but when he arrived in New York, English was not one of his languages. After landing in New York Harbor, he worked as a dishwasher in lower Manhattan. 

The Trip Upstate

In 1951, he took his bus ride to the New York State Agricultural Experimental Station in Geneva. Fortunately, he encountered an ethnic Frenchman and could communicate his qualifications in plant science. He was hired to run a vineyard research center. 

While there, he earned his PhD in viticulture at Cornell, which matched his European credentials. Dr. Frank eventually proved that Vitis vinifera could grow in the cool upstate New York climate. He later purchased the research property and established his own experimental vineyard. Next, he worked with up to 60 varieties to see which performed best in the local microclimate and differing soil types. 

While he didn’t harvest his first vintage at his own American winery until 1962, when he was 61 years old, he had made remarkable progress during the ten years since he’d been washing dishes in Lower Manhattan. 

Frank presented his first wines with a brilliantly patriotic marketing pitch: “…good grape varieties are not good enough for Americans,” he said. “You Americans deserve only excellent. This is my duty as a scientist, and this is my duty as an American patriot.”

From the Finger Lakes – World-Class Wines

Of the many varieties Frank had experimented with, German Riesling came out on top. Georgian Rkatsiteli and Saperavi play a smaller but important role. 

These three varieties of Vitis vinifera are the hardiest in the coldest of climates, and the Finger Lakes region has the largest Saperavi vineyard outside of the country of Georgia. They celebrate the achievement each year with the Saperavi Festival, a wine-soaked Georgian feast known as supra.

Herman J. Weimer and many others followed Frank to plant Vitis vinifera and turn the tide in the region to produce world-class wines. Weimer’s winery went on to develop a sizable biodynamic project as well.

Frank not only brought a vision to make high-quality vines thrive in the Finger Lakes region, but he was also open to sharing his experimental results and willing to mentor others. Another part of his legacy is the American Wine Society. He formed the group to educate professionals and aficionados alike. Founded in 1967 by Frank at his winery, it continues to be an educational force, now with chapters throughout the United States. 

Our Visits to Eight Finger Lakes Wineries

Of the 130+ wineries now open in the Finger Lakes region, we visited eight of them during a recent visit to explore Frank’s legacy and the winemakers who followed him.  

Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery

Spending a sunny afternoon on the patio of the Dr. Konstantin Frank winery, sipping several of the 40 wines it currently produces, was inspiring. We were seated on a covered patio overlooking Keuka Lake for our Signature Seated Tasting ($15 per person) and served a cheese and charcuterie plate. The winery is now in its fourth generation of family leadership.

Frank’s winery has become New York’s most awarded winery since he planted the first vinifera vines on the hilly terroir of Keuka Lake in 1957 and 1958. Its first vintage debuted in 1962.

Our tasting started with the Celebré Rosé sparkling wine, produced using the traditional method since 1985. We then continued with two Rieslings, a Chardonnay, and a dry rosé before moving on to several red wines and ancient Georgian varieties, including the Rkatsiteli 2023. As a special request, we were also able to sample the Saperavi 2021, an ancient grape variety native to Georgia, first brought to the Finger Lakes by Frank in the early 1960s.

The Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery is open 7 days a week (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.) for tastings; reservations are suggested for all tasting experiences. The historic Chateau Frank stone house, built in 1886, is now the site of The 1886 Wine Experience, a gourmet food and wine event ($75/person). Information: Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery

Herman J. Weimer Vineyard

Herman J. Weimer, a native of Germany’s Mosel Valley, is another pioneer of Finger Lakes viticulture and winemaking. In the 1960s, he accepted a job as a winemaker for Bully Hill Vineyard. He left to start his winery in 1979, bringing his extensive knowledge of grafting European grapes onto American rootstock. 

Upon Weimer’s retirement in 2007, his winemaker Fred Merwarth and Fred’s wife Maressa teamed up with Swedish agronomist Oskar Bynke as co-owners. They have continued to build on his legacy.

In addition to the 90-acre vineyard on the western slopes of Seneca Lake, the 50-acre Standing Stone Vineyards on Seneca’s eastern slopes were acquired in 2017. It is now home to the most extensive planting of Saperavi outside of the Republic of Georgia.

Among other accolades, Weimer Vineyard was recognized by the New York Wine & Grape Foundation in 2023 with the Winery of the Year Award. In 2021, its head winemaker and co-owner, Fred Merwarth, was named winemaker of the year by Wine Enthusiast magazine.

Sorting Grapes from the Recent Harvest

As we were led through a tasting of eight wines at Herman J. Weimer Vineyard, we observed team members sorting grapes through the tasting room’s wall of windows. Later, Oskar Bynke escorted us outside for an up-close look at the sorting operation.

The Herman J. Weimer Vineyard is open 7 days a week (Monday through Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.) for tastings. Reservations for seated tastings (parties of 1 to 6) may be made at this link. For more information, Herman J. Weimer Vineyard

Ravines Winery

Morten Hallgren is a pioneer of the bone-dry, mineral-tinged style of Riesling the Finger Lakes, has become known for. More than one-third of its estate vineyards are designated for Riesling. Danish by birth, he grew up on his family’s estate winery in the Côtes de Provence region of France.

After a three-year stint as Chief Winemaker for Dr. Konstantin Frank Cellars, Hallgren and his chef wife Lisa opened Ravines Winery in 2001. So named for its location between two deep ravines on the eastern slopes of Keuka Lake, Ravines uncorked its first vintage in 2003. Since then, the winery has had a wine included in Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines multiple times. Ravines has also frequently been on Wine & Spirits’ “Top 100 Wineries in the World.”

Its 130 acres of estate vineyards near Seneca or Keuka Lakes are sustainably farmed with no herbicides or insecticides. Ravines is one of the 2022 Pilot members of Cornell’s re-established Sustainable Winegrowing Certification Program for New York State.

Schedule Tastings at Two Locations

• The Keuka Tasting Room is open Thursday through Monday from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 
• The Geneva Winery & Tasting Room is open daily, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 

Geneva Winery Added

In 2012, Ravines Winery added a second location in Geneva, next to Seneca Lake. Its tasting room, housed in a historic barn, looks out onto its Limestone Springs Vineyard. (Photo courtesy of Ravines Wines)

Wine bar tastings at both locations are $15 per person; Lake Table tastings are $20 per person—information: Ravines Wines.

Weis Vineyards

When Hans Peter Weis arrived in New York’s Finger Lakes, he knew he had come “home.” The minerality of the soil around Keuka Lake and the cool climate of Upstate New York was similar to his family’s vineyard in the Mosel region of Germany, where he had grown up.

After gaining a decade of valuable experience as Dr. Konstantin Frank’s winemaker, he and his wife, Ashley (a native of Hammondsport), decided to strike out on their own and open Weis Vineyards in 2016.

I first visited the winery in 2017, when the tasting room was in a former one-room schoolhouse overlooking Keuka Lake. Their first vintage had just been released. Since then, in 2021, a new tasting room and a barrel room addition were completed.

The following year, Weis was named “Winery of the Year” in the 2022 New York Wine Classic, which recognizes wine producers in the state.

In 2024, Weis received that honor again, along with the Governor’s Cup, recognizing the competition’s best of show. It was presented to Weis for its 2018 Riesling Ice Wine.

Weis Vineyards is open daily (10 a.m.-5 p.m.) for tastings. No reservations are accepted. Standard tastings include five wine samples. Specialty tasting options are available for an additional charge. With a six-bottle purchase, the tasting fee is waived—information: Weis Vineyards.

Bully Hill Vineyards

Walter S. Taylor, founder of Bully Hill Vineyards, started his winery in 1958 on the vineyard his ancestors began a century earlier. It is still family-owned and -operated. Free 30-minute walking tours through the property are conducted daily between Memorial Day and Columbus Day.

Taylor founded the first wine museum in the U.S. in 1967. The museum’s art gallery also features his legendary wine labels and paintings.

More than 40 wines are available for tasting a la carte in the combined tasting room and gift shop. They run the gamut from dry to sweet and include several made from less familiar grapes, like the Saperavi, one of the oldest grape varieties, native to the country of Georgia. Fans of fruit wines have many choices here too. You may also participate in a guided tasting of five select wines in the Cellar Room.

Before or after your tasting, plan to have lunch at Bully Hill’s restaurant overlooking Keuka Lake. Choose from Maryland-style crab cakes, house-smoked BBQ, or seasonal specials. Pair your entree with Bully Hill wines by the glass or a seasonal cocktail, such as the Apple Cider Sangria.

Bully Hill Vineyards’ winery, museum, and art gallery are open daily. The restaurant closes on Mondays, Tuesdays, and during the coldest winter months. Information: Bully Hill Vineyards

Kemmeter Wines

What do you do when you love to cook but your winemaker husband wants to start a winery? You open a dumpling shop at the winery. Johannes Reinhardt from Germany and Imelda from Indonesia complement each other in many ways, much like his wines complement her dumplings.

Sans Dumplings

“I’ve probably made a gazillion dumplings serving friends and families,” Imelda says. Opening the dumpling shop was the logical next step.

On the day we visited, we sampled the handmade dumplings for lunch while sitting at a picnic table overlooking Seneca Lake.

Next, on to the Wine Tasting…

The Reinhardts say that Kemmeter’s name (and label) are a nod to family heritage; Kemmeter is Johannes’ paternal grandmother’s maiden name.

Kemmeter Wines, served in a tasting room overlooking the lake, produces wines under several labels. Sonero wines are light, refreshing, and ideal for serving when the wine isn’t the primary focus but an accompaniment for food. The beautiful fall day was perfect for sipping Kemmeter’s refreshing and slightly sparkling Sonero Rosé of Pinot Noir.

Next, we tried the Kemmeter label’s Riesling. Wines under this label are fresh, have an elegant structure, and can be cellared for up to fifteen years.

We finished with the SanSan Pinot Blanc, which is described as a wine of rare quality from the best growing season. When served, the wines are the center of attention and can be held for two decades or more.

Kemmeter’s tasting room is open 12:30 p.m.–5:30 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. To learn more about the winery, visit the Kemmeter website. Visit this site for information about Sans Dumplings.

Domaine LeSeurre Winery

Céline and Sébastien LeSeurre, a couple who grew up in the French wine industry, own and operate Domaine LeSeurre Winery. In 2012, they met at a New Zealand winery and brought their expertise in winemaking to the Finger Lakes. Ever since they have been producing wines on a hillside overlooking Keuka Lake.

A Signature Wine Tasting Paired with French Macarons

One of the winery’s tasting options includes five of its Signature Wines paired with delicious French macarons filled with various buttercream flavors. The LeSeurres import the airy cookies to complement their French-style wines.

Wine Educator Reneé’s pairings started with the Unoaked Chardonnay, aged in stainless tanks. It was a little flinty with a touch of salinity and paired with a lemon macaron. An almond macaron was next, which paired beautifully with the Riesling, aged on the lees in neutral French oak. The last white wine was LeSeurre’s Gewurztraminer, an aromatic and effervescent wine paired with a mildly salty pistachio macaron.

The slightly dry Rosé Cabernet Franc was the perfect pairing with a raspberry macaron. LeSeurre’s Réserve Spéciale blended Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. Paired with the chocolate macaron, this was the ideal end to our tasting. Jo Clark’s article includes all the details about the pairings. As she says, “French macarons paired with wine? Yes, please.”

LeSeurre offers wine tastings with or without macarons or with bites of local cheeses and meats.

Domaine LeSeurre is open daily from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. Reservations are recommended—information: Domaine LeSeurre Winery.

Tabora Farm and Winery

Roger and Jane Eatherton bought a 10-acre Bucks County, Pennsylvania, orchard in 1989, which became Tabora Farm and Winery. Fast-forward to 2009, when the couple sold the orchard, moved to the Finger Lakes, and started the 250-acre Tabora Vineyards in Dundee, New York. All its wines are 100 percent estate-grown and harvested.

In addition to making wine, they soon baked treats in a converted Cape Dutch building on the property and opened a deli and market. On our final day in the Finger Lakes, we visited the market and ate lunch there. Try a Bobotie—a South African beef casserole topped with egg custard. Don’t pass up the Grape Pie.

After lunch, we sat at the wine bar to taste several of its selections. Tabora’s labels and wine names incorporate African art, flowers, and guinea fowl, so enjoy a bit of Africa as you sip. We sampled the De Saingée Dry Rosé, among several others. It received a Bronze award at the Great American International Wine Competition.

Tabora Farm and Winery’s Tasting Room is open daily from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. from April through December and on Thursday-Monday from January through March. Information: Tabora Farm and Winery

Where We Stayed

The Park Inn, Hammondsport

After our day touring Keuka Lake wineries, we checked into the Park Inn, a boutique all-suite hotel in the quaint town of Hammondsport. The Inn’s highly recommended restaurant is on the ground level. After a satisfying dinner (try the risotto), we headed upstairs to our cozy, spacious suites. Five suites are available. A writer’s desk inspires a retreat of pen to paper, and homemade chocolates punctuate a perfect day. 

Since you’re not far from the water, early risers may wish to stroll a few blocks and gaze at the sunrise over Keuka Lake. Watching dreamy, calm waters as the mist lifts virtually ensures a relaxing day.

Aubergine Inn, Bed & Breakfast, Penn Yann

Christine Pyanoe, owner of The Aubergine Inn, transported us back to the Victorian era for our stay in her antique-stuffed two-story charmer, built in 1869. We awoke to the smell of freshly brewed coffee and bacon. Our full breakfast, served in the dining room, included raspberry-stuffed French toast, breakfast quiche, and home-baked peach muffins.

The Aubergine Inn offers two king-size and one queen-size European-themed suites. A private apartment with kitchen facilities is available for extended stays.

If You Go

The Finger Lakes Wine Country website offers more information on activities and accommodations, helping you plan your route in the Finger Lakes region on both the Keuka Lake Wine Trail and the Seneca Lake Wine Trail.

Explore Steuben and Yates County – Finger Lakes Countrysides sponsored our group’s visit. 

About the Featured Image: Keuka Lake, a Y-shaped lake, is one of the 11 Finger Lakes. It’s the country’s only lake that flows north and south. Photo courtesy of Finger Lakes Countrysides.

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