Founded in 1979 by German Riesling grower Hermann Wiemer, this Finger Lakes estate makes wines from 90 acres on the slopes of Seneca Lake, with Riesling at the heart of its identity. Wiemer farms its original HJW Vineyard biodynamically and makes its wines through hand-harvesting, indigenous-yeast fermentation, and a low-intervention cellar approach. Its long-running grapevine nursery, operating since 1974, extends that work by custom-grafting and supplying certified plant material to vineyards across the country.
Demeter Biodynamic Certification
New York State Certified Grapevine Program
Wagner Vineyards Estate WineryFounded by Bill Wagner in 1979 as the first winery on Seneca Lake’s eastern shore, Wagner Vineyards Estate Winery makes 100% estate-grown Finger Lakes wines in Lodi, New York. Five generations of Wagner grape growers now tend 250 acres and produce about 50,000 cases annually, with the estate especially recognized for its Rieslings, from dry styles through ice wine. The family-owned winery also combines tastings and lake views with an on-site brewery and the Ginny Lee Cafe.LODI, NY
Dr. Konstantin Frank WineryDr. Konstantin Frank Winery makes Finger Lakes wines from vineyards overlooking Keuka and Seneca lakes, where its founder planted some of the Eastern United States’ first vinifera vines in 1957. The four-generation Frank family winery is especially known for Riesling, traditional-method sparkling wine, and old vines first planted in 1958, with many still producing today. Its dry-farmed vineyards follow Cornell’s VineBalance sustainability recommendations, and visitors can explore the legacy through tastings and the garden named for first-generation owner Eugenia Frank.PULTENEY, NY
Frontenac Point Vineyard & Estate WineryFounded by Jim and Carol Doolittle in 1978 on a former fruit-growing property overlooking Cayuga Lake, Frontenac Point Vineyard & Estate Winery grows its own grapes and makes small-batch Finger Lakes wines. The Doolittles handle the work from planting and hand-picking through winemaking, bottling, and presentation, with son Lawrence continuing the family business as its second generation. Licensed as New York’s farm winery No. 44 in 1982, Frontenac Point is especially distinctive for wines made entirely from grapes grown on its Cayuga Lake estate.TRUMANSBURG, NY
Standing StoneStanding Stone is a historic Finger Lakes winery on Seneca Lake, making site-driven wines from vineyards first planted with Riesling and Chardonnay in 1972 and 1974. Purchased in 2017 by Fred and Maressa Merwarth and Oskar Bynke of Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard, it pairs stewardship of those old vines with biodynamic, low-intervention farming and cellar practices. The estate is especially known for exploring Saperavi, including what it describes as the largest planting of the Georgian variety outside the Republic of Georgia.HECTOR, NY