Founded in 2005 by Syracuse wine enthusiast Andrew Watkins, Lakeland Winery grew from a shop for home winemakers into a 19-year-old urban winery built around an approachable, homey experience. The Syracuse facility makes its own wines and invites customers to create custom batches with guidance from its winemakers. Lakeland also hosts tastings and community fundraisers, extending its role beyond production into a gathering place for local wine drinkers.
Adirondack WineryFamily-founded in 2008, Adirondack Winery has grown from a small Lake George tasting room into a year-round Adirondack gathering place rooted in approachable, locally crafted wine. Its Queensbury headquarters, opened in 2022, lets visitors watch the winemaking process while the business carries its regional character into community traditions such as Drink Pink and the Adirondack Wine & Food Festival.QUEENSBURY, NY
R Wine CellarSince 2011, family-owned R Wine Cellar has made handcrafted, small-batch wines at its urban winery in Pittsburgh’s Historic Strip District. The winery blends fruit from California, Pennsylvania, and South America with minimal additives and preservatives, then welcomes guests for customized tastings and other wine experiences. It also creates custom-labeled bottles for celebrations and events.PITTSBURGH, PA
Syracuse WineworksSince Robert Maynard and Danielle Bibbens took over Syracuse Wineworks in 2011, the father-daughter team has run an on-premise winemaking facility in Camillus where customers make their own wine with guidance from experienced staff. The business also operates as a retail shop for home wine, beer, and cider equipment and supplies, including Winexpert kits and seasonal juices. Its facility provides cleaned equipment, temperature-controlled fermentation, and help through bottling, making personal winemaking an approachable group activity.CAMILLUS, NY
Henke WineryEstablished in 1996, Henke Winery is a Cincinnati urban winery that makes all of its wines in its own cellar, using grapes sourced largely from Ohio Valley vineyards rather than growing its own. Joe Henke’s winemaking began with a homemade rosé in 1973 and grew into a west-side winery known for medal-winning wines and a welcoming, family-centered operation supported by an extended volunteer bottling crew. Henke has been recognized as one of America’s top urban wineries and received Ohio’s Director’s Choice Award for Best Red Wine.CINCINNATI, OH