On Seneca Lake, Nancy and Michael Irelan turn 30 acres of Finger Lakes vines into expressive cool-climate wines, with Nancy’s winemaking philosophy giving each variety and vintage room to speak for itself. Red Tail Ridge is particularly distinctive for bringing unusual European wine grapes to the region and for pairing technical winemaking with environmental stewardship—the winery is Gold LEED certified. Its tasting room, pavilion, and food-and-wine experiences invite visitors to explore those wines in a setting shaped by lake views and native Finger Lakes materials.
Gold LEED Certified Winery
LEEDGOLD
Quality certification
Fox Run VineyardsRooted in the Finger Lakes since its first vines were planted in 1984, Fox Run Vineyards grows 50 acres of grapes and crafts estate-grown wines at a winery established in a restored Civil War-era barn. Now exclusively family-owned, the winery pairs its crisp, food-friendly wines with a welcoming tasting room and café overlooking Seneca Lake. Fox Run was named a certified sustainable vineyard by the New York Wine & Grape Foundation in 2023.PENN YAN, NY
Sawmill Creek EstateOn Seneca Lake’s east shore, Sawmill Creek Estate makes handcrafted Finger Lakes wines from a vineyard farmed by the Hazlitt family for seven generations. Founded in 2010 by seventh-generation grower Jason Hazlitt and veteran Finger Lakes winemaker Justin Boyette, the estate’s wines are shaped by the long history of Sawmill Creek Vineyards and Boyette’s low-intervention approach. Its Hector tasting room pairs those wines with a laid-back welcome and a marketplace featuring local food products.HECTOR, NY
Lakewood VineyardsSince 1988, the Stamp family’s Lakewood Vineyards has been making Finger Lakes wines from its Seneca Lake vineyards near Watkins Glen. The family-owned winery now spans three generations and 100 acres, with certified sustainable vineyard practices and a tasting program that brings visitors into the vineyards and winemaking process. Lakewood is especially known for its award-winning Riesling and Lemberger, including honors from the Berlin International Wine Competition.WATKINS GLEN, NY
Atwater VineyardsOn Seneca Lake’s eastern slopes, Atwater Vineyards makes expressive, small-batch wines, most of them from grapes grown on its own farm. Its low-intervention winemaking emphasizes the character of each vintage, while the tasting room and Vista Bar turn the vineyard’s lake views into a setting for live music and community gatherings. Atwater was among the first cohort of vineyards certified through the New York Sustainable Winegrowing Program.BURDETT, NY