Opened in 2005 by Lenny and Meg Cecere, Ventosa Vineyards makes 100% estate-grown, produced, and bottled wines from its vineyard overlooking Seneca Lake. The Cecere family’s Italian winemaking roots reach back to Lenny’s grandfather, while the Geneva winery carries that heritage into older-vintage, dry, Old World-style reds and the uncommon New York planting of Tocai Friulano. Alongside its hand-painted Tuscan tasting room, Ventosa operates Café Toscana and a destination wedding venue on the estate.
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
Magnanini WineryFounded by the Magnanini family in Wallkill in 1983, Magnanini Winery grows its own grapes and turns them into Hudson Valley wines, grappas, and sangrias. The family’s roots in Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region shape the estate’s signature experience: Sunday family-style dinners began in 1985 and pair multi-course meals with wine, music, and dancing. Set among 14 acres of vineyard, the winery also welcomes visitors to its tasting-room restaurant and hosts weddings and other gatherings.WALLKILL, 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
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