Terroir

The lakes, climate, land, vines, and harvest that make the Finger Lakes one of the world's most distinctive wine regions.

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The Lakes

Eleven glacier-carved lakes define the region. Seneca and Cayuga plunge so deep their bottoms lie below sea level.

ConesusHemlockCanadiceHoneoyeCanandaiguaKeukaSenecaCayugaOwascoSkaneatelesOtisco66ft91ft95ft30ft276ft183ft618ft435ft177ft300ft76ftSea LevelSeneca173ft below sea levelCayuga54ft below sea level
Lake Depth
Sea Level Reference

The Climate

Lake-moderated temperatures extend the growing season, creating ideal conditions for cool-climate varietals like Riesling.

0°20°40°60°80°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGROWING SEASONLast Frost ~May 10First Frost ~Oct 5
Monthly PrecipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec3"1"
Annual Snowfall (Lake Effect)Skaneateles90"Auburn89"Cortland86"Moravia72"Ithaca63"Geneva56"Watkins Glen45"
150Frost-Free Days
•
31"Annual Rainfall
•
167Sunny Days
•
5b-6aUSDA Zone

The deep Finger Lakes rarely freeze, moderating winter temperatures and extending the growing season for vineyards along their slopes.

The Land

Two million years of glacial carving created the deep valleys and mineral-rich soils that define the region's terroir.

Glacial TillShaleLimestoneSiltstoneSandstone600+ ftVineyardsVineyards
360M years agoDevonian seabed deposits form bedrock layers
2M years agoLaurentide Ice Sheet begins advancing south
Ice 2 miles thickGlaciers carve 600+ foot deep valleys
12,000 years agoIce retreats, meltwater fills lake basins

Soil Types for Viticulture

Glacial TillVariable drainage, adds complexity
Limestone-derivedWell-drained, ideal for Riesling
Shale-derivedPromotes minerality in wines

The Vines

From a minister's experimental planting in 1829 to today's 150 wineries, the Finger Lakes has become America's premier Riesling region.

1850
1900
1950
2000
1829First vines planted by Rev. Bostwick in Hammondsport
1862Commercial viticulture begins2 wineries
190020,000+ acres of vineyards50 wineries
1976NY Farm Winery Act passed19 wineries
1981Cayuga Lake Wine Trail forms (first in US)
1982Finger Lakes AVA established
198565 wineries
2014130 wineries
2024Wine Enthusiast Region of the Year150 wineries
150Wineries Today
10,790Vineyard Acres
950Riesling Acres
85%of NY Wine Production

Signature Varietals

🍇
RieslingWorld-class dry to sweet styles
🍷
Cabernet FrancLeading red variety
🥂
SparklingTraditional method excellence
🧊
Ice WineCold climate specialty

The Harvest

From vineyard to table, the Finger Lakes is the heart of New York's agricultural heritage and a world-class tourism destination.

Tourism Impact

25MAnnual Visitors
$4.6BEconomic Impact
55,000Jobs Supported

Agricultural Scale

5,578Family Farms
46%of Region is Farmland
$2.34BAnnual Ag Sales

Beyond Wine

🍎Apples & Cider
🍺Craft Beer
🧀Artisan Cheese
🥬Farm Markets
🌾Grain & Spirits
🍯Local Honey

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