Wineries
New York is home to around 450 wineries that grow grapes and make wine throughout the state and on Long Island.
New York's commercial wine industry dates back to the early 1800s. In fact, the nation's oldest, continuously operated winery started in 1829 in the Hudson Valley.
Let's explore the list of New York wineries and their wines.
Where to Find New York Wineries
Some wineries sit within an hour's drive from New York City, and you'll find many exceptional producers a bit farther off the beaten path. Here's what you should know:
- Finger Lakes – This grouping of 11 large glacial lakes has more than 140 wineries and several of the most representative producers in New York.
- Long Island – Nearly 100 wineries sit on the eastern side of Long Island on the North Fork and in the Hamptons area. This is a rustic wine country destination area.
- Hudson River – More than 50 producers, farms, and cideries specializing in many white varieties and cold climate grapes as you move North.
- Great Lakes – Lake Erie and Lake Champlain grow multitudes of native and hybrid varieties. Niagara is small but with a growing presence of red and white wines.
New York Winery Facts
- There are around 450 wineries in New York state.
- Most New York wineries produce less than 5,000 cases of wine per year.
- There are 35,000 acres of vineyards in New York, with 5,000 of these acres dedicated to Vitis vinifera grapes (e.g. Cabernet Franc, Riesling, etc.)
Selected New York Wineries
The Wiemer estate spans 90-acres of prime vineyard sites on the western slopes of Seneca Lake and the wines are among the most acclaimed in the region. Estate fruit is hand-harvested and hand-sorted, and vineyard qualities are worked in small lots and then blended to create wines of balance and texture. Fermentations rely on indigenous yeasts to ensure each wine embodies the truest expression of site. Our commitment to place draws on the same forward-thinking techniques and respect for the past that has fueled our mission since Hermann’s first block of Riesling was planted over forty years ago. Our namesake & founder, Hermann Wiemer, hails from one of the best Riesling producing areas of the world, Bernkastel, Germany. His mother’s family had been making wine in Germany’s Mosel Valley for more than 300 years and Hermann spent the summers of his youth learning to graft by hand. His father had been in charge of the Agricultural Experiment Station in Bernkastel and was responsible for restoring vines in the Mosel region after WWII. Hermann discovered that the cool climate and gravelly soils of the Finger Lakes were similar to his family’s vineyards in the Mosel Valley. At a time when very few thought it was possible to grow vinifera varietals on Seneca Lake, Hermann believed that the unique soil types and moderating weather effects of the Finger Lakes would make it possible to produce great wines here. In 2003, Hermann’s apprentice Fred Merwarth took charge of winemaking and vineyard management. Fred’s talent and ambition brought fresh energy and vision to the winery, placing it on a new trajectory. In 2007, Hermann officially retired, handing over the winery to Fred, who partnered with his university friend, Swedish agronomist Oskar Bynke, to carry on Hermann’s legacy. Over the last decade, they have embraced and expanded Hermann’s detail-oriented approach to viticulture and winemaking, extensively working on understanding the relationship between the vines and soils of the Finger Lakes.
