When glaciers retreated from Lake Ontario thousands of years ago, they formed the deep trenches that make up New York State’s Finger Lakes, an area where vines have grown commercially since the 1850s. Even with Lakes Ontario, Seneca, Cayuga and Keuka moderating the climate, winters are long and very cold. It wasn’t until the 1960s that early-ripening Riesling and Chardonnay were planted more commonly. Today, the AVA is best known for dry, age-worthy Rieslings. Vinifera varieties represent roughly 15% of grapes grown, and over 950 acres of Riesling are planted in the Finger Lakes. 

Vast irregularities in the elevation of terrain influence airflow and the “lake effect”—Lake Ontario to the north and Lake Erie to the west warm arctic air systems in the winter and provide cooling in the summer. Thanks to a wide range of soil types, the region’s wines are exceptionally site-specific, though generally known for verve and acidity.