Are you looking for some great wine-tasting experiences? Seneca Lake Winery has several locations where you can enjoy fine wines from around the globe. They also offer tours of their vineyards and cellar doors.
The Seneca Lake Wine Trail spans over 100 miles along the shores of Seneca Lake. There are plenty of wineries located within the trail area, offering visitors a variety of tastes and flavors.
Seneca Lake Winery offers two types of events: private tastings and public tours. Private tastings allow guests to sample wines at their leisure. Public tours give visitors access to the winery’s facilities and grounds.
So, check out our guide below on the best wineries in Seneca Lake and what makes them so special!
How Many Wineries Does Seneca Lake Have?
The Seneca Lake Wine Trail offers visitors the opportunity to taste wines produced within 30 miles of the main Finger Lakes region.
In addition to offering tastings and tours, many of the wineries along the trail sell bottles of wine directly to consumers.
There are currently more than 50 wineries situated around the lakeside area. The majority of these wineries are located near Seneca Lake, while others are scattered throughout the main Finger Lakes region.
Some of the most popular wineries include:
Clos du Bois Vineyards & Winery – Located just outside Geneva, NY, Clos Du Bois produces award-winning Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah.
Dutchess County Winery – This family-owned vineyard is located in Pleasant Valley, New York. They produce fruit wines, including Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Muscat Canelli, Chenin Blanc, and Viognier.
Enotria Estate – Located in Watkins Glen, New York, Enotria produces dry red wines such as Zinfandel, Sangiovese, and Petite Sirah.
Ellicott Creek Vineyards – Located in Cooperstown, New York, Ellicott Creek produces fruit wines, including Roussanne, Grenache, Mourvedre, Tempranillo, Malbec, and Syrah.
In total, there are over 50 wineries situated around Seneca Lake. These wineries offer visitors the chance to sample some of the best wines produced in the United States.
What Wines Are Seneca Lake Specifically Known For?
Seneca Lake is one of New York’s most beautiful lakes. Located near Rochester, NY, it offers visitors a chance to relax and unwind while enjoying some of the best views around. In fact, it’s been named one of the Top 10 Most Beautiful Lakes in America by USA Today.
But beyond being just a gorgeous place to take photos, there are actually quite a few reasons why you should add Seneca Lake to your travel plans. First off, it’s home to a number of great wineries.
These include the award-winning Winery Inn, which produces some incredible wine varieties, including Riesling, Chardonnay, and Gruner Veltliner.
Other notable wineries include the historic Schuyler Estate Vineyards, where you can enjoy a tasting of their award-winning wines.
There are plenty of activities to do here too. You can rent kayaks or paddleboards to explore the lake, or even go fishing.
There are also many hiking trails nearby, such as the Oneida Indian Trail, which takes you along the shores of the lake.
If you want to learn about local history, head over to the Seneca Falls Historical Society Museum, which features exhibits on the region’s rich Native American heritage.
Seneca Lake is one of New York state’s largest natural lakes, and it lies within the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York.
The lake covers over 2,500 acres and is located about 30 miles north of Rochester. The lake is fed by three rivers – the Canandaigua River, Cayuga Creek, and Oswego River. These rivers are part of the Great Lakes watershed.
What Are The Most Popular Wineries By Seneca Lake?
The Finger Lakes region is home to over 100 wineries, and many of them produce award-winning wines.
From sweet dessert wines to crisp white Riesling, there is something for everyone here. If you want to learn about the best places to taste Finger Lakes wines, keep reading.
While there are plenty of vineyards throughout the area, the best ones are found along Seneca Lake.
This beautiful body of water stretches across upstate New York and offers visitors a chance to experience the lush landscape and gorgeous views.
Many wineries offer boat rentals and cruises around the lake, allowing guests to enjoy the scenery without having to navigate traffic.
Château LaFayette Reneau
Château Lafayette has actually been producing estate-grown vinifera grapes for a sum of 35 years directly along their 110-acre land estate. The wines have been known to win awards, including the Governor’s Cup Award.
The winery features a tasting room with a large patio overlooking the vineyards and Seneca Lake. Visitors can enjoy a variety of wine-tasting options including red, white, and sweet wines.
In addition to the tasting room, visitors can take advantage of the winery’s educational programs, tours, and events.
With over 30 years of experience producing fine wines, owner/winemaker John Reneau and his wife, Mary Ann, produce estate-grown vinifera wines from grapes grown on their 110-acre property.
Chateau Lafayette Reneau has been producing estate-grown vinifera wines since 1985. Their wines consistently win awards, including the highly acclaimed Governor’s Cup Award and five Jefferson Cup trophies.
They offer a tasting room with a patio overlooking the vineyard and Seneca Lake, with an apron to provide shade from the sun.
Their current offerings include white, red, semi-dry, and sweet wine flights; and a full lineup of red, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, syrah, pinot noir, chardonnay, and Chenin blanc.
Wine Cellars In Lamoreaux Landing
Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellar is nestled among the vineyards of the Finger Lakes region.
They offer tastings of the best estate wines, paired with a vintner, which is in their beautiful outdoor tasting area overlooking the vineyard, with views of Seneca Lake.
The indoor tasting space is wonderful when open, featuring floor-to-ceiling windows maximizing your view. Lamoreux Landing enables you to choose specifically what wines you’d like to sample and taste in a tasting.
They produce roughly 90 variations of wine, many receiving a 90+ rating from experts at Wine Spectator, Wine & Spirit, and Wine Enthusiast.
For our tasting, we selected the Riesling Cuvee, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot.
The tasting experience begins with a tour of the grounds, where you learn about the history of the property and how the winemaking process works.
You are then taken into the tasting room, where you meet the owner/winemaker, John Lamoreaux.
He takes the time to answer questions and explain the differences between his different varietals. Finally, he leads you outside to sample some of his wines.
We chose the Riesling Cuvee because it’s our favorite style of white wine.
After sampling three different varieties, we moved inside to enjoy a glass of our choice. We tried a Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. All were delicious and well-priced.
Afterward, we walked around the grounds again to see what else there was to do. There are several picnic tables set up throughout the grounds, perfect for enjoying lunch while taking in the beautiful scenery.
If you’re looking for something special, definitely give Lamoreaux Landing a try. They offer a variety of tours and events throughout the year. Check out their website for dates and times.
Lakewood Vineyards
The winery itself is located along roughly 80 acres overlooking the main beauty of Seneca Lake.
There are four buildings on site, including the main building where visitors enter, a barrel house, a bottling plant, and a small office building.
The property is surrounded by a large garden, which contains hundreds of varieties of fruit trees.
We began our tour inside the main building, which houses the main tasting room. This space is airy and bright, with lots of natural light coming in through the windows.
The walls are painted white, giving them a clean look. There are several wooden benches throughout the room, making it easy to sit and relax during a tasting session.
There are seven different types of seating options within the tasting room, ranging from bar stools to high chairs.
All the seats are comfortable, and there is plenty of room to move around. Each table has a sign indicating what type of wine is served at that particular location.
There are several picnic tables set up outside where you can sit and relax before taking a walk around the lake. Like most wineries, Lakewood also offers two types of flights.
Option A includes a dry and then a semi-dry, while option B includes a semi-sweet. We opted for the dry flight because we like my wines dry.
Glenora Wine Cellars
Near Lakeview along the west-based side of Lake Erie, Glenora Wine Cellar offers visitors stunning views of Lake Erie while offering guests a chance to taste some of the best wines around.
Located on the grounds of the historic Glenora Mansion, the winery offers tastings and tours of the estate, along with a full selection of fine wines.
The tasting-style room features a large patio overlooking the lake, where guests can relax and sip on a variety of delicious vintages.
If you are looking for something special to drink during your trip, Glenora offers a wide range of options, including a semi-dry style flight, sweet/semi-dry pairing, and a dessert wine tasting.
For those interested in learning about how wine is produced, Glenora offers educational classes throughout the summer months.
These include everything from basic overviews to in-depth seminars on topics such as barrel aging, varietal identification, and wine-making techniques.
Fox Run Vineyards
If you’re looking for a place where you can enjoy some delicious food and drink while taking in the gorgeous views of Seneca Lake, look no further than Fox Run Vineyards.
This Seneca Lake winery offers everything you could want on a day trip, including a beautiful setting, great food, and a wide variety of wine selections.
The winery itself is located along Route 20 in the town of Geneva, New York. It sits on nearly 30 acres of land and includes a restaurant and bar area, outdoor seating areas, and even a picnic area.
You can stop by anytime during the week, but you’ll find that the weekends are especially busy.
But the best part of the whole experience is the food. Fox Run Vineyards offers a full menu featuring items like pizza, salads, sandwiches, pasta dishes, appetizers, and desserts. They offer a number of gluten-free options too.
And don’t forget about the wine. Fox Run Vineyards features a large selection of wines, ranging from dry whites to sweet dessert wines.
Their offerings include a range of varieties, including Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Riesling.
You won’t go wrong with any of their selections, but we recommend trying out their Rieslings. These are some of our favorite wines around.
Bellhurst Castle And Winery
Bellhurst Castle & Winemaking Company is located on the shores of Seneca Lake, New York. Founded in 1887, Bellhurst is one of the oldest continuously operating wineries in America.
In fact, Bellhurst is a third-generation family-owned winery. Bellhurst produces award-winning wines from grapes grown in vineyards across New York state.
Things You Need To Consider Before Wine Tasting
When it comes to wineries on Seneca Lake, there are many factors to consider beyond just the views. Some wineries offer tours, some don’t, some offer tastings, and some do not.
But one thing is certain: no matter what type of winery you choose, you’re sure to find something special. Here are a few things to keep in mind while planning your next trip out west.
Lakefront views are nice, but there are many wineries that don’t offer them. Some winemakers choose not to because they want to keep things intimate and personal.
Others simply prefer to focus on what happens inside the cellar. But some wineries do offer lakefront views, and it’s important to know how to pick one over another. Here are our tips:
Ask yourself why you’re visiting. If you’re looking for a romantic setting, go for a winery that allows guests to sit outside while enjoying a glass of wine.
Look for signs of age. Older wineries tend to have better wines and are often more expensive.
Look for reviews online. You can find plenty of information on wineries on sites like Yelp and TripAdvisor.
Visit during harvest season. Harvesting grapes is a lot of work, and it takes a lot out of people. So, if you see lots of workers around, that might be a good sign that the winery is busy.
Check out the vineyards. Most wineries have beautiful grounds that show off the vines.
Don’t forget to taste. Many wineries offer tastings, but you shouldn’t just take their word for it. Taste everything.
Final Thoughts
Seneca Lake has so much to offer. There are so many wineries to visit, and each one has its own unique vibe.
It’s hard to narrow down favorites, but above we have featured a few places we think you should definitely check out when you’re planning your next vacation.
