Seneca Lake

Carved out of glacial movement that began during the Ice Age over two million years ago, the Finger Lakes is the result of ice sheets that last receded and melted approximately 10,000 years ago. Seneca Lake is the deepest (~618’ deep) and one of the two largest in length next to Cayuga Lake.

The region’s microclimate is greatly influenced by the moderating effects from this body of water and where Riesling can thrive. In spring, the deep water creates cold air, which is carried off the lake to help delay bud break and lower the risks of frosts. As the lake increases in temperature over the summer months, the warm air filtrates up-slope late through the growing season into the fall.

Our steep slopes in concert with the airflow created from the lake enhances sustainable farming. At night, air drains down-slope towards the lake, and in the morning, airflows up-slope, dispersing any fog that may occur and helping canopies dry out faster.     

Estate

Situated on the southeastern banks of Seneca Lake, the property was acquired in 2013 and started being converted to riesling one year later. The vineyards are planted to high density and one of the first in the area to run up and down slope similar to those of the Mosel region. 

Slopes are 10-55 degrees at an elevation up to 880 feet above sea level. The western exposure on these steep slopes allows for both sides of the canopy to optimize the sun exposure and airflow, which facilitates earlier ripening, vine and cluster health.

There are also two ravines are located on the property – one to the north and one in the middle of our estate – which is created by groundwater and runoff moving towards Seneca Lake. They are deeper than the convexed-shaped vineyard floor, helping cold air descend into the deep ravines and warm air move into the canopy. This has a substantial effect on mitigating frosts while also contributing to sustainability and quality of fruit.  

Discovery & Development

After years of searching around the Finger Lakes, Paul and David ultimately concentrated their efforts on Seneca Lake and found a property with similar attributes to those found in the famed Mosel region. Previously planted to native Labrusca varieties in the late 1800’s, the property started to become overgrown in the 1930’s after farming was abandoned. Old cedar posts and wire trellising were found in the wooded areas, along with small terraces that allowed horses to work the original vineyard. 

The process of reclaiming the land back to vineyards began in 2013 and was a massive undertaking that required ingenuity and grit over nearly a decade. Before development could commence, innovative solutions unconventional by industry standards were necessary. The team engaged in a SWPPP (storm water prevention pollution program) and installed proper drainage channels on the site’s steep slopes to conserve the land’s attributes as well as minimize any environmental impact to Seneca Lake. 

Once the site was ready for high-density plantings, holes for new grapevines had to be punched into the ground, one by one, using a custom-built jackhammer and trellised by hand. 

Farming

We are vigilant in our stewardship of the land and engaged in labor-intensive, hand-farming methods year-round to grow fruit to the highest quality. The up to 55-degree gradient requires specialized equipment and erosion prevention measures such as no tilling or exposed soils and year-round cover crop. 

In winter the vines are covered in topsoil by hand where the scion meets the roostock to provide insulation when temperatures drop below zero. When vines are dormant, our highly skilled team prunes each vine by hand, and over the growing season, leaf pulling is conducted manually on the north side of the canopy to create better sun exposure and enhance airflow conditions. When harvest arrives, all fruit is hand-harvested and hand-sorted, while multiple passes are taken to pick at desired level of physiological ripeness.