Finger Lakes
The Finger Lakes grow magnificent Riesling and other cool-climate grapes on steep, lake-moderated slopes, producing some of the most exciting dry and ice-cold dessert wines in the US.
Fast facts
At a glance
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Climate | Cool, continental, lake-moderated |
| Geography | Eleven long glacial lakes in upstate New York |
| Key appellations | Seneca Lake · Keuka Lake · Cayuga Lake · Finger Lakes AVA |
| Main grapes | Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc |
| Famous for | Riesling, Ice wine, Lake-effect terroir |
Grapes
Signature grapes of Finger Lakes
The varieties that define this region's wines.
Riesling
Riesling is one of the world's greatest white grapes — aromatic, intensely acidic, and profoundly age-worthy. …
Gewürztraminer
Gewürztraminer is one of the most aromatic and distinctive white grapes, famed for its intense, perfumed chara…
Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir is Burgundy's great gift to the wine world — light in colour yet profound in flavour, haunting in i…
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is the world's most planted white grape and a remarkable blank canvas for terroir and winemaking. F…
Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Franc is one of the great undervalued grapes of the wine world — the often-overlooked parent of Caber…
Nearby
Related regions
Explore neighbouring wine areas.
Wine travel
Visiting Finger Lakes
Waterfalls, wineries lining the lake shores and the charming town of Geneva make an idyllic upstate trip.
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Country-wide wine guide with regions, grapes, classification and food culture.