9 Keuka Lake Wineries You Should Visit on Your Next Trip to the Finger Lakes

Planning a trip to Keuka Lake wineries? If so, you’re in for a treat! 

Expect to sip award-winning wines while gazing at vineyard-covered hillsides that slope down to meet the pristine waters of Keuka Lake. You’ll find scenic outdoor seating areas where you’ll be tempted to linger for hours, taking in the quiet rhythm of the Upstate New York countryside. You’ll also encounter knowledgeable wine educators and winemakers who are passionate about their craft.

Keuka Lake is located in the Finger Lakes in Upstate New York, and is one of eleven lakes that make up the region. It is uniquely Y-shaped, giving it the nickname of the “Crooked Lake.” Situated between Seneca Lake to the east and Canandaigua Lake to the west, it’s a popular summer destination, as evidenced by the number of vacation cottages that ring the shoreline.

Keuka Lake is anchored by the village of Hammondsport to the south. Penn Yann sits at its northwest branch, while Branchport is the village on the northeast tip.

Read on about the nine Keuka Line wineries we loved. We did not—by far—have the chance to visit every Keuka Lake winery; we’ll have to work on that on our next trip! But if you’re like us and you love a nice winery with lake views, some good vino, and pleasant relaxing scenery, visit these wineries around Keuka Lake. 

You’ll also find background information about the region, resources on Keuka Lake wine tours, tips on visiting wineries, and much more! Looking for a place to stay? Read about accommodations on and near Keuka Lake.

9 Excellent Wineries on Keuka Lake

1. Rooster Hill Vineyards

A large sculpture of a rooster greets guests at the tasting room entrance, which was the first sign that we would enjoy ourselves. To me, the connotation of wine tasting is highbrow and can therefore be a little intimidating. The rooster let us know not to take things too seriously!

Customers can choose to stay indoors and do their wine tasting around a large tasting bar or opt to sit outside on a spacious patio and sample wines accompanied by views of sloping vineyards leading down to Keuka Lake.

From beginning to end, Rooster Hill Vineyards put out a casual, friendly vibe. For the tasting experience, we each chose our own personalized flight. We got checked in on often to see if we had any questions and to make sure we were enjoying ourselves. Rooster Hill was the very first winery on Keuka Lake we visited, and was the perfect kick-off for the rest of our trip. Check business hours.
✔️Winery with lake views
🍷 Recommended wines: Cayuga White, Lemberger, Cuki Passion
Address: 489 NY-54, Penn Yan, NY
Phone: 315-536-4773

2. Keuka Spring Vineyards

On a hot summer Friday, just after noon, Keuka Spring Vineyards was hopping with customers, making it obvious the weekend here was already in full swing!

Inside, a wine bar faces out toward views of their vineyard and the lake beyond. Friendly wine associates pour samples and chat with customers. Outside, there’s plenty of seating in both covered and uncovered spaces, and more of those sweeping lake views.

Founded in the early 1980s, Keuka Spring Vineyards is a farm winery. Around 30 percent of their wines are made from estate grown grapes. The rest comes from grapes grown in New York State.

Light snacks are available and guests are welcome to bring their own food and picnic in the outdoor seating areas. Check business hours.
✔️ Winery with lake views
✔️ Member winery of the Keuka Lake Wine Trail
🍷 Recommended wines: Dry Riesling, Semi-sweet Riesling, Crooked Lake Red
Address: 243 Route 54, East Lake Road, Penn Yan, NY
Phone: 315-536-3147

3. Vineyard View Winery

Customers can choose to sample wines here by the flight, glass, or bottle. We opted for a shared flight called On Cloud Wine, which is a combination of their white, rose, and red selections, which we brought out on the deck so we could get more of those awesome Keuka Lake views!

Vineyard View Winery has been in business for nearly a decade but their grape-growing experience stretches back five generations, when the family first began cultivating grapes on the property.

Local cheeses and light snacks are available for purchase, and the Vineyard View Food Truck is on site seasonally. Keep an eye on their website for other seasonal events, including Yoga and Mimosas, and Pizza Thursdays. Check business hours.
✔️ Winery with lake views
✔️ Member winery of the Keuka Lake Wine Trail
🍷 Recommended wines: Cabernet Franc, Dry Riesling, Passion-Sparkling Riesling 
Address 2971 Williams Hill Road, Keuka Park, NY 
Phone: 315-694-7262 

4. Hunt Country Vineyards

Don’t let the lack of lake views stop you from visiting this one. Set on a country road off Route 54A, you can sip wine outside at tables nestled between vineyards or overlooking a rolling rural landscape.

Their country views aren’t the only thing that sets them apart. The folks at Hunt Country Vineyards come from seven generations of farmers and have been making wine since 1981. They’ve also won awards for their efforts toward sustainability.

In addition to avoiding synthetic fertilizers, they employ a 348-panel solar system for electricity, and their parking lot has five electric vehicle charging stations.

Inside, there’s a large gift shop selling an array of snacks, souvenirs, and wine accessories. Whatever their secret is, Hunt Country is doing it right, judging by the happy wine-tasters scattered about the property. They also offer tons of cool seasonal events including Summer Yoga in the Vineyards, a vineyard trolley tour, live music, and an annual Harvest Festival in October. Check business hours.
✔️ Member winery of the Keuka Lake Wine Trail
🍷 Recommended wines: Cream Sherry, Vidal Blanc Ice Wine, Dry Riesling, Dry Rose 
Address: 4021 Italy Hill Road, Branchport, NY
Phone: 800-946-3289

5. Point of the Bluff Vineyards

Maybe it’s the bocce court out back, the on-site barbecue food truck, or the friendly wine associates, but Point of the Bluff made us feel like we were hanging out at our local neighborhood pub.

We felt comfortable chatting with our wine associate as she refilled our glasses and gave us background information on the winery and wines.

We even learned that Point of the Bluff is closely affiliated with Rooftop Reds, a rooftop vineyard in New York City that we happened to visit the previous month. The Rooftop Reds founders transported Finger Lakes soil to their location at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. They use it to grow their rooftop vineyard, then send their grapes back to Point of the Bluff winemaking facilities.

If you want to sample vino that comes from a Brooklyn rooftop winery, look for the Rooftop Reds label at Point of the Bluff Winery.

Point of the Bluff hosts many special seasonal events including live music, large concerts, a farmer’s market, special wine dinners, and yoga sessions–which include wine, obvs! Check business hours.
✔️ Winery with lake views
🍷 Recommended wines: Cabernet Franc, Blaufrankisch, Le Mone
Address: 10489 County Road 76, Hammondsport, NY
Phone: 607-220-5222

6. Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery

“If you dislike all sweet wines, you may not have tried the right one.” 

This was my biggest takeaway from this winery that’s credited with being the first to plant vinifera vines in the Eastern United States, which founder Dr. Konstantin Frank did in 1957. Our wine educator said this, and it proved to be true when I tried—and very much liked—one of the sweeter wines of our guided tasting experience.

And while I may not have totally converted to being a sweet wine drinker, I liked how one small experience opened my mind and palate a little wider.

Learning experience aside, Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery runs an incredibly efficient operation. When we checked in for our reservation, we were given a choice between an independent and guided wine tasting experience. Because I knew this winery had a lot of history behind it, we chose the guided option. This consisted of a wine educator talking us through a list of wines and discussing the winery’s background, and the Finger Lakes as a wine region in general. 

All this took place on a spacious deck overlooking vineyards and farmland and those clear Keuka Lake waters. There was definitely something about the wine, the setting, and overall experience that made us want to linger here. Check business hours.
✔️ Winery with lake views
🍷 Recommended wines: Brut 2019, Magrit Dry Riesling, Rkatsiteli, Lena
Address: 9749 Middle Road, Hammondsport, NY
Phone: 800-320-0735

7. Heron Hill Winery

From the moment we turned into the long uphill driveway, I loved Heron Hill Winery for their grandiosity.

The large building that houses the tasting room is a pale yellow color, causing it to stand out among the tall green trees behind it and the equally green and lush vineyards in front. What looks like a bell tower–and is actually named Heron Hill Tower–is in the middle of the building, causing the whole thing to resemble a grand church or mosque.

Inside, the tasting room is bright and cheerful, adding even more to the overall appeal. We needed a break from the heat, so we sat inside for our wine tasting, though there’s also a deck and additional outdoor seating. From both inside and out, the views down the long driveway to the lake are stunning.

We did a standard guided tasting on our visit. Those interested in a deeper experience should consider the Tower Tasting Experience (available on Fridays only), a guided tasting of premium wines that takes place up high in the Heron Hill Tower. 

In business for more than 50 years, Heron Hill owners Josephine and John Ingle practice sustainability in winemaking and beyond, even growing their own organic food on their property. Check business hours.
✔️ Winery with lake views
✔️ Member winery of the Keuka Lake Wine Trail
🍷 Recommended wines: Classic Dry Riesling, Ingle Vineyard Riesling, Ingle Vineyard Cabernet Franc
Address: 9301 County Road 76, Hammondsport, NY
Phone: 800-441-4241

8. Bully Hill Vineyards

More than any other one mentioned here, Bully Hill Vineyards is a destination winery.

The Bully Hill restaurant, with seating both indoors and out, is very popular. The service is cafeteria-style (customers order at a counter and a server delivers it), the food is hearty and tasty, and wine slushes are on the menu!

There’s plenty to do before and after your meal, too.

In the tasting room, sample five pre-selected wines and walk away with a souvenir glass. Then head to the on-site museum (open seasonally) to learn the history of Bully Hill, see what antique winemaking equipment looks like, and view artifacts from the early days of the wine industry in New York.

You can also visit the adorable resident goats, and finally, pick up a souvenir or two in the gift shop on your way out. Check business hours.
✔️ Winery with lake views
🍷 Recommended wines: Love My Goat, Sweet Walter Red, Spring White Niagara
Address: 8843 Greyton H. Taylor Memorial Drive, Hammondsport, NY
Phone: 607-868-3610

9. Weis Vineyards

A German winemaker came to the Finger Lakes and combined his lifelong experience with the growing conditions of the Keuka Lake hillside. That, in a nutshell, is how husband and wife team Hans Peter and Ashlee Weis founded Weis Vineyards, a boutique winery that opened it doors in 2017.

There are a lot of factors that make Weis Vineyards appealing. The sleek tasting room was once a schoolhouse, originally built in the 1800s, and there’s additional space for tasting in a cozy renovated barn. There’s also plenty of seating outside. The whole property is attractively chic and the friendly atmosphere beckons people to relax and linger.

As for wines, Hans Peter found the soil and climate was similar to that of his hometown, leading to Weis Vineyards’ focus on German-style wines. Check business hours.
✔️ Winery with lake views
✔️ Member winery of the Keuka Lake Wine Trail
🍷 Recommended wines: Dry Riesling, Blaufrankisch, Gewurztraminer 
Address: 10014 Day Road, Hammondsport, NY
Phone: 607-284-4011

Should I Book Reservations at Keuka Lake Wineries?

Maybe. The first thing you should do is check the winery website to see if they accept reservations. Some do, some don’t. Wineries that require reservations may book up quickly in the summer and fall, so if there’s one you don’t want to miss, be sure to book ahead of time.

Personally, we don’t prefer booking reservations beforehand. We’re OK with being flexible, for one thing. So, if one winery is full or crowded, we’re happy to move on to the next one. 

We also don’t want to follow a schedule, where we have to be somewhere at a certain time. After all, wine tasting is meant to be relaxing and fun rather than schedule-driven. We did, however, make a reservation for Dr. Konstantin Frank. This was our ONE must-visit winery (and should be for you, too—it’s spectacular!). 

Keuka Lake Wine Tours

I highly recommend hiring a wine tour service if you’re a) celebrating a special occasion, b) don’t particularly like driving long distances on rural roads, or c) want to enjoy your wine tasting experience without worrying about appointing a designated driver.

Several wine tour companies in the Finger Lakes offer Keuka Lake wine tours. The following highly rated companies will help you tailor your wine tour, pick you up at a location of your convenience, and provide you with safe, experienced drivers: 

• Finger Lakes Winery Tours
• Grapevine Country Tours
• Sip Back and Relax Tours 
• Lightning Limousine and Transportation

If you want to use the “your car + our driver” model, Main Street Drivers supplies drivers (insured and background checked) to take you to the wineries in your own car. This tour model cuts down on the hourly rate typical of other tour companies.

Tips for Visiting Keuka Lake Wineries

• Decide how many wineries you want to visit. I max out at three in one day. A person can only drink so much wine, especially when you start at 11 a.m.! I also read somewhere about “palate fatigue,” where after three wine tastings, they all start to taste the same. 
• Please don’t drink and drive! Individual wine samples are small but add up quickly. Appoint a designated driver or see the Keuka Lake Wine Tours section above for tour company recommendations. 
• Plan where you’re going to eat. The wineries around Keuka Lake are spread out in a very rural region, often without any other businesses around. A little pre-planning is necessary.
  
• Check policies before you visit. Some questions to answer about each winery: 
  • Are they open on the day you want to visit? Many Keuka wineries are open year-round but always confirm ahead of time.
  • Do they require reservations? Some do, others recommend them, while others don’t accept them at all.
  • Do they have a limit on group sizes? Some will allow groups of 6-8 people max, and only accommodate limos and tour buses at certain times.
  • What is their policy on pets? Dogs are typically welcome at Keuka wineries, but rules around them vary.
  • Do they serve food or snacks? Many wineries bring in local food trucks, offer food specials, or allow guests to bring their own food to eat on the premises.

The Keuka Lake Wine Trail

There are now approximately 20 wineries around Keuka Lake. Matt and I have visited about half of them and all offer something unique, whether in their fabulous wines, panoramic views, friendly staff, or a combination of all of the above.

Of the Keuka Lake wineries, only five of them are part of the established Keuka Lake Wine Trail. That simply means that those five wineries (Heron Hill Winery, Hunt Country Vineyards, Keuka Spring Vineyards, Vineyard View Winery, Weis Vineyards) have agreed to be members of the official wine trail consortium. 

This benefits winery guests, who can receive discounts at the member wineries by purchasing the Keuka Lake Wine Trail Tasting Passport. The passport costs $50 and includes a one-time standard tasting at each member winery. Considering individual wine tastings typically range from $10-15, the passport could save you a little money.

Keuka Lake Wine Trail Passport holders will also receive discounts on bottles of wine and gift shop items. Note that the passport is only good for groups of six people or less.

Visiting Keuka Lake Wineries: The Experience

We visited wineries that were both on and off the established Keuka Lake Wine Trail. It makes sense that, because of the discounts offered by the passport, the five member wineries were more often busier than the non-member wineries.

In general, tasting experiences vary from winery to winery. Some are more formal and some less so. There’s usually a guided tasting option, where customers select a certain number of wines to try. A wine associate pours each sample for you while providing a little background information and answering questions about what you’re tasting. 

Many wineries also offer wine flights, in which your tasting experience is more of an independent one. Customers usually also have the option to purchase wine by the glass or bottle as well. For non-wine lovers, many also serve at least a few types of beer. 

For a standard wine tasting, customers usually select around 4-8 wines to sample. The cost ranges from approximately $10-15 per person. Matt and I often share a guided tasting or flight if one of us (usually him) is the designated driver. 

Keuka Lake wine is much like wine in all of the Finger Lakes region. Dry and semi-sweet Rieslings are popular white wines. Red wines usually include Cabernet Franc and Lemberger. In the description of wineries above, I included recommended wines to try, which indicate either wines we liked or wines that are best-sellers at each particular winery. 

History of the Keuka Lake Wine Industry

There are four established wine trails in the Finger Lakes: those on Cayuga, Seneca, Keuka, and Canandaigua lakes. 

But it was Keuka Lake that was the winemaking pioneer.

Around 900 years ago, the Owasco Native American tribe brought agriculture to the area, proving the banks of Keuka Lake to be fertile and fruitful. By 1829, white settlers had commandeered the area, and when a church reverend planted grapes to be harvested for Communion wine, the soil and climate revealed itself to be ideal for growing grapes. 

In 1860, Pleasant Valley Wine Company was established and is now the oldest winery in the Finger Lakes.

Nearly a century later, Dr. Frank Konstantin, founder of his eponymous Keuka Lake winery, planted European grape varieties here. His Riesling’s gained attention and the wine industry began to take notice of the Finger Lakes.

What Makes Keuka Lake Special?

Keuka Lake is probably most famous for its unique Y shape, a distinction that sets it apart from every other lake in the region. 

The southern-most shore (the foot of the “Y”) is in Hammondsport, while the eastern branch extends up to the village of Penn Yan and the western branch culminates in Branchport. Keuka College, a small, private college, is located in Keuka Park, just a few minutes south of Penn Yan.

Keuka means “canoe landing” in the Iroquois language and “lake with an elbow” in the Seneca language. Keuka Lake is sometimes called the “Lady of the Lakes,” but is better known by the nickname “Crooked Lake.” 

Another quirk that sets Keuka Lake apart from the other eleven Finger Lakes (and every other lake in the country) is that it flows both north and south. This occurs when south-moving waters exit the west branch and meet up with water that flows north until it exits into Seneca Lake via the Keuka Lake Outlet.

If you’ve ever walked or biked on the Keuka Lake Outlet Trail, you’ve seen the final path these waters take. 

Just a glimpse of Keuka Lake reveals that it’s smaller than both Seneca Lake and Cayuga Lake, Keuka’s neighbors to the east. The shorter distance across the water to the other side and the steep slopes that rise up from the shores create a noticeably dramatic and rustic effect. The winding roads and rolling hillsides surrounding the lake add to the bucolic scenery. 

FAQs about Keuka Lake & Keuka Lake Wineries

How to Get to Keuka Lake

Keuka Lake is located in the western part of the Finger Lakes in Upstate New York, amidst pastural farmland, rolling fields, and long and winding roads. 

In other words, it’s kind of in the middle of nowhere where transportation is concerned. That means driving a car—whether your own a rental—is the most convenient way to get to Keuka Lake. 

Approximate driving distance and time from major cities to Hammondsport, NY: 

• Rochester: 70 miles (113 km). 1.5 hours.
• Syracuse: 95 miles (152 km). 2 hours.
• Toronto: 208 miles (335 km). 4 hours. 
• Philadelphia: 280 miles (450 km). 4.5 hours.
• New York City: 290 miles (466 km). 5 hours.

Other transportation options:

• By train: Amtrak to Bath, NY. Bath is seven miles south of Hammondsport.
• By air: Fly to Rochester International Airport (60 miles (113 km) from Penn Yan) or Elmira-Corning Regional Airport (40 miles (64 km) south of Hammondsport)

As a final thought, I hope you get to experience the magnificent beauty of the Keuka Lake wineries. This region is an ideal example of all that makes traveling in New York State so special. 

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