Geneva (Finger Lakes)
Geneva, at the top of Seneca Lake, as a base for the Finger Lakes wineries: tastings from 9 to 18 dollars and a vineyard walk at 45 dollars.
At a glance
- A small city at the northern end of Seneca Lake, in the Finger Lakes
- Five wineries compared, with tastings from 9 to 18 dollars per adult
- Fox Run and Fulkerson stand on State Route 14, along Seneca Lake
- Dr. Konstantin Frank, at Hammondsport on Keuka Lake, sells a 45 dollar vineyard walk
- 1culinary experience
Culinary experiences in Geneva (Finger Lakes)
Andre Carrotflower, CC BY-SA
Map of Geneva (Finger Lakes)
What to taste in Geneva (Finger Lakes)
Riesling
The white grape the Finger Lakes are best known for, poured dry and off-dry along the lakes.
Grape pie
A pie of Concord grapes, the autumn speciality of Naples, at the southern end of Canandaigua Lake.
Tasting flights
9 to 18 dollars at the wineries in this guide (2026), the cheapest at Fulkerson. Fox Run and Heron Hill pour five wines.
Geneva is a small city in Ontario County, at the northern end of Seneca Lake, the deepest of the Finger Lakes. The lakes are long and narrow, cut north to south by glaciers, and vineyards line their slopes.
Geneva and the Finger Lakes: two lakes, five wineries
- Seneca Lake: Fox Run Vineyards, at Penn Yan, and Fulkerson Winery & Farm, at Dundee, both on State Route 14 along the lake’s western shore.
- Keuka Lake: Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery, on Middle Road at Hammondsport, at the southern tip of the lake.
- Also compared: Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars and Heron Hill Winery.
A research station since 1882
Cornell AgriTech opened in Geneva in 1882 as the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station, the state’s first independent, state-funded one, with 130 acres, seven scientists, one building, a barn and some horses.
- Grapes: the Geneva campus has released 59 juice, table and wine grape varieties, among them Traminette, a Gewürztraminer hybrid.
- Apples: SnapDragon and RubyFrost are among its newer varieties.
The appellation, from 1829 to today
| Step | Date |
|---|---|
| First vines, at Hammondsport | 1829 |
| More than 50 wineries along the lakes | by 1900 |
| Finger Lakes appellation | October 1982 |
| Cayuga Lake appellation | 1988 |
| Seneca Lake appellation | 2003 |
The region counts 10,790 producing acres (about 4,370 hectares), 832 of them in Riesling, in the New York Wine & Grape Foundation’s 2024 vineyard report.
- Vinifera: Konstantin Frank, whose winery is at Hammondsport, is credited with planting European vinifera grapes on the lakes.
- Naples: the town on Canandaigua Lake, south-west of Geneva, known for its Concord grape pie.
Before you go
- Getting around: the wineries are spread along the lakes. Plan a car and a driver who skips the tastings.
- Arriving: Rochester and Syracuse have the closest large airports.
- Alcohol: the minimum legal age to buy alcohol is 21.
- Reservations: Dr. Konstantin Frank takes prepaid bookings for parties of 1 to 6.
- Season: Dr. Frank’s seated tasting runs year round. Its vineyard walk only on weekends from 5 June to 18 October.
Frequently asked questions
Is Geneva a good base for the Finger Lakes wineries?
Yes for Seneca Lake: the city sits at its northern end, and Fox Run and Fulkerson are on State Route 14, along the lake. Dr. Konstantin Frank is further south, at Hammondsport on Keuka Lake.
How much is a wine tasting in the Finger Lakes?
9 to 18 dollars per adult at the five wineries compared in this guide (2026 prices).
What wine are the Finger Lakes known for?
Riesling, the region’s best-known grape.
Is there a winery tour near Geneva?
Yes, in season. Dr. Konstantin Frank’s Vinifera Vineyard Tour, a guided tasting walk at Hammondsport, costs 45 dollars on weekends from 5 June to 18 October.