This New York Wine Region Was Just Named the Best in the U.S.

With more than 140 wineries spread across 11 glacial lakes, the Finger Lakes Region is home to one of the most distinctive wine regions in the U.S. The long, cool growing season of upstate New York produces bright, expressive wines, with riesling at the forefront, alongside chardonnay, pinot noir, cabernet franc, and sparkling wines. Last October, the region’s growing influence was recognized when Wine Enthusiast named Finger Lakes Wine Country the “American Wine Region of the Year.”

While wine has been made in the Finger Lakes Region for more than 150 years, the region’s modern success is closely tied to viticulturist Konstantin Frank. In the 1950s, Frank proved that European vinifera grapes could survive the area’s cold winters, despite local belief at the time, sparking a period known as the Vinifera Revolution, and subsequently transforming the future of Finger Lakes wine. Today, Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery is one of the region’s most visited and respected estates, known for its Old World–inspired wines.

Established in 1860, Pleasant Valley Wine Company was the first winery in the region and the first American winery to win prestigious European awards, including a first prize at the 1873 World Exposition in Vienna for its sparkling wine made from native Catawba grapes. The winery even survived Prohibition by producing wine for local churches, which helped to preserve the region’s winemaking legacy.

One of the most scenic tasting rooms in the region is Living Roots Wine and Co. Situated on Shale Creek Vineyard overlooking Keuka Lake, the winery draws inspiration from the owners’ hometown ties to both Rochester—where there is a sister location—and Adelaide, Australia. Other notable wineries in the region include Fox Run Vineyards, Silver Waters Winery, and Weis Vineyards.

The Finger Lakes also have charming lakeside towns, historic sites, and some of the state’s most beautiful parks. Spend time in Ithaca, home to Cornell University, explore the legacy of the women’s suffrage movement at the Women’s Rights National Historical Park in Seneca Falls, or spend a day hiking through Watkins Glen State Park or Chimney Bluffs State Park along Lake Ontario. A scenic road trip is the best way to see it all, with stays at luxury properties like the Inns of Aurora Resort & Spa, which became the first Finger Lakes property to earn a Michelin Key, Mirbeau Inn & Spa Rhinebeck, or the new Skaneateles Fields Resort & Spa. For a historic bed-and-breakfast, the 14-room Avon Inn is a charming option, while Finger Lakes Treehouses offers a peaceful glamping escape.