In which US state is the Finger Lakes wine producing region?

The Finger Lakes Region is one of nine officially recognized viticultural areas in New York (similar to the “appellations of origin” in France). Other regions include Lake Erie, Cayuga Lake, Seneca Lake, Niagara Escarpment, Hudson River Region, Long Island, The Hamptons, Long Island, and North Fork, Long Island. Each region has distinct combinations of soil, topography and climate that make New York State wines unique.

In all of New York’s viticultural areas, the presence of large bodies of water is a crucial element needed for creating ideal “micro-climates” for growing premium grapes. New York’s geographical latitude is similar to that of Europe’s finest grape growing regions. For instance, the Finger Lakes Region is on the same latitude as Germany, also known for making exceptional Rieslings.

New York State is home to 1,000 vineyards, covering about 3,200 acres of land, producing an average annual grape crop of 175,000 tons of grapes – a $40 million value. About 50 percent of the crop is used for grape juice, 45 percent for wine, and five percent for table consumption. There are presently more than 120 wineries, 10 juice manufacturers, and 25 table grape marketers through the state’s grape growing regions.