Geography and climate: Finger Lakes

The picturesque Finger Lakes district is the oldest, and has been the centre of the New York wine industry, with grape-growing and wine production dating back to the 1820s. While Finger Lakes is the second largest wine-grape-growing area in the state, 90% of the state’s wine is produced there in 119 bonded wineries in 2014. The narrow, deep lakes, so named because they look like the fingers of a hand, were carved by Ice Age glaciers, which deposited shallow topsoil on sloping shale beds above the lakes. This combination of steep slopes and deep lakes provides good air drainage and drainage of water, and fewer extremes of temperature in winter and summer. Since the lakes retain their summer warmth in winter, cold air sliding down the steep slopes is warmed by the lake and rises, permitting more cold air to drain from the hillside. Conversely, in spring, the now cold water of the lake retards budding until the danger of frost is past (see lake effect). The lakes significant to the wine industry are Canandaigua, Keuka, Seneca, and Cayuga, which are big enough to moderate the climate. The official Finger Lakes AVA was established in 1982, with Cayuga Lake being granted its own AVA in 1988, since local wineries could demonstrate that its lower elevation and greater lake depth created a mesoclimate suitable for the V. vinifera varieties most recently planted there. Cayuga now has 23 bonded wineries. Riesling does exceptionally well in this cool climate, and is attracting consumer attention. Recent plantings of Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc have also made successful wines. Lake Seneca is emerging as an important wine-producing area with 40 wineries spread around the lake’s perimeter. Most of Finger Lakes’ estate wine production is sold locally.