Keuka Lake Vineyards

Keuka Lake Vineyards, owned by Mel Goldman, is a small estate winery that has earned a reputation as one of the elite producers in the Finger Lakes since Goldman started KLV in 1997. The estate controlled vineyards are situated on the southern slopes of Keuka Lake, the Y-shaped crooked lake, in the Finger Lakes region of Upstate New York. Keuka Lake Vineyards farms 53 acres of vines but cherry picks 20 acres for their own wines and sells the rest to neighboring wineries. Keuka Lake Vineyard's focus is on their four distinct single vineyard bottlings of dry Riesling, but they also produce a benchmark example of Vignoles as well as Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir, and Leon Millot. While KLV's efforts are essential, it is the depth and size of the Finger Lakes that makes grape growing in the climate of New York State even possible. The summer heat retained by the lakes lengthens the growing season and acts to moderate the extreme cold temperatures of the vineyards in the winter. Come spring, the now frigid waters moderate the warming air temperatures, delaying bud break and lowering the risk of damage by frost. It is the interaction of this temperate climate with the soil and topography of the land surrounding Keuka Lake that gives these vineyard sites their unique terroir. The glacial till topsoils (mixture of glacially laid rocks, sand, silt, and clay) deposited on the lower slopes above Keuka Lake provide for the water drainage that is essential for vine balance and health. The subsoils are predominantly shale, which lends a distinct mineral edge to the wines. The slopes themselves allow crucial cold air drainage during the winter and maximize sun exposure over the growing season.

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