Cayuga Lake AVA
| Wine region | |
| Type | American Viticultural Area |
|---|---|
| Year established | 1988 |
| Years of wine industry | 50 |
| Country | United States |
| Part of | New York, Finger Lakes AVA |
| Other regions in New York, Finger Lakes AVA | Seneca Lake AVA |
| Growing season | 165-170 days |
| Climate region | Region Ib |
| Heat units | 2,400-2,500 GDD units |
| Precipitation (annual average) | 28 to 35 in (710–890 mm) |
| Soil conditions | Deep, well drained to moderately drained soils and heavy silt loam to heavy loam subsoil |
| Total area | 150,000 acres (240 sq mi) |
| Size of planted vineyards | 460 acres (190 ha) |
| No. of vineyards | 18 |
| Grapes produced | Baco noir, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Catawba, Cayuga, Chambourcin, Chancellor, Chardonnay, Concord, Delaware, Diamond, Gewurztraminer, Isabella, Ives noir, Lemberger, Marechal Foch, Melody, Merlot, Niagara, Pinot gris, Pinot noir, Riesling, Sangiovese, Seyval blanc, Syrah, Traminette, Vidal blanc, Vignoles, Viognier |
| No. of wineries | 20 |
Cayuga Lake is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) located in upstate New York approximately 35 miles (56 km) south of Lake Ontario within portions of Cayuga, Seneca, and Tompkins counties. It was established on March 24, 1988 by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Treasury after reviewing the petition submitted by Douglas and Susanna Knapp of Knapp Farms, Inc., and Robert Plane of Plane's Cayuga Vineyard, Inc., on behalf of themselves and local vintners, proposing a viticultural area to be named "Cayuga Lake." The region is located north of the city of Ithaca, adjacent to and encompasses Cayuga Lake, the longest at 38 miles (61 km), and second largest of the eleven Finger Lakes, lying between Seneca Lake and Owasco Lake, within the established Finger Lakes appellation. At the outset, the 240 square miles (150,000 acres) Cayuga Lake viticultural area included eight bonded wineries and 18 vineyards cultivating approximately 460 acres (190 ha).
Most of the AVA's vineyards are located in shale soils on hillsides along the lake's western side. Vineyard elevations range from 800 feet (240 m) and higher above the lake surface. The steep hillsides and the lake together form a unique micro-climate extending the growing season by preventing cold air from settling and producing frost. The Cayuga grape variety was created from this region by Cornell University researchers.