Cayuga Lake AVA

Cayuga Lake AVA ( recognized since 25 March 1988) is an American Viticultural Area in the U.S. state of New York. The area is located within Upstate New York in the administrative regions Cayuga County, Seneca County and Tompkins County in the vicinity of Cayuga Lake.

The majority of the vineyards is on the slate soils on the slopes of the western shore of the lake. While the lake is situated at an altitude of 116 m above sea level, the vineyards are up to an altitude of 350 m above sea level. Due to the slope, the risk of frost damage is minimized after the vines sprouted in spring and in autumn, because in the nights resulting cold air does not remain above the vineyards, but towards the plane can slide to the lake. The water masses affect the microclimate particularly advantageous in the fall and give them a longer growing season of the vines.

In the vineyards of Cayuga Lake AVA, the first field trials of the variety Cayuga White were performed. This new variety was developed at the nearby New York State Agricultural Experiment Station at Cornell University.