Seneca Lake Wine Tasting: 4 Wineries & Optional Lunch
Four Wineries, One Driver, Your Afternoon Back
You visit four Finger Lakes wineries in a single afternoon with a driver handling the route, so you can taste without the logistics. The Small & Mighty plus Lunch option adds a gourmet lunch at Ventosa Vineyards overlooking Seneca Lake. Hotel pickup is included, and you're back by evening with new bottles and no designated driver stress.
5h–6h
Step-by-step itinerary
Seneca Lake Wine Tasting Tour
- Depart from pickup location
- Tour Seneca Lake area
- Visit Prejean Winery
- Taste wines at Prejean Winery
- Visit Ventosa Vineyards
- Wine tasting at Ventosa Vineyards
- Enjoy lunch at Ventosa Cafe Toscana
- Visit Cane & Vine Wine Cellars
- Taste wines at Cane & Vine
- Visit Anne & John Martini Winery
- Taste wines at Martini Winery
The Experience
What happens if you actually want to taste the wine instead of worrying about who's driving home? That's the whole point of this Seneca Lake wine tasting tour—you show up, your guide does the navigating, and you get to focus on what's in the glass. The day moves through four wineries around the lake, each one different enough that you're not tasting the same thing twice. Prejean grows thirteen grape varieties on 30 acres, including Riesling and Cabernet Franc. Ventosa sits on the northeastern shore with views across the water and their own Cafe Toscana if you want lunch built in. Cane & Vine is brand new—opened in 2025 by Mike and Jayne Gibbs, who are making bone-dry Cayuga White and pét-nat sparkling rosé. The last stop is Martini, a hundred-acre property on the northwestern bank where Anne and John planted the first grapes back in 1973.
The tour picks you up from select Syracuse-area hotels and moves at a pace that lets you actually talk to the winemakers or staff at each stop instead of rushing through. You're tasting a range—dry wines, dessert wines, hybrids, vinifera—so there's something for people who know what they're looking for and people who are still figuring it out. The Seneca Lake wine region works because the lake itself moderates the temperature, and the Conesus Loam soils around the shore are what make these vineyards work. Your guide explains that part as you go, so you're not just drinking; you're understanding why these particular grapes grow here. If you pick the Small & Mighty plus Lunch option, you get a fixed lunch at Ventosa's Cafe Toscana—wraps, pizzas, salad, a panino—with a glass of wine overlooking the 23-acre vineyard. On Sundays, they swap in the cafe at Fox Run instead.
The whole thing runs as a group tour, which means you're not paying for a private car and guide, but you're also not stuck with a crowd of thirty people. Minimum is two people per booking, and the group stays small enough that the stops don't feel rushed. Winery venues can shift depending on what's available that day, so the itinerary isn't locked in stone—your guide will tell you which four you're hitting when you meet. You need to be 21, bring a valid photo ID, and be ready to pick up a bottle or two if something catches you. Hotel pickup is included if you're staying at one of the partner hotels; if not, there's a meeting point in Syracuse.
What’s included
- Wine tastings at four Finger Lakes wineries.
- a guide who handles all the driving.
- hotel pickup at select Syracuse-area hotels if requested.
- educational commentary on the region and the wines. On the Small & Mighty plus Lunch tour, a gourmet lunch at Ventosa Vineyards Cafe Toscana (or Fox Run on Sundays) is included, featuring wraps, pizzas, salad, and a panino with a glass of wine.
Operated by Crush Beer & Wine Tours
Is this one for you?Right for groups or couples who want to taste Finger Lakes wines without managing transportation or timing—the guide handles both, which is what makes four wineries fit into one afternoon. Expect a full day out; you'll be tasting from mid-morning through late afternoon.
Traveler reviews
Top questions
How many wineries do you visit?
Four. The tour includes Prejean, Ventosa, Cane & Vine, and Martini, though specific venues can change based on availability.
Is lunch included?
Only on the Small & Mighty plus Lunch tour. It's a fixed menu at Ventosa's Cafe Toscana (wraps, pizzas, salad, panino) with a glass of wine. On Sundays, lunch is at Fox Run's cafe instead.
Do you need a car to get there?
Hotel pickup is included if you're staying at a partner hotel. If not, there's a meeting point in Syracuse. Either way, the guide drives the whole day.
What's the minimum group size?
Two people per booking. Tours run as small groups, not large coach tours.
What do you need to bring?
A valid photo ID. You must be at least 21 years old.
Can the wineries change?
Yes. Winery venues are subject to change due to availability, so your guide will confirm which four you're visiting when the tour starts.
What if you want to buy wine?
You can purchase bottles at any of the wineries you visit. There's time built in to browse and buy.
Seneca Lake Wine Tasting: 4 Wineries & Optional Lunch
5h–6h · EN
from US$ 263 per person
★★★★★★★★★★4.73220 reviewsVerified traveler reviews via our booking provider
