Harvest 2025

As the final bins of fruit arrived on the crush pad this fall, it became clear that growers around the Finger Lakes had been given a rare gift: a second standout season in a row. The timing of this acknowledgement is important. Celebrating too soon runs the risk of upsetting the delicate balance of the entire operation, and recent memories of catastrophic weather events have made industry insiders a superstitious bunch. The perpetual knocking-on-wood and intentional phrasing of “cautious optimism” have become standard practice in the region to ward off retaliation from the wine gods in the form of flood, freeze, or plague of the dreaded Spotted Lanternfly. Whatever they’re doing seems to be working, because after a wet and questionable start, 2025 ended up being one of the strongest vintages in years.

Before exploring what made 2025 so special, it’s helpful to take a brief look back at the last few vintages that helped shape the current mood.  After a rainy and abundant harvest in 2021, exhausted vines were met with fierce Arctic air in the following winter.  Some vineyards recorded temperatures as low as -18°F during the deep freeze event in mid January, which led to widespread bud mortality.  Despite the harsh winter, the 2022 growing season was relatively warm and dry, resulting in low yields yet elegant wines. (Editor’s note: For context, Finger Lakes Libations launched our reporting history with that 2022 growing season and remain laser focused since then).

2023 was a reminder of just how unpredictable and devastating weather in the region can be for growers.  An unseasonably warm April woke vines up from their slumber and caused early bud break, setting the stage for the now infamous morning of May 18th when a late frost dropped temperatures below freezing in many sites. The damage varied widely with some vineyards losing only 5% or less of their crop while others suffered 100% loss. Heavy summer rains exacerbated the problems, but a dry September and October allowed many vineyards to bounce back and harvest some high quality fruit.  Two difficult, low yield vintages in a row, however, can create stress for even the most optimistic and resilient teams.

Vineyards were due for relief, and 2024 delivered a vintage that will be remembered as nearly perfect in every way. The year was truly blessed with warm weather, just the right amount of rain to encourage growth, warm days and cool nights in September to accelerate ripening, and a mostly dry October to allow for maximum hang time during harvest season.  The clouds had parted and fortune shone down on the region once again. (knock-knock-knock)

As with any year, the 2025 growing season was prefaced by the winter months leading up to budbreak. Hans Walter-Peterson of Cornell’s Finger Lakes Grape Program explains, “The 2025 growing season in the Finger Lakes doesn’t have just one story that describes how the year has gone for growers. The combination of mild temperatures and adequate cold hardiness this past winter meant that we started the year with minimal damage to the vines.”

The second act of this story, however, was undeniably wet and muddy. “Spring was probably the most nerve-racking part of the season,” recalls the team at Damiani Wine Cellars, located on the eastern shore of Seneca Lake, “where rainfall was quite high during the more sensitive periods of budbreak through bloom.” They stayed on high alert for disease, being “very diligent about fungal pathogens, most notably botrytis and downy mildew, getting sprays on early before buds opened and continuing the cycles to ensure no disease was present at the onset of fruit development.”  On the west side of Cayuga Lake at Bet the Farm, founder and winemaker Nancy Tisch remembers navigating the same challenge. “We were due for our first spray and the ground was still pretty wet which makes it problematic to get a tractor in and out of the vineyard.  Seems like the ground dried just enough to get us in on time.”

When summer arrived, the drying trend didn’t occur gradually.  It was more like a switch had been flipped. Silver Thread’s owner and winemaker Paul Brock had sensed as much back in June when he predicted, “if it dries up tomorrow and stays that way, nobody will remember that it was wet earlier in the season.” Fred Merwath, co-owner and winemaker at Hermann J Weimer on Seneca Lake’s western shore, describes the weather whiplash after a terribly soggy May.  “From a viticultural standpoint, it was too wet to run tractors.  It was almost too wet to plant our nursery. I think the whole east coast in general was really concerned about what was being set up for the growing season.  That continued until mid June and then all of a sudden it’s like the spigots were turned off.”

Hans Walter-Peterson's data confirms just how extreme the shift was. From June 15 to August 15, Geneva's weather station recorded just 0.42 inches of rain. “Rainfall in June, July, and most of August was about 50% of normal, or less, while Growing Degree Days (GDDs) were about 20% higher than average.”

The drought conditions turned out to be more gift than curse this year. While younger vines and those in shallower soils experienced some defoliation from water stress, most vineyards in the region thrived. Disease pressure that had seemed inevitable early on never materialized, and the fruit remained impressively clean. As Nancy Tisch recalls, “The little bits of rain prevented drought stress, the canopy remained healthy and green, we saw very little bird damage…so no sour rot or fruit flies. Really remarkable to have such clean fruit.”

That sense of ease was echoed on Keuka Lake. “This season felt like smooth sailing,” says Peter Weis, owner and winemaker at Weis Vineyards. “The grapes were clean and healthy up until the end, so we were able to push ripening to its peak.” Stability ultimately became one of the defining themes of the vintage. Abby Stamp, assistant winemaker at Lakewood Vineyards (also on the west shores of Seneca Lake), describes how it shaped their approach: “The warm, dry fall weather allowed us flexibility with our harvest decisions. We were able to pick each vineyard block when the chemistry and flavor development were ideal for specific styles, not because of impending inclement weather.”

While clean fruit and calmer harvest days were clear benefits of the dry weather, it also produced smaller, more concentrated berries. At Damiani, the team watched their Cabernet Franc transform through the dry months. "With the dry conditions, our Cabernet Franc that remained on the vine through September-October became more and more concentrated through dehydration," they explain. "We began to see sugar levels rise faster than we normally do, allowing us to pick at ideal ripeness." Some of their Cabernet Franc blocks that typically don't get picked until late October were ready by mid-month, ripening two weeks earlier than usual.

The ripeness levels were so extreme that Hans Walter-Peterson found himself double-checking his numbers. Some Cabernet Franc samples climbed above 25° Brix, leading him to observe that "a few of our samples this year have reached Brix levels that are more reminiscent of California than New York." He adds that these are "values that I don't think we have ever seen in any previous Veraison to Harvest samples."

The concentration showed up as more than just elevated sugar levels. Red wines across the region displayed enhanced color and phenolic development that caught winemakers' attention. Paul Brock at Silver Thread notes that "the color in the reds seems to be really well developed, so reds should have higher color concentrations and tannins." At Lakewood, Abby Stamp watched fermentations progress with growing excitement: "The red varieties are showing beautiful color and ample phenolics as they settle into their oak barrel hibernation."

There is science behind the beauty. Viticulture research suggests that water deficits before veraison boost anthocyanin formation far more than stress that comes afterward, and the 2025 drought aligned almost perfectly with the window to enhance these color compounds. The drought also affected pH levels in interesting ways. "The lack of water led to lower pH in the grapes," Paul Brock explains, "which is favorable for long-term aging of the wines."

While reds may have stolen the spotlight, whites and sparklers showed remarkable promise as well. At Damiani, the sparkling wine program benefited especially from the conditions. "The drought and sunshine brought great sugar accumulation and the acids held on well due to moderate temperatures at picking, which will yield some spectacular sparkling wines in 2025."  In Hermann J Weimer’s own harvest report, associate winemaker Bryanna Cramer recalls, “A few well-timed and light rain events helped push the vines across the finish line without sacrificing quality. This made selections for Single Vineyard and Reserve level Rieslings easy as there was high quality all around!”

As harvest wound down and momentum carried wineries toward a confident finish, the region received another piece of exciting news.  On October 16, Wine Enthusiast named the Finger Lakes its American Wine Region of the Year for 2025, highlighting its “plethora of world-class wineries, vibrant Riesling, herbaceous Cabernet Franc, and breathtaking lakeside vistas.” For a region defined by its down-to-earth nature, collaborative spirit, and humble passion for the craft, recognition on the world stage brought a well-earned sense of pride.

Galileo may have said that “wine is sunlight, held together by water,” but anyone working in the Finger Lakes this year knows a vintage carries far more than light and rain.  It carries the mud of spring, the hard edges of drought, the patience required to wait for perfect ripeness, the unwavering commitment of harvest teams and winemakers, and meticulously managed vines that produce exceptional fruit year after year.  It holds concentrated flavor from small berries, brilliant red color, flexible harvest windows, and remarkably clean fruit.  It also holds the beauty of the land and the bounty it offers to those who care for it. As Lakewood’s Abby Stamp reflects, “I can't help but feel like we have gotten incredibly lucky in regards to the quality of the last several vintages. I am cautiously hopeful that it is a lasting trend. In the meantime, we will enjoy coaxing the promising 2025 ferments into age-worthy finished wines.”

Here, good seasons are never taken for granted.  They are noted, appreciated, and carefully celebrated.  Often followed by a gentle knock on wood.