2022 Finger Lakes Wine Industry Outlook

It’s almost wine season and the Canandaigua Lake Wine Trail is starting off 2022 with a very optimistic outlook on the year! As people are becoming more comfortable with socializing and traveling, the Wine Trail hopes to see visitors enjoying the region again.

Each winery has a unique prediction for what 2022 will hold. Some wineries have had the time to add new upgrades during the pandemic, which they are excited for customers to experience for the very first time. Others already have big celebrations planned for the year. As the region returns to normalcy, the wineries are preparing to welcome in customers like old times.

Inspire Moore Winery | Naples, NY

Inspire Moore Winery has the bar set high for 2022. They hope that the region will gain the recognition they deserve this year for the quality wines produced. It is impressive for wineries on the trail to be making New York State wine that is comparable to that of Napa Valley. With so many delicious local wines being produced, Inspire Moore anticipates the wineries to gain further attention and engagement this year. They also predict that customers will steer away from the fruity flavored wines and experiment trying those that are crafted more uniquely. 

Song Hill Winery | Victor, NY

Song Hill Winery is excited to welcome back customers and show off unique changes!  They’ve put in a lot of effort to ensure that the tasting areas at the winery are safe and comfortable for visitors while adhering to pandemic policies. At the same time, they’ve thoughtfully protected the customer’s experience. Song Hill believes that customers will find the region and tasting experience much more enjoyable than it was even five years ago.

Song Hill is also excited to expand their tasting room to a new space which will open this April. Winemaker Conor explained the plan of their new addition. “The tasting room experience will include a winemaker guiding the customer through five or six wines, each with a different, seasonal, small gourmet food pairing. After the tasting, the winemaker will end the experience with a vineyard tour for the customer, weather permitting”. 

Winemaker Conor Gallagher

Arbor Hill Grapery & Winery | Naples, NY

Arbor Hill Winery’s prediction for 2022 is that customers will want to learn more about where and how their wine was made. This trend is also known as “identity preserved”, the process that consumers want to know the wine from vine to glass. In recent years, the trail has recognized that wine drinkers have an increased interest in understanding the wine they are consuming. Behind every wine made is a story and tedious production process. The fact that customers are showing interest in becoming educated on wine is rewarding for winemakers. It shows that people truly value the hard work put into handcrafted wine and do not just purchase it to drink, but to learn from it too. 

Heron Hill Winery | Canandaigua, NY

Aside from just wineries, Heron Hill has a prediction for all producers in the area. They see 2022 as a year for up and coming breweries, distilleries, and restaurants to flourish. As a result, Heron Hill is expecting to see a burst of tourism in the Canandaigua Lake Wine Trail this year.

2022 is an exciting year for Heron Hill Tasting Room, due to its 50th anniversary of Ingle Vineyards. Planted by John and Jo Ingle in 1972, the winery has seen half a century of prosperity since then. To celebrate how far they have come, Heron Hill plans to host special events this season.

Hazlitt Red Cat Cellars | Naples, NY

Hazlitt predicts 2022 to be the year of local! Hard seltzers have been an experimental competition between alcohol manufacturers in the past few years. In 2021, hard seltzers “occupied 20 of the top 25 spots on the best-selling new brands, including the top 16 spots” (Forbes, 2022). As the seltzer industry is booming with new creations, Hazlitt recently hopped on the bandwagon and released their own line. By doing so, the winery invisions a comeback of all locally sourced and high quality beverages, including wines, hard ciders, craft beers, and spirits.

Looking Forward to Wine Season

One last piece of news we would like to share is the ROC/FLX Craft Beverage Trail Passport. This passport includes 37 wineries, breweries, distilleries, and cideries in the Rochester/Finger Lakes area. A few of our own wine trail members are in the passport, including Arbor Hill Grapery & Winery, Inspire Moore Winery, and Song Hill Winery! Passports are available for $25 and include special deals and gifts at each location. Purchase your passport at www.rocflxcraftbevtrail.com 

With so many new trends, events, and additions, 2022 should be an exciting year for the Wine Trail! Wine season can’t come soon enough!