Establishment of the Seneca Lake Viticultural Area

Washington, D.C. - The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau published a final rule in the Federal Register on July 3, 2003, establishing the Seneca Lake viticultural area in upstate New York. This final rule is effective in 60-days, September 2, 2003. The new Seneca Lake viticultural area is entirely within the existing Finger Lakes viticultural area and just east of the existing Cayuga Lake viticultural area.

The Seneca Lake viticultural area surrounds Seneca Lake, one of New York's eleven Finger Lakes, and covers approximately 204,600 acres in portions of Ontario, Schuyler, Seneca, and Yates counties. There are currently 33 wineries on or near Seneca Lake and about 3,750 acres are planted to grapes.

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