Konstantin Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars

Rosè all day! George is really knowable and friendly which makes for great wine tasting.

I’ve lived somewhat near the Finger Lakes for many years, and while I’ve been to many Cayuga wineries and a few on Seneca, I’ve never made the trip out to Keuka Lake.
I’ve had Dr. Frank’s wines before and had been impressed, but this was a whole new level.
First, the grounds are stunning, even on a grey-​ish winter day. After you drive up one of the steepest inclines I’ve ever encountered, the views are unbeatable.
The woman leading the tasting was incredibly knowledgeable (we chatted with her afterwords about her background and education in wine — very impressive!) I’m used to the tasting leaders usually being the owners or maybe college students near areas like Ithaca or Geneva, but this was clearly above and beyond.
While Dr. Frank’s wines might be some of the more expensive wines from this region, it is blatantly clear why that is the case. This is worth the trip down from Rochester or anywhere!

This is hands down the best winery on Keuka Lake (maybe all of the finger lakes). Free wine tastings and incredible deals on highly rated wines! Staff is very knowledgeable and view is great!

Another wonderful winery on Keuka Lake with a beautiful view! I came here for the first time with a bunch of people for my friends birthday as part of her winery/​brewery tour. Not knowing the itinerary beforehand, my coworker was telling me about Dr. Frank’s and their Rieslings so I was excited to find out we would be making a stop here. The Tasting Room is large and it’s nice that it is set up along the edge of the windows so that everyone has a view of the lake. I like that they had crackers to help with a palette cleanse between tastings. We had a group of 20 of us so it was nice we ended up having the whole place to ourselves being it was a Saturday in December. There were a few different wines that I liked but I ended up purchasing a bottle of the Semi Dry Riesling which I believe is also award winning. So glad I had the chance to go here and can’t wait to enjoy of glass of the Riesling soon.

We came here on Halloween and had the drunk nun serve us, she was super funny and really helpful. Of course the view is great, and the deck is awesome. Perfect spot for the summer and early fall to look out over the lake. The place is huge, I think there are two different tasting rooms.
The wine tastings are complimentary and they are very good.
You can choose between the Dry and Sweet, we both picked one because I like sweet. Their wines are delicious and I’m not a huge drinker, but I loved them. She even let him try some of the more expensive wines ($ 30 bottles and a $ 50 bottle)! He said she could taste the difference in them too and was happy to have tried them. The explanations are very detailed, we learned a lot about the grapes and some of the ones that are only at Dr. Frank’s.
We walked out with two bottles — 2014 Semi-​Dry and Dry Reislings.
I definitely recommend stopping by here if you’re in the area.

This winery had a great view! The tasting process seemed a bit more formal than some of the others and the staff was friendly. My only complaint was the tasting room was freezing. It made me rush a bit. That being said we did buy some wine. 5 stars because the quality and taste of the wine and the FREE tasting outweighed being chilly.

At Kelly’s just a few miles from Glimmerglass opera and Cooperstowm, Ny wepicked up a bottle of Salmon Run chardonay the perfect light white for people who don’t especially like california chardonays which i for one do not like, it was lovely st $ 12.99 at Kelly’s, i articulaly like drinking a local Fingerlakes wine. If you can find it grt it!

This was the best winery we visited. The staff here was very knowledgable and professional. Taylor was clearly an expert on the wines she was serving. She gave us great recommendations and we purchased a rose. Definitely make a trip here!

Excellent Finger Lakes winery– we’ve been to all of the Seneca & Cayuga wineries, and this was by far the best wine we’ve tasted in upstate NY. The Dry Riesling was unbelievable! Our tasting host provided excellent recommendations– I’d highly recommend visiting Dr. Frank’s!

How could I give Dr. Frank only four stars? I must have been really drunk. From the moment you’re greeted at the door, through your guided tasting, until you leave with purchase in hand, everything will be good.
Some of us never leave with purchases, choosing to enjoy the deck.

Being as famous as it is, and a staple in the Finger Lakes wine community, I knew I had to give this place a shot. When I heard they held free tastings I was doubly excited! Be aware though that this place draws quite a large crowd. If it’s a very busy day you will be seated in a waiting area until a host is able to place you somewhere in their tasting room.
Due to the crowds most of the staff here is very harried, so it’s not nearly as intimate as many other wineries in the area. That being said our server was still very helpful and a great sport; she told us lots of interesting anecdotes about the wine we were drinking.
The wines here are alright. Definitely try the Rieslings which they are known for, as these are definitely their best offerings. Also they have a rare white Rkatsiteli wine that is not often produced domestically in the United States. However, their reds are not so great, just average in most regards. Add to this that most of their wines run more expensive than most other wineries, so despite their fame I was a bit disappointed that so many of their wines were run of the mill.
I’m giving them four stars mostly for their gorgeous property, which was among the most beautiful of the wineries we visited. Their deck overlooks lush vineyards and beautiful Keuka lake, so when you’re done tasting definitely go take a walk around the property.

Had such a great tasting here. George was our wine tender and he was so much fun. All of the wines were delicious, probably the best on the trail. And the view was majestic. Definitely make this one a priority (and our tasting was free!)

This is New York’s most award-​winning winery! Dr. Konstantin Frank was truly a pioneer in the development of the Finger Lakes wine country. This winery is renown for its rieslings (which I bought a few home!), but with new forays into the reds, I was most intrigued by their Cuvee d’Amour. I tasted quite a few of their varietals and am really impressed. The tasting room and team are world-​class. You can really feel all the quality and commitment in the winemaking.

Two words: Free Tastings.
Seriously. No charge, and the tasting included 6 or so generous pours from a nice range of wines. In addition to Frank’s renowned Rieslings, other choices included three styles of sparkling wine and several remarkably good dry reds. We even got to taste a couple listed as reserved for wine club members only.
Allyn was a funny, incredibly knowledgeable host, and we didn’t feel rushed or pressured to buy on the spot. Everyone at Dr. Frank’s provided a fantastic start to our day of wine tasting on Keuka Lake.
(TIP: We started our day here, and we didn’t pick up the Keuka passport until we got to Heron Hill. We should have purchased at Frank, though – there’s a 10% discount on any wine purchase, even if you only buy one bottle.)

Dr. Konstantin Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars is the preeminent winery of upstate New York. It was the first stop on our Finger Lakes wine tour and the benchmark by which all others were measured. Dr. Frank is renowned for its Rieslings, but don’t neglect the other lesser known varietals, some of which were surprisingly delicious.
George conducted our tasting and he was a delight. Knowledgeable and friendly, he let us take our time to mull over the wines and take our extensive tasting notes. Tastings are complimentary and I suspect it’s because the wines are so good they know you’re going to purchase a case.
The signature wine, the Dr. Konstantin Frank dry Riesling, was evocative of Sauvignon Blanc with pungent grapefruit aromas. The wine is still young (we tasted a 2013 vintage) and if laid down, I think it will develop those honey and petrol notes usually associated with Riesling.
I especially enjoyed the Blanc de Blancs sparkling, which is made from 100% Chardonnay and fermented using the traditional method. It was light, refreshing, and elegant, with beautiful orange peel notes.
Now, I have never been a fan of Grüner Veltliner. I always thought of it as a trendy varietal that those «in the know» allege to love. However, Dr. Frank’s Grüner was outstanding. The overtly herbaceous notes (think lettuce) typically associated with Grüner are tempered with flavors of lime and good acidity, making it a great food wine.
It is clear to see why Dr. Frank’s wines receive so many accolades and industry awards. I’d say that no winery tour of the Finger Lakes is complete without a visit to Dr. Frank. But a word of warning to the gaggles of giggling, tipsy ladies at Bachelorette parties: this place creates serious wines, and is probably not for you.

We arrived here right at opening and felt rushed. It was the strangest thing because at the opening only a dozen people were there. There were numerous tasting presenter people but we were forced into a big group of people that were all together and the two of us felt squished in and like outsiders. It was awkward and really made us not want to continue but we did. Wines were really sweet but the most inexpensively priced. The views here were gorgeous and a great drive to the winery. I would say this was a so so experience and I think given a better tasting group we would have liked it more.

This winery should be the first stop on any serious oenophile’s trip into the Finger Lakes. Dr. Frank is not only one of the best wineries in the area, but Dr. Frank himself is the man responsible for showing Americans that you CAN grow Vinifera grapes in North America. Without him, all we would have would be plonk like Niagara and Concord grape wines.
What D. Frank does well are Reislings and other central-​to-​eastern European white grape varietals, as well as a few decent reds (Cab Franc, Pinot Noir), and some extremely good sparkling wines. If you prefer sweet wines, you’ll probably be happier at one of those wineries that accommodate the ‘drunk busses’, which Dr. Frank certainly does NOT do. Also, there is no restaurant here. If you have a group, you MUST call ahead.
Why not 5 stars? Well, although they are one of the few places that still does not charge for tastings, I still think that the premium they charge at the winery shop is too much. Most varieties can be found at any liquor store for about $ 5/​bottle less, and I only buy those unusual varieties (like the wonderful Gruner Veltliner) that you can’t find elsewhere.

One of the top wineries in New York state and the Finger Lakes region and like another commentator wrote, «not just because the magazines say so».
Dr. Frank’s will delight and suprise you: from their incredible tasting room, emerging from one of the steep sides of Keuka Lake to their organized and knowledgeable staff to each well-​made wine you taste. Tastings here are free and although I do not mind paying for a tasting at wineries (wine is a difficult business), this is an added perk. Additionally, you will be served and guided through 5+ wines, rather than choosing from a list. Again, sometimes its nice that wineries offer you a choice, but at the same time, I really like being shown what a winery wants to feature from their vineyards.
It was surprisingly busy for an early Thursday afternoon in the summer, so my best advice is to really go at a less-​busy time. I imagine weekends here are incredibly packed. Dr. Frank’s does get mentions in local, regional and national press so any non-​local visitor will definitely have this on their trip agenda.

This winery itself is gorgeous with a beautiful view. There’s a nice patio outside of the wine tasting room where people can sit and enjoy the scenery. The workers here are also extremely nice and the person who served us the wine was phenomenal. She gave me the sweeter wines and she gave my boyfriend the drier ones so that we could try them both. Best of all the wine tasting was free while other places were about 3 – 5 $. She gave us about 5 – 7 samples (I lost count!) and all of the wines were delicious. I went to four wineries and this was the only place where I actually purchased a few bottles because I liked it so much. It caters both to those who like sweeter wines (like me) as well as those who like drier ones.

2^nd Stop on our Keuka Lake wine tour. At first, we were confused, because the path to this winery is a dirt path, and on an extremely steep uphill, but once you finally find it, it’s amazing.
When you get there, they have a waiting area so they can bring everyone in at once to start the tasting on the same time. They have a pre-​selected menu of 5 wines to taste, with 2 options: a drier wine, and a slightly sweeter one. My boyfriend chose the sweeter ones, while I had the drier ones. The server was very knowledgeable about the wines, and all the wines I tried were really nice, especially the Riesling. My boyfriend enjoyed them all as well as one of the reds. Best of all, it was a free tasting. Can’t go wrong with free!
There is a gorgeous view outside the winery.