Finger Lakes winery guide

Chateau Renaissance Wine Cellars

Chateau Renaissance Wine Cellars is a small, family-run winery near the southern tip of Keuka Lake, just south of the village of Hammondsport in New York's…

About Chateau Renaissance Wine Cellars

Chateau Renaissance Wine Cellars is a small, family-run winery near the southern tip of Keuka Lake, just south of the village of Hammondsport in New York's Finger Lakes. Housed in a distinctive Normandy/Tuscany-style building entered through a vegetation-draped doorway, the intimate tasting room is known for its laid-back, unpretentious atmosphere and complimentary tastings.

The winery was established in 1999 by winemaker Patrice DeMay, who immigrated to the United States from France in the 1970s. His family operated the DeMay-Gremy Wine Cellars in Vouvray, in France's Loire Valley, and the techniques and traditions used at Chateau Renaissance — including a 400-year-old family recipe — trace back to that heritage. DeMay grows grapes, fruit, and flowers on site, uses old-world spontaneous (wild-yeast) fermentation, and hand-paints the colorful, often novelty-shaped bottle labels himself.

Chateau Renaissance is best known for its award-winning New York State sparkling wines, made in the traditional methode champenoise. The winery also produces still reds and whites (including Merlot, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Franc) and an extensive lineup of fruit and flower wines made with real fruit — dandelion, elderberry, strawberry-rhubarb, red raspberry, rose, lavender, and violet among them — plus ports, sherry, sangria, and 'fruit sparklers' that blend the house Champagne with fruit wine. Tastings are complimentary, and limousines and buses are welcome with a call ahead for parties of 20 or more.

Plan your visit

Address
7494 Fish Hatchery Road, Hammondsport, NY 14840
Phone
(607) 569-3609
Hours
Monday - Saturday: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Sunday: 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Wines to explore

  • New York State Champagne (Brut) — Methode champenoise, award-winning
  • Fruit Sparklers — Champagne blended with fruit
  • Merlot — Soft, distinctive red
  • Pinot Noir — Light, food-friendly red
  • Cabernet Franc — Classic Finger Lakes red
  • Dandelion Wine — Unusual floral fruit wine
  • Elderberry Wine — Rich, dark fruit
  • Strawberry Rhubarb Wine — Sweet-tart, not cloying
  • Red Raspberry Wine — Bright, sweet berry
  • Lavender Wine — Delicate, refreshing floral
  • Violet Wine — Aromatic floral specialty
  • Frosty New York Sangria — Fruity, refreshing, crowd-pleasing
  • Port — Rich fortified dessert wine
  • Sherry — Traditional fortified style

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