Finger Lakes winery guide

Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards

Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards sits on the east shore of Seneca Lake in Hector, New York, on land the Hazlitt family has farmed since 1852, when David and Clarissa…

Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards

About Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards

Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards sits on the east shore of Seneca Lake in Hector, New York, on land the Hazlitt family has farmed since 1852, when David and Clarissa Hazlitt purchased 153 acres of fruit trees and vineyards. The winery itself was founded in 1985 by Jerry and Elaine Hazlitt, and seven generations of the family have now worked the property. It remains one of the most recognizable stops on the award-winning Seneca Lake Wine Trail.

The estate is the home of Red Cat, a sweet, fruity red built on native Catawba grapes that grew from a homemade batch into the number-one selling wine in New York State. Tastings here are intentionally casual and unintimidating: guests gather around the iconic horseshoe bar inside a converted horse barn filled with antiques and memorabilia, choosing any six pours from a lineup of wines, hard ciders, and wine seltzers, served with a complimentary bowl of fresh popcorn.

Beyond the tasting room, the Hector property is genuinely family- and dog-friendly, with stocked ponds, lawn games, picnic areas, and wide-open lawns. The Oasis, a timber-frame outdoor pavilion and bar added in 2013, hosts live music from late spring through September. A second location, Hazlitt Red Cat Cellars in Naples, NY, handles much of the Red Cat production.

Plan your visit

Address
5712 NY-414, Hector, NY 14841
Phone
607-546-9463
Hours
Monday - Saturday: 10:00 AM - 5:30 PM Sunday: 11:00 AM - 5:30 PM (November 1 - May 31: closes at 5:00 PM) Closed Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas & New Year's Day

Visitor amenities

  • Pet-friendly
  • Family-friendly

Wines to explore

  • Red Cat — Sweet, fruity red blend
  • Red Cat Dark — Bold, sweet Concord red
  • Pink Cat — Sweet, fruity rosé
  • White Cat — Sweet, fruity white
  • White Stag — Semi-dry white blend
  • Pinot Gris — Crisp & refreshing white
  • Sauvignon Blanc — Bright, zesty white
  • Grüner Veltliner — Dry, peppery, crisp
  • Sweet Riesling — Aromatic, fruity, off-dry
  • Strawberry Watermelon — Juicy, fruity, semi-sweet
  • Cabernet Franc — Bold, balanced dry red
  • Cabernet Sauvignon — Full-bodied dry red
  • Merlot — Smooth, medium-bodied red
  • Dry Rosé — Crisp, dry, refreshing
  • Late Harvest Vidal Blanc — Sweet, honeyed dessert wine
  • Solera Sherry — Rich, nutty dessert wine
  • Port — Rich, sweet, aged

More at this winery

The Oasis

A timber-frame, post-and-beam outdoor pavilion and bar with a laid-back, tropical feel, added in 2013. It features a large fire pit area, Adirondack chairs, and picnic tables, and serves wine by the glass, local craft beer, hard cider, wine slushies, and non-alcoholic drinks. Open seasonally (roughly Memorial Day weekend through September) with a live music series.

Family-Friendly Activities

The Hector location is built for families, with ponds where kids can feed the fish, grape juice slushies, coloring pages, complimentary popcorn, and giant lawn games like Connect 4, cornhole, and hula hoops, plus plenty of open lawn and picnic seating.

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