Finger Lakes winery guide

Rock Stream Vineyards

Rock Stream Vineyards sits above the west shore of Seneca Lake, where Route 14 meets Fir Tree Point Road, and it has been pouring since July 2005.

Rock Stream Vineyards

About Rock Stream Vineyards

Rock Stream Vineyards sits above the west shore of Seneca Lake, where Route 14 meets Fir Tree Point Road, and it has been pouring since July 2005. The estate belongs to Dr. Mark Karasz, a West Point graduate and retired Army lieutenant colonel with a doctorate in chemistry; a three-year posting to Italy sent him home wanting to make wine and, more unusually, grappa. What grew out of that is a working vineyard with Seneca Lake's oldest licensed grappa and grape brandy distillery attached to it.

The list runs to eighteen wines, sorted frankly into dry, semi-dry and sweet rather than dressed up. Vinifera is well represented — a dry Riesling, an oaked Chardonnay Reserve, Cabernet Franc, and newer dry bottlings of Grüner Veltliner and Gewürztraminer, the latter a double gold at the 2026 Finger Lakes International Wine Competition — but the house signature is Niagara made bone dry, one of very few in the region, alongside native blends like the four-time gold medal Make Me Blush. The grappa, distilled from Riesling skins at 40 percent, took double gold at the New York Wine Classic twice.

Tastings are walk-in; only groups of twelve or more need to book ahead. There are separate flights for wine, for the distilled spirits and port, and for five beers from Grist Iron Beer Company. Piccolo Pizzeria fires thin-crust pizza on Saturdays, and each July the winery hosts Rock Stock and Barrel, its own music festival.

Plan your visit

Address
162 Fir Tree Point Road, Rock Stream, NY 14878
Phone
(607) 243-5395
Hours
Monday - Sunday: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Visitor amenities

  • On-site dining at Piccolo Pizzeria

Wines to explore

  • Dry Riesling — Dry, peach & citrus
  • Semi-Dry Riesling — Honeyed, tropical & balanced
  • Sweet Riesling — Sweet, honeyed & clean
  • Chardonnay Reserve — Oaked, vanilla & apple
  • Semi-Dry Chardonnay — Unoaked, tangerine & soft
  • Grüner Veltliner — Citrusy, mineral & vibrant
  • Gewürztraminer — Spicy, lychee & aromatic
  • Traminette — Floral, citrus & spiced
  • Dry Niagara — Grapey nose, dry finish
  • Semi-Dry Niagara — Melon, apple & crisp
  • Semi-Dry Vignoles — Honey, pineapple & round
  • Sweet Vignoles — Dessert-style, honeyed & rich
  • Sweet Seyval Blanc — Silky, honey & apple
  • Cabernet Franc Rosé — Dry, cherry blossom & strawberry
  • Make Me Blush — Sweet native blend, easy
  • Poolside Pink — Sweet, watermelon & candied
  • Cabernet Franc — Cherry, vanilla & velvety
  • DeChaunac — Full-bodied, plum & chocolate
  • Bubbly Niagara — Semi-dry sparkling, fruit-forward
  • Noiret Port — Fortified, cherry & toffee

More at this winery

Piccolo Pizzeria (Thin-crust pizza)

A small kitchen on the winery premises turning out gourmet thin-crust pizzas one day a week. The short menu runs to three pies — Margherita, Calabrese and a Three Cheese Heat — meant to be eaten alongside the tasting room's wines, spirits and Grist Iron beers. Guests are asked to phone ahead so the kitchen knows they are coming.

Grappa & Spirits Distillery

Seneca Lake's oldest licensed grappa and grape brandy distillery operates on the same site as the winery, producing two grappas, a whiskey-flavored brandy, seven liqueurs and two ports. Visitors can book a flight of three distilled spirits plus a port alongside the wine tasting.

Rock Stream Farmhouse (Airbnb & VRBO)

A restored farmhouse the winery rents out on Airbnb and VRBO, a three-minute drive from the tasting room and about ten minutes from Watkins Glen. Guests get vineyard access and a free tour of the wine production facility across the road; pets are not permitted.

Rock Stock and Barrel Music Festival

The winery's own annual music festival, held each July and now in its eighteenth year. Live bands play through the afternoon while Piccolo Pizzeria serves and the tasting room pours wine, slushies, spirits and beer.

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