Hosmer Winery

About Hosmer Winery

Hosmer Winery is a family-run estate winery on the western shore of Cayuga Lake in Ovid, New York, and home to the Patrician Verona Vineyard, first planted by Maren and Cameron Hosmer in 1972. After more than a decade of growing and selling grapes, the family produced its first vintage and incorporated the winery in 1985, initially pouring wine out of the garage of the estate home before renovating a 200-plus-year-old barn across the street into the tasting room that still welcomes visitors today.

The estate farms roughly 70 acres of vines on gently east-sloping ground with silt loam soils over shale bedrock, positioned along one of the widest and deepest stretches of Cayuga Lake — conditions well suited to premium cool-climate winegrowing. Plantings include Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Lemberger, Merlot, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Riesling, and Sauvignon Blanc alongside native and hybrid varieties, and every Hosmer wine is made entirely from estate-grown fruit. The family emphasizes soil health and reduced-impact farming so the wines reflect the character of the vineyard site.

Now led by the next generation, Timothy and Brooke Hosmer, the winery is known for a relaxed, come-as-you-are tasting room where standard tastings include five wines of the guest's choosing. The barn hosts regular live music and community events, the grounds offer tent and lawn seating for wine by the glass in the warmer months, and dogs are welcome both inside and out. Wine Enthusiast has singled Hosmer out as a top stop on Cayuga Lake, with particular praise for its Chardonnay.