Finger Lakes winery guide

Montezuma Winery Finger Lakes

Montezuma Winery grew out of a multi-generational beekeeping operation. Featured wines include Cranberry Bog and Fat Frog Red.

Montezuma Winery Finger Lakes

About Montezuma Winery Finger Lakes

Montezuma Winery grew out of a multi-generational beekeeping operation. When honey prices fell in the late 1990s, the Martin family turned their hives toward a new craft, securing a New York farm winery license in 1999 and launching Martin's Honey Farm & Meadery in Sterling, NY. Success came quickly, and in 2001 the family moved production to a 14,000-square-foot winery and gift shop in Seneca Falls, at the northern tip of Cayuga Lake just two minutes from the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge.

Today the winery is best known for creative fruit and honey wines alongside traditional grape wines, with a lineup that runs from dry Rieslings to sweet favorites like the flagship Cranberry Bog, Fat Frog Red, Blueberry, Rhubarb, and classic mead. The portfolio has earned Gold and Double Gold medals, Best of Class honors, top fruit-wine awards, and national mead championship recognition. The property is also home to Hidden Marsh Distillery, established in 2007 as one of New York State's earliest craft distilleries, producing BEE Vodka, John Shaw bourbon and rye whiskeys, and an award-winning ginger liqueur.

Now part of Martin Family Wineries & Distilleries, the Seneca Falls tasting room opened a major expansion in December 2024 with a larger tasting bar, indoor seating, and a bigger gift shop stocked with homemade fudge, local cheeses, and craft beverages. Visitors can enjoy daily wine and spirit tastings, cocktail and mimosa flights, seasonal wine slushies, a kitchen serving pizza and charcuterie, and weekly live music in summer. A proud member of the Cayuga Lake Wine Trail, the winery is both pet-friendly and family-friendly, with indoor and outdoor seating and EV chargers on site.

Plan your visit

Address
2981 U.S. Route 20, Seneca Falls, NY 13148
Phone
(315) 568-8190
Hours
Monday - Sunday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Summer hours: Daily 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM Tasting bar closes 15 minutes prior to winery closing

Visitor amenities

  • Pet-friendly
  • Family-friendly
  • On-site dining at Montezuma Winery Finger Lakes Kitchen

Wines to explore

  • Cranberry Bog — Sweet start, tart finish
  • Fat Frog Red — Fun, fruity Concord sweetness
  • Sweet Mead (Honey Wine) — Smooth, floral honey notes
  • Riesling — Crisp & aromatic
  • Blueberry — Juicy, jammy berry flavor
  • Rhubarb — Tangy & refreshing
  • Fat Frog White Peach — Sweet, juicy peach
  • Montmorency Cherry-Apple — Bright, tart cherry-apple
  • Diamond — Classic sweet native grape
  • Moscato — Sweet & fragrant

More at this winery

Montezuma Winery Finger Lakes Kitchen (Casual American)

A casual kitchen inside the tasting room serving food designed to pair with the winery's wines, spirits, and cocktails. Offerings include pizzas, a turkey panini, grilled cheese, chicken tenders, and a shareable charcuterie board, with extended hours on Thursdays during summer live-music nights.

Hidden Marsh Distillery

An on-site craft distillery established in 2007, among the first in New York State. Guests can sample small-batch spirits at the tasting bar, including BEE Vodka, John Shaw Bourbon and Rye whiskeys, bourbon creams, and a Best in Class ginger liqueur, plus handcrafted cocktails.

Gift Shop & Homemade Fudge

The expanded 2024 tasting room includes a large gift shop stocked with wine-themed gifts, local cheeses and snacks, craft beer, canned cocktails, and the winery's own homemade fudge.

Tunes & Tots Live Music Nights

Weekly live music from local artists at the tasting room — Thursday evenings (6-9 PM) all summer and Friday evenings in fall — with drink specials and loaded tater tots. No reservations required.

Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge (nearby)

The winery sits about two minutes from the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge, a major migratory bird sanctuary at the north end of Cayuga Lake with a wildlife drive and trails — an easy add-on to a tasting visit.

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