Ryan William Vineyard

About Ryan William Vineyard

Ryan William Vineyard sits in the heart of the Finger Lakes in the Town of Hector, on the southeast shore of Seneca Lake — the largest of the glacial Finger Lakes by volume. The estate is committed to 100% estate-grown winemaking: every grape in every bottle comes from its own plantings, which run down a steep, westward-facing slope all the way to the Seneca Lake shoreline. That aspect maximizes sunlight hours through the growing season and creates a micro-climate that softens the challenges of growing vinifera in upstate New York. The vineyard grows Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Grüner Veltliner, Pinot Blanc, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Pinot Noir, and Syrah — including the earliest planting of Grüner Veltliner in New York State.

Visits center on The Tasting Barn, a canted queen post barn originally built between 1865 and 1870 that was rescued from collapse, disassembled in 2014, and painstakingly catalogued, restored, and reassembled over more than four years before opening to the public in 2016. The exposed original timber frame now houses both the winery's tasting room and a farm-to-fork café run by Ryan's wife, Samira, which sources ingredients from the animals raised and produce grown on the surrounding 76-acre farm. In 2026, Ryan William Vineyard at The Tasting Barn was named one of USA Today's Top 10 Best Winery Restaurants.

The winery's estate program has earned notable accolades of its own, including Best Dry Riesling at the 2025 New York Wine Classic for the 2024 Dry Riesling. Guests can enjoy self-guided tasting flights, wine by the glass or bottle, and guided tastings by reservation, alongside tapas-style snacks, brunch, lunch, and specialty dinners. Located on the Seneca Lake Wine Trail, the estate is minutes from Watkins Glen, Hector, and Burdett, and a short drive from Ithaca and Trumansburg.