Damiani Wine Cellars

This winery has made it to my top five places in the finger lakes!! Incredible wine and great vibe with an amazing view! The guy giving the tasting was easy to talk to and friendly. I like how the wine danced on my taste buds robust flavor definitely great with red wine definitely joined the wine club and can’t wait to go back. It was extremely hot so we stayed inside, but I promise you the view is beautiful.

We were quite impressed with the quality of the wine and the service. We enjoyed all of the wines we tasted, particularly the red wines which had great complexity and character. The fortified dessert wine was also incredible. Michael was exceptionally friendly and knowledgeable, and he helped give us some great information about grape growing in the region vs the rest of the world, as well as helping guide us through the many wines with excellent suggestions. He was more than happy to compare tasting notes with us as we tried each wine to make sure he understood what we truly liked to help pick the next wine to try. Highly recommended!

Charming and friendly staff who are extremely knowledgeable and passionate about the wines, which made the tasting so much more fun. Great location overlooking the lake. Great selection of wines, some are price winners. Delicious & crisp wines, extra dry which I totally love. Totally loved the flight of tasting with generous servings. $15 /$18 for a flight $3 for any extra wine to try out.

This was our first winery we visited and although the outside was not as impressive as a couple of others, the wine was by far the best. So if you truly want good quality wine I would definitely recommend. The service was wonderful and they took a good amount of time explaining how the process they have pays special attention to letting the grapes and the job, no additional ingredients that would decrease the flavor and taste. To me this wine came the closest to the wine we had in Europe.

There are lots of wineries in this area, so we had to choose wisely for the one place we were going to go this visit. The wines are outstanding! The staff was very friendly and accommodating to a large party coming in near the end of the day. They were very attentive and explained each and every wine. We tried in the samplers. They have some other non-wine cocktails, which was great for the non-wine drinkers. Beautiful views of the lake and a nice deck that you can sit outside and enjoy the views (in better weather, not like we had today!). We will definitely be back next time we are in this part of upstate New York

We really liked the wine, food, and views. We thought the service was weird though. They acted annoyed that we were there and barely came by to check on us. We ordered glasses that took forever to come, almost like they forgot. We were also the only people inside the place the entire time we were there so it’s not like they were stressed or busy, they just didn’t seem to care.

The only thing good about this place is the distillery next to it, the service was absolutely brutal, we had to go call the waiters ourselves after being seated for 20 mins, get the menu ourselves and all this on a casual saturday. And pay the check ourselves, not sure if the service is always this bad or was it because we were a group of Indians. While checking out we had bought a bottle of wine which was not given until asked for after checking our bags? I mean there has to be something wrong with them.

My favorite winery, with the best selection to dry reds. They truly take pride in their craft. Jeremy and Alex are so knowledgeable and really make wine tasting an experience not just your average tasting. Join the wine club, and receive wine quarterly and discounts on any wine orders and tastings.

Nice wine tasting building with 2 floors and outdoor area with bocce, Building is smaller and most tables in use but we were able to get a table outside by the bocce. You can pick the wines for a flight from their list of wines available. Had fun tasting some of the red wines. Really enjoyed our experience and the bocce.

We had a blast at Damiani! The views are great and the staff are very friendly. We enjoyed trying their reds (they have a Cabernet Franc) and their semi dry Riesling. They have many award winning wines...all divine! My fave was the MC2. The Meritage is also very good. Very lovely tastings and I got to revisit some. The pinot gris is also very tasty. Would recommend!

Colorful warm friendly vibes greet you in a place with good wine and views of the lake. First tasting pick of five comes in a glass to get you started and the other 4 arrive in small carafes on a tasting board shortly after with a bag of oyster crackers to cleanse your palette as well as a water glass and bottle with stopper full of crisp cold water. There are a fair amount of tables to sit at for the tasting, which makes for a relaxed time. No one rushes you and if there are others you would like to try additional carafes are provided. A few sweet mostly semi and dry which we enjoy and will be back for more. Looks to be an old motel renovated and there are still Rooms for rent as well. Brewery is next door. Up the drive to the left is the tasting room.

Cozy little winery with a great view and superb staff who make you feel at home. I did not taste a wine that was less than very good. My favorite was the last one I tasted and a perfect end to a perfect day. A MUST try. GEM is sure to captivate you taste buds and warm your heart. Not to be missed?

One of our favorites on Seneca Lake. They specialize in red wines which is rare in finger lakes. Lovely setting + view and great service. Thanks Marty! (Hope I'm spelling her name right )

First of all...Michael is a gem! Ask for him. You will not be sorry. My mom is so picky and his first 2 choices for her were spot on! He even found a wine that all 3 of us loved. The view is insane!

Excellent (local) cheese and meat platter, excellent wine (both red and white), quiet and quaint, very friendly staff, and an incredible view! Highly recommend!

Lovely view! Their champagne is surprisingly good and only $20 for a bottle. $15 for a wine tasting is far above average inthe finger lakes. The server lady was very nice. I gave her a tip as you should too.

Beautiful location with a wonderful view! The wines were fantastic! Especially loved the MC2, and the sparkling white wine!

Red red wine you make me feel so fine, and I have started my love affair with red wine. Dry red wines are hard to find in a flight, but this place served it with taste and style. When we walked in, we were greeted immediately and we were asked if we would like the tasting outside or inside. We went with outside and enjoyed the gorgeous scene on the patio. My boyfriend and I each got a flight, and we probably should have split a flight because we received a lot of wine. I wasn't complaining though because since he was driving, I got most of his wine too. For $15 you received a wine glass and the ample wine tasting and a bag of pretzels to cleanse your palate in between. I enjoyed the wines as well and I will be back for another tasting and I recommend this place for those who enjoy a glass of dry red wine.

We love Damiani, some of the very best wines in the Finger Lakes, especially red and sparkling although they have some very strong whites, especially Chardonnay. This review is specific to their wine dinner in collaboration with Cayuga Shoreline. What a great event. Food was fantastic (review with Cayuga Shoreline) but the wine made the night. Fantastic reds as always, both were the great 2020 vintage. We also had their first Blanc de Blanc and they continue to impress with sparkling. Was very pleased and surprised with 2022 Chardonnay, especially as Chard is not usually our favorite white. Finally the night ended with dessert paired with their fortified dessert wine Gem. I have had this before but forgot how beautiful it is as we typically also don't favor fortified wines. Check out Damiani for other wine dinners or stop by their tasting room, you cannot go wrong.

My absolute favorite winery with the best selection of Dry reds in the Finger Lakes if not the world to be honest. Located less then 15 minutes from Watkins Glen, this should be on any wine tasting tour for the Finger Lakes Region. Jeremy and Alex are so much fun to Learn from and really make wine tasting an experience to remember. If you were ever thinking about joining a wine club, I cannot recommend Damiani enough, you will not be disappointed.

This was our final stop of the day and a hell of a way to finish. Our host Jeremy was so great and the wines were spectacular. We had a private wine and chocolate tasting in the cellar which we pre-arranged. This tasting included some welcome bubbles, a Riesling, my favorite Gewurtztraminer of the whole trip, a Cabernet Franc, a Meritage and a Cabernet Sauvignon. This is one of the only wineries in the Finger Lakes that specializes in red wines, though their whites are also excellent. All of the wines above were paired with some delectable chocolates and all of the pairings worked really well. My favorite pairing was the black tea dark chocolate with the cabernet franc. My favorite wine was the Gewurtztraminer. Jeremy was kind enough to share a few additional tasting with us including a Saperavi, which only a handful of wineries in this area do and this one was out of this world. He also shared a special wine called GEM that they make with Gewurtztraminer which was so good I think 4/6 of us ended up buying a bottle. The shipping fees were an incredibly reasonable flat rate. Jeremy was a great host and truly made us feel like VIPs. This place is a must visit if you are in the area. We spent 5 days in the area and this one was by far and away a highlight for the wine obviously, but also for how Jeremy went so above and beyond. 5+ stars.

Nice tasting room with a view of Seneca Lake. It was #2 on Day 1. The staff was very friendly and the place was busy -- someone's Birthday Party. The tastings were pre-determined so Tom got a set of red, and I did white. There was a dry reisling wine - nice but not my glass of wine. The 2022 Lemberger was nice but what was really good was the Meritage. We will go back and pick up some of that.

Stopped into Damiani Wine Cellars on Friday afternoon. The set-up, which was not prepared for the elements, impacted our wine tasting. This was disappointing because I did enjoy one of the better reds of our trip here. Quality: I will admit that the windy day had a significant influence on our visit. It was hard to concentrate and enjoy a Tasting when all the different elements of the tasting were spilling and blowing away. And while I appreciate the desire to create a safer way to conduct a wine tasting, the location suggests that wind like this would be a frequent issue. In terms of wine, we did both a White Flight and Red Flight. I think the highlight for me was the MC2, which was their most popular red blend. I was impressed by the fact that unlike a lot of other area wineries they placed a clear emphasis on producing reds. This proved important during this tasting as I was not particularly excited about the white wines I tried. Quantity: The Tastings came with five pours, served in small plastic cups. Value: $15 for a Tasting that comes with a wine glass. Ambiance: Damiani Wine Cellars is located along the east side of Seneca Lake in the Finger Lakes. It is located on a hill, which allows views over the trees that stand between it and the lake. The main building was not the most attractive, it looked a bit like an old motel, but with two floors it had decks on each level. The upstairs area appeared to be just be for private events. The downstairs indoor area was available for take-out purchases, while tastings were being handled at a bar on the outdoor deck. Along the lawn at the top of the hill they have picnic tables and Adirondack chairs for guests to do their self-guided tastings. Crowd: It was definitely one of the busier wineries we visited. The large outdoor space and the views of the lake were clearly a big draw. Service: After selecting your Tasting Flight they provide you small plastic cups in a bin. While I did appreciate the fact that they give you a glass, on a windy day this set-up was treacherous. The bin was too large, causing a lot of spillage and the paper slips with descriptions quickly flew away. Parking: Parking lot at the top of a fairly steep hill.

A beautiful fall day for wine and cheese. The meritage red was fabolous. We thought $15 for the 6 wine tasting to be pricey. You do need reservations to do the chocolate pairing. Would like to try that next time we are here.

Nope it's asking me for a review... And all I have to say about Damiani wine cellar is, go there! Great wines in the finger Lakes! There's only a handful of wineries they can do what they do and they do it like no other.

This place is fantastic! Most winerys have you stand or sit at a bar. I love that they let you sit down at a private table, hand you over the flight with description and let you sit and enjoy for a while. The staff are easily accessible if you have any questions, but they give you your space. It's nice having private time with your group at your own table while tasting wines and looking out over the lake. The view is phenomenal. I definitely want to go back when it is warm enough to be out on the deck. Even my husband (the wine hater) had fun! He liked the sparkling wines and that they had local beer available. We ended up going home with their brut, it was AMAZING!

Wonderful experience! Jenna was knowledgeable, charming, and informative. The view is amazing, as are their reds. Do not miss their meritage!

$15 for a flight of six wines with an amazing view of Seneca Lake indoors or outdoors: white, red or mixed. We enjoyed it tremendously and waitress gave us oyster crackers to cleanse palette.

This was a new stop. When you arrive, you don't have to pick a food item, but they have a food truck on site. You do have to select a wine flight and each flight comes with a glass, which is a good deal. I chose the Red Flight and my wife had the White Flight. The Red wines were okay, but a couple of the red wines were decent. The winery is nice and has a lot of property. It appears that this winery used to be someone's house. Cool place to check out if you're in the finger lakes.

My wife and I went for a visit over the 4th of July weekend. The wine was good. The person taking care of us said they were known for their red wines. We did try some red as well of a few of the classic FLX whites. Good, but nothing that was standout for us. It was a good experience but not a great experience. We noticed other tables (taken care of by a different member of the staff) were given a bottle of water and some crackers as a palette cleanser between tastes. It would have been nice to have a uniform experience for all guests. We did very much enjoy the view.

This was the first stop our driver brought us to on our wine tour, and by far our favorite of all the wineries we visited. They quickly informed us that their specialty is dry reds, which was music to our ears. Every one of the wines we had here, both whites and reds were exceptional. We bought the most bottles on our trip from here. The service was outstanding, very friendly and prompt. If in the Finger Lakes region again, we would make a point of coming here again.

To start off the location of the tasting room is great and my biggest regret is on a beautiful day my wife and I got here too late to get one of the deck seats that over looked the lake. Because of covid they are not doing the traditional guided tasting but bringing over your selections to the table and then answering any questions that you may have for them. Even though the tasting room was pretty busy we never felt neglected and the service was great. Next time we come back here we will make sure to get there a little earlier so we can sit on the deck instead of inside (if it's nice outside of course).

This place is great and have some really high-quality red wines, which are the most common in this area. The service we got for our tasting was great and we were able to have a great conversation about the wines we were tasting, which we love! They have some really great ones but the outstanding, by far the best one that they offer is the Meritage. We couldn't leave without it! They even admit that they put all of their best grades and the most effort into this wine and you can really taste it! our only regret was not also doing the chocolate pairing!

WHOA! This is my favorite winery so far on the east side of Seneca lake. Dry reds, just delightful. Splurge on the meritage!!! I enjoyed a glass of Pinot Grigio, but the reds really shine. They give you a sparkling white (Bollicine - yum!) as a palate cleanser - nice! Great views if you can get seated outside. I think I'll be coming again before I leave!

Enjoyed our tasting. Tried mostly reds since that's what they are known for. Nice price for the tasting. We ended up buying a bottle and also a glass to sit on the patio. Such a beautiful view!!!

Tried the dry red flight. Excellent selection, but you don't get a choice of what you want. And the flight is served in plastic cups??? Sigh. It was still very enjoyable. See the picture for the plastic cups. Companion got the Exi blueberry lemon cocktail and enjoyed it very much. Update: We went to other wineries who also did not give a choice of wines, and quite frankly I've come to appreciate this with the understanding that the wine selection was established purposefully to give a variety of selections and maximize enjoyment. That being said, after visiting other wineries I can say that the service here was the least friendly, personal, and knowledgeable. I had to go back and get a menu for a description of what exactly we were drinking.

If you like dry reds you have to try the reserve tasting. This are big bold dry wines that you don't really see in the area. We were really impressed and had not planned to buy any reds in this trip, we walked out with two bottles. The Winery was recommended by a bartender up int the Waterloo area and she was spot on! If you are a serious red wine drinker, do yourself a favor and check these out!

This winery had a unique experience to pair the tasting with chocolate. I would definitely recommend trying that option. We had a variety of whites, reds, and sparkling. We left with a few boxes of chocolate and one bottle of whine. Very friendly staff as well!

Must visit this winery. I loved the tasting and stuff was super friendly and knowledgeable. It was a real experience with best Pinot Noir New York wine. Got few bottles home Dry Rose, Pinot Noir 2013 and Syrah

Yesterday, my friend and I did a tour of seven different wineries across Seneca and Cayuga and Damiani was by far my favorite! It is situated on Seneca Lake in a quaint little building that looks like an old house! When we walked in we were immediately greeted by Cole, who was wonderful, and he shared the step tasting options with us. We opted for the chocolate pairing (OBVIOUSLY) so we tried two whites and two reds with their respective chocolates and oh my goodness.....wow. The last wine we tried was their Meritage and it ended up being my favorite of the trip. They do a beautiful job creating wines they care about and are passionate about. Cole was extremely knowledgeable and friendly and even kicked off our tasting with a bonus glass of bubbly. These little things go a long way when you're trying to distinguish between so many wineries in the area. I'll definitely be back.

Loved, loved, loved Damiani winery, their wine (MC2), charcuterie board, and chocolates and especially the manager Jeremy who was such an amazing person!!!!! Will come back every year on our vacation to visit this place - you will not be disappointed I promise

On a recommendation from our hotel concierge we paid a visit to Damiani Wine Cellars. Very friendly and informative about the area our hostess poured the three of us five tastings for five dollars (total - $15). We found the lone standout to be the 2016 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay which we purchased. The interior has a fine relaxing ambiance while outside offers beautiful scenic views - as most vineyards here do. Lunch not available here but our hostess did not hesitate to suggest lunch options offered by other vineyards in the area. Nice...

To be fair, my experience is probably not the norm. I'm a wine blogger and was in town for the wine blogger's conference. Part of the conference is that you get on a mystery bus and are taken to a local wine-related place. I got on a bus and was immediately poured a glass of their sparkling, made by the traditional method, by the crew from Damiani. And then another few glasses over the course of the ride. We watched a video, talked and asked questions, and had a grand time on the ride. On site we took a tour and also visited the distillery on the property. We were treated to cocktails and some amazing photo ops (fantastic space) at the distillery before heading back to the main building for an incredible, multi-course, fully paired dinner. The location is beautiful and we were afforded a gorgeous sunset. Nothing was rushed and the various staff circulated tables each course. This allowed us to get acquainted with Damiani from the bones out -- a truly holistic glimpse. Everyone was engaging, knowledgeable, and team-oriented. The bloggers all had different experiences and niches which also helped the conversations go deep. I blog about wine culture and politics, someone was into the eco-friendly aspects. We also had a travel blogger and a food blogger at our table. One specialized in sparkling. Truly a fascinating experience and the amount of attention and care we were afforded was impressive. It was like a huge family dinner and a class at a stellar university all at once.

One of the few brave wineries that actually markets and works towards drier styled wines - a difficult task in the NY Finger Lakes region. And lo and behold, they do quite a good job of it. We're here on vacation and both had the full tasting - $5 for everything they sell. This is the one winery that did not make us pay up front for the tasting. The gent doing the pouring was very knowledgeable about the wines, and did a good job fielding questions from some pretty rude guests who clearly knew nothing about wine, and obviously didn't like drier wines. Also, this was the only place that did a proper tasting, from lighter bodied to fuller bodied, and rinsed our glasses with wine when switching from white to red. Other wineries used water, so this place was a nice surprise. We left with several bottles of wine- the 2010 semi-dry riesling (hey, it was good - I'm currently enjoying a glass as I write this review). The 2010 Lemberger - it tastes like a BBQ in a bottle - can't wait to try it with ribs. 2009 Merlot - a small batch, but it does have cocoa layers as promised. 2009 Meritage - can't go wrong with a blend - it really does taste like a bordeaux style. Did I mention we were really pleasantly surprised here? We also picked up some 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon reserve - delicious and bold! Damiani single-handedly smashes the perception that NYS wines are all sweet, no matter what, and that attempts to do otherwise are futile. Kudos to this winery - we'll be back if we're out this way again and will certainly recommend this winery to our local friends and family!

One of the best Vineyards Finger Lakes has to offer. I came here a little late (4:40) and they were about to close in 20 minutes. The place was already really packed but they managed to fit us in! They have a chocolate tasting and a wine tasting. I only did the wine tasting. I tried mostly their reds and they were all so good. One of my favorites was their cab franc. I would've bought more wine but this was my last vineyard and I already had so much to drive back. If I could I would've but a whole case of the cab franc! It was one of the best in the finger lakes. The view they have is also so good! You get to sip some wine and take in the views on their patio.

Absolutely excellent. Wines were wonderful and the staff is friendly and very educational. They know so much about wine!! The views are also lovely and very romantic. A must visit in the Finger Lakes.

Nothing stood out. *** The table wine they recommended- a smooth, easy-drinking red- was not what I wanted. I tend to favor these types of red wines. *** Our wine taster was neither charismatic nor especially informative. These are important characteristics when nearly every single customer is going to three to four other wineries on the average day. *** Next to us, another couple enjoyed a wine tasting with someone far better than what we experienced. This is the ray of hope here- the place does have a nice Yelp! Eating outside of this one, after all. *** We were better served down the road. *** With that being said, some of the dry reds were quite nice, and we each walked out with a bottle. *** The grounds are nice but again-- you'd do better right down the road.

Tasty selection of dry reds! This the place to go if you want to avoid the bachelorette party crowd in search of sweet koolaid type wines. This winery makes real wines for real wine lovers. They focus on the classic reds like Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. The Fingerlakes distillery is right next door. Unfortunately, my cell phone connection was too poor for me to check in while I was here.

Lovee Damiani wine. Their reds are excellent and we really enjoyed the ambiance for their wine tasting. You can just walk in and don't need a reservation. They have very friendly staff and a deck with beautiful views of the lake. Plus, the wines are all delicious. Highly recommend if you are in the area!

We did the wine and chocolate tasing. I would def recommend doing this. It was a nice change up from a regular wine tasting. My favorite was the espresso chocolate paired with the wine. The views were amazing from here even though it was across the street from the river.

The red wine is exceptionally good at this winery. The deck overlooks Lake Seneca. I strongly suggest tasting the Reserve selections of reds. Very smooth and creamy. The staff is friendly and helpful as they guide you thru the selections, they don't rush thru each tasting. The tasting room is large, but cozy.

Worth the stop. Perched up on the hillside the view from here was one of the best wineries of the day. Wines that stood out to us were the Bollicini sparkling, vino rosso and dry rose. Food truck was a real treat too. Almost had to drag ourselves outta here because we didnt wanna leave.

Michael was the best and felt more like a friend than a tour guide trough the wines and chocolate of Damiani. He went out of his way to make us feel at home and engaged in conversation about the wine and about life. I highly recommend the chocolate pairing because it opened my eyes to the splendor of white wines when matched appropriately. The wine was very good, the atmosphere was great, the chocolate was extraordinary, and Michael was the man. Hats off for the MC^2 red blend with merlot, cab, and cab franc. Thank you for everything! #strangerthings

Did some say wine and chocolate? At Damiani Wine Cellars, life's a party. When I first walked in, the music was blasting and there was a ton of people enjoying the tasting room. I've never thought I could enjoy a dry red, as I lean towards the sweeter side of whites. Damiani changed my mind about that. As I learned from a day of tasting, it really depends on the winemaker. I spent a lot of my time tasting and learning about winemaking, and it really is fascinating.

(Representing 3.5 stars) Dryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy..... Okay, I made the schoolboy error of visiting Damiani immediately after a tasting at Hazlitt, which blows all wine-tasting logic out of the water - Hazlitt's wines are, of course, syrupy-sweet. Damiani's, by contrast, are like battery acid. If you're doing both of these in sequence, do Damiani first! It's all excellent wine - if you like dry, complex reds, this is absolutely superb stuff, but I wasn't offered any palate cleansers or water, something I would feel is a must with more complex wines, especially reds like the Pinot Noir here - and with Hazlitt clogging my palate, they blurred into one another with alarming ease. A bowl of crackers and a carafe of water would add a star to this review easily - it's a great little tasting room with friendly staff and an amazing view.

My vote for best local red wines. A beautiful, friendly place to visit on the East side of Seneca Lake. Highly recommended.

Our favorite stop if you are a fan of red wines. This my favorite red wine in the finger lakes The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is comparable to some of the best Cabs I have had in California. Knowledgeable and personable staff. If you are in Seneca and a lover of Red wine this is a must stop!