There was a time when you couldn't enter Penn Yan without seeing it.
Rising above the north end of Keuka Lake, the Empire State Winery stood like a cathedral to the region's grape industry. Its immense stone walls, crowned by a distinctive cupola, were more than a building—they were a landmark, an employer, and a symbol of the hardworking spirit that has long defined life around the Crooked Lake.
Today, only the cupola remains and is carefully being restored to once again hold a place within the community. Stories preserved.
Yet for those who remember, the story of the Empire State Winery is woven into the very roots of Keuka Lake.
Long before wineries dotted the hillsides and wine trails drew visitors from around the world, grapes shaped the identity, economy, and future of the entire region.
Founded in
1886, the Empire State Wine Company emerged during the height of Keuka Lake's booming grape industry. A decade later, in
1896, its iconic Georgian Revival winery building rose above the north end of the lake, becoming one of the most recognizable landmarks in Penn Yan.
For generations, the towering structure welcomed visitors arriving in the village and reminded locals that agriculture was the heartbeat of the community.
At a time when the Finger Lakes was known more for its grape production than its tourism industry, farmers planted row after row of Concords, Niagaras, and Catawbas across the fertile hills surrounding Keuka Lake.
Before roads became the primary routes of travel, Keuka Lake itself served as the region's highway. Each autumn, steamboats carried the grape harvest from Hammondsport and the villages along the east and west shores to Penn Yan, connecting growers to markets and helping build the local economy. As transportation evolved, the lake gave way to wagons, trucks, and improved roadways, but the annual journey of the harvest remained the same.
Each fall, the roads around the lake came alive with vehicles carrying freshly harvested grapes toward Penn Yan. There, the Empire State Winery transformed the fruits of countless hours of labor into juice, wine, and other products that were shipped across the country.
For many local families, the winery wasn't simply part of the landscape—it was part of their story.
Grandparents worked the harvest season. Parents drove trucks loaded with grapes. Children measured the passing of the year by the sweet aroma that drifted through the village during crush season.
The winery's towering cupola became a familiar sight from the lake and surrounding hillsides, serving as a beacon that connected generations to the land and to one another.
The Empire State Winery represented an era when Keuka Lake's economy revolved around the rhythms of the vineyard and farms. Generations of growers depended on its success, and the success of the winery depended on the dedication of the people who carefully tended the vines.
Like many industries, however, the grape business evolved.
Consumer tastes changed. Markets shifted. New technologies transformed production. The Finger Lakes wine industry began to reinvent itself, moving toward the world-class vinifera wines that today have earned international acclaim.
After seven decades of operation, the Empire State Winery ceased wine production in
1956.
Though the building would continue to serve the community in other ways for several years, its original purpose had come to an end.
Then, in
June 1990, after nearly a century overlooking Keuka Lake, the landmark building was demolished.
For many residents, watching the massive structure disappear felt like losing a piece of Penn Yan itself.
The skyline changed overnight.
But one piece was spared.
The cupola that once crowned the winery was saved. Waiting to stand once againg as a quiet sentinel overlooking the village—a tangible reminder of the generations of farmers, workers, and families who built Keuka Lake's grape-growing legacy.
It's preservation will serve as a bridge between the past and present, reminding us that today's thriving Finger Lakes wine industry didn't emerge overnight. It was built upon the hard work, perseverance, and vision of those who came before us.
Every vineyard row tells part of that story.
Every bottle poured around Keuka Lake carries a trace of that legacy.
And when the surviving cupola is restored, we'll be reminded that while buildings may disappear, the stories rooted in them endure.
Because around Keuka Lake, history whispers through the villages.
It's found in the stories shared on front porches.
It's carried in family traditions.
It's passed from one generation to the next.
And sometimes, it stands quietly against the sky, gone but not forgotten, waiting for someone to remember.
Do you remember the Empire State Winery? Did someone in your family work there? Do you remember seeing the building from the lake or driving into Penn Yan?
We'd love to hear your memories.
After all, the best stories around Keuka Lake aren't just preserved in landmarks—they're preserved in the people who remember them.
Stay Rooted. Stay Keuka.™
