Leidenfrost Vineyards has been farming the southeastern shore of Seneca Lake in Hector since 1990, when founder John Leidenfrost was among the first producers in the region to build a program around dry reds including Pinot Noir, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. His daughter Liz now makes the wines, all in small batches from 100 percent estate-grown grapes spanning dry to sweet, red to white, sparkling, and port-style. The tasting room seats groups of up to eight, first-come, first-served, with a guided flight of six wines for $12. Private tasting packages for groups of eight to twenty run two tracks: the Sip and Savor experience includes a complimentary charcuterie board of locally made meats and cheeses, while the Winemaker's Selection offers a curated dry or mixed flight. Staff are long-tenured and the atmosphere reflects it.















