Finger Lakes Named America’s Best Wine Region In USA Today Poll
- Robert White
- May 17, 2022
- 2 min read
Updated: Sep 26, 2024
By Robert White, Editor-In-Chief
For the second straight year, the Finger Lakes in Upstate New York has been named the best wine region in the United States in a national poll conducted by USA Today and its travel site, 10Best.com.
The Finger Lakes -- home to more than 100 wineries, pristine lakes, rolling hills, and a thriving food scene -- beat out finalists from California and five other states.

The Top 10 wine regions for 2019:
Finger Lakes - New York
Leelanau Peninsula - Michigan
Temecula Valley - California
Verde Valley - Arizona
Walla Walla Valley - Washington
Monticello - Virginia
Mendocino - California
Lodi - California
Texas Hill Country - Texas
Paso Robles - California
A panel of experts partnered with 10Best editors to pick the initial 20 nominees. The top 10 winners were then ranked by popular vote.
The Finger Lakes also won the poll as America’s top wine region in 2018.
“New York’s picturesque Finger Lakes region is home to three distinct American Viticultural Areas (the Finger Lakes, Seneca Lake and Cayuga Lake AVAs)” the 10Best site noted. “Visitors to the area will find more than 130 wineries, many specializing in Riesling.”
The ranking is something the Finger Lakes region and its winemakers can use to promote themselves.

“This recognition speaks to the dedication of the owners, tasting room teams, winemakers and vineyard managers,” Carmela Barbagallo, executive director of the Finger Lakes Wine Alliance, said in a statement. “We have witnessed our region evolve for decades and feel grateful that travelers from all over the world are enchanted when they visit.”

The finger lakes region is the home of the Savoir Faire Finger Lakes Shootout! If you are a model or photographer and want to have an amazing time with us in Wine Country then check out our event here > https://www.savfaire.com/finger-lakes-shootout