One of the things the early European explorers discovered in the region now called the Finger Lakes was an abundance of wild grapevines. The early European settlers of the area tried growing grapes to produce the kind of wine they had enjoyed back home. But the grape vines they planted failed to survive long enough in the Northeastern climate to bear sufficient crops. The earliest recorded attempt at growing grapes dates to 1829, when Reverend William Bostwick planted 2 kinds of grapes in the rectory garden in Hammondsport, near Keuka Lake.

In the 1950s, Ukrainian immigrant Dr. Konstantin Frank, armed with a Ph.D. in viticulture and experience in winemaking in the cool Ukrainian climate, went to work at Cornell in Ithaca; his Ph.D. thesis was on techniques for growing the common grapevine in a cold climate. He urged local winemakers to move away from native North American grapes and instead plant Vitis vinifera, (the common grapevine) the traditional grapes of European winemakers. His techniques and innovations began a wine-making revolution in the Finger Lakes.

Along with the hybrid grapes developed by Dr. Frank, the lakes themselves are responsible for the success of the vineyards. The deep lakes help to moderate the temperature. Stored heat is released from the lakes during winter, keeping the local climate mild relative to the surrounding area and helping to prevent early frost. Most of the vineyards are planted on steep hillsides overlooking the lakes, providing good drainage, better sun exposure and reduced risk of frost.

The big boon to the Finger Lakes wine industry was the passage of the New York Farm Winery Act in 1976 permitting wineries to sell directly to the public. Within 20 years of the law taking effect the number of Finger Lakes wineries grew from half a dozen to 50. As of spring 2014, there were 130 wineries and current estimates put that number at 200.