Wagner Vineyards

After serving the nation in the Navy during WWII, Bill Wagner returned to his native Finger Lakes to start in the business of grape growing and wholesaling. Nearly three decades later he decided to take advantage of the opportunity afforded by the 1976 Farm Winery Bill to move towards trying his hand and making wines. He built the Wagner winery in Lodi on the banana belt south eastern shore of Seneca Lake. The first crush, in 1978, was 50,000 gallons. Their fist wine was a hybrid that Wagner had once sold to Taylor. Wagner now produces a large selection of varietals, mostly vinifera, but still with a number of native and hybrids wines.

Wagner is one of the larger winemakers in the region. They have plans to become the largest with a goal of 50,000 cases. All of their wines are estate grown. Unlike many of the region’s producers of European style wines, Wagner machine picks their grapes. Most other vintners hand pick but Bill Wagner insists that machine harvesting is better for the vines.