Shaw Vineyard is a Finger Lakes artisanal winery dedicated to gentle processing, cellar aging, and risk taking. Since 2002, Shaw has stretched the limits of cool-climate winemaking, experimenting with hands-on, old world methods to enhance the expression of some of the world’s most celebrated varietals.

Vigneron Steve Shaw grew up in a small town in the Finger Lakes where he had the opportunity to meet and be inspired by vinifera pioneers like Dr. Konstantin Frank, Charles Fournier, Guy DeVeaux, and Herman Wiemer. It was with the efforts of these men in mind that Steve decided to plant his first vinifera vineyard in 1981 when many regional growers and wineries were still focused on hybrids and native varieties.

Everything at Shaw starts in the vineyard, where Steve utilizes his sometimes unorthodox methods, such as growing vines in the Pendelbogen system, which allows for superior ripening in the wild-vine style. From there, small tight clusters are encouraged by dropping fruit in the summer, resulting in low yields with concentrated character. When it’s time for harvest, grapes are picked by hand and field sorted, providing diversity and variations that add to the finished product’s complexity.

Reds are fermented whole berry — always, with no exceptions. Long cold soaks are employed, sometimes for nearly a week prior to primary fermentation. Lengthy skin contact is essential for full flavor enhancement. Reds at Shaw are held for years–typically 5 or more– in the cellar, predominantly in neutral French oak, allowing for natural aging and tannin softening in the style of European producers

The secret at Shaw is consistency across vintages and varietals. It is Steve Shaw’s philosophy that Finger Lakes winemaking takes constant tweaking and a sense of daring, adjusting to the often challenging conditions of a region that continues to entice interest among fine wine enthusiasts.