About Keuka Spring Vineyards

From left to right, Simmons family members Jeff & Annette Simmons, Julie & Daren Simmons, Joyce & Neil Simmons, founders Len and Judy Wiltberger, and their daughter Jeanne Wiltberger

The story of Keuka Spring Vineyards begins when founders Len and Judy Wiltberger purchased 30 acres of land overlooking beautiful Keuka Lake with a belief that Keuka Lake was an area capable of producing world-class wine. In 1981, They planted several wine grape varieties at the site with help from their four children and Len's sisters. Their first winery vintage came in 1985, along with the first tasting room.

Over the years, the winery and tasting room have been expanded, and Keuka Spring wines have been awarded multiple times, including three Governor’s Cups for the best wine in New York State.

The vines that the Wiltbergers planted in 1981 still bear delicious, mature fruit to this day. But as the winery grew, they have added plantings—including Lemberger, Cabernet Franc, and Gewurztraminer to the original Chardonnay, Seyval Blanc, Riesling, and Vignoles—to the estate vineyard, and we also began to buy grapes from other growers in the Finger Lakes region.

One of those growers is the Simmons Family…

60 years of Simmons Legacy

Since 1960, the Simmons family has been one of the leading grape growers of the Finger Lakes region. Currently, the Simmons family cultivates over 500 acres of vineyards—native, hybrid, and vinifera grapevines--near the bluff on Keuka Lake.

When the time came for Keuka Spring founders to retire, the Simmons family was thrilled to carry on the legacy of making great Finger Lakes wine, building upon what the Wiltbergers created, and looking to grow even more into the future. Keuka Spring Vineyards transitioned from the Wiltberger family to the Simmons family in 2022.

But what has not changed at Keuka Spring Vineyards is the belief that each visitor to the tasting room should have the best wine tasting experience possible, enjoy the fine wine and the company of a well- trained and hospitable staff, surrounded by an atmosphere that compliments learning about and enjoying their wines endures.

We invite you to share our panoramic view of Keuka Lake from the top of the vineyards and enjoy a wide selection of wines, both red and white, dry and sweet, to suit many tastes.