Shepherdess Cellars

Just an impromptu stop while working our way around some wineries between Seneca and Cayuga, but so glad we found this little gem. Not busy at all when we stopped but most likely because the Watkins Glen Wine fest was going on at the same time. Randy was super friendly and very informative and even gave us a short tour of the facility. Bruce(owner) was in and out and we got to hear the story of how the Sheperdess got its name. DO NOT miss this place if you like your dry reds!! My wife and I thought they were some of the best tasting and full bodied reds in the region. They had a couple whites that were excellent but not our choice. The selection was limited but I would rather see fewer wines with better quality any day. Make sure to put this on your visit list if you are into high quality reds and whites(they also had a white sangria that we did not try).

We wanted to try out some new places on the wine trail. Especially some of the smaller, newer ones. Shepherdess fit the bill!

When we walked in the door, we were greeted by Amber. Super friendly and knowledgeable. We happened to stop on a slow Tuesday early afternoon. This made for a better experience for us as it was like having a private tour. We sat on the patio and Amber gave us great insight and served some amazing dry white wines.

There is a friendly dog "Maggie" that may be wandering about. She lives in the house by the soy field and will perform tricks (sit, paw etc.) for a pretzel.

Glad we stopped!

P.S. I almost forgot to mention the important part, they have great wines here!

Great service and enjoyed the tasting! Dog on site was adorable and made it fun! Wines were largely on the dry side which missed on my tastes but my wife was a big fan.

What a hidden gem of wineries in the Finger Lakes! We were pleasantly surprised to find such a beautiful place! The service and wines were excellent. The owner was very hospitable! Would recommend stopping here for a great experience!

We were surprised liking the red wines in the area. They had a nice balance and were easy to drink. They were very aromatic but just a touch on the acidic side. Great flavor.

We did not get a chance to try the white wines on this trip but we will be back soon. We visited from Texas!

The service was absolutely amazing. They had a labrador dog that eats pretzels like treats!

Bruce (in the blue shirt) gave us a wonderful tasting and was happy to talk to us about his wine and son's vineyard. We loved each wine, they specialize in dry wines (which we typically like more) but the sweet/fruity ones were actually our favorite. We ended up getting the forager and semi-dry riesling. Definitely come check this winery out, you'll be happy you did.

Don't miss out on this venue! We love drier wines and they delivered! Reasonably priced tastings and bottles. Support a small business and enjoy large pours, great conversation and two down to earth gentleman. My wife and I want to thank you again from Macedonia, OH.

Love this winery! Very welcoming and super dog friendly. Maggie (the loveable lab) was the best host and now best friends with our Frenchie, Lulu. The wines here are great and diverse. Something for everyone! Can’t wait to come back again!

Maggie the wine dog is the star of the show. The tasting room is light and spacious. The family owned winery produces lovely crisp and dry wine.

I loved every wine I tasted, and this was only our second winery of the day so my palate wasn't misled. Maggie was a great bartender and companion on the patio. Staff were welcoming and knowledgeable.

I was there as part of a group doing a tasting and every single person we interacted with was wonderful, they were all very kind! The wine was delicious, I even ended up liking some styles that I normally wouldn’t try! If you are looking for a wonderful spot to stop on a tour of the finger lakes that makes you feel welcome, this is the spot!

They make all dry wines which was such a welcomed surprise!! I love dry reds. Went home with a bottle. Did try the sangria and it was delicious. Very laid back place. Service was friendly and great. Parking available. Dogs welcomed. Would recommend!

We only had the sangria, so I cannot speak to the wine selection. However, the sangria was delicious and we got to meet Nacho and Maggie, the two dogs on the premises. They were delightfully sweet, Maggie tried to be our bartender but I don't think she had the qualifications so we opted for the human version. Nacho was sweet and let us love on him as well, one of us even got to hold him. Overall, I would return!

Really enjoyed our visit here. My wife and I stopped on a Friday in December. The tasting room was quiet so we had personal service from the owner for our tasting. The atmosphere was great and we loved Maggy the owners Labrador dog. The wines were good and we really enjoyed the candid information about the wine from the owner. The owner is a US Air Force Veteran so glad we could support his business.

A FAVORITE in the Finger Lakes area! All their wines have their unique taste and I enjoy them all...(unlike some wineries that have several reds that all taste too alike and not even that enjoyable.) They give you generous sized tastings at a fair price, and have a sweet old dog that lets you give it some loving. 😁 This is a must stop winery for me when I'm in the area!

Just visited shepardess and A) love Maggie the dog! B) the hosts are incredibly kind and helpful! Gave great recommendations for dinner! And C) we enjoyed the wine. Bought a gevertz! And the dryers red! Highly recommend!

An enjoyable stop for sure. Chatted with the staff and enjoyed learning about their wine making process. They are not a vineyard but do buy locally sourced area grapes. Went home with 2 bottles of red forager! Check them out!

My parents and I went on a spur of the moment whim. The owner was so friendly, even though it was much busier than he had expected as a bachelorette party had just arrived as well. He was attentive and helpful and we had a wonderful time. And the wine was great. We will absolutely be coming back.

By far the best new winery On Cayuga Lake and one of the best in the Finger Lakes region. Exceptional wines, Wonderful atmosphere and stimulating conversation encompasses everything Finger lakes wineries should be. Of particular interest were Shepherdess Forager, Chardonnay and Cab Franc (this last one was a very pleasant surprise (especially since I am not a fan of our finger lakes reds, but this one was superb). In other words, visiting this winery is a must.

One of my favorite wineries in the finger lakes. Staff was wonderful, knowledgeable, and friendly and even my least favorite wine was very good. The tasting included almost every wine they had. This will be a stop for us any time we come back here.
As an interesting note, they had a gewürztraminer that acted more like a red wine, and their late harvest vignoles is interesting and more complex than the normal excessive sweetness I usually get from dessert wines.
I could not recommend this place more.