Cayuga Lake

Cayuga Lake (/keɪˈjuːɡə/ or /kaɪˈjuːɡə/)  is the longest of central New York's glacial Finger Lakes, and is the second largest in surface area (marginally smaller than Seneca Lake) and second largest in volume. It is just under 40 miles (64 km) long. Its average width is 1.7 miles (2.7 km), and it is 3.5 mi wide (5.6 km) at its widest point near Aurora. It is approximately 435 ft deep (133 m) at its deepest point.

Location

The city of Ithaca, New York, site of Ithaca College and Cornell University, is located at the southern end of Cayuga Lake.

Villages and settlements along the east shore of Cayuga Lake include Myers, King Ferry, Aurora, Levanna, Union Springs, and Cayuga. Settlements along the west shore of the lake include Sheldrake, Poplar Beach, and Canoga.

The lake has one small island near Union Springs, Frontenac Island. It is one of only two islands in the Finger Lakes, the other being Squaw Island in Canandaigua Lake.

Geographical characteristics

Cayuga Lake is located at 42°41′00″N 76°41′46″W / 42.68333°N 76.69611°W / 42.68333; -76.69611; 116.4 metres (382 ft) above sea level. Its depth, steep east and west sides with shallow north and south ends is typical of the Finger Lakes, as they were carved by glaciers during the last ice age.

Cayuga Lake AVA

The Cayuga Lake AVA is an American Viticultural Area around Cayuga Lake in Upstate New York. The boundaries of the AVA include portions of Cayuga, Seneca, and Tompkins counties. Most of the vineyards in the AVA are planted in the shale soils of the hillsides on the western side of Cayuga Lake. Vineyards are planted at a range of elevations above the surface of the lake, up to 800 feet (244 m) higher. The steep hillsides and the lake together form a unique micro-climate in autumn that helps extend the growing season by preventing cold air from settling and producing frost. The Cayuga grape variety was created in this region by researchers at Cornell University.

History

The first winery in the area was founded in 1980, although grapes were grown on the shores of Cayuga Lake for the large wineries in Hammondsport before then. In 1981, four wineries on the lake banded together to form the Cayuga Lake Wine Trail, the first of its kind in New York State. By 1988, the appellation was given AVA status, the first Finger Lake to be granted its own AVA.