Shalestone Vineyards

What Shalestone Vineyards does

Shalestone Vineyards is a family-owned winery in Lodi, New York, on the eastern slope of Seneca Lake in the Finger Lakes AVA, producing exclusively dry red wines from its 6.5-acre estate vineyard. Founded in 1995 by Rob and Kate Thomas, the winery operates with a small team (11-50 employees) led by second-generation operators Seth Thomas (Head Winemaker) and Liana Gebhardt (Tasting Room and Guest Experiences Manager). Annual production is approximately 1,500 cases across single varietals (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Saperavi, Zweigelt) and proprietary red blends (Synergy, Harmony, Red Legend, Cross-Rows), with bottles retailing at $20-$38.

The underlying production technology is traditional hand-crafted winemaking leveraging shallow clay-rich soil and the Seneca Lake microclimate to concentrate grape flavors. No proprietary software, automation, or AI components are part of the operation. The business model is direct-to-consumer across three revenue streams: wine sales through an on-site tasting room (max 6 guests per party, seasonal April-November), an online shop and phone/email orders with NY-based shipping, and two vacation rental properties (Guest House and Lake Cottage at $250/night). All distribution is DTC with no wholesale or third-party retail partnerships disclosed, and the company is entirely founder-controlled with no external funding.

Name

Shalestone Vineyards

Legal name

Shalestone Vineyards, Ltd.

Website

https://shalestonevineyards.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Shalestone Vineyards is a family-owned Finger Lakes winery in Lodi, NY, producing exclusively dry red wines from its 6.5-acre estate vineyard at ~1,500 cases annually, selling DTC through a tasting room, online shop, and two on-site vacation rentals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Winery / Estate Wine Production

NAICS

Wineries (312130), Grape Vineyards (111332)

akta.pro primary industry

Wine Production & Winemaking (AFAFAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wineries & Vineyards (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAE), Wine & Sparkling Wine Wineries & Brands (CRADAIAB), Vineyard Establishment & Development (Site Prep, Trellising, Planting) (AFAGAJAA), Wine Tastings & Vineyard/Winery Tours (THAJAGAD)

Keywords

• Estate winery
• Dry red wines
• Wine tastings
• Vineyard hospitality
• Vacation rentals

Headquarters

HQ city

Lodi

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Wine Sales: Direct-to-consumer sales of hand-crafted dry red wines produced from estate-grown grapes. Approximately 1500 cases produced annually from 6.5 acres. Sales via tasting room, online shop, phone orders, and shipping within NY (and by special arrangement outside NY).
2. Vacation Rentals: Guest House and Lake Cottage rental income. Guest House rents for $250/night (March-December, 2-night minimum). Lake Cottage rents for $250/night (mid-April through October, 3-night minimum). Discount rates available for week-long rentals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Shalestone Vineyards is a family-owned estate winery that produces and sells hand-crafted dry red wines from its 6.5-acre vineyard on the eastern slope of Seneca Lake in the Finger Lakes region of New York. The company produces approximately 1,500 cases per year of single-varietal reds and proprietary blends, sold directly to consumers through an on-site tasting room, online shop, phone/email orders, and regional shipping. The business also operates two on-site vacation rental properties (Guest House and Lake Cottage) and offers reservation-based tasting flights.

Product overview

Shalestone Vineyards is a family-owned winery specializing exclusively in dry red wines, located in the Finger Lakes region of New York. The company produces a portfolio of single-varietal wines (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Saperavi, and Zweigelt) and proprietary red blends (Synergy, Harmony, Red Legend, and Cross-Rows), all crafted from grapes grown on their 6.5-acre vineyard on the eastern slope of Seneca Lake. Annual production is approximately 1,500 cases. In addition to wine sales, the company offers hospitality experiences including a tasting room and two vacation rental properties: the timber-frame Guest House and the Lake Cottage on Seneca Lake.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cabernet Sauvignon Full-bodied dry red wine with aromas of cedar and brambleberries and well-integrated tannins in a dense fruit structure; a blend of 2021 and 2022 vintages, priced at $38. Sold to consumers via tasting room, online shop, phone/email, and shipping.
• Cabernet Franc Medium-bodied dry red wine with mixed berry fruit, sweet vanilla and toast, and firm velvety tannins; made from vines 20+ years old. A blend of 2021 and 2022 vintages, priced at $28.
• Pinot Noir Seductive dry red wine with black cherry aromas and flavors and complex layered characteristics; 2024 vintage, priced at $35.
• Syrah Masculine yet romantic dry red wine described as intelligent but fun; 2023 vintage, priced at $30.
• Saperavi Deep-colored dry red wine with vibrant aroma, powerful flavor and smooth dense tannins; 2024 vintage, priced at $30.
• Merlot Dry red wine with hints of wild blueberries and currants in a helix of oak and earth; tannins caress the tongue while leaving a rich fruit finish. A blend of 2019 and 2020 vintages, currently sold out.
• Zweigelt Dry red wine described as up-tight and edgy; 2019 vintage.
• Synergy (Red Blend) Complex blend of 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot and 24% Syrah, creating layers of blackberries, black pepper and toasty oak; a blend of 2021 and 2022 vintages, priced at $35.
• Harmony (Red Blend) Blend of 40% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, described as singing with pleasure from balance and understanding; priced at $28.
• Red Legend (Red Blend) Blend of 50% Cabernet Franc, 30% Lemberger, and 20% Merlot, described as the essential tool that gets the job done; priced at $20.
• Cross-Rows (Red Blend) True field blend made in the vineyard, with six rows randomly inter-planted with Merlot, Syrah and Lemberger, harvested and fermented together; priced at $25.
• Guest House Vacation Rental One-bedroom timber frame house with straw-bale walls and natural stucco finish, featuring custom woodwork, full kitchen, washer/dryer, and living room overlooking Seneca Lake; located on winery property with access to Finger Lakes National Forest. $250/night, March–December, 2-night minimum.
• Lake Cottage Vacation Rental One-bedroom, one-bathroom wood-trimmed cottage located on Seneca Lake below the vineyards, featuring custom handcrafted woodwork, full kitchen, living room with lake views, and access to a private beach with dock; approximately 900 square feet. $250/night, mid-April through October, 3-night minimum.
• Wine Tasting Flight Experience Reservation-based tasting flight experience offered at the on-site tasting room in a relaxed atmosphere; reservations available at 12pm, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm and 4pm. Tasting fee is $15 per guest, with a maximum group size of 6.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Wagner Vineyards: Established, larger-scale Finger Lakes winery on Seneca Lake offering a broader varietal portfolio including reds; comparable to Shalestone as a regional incumbent with a tasting-room and DTC operation but at significantly greater scale and breadth.
• Bully Hill Vineyards: Long-established Finger Lakes winery offering a wide range of varietals and a visitor-focused tasting room; comparable as a regional incumbent with DTC and tourism motion, though much larger and broader in portfolio than Shalestone.

Direct peers

• Hosmer Winery: Estate-grown Cayuga Lake Finger Lakes winery with a red varietal program and tasting room; comparable to Shalestone on estate production, regional positioning, and DTC tasting model.
• Fox Run Vineyards: Finger Lakes winery on Seneca Lake with estate-grown red and white varietals and a tasting room; directly comparable on geography, estate production model, and DTC motion.
• Ravines Wine Cellars: Seneca Lake estate winery producing dry reds and whites from estate vineyards; comparable to Shalestone on Finger Lakes origin, small-batch estate production, and tasting-room-led DTC model.
• Bellangelo Winery: Finger Lakes winery on Seneca Lake producing dry reds alongside other varietals with a tasting room and DTC focus; comparable on geography, varietal mix, and visitor experience.
• Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery: Established Finger Lakes winery on Keuka Lake known for Vinifera varietals including dry reds such as Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc; directly comparable to Shalestone as a Finger Lakes estate producer targeting red-wine enthusiasts with a tasting room and DTC focus.
• Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard: Estate-grown Seneca Lake winery producing small-lot, terroir-driven wines including dry reds; comparable to Shalestone in production scale, estate-farming model, and DTC tasting experience.
• Forge Cellars: Small-lot Finger Lakes winery focused on dry, terroir-driven Rieslings and Pinot Noirs; comparable to Shalestone in artisan scale, estate fruit sourcing on Seneca Lake, and DTC tasting experience.
• Red Newt Cellars: Finger Lakes winery on Seneca Lake with a strong red-wine program and tasting room; comparable to Shalestone in regional positioning, estate vineyard focus, and red varietal portfolio.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

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Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Shalestone Vineyards