What Frontenac Point Vineyard does

Frontenac Point Vineyard & Estate Winery is a family-owned estate winery located at 9501 Route 89 in Trumansburg, New York, on the west side of Cayuga Lake in the Finger Lakes appellation. Founded in 1978 by Jim and Carol Doolittle, the property was first planted with three acres of Chardonnay, Riesling, and Pinot Noir, expanded over time with European-developed hybrid varieties (Maréchal Foch, Chambourcin, Seyval Blanc, Vignoles, Traminette). The winery holds NY Farm Winery License #44 and Federal Estate Winery certification, meaning all wine is produced exclusively from grapes grown on the property. Output is deliberately limited, with hand-picking from vine to bottle, field-blend methods, and extended oak aging on premium SKUs such as Proprietor's Reserve. The portfolio covers dry red, white, and rosé wines, plus semi-sweet and fortified dessert wines, with bottle prices from $17 to $36.

The business runs a direct-to-consumer model with no wholesale or third-party retail distribution. Revenue comes from on-site tasting room experiences (Traditional Tasting at $9 for five wines, Wine Flights at $15–$17, Private Tastings for groups of eight or more), bottle purchases for pickup, gift certificates, and direct shipping to New York, Florida, Minnesota, and the District of Columbia. The tasting room operates seasonally, approximately two to four days per week between May 9 and November 15, with a covered deck overlooking Cayuga Lake and a European-inspired hospitality room offering local cheeses, charcuterie, and crackers. Marketing is primarily word-of-mouth and website-driven, supplemented by participation in industry events such as Sip & Sample in Albany to engage New York state legislators on wine policy.

The operation is run by the Doolittle family with limited outside help: Jim Doolittle (Cornell CALS '67) as founder and winemaker, Carol Doolittle (Good Counsel/Pace '68) as co-founder, and Lawrence Doolittle (Rice '09) as second-generation proprietor since 2014, who returned from Los Angeles to continue the enterprise at intentionally small scale. There is no external funding, no parent company, no subsidiaries, and no disclosed enterprise customers; customer segments are individual wine enthusiasts and regional tourists visiting the Finger Lakes.

Name

Frontenac Point Vineyard

Legal name

Frontenac Point Vineyard & Estate Winery

Website

https://frontenacpoint.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Frontenac Point Vineyard is a family-owned Finger Lakes estate winery producing limited-quantity dry red, white, and rosé wines from estate-grown hybrid and vinifera grapes, selling directly to wine enthusiasts and tourists via on-site tastings and direct shipping.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Estate Winery (Wines)

NAICS

Wineries (312130), Grape Vineyards (111332)

akta.pro primary industry

Wine Production & Winemaking (AFAFAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wine Grape Vineyard Operations (Varietal/AVA Practices, Yield & Quality Targets) (AFAGAJAJ), Wineries & Vineyards (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAE), Wine Tastings & Vineyard/Winery Tours (THAJAGAD), Wine & Sparkling Wine Wineries & Brands (CRADAIAB)

Keywords

• Estate winery
• Finger Lakes wines
• Wine tasting experiences
• Hybrid grape cultivation
• Direct-to-consumer wine

Headquarters

HQ city

Trumansburg

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 wine bottle sales through on-site tasting room, arranged pickups, and direct shipping to permitted states. Volume discounts available for case purchases (6-11 bottles: 10% off, 12+ bottles: 15% off).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Frontenac Point Vineyard is a small, family-owned estate winery on the west side of Cayuga Lake in New York's Finger Lakes region that produces dry red, white, and rosé wines (plus semi-sweet and fortified dessert wines) made exclusively from grapes grown on its own property. Beyond winemaking, the estate runs a seasonal tasting room (May 9 – November 15) offering traditional tastings, multi-wine flights, and private group tastings, complemented by direct shipping within permitted states (NY, FL, MN, DC) and arranged pickup.

Product overview

Frontenac Point Vineyard & Estate Winery is a small, family-owned winery specializing in dry red, white, and rosé wines crafted from grapes grown on their estate in the Finger Lakes/Cayuga Lake appellation. The portfolio includes varietal wines (Chambourcin, Maréchal Foch, Pinot Noir, Seyval, Chardonnay, Riesling) and proprietary blends (Proprietor's Reserve, Stay Sail Rosé, Stay Sail White, Field Blend White II, Blanc de Blancs Select). The winery offers tasting experiences including Traditional Tastings ($9 for 5 wines), Wine Flights ($15-$17), and Private Tastings for groups. Direct shipping and gift certificates are also available. All wines are made exclusively from estate-grown grapes under their Federal Estate Winery license issued in 1982.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Proprietor's Reserve: A blend of Zweigelt, Chambourcin, Chelois and Maréchal Foch wines. Medium body with notes of dark chocolate and blackberry.
• Stay Sail Rosé
• Stay Sail White

Products and services

• 2021 Chambourcin
• 2020 Maréchal Foch Dry red wine with smooth medium-full body, hints of orange zest balanced with blackberry, plum, and tannin; released as the successor to the popular 2018 Maréchal Foch and currently listed.
• 2020 Proprietor's Reserve Proprietary red blend of Zweigelt, Chambourcin, Chelois, and Maréchal Foch with medium body, dark chocolate and blackberry notes, aged in oak for a minimum of three years and priced at $36/bottle.
• 2021 Pinot Noir Rich Pinot Noir aged 3.5 years in neutral oak with earthy aroma, hints of cigars and leather, light and smooth on the palate; dry with 0% residual sugar.
• Stay Sail Rosé 100% whole-cluster pressed Chambourcin rosé, barrel fermented and aged 18 months, crisp with red fruit flavors of cherry, raspberry, strawberry, and cranberry, priced at $21/bottle.
• Stay Sail White Estate white blend of 2015 and 2016 Vignoles, Seyval, and Riesling with petrol notes characteristic of older dry Rieslings and medium body, priced at $17/bottle.
• 2019 Seyval Very crisp white wine with hints of lime citrus, body similar to Pinot Gris, with delicate floral notes, priced at $18/bottle.
• 2020 Chardonnay Un-oaked Chardonnay with strong hazelnut character and butter notes reminiscent of French Chardonnay, priced at $22/bottle.
• 2019 Dry Riesling Reserve Bone dry Alsatian style Riesling, slightly more mellow than typical dry German Riesling, recommended with sushi, cheese fondue, or fish.
• Blanc de Blancs Select Estate semi-sweet sparkling wine with hints of apricots, peaches, and honey, residual sugar 2.4%, priced at $19/bottle.
• Field Blend White II Field blend of Traminette and Vignoles (with Seyval) with smooth texture, full of fruit with hints of citrus and peaches; semi-dry with 1.5% residual sugar.
• Traditional Tasting Standard tasting room experience featuring five wines as 1-oz pours served sequentially in the same glass, priced at $9 and served with cubes of local artisan bread, available at the Tasting Room only.
• Wine Flights Flights of four wines served in separate glasses for side-by-side comparison, priced at $15-$17 with options including a Dry White flight or a customizable flight.
• Private Tastings Private tasting experiences for groups of 8 or more, held on days not open to the general public and conducted by an owner.
• Direct-to-Consumer Wine Shipping Direct-to-consumer shipping of wines to New York State, Florida, Minnesota, and the District of Columbia with a 2-bottle minimum and mix-or-match selection; volume discounts of 10% off 6-11 bottles and 15% off 12 or more bottles.
• Gift Certificates Customized gift certificates available in any amount for Frontenac Point wine.

Quantifiable outcome

• Proprietor's Reserve aged in oak for minimum three years before release
• +1 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Constellation Brands: Large publicly traded wine conglomerate with multiple Finger Lakes and New York wine brands; not a direct competitor but the dominant incumbent shaping regional distribution and consumer demand.

Direct peers

• Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery: Pioneering Finger Lakes estate winery on Keuka Lake that similarly emphasizes estate-grown vinifera and hybrid varieties with an owner-led tasting room and wine club program.
• Hosmer Winery: Small Cayuga Lake estate winery with a tasting room and estate-grown wines, directly comparable in geography, scale and family-operated DTC model.
• Fox Run Vineyards: Finger Lakes estate winery with on-site tasting, DTC shipping and a portfolio of estate-grown red, white and sparkling wines on Seneca Lake.
• Boundary Breaks Vineyard: Finger Lakes estate winery with a tasting room and DTC shipping, focused on estate-grown varietals including hybrids like Traminette — comparable niche positioning.
• Glenora Wine Cellars: Long-standing Finger Lakes estate winery on Seneca Lake with on-site hospitality, lodging and DTC channels — comparable estate-grown DTC business at similar heritage.
• Wagner Vineyards: Established Seneca Lake estate winery with tasting room, restaurant, and broader distribution — useful benchmark for a slightly larger Finger Lakes estate operation.
• Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard: Family-owned estate winery on Seneca Lake in the Finger Lakes, focused on dry vinifera wines with a comparable DTC tasting-room and direct-shipping model.
• Ravines Wine Cellars: Estate winery on Seneca Lake producing dry Finger Lakes wines with a tasting room and DTC distribution — comparable in scale, channel mix and varietal focus.
• Sheldrake Point Winery: Estate winery located directly on Cayuga Lake with a tasting room, DTC shipping and estate-grown wines — the closest geographic and operating-model analog to Frontenac Point.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/frontenac-point-vineyard

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Frontenac Point Vineyard