Victor, New York — Ontario County
There are wineries you visit for the wines, and there are wineries you visit for the story. Song Hill Winery is one of the rare places where the two are inseparable — where every bottle feels like a chapter in a narrative that began long before the first vine was planted.
Where Horses Once Ran
Driving up the quiet rise toward the property, it’s hard to imagine that this peaceful stretch of Victor countryside once echoed with the sound of thoroughbreds. For roughly 25 years, the land belonged to the H. James Bond Racing Stable, a working horse farm with all the energy and motion that implies. When the horses were relocated in 2005, the barns fell silent, and the land entered a kind of contemplative pause.
It wasn’t until 2009 that the first hint of its next life appeared: Rocco Sacco, grandfather of future winemaker Conor Gallagher, planted table grapes in the old pasture. It was a small gesture — a few rows of vines for family jam — but it marked the moment the land began to shift from horsepower to grapevines.
A Family Returns to the Land
The official founding came in 2013, when Song Hill Winery, LLC was formed and the first full harvest arrived that fall. But the deeper story is one of return. Conor Gallagher, armed with a UC Davis winemaking certificate and early experience at Wild Blossom Meadery and Winery in Chicago, came home to the Finger Lakes with the conviction that this land could tell a new story.
Song Hill is still very much a family project — Conor, his wife Abby, and extended family members planting vines, tending rows, and harvesting fruit together. The vineyard grew slowly and deliberately:
- 2014: 100 Diamond vines
- 2016: another 100
- 2017: 200 more Diamond vines and ~100 Isabella vines
These plantings place Song Hill among the closest Diamond vineyards to the grape’s birthplace in Brighton, NY — a quiet nod to regional history.
Crafting Wines with Patience and Hands
Song Hill’s winemaking philosophy is rooted in restraint and tradition. Sparkling wines are made méthode champenoise, riddled and disgorged by hand. Still whites are barrel‑fermented and aged on lees, while reds are crafted in small 1‑ton lots and aged in a thoughtful mix of French and American oak.
It’s the kind of winemaking that doesn’t rush. You feel it in the wines.
The Wines — Told Through the Glass
We tasted through a number of terrific wines. My comments follow:
Sparkling Wines
2021 Fragolino
From their website: This wine was produced from the Isabella vine, a spontaneous European-American hybrid varietal that was first cultivated in the late 1700s or early 1800s. Fragolino means “little strawberry” in Italian because the grape shares an aroma and flavor compound with strawberries. This is a refreshing, spumante (or gently carbonated) wine with just the right amount of sweetness and acidity.
My note: Vibrant fruity nose with strawberry, bees wax and petrol hints. Medium-bodied with firm acidity. Well-balanced with solid mid-palate weight. Fruity, yet perfectly dry. Long finish. Crisp and refreshing. Delightful.
2015 Blanc de Blancs
From their website: Translated to “white from whites”, the name is a reference that this wine is produced from 100% Chardonnay, a “white” grape. The grapes were hand picked and whole cluster pressed, taking only the juice from the first pressing. It underwent a fermentation in stainless steel tanks. The wine was bottled with a small amount of yeast and sugar to create the bubbles and then aged for 8 years. The bottles were then hand-riddled and disgorged.
My note: Lightly floral nose with yeasty, almond skin hints. Medium-bodied with firm acidity. Well-balanced. Toasty, yeasty on the palate with crisp apple and apricot notes. Spectacular bubbly!
2014 Brut Rosé
From their website: This sparkling, rose-colored wine is a blend of our signature varietals: 50% Chardonnay, 25% Cabernet Franc and 25% Pinot Noir. The grapes were hand-picked and then destemmed and crushed. After a 24-48 hour cold soak to extract color and aromas from the skins, the must was gently bladder pressed and transferred to stainless steel tanks for fermentation. This wine was produced in the méthode champenoise and thus was bottled with a small amount of yeast and sugar to create the bubbles. The bottles were then hand-riddled and disgorged. The grapes were hand-tended and carefully cared for by the following: Alan Hunt, AD Vineyards (Keuka Lake), Tom and Marcy Mitchell of Hyatt Hill Vineyard (Keuka Lake), and Peter Martini, Nutt Road Vineyard (Seneca Lake).
My note: Lightly yeasty nose with rose petal and dried strawberry hints. Medium-bodied with moderate acidity. Well-balanced with elegant structure. Strawberry on the palate with a lovely long finish. Very pretty!
2014 Sparkling Cuvee
From their website: This sparkling wine, a blend of 49% Chardonnay, 27% Pinot Noir, and 24% Cabernet Franc, was produced in the méthode champenoise, also known as the traditional method of Champagne. The grapes were hand-picked and whole cluster pressed, taking only the juice from the first pressing. It underwent a cool fermentation in stainless steel tanks. The wine was bottled with a small amount of yeast and sugar to create the bubbles and then aged for 9 years. The bottles were then hand-riddled and disgorged. The grapes were hand-tended by: Tom and Marcy Mitchell of Hyatt Hill Vineyard (Keuka Lake), Alan Hunt of AD Vineyards (Keuka Lake), and Peter Martini of Nutt Road Vineyard (Seneca Lake)
My note: Yeasty nose with citrus and light vanilla hints. Medium-bodied with firm acidity. Well-balanced – delicious mouth-feel. Floral with more yeasty notes. Outstanding!!
Still Whites & Rosé
2021 Diamond Dry
From their website: This dry white wine is made from the Diamond grape, a hybrid cultivated in the 1880s in Brighton, NY, specifically for this region. The vines were planted from 2014-2017 by Conor Gallagher along with many family members. They were hand-tended and carefully cultivated by Conor Gallagher and family as well. The grapes were hand-picked and gently pressed into a stainless-steel tank for fermentation.
My note: Vibrant, fruity nose with apricot and pear hints. Light-bodied with firm acidity. Well-balanced with great structure. Yeasty. Tart. Lemongrass notes. Crisp. Great mouth-feel. Long finish.
2021 Riesling Dry
From their website: These Riesling grapes were hand-harvested on October 14, 2021. They were destemmed and gently bladder pressed. After a twenty-four hour cold soak, the juice underwent a 7-day fermentation and then aged sur lie for 1 month before racking. The grapes were carefully hand-tended and hand-picked to ensure optimal quality by Matt Hanlon and Serena Michels on their White Pine Vineyard in Ontario, NY.
My note: Classic Riesling nose with petrol, bee wax, and citrus hints. Light-bodied with moderate acidity. Well-balanced with great structure. Tart, crisp finish. Lemony. Quite nice.
2021 Barrel Blanc Sur Lie et Bâtonnage
From their website: This white wine is a blend of 40% Cabernet Franc, 40% Pinot Noir, and 20% Chardonnay. The grapes were whole cluster pressed to ensure minimal color extraction and then racked into barrels with 100% new French Oak for 9 months. After fermentation, the barrels were hand stirred weekly for several months to release the full flavors of the yeast, a process known as Sur Lie et Bâtonnage. The grapes were sourced from White Pine Vineyard (Cabernet Franc), Sawmill Creek (Pinot Noir), and Macri Vineyard (Chardonnay)
My note: Yeasty nose with apple and light floral hints. Light-bodied with moderate acidity. Well-balanced with good structure. Elegant, long finish. Clean and crisp. Delicious.
Still Reds
2021 Blaufränkisch Gigliotti Vineyards
From their website: These Blaufränkisch grapes (also known as Lemberger) from Gigliotti Vineyards were hand-picked on October 19, 2021. They were destemmed and crushed the next day and after a 30 hour soak at 58˚F, yeast was added. Fermentation lasted 10 days after which the wine was gently bladder pressed and transferred to barrels. The wine aged on 60% new French oak and 40% new American oak for 11 months before bottling. The grapes were carefully tended by Frank Gigliotti on his family vineyard on the western shores of Seneca Lake. This was produced in a natural winemaking style with minimal fining and racking and no filtration. Sediment is to be expected.
My note: Spicy nose with rose attar and bright cherry hints. Medium-bodied with moderate acidity. Well-balanced with moderate tannin. Spicy, black pepper palate. Dark fruit core. Moderate length. Crisp with layered complexity. Charming.
2022 Cabernet Franc White Pine Vineyard
From their website: These Cabernet Franc grapes from White Pine Vineyard (a family-owned vineyard run by Matt Hanlon and Serena Michels), were had-picked on October 12, 2022. They were crushed the next day and after 24 hours soak at 56 F, yeast was added. Fermentation lasted 14 days after which the wine was gently bladder pressed and transferred to barrels. The wine aged on 2/3 new French Oak and 1/3 new American Oak for 18 months before bottling.
My note: Eucalyptus and menthol on the nose with tobacco leaf and black cherry hints. Medium-bodied with moderate acidity. Well-balanced with firm tannins. Dry cherry palate with earthy, herbaceous notes. Long finish. Tea leaf and cedar on the aftertaste. Quite nice.
Dessert Wine
2019 Vidal Blanc Ice Wine
From their website: The Vidal Blanc grapes were left on the vine until January 17, 2020. They were hand-harvested after 3 consecutive days of temperatures below 18° F to freeze the water inside the berries, and then pressed immediately in the same cold temperatures. The juice came out at 35° Brix. After an 18 day, cool fermentation was complete, the wine was left with 120 g/L of natural residual sugar. The grapes were carefully hand-tended, monitored through the winter, and hand-picked by Donald Caldwell and his team at the Cornell Teaching Vineyard.
My note: Honeyed, lemony drop nose – floral hints. Lush palate. Full-bodied with moderate acidity. Well-balanced with seductive notes. Long finish with honey and apple on the aftertaste. Wow!
2021 Docinho
From their website: This port-style wine is called Docinho, named after the Brazilian candy. The base wine was produced from Blaufränkisch grapes which spent 18 months on 100% French Oak. The wine was blended with grape brandy which spent two months soaking on cacao nibs. After three months allowing the wine and brandy to integrate with one another, 12% residual sugar was added before bottling. The grapes were carefully tended by Frank Gigliotti on his family vineyard on the western shore of Seneca Lake. The grape brandy was produced by Brian McKenzie and his team at Finger Lakes Distilling on the eastern shore of Seneca Lake.
My note: Black cherry nose with black pepper and allspice hints. Full-bodied with moderate acidity. Well-balanced with firm tannins. Dark chocolate palate. Sweet, jammy. Long finish. Very nice. Seductive mouth feel.
A Visit That Brings the Story to Life
When we visited in August 2025, we were welcomed by Curtis Reid, whose familiarity with the property made the experience feel less like a tasting and more like a guided walk through the winery’s memory. Curtis led us through the old horse barns — now the tasting room — and out to the vineyard rows where the Diamond vines catch the afternoon light.
Standing there, it was easy to see how the land’s past and present coexist: the quiet dignity of the old stables, the young vines reaching upward, and the sense that this place is still becoming what it’s meant to be.
A Winery Rooted in Story
Song Hill Winery is not loud or showy. It doesn’t need to be. Its identity is built on:
- Heritage — a horse farm reborn
- Family — hands in the soil, season after season
- Craft — méthode champenoise patience and small‑lot precision
- Place — cool‑climate fruit expressed with clarity and restraint
It’s a winery that rewards attention — the kind of place where the story enriches the glass, and the glass brings the story back to life.
Well worth the visit!! Tell them Musings sent you!!
521 County Rd 9, Victor, NY 14564
773-551-9245