Living Roots
New York | Finger Lakes | Keuka Lake Wine Trail
Location
Address: 8560 Co Rd 87, Hammondsport, NY 14840
Phone: (585) 383-1112 ext. 2
Website: www.livingrootswine.com
Email: info@livingrootswine.com
State: New York Wineries
Wine Region: Finger Lakes Wineries
American Viticultural Area: Finger Lakes AVA
Wine Trail: Keuka Lake Wine Trail
About Living Roots
Living Roots is a newer addition to the growing list of Finger Lakes wineries. Their latest tasting room on Keuka Lake has garnered significant attention due to the unique twist brought by the husband-and-wife team Sebastian (Seb) and Colleen (Col) Hardy. Located within their Finger Lakes Shale Creek Vineyard, the tasting room offers stunning views of Keuka Lake and the Bluff. Guests can enjoy wine tasting flights or by the glass in a modern yet cozy indoor space or outside, where dogs are welcome, soaking in the lake views. They also serve small bits, beer and occasionally have food truck pop-ups. Visitors have the special opportunity to taste wines produced in both the Finger Lakes and Australia, with grapes sourced from local Finger Lakes growers and their family's vineyards in both regions.
Australia born Seb Hardy is a sixth-generation winemaker, tracing his lineage back to his third great-grandfather, Thomas Hardy. In 1850, Thomas left England for Australia, where he soon after established what would evolve into Hardys Wines, marking the beginning of a longstanding winemaking legacy for the family. Thomas became a pioneering figure in South Australia's wine industry, and the Hardy family's influence has endured as one of the region's most significant.
In 1980, Seb’s father, Geoff Hardy departed from the family winery to chart his own path in the wine industry. He first acquired a vineyard in McLaren Vale and later identified a site in the Kuitpo area of the southern Adelaide Hills for cultivating cool-climate grapes. In 1987, Geoff planted the K1 vineyard, earning its name as the first commercial vineyard in the Kuitpo region. Seb spent his formative years surrounded by these vineyards, witnessing firsthand his father's innovative contributions to viticulture.
Seb studied Viticulture and Oenology in Adelaide and traveled extensively, gaining experience in Australia, France, Italy, and Austria. Col, originally from Rochester, initially pursued a career as a corporate marketing professional in Chicago. Driven by her passion for wine and a desire for a career change, she moved into the wine industry. This led her to Australia’s McLaren Vale in 2014, where she worked at Hardy’s Tintara Winery and met Seb.
Their connection quickly blossomed, and in 2016, they founded Living Roots, splitting their time between New York and Australia. In 2023, their Adelaide Hills winery was named Best New Winery in Australia by the Halliday Wine Companion, an Australian wine guide released annually, featuring wine ratings, regional information, winery reviews, and general information about the best wines in Australia. Today, they operate three locations: an urban tasting room in Rochester, a tasting room and vineyard on Keuka Lake, and in the Adelaide Hills region of South Australia. The adventurous couple, through Living Roots winery, is introducing an exciting new influence to both the Finger Lakes region of New York and the Adelaide Hills region of South Australia, solidifying this generational winemaker as the next chapter in the Hardy family wine story.
Wine to Try: One of their many sparkling wines from the Finger Lakes or a beloved Austrian Shiraz
Grapes and Wine Styles:
White Wines: Rizza (Aussie slang for Riesling), Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Vidal, Gewürztaminer
Red Wines: Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Shiraz, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Tannat, Petite Sirah, Shiraz, Barber
Other Styles: Rosé, Sparkling, Dessert
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