Boundary Breaks
1568 Porter Covert Road
Lodi, NY 14860
The Finger Lakes
Sunsets at Boundary Breaks are spectacular.
The grounds include outdoor seating and a dog park.
Owner Diana Lyttle taught high school biology and plant science for 32 years.
Owner Bruce Murray and members of the vineyard team in winter at the bottom of one of the "breaks" in the landscape which form the boundaries of their farm and vineyard.
Great wine and a great view brings out the best in everyone.
“Boundary Breaks belongs in the first league of North American Riesling producers.”
Stuart Pigott, Author
Seneca Lake
Thank you, dear Glaciers, for carving such deep lakes.
Grapes will grow almost anywhere. But to make the finest wines, you need to choose the grape varieties that are suited to the climate of the region and to your vineyard location.
In the cool climate of the Finger Lakes, the best place to grow grapes is close to the lake. And the deeper the lake, the better.
Our vineyards are planted close to the shore of Seneca Lake.
In this image taken from a satellite miles above the earth, you can see how the Finger Lakes region got its name.
Sunsets at Boundary Breaks in the springtime to the northwest.
Seneca Lake is the deepest of the eleven Finger Lakes in Central New York. Even though winter temperatures can fall below zero, Seneca Lake rarely freezes over.
Because Seneca Lake is so large and deep, it moderates the weather conditions around its shores. Temperatures near shores of the lake during the winter are warmer than temperatures at higher elevation a short distance away.
The warmer temperatures near the shores of Seneca Lake create a more hospitable climate for grape vines planted there. This means grapes planted closer to the shore of the lake are likely to get riper during the short growing season.
Riesling grapes on the vine during mid-season.
Ripe Riesling fruit at harvest has turned a lovely, golden color.
Riesling is one of the world's most food friendly wines.
Riesling & Cabernet Franc
The signature varieties for the Finger Lakes
We produce Rieslings in many styles.
Some of the most popular Rieslings in the world are bone-dry.
We have committed ourselves to Riesling and Cabernet Franc. They are grape varieties that are perfect for the cool-climate of the Finger Lakes.
Why Riesling? Isn't it a "sweet wine?" And aren't sweet wines only for wine drinkers who don't know any better?
Rieslings come in all styles, from bone-dry to luscious dessert wines. We make all styles, and in each case, we are aiming to make the best version of that style that we can.
Cabernet Franc is one of the most food-friendly red wines.
Cabernet is quickly becoming a favorite among wine professionals.
Vineyard Manage Kees Stapel delivers a bin of Cabernet Franc to the crush-pad.
Cabernet Franc is a classic "old world" grape variety. It is grown widely in Franc--both in Bordeaux and in the Loire River Valley.
It ripens well during the short growing season and also survives our cold winters. Like Riesling, Cab Franc is a food-friendly wine, pairing well with almost any foods.
Pruning during winter. Kees Stapel, Vineyard Manager
Vineyard Manager Kees Stapel spends much of his time in the John Deere 5101.
David Murray spent his summers in Iowa working on a farm in the late 1930s and early 1940s.
Vineyard Associate, John Swick, 2017.
At certain times of the year we rely on indispensible contractor workers like Felix Mosqueda.
Harvest in September, 2015. (from left) John Swick, Vineyard Associate; Bruce Murray, co-owner; Kees Stapel, Vineyard Manager; Jackson, John's dog.
David Murray keeps an eye on the canes as they burn.
In a cool climate, ripeness is everything.
In the world of wine, winemakers normally get all the attention. Here in the cool climate of the Finger Lakes, we like to shower the attention on the team that manages the vineyard.
The climate and conditions in the Finger Lakes can be punishing. By "punishing," we mean that a season of persistent cool temperature can keep fruit from becoming fully ripe; or, that excessive moisture in September can cause mold to form on the grapes before they are ready to be picked.
In either case, the result can be a harvest of under-ripe fruit. When fruit is under-ripe, its juice can be overly acidic and lack flavor (think of biting into an under-ripe peach.) Here at Boundary Breaks, we aim for “ripeness” and maximum “flavor.”
without People
there is no wine
01 Bruce Murray
Co-Owner
Bruce grew up in Central New York, not far from the Finger Lakes. Prior to returning to the region, he worked for more than 30 years in the publishing business. His work led him to travel extensively. In his early 50's, he concluded his roots were deepest in area where he had grown up. He and co-owner, Diana Lyttle, were married in 2017
02 Diana Lyttle
Co-owner
Diana is a native of Syracuse, NY and taught high school science in New Milford, CT for 32 years prior to coming to Boundary Breaks. During her teaching career, she has taught Plant Science, Earth Science, Biology and Chemistry. She is a graduate of the University of New Hampshire with a joint degree in Botany and Plant Science. She and co-owner, Bruce Murray, were married in April, 2017.
03 Jesse Kovnat
Vineyard Associate
Jesse joined Boundary Breaks in 2017 after moving to the Finger Lakes from New York City. Prior to joining the team, Jesse has worked for Heart & Hands Vineyards on Cayuga Lake. Prior to that he had many years of retail wine sales experience in NYC and also cellar work in Oregon. He lives with his wife Rosina, and daughter, Hana, in Trumansburg.
04 Kees Stapel
Vineyard Manager
Kees joined Boundary Breaks in 2010. He learned viticulture while working for eight years under Dave Wiemann, the Vineyard Manager at Sheldrake Point Vineyards. Kees lives in Lodi, a few miles from the vineyard, with his wife, Ronata, and their sons, Kees and Gavin.
05 John Swick
Vineyard Associate
John is a native of Lodi and joined Boundary Breaks in 2011. John has shown a capacity for perseverance in the vineyard, in spite of the coldest or hottest weather. He is a devoted practitioner of mixed martial arts.