The Finger Lakes area is New York's largest wine producing region. Numerous wineries and vineyards are centered around Seneca Lake, Cayuga Lake, Canandaigua Lake, and Keuka Lake. Because of the lakes' great depth, they provide a lake effect to the lush vineyards that flank their shores. Retaining residual summer warmth in the winter, and winter's cold in the spring, the grapes are protected from disastrous spring frost during grape formation, and early frost before the harvest. With the passage of the Farm Winery Act in 1978, countless numbers of wineries have opened their doors to visitors from all over the world. Wineries are a major growth industry of the region, not merely contributing to the economy through production, but increasingly because they attract large numbers of visitors who support other components of tourism. Such attractions include the National Women's Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls, the Montezuma Wildlife Refuge, the William H. Seward House in Auburn, and the various Hot Air Balloon Rides that are available above the beautiful region.
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