Our story begins with our founders Pete and Tacie Saltonstall. They wanted to start a winery inspired by the Burgundian ideal of a small family domaine that handles all the growing and producing of its own wines. A soup to nuts approach that lets us consider and control each part and process that our vines, grapes, and wines go through. When they started planting the vineyard their kids rode along in the tractor, or sat in a carrier placed in the shade to oversee the proceedings.
Now those same children have grown up and added their own pages to the Treleaven story. In addition to our meticulous approach to farming and winemaking, Lev and Hattie have reimagined what a winery experience is like for our guests. In the same way that the Saltonstalls grew up as a family in the winery, scrambling around barrels and hiding under tanks, Treleaven is dedicated to making our guests feel at ease; not simply welcomed but welcomed home. Bring to us your laughter, and children, and memories, and allow us to become the backdrop of your life. Be it in the Hangtime outside listening to a band, in our traditional tasting room learning more about the wines, or in the Oak Lounge having a bite to eat and a local craft beer, come and join the family.
A native of King Ferry, NY, Peter Saltonstall grew up in a farming family. Pete’s father was an agriculture professor at Cornell University and after leaving his post, bought four hundred acres of local farmland which was developed to raise beef cattle and a variety of grains for seed purposes. Most of the land was sold after his passing, but a small parcel of land named Treleaven Farm was kept in the family and is now home to the vines that produce the grapes used in Treleaven’s wines.
Pete inherited the family grain farm and after a visit to Napa Valley wine country, he decided the family farm back in upstate NY might be suitable for growing high quality vinifera vines. Given the region’s terroir of soil composition and proximity to the large, deep Cayuga Lake – the two key factors in growing high-quality wine grapes in a cold climate – Pete began studying the winemaking process, traveled to France, and consulted with various industry influencers to hone his skills. The vineyard was planted in 1984, with four grape varieties – Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Noir and Gewürztraminer.
When he and his wife Tacie decided to convert the family farm into a wine business, they modestly started with “a card table and a cash register.” What started as a 7 ½ acre production, now stands at 27-acres of vines and currently produces nearly 6,000 cases of wine. Like many other wineries in the Finger Lakes region, Treleaven Wines has ridden the wave of growth, and as the oldest winery on the east side of Cayuga Lake, stands as a paragon for future wineries.
In 2013, Lev moved back to the area after spending years working in New York City. Shortly thereafter, Pete and Tacie passed the torch to Lev for running the daily operations of the family business. What started as a vision in Lev's wild imagination transpired into a plan of action for the construction of what is now known as The Hangtime. On April 11, 2016, Treleaven broke ground and by July 2016, The Hangtime hosted its first public event - Kings of Summer. Since then, Treleaven has expanded in just about every aspect, becoming a one stop shop for wine, beer, food, and most importantly, family fun.
Premier Wine Club
Hattie Saltonstall, premier@treleavenwines.com
Tasting Reservations / General Inquiries
Front of House, tastings@treleavenwines.com
Wholesale / Off-Site Events
Shenoa Landon, wholesale@treleavenwines.com
Wedding Coordinator & Private Events
Kara VanOrman and Hattie Saltonstall, events@treleavenwines.com
Band and Entertainment Inquiries
Hattie Saltonstall & Kara VanOrman, bookings@treleavenwines.com
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