“We toyed with names like Endless Sky and Painted Sky” Alek Ajder tells me as we look at the broad Keuka Lake vista of the Bluff to the north and Hammondsport to the south. “Then one day a storm rolled across the sky, there were really dark, ominous, rain clouds to the north, a rainbow in from of us, and bright blue sky to the south, and my wife and I said to each other: ‘If that’s not a Divided Sky, what is?’.”
When I asked about his favorite wine memory, he replied: “I’ll never forget the first Christmas my future wife and I spent together with her father in 2006. He has an impressive collection of old Barolo wines and he generously opened a bottle from 1985, and poured us all a glass. When I tried the wine, my eyes lit up; it was the most amazing, complex wine I had ever tasted! For me, it was like one of those moments from the movie ‘Sideways’: that was the bottle that made me decide I loved great wine.”
Alek and his wife Megan Granata are originally from Milford, Connecticut. When Alek and Megan first met, they would frequently enjoy fine dinners and wines in the New Haven area. After studying Political Science at UCONN, Alek started working in restaurants and in 2008 went to Sommelier school in Manhattan. He worked as a Sommelier at Joseph’s Steakhouse in Bridgeport, Connecticut and at The Oval Room in Washington. D.C.
“In 2008 Megan and I started vacationing in the Finger Lakes. We’d return every couple of years, and eventually we decided that we would like to move to the Finger Lakes and try our hands at growing grapes and making wine. So in the summer of 2015 we started looking at land here.” After searching for about a year, they found 15 acres of property that met all their criteria and seemed to be meant for them. “It had a beautiful view of Keuka Lake and the Bluff and the proper slope, drainage and proximity to the lake. So we bought the land, and in 2017 built a house and in 2018 planted the first vineyard. The land had previously been a Catawba vineyard, some of which is still there, but there was plenty of open field which allowed us to plant our own vines and have room to expand.”
While some grapes are sourced from nearby Keuka Lake and Seneca Lake vineyards, Divided Sky has harvested three-quarters of an acre of Riesling, Cabernet Franc and Saperavi from their vineyards planted in 2018. This year they planted another 2 1/2 acres of vinifera vines. In 2022 they produced 175 cases and they expect to grow to about 1500 cases per year. With a little more than 3 acres under vine, they’re hoping to produce about 600 of those cases from estate grapes.
“The first year we lived here we tried to make wine from the Catawba grapes on the property. Let’s just say that didn’t work out. Then we bought some Vignoles from Fulkerson and Rose juice from Vineyard View, and made some carboys of wine from them. In 2020, I made a Riesling from a half-ton of purchased grapes from Keuka Lake. In 2021, we harvested our first crop from our own vineyards and I made wine from that. I sold much of it through a local restaurant I worked at and through friends. It was a nice way to slowly spend time to figure out and refine our approach. We still have a good relationship with ‘Burgers and Beer’, and as a matter of fact, I’ll be kegging some Blaufränkisch for them soon.”
About Alek’s winemaking philosophy: “For me, quality is everything. We only use perfectly ripened fruit, hand harvested and sorted. I strongly believe in minimal intervention in the wine making, so we don’t do any fining or filtering. I’m inspired by the great winemakers of France, especially from the Champagne and Burgundy regions. It’s amazing to see the energy and passion of the growers and winemakers there, and that’s what I’m trying to do here. If I were to sum it up in a single phrase, I’d use ‘Passionate Disinterest’. I’m more of a caretaker of the wine.”
“We opened the tasting room on April 30 of 2023. I’ll never forget that day: even though it rained the entire day, the turnout of our friends and neighbors was incredible! Monica Sommerville of ‘Sommerville Pottery’ made and donated the spittoons. Many of the local wineries refer customers to one another, and our friends at nearby wineries have been super helpful about sending guests our way. We’re really fortunate to live in such a supportive community.”
“When people come to our tasting room, it’s a two fold experience. They get to learn about the wine they’re tasting from the people involved in growing the grapes and making the wine, and they get to enjoy great wine while experiencing a fantastic scenic view in a relaxing atmosphere.”
For Alek, owing his own winery is a realization of a dream he’s had for eight years. He and Megan are grateful for the positive response from the local community: “That’s what gives me so much joy and hope”. He’s looking to stay small, always make great wines and provide a wonderful tasting room experience for his customers.
Currently, the following wines are available: Cabernet Franc, Dry Rose, Dry Riesling and a Blaufränkisch.
mail: dividedskyvineyard@gmail.com
Address: 9570 Middle Rd, Hammondsport, NY 14840
Getting to know who’s making the Wine in the Finger Lakes 
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