In
1974,
the
Lucas
Family
followed
their
dream
and
moved
from
New
York
City
borough
of
the
Bronx
to
Finger
Lakes
located
in
upstate
New
York.
Farm
advisors
told
the
Lucas'
they
could
make
a
good
living
on
their
68-acre
farm
by
growing
grapes
for
one
of
the
big
wineries
in
Hammondsport.
They
planted
their
first
vines
in
1975
and
trucked
their
first
crop
to
the
Taylor
winery
in
1978.
At
Taylor,
the
Lucas'
watched
in
dismay
as
their
carefully
nurtured,
hand-picked
grapes
were
dumped
into
giant
hoppers
with
truckload
of
grapes
from
other
growers.
A
highlight
of
the
Lucas'
grape
growing
days
was
when
they
sold
their
Cayuga
White
grapes
to
Glenora
Wine
Cellars.
Glenora
produced
the
very
first
Cayuga
White
commercial
wine
from
Lucas
Vineyards
grapes.
The
Lucas'
opened
their
own
winery
in
1980,
on
Cayuga
Lake.
Their
debut
vintage
of
400
cases
won
gold
and
silver
medals
at
the
NY
State
Fair
Wine
Competition.
Lucas
Vineyards
most
known
wines
are
the
Tug
Boat
wines.
The
nautical
wines
are
named
after
one
of
the
Founders
occupation
as
a
Tug
Boat
Captain
in
the
New
York
Harbor.
In
the
early
years,
consumer
interest
in
the
Tug
Boat
Wines
kept
the
winery
afloat.
Wine
production
has
risen
to
17,000
cases
(approx.
40,000
gallons),
mostly
from
estate
grown
grapes.
Today
the
business
is
owned
and
managed
by
Ruth
Lucas
who
is
also
the
Winemaker.
The
two
Lucas
daughters,
Ruthie
and
Stephanie,
are
employed
full
time
by
the
winery
as
is
Stephanie's
husband,
Jeff.
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