Our Story

Shannon and Paul Brock in the vineyard.

Acclaimed winemaker Paul Brock and wine educator Shannon Brock took the helm of Silver Thread Vineyard in 2011.  True to its founding principles, Silver Thread is an owner-operated, boutique winery known for sustainably-grown estate wines.  The Brocks practice a holistic, regenerative style of farming called biointensive viticulture. The winery generates 100% of its energy needs from a 28kw solar array located on-site.

Production does not exceed 3,000 cases per year.  Wines are available for sale at the tasting room, through the wine club, via mail order, and in select stores and restaurants in New York, New Jersey, Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania, Ohio and Massachusetts.

Silver Thread is located ¾ mile off Route 414 (the wine trail) in a quiet and naturally beautiful environment overlooking Seneca Lake. Wine lovers seeking a relaxing and educational experience will enjoy discovering our off-the-beaten-path location and sampling some of the best wines in the Finger Lakes.

At Silver Thread, we seek to elevate the reputation of the Finger Lakes region by crafting outstanding, terroir-driven wines. Our story is still being written. We are constantly learning, improving and applying new knowledge to our vineyard, winery and hospitality. Thanks for coming along on our journey.

Origins

Silver Thread Vineyard was established in 1982 on the eastern shore of Seneca Lake, at the heart of New York’s Finger Lakes region. At this location the bottom of the lake drops almost 200 feet below sea level, a dramatic mass of water that creates a distinct microclimate on the hillside— cooling breezes in summer, radiating warmth through the winter, and extending the length of the growing season. On this site 250 years ago, the Haudenosaunee (a.k.a. Iroquois) people tended huge peach orchards, a testament to this temperate ‘island’ within a cool region.

The winery is named for a local waterfall, Silver Thread Falls, known as one of the loveliest in the Finger Lakes. Like our winery, its tucked away in a private spot and only discovered by those intrepid enough to seek it out.

The turtle image on our label was carved in a rock beside one of New York’s woodland creeks by a Native American artist many centuries ago. As an earth symbol to the Haudenosaunee people, the turtle reminds us to care for the land and water that give us the gift of wine.  This artifact is on display at the New York Botanical Garden in Bronx, NY.

Early Years

Silver Thread’s original 6-acre vineyard and ecologically-designed wine cellar were established by organics enthusiast and author Richard Figiel.  It was one of the first Finger Lakes wineries to produce exclusively dry wines from European grape varieties.

Since the late 1980’s, the vineyard has followed the principles of sustainable farming, and was certified organic from 1992-1997.

Our energy-efficient tasting room and wine cellar building was built in 1995 and is set into the hillside for natural temperature control.  The winery building is a contemporary take on Greek Revival, the architectural style of many of the early farm houses in the Finger Lakes.

Since the winery’s first release in 1991, Silver Thread earned critical acclaim for its wines. Riesling, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir were lauded in Wine Advocate, The New York Times, and The World Atlas of Wine during the 1990s, when Finger Lakes wines were virtually unknown outside the region.

Riesling post 1984

Our People

Paul Brock

Paul Brock

Ambitious Owner-Winegrower

Winegrower and co-owner Paul Brock has a passion for keeping busy. When not out in the vineyard or in the cellar at Silver Thread, Paul is an Assistant Professor of Viticulture and Wine Technology at Finger Lakes Community College(FLCC) in Geneva, NY.

Paul has an M.S. in Enology and Viticulture from Cornell University and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He has earned a wine judge certification from the American Wine Society and a level three Advanced Certificate in Wines and Spirits from the Wine and Spirit Education Trust of London. He has judged at several regional, state, and national wine competitions and is a frequent speaker at both local and national industry conferences.

Paul is driven by his desire to learn about and explain classical and cutting edge techniques useful to small-scale winemaking and vineyard operations. In recent years, he has delved into biointensive, regenerative and biodynamic viticulture practices, seeking to improve the quality of grapes used to produce Silver Thread wines. He is the founder of the Finger Lakes Biointensive Working Group, a collection of grape growers striving to incorporate biological practices on their farms.

In his spare time, Paul can be found cheering on his two kids at their sporting events and concerts, or jamming to his favorite band, Phish.

Shannon Brock

Shannon Brock

Diligent Owner-Estate Manager

Shannon Brock is thoroughly at home in the role of winery owner-estate manager, where every day presents new challenges and opportunities.  From conceiving new tasting flights, to hand-picking grapes, to designing THIS WEBSITE, she loves that there is always more to learn about wine and the wine business.

Before purchasing Silver Thread, she was Wine Director at New York Wine & Culinary Center (now called New York Kitchen) in Canandaigua, NY, where she taught wine, beer, spirits, and pairing classes for the general public and the trade for over 10 years.  In 2010, she earned the level 4 Diploma in Wine & Spirits through Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET), and is a WSET Certified Educator.  She holds a bachelor’s degree in public policy economics from Cornell, a master’s degree in school administration from University of Virginia, and Wine Judge Certification through American Wine Society.

Shannon’s areas of particular interest include pairing New York wines with local foods, improving the quality of people’s wine experiences in tasting rooms and restaurants, and understanding New York wines in a global context.

In her free time, she enjoys cooking, hiking, cross-country skiing and spending time with her family. She also volunteers on the local school board, and is a board member of Finger Lakes Wine Alliance.

Max Murphy

Bruce Stebbins

Indispensable Assistant Winegrower

Originally from Canandaigua, NY, Bruce grew up in the Finger Lakes. He always loved science and agriculture, so he enrolled in the FLCC viticulture and wine technology program directly out of high school. Bruce then transferred to Cornell and received his Bachelor’s of Science in Viticulture and Enology.

Bruce spent several years working in other wine regions including Willamette Valley and Napa Valley. He ultimately returned home to the Finger Lakes just as it was starting to be known as an up and coming wine region. Bruce interned at Silver Thread while in school, and is excited to be back working at a place that focuses on sustainability and regenerative farming.

Bruce is fond of natural wines like Petillant Naturel and unique varietals like Saperavi, Rkatsiteli, and Nebbiolo. When not working in wine, he loves being outside! He can be found snowboarding, rock climbing, sailing, or skateboarding. Bruce also enjoys vegetable farming and beekeeping.

Colin Marker

Sarah Blagg

Motivated Marketing Maven

In March of 2020, Sarah – like many people – found herself looking for a new adventure. With a background in theatre, education, hospitality, and small business management, she wondered if the wine industry could be a good fit. At her first interview ever for a winery position, she admitted to knowing nothing about the business, let alone wine itself. The team at Bully Hill Vineyards took a chance on her anyway, and she spent two years as their Retail Manager.

Sarah holds her Level 2 Wine & Spirits Education Trust certification (and will soon be studying for her Level 3). She sits on the Marketing Committee for the Finger Lakes Wine Alliance and serves as Newsletter Director for the Finger Lakes Chapter of Women for Winesense.

Sarah is excited to market not just the Silver Thread product but the mission itself: sustainability. She is an avid reader and home baker, a dedicated auntie, and a proud dog mom to Maisy Jo, the cattle dog/hound mix who loves going on adventures around the region!

Janice Brunner

Janice Brunner

Tasting Room Server Extraordinaire

Beginning in the early ’90’s, Janice and her husband, Scott, made frequent trips to the Finger Lakes, enjoying the scenery and the wineries.  As the region’s winemaking developed, so did their tastes.  At retirement, they were able to make the long awaited move to Caywood.  During a walk with their new pup, Janice and Scott discovered that Silver Thread Vineyard had passed to the creative hands of Paul and Shannon Brock.  A tasting room position was open and provided Janice with the opportunity to become part of the industry and gain further knowledge of the fascinating world of wine.  She has been a valued Silver Thread team member since 2012, and has earned Level I and II certifications from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust. Perks of the job include enjoying the wines of Silver Thread and meeting so many interesting people as they pass through the area.

Shop

Silver Thread

Shop our Collections or assemble a pack of your favorites from our on-line store. Have your wine shipped, or select “Winery Pickup.”

Bottles of Silver Thread Wines