Our Story

For more than one hundred years, the Zazzara family has been rooted in Central New York, building restaurants, serving traditional foods and experiences, developing real estate, and creating places where the community could gather, celebrate, and feel at home. The family's name has long been tied to some of the region's most beloved food traditions and largest entertainment attractions, with several still drawing huge crowds today. The Villa Estate marks the family's entry into winemaking and hospitality on a vineyard estate, extending a legacy built across generations of food service, entertainment, and community gathering spaces.

Set on a 57-acre property overlooking Cazenovia Lake, our estate vineyard is home to cold-hardy varietals suited to Central New York's climate, a Wedding and Events Center, a Tasting Room, and Fellows' — our own take on the gathering spaces our family has always been known for. We also grow grapes at our vineyard in the Finger Lakes, broadening what we're able to bring to the glass.

Everything we have is built on the sweat and sacrifice of the generations who came before us. They didn't have it easy, and they didn't do it for recognition — they did it so the next generation could have a little more than they did. The Villa Estate is our way of carrying that forward. We don't chase the finish line here. The work itself, day after day, generation after generation, is the dream.

"Making wine is a lot like making music. Each piece stands on its own, and each bottle is its own masterpiece."

The Villa Estate is more than a name. It's our legacy, poured..