About the Winery
White Caps, a Farm Winery, opened in 2016 on the 178 acre Warner farm. By land, the winery is located less than a mile from the Seaway Trail, by turning from NYS 12E in Chaumont, NY, onto County Route 125 (Pt. Salubrious).
The winery is accessible by water, on Chaumont Bay, at the entrance to Sawmill Bay. Sawmill leads to the harbor where there are two yacht clubs, the historic Crescent Yacht Club and the Chaumont Yacht Club. The waters are renowned for fishing, sporting a worldwide reputation for catches of walleye, bass, muskellunge, perch, pike, lake trout, bullhead and salmon.
Chaumont Bay is known as the Golden Crescent for its abundant catches, but is also a prized area for sailing and boating. The area hosts regattas and welcomes boaters from Canadian waters, the St. Lawrence River, and the Great Lakes.
The winery is hosted by Gail Warner Miller, a 6th generation descendant of Nathaniel Warner, a soldier raised in a Connecticut regiment, to fight in the War of 1812 in Sackets Harbor. After the war, Nathaniel, a ship builder, settled in the area as did many other soldiers who were encouraged with the idea that this ‘border town’, would in all likelihood experience further invasions from British troops. Interestingly, several deserters from the British Army, became neighbors after the war. One engineered the stone houses on the point.
Through the years, Cedar Grove Farm supplied hay to New York City via a local train, harvested ice on the bay for shipment, & grew various crops; the last dairy on the farm consisted of 36 cows, mostly Ayshires. Lyle and Gladys Warner, however, always found room for a Jersey or an Ayshire, Lyle’s favorites.
Farms like this one, have survived in recent years, by haying the land for mushroom farming. Ms. Miller transitioned the farm to a bird sanctuary habitat to save it from development, and the winery became a natural extension with the idea of sharing the beauty of the area with visitors. The farm and the bird habitat program were featured in Audubon Magazine in 2012.
Living on the bay, the nautical tradition remained a thread through the family, from ship building, to sailing, to shoring up old antique boats, especially Lymans, with a 1953 Islander still in the family. Edith Warner was a sailor in her earlier years, and enjoyed race crewing on sailboats on the bay.
The winery provides visitors to the farm find themselves in an intimate lakeshore winery. Guests are encouraged to walk the trails or cross country ski in winter, play games, sit by the tinkling fountain, take a lunch to the pond, view the vineyard, or just sit on the shore and enjoy the sunsets. Wi-fi is also available. In the tradition of farming, guests also find farm animals on Cedar Grove Farm, many of them rescued, as well as whitetail deer, fox, and turkeys.
The new cold hardy vines, developed in the 1990’s form the basis for great wines, select cocktails. spirits, craft beers, seltzers and non-alcoholic beverages are also a hit with many guests!
The winery is open year round. Located less than a mile from the local snowmobile trail, it is accessible in winter to guests. An indoor fireplace help guests warm themselves during the cold winter months.