After moonlighting at a Hudson Valley winery, David DeMarco decided farming was an itch he needed to scratch.

So he left behind his computer consulting work and the bustle of Manhattan to buy a vineyard on the west side of Seneca Lake in 1993.

At first, DeMarco grew grapes on his Penn Yan, Yates County, property for other area vintners. That changed by 1995, when classes offered by Cornell University’s cooperative extension network helped him shore up the confidence to produce his own wine.

With an annual output of 6,000 cases, DeMarco features products ranging from sophisticated Vinifera wines to easy-drinking options ideal for weeknight suppers. He also produces blueberry wine, Port and other niche quaffs when the mood strikes him.

The tasting room’s medieval theme, which helps visitors imagine jousters bellying up to the bar, keeps the atmosphere thoroughly lighthearted. And observant guests surely will notice the charming bottle labels, offering condensed tales of nymph sightings and dragon slayings.

DeMarco says the off-the-beaten-path location, near Route 14, attracts die-hard Finger Lakes’ fans, who spur him to carry on with winemaking.

“You get joyous people (visiting), who love the wine and want to spend time in the country,” he says.

“I’m 100 percent confident that (the growth) we see in Napa and Sonoma (Calif.) will be in the Finger Lakes,” he adds. “It (just) may take 30 or 50 years.”

— Sheila Livadas, for FingerLakesWine.com

Hours: Open April through December, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday; January through March, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday and Monday. Closed Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve, New Year's Day and Easter Sunday.

Wheelchair-accessible.