News from New York Wine & Grape Foundation

Wine Press FINAL 10-14-10

July 22, 2012

New York Gold in Long Beach, Viticulture 2013, legislative advances, regional wine festivals, and more happening in New York Wine Country.

Cheers!

Jim Trezise

New York Gold at Long Beach

I spent this weekend judging at the Long Beach Grand Cru competition organized by California wine journalist Dan Berger and benefiting the Legal Aid Society of Los Angeles, and once again New York wines won plenty of accolades--115 medals including 10 Best of Class (like a Double Gold), 26 Gold, 55 Silver, and 24 Bronze medals.

Best of Class winners, which were in the final "sweepstakes" round, included 21 Brix Ella's Red (Concord) from Lake Erie; Chateau LaFayette Reneau 2010 Estate Dry Riesling; Coyote Moon Twisted Sister (Frontenac) and Marquette; Goose Watch 2011 Diamond and 2011 Rose of Isabella; and Swedish Hill 2011 Riesling, Niagara, Catawba, and 2010 Late Harvest Vignoles.

Gold medals went to 21 Brix Raspberry, 2011 Dry Riesling, 2011 Gewurztraminer, and 2011 Chardonnay; Anyela's Vineyards 2010 Riesling and 2008 Cabernet Franc; Chateau LaFayette Reneau 2010 Chardonnay Proprietor's Reserve, 2010 Semi-Dry Estate Rieslingk and 2011 Semi-Dry Estate Riesling; Coyote Moon La Crescent; Dr. Konstantin Frank 2010 Rkatsiteli, 2011 Dry Riesling, and 2011 Semi-Dry Riesling; Goose Watch 2011 Cabernet Franc and 2010 Traminette; Hazlitt 2010 Riesling Homestead Reserve; Johnson Estate 2011 Delaware and Concord; Penguin Bay Tuxedo Red and 2011 Riesling; Sparkling Pointe 2009 Topaz Imperial, North Fork of Long Island; Swedish Hill 2011 Chardonnary-Riesling Blue Waters, Blanc de Blanc, 2011 Dry Riesling, and 2011 Cayuga White; and Wagner Vineyards 2010 Riesling Estate Bottled.

Next up is our own New York Wine & Food Classic where many of these wines will go head to head, being evaluated by Dan Berger and several other judges from the Long Beach contest along with others from around the world. Congratulations to all!

Viticulture 2013 Headliners

Every three years, the New York Wine & Grape Foundation teams up with Cornell Cooperative Extension on a major "Viticulture" conference, which next year will be the 2013 version on February 6-8 at the Rochester Riverside Convention Center.

The three-day conference and trade show includes dozens of seminars on viticulture, enology, wine marketing, legal and regulatory issues, and financial management, always starting with a "big bang" on the first morning.

Next year, that means the trio of John Gillespie (President of the Wine Market Council), Danny Brager (Vice President of the Nielsen Company) and Dr. Greg Carpenter (Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University) giving an overview of wine market trends in the United States.

Then California wine journalist Dan Berger will offer his perspective on where New York stands in the national scene, joined by officials from National Grape Cooperative/Welch Foods and Constellation Brands on what all this means to New York growers and vintners.

Another first-day feature of the conference is the Northern Grapes Project sessions of viticulture, enology, and marketing orchestrated by Dr. Tim Martinson of Cornell Cooperative Extension who secured a $3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to study the emergence and potential of "cold climate varieties" along with colleagues in many other states.

And that's only the beginning. There are lots of other topics and great speakers over the three days, along with our Unity Banquet, a major trade show, and all kinds of industry networking opportunities. All of this will soon be posted on a special web site, but for now just mark your calendar for February 6-8. It's not to be missed. .

Good Riddance to Bad Regulations

The "business climate" is just as important to growing the wine industry as the weather climate is to growing good grapes to make good wine. And thanks to New York Farm Bureau and a few individuals, the business climate has just improved.

The main event: Farm wineries, farm distilleries, and farm breweries (a new category) no longer have to file onerous and time-consuming wholesale tax reports previously required by the Department of Taxation and Finance. On the private sector side, Julie Suarez of New York Farm Bureau and Larry Perrine of Channing Daughters Winery on Long Island deserve the credit for making the case--and every one else owes them a debt of gratitude. As in the case of direct interstate shipment in 2005, it is a tiny group of very dedicated, persevering individuals--in that case John Martini (Anthony Road), Pete Saltonstall (King Ferry), Julie Suarez (Farm Bureau), and Allison Lee (a private lobbyist)--who do all the heavy lifting that benefits everyone else.

On the public sector side, Governor Andrew Cuomo, Agriculture Commissioner Darrel Aubertine, Senators Patty Ritchie and Kenneth LaValle, and Assemblymen Denny Farrell and Fred Thiele deserve the credit for undertanding that the time of winery owners and staff can be much more productively spent on production and marketing than complying with a senseless and duplicative reporting requirement.

There were some other good laws passed this year--including the establishment of a "farm brewery" category with benefits mirroring those of farm wineries--and we thank Farm Bureau and the bill sponsors for improving New York's business climate so we can grow and contribute even more than the $3.76 billion annually to the state economy.

Every New York winery and grape grower should be a member of New York Farm Bureau (or Long Island Farm Bureau if located there). They are the best partners we can have.

Free Run...

Niagara Wine Trail is sponsoring the fourth annual Wine & Culinary Festival next weekend at Academy Park in the heart of Lewiston. Fourteen of the region's wineries will be joined by local restaurants and other vendors including arts and crafts, along with cooking demonstrations. Tickets are $20 in advance and may be purchased at http://www.NiagaraUSAWineFestival.com.

Finger Lakes Riesling Festival, also in its fourth year, takes place on the weekend of August 11 & 12 along the beautiful Canandaigua Lake waterfront where some 25,000 people of all ages enjoy great Finger Lakes Rieslings, local beers, local restaurant offerings, arts and crafts, live music on four bands, and so much more. This festival is free, though donations are accepted for the local YMCA's Caring for Kids Camp, which since the festival began has received more than $100,000 from festival proceeds. For more information, visit http://riesingfestival.com.

Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars 2011 Red Oak Riesling was #2 on the "Top 6 Domestic Rieslings" rated by Gregory Dal Piaz on Snooth.