February 15, 2014

             New Yorkers love New York wines, travel and restaurant shows coming up, Wine Symposium scheduled, more cold and snow in grape country, first farm cidery, and more from wine country.

             Cheers!          

             Jim Trezise

               "New York Drinks New York" is the formal name of our program to get more New York wines into New York City, but judging from the reactions of our downstate guest this week, it might be "New York Loves New York".

                 The group of 10 top sommeliers, wine store owners, and media--who had never been to the Finger Lakes before--came away with a sense of discovery, excitement, and commitment to add some New York wines to their lists or shelves.  The three-day tour started with tastings and lunch with representatives and wines from the Lake Erie, Niagara Escarpment, and Greater Niagara regions at the New York Wine & Culinary Center, a perfect place to make a great first impression.

                  That afternoon and the following two days, they visited 10 Finger Lakes wineries on Keuka, Seneca and Cayuga Lakes, and had lunch or dinner with representatives from several others.  These brave souls even agreed to a lesson in pruning in very cold weather, which heightened their appreciation for what it takes to make wine.

                   I got to know them all during the meals, and was very impressed by how seriously they were taking this trip--not as some junket, but as a true learning experience.  And all the comments I heard were very positive--about the trip, the region, the people, and the wines.  I have zero doubt that some of the wines they tasted will soon be on their lists for New Yorkers to enjoy.

                    The Inn at Glenora, where we all stayed, was also a highlight of the trip, a tribute to owner Gene Pierce and the entire staff.  When they were building the Inn in 1999, tough decisions had to be made about how much they wanted to spend on furnishings (like Stickley), and to their credit they decided to go upscale, so the rooms are truly magnificent.  But it's the staff--receptionists, wait staff, chefs, and more--that make it feel like home with their efficient service and friendliness.  It's truly great for us to have a place this classy to show New York City visitors just how great this region is.  I highly recommend the Inn at Glenora to anyone visiting the Finger Lakes. (www.glenora.com)

                      The next part of our NY Drinks NY "exchange program" will be in New York City in mid-March, culminating on March 17 with the third annual Grand Tasting at Astor Center in lower Manhattan.

              In a couple weeks, we'll be going to New York City for two different reasons: the International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York; and the New York Times Travel Show.  Serendipitously, both are held at the Jacob Javits Convention Center on overlapping days, making for a very cost-effective trip.

              The restaurant show, among the largest in the world, includes hundreds of exhibitors with all kinds of products and services, and draws thousands of attendees from around the country and world.  Since 2003, thanks to our generous partners at the New York State Restaurant Association, we have coordinated what has now become a "Pride of New York Marketplace" in conjunction with the Department of Agriculture & Markets.

               We're able to offer the booths at roughly 1/5th the normal price, making it affordable for the small wine and food producers we want to showcase.  In addition to several wineries, this year's 30+ exhibitors include New York farm breweries, farm distilleries, and producers of maple syrup, artisanal bread, sausage, ravioli, and all kinds of other yummy treats.  It's sort of like New York Farm Day in the Big Apple.  http://www.internationalrestaurantny.com.

                In a separate hall, the I Love NY program is sponsoring a booth to promote the many diverse tourist attractions of our great State, including Wine Country.  So after I nibble on some food at the restaurant show, I'll amble over there to describe the different, wonderful wine regions throughout New York.

             Wine Symposium of the Finger Lakes is set for June 13-14 in Geneva, following a very successful debut last year.  The event will focus on cool-climate wines from the region in the context of similar wines from around the world; include food and wine pairings created by regional chefs; and feature as the keynote speaker Joshua Greene, editor and publisher of Wine & Spirits magazine, the first of the major consumer magazines to recognize the consistent and superb quality of Finger Lakes wines.  More information is available at www.winesymposiumfingerlakes.com.

             First Farm Cidery in New York State--Nine Pin Cider Works--opened this week near Albany, resulting from a new law which Governor Andrew Cuomo signed in October and went into effect just a month ago on January 15.  The Farm Winery Law of 1976, designed to promote agriculture in New York State, has served as the model for the farm brewery, farm distilley, and now farm cidery laws.  Like the other beverage categories, cider is growing quickly, with 23 hard cider producers now in New York.  Congratulations to the del Peral family for being New York's first farm cidery.

             Brrrrrrrr.  It's definitely winter--but like the ones we had long ago, not those of recent years when Keuka Lake never froze.  Today it's a huge playground for snowmobilers, ice boaters, ice fishermen, ice skaters, and people who just like to walk on (frozen) water.  Assessing probable damage to buds and even vines will take some time, and we just hope that it starts warming up soon.  However, I really feel badly for people in the southern states who are not at all used to snow and ice, and don't have the experience or equipment to deal with it quickly.

             Big Bucks is what you can expect to see soon when our updated economic impact study will be released in the very near future. An initial study using 2005 data showed total economic of our industry at $3.14 billion, followed by $3.76 billion in 2008. Given the explosive growth of our industry since then, I expect some big numbers.  Stay tuned....

                 "Drinking wine is not a sign of sophistication...it is as natural as eating and to me as necessary."

                                                                   --Ernest Hemingway