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Wine: A Family Affair is illustrated in a document soon to be added to our web site which briefly lists vineyards and wineries in New York where two or more generations are or have been directly involved in the family business. Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards tops the list with six generations, then Bully Hill with five, followed by a few with four, several with three, and many with two--and others to be added in the future, no doubt. The interest of the younger generations in staying with the family business is a vote of confidence in the industry's future.
The Frank family is a great example of multi-generational commitment to the industry, now with Meaghen Frank (a Cornell graduate like her father Fred) as the fourth generation. Dr. Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars recently received a "Lifetime Achievement Award" at the recent Eastern Winery Exposition based on the contributions to the American wine industry of the family and its business.
Dr. Konstantin Frank pioneered the "vinifera revolution" in the Finger Lakes region 50 years ago, which quickly spread to other New York regions and other states in the east. Skeptics warned Dr. Frank that classic European (vinifera) grapes could not survive the harsh winters, but now virtually all of the region's 120+ wineries produce Riesling and other vinifera wines. His son Willy, grandson Fred (now the winery's President), and great granddaughter Meaghen have kept his vision alive.
Education and Training are a vital part of our industry's future as well, and we're fortunate to have plenty of institutions which offer everything from four-year programs in viticulture and enology to two-year curricula and individual courses. As our industry has grown, and continues to, there is an ever-greater need for people with the knowledge, training, and passion to help it advance even further, and these resources are key to that effort. A listing of educational resources is on our web site.
Shame on a major hotel chain in downtown Richmond, VA right across from the Convention Center where the Wineries & Breweries Unlimited conference was held this week, bringing hundreds of guests to the hotel. When I went to the bar/restaurant to get a glass/bite, I noticed that there was not ONE Virginia wine on the list, despite the fact that the Old Dominion producers are making some world-class wines these days, and Richmond is the State Capitol. Sounds just like Albany, doesn't it?
I asked the bartender, then the restaurant manager, then the hotel manager why on earth this was so, and they gave the usual lame excuses: People don't ask for local wines (I just did!, and so did many others), our national headquarters selects the wines for all hotels and/or the wines we offer are those that our distributor/wholesaler recommends, and they print our wine list for us.
Whether in Virginia, New York, Idaho, Ohio, or almost all other states, this situation is totally outrageous, and our industry along with consumers needs to rise up and overthrow the United States wine oligarchy.
Pride of NY Pledge is one promising development to change that situation, with Governor Andrew Cuomo announcing that more than 100 New York restaurants have now formally agreed to bolster their sourcing and use of New York food and beverage products. The commitment involves increasing by at least 10% the use of New York products; introducing New York-themed dishes made with locally sourced and seasonal products; and communicating with suppliers, peers and the public to encourage more support of New York foods and beverages.
The "pledge" restaurants span the state, with a large portion in New York City, where we are hosting our "NY Drinks NY" Grand Tasting on Monday for a large contingent of restaurateurs, retailers, and writers as another step in the process.
In addition, in the Rochester area the "NY Wine Spotting" program created by Michael Warren Thomas is also engaging consumers to become more involved in encouraging local restaurants to feature local wines.
With all of these efforts, we are indeed making a difference.
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