April 5, 2014

             TONS of New York Gold, Multi-generational wineries, Long Island partners with Champagne, Wegmans #1,  and lots more happening in New York wine country.

             Cheers!          

             Jim Trezise

                New York wines won a total of 523 medals at last weekend's Finger Lakes International Wine Competition, including 21 Double Gold, 57 Gold, 238 Silver, and 207 Bronze awards.  While held in Rochester with the name "Finger Lakes", this is truly an international competition in terms of both the wines and judges.  And it benefits a great charity: Camp Good Days and Special Times.

                 Double Gold medals went to Anthony Road 2013 Pinot Gris and 2013 Rose of Cabernet Franc; Arbor Hill Speedster; Baiting Hollow 2011 Sweet Isis; Chateau Frank Celebre Rose; Chateau LaFayette Reneau 2010 Merlot and Seyval Chardonnay; Clovis Point 2013 Chardonnay; Fox Run 2011 Riesling 12, Hanging Delta Vineyard; Glenora 2012 Riesling, Select Harvest, Dalrymple Vineyards; Hazlitt 2012 Vidal Ice Wine; Hector Wine Company 2012 Essence; Liberty Vineyards & Winery 2013 Riesling; Pellegrini 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon; Penguin Bay 2012 Pinot Grigio; Sheldrake Point 2013 Dry Rose and 2012 Gewurztraminer; Stone Age Winery 2013 Blush; Swedish Hill 2012 Riesling; Warwick Valley Doc's Draft Hard Pear Apple Cider; and Earle Estates Meadery Porky's Pleasure Worthog Cherry Hard Cider. 

                Gold medals were awarded to 21 Brix Winery Love Red; Anthony Road 2013 Unoaked Chardonnay and 2012 MRS Riesling; Arbor Hill Iona Rose; Baldwin Raspberry Wine and Trilogy; Bella-Brooke 2012 Frontenac Gris; Benmarl 2012 Semi-Dry Riesling; Billsboro 2012 Riesling; Brooklyn Wnery 2012 Chardonnay, Stainless Steel Aged; Brotherhood "B"  Sparkling Wine; Chateau Frank 2007 Brut; Dr. Frank 2012 Riesling Reserve; Earle Estates Cruisin' Cranberry and Worthog Hard Cider; Fox Run 2010 Lemberger-Cabernet Franc; Fulkerson 2013 Diamond, 2013 Moscato and Red Zeppelin; Goose Watch Classic Cream Sherry and Golden Spumante; Hazlitt 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon and 2012 Riesling; Heron Hill 2012 Pinot Gris Reserve; Honeymoon Trail 2013 Diamond; Hosmer 2012 Riesling; JD Cellars 2012 Free Flight; Knapp 2011 Lemberger; Lakewood 2012 Dry Riesling and 2012 Riesling; Leonard Oakes 2011 Vidal Blanc Ice Wine; Merritt Estate Bella Rosa; Montezuma 2011 Big Timber Red and 2012 Riesling; North Star 2012 Compass Rose; Paumanok 2012 Late Harvest Riesling and 2013 Semi-Dry Riesling; Penguin Bay 2012 Riesling; Prejean 2012 Semi-Dry Riesling; Rooster Hill 2012 Silver Pencil; Schulze 2012 Vidal Blanc Ice Wine; Sheldrake Point 2012 Luckystone Red; Sparkling Pointe 2009 Blanc de Blanc and Topaz Imperial; Stone Age 2013 White; Suhru 2013 Pinot Grigio; Swedish Hill 2011 Cabernet Franc, Blue Waters Riesling, and Spumante Blush; The Cape Winery Frontenac; The Winery at Marjim Manor 2013 Lady of the Manor; Tug Hill Frontenac Gris; Wagner 2012 Dry Riesling, Caywood East, 2012 Riesling Ice Wine, and 2012 Riesling Select; and Winery of Ellicottville Raspberry.  

                    In the Dallas Morning News Wine Competition, Chateau Frank 2007 Blanc de Noir and Dr. Frank 2012 Dry Riesling each won Gold medals.

                    And Wine & Spirits magazine gave a 92 to Heron Hill 2012 Classic Dry Ingle Vineyards Riesling; and 93 to Hermann J. Wiemer 2009 Seneca Lake Noble Select Riesling Josef Vineyard.                             

          The New York wine industry is firmly rooted in New York soil.  Not only the vines, but the families as well.

           When you plant a vine, you are making a long-term commitment.  You don't even harvest your first grapes for four years, and after that you hope the weather, the market, and the business climate all cooperate.  Because once you plant your vineyard, you can't just put it in the back of your pickup truck and move to another state.

             The sons and daughters of families who plant those vines and make their own wines have more flexibility.  The first generation has made a clear commitment, but the second and subsequent generations can just choose to move on to other places or professions.  Which is why it's so amazing that so many instead choose to stay.

              This year, we conducted a "Generational Survey" to see how many New York wineries have had two or more generations which have been or are involved in the industry.  Of the 353 existing wineries, 76 responded and met this criterion.

               There were 2 with six generations, 7 with five, 3 with four, 15 with three, and 49 with two--for a grand total of 76 multi-generational winegrowing families. (Some farms include earlier generations which produced other crops, but our survey refers only to the number of generations involved with the grape and wine industry.)

                 76 of 353--that's 22% of all wineries.  But what makes it even more remarkable is that the majority of New York wineries have been established in the past decade--meaning there hasn't been enough time for a second generation to become involved.  So the real percentage of long-established wineries is in fact much higher.

                  It shows a love of the land, a commitment to the industry, and confidence in its future.

                  There is a full listing of those wineries, and their respective generations, on our web site (www.newyorkwines.org).

                      Three representatives from the Long Island Wine Council recently visited France's fabled Champagne region for meetings involving the protection of place names in the world of wine.  Ron Goerler Jr. (Jamesport Vineyards), Jim Waters (Waters Crest Winery), and Steve Bate (Long Island Wine Council) participated in the event which is intended to protect the unique identify of various wine regions around the world.

                      Long Island was invited to join the coalition in 2010 and remains the only east coast region that is a signatory to the Joint Declaration to Protect Wine Place & Origins, which now involves 19 members from Europe, Australia, and the United States.  The meetings involved discussions of recent developments on the protection of place names in various countries including Canada and China, as well as new initiatives for educating consumers, industry and government officials about the importance of place names in the wine industry.

                      The visit also included tours of the region and an elegant dinner at Veuve-Cliquot preceded by a tasting of wines from all participating regions, including Long Island.

                      Wegmans food stores were recently rated #1 in the country by the influential Consumer Reports in terms of product availability, quality, and customer service.  That's no surprise to those of us fortunate to live or work near one of the many Wegmans stores in New York and other parts of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states.  The best thing about having our offices located in Canandaigua is that I'm five minutes away from a great Wegmans, which I visit at least once a day and often more for the basics, fresh produce, or takeout lunches.  For years, Wegmans has also been rated by Forbes magazine among the top places to work in America.

                       Whitecliff Vineyard, in the shadow of the Shawangunk Mountains in the Hudson Valley, has installed a geothermal system for temperature control at its 7,000 case winery.  The system taps into the earth, which acts like a heat exchanger by warming or cooling the liquid in pipes so that it stays at 54 degrees.  While geothermal technology requires an up-front investment, it is paid back in seven years, with substantial savings after that.  And, it is "green".  (www.whitecliffwine.com)

                        Brooklyn Winery is not only sourcing grapes from the Finger Lakes and other regions, but also using its popular facility to host educational seminars and wine-tastings for consumer, media, and trade.  John Stires and his partners at BW invite winery representative to conduct the classes, as Standing Stone's Marti Macinski recently did with a session on Dry Rieslings and the Finger Lakes.  This is the type of cooperation that makes this industry great.

                       Chardonnay from Burgundy & Finger Lakes: A Comparative Tasting is the theme of  an April 27 seminar on April 27 at Red Newt Cellars led by Thomas Pastuszak, Wine Director of The NoMad in New York City, who also serves as the Finger Lakes Wine Alliance Wine Ambassador.  Tickets are $90 for FLWA members and $150 for non members, and ticket sales close on April 9.

                 "My only regret in life is that I didn't drink more Champagne."

                                                                   -- John Maynard Keynes