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"Why don't New York liquor stores carry New York wines?"
That question came this week from a state government employee who works in New York City, is tasked with helping the New York wine industry because Governor Cuomo recognizes it as a "strategic" industry for the State, and enjoys wine himself. He came for a meeting in the Finger Lakes, which he had never seen before (he's from the south Bronx), and will soon be bringing his girlfriend back to show her the incredible beauty which he discovered (he was late for our meeting because he stopped to take pictures!). But I digress.
Why not? Because:
-- New York City is the most competitive wine market in the world, and the port of entry for most wines from the world entering the United States
-- New York wines get absolutely no break, and in fact are subject to "reverse discrimination" (if it's local, it can't be good). There is virtually no regional loyalty in NYC, though that is starting to change, especially in Brooklyn.
-- With the exception of Long Island wineries (for whom NYC is the nearest major market), most New York wineries have not invested much time, money, or energy in what is also the most costly market in the world relative to getting established. (It is much less expensive to establish accounts in Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and elsewhere upstate, where there are also fewer wine snobs.)
-- With only an exception or two, wholesalers who represent New York wines do not give them priority, especially in the New York City market which is flooded by wines from around the world.
-- Prices of foreign wines, especially from South America, are ridiculously low, mostly because of vineyard labor costs that are only dollars per day, compounded by government subsidies which also lower prices. This makes New York wines look "expensive".
-- New York City wine retailers look to their bottom line, which means what they can buy for the least and sell for the most; those are never New York wines, but usually wines from South America or other foreign countries.
-- Most New York City liquor store owners know very little about wine in general (other than profit margins), and even less (if anything) about New York wines. (Every time I'm in NYC I visit 10 or so stores to see how many New York wines they carry--usually zero; where they are placed--bottom shelf, back row; how they are priced, and if they are recommended by the staff or owner--virtually never. The results are not pretty.)
And I could go on! The point is, there's a huge, multi-faceted challenge getting New York wines into New York City. It's not that way for Napa Valley wines in San Francisco, Washington wines in Seattle, or Oregon wines in Portland. But New York is...well, New York.
Which is precisely why we created our "NY Drinks NY" program, now in its third phase, with a fourth to follow soon and seamlessly. With grants from the Genesee Valley Regional Market Authority supported by the New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets, we have been working with First Press Public Relations in Manhattan to change all this through a coordinated, ongoing "exchange program" -- bringing New York City sommeliers, wine store managers, and writers to the regions, and then taking winery owners and marketers into New York City -- in order to educate everyone about everyone, create networks, and change the dynamic.
In the past few years, there have already been dramatic results, which we expect will just accelerate as we move forward. Today, for example, I get to welcome a group of a dozen somms, writers, and others to a three-day visit to Finger Lakes wineries that are trying to take a bite of the Big Apple.
More on this tour next week. Gotta go now.
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