Wine Press FINAL 10-14-10

October 4, 2014

 

             The harvest rolls on, the "fun bus" rolls out, the promotions begin, Harvest House is this week, and lots more happening in New York wine country.

  

             Cheers!          

             Jim Trezise

2014 Harvest...Still Lookin' Good!

 

                   With the exception of a couple rainy days (which are needed too), this fall's weather has been ideal so far, with generally warm sunny days and cool nights just right for the combination of timely ripening and flavor development.  But there are still a few weeks left, and anyting can happen, so we'll just hope for more of the same.  (This morning it rained, but it's perfect this afternoon.)

                    Regional highlights: In the Lake Erie region (primarily grape juice), the Niagara grapes are mostly in, with Concord to follow this week, thanks to all the sun which quickened the pace of ripening. The Finger Lakes had a drier than normal September, lessening disease pressure, and the stretch of warm, sunny weather has had a major effect in moving the grapes along, with the mid-season varieties ready to come in this week.  The Hudson Valley harvest has also benefited greatly from superb weather, with many varieties already in the tanks and the others ripening quickly.  Long Island's harvest is remarkably similar to that of last year (one of the best ever) in terms of both rainfall and growing degree days (cumulative warmth), so things are looking very good at that end of the state.  (Our friends at Cornell Cooperative Extension keep us up to date with their weekly Veraison to Harvest e-newsletter each Friday.)

                    Meanwhile, harvest reports from around the world remind us that first and foremost wine is farming--and a roll of the dice.  After the earthquake several weeks ago, our friends in Napa just dodged another bullet in the form of hail and heavy rains that did little damage...throughout California, this has been a very early and compressed harvest, with lots of grapes coming in at once...an Oregon winery owner says their harvest is the "best ever" in terms of combining both quantity and quality...the Languedoc region of southern France got hurt by record rainfall, etc.

                    Harvest is exciting, exhausting, and excruciatingly tense.  You need a lot of good beer to make good wine.                  

I Love New York Bus, and Taste NY Promotions

                    I regularly pinch myself to make sure I'm awake and the times are really as good as they are in terms of the State's incredible support of our industry, as well as our great colleagues in the beer, spirits and cider sectors.

                    The latest example is Governor Cuomo's launch this week of the "I Love New York Bus", a new year-round touism initiative that offers transportation from New York City to destinations across the state--like wine, beer and cider trails, festivals, and skiing in Upstate New York.  Among the first trips will be three to Long Island's North Fork Wine Trail on October 18, 25 and November 1.  The I Love New York Bus is distinctive and festive, decorated entirely with scenes of tourism-related activities.

                    The bus idea came out of the second Wine, Beer, Spirits and Cider Summit that Governor Cuomo hosted in April 2014, as did a promise of major advertising support for the four farm-based craft beverages.  For the wine industry, this means major TV and print advertising in major publications like Wine Enthusiast during OND--the October/November/December selling season which is by far the heaviest for wine purchases.

                    In addition, the Taste NY program and New York State Liquor Store Association have teamed up to offer free booths for New York craft beverage producers at the NYSLA's upcoming trade show in Rochester, which we appreciate.

                    We are very grateful to Governor Cuomo, Empire State Development (I Love NY) and the Department of Agriculture & Markets for their awesome support in so many ways.     

 Harvest House in the FLX

                      Each fall for for the past few years we've sponsored a "Harvest House" week in the Finger Lakes region for a couple groups of New York City wine professionals who spend several days experiencing the harvest with different wineries participating in our NYDrinksNY program, orchestrated by our partners at First Press Public Relations.  The 2014 Harvest House starts tomorrow and runs through Saturday.

                     The idea is to give these wine writers, sommeliers, and wine store managers a first-hand, up close and personal, experience with vineyard managers and wine makers right in the middle of the hectic harvest season.  They might watch the picking of grapes, hosing down the floor in the wine cellar, whatever else needs to be done at a particular winery on a particular day.

                     The groups stay in a couple houses on Seneca Lake, have breakfast together each day, but then go to different wineries to gain their days' experience before returning to the "Harvest House" for a dinner which they cook together.  It is an incredibly effective way of creating a bond with the region, the people, and the wines so that they become Finger Lakes ambassadors when they return to their jobs and colleagues in the Big Apple.

                      Early this past week, another group went on a two-day tour of Long Island Wine Country, which was also extremely successful.

RougFree Run...

                       Cornell University researchers received several grants under the Specialty Crop Block Grant program, including some important ones that will benefit the grape and wine industry.  The program originates with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, but is administered by state-level agencies such as our New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets.

                      The grape-related projects involve using cover crops to reduce management costs in hybrid winegrapes; biology and economic impact of red blotch disease in New York vineyards; and defining and managing a disease (sour rot) threatening the profitability of New York vineyards.

                      The economic viability of New York grape industry and quality of the wines have both improved dramatically, largely because of the great research done by one of the world's leading institutions which we happen to have as a partner.      

                                                                                       
                      "The Next 'Hottest' Wine Region" is the headline of a long, excellent blog in LAWonders predicting that the Finger Lakes will fulfill that description.  Actually, in recent years the region has had dozens of rave reviews from travel and lifestyle magazines and blogs due to the combination of glorious scenery, quality wines, and the laid-back atmosphere.
  
                       New York City is the world's toughest wine market, and we are really making inroads for New York wines thanks to our NYDrinksNY program.  In addition, based on a survey of wineries we are compiling a comprehensive list of supportive restaurants and retailers where you should be able to find a good selection of New York wines.  That is still in the works, so for now here are our recommendations.
                       RESTAURANTS: Manhattan--ABV, Blue Hill, Brinkley's, Dovetail, Gramercy Tavern, Hearth, Home, Landmarc, Momofuku, Rouge Tomate, Spina, The LCL, The Marshall, The NoMad; Brooklyn--Brooklyn Winery, Buttermilk Channel, Flatbush Farm, Humboldt and Jackson, Lodge, and Nightingale 9; Queens--Keuka Kafe, Winegasm.
                       RETAILERS: Manhattan--Astor Wines, Bottlerocket Wine, Chelsea Wine Vault, PJ Wines, 67 Wine, Union Square Wines; Brooklyn--Brooklyn Wine Exchange, Dandelion Wine, Fermented Grapes, Gnarly Vines, Smith & Vine, The Greene Grape, Waterfront Wines; Queens--SquareWines, Table Wine.
                        Always ask for New York wines!
                                                                                          
Words on Wine 

 

  "Wine is sunlight, held together by water."

                                                           --Galileo

  
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