November 1, 2014

            New York shines, WineAmerica works, Hudson Valley is hot, the harvest is history (almost), Dr. Frank honored (again), and more from New York Wine Country.

             Cheers!          

             Jim Trezise

30-Year Overnight Success!

                   When Wine Enthusiast magazine this week announced that New York State was chosen of "Wine Region of the Year"--ahead of Champagne, Chianti, Sonoma, and Washington--it was a long-awaited and fitting tribute to the hundreds of people in our industry who have worked so hard for so long to get better every day.

                    It was also a tribute to Governor Andrew Cuomo, who has created the best business climate in history for our industry; to former Governor Mario Cuomo, who rescued a dying industry through legislation allowing us to grow; to the many legislators who have been a key part of our success; and to numerous organizations which have been such valuable partners for decades.

                    On Valentine's Day of 1982, I left a secure and lucrative corporate job in Philadelphia and U-hauled my family and furniture to Penn Yan through a blizzard to become Executive Director of the New York State Wine Grape Growers.  The landscape was bleak: abandoned vineyards, padlocked wineries, ramshackle farms, zero hope.

                     Today the Finger Lakes has well over 100 wineries, an international reputation for quality wines (especially Riesling), and consistent recommendations as one of the world's top wine country travel destinations.  The landscape has changed.

                     Other regions, from Long Island to Lake Erie and even North Country, have had different evolutions but the same basic result: beautiful landscapes with passionate people making wonderful wines.

                     Quality and cooperation have been key to New York's success.  We are so fortunate to have Cornell University and Cooperative Extension as our partners, and to also have so many grape growers, winery owners, and wine makers who, while technically competitors, cooperate in so many ways.

                     Diversity is our strength; Unity is our power.  Excelsior!

                    This week was the annual fall meeting of WineAmerica, which travels to various wine regions throughout the country to better understand local industries and their perspectives.  Walla Walla was this year's site, and the hospitality in eastern Washington could not have been warmer.

                     WineAmerica is the ONLY national organization of American wineries, protecting our interests in Washington and providing a valuable networking opportunity for state and regional associations throughout the country.  This year there have been a number of operational improvements, and this meeting included the announcement that WineAmerica has engaged a lobbying firm to provide valuable insight and representation.

                      In addition, a vastly improved web site will be unveiled by the end of this month, providing a lot of new information and resources for WineAmerica members to work more effectively with their representatives in Washington.

                      Wine Institute and Family Winemakers, both in California, are terrific organizations and great partners, but only California wineries may join; so WineAmerica represents the "other" states (as well as some California wineries) and brings to the table a unique capability for national grassroots advocacy.

                        Every American winery should be a member of WineAmerica!

                      The Hudson Valley, "The Roots of American Wine", has been getting a ton of publicity lately, thanks to a combination of craft beverage growth, a recent "Summit" at the CIA (that's the Culinary Institute of America, not the CIA in Washington), a Cider Week promotion, and the recent bloggers conference.  And the articles have appeared not only in blogs and local newspapers, but also national media like Fox Business News, the Wall St. Journal, and Wine Enthusiast.

                      In addition to its rich history in American wine and about 40 wineries ranging from the nation's oldest to youngest, the Hudson Valley has become a hotbed of craft distillers, cideries, and breweries.  So the articles highlighted different aspects, from Brotherhood Winery's 175th anniversary to several articles on local cider and others covering the whole range of beverages.  That's great because different consumers like different types of products, and the Valley has them all.

                      New York's other regions have also been in lots of media lately, including Long Island, Finger Lakes, and Niagara, with other articles focused on urban wineries (like those in New York City), the rise of red wines in New York, artisanal wineries, and eco-friendly vineyards and wineries.

                       Regardless of region or topic, obviously New York is now hot!

                       Dr. Konstantin Frank winery was recently honored at the 50th Anniversary of the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History in Washington.  An elegant dinner included the people and wines from six wineries which shaped the evolution of the American wine industry.  Dr. Frank transformed the Finger Lakes,  New York and eastern wine industry with the "vinifera revolution", and President Fred Frank was joined by some other big names in American wine like Heitz,  Lett and Winiarski--not bad company!  Congratulations and thanks to Dr. Frank winery and the Frank family for all their contributions.

                       Jeff Smith of Serenity Vineyards on the west side of Seneca Lake recently passed away unexpectedly and suddenly, sending shock waves through the Finger Lakes industry.  We wish his family and colleagues our very best.

                        2014 Harvest is (almost) history, and there are a lot of happy people across the state--not just because it's over, but because it was so good.  Long Island and the Hudson Valley have had exceptional vintages, and even the upstate regions hit by last winter's "polar vortex" events fared much better than expected.  Next week, Cornell Cooperative Extension's "Veraison to Harvest" e-newsletter will include a wrap-up of the 2014 harvest across the state.

  "Wine, one of the noblest cordials in nature."