March 7, 2015

 

             Hazlitt scores big, more New York Gold, cool Northern grapes, NY Drinks NY, beverage trails, Wegmans #1, Prowein next week, and more from New York wine country.

  

             Cheers!          

             Jim Trezise

Hazlitt Tops New York Gold in California

 

                 Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards 2013 Sauvignon Blanc was named Best New World White Wine at the recent New World International Wine Competition, a truly remarkable feat given the international nature of the competition and lots of California entries.  Finger Lakes Rieslings have frequently won Best White Wine in various competitions, but to my knowledge this is the first time a Sauvignon Blanc from anywhere in New York has risen to the top.  Hazlitt also won Best of Class awards for its 2013 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay and 2013 Vidal Ice Wine, and a Gold medal for its 2013 Unoaked Chardonnay--a true treasure trove of medals.

 

                 Other Best of Class honors went to Chateau Frank Celebre Rose; Dr. Frank 2013 Riesling; Fulkerson 2014 Diamond; Knapp 2012 Cabernet Franc; and Swedish Hill Cynthia Marie Port.  (Note: Best of Class wines also win other awards on their way up, such as a Gold or Double Gold medal, and Best Varietal.)

 

                  Gold medals were also awarded to Belhurst 2013 Chardonnay and 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon; Chateau Lafayette Reneau 2012 Dry Riesling; Dr. Frank 2014 Gruner Veltliner; Goose Watch 2013 Pinot Grigio; Lamoreaux Landing 2012 Chardonnay and 2013 Riesling (Red Oak Vineyard); Penguin Bay 2013 Vidal Blanc Ice Wine; Sparkling Pointe 2011 Topaz Imperial; and Swedish Hill Spumante Blush.

 

                  One of the reasons New York State was named Wine Region of the Year is our rapidly spreading reputation for quality, with top awards at major wine competitions a leading example.  The awards these wineries win help the entire industry, which is also why the New York Wine & Grape Foundation covers 25% of their entry fees.  Next up in a couple weeks is the great Finger Lakes International Wine Competition.

Cold Climate Grapes Are Cool                               
 
                   Coyote Moon La Crescent got a great shout-out this week in the blog of Stuart Pigott, one of the world's foremost Riesling experts, who praised the wine's unique aroma and taste in a blind-tasting of different wines.  The tasting was conducted by California winemaker and scientist Clark Smith, author of Postmodern Winemaking and an entertaining lecturer who LOVES wines out of the mainstream.  (I've had the pleasure of judging with him on several occasions, and he really gets it.)
 
                    This is just one of the signs that La Crescent, Marquette, Brianna, and other "Northern" grape varieties are starting to attract attention.  Coyote Moon, Tug Hill, and other North Country wineries have won numerous Gold medals in various competitions in the past few years, confirming that these extreme cold-hardy grape varieties can make some excellent wines.
 
                     In addition, there are enough wineries in enough States now growing these grapes, sometimes referred to as "Minnesota" varieties reflecting where most were developed, that a full day of the upcoming Eastern Winery Exposition in Syracuse will be devoted to how to grow, vinify, and market these grapes and wines.  Dr. Tim Martinson and Dr. Anna Katharine Mansfield of Cornell Cooperative Extension, with colleagues from New York and several other states, have been conducting the multi-year "Northern Grapes Project" under a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture.  Several of them will speak at the conference, along with winery representatives like Coyote Moon's Kristina Randazzo Ives and Tug Hill winemaker Craig Hosback.
 
                    The Northern Grapes Project session on Wednesday, March 18 is just part of the three-day convention and trade show.  www.easternwineryexposition.com.
Free Run...                             
 
                     New York City will be our focus for this week, first with the huge International Restaurant and Food Service Show of New York at the Javits Center, followed by our NY Drinks NY Grand Tasting at Astor Center.  The Grand Tasting, featuring 35 wineries from throughout the State, includes an afternoon session for trade and media followed by an evening session for consumers.  Since its first year, the Grand Tasting has been sold out, generating lots of buzz.  It didn't used to be like this in New York City.
 
                     Beverage Trails are starting to pop up around the state, as are producers who now make more than one type of craft beverage.  For many years, the wine industry was really the only significant farm-based craft beverage producer in New York, but now there are about 190 craft breweries, 40 distilleries, and 25 cideries.
                     So the question is: do we join 'em or fight 'em?  It depends on who you talk to.  Some say these new beverages are stealing market share from wine, while others see new opportunities for diversity and growth.  The Cooperstown Beverage Trail, combining wine, beer, and cider, has been thriving for years.  In other regions, particularly where there are few wineries, there seems a natural desire to include the other beverages in order to create a critical mass of interest.
                      On the production side, several wineries have long been making spirits as well, others cider, and most recently beer.  The best example is Mazza Chautauqua Cellars in the Lake Erie region, a winery which has been making spirits for several years, has now added beer, and will soon add cider.
                      And why not?  Not everyone likes wine, so it makes (dollars and) sense to offer them alternatives without having to make another stop.  And who knows: Maybe the beer drinker will actually discover a wine or spirit he likes, and the wine drinker a cider she likes.
                       The key, regardless of philosophy or production, is to always offer top quality products.
 
                      And speaking of quality, Wegmans is on top once again.  The fabulous food market chain was rated the world's Most Respected Company in a recent Harris Interactive poll that rated businesses on several different factors such as Vision and Customer Service, and Wegmans was the only company that rated among the top five in all key categories.  It came in ahead of Amazon, Samsung, L.L. Bean, and many others.
                       There are three great things about having our office at the New York Wine & Culinary Center in Canandaigua: (1) After a 1-minute walk down the hall, I get to eat a great lunch at the Upstairs Bistro, (2) Ryan's Wine & Spirits is 3 minutes away, and (3) Wegmans is just 2 minutes further.  So I get to experience wine & food nirvana every day!
 
                         There may not be a Wine Press next weekend, as I'll be joining Susan Spence and a group of New York winemakers in the Uncork New York booth at the massive Prowein wine trade show in Dusseldorf, Germany.  It's always a nice affirmation of how well New York wines are received by overseas visitors, who typically don't even know that "New York" is anything but a city, that we actually make wine, and that it's so good! But it's also a very humbling experience to see how many countries and companies are making wines.  It's a big wine world out there!
  Words on Wine...                             

 

 "It takes a lot of beer to make good wine."

                             --Chris Stamp, Winemaker, Lakewood Vineyards                              

 

  
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