Thanksgiving is by far my favorite holiday due to its elegant simplicity--family, food, and wine.

                 And there's no other meal that invites such a wide range of wines spanning many colors, types, and flavors. Riesling, Gewurztraminer, and Traminette are just three of the white wines that can enhance turkey; of course there's also Dry Rose; or try Pinot Noir, Noiret, or Marquette.

                 And that's just the beginning, given the many flavors and textures that accompany the big bird.  Let's also not forget pumpkin pie or other sweets which invite the luscious late harvest or ice wines that New York does so well.

                 In fact, take a look at a really neat graphic showing the many matches possible with different Thanksgiving foods.  This is part of our NYDrinksNY program, which also includes a listing of the wineries involved.  http://www.nydrinksny.com.

                 But beyond all the great food and wine that marks this special day, let's never forget the most important thing: being thankful for the many blessings we have. 

                        When Andrew Cuomo became Governor in 2011, he said he intended to institute a new concept that he labeled "entrepreneurial government".

                       With all due respect, having watched government operate (or not) for decades, I saw that phrase as the ultimate oxymoron--two words that just don't fit together.  I'm glad I was wrong.

                        The Governor recently announced a working group of industry leaders and top State Liquor Authority officials to take a comprehensive look at the antiquated, complicated ABC (Alcohol Beverage Control) law and find ways it could be modernized, streamlined--and made reasonable.  This is just the latest initiative, and that work has just begun, but let's just take a quick look back at the revolution that has happened over the past five years.

                       Governor Cuomo hosted three Wine, Beer, Spirits & Cider Summits in 2012, 2014, and 2015, and from each of them have come significant changes in laws or regulations that have benefitted all four beverage categories.

                      Just for wine, there have been over 25 specific changes that have brought many benefits in terms of enhancing production efficiency, reducing administrative time, slashing costs in many ways, and increasing marketing opportunities.  Many of the provisions accomplish  more than one of those benefits.  Examples:

                      -- Being able to produce any (or all) of the four beverages under one roof enhances production efficiency and saves a lot of money;

                      -- Wineries still need to keep records of direct wine shipments to consumers in other states, but they don't need to file regular reports with the SLA which were never read, saving administrative time and costs;

                      -- Farm wineries may have up to five "branch offices", which are essentially remote tasting rooms that are extensions of the farm winery rather than separate entities, providing new marketing outlets and saving administrative time and money.

                      These and other changes help an important, growing, promising industry that contributes a lot to the State economy through new investment, jobs, tourism, and taxes at virtually no cost to the State itself.  Smart!

                       But perhaps the most dramatic change has been in the "culture" of government agencies.  As the most obvious example, the State Liquor Authority for years was an adversary of our industry, but now it is truly a partner, trying to help us grow.

                       And why not?  The payback to the State is huge.  In 2012, our industry generated move than $4.8 billion for the State economy, and since that time the numbers of farm wineries, branch offices, and wineries have each grown by more than 50%.

                       Now that's entrepreneurial government!

                        .

                     Ryan's Wine & Spirits, which won our Retailer Award last year, just keeps on pushin' New York wines, releasing a list of the Top 25 Wines & Spirits of 2015 for the holiday season, with 36% of them New York products (and, by the way, Ryan's is a very good, sophisticated store with a fine international selection).  There's also a "Top 5 New York Wines" section, 2 New York spirits, a great Riesling in the "Highly Rated Wines" section, and a single vineyard Finger Lakes Riesling among the "Top  5 Ryan's Picks".  We thank them for their support--and excellent taste.  (I'm real lucky that Ryan's is less than 5 minutes away from my office--and on my way to Wegmans!)

                     Finger Lakes Distilling on the east side of Seneca Lake got some much-deserved recognition in Wine Spectator magazine, which did a piece on craft distilling throughout the country and singled out six top producers.  Owner and business manager Brian McKenzie and master distiller Thomas McKenzie--who are NOT related--happened upon each other at a distilling conference many years ago, and their partnership has resulted in a vibrant, exciting company turning out some awesome products using local ingredients.  It's great to have them in the area, right in the middle of the Seneca Lake Wine Trail.

                     Farm-fresh Christmas trees are another special agricultural crop that New York State produces, and Agriculture Commissioner Richard Ball will officially kick off the season next Wednesday at Bailey Family Christmas Trees north of Albany.  There will also be a Wine & Trees promotion at Victory View Vineyards, overlooking the site of the Battle of Saratoga which was a major turning point in the Revolutionary War.  Gerry and Mary Barnhart grow their own cold-hardy "Minnesota" grape varieties on the property, and make their wine right there.

                     Johnson Estate Vineyards, New York's oldest estate winery located in the Lake Erie region, now has a great video of the "terroir" thanks to a new toy of owner Fred Johnson--a drone.  About a month ago, on the last (very beautiful) day of harvest, Fred guided the drone over the vineyards and countryside, with some absolutely beautiful scenics of the fall foliage, vineyards, and a long shot showing Lake Erie in the background, which provided a great sense of place. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VN5599k07GC