The Jefferson Cup Invitational Awards, run by our friend Doug Frost, MS, MW, includes only wines invited to enter the competition based on previous competition results and other demonstrations of quality. Once again, New York wines fared very well, earning 6 Jefferson Cup Awards, 7 JC Nominees, and 36 Excellence designations.

                  The Jefferson Cup awards (comparable to a Sweepstakes round finalist in other competitions) went to Dr. Frank 2014 Finger Lakes Gruner Veltliner; Glenora 2014 Finger Lakes Riesling Ice Wine; Lamoreaux Landing 2014 Finger Lakes Riesling Ice Wine; Sheldrake Point 2014 Finger Lakes Dry Riesling; Wagner Vineyards 2014 Finger Lakes Riesling Caywood East, and 2013 Finger Lakes Riesling Select.

                   JC Nominees (equivalent to Double Gold) went to Chateau Lafayette Reneau 2013 Finger Lakes Cabernet Franc; Fox Run 2012 Finger Lakes Riesling 11 Hanging Delta Vineyard, and 2012 Finger Lakes Riesling 12 Hanging Delta Vineyard; Glenora 2014 Riesling; Knapp 2014 Finger Lakes Dry Riesling; Lakewood 2014 Finger Lakes Riesling; and Lamoreaux Landing 2009 Finger Lakes Brut.

                   Excellence ratings (like Gold) were awarded to Adirondack Winery 2014 Baco Noir; Anthony Road Devonian Red, and 2014 Semi-Dry Riesling; Belhurst 2013 Manitou, 2014 Dry Rose, and 2014 Chardonnay; Black Willow Depeche Meow; Chateau Lafayette Reneau 2013 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay, 2014 Dry Riesling, 2014 Semi-Dry Riesling, and 2014 Late Harvest Riesling; Dr. Frank 2014 Gewurztraminer, 2014 Dry Riesling, and 2014 Semi-Dry Riesling; Fox Run 2013 Semi-Dry Riesling and 2014 Traminette; Glenora 2014 Black Diamond Express, 2014 Chardonnay, and 2012 Riesling Select Harvest Dalrymple Vineyards; Hunt Country 2014 Seyval Blanc; Knapp 2013 Lemberger and 2014 Riesling; Lakewood 2014 Lemberger, 2014 Long Stem Red, 2014 Pinot Gris, and 2014 Dry Riesling; Lamoreaux Landing 2012 76 West, 2011 Chardonnay, 2014 Dry Riesling, 2014 Riesling (Yellow Dog Vineyard), 2014 Riesling (Round Rock Vineyard), and 2014 Semi-Dry Riesling; Sheldrake Point 2014 Gewurztraminer and 2014 Riesling; Wagner 2013 Fathom 107, and 2014 Dry Riesling.  

                   Meanwhile, Wine & Spirits "Year's Best US Sparkling Wines" includes Hermann J. Wiemer 2011 Seneca Lake Cuvee Brut (94), and Atwater 2010 Cuvee Brut.  In addition, Sheldrake Point 2014 Gewurztraminer received 91 and Best Buy.

                   Finally, Wine Enthusiast "10 American Wines to be Thankful For", including Brooklyn Oenology 2014 Cabernet Franc Rose, and Dr. Frank 2012 Gewurztraminer. 

                   These and hundreds of other New York winners are listed on our web site under Awards & Accolades.  It's a great wine shopping list for the holidays!

                    At the end of the 2015 harvest, Chris Gerling of Cornell Cooperative Extension in Geneva wrote a great piece, "Redefining Normal", to describe this crazy, mixed up growing year, which was similar to other crazy mixed up growing years, but different.

                    It was the lead piece in the final edition of Veraison to Harvest, a weekly electronic newsletter that CCE publishes to keep everyone up to date on what's happening in the vineyards from...well, veraison to harvest.  Correspondents from Long Island to the North Country and Lake Erie submit detailed reports based on sampling in the vineyards, and what can be done to maximize fruit quality under the conditions that Nature gives us.

                   This is just one of so many ways in which we are so lucky to have Cornell University as our partner.  The research is truly world-class, and the CCE professionals make sure the results get to the people who need them--growers and winemakers.

                   Here is just a sampling of how Cornell/CCE benefits our industry:

-- Under the leadership of former Dean of the College of Agriculture & Life Sciences (CALS) Susan Henry, they established the first four-year undergraduate degree program in viticulture and enology east of the Rocky Mountains. (NOTE: Top California wineries often poach Cornell grads due to the quality of education they get.)

-- CALS grape breeders use state-of-the-science technology--genomewide DNA analysis and trait screening--to shorten the time span for developing new grape varieties (traditionally about 20 years!) and getting them into commercial production.  Since 1888, Cornell has introduced 56 different cultivars.

-- Recent releases like Aromella, Arandell, Noiret, Corot Noir, and Valvin Muscat have already won many Gold medals in major wine competitions, joining longstanding successes like Cayuga White and Traminette.  The first Cornell-produced wine grape, Cayuga White, produces revenues of $20 million annually from the vine to the glass.

-- CALS scientists are helping entrepreneurs of small and medium-sized wineries in emerging cool climate wine regions like Lake Champlain and the Thousand Islands to address challenges, both in terms of production and marketing.

-- Plant pathologists examining grapevine diseases caused by fungi, bacteria and viruses are helping identify "disease windows" for growers to more efficiently and effectively manage these natural problems at precisely the right times.  This research has resulted in $1.8 annual savings from reduced fungicide sprays alone, while also reducing environmental impacts.

-- The New York State Wine Analytical Lab in Geneva helps enhance consistent quality by providing affordable comprehensive analysis of juice, wine, and distillates.

-- The CALS Teaching Winery in Ithaca, the only university teaching winery in the eastern United States, includes state-of-the-art fermentation tanks and laboratories as well as access to Cornell-run vineyards.

-- CCE and Finger Lakes Community College have established a 2.5-acre teaching and demonstration vineyard at Anthony Road Winery on Seneca Lake that facilitates applied research projects and demonstrations for current and future grape growers.  Extension laboratories focused on grapes and wine also operate in the Long Island, Hudson Valley, and Lake Erie regions to serve local growers and wineries. 

-- CALS offers a wealth of free online information (www.cals.cornell.edu) on everything from where to find good vineyard land to how to grow grapes and make wine, sustainable viticulture practices, and even a classified section for buying and selling grapes, bulk wine, and other items.

               CALS Dean Kathryn Boor continues the commitment to the grape and wine industry, as well as to other craft beverages like beer, spirits, and cider.  The New York Wine & Grape Foundation is delighted to be able to financially support Cornell and CCE, and we are very grateful for all their contributions to the advancement of our industry.  When the Foundation was created 30 years ago, the legislature wisely required that at least 25% of the funding must be dedicated research.  Some industry members objected, saying all that was needed was promotion.  (They're crazy.)

               Perhaps the best testimony to Cornell's value is the fact that every year a very large California winery sends NYWGF a LOT of money (which we get the State to match) so that important, sophisticated research can be done at Cornell--here in New York, not California.

               The Foundation's overall goal is "To have the New York grape and wine industry recognized as a world leader in quality, productivity, and sustainability."

                Cornell/CCE is a vital partner in that quest.

                   We get unanswerable questions all the time: What's the total production of New York wine?  Don't know.  Total sales?  Don't know.  Average price? Don't know.

                    Even though these are very reasonable questions and we're the information clearinghouse for the New York wine industry, the reason we don't have those basic answers is simple: Wineries are privately held (usually family-owned) businesses which appropriately do not share such information.  And, unlike in California, there is no publicly available source of it.

                    But once a year we have an opportunity to get an updated snapshot: the New York Wine & Food Classic competition.  Bear in mind that this is only a sampling, but I think it provides some interesting perspectives that do reflect the broader industry.  Some stats:

-- Sample: Of New York's 409 wineries (all invited to enter), 123 (30%) entered a total of 909 wines (7.4 average wines per winery).  The 30% winery figure is actually very high compared with most competitions.

-- Regional Entries and Results: The Finger Lakes represented 57% of entries, and 58% of total medals; Long Island 18% and 17%, respectively; Hudson River 5% and 4.7%; Lake Erie 4.5% and 4.1%; Thousand Islands 4% and 4%.  The fact that the percentages of entries and awards across regions indicates consistent quality, which is great.

-- Regional (AVA) Labeling: The Finger Lakes American Viticultural Area (AVA)also has two sub-appellations (Cayuga Lake, and Seneca Lake), as does Long Island (North Fork of Long Island, and The Hamptons, Long Island).  Yet how vintners choose to market their wines varies greatly.  In the former, 92% are labeled "Finger Lakes" (instead of Cayuga or Seneca), while on Long Island 94% are labeled with the "North Fork" sub-appellation (instead of just Long Island).  The vast majority of wineries on Long Island are on the North Fork, but still the choice of using that appellation provides an interesting contract with the Finger Lake wineries, most of which clearly believe that while most consumers now recognize "Finger Lakes" they are less familiar with the individual lakes.

-- Top Awards: A Finger Lakes wine (Ventosa Lemberger) won't the Governor's Cup for Best of Show wine, while a Long Island winery (Paumanok) won Winery of the Year, splitting the two ultimate awards by those regions for the third consecutive year.  Of the five Best of Category awards (Sparkling, White, Rose, Red, and Dessert), Finger Lakes wineries won 4 and Long Island 1.

-- Top Wines: Riesling was by far the largest single variety in terms of entries (112, including 58 Dry, 54 Medium Dry, 34 Medium Sweet, and 20 Sweet).  Next were Cabernet Franc (51), Vinifera Red (43), Vinifera Blush/Rose (37), and oaked Chardonnay (34). White wines accounted for 48% of total entries, with 28% red, 6% blush/rose, 5% dessert, and 4% sparkling, with others (fruit, mead, cider, etc.) making up the rest.

-- Prices: The average price of all entries was $20.90, ranging from a low of $14.88 in the Lake Erie region to a high of $30.71 from the North Fork of Long Island, largely reflecting both the cost of production and disposable income of the respective consumer bases.  The average cost by medal won (from any region) varied little, from $23 for Double Gold to $22 each for Gold and Silver, and $19 for Bronze.

                The nice thing about having the annual Classic data base is that it gives us information we otherwise could not get, and allows us to track the industry's evolution over time.

                        .

                     Wine Trails are true economic engines in regions throughout New York State, with the latest examples coming from last weekend in the Finger Lakes where the Cayuga, Seneca, and Keuka trails each had one of their holiday shopping weekend events, drawing nearly 6,000 tourists combined, selling $265,000 in tickets, and generating more than $20,000 in sales taxes for the county and State governments--in one weekend!

                      When the New York Wine & Grape Foundation was created in 1985, there was only one wine trail (Cayuga--the nation's oldest), but today there are 20 spanning the State.  Largely because of their activities, there are now more than 5 million tourist visits annually, benefiting hotels, restaurants, gift shops, gas stations, and much more.  Wine-related spending, and taxes paid to State and local governments, each exceed $400 million annually.

                      Fortunately, Governor Andrew Cuomo and his Administration recognize all this, and have committed more money to boosting wine country tourism even more. 

                      Niagara Wine Trail, USA also shows that wine trails not only do well--but also do good. During their annual "Share the Bounty" event on November 11-13, the participating wineries raised more than $12,000 and 1,120 food items for local charities.  Their next events, two weekends of "Holiday Happening", occur on December 4-6 and 11-13.

                      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.   Last week I got the link wrong, so here is the corrected version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VN5599k07Gc

                       C'est bon!  That's what French consumers will be able to discover in four wine shops that will be carrying five New York wines in the near future.

                      There are already some New York wines in a Parisian restaurant/bakery, but as a result of the Megavino wine show in Brussels last October a company based in the Champagne region will be selling New York wines in that region, as well as in southern France and the Savoie region (French Alps).  The wines include Bellangelo Meritage; Brotherhood Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon; and Fox Run Cabernet Franc as well as Cabernet Franc-Lemberger.

                        Though it may seem like taking coal to Newcastle, New York wines are establishing a foothold in Europe--Belgium and Luxemburg in particular--as well as the United Kingdom and most recently Switzerland.  The annual wine trade show Prowein in Dusseldorf, Germany, has provided a platform for launching New York wines, thanks to funding from the federal Market Access Program (MAP) secured and administered by our own Susan Spence.

                        Trade shows are an important first step, but to close the deal we really need "feet on the street" afterwards.  Fortunately we have that in the form of Mr. Christian Claessens, a Luxemburg-based importer who has partnered with several New York wineries to form the importing company New York Wines Sarl.

                         We appreciate all his hard work.