We recently hosted another group of New York City trade and media representatives on a Finger Lakes Cellar Tour--three full and fun days of winery visits, structured tastings, winemaker dinners, and networking opportunities.
It's part of our NY Drinks NY program, now in its fifth year, and since the beginning more than 175 influential New Yorkers have visited the Finger Lakes, Long Island, or other regions to experience firsthand the vineyards, the wineries, the products, and especially the people. And then, in March of every year, the winery people reciprocate with market visits to the Big Apple capped off by a Grand Tasting for trade, media, and consumers that always sells out.
New York City is the most competitive wine market in the world, and it wasn't so long ago that New York wines were essentially shut out of it. No more. This program, combined with the great wines and persistent marketing of the wineries, have made a huge difference.
We are grateful to the Genesee Valley Regional Market Authority for a grant making this possible, and for the support of the Department of Agriculture & Markets. And our partners at First Press Public Relations have done a phenomenal job.
Going green was the focus of a recent meeting organized by Suzanne Hunt, a nationally known expert on renewable energy, owner of HuntGreen LLC, and daughter of Art & Joyce Hunt of Hunt Country Vineyards in the Finger Lakes. She assembled a group of solar installers, lending institutions, winery owners who have already installed renewable energy systems, and, with our help, other wineries wanting to know more about it. It was a great mix of people offering a wealth of information.
What became clear is that switching to renewable energy makes economic sense as well as environmental sense, and that a lot of people and businesses (including banks) are heading in that direction. Nationwide, the solar energy sector has grown to be huge, and New York State is now considered a leader in enlightened policies to stimulate further growth. We intend to continue supporting efforts like this, and we thank the Geneva Experiment Station for providing the venue for this great meeting.
Wine in Florida is everywhere! When I checked into my hotel, I asked where I could buy a bottle of wine to share with others later. The front desk attendant said: "Well, there's the gas station/convenience store across the street. Or if you want a larger selection you could go to Walgreens drugstore, or just across the street from that is the Publix supermarket...or WalMart in the same shopping plaza...or the Liquors store between the two of them..."
And it was all true: I first went to Publix because I also wanted to get seltzer water, cheese, French bread, grapes, and some other munchies in addition to the wine. I also took a photo on my iPhone of the Publix sign and the Liquors store sign about ten yards away. I also decided to buy some different wines in the Liquors store where I got talking with the store manager, who said they have no problem with being flanked by Publix and WalMart, and in fact those "competitors" attract shoppers who otherwise might ever visit their store. It's collaborative competition and peaceful coexistence.
Let me be clear: The issue of wine sales in grocery stores is not on the policy table in New York State, and is not likely to be in the foreseeable future.
For over 40 years, the New York State Wine Grape Growers (the farmers who grow the grapes for the wine) have advocated for this issue as a way to expand the market-driven demand for their product--just as the sale of wine coolers in grocery stores did so dramatically in 1984 and years beyond. But every time it has been seriously discussed over at least four decades, the opponents claim it would mean the death of the liquor stores.
Florida is just one example of many states (like California, Missouri, Vermont, and others) showing that in reality it's simply not true.
And for consumers in those states, convenience and choice sure are nice. How totally civilized.
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