Wines of New York

New York, New York!
Wines produced in New York State most of the time do not get the recognition they deserve. New York ranks as the third largest wine producing area in the US after California and Washington State. New York is home to the first bonded winery in the US, the Pleasant Valley Wine Company, and America's oldest continuously operating winery, Brotherhood Winery in the Hudson Valley, who has been making wine for almost 175 years.


The state has four major wine-growing regions: Lake Erie AVA (American Viticulture Area) on the western end of the state, the Finger Lakes AVA in the west-central part of the state, the Hudson River Region AVA in eastern New York, and Long Island AVA. An AVA is a designated wine grape-growing region in the US distinguishable by geographic features, with boundaries defined by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB).


The Concord grape variety is the most widely planted in New York. The grape can be made into wine, but it’s really the basis for the grape juice industry. New York State’s most important wine region is the Finger Lakes area in upstate New York, where four large lakes moderate the cold climate. This AVA produces about seventy five percent of New York’s wines. This region specializes in Sparkling Wines, Riesling, Pinot Noir and Ice Wine, and is also known for its Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc. The Long Island area seems particularly suited to Merlot, but Chardonnay and Riesling are also planted. A high percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon is planted in Long Island AVA as well. The Atlantic Ocean climate has an influence on this area, which leads to lighter bodied reds. The Lake Erie AVA is mostly planted with the local Concord variety. In the Hudson River Region AVA, the most planted varieties are Cabernet Franc and Merlot.


The yearly Governor’s Cup is held to reveal the "Best of – Category” for the most coveted New York wines. Here are some of the recent winners:


Best Sparkling Wine: Sparkling Pointe 2008 Blanc de Noirs


Best White Wine: Keuka Spring Vineyards 2012 Riesling



Best Red Wine: Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards 2010 Cabernet Franc


Best Dessert Wine: 21 Brix 2011 Vidal Ice Wine


Best Overall Chardonnay: Harbes Family Farm & Vineyard 2012 Steel Fermented Chardonnay


Best Cabernet Sauvignon: Wölffer Estate Vineyard 2010 Cassango Cabernet Sauvignon


Give the wines from New York a try next time you are out shopping for wine!


Until next time cheers!

But It Tastes Like Wine!

But It Tastes Like Wine! Often times when you taste wine and you are thinking about how to describe the aromas and the flavors, the wine descriptors escape you. So you think “It smells like wine and tastes like wine!” The words used to notate aromas and flavors of wine are the keys to understanding more about the wine itself. Flavor "See, swirl, smell, and sip" is the phrase used in the smell and taste stages of wine evaluation. It is the combination of these nasal and tongue reactions that define flavor. The back of your tongue is sensitive to bitterness. The sides of your tongue are areas that pick up sourness and saltiness. The front of your tongue is where sweetness is perceived. The weight or the body of the wine is detected in the middle of the tongue. Wines also have "feel" in the mouth, which we often describe as "body." A light-bodied wine actually feels light on your tongue. A heavy-bodied red wine, like a Cabernet Sauvignon, will feel fuller. If the wine feels like skim milk, it is light-bodied; whole milk, medium bodied; cream, full-bodied. These are tactile sensations, rather than sensory, but they are still part of the overall wine evaluation process. The bitter taste in wines is due to tannin. Tannin is a natural flavor component of wine, found in the skins, stems, and seeds. It is common in red wines, particularly young red wines, that the tannin content is high enough (due to extraction from the skins) to be noticeable to the taste. Since white wines have very low tannin content (because of little skin contact during fermentation), they are generally free of a bitter taste. White wines tend to lead to acidity for description. Think of Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling. Aroma The next time you taste wine, think of these common aromas for red and white wine: White Grape Variety Common Sensory Descriptors Chardonnay Apple, butter, creamy, lemon, vanilla if aged in new oak. Steely, mineral, flinty Riesling Citrus fruits, peach, honey, petrol, spicy Sauvignon Blanc Lime, cut grass, bell pepper, grapefruit, cat pee, crisp, tart, tropical fruit, pineapple Viognier Peach, pear, nutmeg, apricot Gewurztraminer Rose petals, lychee, spice Pinot Gris (Pinot Grigio) White peach, pear, apricot slate, orange zest, crisp, tart Chenin Blanc Beeswax, honey, apple, apple, almond Red Grape Variety Common Sensory Descriptors Cabernet Sauvignon Black cherry, black currant, cedar, green pepper, mocha, cherry, vanilla, tabacco Merlot Jammy (fruity), cherry, strawberry, fresh red fruit Malbec plums, black cherry and blackberry, smoky, earth, leather Pinot Noir Cherries, plums, mushrooms, earthy, raspberry, strawberry, prunes Sangiovese Earthy, strawberry, raspberry, astringent, candied apple Syrah (Shiraz) Black pepper spice, black berries, plums, smoky Zinfandel Black and white pepper, nutmeg, red and black berry flavors, hot (alcoholic) Think about some of these descriptors as you enjoy your next glass of wine, and until then, cheers!