NY Wine Classic

Hudson Valley Vineyards, Milea’s Newest Project, Wins Best Sparkling Wine in the New York Wine Classic

In 2024, Hudson Valley’s Milea Estate Vineyard opened a new project, Hudson Valley Vineyards, declaring that it would make “Left Bank” and “Right Bank” sparkling wines. “In the traditional sense, ‘Right Bank’ refers to the area of Bordeaux that lies east of the Dordogne and Gironde rivers, whereas ‘Left Bank’ refers to the area west of the Garonne and Gironde rivers,” says Darren Chertkoff, Milea’s winemaker, referring to the rivers

Billsboro Winery Wins Best Dessert in New York Wine Classic

Kim and Vinny Aliperti, the founders of Billsboro Winery, are getting their just desserts. “Vinny’s palate runs dry, so his late harvest dessert wine is actually incredibly balanced, age-worthy, and refreshing, which isn’t typical of a dessert wine,” says Kim, who runs Billsboro Winery alongside her winemaking husband, Vinny. “The Vignoles grape is naturally high in acidity, providing the 9% of residual sugar with enough mouthwatering backbone. We expect the

Weis Vineyards Earns its Third Winery of the Year Award at the New York Wine Classic

Image courtesy of Weis Vineyards. New York State has many standout wineries and well-made wines throughout all of its regions. Winemakers can opt to enter their wines in the New York Wine Classic, an annual event that celebrates the very best of the state’s wine and grape industry. Each wine entered is scored. The two top awards in the competition are the Governor’s Cup—the Best of Show across all categories—and

Rose Hill Vineyards Wins 2025 Governor’s Cup

Image courtesy of Rose Hill Vineyards. “From the point of harvest and through fermentation, aging, blending and bottling, we knew this was a special wine and a standout for the vintage,” says Patrick Caserta, winemaker at Rose Hill Vineyards on the North Fork of Long Island, recipient of the New York Wine Classic’s 2025 Governor’s Cup and Best Red Wine for the 2019 Clarity Cabernet Sauvignon. “To win the Governor’s

Top New York Wines Revealed by Governor Kathy Hochul at the 2025 New York Wine Classic Awards

New York Wine & Grape Foundation’s Annual Awards Showcase the Best Wines in the Empire State Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the winners of the 39th Annual New York Wine Classic, the premier wine competition celebrating the best of New York’s vibrant and world-class wine industry. This year’s top honor was awarded to Rose Hill Vineyards, who received the prestigious Governor’s Cup for their exceptional 2019 Clarity Cabernet Sauvignon from

Celebrating Excellence: 2025 New York Wine Classic Awards to Spotlight State’s Top Wines

The spotlight is on New York’s finest wines as the New York Wine & Grape Foundation (NYWGF) prepares to unveil the winners of the 2025 New York Wine Classic on Thursday, July 17th at 6:00 PM EST. The prestigious awards ceremony will be streamed live and hosted by acclaimed wine expert Wanda Mann, East Coast Editor of The SOMM Journal and founder of Wine With Wanda. The highly anticipated event

New York Wine Classic 2025: The Ultimate Celebration of New York Wines

PENN YAN, NY – March 1, 2025 – The New York Wine & Grape Foundation is thrilled to announce the 2025 New York Wine Classic, the ultimate celebration of New York wines. This annual wine competition, now in its 39th year, recognizes excellence in winemaking and provides an important platform for New York wineries to showcase their products to a global audience. The New York Wine Classic is open to

New York Wine Classic Winners Harbes Vineyard and Wölffer Estate are Bringing Attention to New York Wines

Photo courtesy of Harbes Vineyard. Each year, the New York Wine & Grape Foundation organizes the New York Wine Classic, a competition that celebrates a diverse selection of world-class wines from producers within the State. Wines entered are sent to the Beverage Tasting Institute, and its sensory panel—comprised of beverage directors, sommeliers, top bartenders, retail buyers, and educators—scores each wine. The top scorers in the various categories deservedly earn bragging

Fulkerson Winery Wins ‘Best Pink Wine’ in New York Wine Classic

With more and more wine lovers eager to think and drink pink, Fulkerson Winery has had a lot to celebrate since first launching its line of Syrah Rosé. That the wine was even released, never mind won ‘Best Pink Wine’ is a coup in and of itself, its sixth-generation owner and operator admits. “I was very reluctant to use Syrah for rosé because it’s such a rare grape in the

In a Region That’s ‘Built for Sparkling,’ Damiani’s 2017 Brut Comes Out on Top in the 2024 New York Wine Classic

“Only the unimaginative can fail to find a reason for drinking Champagne,” playwright and poet Oscar Wilde is quoted as saying, and he’s not wrong—but we’d go even further. There is never a wrong time to sip a well-made sparkling wine. It goes with every meal, every celebration, every moment alone sitting on your front porch. New York wine producers technically can’t make Champagne. That honorific can be given only

The Pioneering Dr. Konstantin Frank Wins Best White for Reserve Riesling

It seems fitting that the winery that launched a vinifera revolution in the Finger Lakes and reinvigorated wine lovers’ passion for Riesling snagged Best White for its 2022 Reserve Riesling in this year’s New York Wine Classic. “My great-grandfather was a researcher and scientist, and his approach is foundational to what we do here today,” says Meaghan Frank, who joined her family’s winery, Dr. Konstantin Frank, 11 years ago and

From a Perfect Vintage, Raphael Wine’s 2019 Reserve Cabernet Franc Wins Best Red in the 2024 New York Wine Classic

In the U.S. no regulation stipulates what can be labeled as a reserve wine. But a winery that’s focused on quality and authenticity will bottle a reserve wine only when it’s truly warranted. “It’s not every year we can do the reserve wines, but when the vintage is spectacular we will,” says Julia Petrocelli-Vergari, owner-operator of Raphael Wine in Peconic. “The 2019 vintage was perfect. The stars were aligned. I

Weis Vineyards Wins Winery of the Year and Governor’s Cup for Best Dessert Wine

Six generations of know-how and passion spread across two continents went into Weis Vineyards’ wins at the 38th Annual New York Wine Classic. “I grew up on vineyards in the Mosel,” says Hans Peter Weis, the German-born winemaker and co-owner of Weis Vineyards with his wife Ashlee Weis. “Winegrowing and winemaking have always been a part of my life, and my family’s life going back six generations in the Mosel.

three wine glasses against black background. Red wine is being poured into the center glass.

Governor Hochul Announces Winners of the 2024 New York Wine Classic

Weis Vineyards Named Winery of the Year Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the winners of the 38th Annual New York Wine Classic, a nationally recognized competition highlighting the best of New York’s wine industry. Weis Vineyards, located in the Finger Lakes region, took home the two top awards in the 2024 Competition. They were honored as Winery of the Year, and their 2018 Riesling Ice Wine was awarded the prestigious

Field Notes