Wine & Grape Research

Schumer Presses USDA to Help Western New York Grape Farms After Concord Grape Contracts Were Canceled, Urges Grape Juice Purchase for Food Assistance Programs

Lake Erie Region Is Largest Grape Growing Area East Of Rocky Mountains – Supporting 2,000 Jobs – But Earlier This Year Major NY Grape Processor Abruptly Canceled Contracts With Western NY Farmers Schumer Explains USDA Has Authority To Purchase Excess Grapes For Domestic Food Assistance Programs & Help Keep Upstate Concord Grape Farmers Growing Schumer To USDA: Buy Juice And Boost Growers! As Western New York grape farmers are facing growing uncertainty

New York Wine & Grape Foundation Releases 2025-2026 Research Reports

Annual portfolio addresses pressing industry challenges, from Spotted Lanternfly to climate resilience and canned wine quality The New York Wine & Grape Foundation (NYWGF) today released its 2025–2026 Research Reports, delivering a new body of science-backed findings to help New York’s growers, winemakers, and industry professionals navigate the challenges and opportunities defining the industry right now. The annual reports are the product of NYWGF’s Research Program, a collaborative effort between

New York Wine & Grape Foundation Issues RFP for 2026-27 Grape and Wine Research

The New York Wine & Grape Foundation (NYWGF) today announced the release of its Request for Proposals (RFP) for research projects to be funded in Fiscal Year April 1, 2026 – March 31, 2027. Proposals are due January 16, 2026. Established in 1985, NYWGF administers state-backed funding for research that supports the long-term growth, sustainability, and competitiveness of New York’s wine and grape industry. Each year, the organization invests in

Grower Tour: Explore Global Viticulture in Ontario’s Niagara Peninsula & Austria

Hello New York Grape Growers, In partnership with Sojourn Travel Advisors, the New York Wine & Grape Foundation will host two immersive, educational ‘skillcations’ next year designed exclusively for New York grape growers. Each experience offers the chance to explore a viticulture region similar to our own, meet with local growers, tour vineyards and processing facilities, and engage with university research specialists. You’re invited to choose between — or join us

New York Wine & Grape Foundation Invites Industry Input to Shape 2026-27 Research Priorities

The New York Wine & Grape Foundation (NYWGF) is calling on grape growers, winemakers, and industry partners across the state to help shape the future of research that drives innovation, sustainability, and competitiveness in New York’s wine and grape industry. Each year, NYWGF’s Research Committee—comprised of members of our Board of Directors and informed by stakeholder feedback—identifies priority research themes that address the industry’s most pressing challenges and emerging opportunities.

New York Wine & Grape Foundation Issues RFP for Grape and Wine Research

The New York Wine & Grape Foundation (NYWGF) was created in 1985, in part, to help establish a funding channel for research in the areas of viticulture, enology, and business management. For more than 35 years, NYWGF has annually distributed funds to projects that provide the New York State wine and grape industry with short-term solutions and long-term strategic directions. Click here for a list of previously funded projects. The

New York Wine & Grape Foundation Releases 2023-2024 Research Reports

In the ever-evolving world of wine and grape production, research plays a crucial role in advancing knowledge, improving practices, and ensuring the sustainability of the industry. The New York Wine & Grape Foundation (NYWGF), since its inception in 1985, has been sponsoring an ambitious and comprehensive viticulture, enology, and business research program in close coordination with industry and academia. We are happy to announce the release of the research reports

New York Wine & Grape Foundation Announces 2025 Research Themes

Every year, research priorities are discussed and finalized by the Research Committee of the Board of the New York Wine & Grape Foundation (NYWGF) in collaboration with additional stakeholder input, to help the researchers focus their research proposals to meet the current needs of the wine and grape industry. The priority themes for NYWGF FY25-26 starting in April 2025 are as follows: VITICULTURE: Disease & Pest Management, Including Invasive Species:

State Liquor Authority (SLA) Updates: A Message from Sam Filler, NYWGF Executive Director

Last Monday, I was joined by a federation of New York Wine Industry organizations to meet with the new leadership team at the State Liquor Authority (SLA). Over the summer, SLA Commissioner Lily Fan was appointed Chair by Governor Hochul. Along with Chairwoman Fan, our group met with SLA’s senior leadership team, which includes Bill Crowley, Public Information Officer, Shannon Kearney Sarfoh, General Counsel, and Paul Karamanol, Director of Legislative Affairs

NYWGF issues RFP for 2024 Grape & Wine Research

The New York Wine & Grape Foundation (NYWGF) was created in 1985, in part, to help establish a funding channel for research in the areas of viticulture, enology, and “best practices” in wine marketing and business development. For 35 years, NYWGF has annually distributed funds to projects that provide the New York State wine and grape industry with short-term solutions and long-term strategic directions. Click here to explore previously funded

New York Wine & Grape Foundation Releases 2022-2023 Research Reports

In the ever-evolving world of wine and grape production, research plays a crucial role in advancing knowledge, improving practices, and ensuring the sustainability of the industry. The New York Wine & Grape Foundation (NYWGF), since its inception in 1985, has been sponsoring an ambitious and comprehensive viticulture and enology research program in close coordination with industry and academia. We are happy to announce the release of the research reports for

Jason Londo Earns Accolades for Outstanding Grapevine Research

Does good wine begin in the vineyard, or the lab? Without the behind-the-scenes work of grape researchers and geneticists, wine growers and makers—even with the best terroir and cellars—would have fewer disease-resistant and cold-hardy grapes to work with. Too often, this quiet, but essential work is swept aside or forgotten when mulling a particularly great vintage of Finger Lakes Riesling. Which may explain just how “surprised and happy” Jason Londo

Jan Nyrop Earns Jim Finkle Industry Award for Career Driving Innovation and Research

“I was surprised,” says Jan Peter Nyrop, of the news that the New York Wine & Grape Foundation honored him with the 2023 Jim Finkle Industry Award in recognition of his achievements in the industry. “I didn’t feel like I was doing anything out of the ordinary. I was just doing my job as a faculty member and director. But now, I feel very fortunate and grateful to have my

New York Wine & Grape Foundation issues RFP for 2023 Grape and Wine Research

New Research Reveals the Top Cultural Wine Barriers and Opportunities for Hispanic and African American Consumers

Napa, California – September 22, 2022 – The Wine Market Council (https://winemarketcouncil.com) announces the release of its latest Multicultural Study produced in conjunction with research firm EthniFacts LLC revealing the top cultural barriers and opportunities to wine consumption of Hispanic and African American consumers. From their wine journey and wine preferences to shopping behaviors, the qualitative study reinforces the need for authentic cross-cultural marketing and community efforts to target these

Expanding the range of rapid analysis approaches to semi-polar volatiles and non-volatile precursors in grapes

Targeted measurements of volatiles or volatile precursors in grapes are useful for grape and wine quality evaluation, but these analyses are typically slow, and routine fee-for-service analyses are typically prohibitively expensive. Our group has previously demonstrated that sorbent sheets (SPMESH) could be used for rapid extraction of non-polar odorants from sample headspace. In the past year, we evaluated two novel extensions of SPMESH to make it more appropriate for analysis

New York Wine & Grape Foundation Announces 2023 Research Themes

The New York Wine & Grape Foundation Research Committee is working to enhance the quality, focus and transparency of the annual research program funded by the Foundation. Towards that end, the committee is now seeking additional review and comment from industry members so that we may finalize the proposed research themes and use those themes to solicit and select research proposals for funding in 2023. The proposed research theme areas

Increasing the Reliability / Scope of NEWA Weather and Pest Model Information 2021-2022

Grape growers face the risk each season of their vineyards being attacked by insects and diseases whose severity is dependent on the current season’s weather conditions. This results in growers needing to modify their vineyard IPM strategy on a yearly, monthly and, sometimes, daily basis. This has resulted in a critical need for a portion of a technician’s time to be devoted to installing, monitoring and maintaining the weather network

Productive Vines Aren’t Necessarily Ones That Yield the Most Grapes, Wine & Grape Researcher Strives for Balance

The story of wine grape-growing in New York is one of trial and error. When colonists attempted to plant the Vinifera vines they brought from Europe, the vines failed to thrive in the different climate and soils. Early New York settlers had no choice but to make wine from native grapes. It wasn’t until the mid-1800s that researchers discovered that grafting Vinifera vines onto native American grape rootstocks made it

Identifying Clean Nursery Stocks for a Sustainable New York Viticulture

Viruses can be major threats to a profitable and sustainable viticulture by reducing vine growth, fruit yield and quality, as well as by limiting the productive lifespan of vineyards. Viruses are primarily transmitted by vegetative propagation and grafting, although some of them can secondarily be transmitted by insect vectors in vineyard settings. The proposed project is designed to collaborate with local nurserymen on the production of virus-tested, clean grapevine stocks

Cornell Study Finds the Potential in Grape Pomace

Headline-writers love to tout the healthiness of red wine. Here’s how it goes: a scientific study about a specific food compound — such as flavonoids — gets published. The findings support that the compound has health benefits. That compound happens to be found in red wine, as well as many other foods. But we all know that lifestyle publications often lead with the red wine information in the headline. It makes sense

New York Wine & Grape Foundation issues RFP for 2022 Grape and Wine Research

For 35 years, NYWGF has annually distributed funds to projects that provide the New York State wine and grape industry with short-term solutions and long-term strategic directions. Click here to explore previously funded projects.

The Research Committee of the Board of Directors now welcomes new proposals for 2022. Proposals will be due by January 24th, 2022.

Field Notes