Every year, research priorities are discussed and finalized by the Research Committee of the Board of the 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 research themes for the 2026-27 fiscal year are as follows:

• Disease & Pest management, including Invasive species: Develop effective, efficient, and sustainable disease and pest management materials and techniques that minimize the development of resistance and provide resilience to climate change. Develop management approaches to combat the impact of invasive species, including but not limited to spotted-wing drosophila and spotted lanternfly.
• Mechanization and precision agriculture: Identify opportunities for vineyard management mechanization and application of precision agriculture technology with a particular emphasis on the development of labor-saving and affordable canopy management equipment.
• Sustainability: Develop and evaluate vineyard management strategies to efficiently utilize nutrient inputs and promote long-term soil health and water quality.
• Floor and weed management: Develop and evaluate vineyard floor and weed management strategies to reduce energy and herbicide use.
• Grape cultivars and clones: develop or evaluate the viticultural performance of grape cultivars or clones suitable for the production of quality wine, juice, or bunch grapes in New York’s diverse viticultural regions.

• Grape cultivars and clones: Evaluate the potential of new grape cultivars and/or clones for quality wine production in New York’s diverse wine-growing regions.
• Sustainability: Develop and evaluate sustainable winemaking practices, including efficient wastewater management, energy reduction, and means of reaching carbon neutrality.
• Wine quality: Develop and evaluate techniques and/or methods to improve the quality of wine made from interspecific hybrid and native grape cultivars.
• Wine analysis: Develop or improve the efficiency of wine analytical methods designed for use in production.
• Wine microbiology: Identify opportunities for improved wine quality or processing methods related to wine microbiology, including regional microbiomes, microbiological bio protection, and fermentation nutrition.

• Non-fermented value-added grape products: Identify or develop new value-added grape products that promote sustainability and/or human health, such as valorized waste from grape processing.

• Evolving Consumer Preferences: Identify and research generational preferences of millennials, Gen X, and Gen Z consumers (authenticity, sustainability, and experiential marketing) and the most effective ways for New York Wines to establish itself with this key demo and build a relationship with them.
• Customer awareness: Identify and test education and communication strategies to increase customer awareness of the diversity and quality of New York wines.
• Technology Advances: Evaluation of the best tools for wineries to streamline operations, enhance customer experience, and gain a competitive edge in marketing, sales, compliance & operational efficiencies.
• Customer acceptance: Identify and test education and communication strategies to promote customer acceptance of wines made from cold-hardy hybrid and native grape varieties.