Dear Friends,

This past year, the New York Wine & Grape Foundation Board and Staff remained focused on the needs of growers, winemakers, and other partners as we worked to strengthen the state’s agricultural economy. NYWGF aims to play a vital role in promoting New York State’s top-quality grapes and wines by implementing innovative programs, practicing sustainability, and forming strategic partnerships to secure a prosperous future for New York wines worldwide. 

The following pages provide details on the programs enabled by the State of New York’s ongoing investment in NYWGF, supplemented by grant awards and private sector contributions, along with the results those resources delivered.  

The New York Sustainable Winegrowing Program is an important new initiative for our industry’s long-term identity. Many New York grape growers already follow sustainable vineyard management practices, and the NYWGF program now offers a way to officially certify those practices. Sustainable vineyard practices will soon become the expected standard for US wine consumers, and our program ensures that the New York industry is ready to meet this demand.

It is also essential to note that wine tourism plays a vital role in the New York wine industry and economy. Approximately 60% of all New York wine sales occur in the Tasting Room. New York has led the way in wine tourism initiatives since 1985, when the first US wine trail was established on Cayuga Lake. NYWGF works to support these regional marketing associations and wine trails to promote increased visitation to the state’s wine regions.  

NYWGF is also shifting our online presence to engage directly with consumers. Now, wine enthusiasts can log onto our website and review educational, engaging, and entertaining resources about New York grape-growing regions. Additionally, the updated New York Wine Reference Guide and a series of short and long-form videos on YouTube have been provided to improve the learning experience.  

We are excited about plans for the upcoming year, which include closely collaborating with regional marketing and wine trail partners to develop a unified strategy for promoting wine tourism opportunities in New York. This initiative aligns with our objective to strengthen the brand identity of New York wines. While we have achieved significant success in engaging with Trade and Media over the past decade, we recognize that consumers play a crucial role in generating more interest in New York wines. 

Another critical initiative launched by NYWGF in 2023 was the comprehensive Statewide Vineyard Survey. The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) completed the last comprehensive vineyard survey in 2011. Since 2011, the wine industry has doubled, and two new AVAs were established for the Champlain Valley and Upper Hudson. At the same time, the juice grape industry experienced a period of contraction and declining consumer demand. The Statewide Vineyard Survey is a crucial tool for NYWGF as we serve as the industry’s primary economic development and promotional entity. Accurate vineyard data supports our research funding priorities, which are backed by state and private sector funding, and it also underpins our initiatives to promote the industry to trade, media, and consumers worldwide. 

In closing, and on behalf of the NYWGF board and staff, let me thank the many, many industry members and key industry stakeholders who have become trusted friends and have offered their support, encouragement, inspiration, and constructive criticism to help ensure that our stewardship of NYWGF’s public and private resources yields impactful results. 

Cheers,

Sam Filler, Executive Director, New York Wine & Grape Foundation