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Field Notes

News and Updates from the New York Wine & Grape Foundation

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The Women Reshaping New York Wine

Robin Shreeves and Kathleen Willcox March 3, 2026

For centuries, the job of growing and making wine was considered a man’s domain. Even today, the most recent numbers show that just about 14% of winemakers in California are female. (Because California makes 85% of our country’s wine, this is a significant statistic.)  But in the Empire State, a growing number of women are leading winemaking and, in the process, reshaping the state’s viticulture.  Launching Pads & Mentors  As anyone who has had a

Get To Know the New York Wine & Grape Foundation’s Staff

Robin Shreeves and Kathleen Willcox February 27, 2026

You may know a lot about New York wine. You may know a lot about your favorite New York wineries or the people who work at them, making the wines you love. But what do you know about the people here at the New York Wine & Grape Foundation who work to promote the world-class image of New York grapes and wines? Now’s the chance to get to know this organization’s staff, who devote their

Request for Proposals: New York Wines Warehouse

New York Wine & Grape Foundation February 9, 2026

Request for Proposals  New York Wines Warehouse January 16, 2026  1. Background Information  The New York Wine & Grape Foundation (NYWGF) was created by the State of New York in 1985 as a private, non-profit organization. The enabling legislation established a financing mechanism for promotion and research, providing the industry with both short-term assistance and the potential for long-term viability. NYWGF’s programs are developed by a 22-member Board of Directors in consultation with other representatives from

This Valentine’s Day, Celebrate Love With Still Wines

Robin Shreeves and Kathleen Willcox February 4, 2026

When Valentine’s Day falls on a Saturday, it seems extra special. This year, Valentine’s Day gets the extra special treatment. When Saturday, February 14, 2026, rolls around, while some people may be dining out, many others will be dining at home, cooking a fancier-than-usual meal, and opening a special bottle or two.  Sparkling wine may be the first thing many wine drinkers think of when celebrating the holiday, but it shouldn’t be the only wine

New York Vintners Are Excited To Share Their Wines With the World

Robin Shreeves and Kathleen Willcox January 31, 2026

New York has been making great wine for centuries. The first wine grapes were planted here in the mid-1600s by Dutch settlers, and while those initial plantings didn’t thrive at first, there were successful plantings established in the Hudson Valley by the 1670s.  The first commercial plantings of wine grapes happened in the Finger Lakes in 1829, and since then, the reputation of the wines made across the state, from bright and energetic Rieslings in

The Shift Towards Lighter-Style Reds and Why NY Cool-Climate Reds Work 

Robin Shreeves and Kathleen Willcox January 21, 2026

Fueled by a consumer desire for food-friendly, versatile, and easy-drinking red wines, lighter-style reds are increasingly popular both in the U.S. and in global wine markets. That’s good news for New York winemakers and for those of us who drink wines from the Empire State. With its cooler climate, New York is well-situated for producing what wine drinkers are clamoring for. Why do cooler climate wine regions, in general, produce lighter red wines? Grapes don’t