News – New York Wine & Grape Foundation

A Taste of the Finger Lakes: Exploring the stories behind the bottles

Maiah Johnson Dunn November 14, 2022

In 1867, something unexpected happened: a New York wine received an honorable mention at the Exposition Universelle in Paris–a first for American sparkling. The wine? A Méthode Champenoise bottling of Catawba grapes by Pleasant Valley Wine Company, Bonded Winery No. 1 in the state. Founded in 1860 on land where the terroir is reminiscent of Champagne, France, the winery secured Gold in Vienna and quickly became known as Great Western, a nickname after earning the

New York Wine & Grape Foundation Announces 2023 Unity Award Nominations Process

New York Wine & Grape Foundation November 8, 2022

NYWGF is pleased to provide our community with the opportunity to recognize the champions among us once again. You are invited to submit your nominations for the 2023 Unity Awards. The Unity Awards were created in 1990 to recognize, encourage, and celebrate cooperation among grape growers, wineries, researchers, retailers, and others to advance the entire industry. Our industry has a rich history of working and succeeding together despite facing a variety of challenges through the

Having Found Its Style, New York’s Winery of the Year Weis Vineyards Is Finding Its Stride

Kathleen Willcox and Robin Shreeves November 1, 2022

“Quality all starts with the grapes,” says Peter Weis, co-owner of Weis Vineyards in Keuka Lake. In 2017, Weis and his wife Ashlee bought a small existing winery in Hammondsport. In the span of five years, they have turned quality grapes from the Finger Lakes into quality wine from Weis Vineyards. They’ve quickly become a celebrated winery in the region, earning the “Winery of the Year” award in the 2022 New York Wine Classic. “Winery

New York Wine & Grape Foundation and Advance Local Events Partner to Elevate B.E.V. NY Conference

New York Wine & Grape Foundation October 30, 2022

The New York Wine & Grape Foundation (NYWGF) is pleased to announce a new partnership with Advance Local Events to elevate the B.E.V. NY wine and grape industry conference in 2023.  The three-day B.E.V. NY event, presented by NYWGF, Cornell’s College of Agriculture and Life Science (CALS) Finger Lakes Grape Program and the Enology Extension Laboratory, will be held from March 28-30, 2023, at the Marriott Syracuse Downtown in Syracuse, NY. This year’s conference is focused on understanding the shifts in wine

B.E.V. NY 2023: Making, Measuring, and Marketing New York Wine

New York Wine & Grape Foundation October 25, 2022

There is no doubt that the craft of wine growing, and wine making has been romanticized as a mysterious art that can capture the beauty and essence of a region in a bottle. While that may be true, it is also a serious business. That fact has become more apparent as shifts in wine consumption in the United States are significantly impacting our industry. Consumer spending and travel patterns, interest in sustainably produced and packaged

New York Sustainable Winegrowing Vineyard Certification Enrollment Open Now

New York Wine & Grape Foundation October 11, 2022

The New York Sustainable Winegrowing program is excited to announce that applications are now open for the Vineyard Certification process. Following the success of our pilot in 2022, the program is now open to all wineries in New York. The NYWGF Sustainable Winegrowing program provides a pathway to voluntary third-party certification that verifies vineyards are using the best practices to ensure environmental, social, and economic sustainability of New York Wine. Sam Filler, NYWGF Executive Director,

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