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Field Notes

News and Updates from the New York Wine & Grape Foundation

Featured
Winemakers & Shakers

Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard brings the feeling of Sonoma to Upstate New York

In March 2020, one week before the Coronavirus pandemic shutdown, Jenny Menges was on a press trip in London. She was there with the New York Wine & Grape Foundation, representing Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard, where she’s the Director of Operations. “No job is perfect,” she smiles, “but this one is pretty close.” For Jenny and the rest of the team, working at Wiemer is more than a job. It’s more like an extended family, and she was eager to get home to it.

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Wine 101

How a Wine Competition Works

Each year, I judge in about a dozen different wine competitions throughout the United States, but mostly in California.  I also get many questions from consumers about wine competitions: What are they?  How are they run?  Who are the judges?  What do the results mean? This article will answer those questions, and probably raise more.  In most cases, I’ll be referring to the competitions in which I serve as a judge, but may also note what we do in our own “New York Wine Classic”, which has attempted to adopt the “best practices” of other competitions. What is a wine

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Latest

The Potential and Practicality of Regenerative Winegrowing in New York Vineyards

Whitney Beaman February 24, 2021

The practical benefits of building soil organic carbon have been recognized by farmers for generations, though perhaps not for the purpose of combating climate change. Undisturbed soils, rich in ground cover, have higher organic matter, microbial biodiversity, and water infiltration, making them better suited to agriculture.

The New York Wine & Grape Foundation Announces “Best of Class” from the 2021 New York Wine Classic

New York Wine & Grape Foundation February 24, 2021

Known as “The Oscars®” of New York wine competitions, the Classic is organized by the New York Wine & Grape Foundation. New this year, NYWGF partnered with the Beverage Testing Institute (BTI) to judge wines submitted from across New York state. A total of 1 Platinum, 138 Gold, 355 Silver, and 104 Bronze medals were awarded by BTI’s trained sensory panel comprised of beverage directors, sommeliers, top bartenders, retail buyers and educators.

Concord grapes hanging from vine

Welch’s launches ‘game-changing’ ingredients for New York winemakers

Welch’s Global Ingredients Group February 18, 2021

The Welch’s Concord grape juice brand is world-renowned and has been a staple of breakfast tables in millions of American households for more than a century. Now, in an exciting new diversification, Welch’s ingredients division has commercially launched a new de-characterized grape juice ingredient for New York State winemakers.

Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards Releases Podcast

Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards February 17, 2021

Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards has released a new podcast: Great Times Behinds the Wines. The podcast is hosted by Shannon Hazlitt Harts, daughter of Hazlitt’s Co-CEO & Owner, Doug Hazlitt. Each episode is meant to educate listeners in an informative, approachable way for anyone that enjoys or wants to learn about wine.

USDA Logo

USDA Offering Two Webinars in March for Beginning Farmers in New York State

New York Wine & Grape Foundation February 17, 2021

To institutionalize support for beginning farmers and ranchers and to build upon prior agency work, the 2018 Farm Bill directed USDA to create a national coordinator position in the agency and state-level teams for four of its agencies – Farm Service Agency (FSA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Risk Management Agency (RMA), and Rural Development (RD).

Don’t call it a pivot. For New Yorkers, adaptation is in our roots.

Amy Ellsworth February 17, 2021

Next month will mark one year since the COVID-19 pandemic reached New York state. An unprecedented year? You can say that again! (Actually, do me a favor and don’t ever say that again.) But for all the uncertainty, stress, and heartbreak of this past year, the perseverance of our fellow New Yorkers is something we know we can always count on.