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Field Notes

News and Updates from the New York Wine & Grape Foundation

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Millbrook Vineyards & Winery Celebrates Ruby Anniversary

Kathleen Willcox and Robin Shreeves May 6, 2025

Image courtesy of Millbrook Vineyards & Winery. It’s fitting that Millbrook Vineyards & Winery is set to unveil their first-ever bottle of sparkling wine this year: after 40 years of making wine in the Empire State, it is time for a huge celebration!  Recognizing milestones is as ancient as human culture itself, and an essential way to celebrate achievements and energize individuals or communities for the future.  Today, we are virtually toasting the team at

The Story Behind Some of New York’s Most Unusual Plantings

Kathleen Willcox and Robin Shreeves April 29, 2025

The recent 2024 New York Vineyard Report has inspired a lot of excitement among the circle of individuals who get giddy pouring over data on grapes. It may not be a large group—but it is a passionate one! It has also raised some interesting questions about the present and future of grape growing—and wine consumption—in New York.  One of those questions: who’s planting Turan, Feteasca Neagra and Gamay Noir grapes. And why? New York has

Final Entry Deadline Approaches for the 25th Annual Finger Lakes International Wine & Spirits Competition

New York Wine & Grape Foundation April 26, 2025

The Finger Lakes International Wine & Spirits Competition (FLIWC), now celebrating its 25th year, is inviting wineries and distilleries from around the globe to submit their best products for a chance to be recognized among the industry’s finest—all while supporting a cause that changes lives. With the entry deadline of May 16, 2025, quickly approaching, producers still have time to take part in one of the largest charitable competitions of its kind. The FLIWC is

New York Wine & Grape Foundation Announces Statewide Listening Sessions for Growers and Wineries

New York Wine & Grape Foundation April 26, 2025

The New York Wine & Grape Foundation (NYWGF) is pleased to announce a series of regional Listening Sessions taking place this spring throughout New York’s major grape growing regions. These events are designed to provide an open forum for grape growers, winery professionals, and industry stakeholders to share feedback, ask questions, and help shape the future of New York’s wine and grape industry. Each session will include a complimentary lunch, opportunities for meaningful conversation, and

New York’s Sustainable Winegrowing Program in Action: New Map Highlights Certified Vineyards & Wineries Using Sustainable Grapes 

Robin Shreeves and Kathleen Willcox April 8, 2025

New York is home to an expanding network of certified sustainable vineyards dedicated to minimizing environmental impact, ensuring economic stability, and safeguarding worker health and safety. This certification is awarded through the New York Wine & Grape Foundation’s (NYWGF) Sustainable Winegrowing program. Vineyards that achieve certification, along with wineries producing wines made from at least 85% certified sustainable grapes, are authorized to display the Sustainability Trustmark at their vineyards and on their bottles.  Now, NYWGF

Flexibility is Key to the Best Vineyard Practices

Robin Shreeves and Kathleen Willcox April 1, 2025

Sustainability is not a one-size-fits-all concept in most industries. In the wine world, a cookie-cutter checklist of musts for a winery or vineyard to be considered sustainable simply doesn’t work. Our wineries in New York have different sustainability challenges than wineries in California. Even within New York vineyards may have different sustainability challenges depending on the growing region. There are a lot of variables. Matthew Spaccarelli—who won the 2023 John H. Brahm III Grower Award