New York Wine & Grape Foundation

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Field Notes

News and Updates from the New York Wine & Grape Foundation

2025 Wine Classic

Hudson Valley Vineyards, Milea’s Newest Project, Wins Best Sparkling Wine in the New York Wine Classic

In 2024, Hudson Valley’s Milea Estate Vineyard opened a new project, Hudson Valley Vineyards, declaring that it would make “Left Bank” and “Right Bank” sparkling wines.  “In the traditional sense, ‘Right Bank’ refers to the area of Bordeaux that lies east of the Dordogne and Gironde rivers, whereas ‘Left Bank’ refers to the area west of the Garonne and Gironde rivers,” says Darren Chertkoff, Milea’s winemaker, referring to the rivers

Billsboro Winery Wins Best Dessert in New York Wine Classic 

Kim and Vinny Aliperti, the founders of Billsboro Winery, are getting their just desserts.  “Vinny’s palate runs dry, so his late harvest dessert wine is actually incredibly balanced, age-worthy, and refreshing, which isn’t typical of a dessert wine,” says Kim, who runs Billsboro Winery alongside her winemaking husband, Vinny. “The Vignoles grape is naturally high in acidity, providing the 9% of residual sugar with enough mouthwatering backbone. We expect the

Weis Vineyards Earns its Third Winery of the Year Award at the New York Wine Classic

Image courtesy of Weis Vineyards. New York State has many standout wineries and well-made wines throughout all of its regions. Winemakers can opt to enter their wines in the New York Wine Classic, an annual event that celebrates the very best of the state’s wine and grape industry. Each wine entered is scored. The two top awards in the competition are the Governor’s Cup—the Best of Show across all categories—and

Rose Hill Vineyards Wins 2025 Governor’s Cup

Image courtesy of Rose Hill Vineyards. “From the point of harvest and through fermentation, aging, blending and bottling, we knew this was a special wine and a standout for the vintage,” says Patrick Caserta, winemaker at Rose Hill Vineyards on the North Fork of Long Island, recipient of the New York Wine Classic’s 2025 Governor’s Cup and Best Red Wine for the 2019 Clarity Cabernet Sauvignon.  “To win the Governor’s

Top New York Wines Revealed by Governor Kathy Hochul at the 2025 New York Wine Classic Awards 

New York Wine & Grape Foundation’s Annual Awards Showcase the Best Wines in the Empire State  Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the winners of the 39th Annual New York Wine Classic, the premier wine competition celebrating the best of New York’s vibrant and world-class wine industry.   This year’s top honor was awarded to Rose Hill Vineyards, who received the prestigious Governor’s Cup for their exceptional 2019 Clarity Cabernet Sauvignon from