Research

New York Wine & Grape Foundation Issues RFP for Grape and Wine Research

The New York Wine & Grape Foundation (NYWGF) was created in 1985, in part, to help establish a funding channel for research in the areas of viticulture, enology, and business management. For more than 35 years, NYWGF has annually distributed funds to projects that provide the New York State wine and grape industry with short-term solutions and long-term strategic directions. Click here for a list of previously funded projects. The

New York Wine & Grape Foundation Releases 2023-2024 Research Reports

In the ever-evolving world of wine and grape production, research plays a crucial role in advancing knowledge, improving practices, and ensuring the sustainability of the industry. The New York Wine & Grape Foundation (NYWGF), since its inception in 1985, has been sponsoring an ambitious and comprehensive viticulture, enology, and business research program in close coordination with industry and academia. We are happy to announce the release of the research reports

Managing Spotted Lanternfly in New York Vineyards with an Update on Sour Rot & Grape Berry Moth Research

Dr. Greg Loeb will provide an update on his Spotted Lanternfly early detection research, and his Sour Rot & Grape Berry Moth research. Tuesday, January 28, 2025 · 8:30 – 9am EST The invasive Spotted Lanternfly (SLF), originally from Asia, is rapidly spreading across states from its initial invasion point in Pennsylvania. SLF has a strong association with the invasive Tree of Heaven (TOH), which serves as a preferred food

Long Island’s Sustainable Viticulture Future: Evaluating Hybrid Wine Grapes

Explore Long Island’s Hybrid winegrape potential: How advanced research is driving sustainable, high-quality production in a unique climate. Thursday, December 5 · 9 – 9:30am EST Join us as we explore the exciting potential of hybrid winegrape varieties on Long Island, where innovative research is paving the way for sustainable, high-quality wine production in our unique maritime climate. In 2023, 12 hybrid winegrape varieties were evaluated at the Long Island

New York Wine & Grape Foundation Announces 2025 Research Themes

Every year, research priorities are discussed and finalized by the Research Committee of the Board of the New York Wine & Grape Foundation (NYWGF) in collaboration with additional stakeholder input, to help the researchers focus their research proposals to meet the current needs of the wine and grape industry. The priority themes for NYWGF FY25-26 starting in April 2025 are as follows: VITICULTURE: Disease & Pest Management, Including Invasive Species:

A Look at the State of Hybrid Grapes—and Selling Wines Made from Them—in New York

In the ever-evolving world of wine and grape production, research plays a crucial role in advancing knowledge, improving practices, and ensuring the sustainability of the industry. NYWGF’s commitment to research is evident in its annual research budget, which typically ranges between $350,000 to $600,000. The NYWGF Board of Directors is proud to share the results of 2023-24 funded research projects through individual reports, articles, and a series of webinars in

How Scientists Are Helping Grape Growers Combat Pests and Pestilence

Growing grapes isn’t for the faint of heart. A delicate crop utterly dependent on the whims of Mother Nature, the challenges have always been significant, but in recent years amid climate change, the situation has felt, at times, existential. This past year’s harvest was summarized in Cornell’s documentary-style newsletter Veraison to Harvest 2023 thusly: “Spring was early, fall was late and summer was difficult.” It continued: “The abrupt changes in

NYWGF issues RFP for 2024 Grape & Wine Research

The New York Wine & Grape Foundation (NYWGF) was created in 1985, in part, to help establish a funding channel for research in the areas of viticulture, enology, and “best practices” in wine marketing and business development. For 35 years, NYWGF has annually distributed funds to projects that provide the New York State wine and grape industry with short-term solutions and long-term strategic directions. Click here to explore previously funded

New York Wine & Grape Foundation Issues RFP Seeking a Partner to Lead and Execute an Updated Statewide Vineyard Survey in 2024 and 2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Valerie Venezia-RossPhone: 1 (518) 229-3765Email: [email protected] September 15th, 2023 – Penn Yan, NY — The New York Wine & Grape Foundation (NYWGF) is pleased to release the RFP for Comprehensive Statewide Vineyard Survey Services. The goal of this project is to comprehensively update New York’s vineyard statistics, which was last completed by USDA NASS in 2011 and supplemented by the 2017 Census of Agriculture. The changes

Update on New Wine Grapes with Improved Cold Tolerance & Disease Resistance

Join Bruce Reisch, Professor, School of Integrative Plant Science Horticulture Section Plant Breeding and Genetics Section Cornell AgriTech, as he presents an update on his continued research – Breeding and evaluation of new wine grape varieties with improved cold tolerance and disease resistance. Since its creation in 1985, the New York Wine & Grape Foundation (NYWGF) has sponsored an ambitious and comprehensive research program in close coordination with the industry

Tracking Grapevine Cold Hardiness Across New York in 2022-2023

Join Jason Londo, Associate Professor, School of Integrative Plant Science Horticulture Section, Cornell AgriTech as he discusses his findings from tracking grapevine cold hardiness across New York in 2022-2023. Since its creation in 1985, the New York Wine & Grape Foundation (NYWGF) has sponsored an ambitious and comprehensive research program in close coordination with the industry and academia. NYWGF’s annual research budget is normally between $350,000-$500,000 each fiscal year and

Agrichemical Remote Sensing to Improve Sustainable Grape Disease Management

Join Dr. Katie Gold, Assistant Professor of Grape Pathology, School of Integrative Plant Science, Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology Section, Cornell University, presents her research findings on Agrichemical Remote Sensing to Improve Sustainable Grape Disease Management. Since its creation in 1985, the New York Wine & Grape Foundation (NYWGF) has sponsored an ambitious and comprehensive research program in close coordination with the industry and academia. NYWGF’s annual research budget is

Evaluating Vision-Guided Spray Tech for Selective Sucker Control in Grapes

Join us as Lynn Sosnoskie, Assistant Professor, School of Integrative Plant Science Horticulture Section Cornell AgriTech, presents her research findings on Evaluating vision-guided spray technology for selective sucker control in grapes. Since its creation in 1985, the New York Wine & Grape Foundation (NYWGF) has sponsored an ambitious and comprehensive research program in close coordination with the industry and academia. NYWGF’s annual research budget is normally between $350,000-$500,000 each fiscal

New York Wine & Grape Foundation Releases 2022-2023 Research Reports

In the ever-evolving world of wine and grape production, research plays a crucial role in advancing knowledge, improving practices, and ensuring the sustainability of the industry. The New York Wine & Grape Foundation (NYWGF), since its inception in 1985, has been sponsoring an ambitious and comprehensive viticulture and enology research program in close coordination with industry and academia. We are happy to announce the release of the research reports for

Jason Londo Earns Accolades for Outstanding Grapevine Research

Does good wine begin in the vineyard, or the lab? Without the behind-the-scenes work of grape researchers and geneticists, wine growers and makers—even with the best terroir and cellars—would have fewer disease-resistant and cold-hardy grapes to work with. Too often, this quiet, but essential work is swept aside or forgotten when mulling a particularly great vintage of Finger Lakes Riesling. Which may explain just how “surprised and happy” Jason Londo

Jan Nyrop Earns Jim Finkle Industry Award for Career Driving Innovation and Research

“I was surprised,” says Jan Peter Nyrop, of the news that the New York Wine & Grape Foundation honored him with the 2023 Jim Finkle Industry Award in recognition of his achievements in the industry. “I didn’t feel like I was doing anything out of the ordinary. I was just doing my job as a faculty member and director. But now, I feel very fortunate and grateful to have my

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

B.E.V. NY is New York’s annual conference for the grape and wine industry, combining the resources of the New York Wine & Grape Foundation, Cornell’s Extension Enology Lab, and the Finger Lakes Grape Program. The conference invites academic and industry experts to present information that addresses important issues for the industry, and to do so in a way that provides practical information to those who attend. This year’s B.E.V. NY

New York Wine & Grape Foundation issues RFP for 2023 Grape and Wine Research

Mystery Shoppers Reveal Wine Tasting Room Trends in New York State

The New York Wine & Grape Foundation is dedicated to supporting our members’ business development in a rapidly changing world. Along with the myriad of services and seminars we provide throughout the year, NYWGF is often able to take advantage of new opportunities that arise to benefit our members and the industry. In the Spring and Summer of 2022, NYWGF’s longstanding relationship with the WISE Academy resulted in the opportunity

Expanding the range of rapid analysis approaches to semi-polar volatiles and non-volatile precursors in grapes

Targeted measurements of volatiles or volatile precursors in grapes are useful for grape and wine quality evaluation, but these analyses are typically slow, and routine fee-for-service analyses are typically prohibitively expensive. Our group has previously demonstrated that sorbent sheets (SPMESH) could be used for rapid extraction of non-polar odorants from sample headspace. In the past year, we evaluated two novel extensions of SPMESH to make it more appropriate for analysis

New York Wine & Grape Foundation Announces 2023 Research Themes

The New York Wine & Grape Foundation Research Committee is working to enhance the quality, focus and transparency of the annual research program funded by the Foundation. Towards that end, the committee is now seeking additional review and comment from industry members so that we may finalize the proposed research themes and use those themes to solicit and select research proposals for funding in 2023. The proposed research theme areas

Increasing the Reliability / Scope of NEWA Weather and Pest Model Information 2021-2022

Grape growers face the risk each season of their vineyards being attacked by insects and diseases whose severity is dependent on the current season’s weather conditions. This results in growers needing to modify their vineyard IPM strategy on a yearly, monthly and, sometimes, daily basis. This has resulted in a critical need for a portion of a technician’s time to be devoted to installing, monitoring and maintaining the weather network

Productive Vines Aren’t Necessarily Ones That Yield the Most Grapes, Wine & Grape Researcher Strives for Balance

The story of wine grape-growing in New York is one of trial and error. When colonists attempted to plant the Vinifera vines they brought from Europe, the vines failed to thrive in the different climate and soils. Early New York settlers had no choice but to make wine from native grapes. It wasn’t until the mid-1800s that researchers discovered that grafting Vinifera vines onto native American grape rootstocks made it

Identifying Clean Nursery Stocks for a Sustainable New York Viticulture

Viruses can be major threats to a profitable and sustainable viticulture by reducing vine growth, fruit yield and quality, as well as by limiting the productive lifespan of vineyards. Viruses are primarily transmitted by vegetative propagation and grafting, although some of them can secondarily be transmitted by insect vectors in vineyard settings. The proposed project is designed to collaborate with local nurserymen on the production of virus-tested, clean grapevine stocks

Tim Martinson Invested in the Future for All of Us

It’s easy to focus on the bad news. Climate change has made headlines in recent years like never before, perhaps due to the fact that so many of us are witnessing the real-life consequences of extreme weather on a daily basis. In recent months, we’ve learned that we’ve broken multiple global indicators of the climate crisis, with temperatures that humans cannot survive for extended periods registering in India and Pakistan.

New York Wine and Grape Foundation Releases Annual Report for the 2021-2022 State Fiscal Year

We are pleased to share with you the New York Wine and Grape Foundation’s Annual Report for the 2021-2022 State Fiscal Year. The Annual Report provides a summary of the Foundation’s operations and accomplishments during the fiscal year. The report also includes information on the amount of funding designated for applied research and the types of research conducted; and the amount of funding designated for promotion, and the effectiveness of

Cornell AgriTech to Celebrate 140th Anniversary with Open House

Geneva, NY – Cornell AgriTech, a preeminent center for food and agricultural research, will celebrate its 140thanniversary by opening its doors to the public on Aug. 13 from 10am. to 3pm. The open house will showcase the campus’ impact on New York’s food and agricultural industries. Audiences of all ages are invited to enjoy a variety of interactive science related activities at the event to learn about the important role

Cornell Study Finds the Potential in Grape Pomace

Headline-writers love to tout the healthiness of red wine. Here’s how it goes: a scientific study about a specific food compound — such as flavonoids — gets published. The findings support that the compound has health benefits. That compound happens to be found in red wine, as well as many other foods. But we all know that lifestyle publications often lead with the red wine information in the headline. It makes sense

New York Wine & Grape Foundation issues RFP for 2022 Grape and Wine Research

For 35 years, NYWGF has annually distributed funds to projects that provide the New York State wine and grape industry with short-term solutions and long-term strategic directions. Click here to explore previously funded projects.

The Research Committee of the Board of Directors now welcomes new proposals for 2022. Proposals will be due by January 24th, 2022.

Improve Your Yield & Quality, Lower Production Costs, and Conserve Labor & Resources with the MyEV Tool

The Efficient Vineyard approach involves measuring and collecting data on soils, canopy, crop size, and fruit quality; combining direct vineyard measurements and/or sensor data into valuable viticulture knowledge for vineyard managers; and developing variable rate vineyard prescription maps to improve yield and quality, lower production costs, and conserve labor and environmental resources. The FREE MyEV Tool has brought this vision to reality for growers and wineries.

Spotted Lanternfly Update for New York Wineries & Growers

All New York wineries and growers are invited to join us for this real-time update on the Spotted Lanternfly population in New York State and the multi-agency efforts to slow the spread. This event will focus on information for the grape industry and ways in which we can all contribute to managing this new invasive species. Click Here to Register About our Presenter: Chris Logue is the State Plant Regulatory Official

Grower Survey Results and Sustainability Advisory Committee Nominations

This has been an exciting year for sustainable winegrowing in New York! The development of a statewide sustainable winegrowing certification program is finally under way. This program is the culmination of numerous of efforts by growers, extension agents, and industry associations over the past decade. We have now a reached a critical mass of consumer demand, industry support, and institutional backing to make it happen.

Reflecting on Seasons Past

As we turn the page on 2020 and I reflect on the last four years at the helm of NYWGF, I fondly remember my anticipation building in December 2016 as I prepared to join the NYWGF team in January. I received an invitation to join in a Finger Lakes tradition, the NYS Wine Grape Growers Association’s (NYSWGG) annual holiday party. That year it was hosted at the Elk’s Lodge in Penn Yan. I attended with the State’s craft beverage guru Stefan Fleming, and I remember that a hearty spaghetti dinner was served.

New York Wine & Grape Foundation issues RFP for Grape and Wine Research

The Research Committee of the Board of Directors now welcomes new proposals for 2021. Proposals will be due by January 25th, 2021.

Quality looks good, but low yields mean hardship for grape growers

This has been a difficult year on many fronts, so while I usually focus my weekly editorial on the positive stories emerging from New York’s grape and wine industry, I felt that it was important to also share the growers’ harvest experience this year.

New York Wine & Grape Foundation Releases 2019-2020 Annual Report

Dear Friends, We are pleased to share with you the New York Wine and Grape Foundation’s Annual Report for 2019-2020. The Foundation supports the establishment of new wineries, funds vital research on grape growing and wine making at Cornell University and other leading research institutions, supports programs to stimulate tourism and expand the availability of New York wines in major urban markets like New York City, and enhances the reputation for

Field Notes