Submissions are now open for the 2026 competition, celebrating the excellence and diversity of New York wines. The New York Wine & Grape Foundation is proud to announce that submissions are now open for the 2026 New York Wine Classic, marking the 40th year of the state’s premier wine competition. For four decades, the New York Wine Classic has recognized excellence in winemaking and celebrated the remarkable diversity of wines produced across New
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
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
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
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
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
The spotlight is on New York’s finest wines as the New York Wine & Grape Foundation (NYWGF) prepares to unveil the winners of the 2025 New York Wine Classic on Thursday, July 17th at 6:00 PM EST. The prestigious awards ceremony will be streamed live and hosted by acclaimed wine expert Wanda Mann, East Coast Editor of The SOMM Journal and founder of Wine With Wanda. The highly anticipated event
The 2025 New York Wine Classic Award winners will be honored on Thursday, July 17th at 6:00 PM EST in a live virtual ceremony hosted by Wanda Mann. Organized annually by the New York Wine & Grape Foundation, the New York Wine Classic celebrates a diverse selection of world-class wines from producers within the State. NYWGF has partnered again with the Beverage Testing Institute (BevTest) to judge wines submitted. Scores will be awarded by
PENN YAN, NY – March 1, 2025 – The New York Wine & Grape Foundation is thrilled to announce the 2025 New York Wine Classic, the ultimate celebration of New York wines. This annual wine competition, now in its 39th year, recognizes excellence in winemaking and provides an important platform for New York wineries to showcase their products to a global audience. The New York Wine Classic is open to
Photo courtesy of Harbes Vineyard. Each year, the New York Wine & Grape Foundation organizes the New York Wine Classic, a competition that celebrates a diverse selection of world-class wines from producers within the State. Wines entered are sent to the Beverage Tasting Institute, and its sensory panel—comprised of beverage directors, sommeliers, top bartenders, retail buyers, and educators—scores each wine. The top scorers in the various categories deservedly earn bragging
Winners of the New York Wine Classic embody the incredible diversity, ambition, and quality of the 400+ wineries producing wine from the Empire State’s 1,600+ vineyards. Just consider CK Cellars and its win for Best Fruit Wine for the NV Earle Estates Apple Enchantment Semi-Sweet Apple Wine, which earned 93 points from the judges, and Inspire Moore and its victory for Best Pétillant Naturel (Pét-Nat) for the NV Unsupervised Pétillant
With more and more wine lovers eager to think and drink pink, Fulkerson Winery has had a lot to celebrate since first launching its line of Syrah Rosé. That the wine was even released, never mind won ‘Best Pink Wine’ is a coup in and of itself, its sixth-generation owner and operator admits. “I was very reluctant to use Syrah for rosé because it’s such a rare grape in the
“Only the unimaginative can fail to find a reason for drinking Champagne,” playwright and poet Oscar Wilde is quoted as saying, and he’s not wrong—but we’d go even further. There is never a wrong time to sip a well-made sparkling wine. It goes with every meal, every celebration, every moment alone sitting on your front porch. New York wine producers technically can’t make Champagne. That honorific can be given only
It seems fitting that the winery that launched a vinifera revolution in the Finger Lakes and reinvigorated wine lovers’ passion for Riesling snagged Best White for its 2022 Reserve Riesling in this year’s New York Wine Classic. “My great-grandfather was a researcher and scientist, and his approach is foundational to what we do here today,” says Meaghan Frank, who joined her family’s winery, Dr. Konstantin Frank, 11 years ago and
In the U.S. no regulation stipulates what can be labeled as a reserve wine. But a winery that’s focused on quality and authenticity will bottle a reserve wine only when it’s truly warranted. “It’s not every year we can do the reserve wines, but when the vintage is spectacular we will,” says Julia Petrocelli-Vergari, owner-operator of Raphael Wine in Peconic. “The 2019 vintage was perfect. The stars were aligned. I
Six generations of know-how and passion spread across two continents went into Weis Vineyards’ wins at the 38th Annual New York Wine Classic. “I grew up on vineyards in the Mosel,” says Hans Peter Weis, the German-born winemaker and co-owner of Weis Vineyards with his wife Ashlee Weis. “Winegrowing and winemaking have always been a part of my life, and my family’s life going back six generations in the Mosel.
Weis Vineyards Named Winery of the Year Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the winners of the 38th Annual New York Wine Classic, a nationally recognized competition highlighting the best of New York’s wine industry. Weis Vineyards, located in the Finger Lakes region, took home the two top awards in the 2024 Competition. They were honored as Winery of the Year, and their 2018 Riesling Ice Wine was awarded the prestigious
The 2024 New York Wine Classic Award winners will be honored on Wednesday, July 17th at 6:00PM EST in a live virtual ceremony hosted by Wanda Mann. Organized annually by the New York Wine & Grape Foundation, the New York Wine Classic celebrates a diverse selection of world-class wines from producers within the State. NYWGF has partnered again with the Beverage Testing Institute (BevTest) to judge wines submitted. Scores will be awarded by BevTest’s
PENN YAN, NY– The New York Wine & Grape Foundation (NYWGF) is pleased to announce that the 2024 New York Wine Classic Award winners will be honored on Wednesday, July 17th at 6:00PM EST in a live virtual ceremony hosted by Wanda Mann. The New York Wine Classic Awards Ceremony will reveal and celebrate the prestigious “Governor’s Cup” (Best Wine), “Winery of the Year” (Best Overall Showing by a Winery), and
PENN YAN, NY – March 1, 2024 – The New York Wine & Grape Foundation is thrilled to announce the 2024 New York Wine Classic, the ultimate celebration of New York wines. This annual wine competition, now in its 38th year, recognizes excellence in winemaking and provides an important platform for New York wineries to showcase their products to a global audience. The New York Wine Classic is open to
New York is justly celebrated for the incredible diversity of the wine that it produces, from grape varieties to styles. In sparkling form, everything from rustic Pet-Nat to meticulously crafted and aged traditional methode champenoise can be found. But the one that is really turning heads this year is a 2021 Bubbly Rosé from Jason’s Vineyard. The New York Wine Classic 2023, which celebrates the diversity of wine in New
“We didn’t just win awards in one or two vintages, we won awards across four vintages,” says Wölffer Estate Vineyard’s winemaker and partner Roman Roth. “To me, that says a lot about the quality of the wine being made in New York overall.” Roth was referring, of course, to the New York Wine Classic 2023, which celebrates the diversity of wine in New York State. This year, 749 wines were
“Blaufrankisch is a variety that we really believe in for the region,” says Dan Bissell, head winemaker for Keuka Spring Winery in the Finger Lakes. Also called Lemberger by some of the wineries in the region, there are an estimated 70 acres of Blaufrankisch planted throughout New York state. The majority of them are found in the Finger Lakes, and the low acreage does not indicate it’s a new grape.
Something surprising happened at the 2023 New York Wine Classic competition. The top white wine was a 2022 Gewurztraminer, not a grape that the state is particularly known for unless you’re really into New York wine. And, it was a medium-dry Gewurztraminer, adding to the surprise. But Bruce Murray, who co-owns Boundary Breaks in Lodi on Seneca Lake with his wife Diana Lyttle, isn’t surprised this particular bottle from his
“I was speechless,” says Kareem Massoud, a second-generation winemaker at Paumanok Vineyards in Aquebogue, Long Island. Kareem was referring to the recent honors he received at the New York Wine Classic 2023, which celebrates the diversity of wine in New York State. This year, 749 wines were entered from 108 wineries across the state. Scores were awarded by the Beverage Testing Institute’s sensory panel, made up of sommeliers, retail buyers,
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the winners of the 37th Annual New York Wine Classic, a nationally recognized competition highlighting the best of New York’s wine industry. The competition’s 2023 Governor’s Cup was presented to Paumanok Vineyards 2019 Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc from Long Island. In addition, Paumanok Vineyards was also honored with the Winery of the Year award. The Governor made the announcement this evening during a special live virtual
The New York Wine & Grape Foundation is pleased to announce the 2023 New York Wine Classic Award winners on July 13th at 6:00PM EST in a live virtual ceremony hosted by returning guest host Karen MacNeil, author of the Wine Bible. The New York Wine Classic Awards Ceremony will reveal and celebrate the prestigious “Governor’s Cup” (Best Wine), “Winery of the Year” (Best Overall Showing by a Winery), and
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Valerie Venezia-RossPhone: 1 (518) 229-3765Email: valerieross@nywgf.org PENN YAN NY, June 12, 2023 – The New York Wine & Grape Foundation (NYWGF) is pleased to announce that the 2023 New York Wine Classic Award winners will be honored on July 13th at 6:00PM EST in a live virtual ceremony hosted by Karen MacNeil. The New York Wine Classic Awards Ceremony will reveal and celebrate the prestigious “Governor’s Cup” (Best Wine), “Winery
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Valerie Venezia-Ross Phone: 1 (518) 229-3765 Email: valerieross@nywgf.org PENN YAN, NY – March 1, 2023 – The New York Wine & Grape Foundation is thrilled to announce the 2023 New York Wine Classic, the ultimate celebration of New York wines. This annual wine competition, now in its 37th year, recognizes excellence in winemaking, and provides an important platform for New York wineries to showcase their products to a global audience. The
“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
The early history of vinifera grape growing in the colder climates on the East Coast goes something like this: Vinifera was planted. It died. Grape growers and winemakers gave up and chose to use native grapes for wine, eventually turning to hybrid grapes, too. That’s an overly simplified version of how it unfolded, but for the most part, people believed growing vinifera in the cold and wet climate of the
Since 1988, Wölffer Estate Vineyards has been walking a fine line between innovation and elegance. It is rare indeed for a winery to coax former Long Island potato fields into producing wines that consistently earn 93+ point raves from Robert Parker while also cranking out fun, beach-worthy ciders infused with botanicals. Roman Roth, Winemaker. (Photo by Rima Brindamour) From the outside, it may seem incomprehensible. But few in the industry
Keuka Lake Vineyards snagged Best Red Wine at the 2022 New York Wine Classic for their 2020 Leon Millot, adding another accolade to an unconventional success story for the small, farmstead winery in the Finger Lakes. The New York Wine Classic’s judging process is comprehensive and painstaking: between April 15 and June 15, 694 entries from 101 wineries across the Empire State are sipped, assessed and analyzed. A total of
Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards has a long agricultural history that goes well beyond wine. The winery’s name itself reveals a bit of its story. In 1852, the Hazlitt family purchased 153 acres in Hector, NY, already planted with fruit trees and vineyards. And while grapes thrived there for more than a century, the winery itself didn’t come along until 1985. In the 37 years since the family became winemakers, Hazlitt 1852
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the top winners of the 36th annual New York Wine Classic, a nationally recognized competition highlighting the best of New York’s wine. Governor Hochul made the announcement this evening during a special live virtual event hosted by the New York Wine & Grape Foundation. This year, the Governor’s Cup was presented to two wineries in a surprise tie for the competition’s most esteemed award. The
The New York Wine & Grape Foundation (NYWGF) is pleased to announce that the 2022 New York Wine Classic Award winners will be honored on July 12th at 6:00PM EST in a live virtual ceremony hosted by Karen MacNeil. The New York Wine Classic Awards Ceremony will reveal and celebrate the prestigious “Governor’s Cup” (Best Wine), “Winery of the Year” (Best Overall Showing by a Winery), and “Best in Category”
You are invited to attend the New York Wine & Grape Foundation’s Live Awards Ceremony announcing the Winners of the 36th New York Wine Classic competition on July 12th at 6:00pm/EST. This online event will reveal and celebrate the “Best in Category” winners, as well as the prestigious Governor’s Cup (Best Wine) and Winery of the Year (Best Overall Showing by a Winery) Winners. You will also learn more about
The mission of the NYWGF is to promote the world-class image of New York grapes and wines from our diverse regions to responsibly benefit farmers, producers and consumers through innovative marketing, research, communication, and advocacy. To accomplish our mission and meet industry needs, we are excited to be leading two (2) important events over the next year, the B.E.V. NY Conference (March 2022) and the New York Wine Classic Awards
A good rule of thumb – if it grows together, it goes together. A French wine has a high likelihood of pairing successfully with a French cheese! (Assuming you don’t forget about BALANCE.) These things share terroir – a sense of place! With that in mind, I tried to offer an American artisan cheese suggestion when it fits, four of which hail from the Empire State. I also considered the ancestral home of each grape and their local pairings!
Last night, the New York Wine & Grape foundation announced the top winners of the 35th annual New York Wine Classic, a nationally recognized competition highlighting the best of New York’s wine. Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul made the announcement during a special live virtual event. This year, the Governor’s Cup, the most esteemed award given at the Classic, was presented to Pindar Vineyards for its 2019 Dr. Dan’s Signature Collection, Gewurztraminer from the Long Island region. In addition, Paumanok Vineyards from Long Island was presented with the ‘Winery of the Year’ award.
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.
You are invited to attend the New York Wine & Grape Foundation’s Live Awards Ceremony announcing the winners of the 35th New York Wine Classic competition on March 18th at 6:00pm/EST. This online event will reveal and celebrate the “Best in Category” winners, as well as the prestigious Governor’s Cup (Best Wine) and Winery of the Year (Best Overall Showing by a Winery) Winners. You will also learn more about