New York

Question 1

What are the main AVA’s of New York

Answer 1

Long Island
Hudson River 
Finger Lakes
Lake Erie
Niagara Escarpment

Question 2

What are the characteristics of New York

Answer 2

• 2nd largest grape wine producer in the US (of vitis vinifera and vitis lambrusca combined)
• 80% of wines made from vitis lambrusca
• specialize in cold climate varietals
• Lakes are the key to the wine regions of the state
• continental climate in the north and maritime in the Long Island area
• soils are shale, gravel and clay
• varietals: Riesling, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Pinot Noir

Question 3

What viticulture methods are taken to help with vine vigor?

Answer 3

• Close pruning of the vines to create more quality grapes and easier ripening of the fruit
• mounds of soils built around the rootstalk to protect from cold winters

Question 4

What impact did Dr. Konstantine Frank have on the wine production of New York?

Answer 4

• Pioneered the pruning and planting techniques to grow vitis vinifera in a cold region
• experimented with varietals that could be suited for cold weather regions.
• Dr. Frank came from Ukraine to NY in 1950 to experiment on wine grape production with vitis vinifera and has a winery in the Finger Lakes

Question 5

What are the characteristics of the Finger Lakes AVA

Answer 5

• MORANIC SOIL is key to the difference and success of the region
• 4 lakes run through the region like fingers (Seneca, Keuka, Cayuga and Canandaigua)
• Most vineyards are near the Seneca and Keuka Lakes
• other soils are shale, slate, and ocean/sea sediments
• Best vineyards are at little bit inland from the lakes

Question 6

What are the characteristics of the lakes in the Finger Lakes AVA

Answer 6

• Seneca: produces ripest, softest wines, has most of the wine production, is the largest lake, lake mitigates the temperature
• Caygua: has secondary production
• Keuka: colder harsher climate, lake does not mitigate the climate well, wines have harsher acidity, less plush, less fruit forward