New York Flashcards
History
Early Europeans had little success with with European vines. Viticulture restarted in the 1800’s with American vines. Due to severe continental climate, plantings were made near large bodies of water that could moderate (Hudson River, Finger Lakes, Lake Erie)
After prohibition dominated by a few large co’s in the Finger Lakes with native vines or grapes from California. In 1957 Dr. Konstantin Frank after years of experimentation with Riesling and Chard scions grafted onto hardy rootstock succeeded in over wintering his vines while native and hybrids died in the cold. He bought land planted and started Vinifera Wine Cellars.
The Farm Winery Act of 1976 allowed growers to open wineries and sell to public. Many new wineries and vineyards sprang up.
Basic Info
10 AVA’s
400 wineries (2/3 estd since the Farm Winery Act)
1.1m hL - 1.4m hL
Finger Lakes AVA Viticulture
Western upstate New York below Lake Ontario and Canadian border. Largest wine producing region in NY with 4,500ha. One of the coldest AVA’s in the US.
Continental with warm summers and cold winters. Covers 11 finger shaped lakes without which winters would be too cold for V. vinifera grapes. Lakes are not large, but very deep (Seneca 200m deep) and can fail to freeze in winter.
Lake Impacts:
Topography: slopes around lakes enables cold air to drain towards water. As it reaches water it warms and rises creating a vacuum that draws more cold air off the land.
Lake Effect snow: can help insulate vines in winter.
Warming Influence: in fall enabling a longer ripening season and reducing risk of autumn frost.
Spring; cool air from the lake delays bud burst reducing risk of damage from spring frost.
Most vineyards around Candadaigua, Keuka, Seneca, and Cayuga Lakes with latter two being independent AVA’s.
Fertile soils and sufficient rainfall through the year mean most are low density and big vines. Trellising like Scott Henry (canopy split vertically) or horizontally are common for greater air circulation (reduce fungal) and aid light. Snow can protect, but many also use soil over the graft union.
Finger Lakes Grapes
Only cold hardy hybrids like Concord, Niagara, Cayuga and Vidal until Dr. Konstantin Frank came to Cornell Univ Geneva Experimental station in 1951. He introduced cool climate grafted V. vinifera.
Riesling most planted vinifera variety and made in a range of sweetness levels with majority dry to off-dry. High acid, med minus to med body and apple, lemon, peach. Alcohol low to med depending on style (sweeter lower). Protective fermentation in stainless at cool temps. Some use a few hours of skin contact pre fermentation or time on lees to enhance flavor or concentration. Wines with RS may be late harvest, botrytris and / or stopping fermentation early. Good to very good with some outstanding and mid to prem.
Chard widely and used in still and sparkling. med body with med plus to high acid, citrus, fermented and matured in oak for texture and toast.
Cab Franc most planted V. vinifera black. Mid ripening and winter hardy, can produce adequate yields of ripe grapes in most years. Using less new oak than in past and many make it with no oak at all. Oak is French or Hungarian for subtler flavors than American. Med minus to med body and tannins with cherry, cranberry, black plum, sometimes herbaceous. Good to very good and mid.
Others: Pinot, Gewurztraminer, Cab Sauv, Merlot, Pinot Gris.
Hermann J. Wiemer and Forge Cellars.
Sig hybrids grown for juice, jelly, and wine. Inexpensive wines, easier to grow, lower quality than vinifera. Traminette (like Gewurz with higher acid and lower alcohol) and Vignoles (susceptible to noble rot, high acid, sweet styles) can make good wines. Vidal used in ice wine.
Long Island AVA
Extends from Manhattan eastward into the Atlantic and splits into two Peninsulas; North Fork and Hamptons sub AVA’s.
1,000ha. Surrounded by water; Atlantic, Peconic Bay and Long Island Sound. Creates a maritime climate and long growing season as water slowly releases summer heat into the autumn. Net can ripen Bordeaux varieties (Merlot) but also Chard and Sauv Blanc.
High humidity so fungal disease an issue. Windy weather near the coast can help. Spraying, leaf removal, and sorting. Organic is difficult but many sustainable.
North Fork slightly warmer and more protected from Atlantic. Contains majority of wineries (65 vs Hamptons 5). North has sandy soils; Hamp silt loam. Both free draining and low in fertility which limits vigor. Generally VSP.
Red wines are matured in oak (typ French but some Am and Hung) with some new for Bordeaux varieties (Merlot, Cab Sauv, Cab Franc) Whites (Sauv Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Gris) cool temps in stainless, fruity unoaked, early consumption. Chard oaked or unoaked with lees and MLF. Good to very good and mid to prem. Wolffer Estate and Channing Daughters.
Hudson River Region AVA
Made continuously for over 300 years and first commercial winery (1827) and oldest active winery in the US (1839). Today 60 wineries.
Vast area from north of NYC to south of Albany, but only 64ha planted.
River runs north to south and most vineyards are near it on glacial deposits of shale, slate, schist, limestone.
Continental with warm summers and cold winters. Spring frost and winter freeze are problems. Pile soils around trunk and graft union in winter.
Hybrids (Seyval Blanc and Vidal) and V. vinifera (Riesling, Chard, Cab Franc)
Wine Law and Business
If AVA on label; 85%
If vintage; 95%
Grape 75%
400 wineries, 130 Finger Lakes, 70 Long Island, 60 Hudson River
