Marguerite Barrett
Contributing Writer

As wonderful an invention as GPS is, it has one downside – I no longer look at maps.  And that means I don’t always have a sense of where I am in relation to other places I’ve been.  Case in point – the wineries on my recent Hudson Valley excursion.  Applewood Orchards & Winery is about 20 minutes down the road from Palaia Vineyards, and the route from one to the other takes you right past my favorite outlet mall, Woodbury Commons.  When I was planning this trip, I remember thinking that 2 hours each way was doable as that was how long it takes me to get to Woodbury Commons, and I do that as a day trip a couple times a year.  But could I make the connection and realize that the wineries and the mall were pretty much all in the same area?  Not so much.  I could say in my defense that the directions to Brotherhood, the first winery of the day, took me further west past the exit I would normally take for the mall, and that the winding backroads caused me to not realize how far south I was traveling, but the truth is, I just wasn’t paying attention.

Anyway, this post isn’t about Woodbury Commons, or even my lack of direction that afternoon, but rather the third winery of my trip, Applewood Orchards & Winery.  Given the name, I was anticipating predominately fruit wines, such as those I found at Bishop’s Orchard Winery in Connecticut.  I was pleasantly surprised to discover that despite the name, and the extensive apple and pear orchards lining the long drive, Applewood produces a wide range of wines, including Chardonnay and Traminette among the whites and Cabernet Franc and Merlot among the reds.  They also have fruit wines and hard cider.

The winery, vineyards and orchards are part of a much larger farm that is one of the oldest in New York.  Established by Samuel G. Staats in 1700, the original 5,000 acre farm was parceled into smaller units and sold many times throughout the subsequent 300 years.  In 1949 the portion of land that makes up today’s Applewood Orchards & Winery and which includes the original stone house built by Staats in 1700, was purchased by the Hull Family for their son David, who began the orchards that still thrive today.

In 1993, Jonathan Hull, David Hull’s son, and his wife opened the winery.  They winery is housed in two barn-like buildings set about 1/4 of a mile inside the property, down a long gravel road flanked by apple and pear orchards.   A tented pavilion sits between the Tasting Room and the tank room, and tables and chairs are available throughout the space.  When I arrived, a local music teacher was entertaining about a dozen people relaxing on the patio, enjoying the wine, the music and the gorgeous afternoon.

The Tasting Room is a large, open space, very simply decorated.  The Tasting Bar runs 3/4 of the way around the room, and could easily accomodate 30 or 40 people comfortably.  Plenty of staff were on hand and despite a fair number of people already present, I found I was able to find a space at the bar and begin my tasting right away.   A tasting includes your choice of five of Applewood’s 16 wines, and with your first purchase of a bottle of Applewood wine you receive a card good for Lifetime Free Wine Tastings for up to 4 people.  Not a bad deal, and a great way to keep people coming back.

Applewood’s wines are produced in limited quantities and are only available through the winery.  They are able to ship wines to many locations, and you can order wines directly from their website.  They also offer the “Wino’s Club,” where they will “ship you two bottles of fabulous Applewood wine 4 times a year at 20% discount.”  Members also receive a 20% discount on all wine purchases, whether you purchase a bottle or a case.  Membership is free, and you can get additional details from Applewood’s website.

The tasting room is open from 11:00 am – 5:00 pm on Saturdays and Sundays from April – December, and also open on Fridays from July through October.  They are closed January through March.  To help maintain a more casual, intimate atmosphere, they have a “no buses or vans” policy and limo’s by appointment, so if you are planning to come as part of a group, best to call ahead to make arrangements.

Applewood Orchards & Winery
82 Four Corners Road
Warwick, NY 10990
845-988-9292
hullwine@email.com
www.applewoodorchardsandwinery.com

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Marguerite Barrett
Contributing Writer

Palaia produces 3 whites, Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, and Traminette, 2 white blends, 5 reds, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Pinot Noir, DeChaunac and Lemberger, 2 red blends, 1 blush, and, surprisingly, Mead.  All are fermented and aged in stainless steel with French and/or American oak chips added as required.

The Tasting Menu includes 20 wines, with different vintages of several wines being offered.  A tasting, while complimentary, includes your choice of five wines, and I must admit it was tough to select only five.  But with the advice of my host, I finally landed on one white, the Traminette, three reds and the Mead.

2006 Traminette Pale gold in color, the nose is bright with pretty floral notes of citrus and honeysuckle.  In the mouth the wine is very light and crisp with notes of orange blossom and a hint of peach which provides a softness.   There’s a nice acid to the finish which balances the wine.  It’s a good summer wine, crisp and clean, not too heavy; it would pair well with light foods such as salads and seafood.

2006 Cabernet Franc Both the 2006 and the 2007 Cabernet Franc were available on the Tasting Menu that afternoon, so I asked my host if he had to pick only one, which would it be – his answer was swift and sure – the 2006.  Garnet colored, the 2006 Cabernet Franc has a nice nose, with that flinty, salty tanginess I so often find in the Northeastern Reds.  Medium-bodied, the wine is fruity, but not overpowering, with notes of black cherry, some peppery heat, and a hint of chocolate on the finish.

Uva Secca After the Cab Franc, I opted for one of the two red blends, the Uva Secca.  The principal grape is Cabernet Franc, and tasting this back-to-back with the Cabernet Franc is an interesting contrast.  The Uva Secca is slightly sweeter than the Cab Franc, with a softer, less fruity nose.  In the mouth the wine is more subtle, with stronger fruit notes than I found in the previous selection.  It’s also slightly smoother than the Cab Franc, with fewer tannins, and a warm spice finish, cloves perhaps, rather than the sharper heat of pepper.  The wine opens up nicely in the mouth and layers with each sip.  Overall, I really liked this wine, definintely preferring it to the 100% Cab Franc.

Lemberger My third and final red selection was the Lemberger, not a grape I’ve encountered often.  When I first started my win(e)ding road adventures, I tended to stick with what I knew, figuring at least I’d have some frame of reference by which to evaluate the wine.  However, as I’ve spent more time on the road I’ve found myself being more adventurous, trying wines and grapes I don’t encounter as frequently.  Hence, the Lemberger.  Also a garnet color, the nose is dark and dusky, with tantalizing notes of bacon.

Now – that was a first.  Never encountered bacon in a wine before.  But, I agree with Tom Colicchio of Top Chef, bacon does improve just about anything, even wine.  In the mouth the wine is rich, dark and earthy with subtle notes of bacon on the palate as well.  There’s a light smokiness on the finish which complements the earthy bacon.   Medium-bodied with a smooth finish, this is a really interesting wine.  Not sure it will be everyone’s favorite, and I still preferred the Uva Secca, but if you’re ever at Palaia, it’s definitely worth a try.

I reserved the fifth and final spot on my tasting for the Mead.  I had first tried Mead on a trip to Ireland about 6 years ago.  Sweeter than I normally like, I did enjoy it, and usually pick up a bottle around St. Patrick’s Day to round out an irish-themed meal.  It’s not a wine you see often, anywhere, and I usually have to go to a larger wine store to find it.  So, I was truly surprised to see it on the menu here.

As it was being poured, I could already discern differences from the Irish Meads I am used to, beginning with the color which is a very pale straw, almost clear.  Next the nose is much softer and more subtle than the Bunratty Mead I usually drink, with faint notes of honey.  In the mouth, the wine has floral notes, light touches of honey, and a nice acid on the finish to balance the wine.  More delicate than the Irish Meads, it’s not bad.

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Marguerite Barrett
Contributing Writer

The word that first comes to mind when thinking about Palaia Winery is eclectic.  There’s a kind of haphazard charm to the place that speaks more to the layering of generations of family and interests, than to deliberate design.  In the front yard, classical statuary shares garden space with flags, flowers, and a whimsical stone statue of a pig in cap and waistcoat (my personal favorite).  A variety of signs dot the drive and gardens, directing folks to the tasting room entrance and admonishing them not to make off with the glasses.

The eclecticism continues in a charming and spacious tasting room encompassing the second floor of an old barn renovated and converted into the winery.  The renovation looks to have kept the barn’s original wood walls and timbered ceilings and finished off the space into a cozy, if somewhat cluttered room.  Pictures and posters line the walls, and varied keepsakes, gifts and the knick-knacks of an interesting and slightly bohemian life can be found in all corners of the room.  This is an obviously well-loved and fun space.

As mentioned above, the Tasting Room is on the second floor; the entrance leads directly into a stairway that brings you up along the back of the bar and into the main room.  The bar extends the length of two walls in a curved L-shape, and there are several bistro tables and chairs scattered throughout the middle of the room for guests who wish to linger.  A screen door at the end of the bar leads to a large porch with additional tables and chairs, and Palaia often has live musical guests on weeknights and weekends who entertain the crowds on the patio.  There is also a large open air stage next to the vineyards behind the winery where Palaia hosts stage plays and larger performances.  Guests are obviously encouraged to purchase wine to enjoy with the show, hence the plea to return the glasses.

In addition to music and theatre, Palaia also sponsors a Lucy-Look-Alike Contest, inviting contestants to dress up like Lucille Ball and participate in a re-enactment of the legendary I Love Lucy episode in which Lucy and Ethel try their hand, er… feet, in grape stomping.  The winner receives a case of Palaia wine, and looking at the pictures on the wall behind the bar as well as on the website, it’s obvious this is a very popular and highly entertaining event.  For those interested in stopping by, or entering the contest, the next “Great Lucy Look-Alike Grape Stomp” is scheduled for September 25th.

Dating back to the 18th century, the farm was originally part of a larger farm once owned by Aaron Burr.  Today, Palaia has 10 acres of grapes and plans for more in the future.  They planted their first vines in 2001, producing their first vintage in 2005.  In 2002, they received a $15,000 grant from the State of New York to restore the barn, and after 4 years of painstaking work, opened the winery in 2006.

Palaia (pronouced pa-LIE-a) produces 14 wines: 3 whites, 2 white blends, 5 reds, 2 red blends, and 2 specialty wines, one of which is a mead.  Now that’s not something you find in most wineries.  Their tasting menu includes more than 20 of their vintages; a tasting is complimentary and includes your choice of any five of the available wines.  Tough to choose only five, but there was no way I was passing on the Mead.

Palaia is open seven days a week: Thursday, Friday and Saturday 12:00 pm – 10:00 pm; Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm.  They feature live music Thursday through Sunday, unless they are hosting performances on the “main stage.”  All ages are welcome for outside events, but you must be 21 to enter the Tasting Room.  You can find a schedule of upcoming events on their website.

Palaia Vineyards
20 Sweet Clover Road
Highland Mills, NY 10930
845-928-5384
winemaker@palaiavineyards.com
www.palaiavineyards.com

Coming Tuesday, September 7th, The Wines of Palaia Vineyards

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Marguerite Barrett
Contributing Writer

There were a couple surprises awaiting me during my tasting.   I opted for the Varietal Tasting, no surprise to regular readers of Vino Verve, I’m sure, as I’ve made no secret for my definite preference for drier wines.  I also will tend to select wines from local grapes before those with imported grapes, or even imported wines.  The Varietal Tasting menu included 6 wines, and our host threw in an additional seventh wine, the Merlot, because it’s so frequently requested.

The first surprise was waiting for me as I approached the tasting bar, small plastic 1oz cups.  Wine glasses were arranged at the end of the bar, but those were for people who had purchased the tour & tasting glass package.  If you just purchase the tasting, it’s served in small tasting cups.  I’ll admit, it’s practical; given the number of people they must get through there on any given day, trying to track glasses, no less wash them, would be a daunting task.  Still, I wasn’t expecting plastic.  Once the momentary flash of surprise passed, I was fine, but I know a number of people who are very particular about their wine vessels, so I warn you now – if you visit Brotherhood, order the Tasting, Tour & Glass package for $10 if you want to avoid the plastic.

The second surprise came immediately on the heels of the first, as my host for the tasting poured a sample of the Blanc de Blancs Champagne. It’s unusual to find a winery willing to include their sparkling wines on a tasting menu, and very welcome when I do find it.  The Blanc de Blancs is a 100% estate grown wine made from Chardonnay grapes grown in Brotherhood’s vineyards in Hudson, New York.  A Brut-style champagne, the wine is very dry with a nice acid bite to the finish.  There’s a pale hint of fruit in the mouth, perhaps peach, although it was tough to define from just a 1oz sip.  Overall, a nicely balanced sparkling wine which would pair well with sharp cheeses, lobster and other seafood.

First of the tables wines was the Chardonnay.  Made from wines grown in New York state, but not all estate-grown, the Chardonnay is a very nice wine with a soft nose with subtle notes of pear.  In the mouth the wine is very smooth, particularly on the front, with notes of pear and cream.  Medium-bodied, with light acid on the finish, and not heavily oaked, the wine is satisfying in the mouth.  For my palate, this wasn’t crisp enough to be a good “summer sipping wine,” but it  would pair well with lighter foods such as chicken or seafood.

The whites concluded with a back-to-back pairing of a dry and semi-dry Riesling.  The Dry Riesling is a fairly new addition to the Brotherhood lineup.  Light and delicate, the wine has a subtle nose, lightly floral with hints of pear.  In the mouth the wine is crisp yet smooth with notes of pear on the front that provide a softness to balance the acid on the finish.  There are also light grapefruit notes providing a slight tanginess that work well with the softer sweetness of the pear.  This will pair very well with food, and even non-Riesling fans should like it.

The Semi-Dry Riesling is more of a traditional Riesling.  Overall the wine is softer and sweeter with less acid on the finish.  The pear notes are stronger, both in the nose and on the palate, and the tangy grapefruit is much more subdued.   This would be a good sipping wine, and it also would pair well with a wide variety of foods, particularly spicy foods such as Thai or Indian.  I could definitely see pairing this with a really good Indian curry.    It’s also a wine of distinction, having been chosen by President Bill Clinton as the wine to represent New York state in the White House wine cellars during his administration.

The final two wines in the Varietal Tasting are both reds, the Pinot Noir and the Cabernet Sauvignon.  However, as our host informed us many people ask, “but what about Merlot?”  So, he started adding in the Merlot as part of the tasting to round out the reds section of the menu.

Pinot Noir With a dusky, slight jammy nose with notes of dark berries, and cherry, the Pinot was an interesting contrast to the subtler, slightly more floral noses of the whites.  Medium-bodied, the wine has lovely notes of blackberry and dark berries along with an earthiness that keeps it from being overly fruity.  There were also notes of leather and a light pepper finish that provided some heat.   According to our host, the wine ages well for another five years, and I found myself really interested in seeing how it ages.   It’s not a bad wine right now, and I imagine it will really open up and become even more interesting when paired with food, but I found myself more intrigued than captivated by it, intrigued enough to purchase a bottle that I’m going to cellar for a few years and see how it fares.

I tried that once with a couple bottles I had picked up on a trip to Napa.  Kevin, Gretchen and our friends Richard and Charles were also on that trip (it was Richard’s 40th-birthday celebration), and despite our all buying prodigious quantities of wine throughout the trip, there was one winery that everyone but me passed on the purchasing.  I remember Kevin looking at me and asking “why did you bother, they weren’t great?”  And I replied “because I want to see what they’ll be like in a few years.”  I was a true wine neophyte then, and this was a real leap of faith for me, as I didn’t have any experience on which to base my hunch that they could be really interesting.  But my hunch paid off!  I opened them about 4 years later and found them to be rich, velvety, and quite lovely – and the hit of the backyard barbecue I was hosting that evening.  Unfortunately Kevin wasn’t there that evening, so I couldn’t pour him an “I told you so” glass.  Here’s hoping the hunch pays off again.

After the Pinot Noir, we moved on to the “bonus tasting, Brotherhood’s Merlot.  A more full-bodied wine, this is one of the better Merlots I’ve found in the Northeast.  As our host described it, “it goes in smooth; it finishes smooth.”  Made from Long Island grapes, the nose is very strong and jammy with notes of plum and cherry.  In the mouth, the wine is smooth with nice tannins.  Plummy and rich in the mouth, the oaking is not as strong as in the Pinot, providing a light smokiness rather than the stronger leather I found in the Pinot.  Overall a nice wine, and Merlot fans should find this interesting.  As for me, I was still more intrigued by the Pinot.

And last, but never least, the Cabernet Sauvignon.  Like the Merlot, the Cabernet Sauvignon is produced from Long Island grapes.  Made more in a Bordeaux style, rather than the hearty, robust California style, those who prefer California Cabs may be slightly disappointed.  As for me, I found the wine surprisingly interesting, particularly given that I don’t have high expectations of Northeastern Cabernet Sauvignons.  The nose is rich, deep and dark, with notes of plum similar to the Merlot, but less jammy.  In the mouth, the wine starts out with a kick, a light peppery heat on the front which provides a bite which then later smooths out to a plummy finish.  There are subtle notes of leather from the oaking, and the opens up nicely in the mouth.

I went home that afternoon with a bottle of the Dry Riesling for the near future, a bottle of the Pinot Noir to cellar for a few years, and a mental note to come back to sample the Traditional Flight – and the winery tour.

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Marguerite Barrett
Contributing Writer

I was really quite excited to be heading over to Brotherhood Winery in Washingtonville, New York.   I’m fascinated by history, and that I was within an easy 2 hour drive of America’s oldest winery was too good an opportunity to pass up.  So I popped the coordinates for Brotherhood and three other Hudson Valley winery into the GPS and headed out for a fairly long day on the Win(e)ding Roads.

The winery was originally started by Frenchman Jean Jacques in 1810.  In the late 1820s/early 1830s, he moved to the current location and began digging wine cellars.  He went into partnership with the Emerson family and together they decided on the name “Brotherhood” to honor the partnership.  The Emersons, who counted among their ranks American author and transcendentalist, Ralph Waldo Emerson, were wealthy, well-connected vintners and distributors from New York with ties to Washington, D.C.   The partnership they formed with Jean Jacques proved to be of great benefit to the winery, resulting in a number of “firsts” for American wineries:  Brotherhood was the first winery to install a telegraph, and in fact the first telegraph transmission in the United States took place between New York City and Brotherhood Winery.  They were also the first winery to install steam generators, and used them to power, among other things, the first elevator used in an American winery.  The elevator was used to haul the grapes and wine into the two-story pressing and storage house built in 1860 and still part of the winery today.

After World War I, when most wineries in the United States were driven out of business due to Prohibition, Brotherhood remained open by converting their operation to the production of altar wine.  Originally they produced small amounts of altar wine for local area Episcopalian churches, but with the advent of Prohibition, they expanded their operations, supplying Roman Catholic and Russian Orthodox churches among others.  In addition to keeping their own winery operating through Prohibition, Brotherhood was also able to keep a number of California vineyards in business supplying the grapes needed to produce the altar wines.   Today Brotherhood continues the tradition and a small percentage of their wine production remains altar wines.

Shortly after my arrival, I had the pleasure of meeting, albeit briefly, owner and winemaker, Cesar Baeza.  Baeza has been Brotherhood’s winemaker since 1987, and approximately 5 years ago, took on two additional partners, South American winemakers, the Chadwick and Castro familes.  Baeza, a charming and gracious man, continues to oversee Brotherhood’s wines, and is obviously a frequent visitor to the Tasting Room, greeting customers and stopping to chat and share stories about the rich history of the winery.

Until recently, Brotherhood did not own their own vineyards, instead establishing partnerships with vineyards throughout New York, particularly in the Finger Lakes and Long Island regions.  A few years ago, however, Brotherhood obtained 80 acres a bit further north in Hudson, New York and now grow Riesling, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes themselves, and continue to maintain partnerships with other vineyards throughout New York for the other grapes Baeza uses in his wines.

The Tasting Room is part of a larger complex that makes up the winery, both historical and modern.  Across from the Tasting Room, the original winery building is now home to the Vinum Café, which features a 140-seat restaurant, a café, a tapas bar and an outside patio.   Next door to the Café is the gift shop, which sits across from the 1860s-era pressing house.

The Tasting Room also dates to the 1860s and, like most of the other buildings in the complex has a stone exterior.  Inside, the room is one of the largest Tasting Room spaces I’ve encountered outside of Napa/Sonoma and utilizes the entire space.  The interior has the look and feel of a luxurious wine cellar: dimly lit and cool, with stone floors and walls lined with wine racks.  The wines are organized by category: whites, reds, international, etc. and free-standing wine rack kiosks supplement the wine storage available on the walls.  Spaced throughout the length of the room are a series of 6 bar areas, four of which are devoted to tastings.  Each bar could hold 12-15 people comfortably, and signs overheard as well as the very helpful staff direct people throughout the room.  When you purchase your ticket for the tasting, you are directed to a specific wine tasting bar, thus allowing for better crowd control and, I imagine, allows them to better manage the type of tastings served at each station.

Brotherhood offers you a choice of three flights:  The Traditional Flight, a selection of specialty and table wines that tend towards the semi-sweet and sweet; the Varietal Flight, a selection of New York grown grapes, which tend to be drier wines, and the World Tour Flight, a selection of wines imported from various regions throughout the world.  Each flight is $5 if purchased on it’s own.  One flight, plus a winery tour and a signature wine glass will run you $10, and a tour of the winery without a tasting is $6.  I, unfortunately, had planned a full day and so didn’t have the time for a tour, but I will definitely be heading back for another visit, and this time will make sure I plan enough time for the tour.

Tastings and winery tours are available Friday through Sunday year-round:  January-March, Friday-Sunday 11-5; April-December, Friday 11-5, Saturday 11-6, Sunday 11-5.

Brotherhood Winery
100 Brotherhood Plaza Drive
Washingtonville, NY 10992
845-496-3661
www.brotherhoodwinery.net

Brotherhood’s Varietal Flight, Tuesday, August 31st…

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Marguerite Barrett
Contributing Writer

Today is the last day to purchase the Hudson Valley Wine Country Summer Passport ticket. At only $30 and good from June 1 to August 31, the passport ticket is a great deal.  Each ticket is good for one standard wine tasting at 14 participating wineries in the Hudson Valley, including all 11 wineries of the Shawangunk Wine Trail.  Given that wineries charge anywhere between $3 and $10 per person for a tasting, you can’t go wrong with the passport ticket.

Located just 60 miles north of New York and about 2.5 hours west of Hartford, the Hudson Valley wineries are within a reasonable day’s trip from much of the tri-state area.    Interested in learning more about the Hudson Valley Wine region?  Check out Lenn Thompson and the team at the New York Cork Report, who have some great posts on specific wines and wineries.

You can purchase tickets online through eventbrite.com

Hope to see you on the trail!

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Gretchen Neuman
VinoVerve Editor

Ahh, the Hudson River. Four hundred years of American history flow up and down its length.  I am guessing that Henry Hudson had no idea what he was getting us all into when he sailed up river looking for the Northwest Passage (he didn’t find it there…(duh) but even though he explored the river for the Dutch, even the English named the river for him)).

Wine-making is thought to begin with the French Huegenots who settled in what is now New Paltz. The year was 1677. This was six years before the first European attempt to establish vineayrds in California. The region is also home to oldest vineyard (located at the Benmarl Vineyards) and the oldest winery, Brotherhood Winery (which even produced during Prohibition by making sacramental and medicinal wines) in the United States.

The region is home to over thirty wineries which can be found at Uncork NY!

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Gretchen Neuman
VinoVerve Editor

Once you have an AVA designation for your region there seems to be something that happens that makes you want to make yourself more and more distinguishable. We see it all the time with California AVAs that have been subdivided into smaller and smaller sub-regions. I am beginning to think we will end up have an AVA for each individual vineyard.

That being said, some areas make more sense than others. Such is the case with Seneca Lake. Like the other Finger Lakes, Seneca Lakes was carved by glaciers as they retreated from Upstate New York. It is, however, one of the longest and deepest of the lakes, averaging about 290 feet and up to 600 feet deep. During the winters, the lake does not freeze which allows it to be a heat sink that protects the surrounding lands from frost, extending the growing season. As a result, vitis vinifera grapes are able to be grown as well as hybrids.

Vineyards have existed around Seneca Lake since 1829 when Rev. William Boswick establish one in his rectory garden.  Cuttings of those Catawba and Isabella vines helped establish vineyards all over the region.  The first commercial winery was established in 1866.  Today, there are 36 member wineries on the Seneca Lake Wine Trail.

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Gretchen Neuman
VinoVerve Editor

As mentioned in last week’s post, there are two sub AVA within the Finger Lakes AVA. The Finger Lakes was designated a viticultural area in 1982. Cayuga Lake came later in 1988.

There are 16 wineries in the AVA including:

Americana Vineyards
Bellwether Hard Cider
Buttonwood Grove Winery
Cayuga Ridge Estate Winery
Cobblestone Farm Winery
Goose Watch Winery
Hosmer Winery
King Ferry Winery
Knapp Vineyards
Long Point Winery
Lucas Vineyards
Montezuma Winery
Sheldrake Point Vineyard
Six Mile Creek Vineyard
Swedish Hill Vineyard
Thirsty Owl Wine Company

The AVA is characterize by its shale-y soils and unique microclimate created by steep hillsides and the lake which help prevent freezing in the vineyards until later in the season.  They Cayuga grape was created at Cornell University (in August, 1972) which is located in the AVA and is one of the many varietals (both vinifera and hybrids) that is planted here.

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Gretchen Neuman
VinoVerve Editor

Oh, Stephen would be so proud of us… we keep plugging away at our series of AVAs and unlike his series, “Better Know A District”, my series keeps growing.

Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara is certainly proof of that. And yes, when the finally publish the result of the negotiations for the Calistoga AVA, I will map that baby up too. In the meantime, I will keep plugging on the areas that have been around for a while.

That being said, I present to you the next installment:

The Finger Lakes!

The Finger Lakes AVA surround the lionshare of the lakes. There are about 100 wineries in the region, which has been producing wine since the 1820s. The Viticultural Area was established in 1982 and amended in 1987. There are two sub-AVAs for Lake Seneca and Lake Cayuga that I will publish together next week. These two lakes along with Canadaigua and Keuka are the centers for the majority of wine production.

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