Winemaking in the state of New York began in the early 19th century when diverse groups of immigrants began to establish vineyards in various regions of what later came to be called New York. The Dutch pioneered the cultivation of vineyards in New Amsterdam. Shortly after, the English crossed the East River and began planting vines in what is now known as Long Island, while the French Huguenots took advantage of promising land on the northern border of the Hudson River in 1839.
To the west in the Finger Lakes, the Episcopal Church is credited with establishing the hub of the eastern wine industry in 1829, where they planted vines for sacramental wines in the village of Hammondsport. Many other wineries followed their lead, and the wine industry in this area flourished in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Grapes were transported through the lakes via steamboat, while trains carried the finished wines to distant destinations along "The Champagne Trail". Prohibition devastated the industry in 1920, and the wineries that survived cautiously resumed wine production when the law was repealed in 1933.
While traditionally New York wines were created from vitis labrusca grapes that produced a fruity wine quite popularly consumed by people in the eastern United States, the demand for more worldly, European-style wines was on the rise. Charles Fournier, a Champagne master from France, intoduced several varieties of grapes to New York in 1934, including Seyval Blanc and Baco Noir, which were developed by French scientists after an outbreak of phylloxera in Europe. He remained in the Finger Lakes and collaborated with a Russian immigrant, Dr. Konstantin Frank, who believed that the classic European wine grapes, vitis vinifera, were suitable for growth on New York soil. Their intuitions were correct, and in 1961, the first wines from vinifera grapes were made successfully in New York State. Today, over 70 of the 95 wineries in New York produce wines from vinifera grapes.
Wine GrapesOver 35 different varieties of grapes are grown in New York. Some of the more popular types include Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Riesling, and Pinot Noir. Also available are Niagara, a Native American grape; Seyval, developed by French scientists; and Chardonel, a cross between the two.
Geographically, New York is home to an ideal combination of water and terrain, naturally carved out by glaciers from the Ice Age, and a climate which together form superior winegrowing regions. The bodies of water provide a natural air coolant and protectant. The vines stay cool in the summer, warm in the winter, and are safeguarded from major temperature fluctuations.
New York is divided into four wine regions:
* Long Island - The newest wine region is located about a hundred
miles east of New York City, the Peconic Bay separates this island
into a north fork and a south fork called the Hamptons. It is also
bordered on the south by the Atlantic Ocean and on the north by
the Long Island Sound. The area has a long growing season and is
ideal for the production of Merlot and Chardonnay grapes. The North
Fork is 158.5 square miles and has a growing season of 233 days,
while the Hamptons is 213.2 square miles with a 215 day growing
period. The soil in the North Fork embodies less loam and silt
than the soil in the Hamptons, which translates into less
water-holding capacity and slightly higher natural fertility.
* Hudson River - North of New York City, this region benefits from its steep trenches which circulate maritime breezes throughout the area. Locally-grown grapes include Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, and Seyval Blanc and Baco Noir, French-American grape varieties. The region is 3,500 square miles, with a growing season of 180 to 196 days. Its soil contains glacial deposits of shale, slate, schist, and limestone.
* The Finger Lakes - Glaciers from the Ice Age carved out this region's deep lakes (Canandaigua, Keuka, Seneca, and Cayuga) and steep hillsides, equipped with its own controlled micro-climate. The temperature control of the Finger Lakes supplements the benefit received from the climate control occurring to the northwest in the Great Lakes. The region is four thousand square miles and has a 190 day growing season. The soil is ideal for drainage, consisting of a slight layer of top soil covering sloping beds of shale. Most commonly produced wines include sparkling wines, Chardonnay and Riesling, as well as other regional wines, and the region is the largest wine-producing region in America outside of California.
* Lake Erie - Mostly Concord grapes are grown in this region used to make grape juice; however, a few French-American and European winegrape varieties are also grown. Arctic air flows toward this region, but passing through the Great Lakes, it arrives as water. The Allegheny Plateau traps the water-warmed air and protects the vines from extreme fluctuations in temperature, as well as from thunderstorms, rainfall, and fog. The region is 3,495 square miles and has a 200 day growing season on soil made of mostly gravelly loam.