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Cornellians in Business & Classifieds : Finger Lakes Listing : The Wines of New York State Cornellians in Business & Classifieds : Collectibles, Dishwashers, Real Estate, Fine Art, Investment/Financial Services, Restaurants for Sale, Rentals, Real Estate, Travel/Tours, Professional Services, Personals Finger Lakes Listing : Live, Vacation, Work or Retire near Cornell The Wines of New […]

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Cornellians in Business & Classifieds : Finger Lakes Listing : The Wines of New York State

Cornellians in Business & Classifieds : Collectibles, Dishwashers, Real Estate, Fine Art, Investment/Financial Services, Restaurants for Sale, Rentals, Real Estate, Travel/Tours, Professional Services, Personals

Finger Lakes Listing : Live, Vacation, Work or Retire near Cornell

The Wines of New York State : Cornell Celebrates Wine – Library Exhibit Spotlights Wine and Grape Archive

ONLINE BONUS EDITORIAL

Location, Location, Location

New York State winesThirty years ago, there were nineteen wineries in New York State—today there are more than 200. So it must be easy to start a winery, right? Guess again.

Prime vineyard land is scarce and costly. But what makes a particular plot prime? First and foremost, the best vineyards in the relatively cold New York climate are close to the tempered shield of a large, deep body of water. Temperatures at waterfront land and property a mile away regularly vary by 10 to 15 degrees, which could mean the difference between a slight frost and deep-freeze vine damage. Locations east of a body of water can be advantageous, as the prevailing winds from the west will blow across the water, raising the air temperature.

Time is also a factor. You can’t be in a hurry. Even after a business plan has been developed, vineyard and winery site location can take two to three years. And you’ll need grapes. Fortunately, Cornell Cooperative Extension offers programs and workshops on every aspect of grape growing in New York State. (For information on the Finger Lakes region, go to flg.cce.cornell.edu or call 315-536-5134; there are similar Extension programs for every major grape-growing region in the state.)

Once the land has been cultivated and vines planted, harvesting mature, viable fruit can require another three to five years, depending on the grape variety. Then the winemaking process can begin; production takes at least six months for young whites and may require more than three years for heavy, sturdy reds. Add it up and it may take a minimum of eight years to develop a commercial winery before the first bottles go on sale.

Still interested? Check with a realtor who specializes in vineyard land, like Peggy Haine ’65, BS ’72, of Ithaca’s Audrey Edelman & Associates/Realty USA (www.peggyhaine.com ). “Proximity to a lake is important, but equally important are slopes steep enough to allow cold air to drain and vinifera-friendly soils,” says Haine. “Even so, compared to vineyard land in, say, California, land in most of New York’s wine-growing areas is still a steal.”

Go West!

The newest wine trail in New York State is actually two: the interlocking Niagara Wine Trail and Niagara Escarpment Wine Trail. Together, they comprise a dozen wineries, with more on the way. Thanks to the unique microclimate of the region bounded by Lake Ontario and the Niagara Escarpment—a limestone ridge that begins near Rochester and stretches west for more than 600 miles—this wine-producing area is fast becoming one of Western New York’s leading attractions. For more information on the region and its wineries, go to:

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