USA - NY State Flashcards
Where does NY State lie? what’s overall climate and production?
NE corner of USA, bordering the Great Lakes and the St Lawrence river to the N and W down to a small stretch of Atlantic coast on the SE around Long Island.
Temps are generally cool, but there’s great variance and influences within the state.
3rd largest P of Vinifera in the USA by volume, and by some way the largest P on the E coast.
When were vines first brought over? When did they start to become successful? Where were these planted?
Early settlers unsuccessfully brought over vines from Europe, but viticulture only restarted in the mid-1800s, using native American vines.
Due to severe continental climate upstate, vines were planted around moderating bodies of water, along the Hudson River and the lands bordering the finger lakes and along the southern shoreline of Lake Erie.
What was the state of production after prohibition?
Winemaking was dominated by a few large P operating in the finger lakes with locally grown native vines and made wines brought in from Cali. Years of failure led to the belief Vinifera couldn’t withstand the harsh winters.
What event led to the success of viticulture?
In 1957, Dr Konstantin Frank, after years experimenting with Riesling and Chard scions grafted onto American rootstock, succeeded in over-wintering his vines whilst native and hybrid vines succumbed to the cold.
To emphasise his point, he purchased land, planted vineyards and opened his own winery, Vinifera Wine Cellars.
What event led to the possibility of growers to open wineries and sell to the public? What did this lead to?
The state’s Farm Winery Act of 1976. After which many new wineries were established, growing native, hybrid and vinifera vines.
Vineyards sprang up in previously unplanted regions of the state, eg th eastern forks of Long Island, now a significant AVA.
How many AVAs and wineries is NY home to? how much do they produce?
- The biggest being Finger Lakes AVA and the Hudson River Region AVA, as well as Long Island.
Over 400 wineries (2/3rds est since the Farm Winery Act).
1.1-1.4m hL per annum.
Where is the Finger Lakes AVA located? Size and climate?
W upstate NY, below Lake Ontario and the Canadian border.
The largest wine producing AVA in NY with 3,800 ha, and the coldest in the USA.
What is the climate, topography and area under vine that are important in the Finger Lakes?
Continental.
Covers 11 finger shapes lakes, without which winters would be too cold for V. Vinifera.
The lakes aren’t particularly large, but they are extremely deep (the deepest, Seneca Lake, is almost 200m) and can fail to freeze in the winter months.
What effect do the lakes have on climate?
• The topography of the region, with slopes around the lake, enables cold air to drain towards the water. As it reaches the lake, the air warms and rises creating a vacuum that draws more cold air off the land.
• Can generate their own lake-effect snow, which can help insulate vines during winter.
• Provide a warming influence in autumn, enabling grapes to ripen over a longer period and reducing the risk of autumn frost.
• In spring, cool air from the lake delays budburst, reducing change of damage by spring frosts.
Where are most of the vineyards of the finger lakes located around?
Canandaigua, Keuka, Seneca and Cayuga (latter 2 are independent sub-AVAs).
On the steeper areas, where cold air flows down towards the lake, rather than cold air packets in the flat bench areas.
What is typical vineyard management in the Finger Lakes? How does this mitigate risks?
Fertile soils and sufficient rainfall means many vineyards are planted with low densities of large vine.
T&T such as Scott Henry is common, in which growers split the canopy either horizontally or vertically to allow greater circulation (fungal) and light penetration.
Although snow can help insulate vines in winter, many practice hilling up to cover the graft union for further protection.
What is the history of plantings in the Finger Lakes?
Previously only supported cold-hardy hybrids such as Concord, Niagara, Cayuga and Vidal, until Dr Konstantin Frank came to the Cornell University Geneva Experiment station in 1951, where he introduced grafted, cool climate vinifera.
A key consideration has always been ability to withstand cool temps, as a result Riesling and Cab Franc have performed well, and are most planted.
Ability to ripen in the growing season is important, especially for black varieties.
What is the key variety of the Finger Lakes? Profile?
Riesling, both most planted and most-reputed.
A number of P make from dry to sweet, though the majority are dry to medium dry.
High acidity, medium (-) body and fresh apple, lemon and peach.
Alcohol ranges from low to medium depending on style (sweeter = lower).
Wines are made protectively, with low ferm temps in steel.
Some P pre ferm macerate for added flavour and texture, or keep on the lees after ferm.
RS can be achieved with late harvest, botrytis or stopping the ferm early.
Good to v good, some outstanding.
Mid to premium.
What is the profile of Chard from the Finger Lakes?
Also widely planted, used in still and spk. Medium body, medium + to high acid and citrus flavours.
Often ferm and matured in wood for complexity/texture.
What is the key red variety of Finger Lakes? Profile?
Cab Franc. Mid ripening and winter hardy makes it able to produce adequate yields of ripe grapes in most years. P are moving away from new oak, and most make at least one unoaked example.
When used, oak tends to be French of Hungarian, avoiding American for less overt flavours that could overwhelm the wines.
medium - to medium body and tannins with red cherry, cranberry and black plum, sometimes with a herbaceous note.
Good to v good and mid.
