New York wines lag in perception of quality, report says

New York wines rated last of the top four wine-producing states in consumers’ perception of quality, according to a recent report.

The Wine Market Council recently issued its 2009 report, “The U.S. Wine Market: Consumer Trends & Analysis,” based on a national survey of 1,000 wine consumers. The consumers rated California tops in quality at 56 percent, followed by Washingston state, 55 percent: Oregon, 51 percent; and New York, 46 percent.

Jim Trezise, head of the New York Wine & Grape Foundation, wrote in his weekly newsletter that he asked John Gillespie, president of the council, why New York lags the other states. Trezise pointed out that New York wines had won more than 400 gold medals in competitions this year and several have received high ratings from Wine & Spirits or Wine Spectator magazines.

Gillespie gold him, “The NY perceptions are not at all bad — it’s just that Washington, Oregon and California are better known and produce varieties of wine that meet more taste demands. The biggest problem with New York is lack of distribution — consumer perceptions will rise with increased trial of the wines — I’ve seen this over and over. Clearly, distribution is the key issue here.”

Trezise said that the other three top states “have many brands that are nationally distributed, including many of the smaller producers. … With only a handful of exceptions, New York wines are sold only in New York state, and the vast majority in the regions where they’re produced.” That limits consumer and media exposure, he said.