Wine industry convention draws hundreds to Rochester(2)
"New York makes arguably the best Rieslings in North America," Berger said.
But marketing that message is a chicken-and-egg dilemma.
How do you make it available outside New York state if nobody has ever heard of it, and how do you get the word out if you can't buy it outside New York?
Getting better distribution is one of the biggest challenges facing New York wines, said Jim Trezise of the 25-year-old New York Wine & Grape Foundation.
"We are still a local and regional industry," he said.
Breaking into the New York City market is now the big thrust among Finger Lakes wineries, said Levi Velez, assistant wine maker at King Ferry Winery on Cayuga Lake.
According to Trezise, New York wines, grapes and grape juice contribute $3.76 billion to the state economy.
There are currently 277 wineries spread out among five major wine and grape regions (Niagara Escarpment, Hudson Valley, Long Island, Finger Lakes and Lake Erie), with the Thousand Islands soon to formalize its own region. With 48 of New York's 62 counties hosting wineries, the trend is that the industry is spreading out.
"That's great politically, as more legislators care about the industry," Trezise said. Next Page
