finger lakes wine alliance

The Finger Lakes:World-Class Rieslings from

North America’s Premier Cool-Climate Wine Region

History• 17th century with Dutch and Huguenot

plantings in the Hudson Valley• 1862 first bonded winery in the US - Pleasant

Valley Wine Company in Hammondsport• Dr. Frank promotedVitis vinifera in New York –

hired by Charles Fournier (French Champagne maker) and president of Gold Seal

• 1962 Vinifera Wine Cellars founded• New York Farm Winery Law passed in 1976

The Numbers Add Up• 102+ wineries• 9200 acres of grapes• 700+ acres of Riesling• 100,000 cases of Riesling• Riesling, Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer

and Sauvignon Blanc• Cabernet Franc

North America’s Premier Cool Climate Wine Region• Small, specific producers • Wine that reflects place and

personality• Strong regional aromatic whites with

a focus on Riesling• Producers make 2-3 styles of Riesling• Home to over 200 Riesling brands

Winegrowing• South of Lake Ontario • Lake effect micro climates• Glacial soils• North – South vineyards• East & west facing aspects• Elevation and distance from lake

effects• Growing season 190 – 205 days

10,000 Years In the Making

• A unique geography carved out by glaciers two miles thick

• 11 long, narrow, roughly parallel lakes, oriented north-south

• Keuka, Seneca, Cayuga, Canandaigua• Among the deepest lakes in North

America 450 to 600 ft deep.

Canandaigua Keuka Seneca Cayuga

The Real Dirt

• Due to ancient glacial activity flooding, the Finger Lakes Region features mostly acidic shales and silty soils.

• Optimum pH levels for wine growing.

Lake Effect: The Cool Difference

• Because of their great depths, the lakes provide a beneficial “lake effect” to the vineyards that flank their shores.

• Warmer minimum temperatures in winter• Cooler maximum temperature in summer• Variation in ripening – elevation, distance

from water.

What It All Means

• The Finger Lakes Region is ideally suited to the production of world-class and truly distinctive Rieslings and aromatic white wines.

Riesling 101

• Noble and versatile• Growing at 9% (Wine Business

Monthly)• Reflects “terroir” of soil and climate

Finger Lakes Are In Good Company• Classic Riesling Regions

Alsace, Germany, Austria, Australia• United States

Finger Lakes, Washington, Michigan• Finger Lakes

Fresh, energetic, vibrant, balancedQuality, value, local

Making Riesling• “Keep It Long, Low And Cool”• Cool climate that allows for a long,

slow ripening.• Vineyard management to keep the

yields low and the flavor concentrated.

International Riesling Foundation’s

Riesling Taste Profile • A quick way to understand balance• Voluntary participation to inform

and educate• Ratio of residual sugar/acidity• Adjusted for extreme pH

The International Riesling Foundation’s Riesling Taste Profile

Vintner Agree

The Finger Lakes isNorth America’s

Premier Cool-Climate Wine Region.