Here’s how you can get that New York state of wine
In all my years in the wine trade, I can count the number of times I have been offered the chance to taste New York’s wines on one hand. Looking at UK merchant and restaurant lists, which span wine regions across the globe, you would barely know the Big Apple produced wine at all.
New York State is in fact North America’s third-largest wine producing state, out of 15 US states which produce wine. It is way behind California in volume, which produces over 85 per cent of America’s wines. New York has just 471 wineries across 35,000 acres, compared to California’s 3000+ growers and 535,000 acres. Sizewise, it has more in common with Washington State and Oregon.
Climatically New York State is very different, with a cool climate more akin to Europe than the New World. “We look towards Europe, rather than California,” says Rick Rainey, winemaker at Forge Cellars, a Francoamerican alliance specialising in Riesling and Pinot Noir in New York’s Finger Lakes region. “Our wines are more Old World in style with high acidity and low alcohol; elegant, delicate textured wines without power and intensity,” he says.
Across 11 AVAS (American Viticultural Areas) stretching from Niagara Escarpment and Lake Erie on Canada’s border, Finger Lakes in the north west, Hudson River in the east and Long Island on the coastal south east, climates vary dramatically.
In Finger Lakes, sheltered from Arctic winds by Lake Ontario, a cool continental climate around its 11 lakes brings harsh winters, warm summer days without heat spikes and cool nights which retain grape acidity. Down in coastal Long Island, with constant ocean breezes, the climate is moderate maritime, similar to Bordeaux.
With such harsh winters, American vitis labrusca and hardy European hybrids were initially planted, produced in bland sweet styles for tourists. The trials for vitis vinifera vines only began in 1954, but are growing steadily – the most successful around Seneca Lake. Undoubtedly vinifera is where New York State’s future lies, enabled by a warming climate.
So why do we not see New York wines in the UK? Quality and price have been an issue, but mostly because wines are drunk by a large local tourist market. Only 5 per cent are exported (mostly to Japan), but this will change as Finger Lakes and Long Island in particular are starting to make a name for themselves as serious wine regions.
SPARKLING WINE Cuvee Brut 2014
(Hermann J Weimer, 12%)
Most distinctive of three Finger Lakes traditional-method cuvees tasted; 63% Chardonnay/27% Pinot Noir blend with citrus, apple peel and toasty aromas, rich rounded smooth palate, minerally saline finish.
£22, www.wanderlustwine.co.uk; www.barnebys.co.uk
WHITE
Magrit Dry Riesling 2017
(Dr Konstantin Frank, 12%)
STAR BUY
Dry Riesling from a historic winery; crisp racy zingy tangy limey fruit, intensity with beautifully balanced acidity. Benchmark Finger Lakes Riesling from Keuka Lake, a clear winner in our tasting.
£16.50, www.matthewclark.co.uk
Chardonnay 2014
(Red Hook, 12.4%)
This Brooklyn-based urban winery buys grapes from Macari vineyard on Long Island’s North Fork. Serious rich rounded succulent Chardonnay with broad palate, moderate acidity, some complexity.
£39, www.stannarywine.com; www. corksofbristol.com
Chardonnay 2018
(Osmote, 12.5%)
STAR BUY
Impressive Chardonnay from up-and-coming winemaker Ben Riccardi, who buys grapes from Seneca Lake; loved its nuttiness, melony, rich citric fruit, seamless oak and tropical fruit undertones.
£26, www.woodwinters.com
RED Cabernet Franc 2013
(Fox Run, 13%)
One of Finger Lakes’ top family run wineries, makes this meaty, violet scented, ripe plummy fruited red with smooth velvet tannins, gentle herbiness, fine structure – showing Cabernet Franc’s promise.
£16, www.inveraritymorton.co.uk www.laithwaites.co.uk
Saperavi 2017
(Dr Konstantin Frank, 13%) Deep dark chunky blackberry and cherry aromas, smooth succulent juicy palate fruit livened with a biting acidity; ripe take on Georgia’s grape. £15, www.matthewclark.co.uk
Join Rose Murray Brown’s virtual Italian tasting with Raeburn Wines: Friday 19 February, www. rosemurraybrown.com