New York Finger Lakes Wine Region vs Climate Change… But, Still Making Some Excellent Wines
Coming from Texas and now located in Georgia, heat is just a part of everyday life. However, climate change (and more specifically global warming) is making growing wine grapes in cooler climes like in the Finger Lakes AVA region of New York riskier. Too much risk for some winery owners, but an opportunity for others up for a bit of a change… like new grape varieties.
New York AVAs – including Finger Lakes region in central New York
The Good
Warmer temperatures allow wineries in the Finger Lakes region to more consistently ripen red varieties like Cabernet Franc. Also, historically a strictly cool-climate region known for Riesling, the Finger Lakes are seeing more hot years. This extended, warmer growing season has allowed red Bordeaux varieties and Syrah, never their strong suit, to ripen more reliably than they could decades ago. These help changes in climate have also brought new red varietal wines like Blaufrankisch of Eastern European origin.
Figure Lakes Wines in the Glass
The Not So Good
Finger Lakes growers are grappling with wild weather than in the past. These swings include shock freezes from polar vortexes in the winter and intense summer heat and droughts due to heat domes. The region also sees more frequent heavy rains that wash away soil and create humid conditions that encourage mildew and rot pressures.
Warmer winters, particularly in the time period at the end of winter, cause grapevines to come out of dormancy earlier and break buds. The big bad boy here is, if a late spring frost hits after bud break starts, growers can lose a significant portion of their harvest. Those that want to fight this trend have installed wind machines, heaters or protective ground covers in an effort to protect the most fruitful primary bud on their grapevines. However, it not completely successful, grower have to rely on the somewhat unpredictable secondary and tertiary buds leading to smaller harvests and/or uneven ripening.
Vineyard in the Finger Lakes AVA
The Bad
Some owners are closing their wineries. The aging of owners along with present (and future) changes in climate is causing some to close their doors or switch to alternative crops that they feel are more sustainable. The 166-year-old Pleasant Valley Wine Company in Hammondsport, the oldest in the Finger Lakes region, went up for sale sale. Similarly, Hunt Country Vineyards in Branchport ended major wine production to transition to what they refer to as more “sustainable farming”. The overall situation in many wine regions around the world these days of reduced consumer demand for wine may also be combining in these decisions.
What is a Winery Owner to Do?
To fight these unpredictable conditions, many Figure Lakes vineyards are on the frontline to adopt climate-resilient farming practices and use renewable energy sources to fight global warming. Such practices include investing heavily in solar energy and soil regeneration. Planting a wider variety of crops, including those that are drought- and heat-tolerant, that also can reduce reliance on just grape tonnage, quality and market price. These alternatives help to spread out their economic risk.
Interest in Supporting the Finger Lakes Wineries? It’s Time to Taste!
While in these challenging times, Finger Lakes wineries are still making some excellent and award winning wines. Some you might find regionally typical and others somewhat surprising. Here are some examples.
Weis Vineyards, Winery of the Year at the New York Wine Classic, Sauvignon Blanc, Gold Medal, and high scoring Winzer Select (Sweet) Riesling.
Enjoy Finger Lakes Wines
Some of these you might find in your local wine shop, supermarkets, big box stores, while others you might have to travel to New York to experience. Good to know: Finger Lakes AVA contains two officially recognized sub-regions: the Seneca Lake AVA (established in 2003) and the Cayuga Lake AVA (established in 1988). Both sub-regions are known for world-class cool-climate wines, particularly Riesling, but feature distinct microclimates created by their respective lakes. Click the following link for a list of Finger Lakes AVA Wineries and information on their wines.
The Finger Lakes wine region is still a wonderful place on God’s good and still somewhat green Earth. Give them a try… and don’t delay.
Love to taste, talk and tweet about Texas wines and where they are in the global scheme for wines. After all that's the only way they will reach the full potential.
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