Magazine Names Finger Lakes Top Wine Region for 2015

From the New York Wine and Grape Foundation:

Wine Enthusiast has named the Top 10 Wine Destinations of 2015, with New York's Finger Lakes region right at the top of the list.

Anna Lee Iijima, who has written about the region and tasted extensively (including as a judge at our New York Wine & Food Classic competition), has written a great piece about the wineries, wines, other attractions, and recommendations on where to stay and eat.

New York state has also been selected by the magazine as Wine Region of the Year based on the ever-increasing quality of its wines, close partnership with the state and strong growth. The Finger Lakes is by far the largest single region, with 128 wineries, hundreds of top awards in 2014 and about 4 million tourist visits annually.

The region's growth in all respects has commanded widespread attention in the world of wine.  

In 2004, there were 73 wineries, compared to 128 today, with the growth rate strong and increasing, especially in the past five years (38 new wineries). Similarly, in the past few years the number of Gold medals and ratings of 90 or above has steadily increased (from 557 in 2011 to 886 in 2014), reflecting the ever-increasing quality of wines.

The Finger Lakes led the top 10 list of wine country destinations, with the others being Piedmont, Italy; Hawks Bay, New Zealand; Rhone Valley, France; Orlando, Florida (for restaurants); Galicia, Spain; Okanagan, British Columbia; Loire Valley, France; Mendocino, California; and Isrtria, Croatia/Slovenia/Italy.