When Wine Enthusiast magazine this week announced that New York state was chosen of "Wine Region of the Year"-- ahead of Champagne, Chianti, Sonoma, and Washington -- it was a long-awaited and fitting tribute to the hundreds of people in our industry who have worked so hard for so long to get better every day.
It was
also a tribute to Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who has created the best
business climate in history for our industry; to former Gov. Mario
Cuomo, who rescued a dying industry through legislation allowing us to
grow; to the many legislators who have been a key part of our success;
and to numerous organizations which have been such valuable partners for
decades.
On
Valentine's Day of 1982, I left a secure and lucrative corporate job in
Philadelphia and U-hauled my family and furniture to Penn Yan through a
blizzard to become Executive Director of the New York State Wine Grape
Growers. The landscape was bleak: abandoned vineyards, padlocked
wineries, ramshackle farms, zero hope.
Today
the Finger Lakes has well over 100 wineries, an international reputation
for quality wines (especially Riesling), and consistent recommendations
as one of the world's top wine country travel destinations. The
landscape has changed.
Other
regions, from Long Island to Lake Erie and even North Country, have had
different evolutions but the same basic result: beautiful landscapes
with passionate people making wonderful wines.
Quality
and cooperation have been key to New York's success. We are so
fortunate to have Cornell University and Cooperative Extension as our
partners, and to also have so many grape growers, winery owners, and
wine makers who, while technically competitors, cooperate in so many
ways.
Diversity is our strength; Unity is our power. Excelsior!
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